(NAME-MCE) McCain Comes Out Against Affirmative Action

[Anselmo Villanueva]

*McCain Comes Out Against Affirmative Action *

In reversal of earlier position, candidate backs state ballot measures to
bar public colleges and universities from considering race in admissions and
hiring.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/29/mccain

July 29, 2008
McCain Comes Out Against Affirmative Action

ABC News

John McCain on ABC's "This Week."

Sen. John McCain on Sunday came out against affirmative action, and endorsed
ballot measures to bar public colleges and universities — and other state
agencies — from considering race in admissions or hiring.

McCain had previously been among those Republicans who refused to endorse
these ballot measures.

His comments on Sunday came in an appearance on the ABC News show "This
Week,"<http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/07/mccain-reverses.html>which
also revealed that a decade ago, he called efforts to bar affirmative
action "divisive." On Sunday, asked if he would back the ban on affirmative
action that will be considered by Arizona voters this fall, he said: "I
support it. I do not believe in quotas.... I have not seen the details of
some of these proposals. But I've always opposed quotas."

In a separate appearance, Sen. Barack Obama, McCain's Democratic opponent
for the presidency, supported affirmative
action,<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5910581.html>but
also continued to state that it is not the primary solution for
anyone.
Obama has said several times during the campaign that he believes class in
addition to race should be considered.

"I am a strong supporter of affirmative action when properly structured so
there is not a quota, but it is acknowledging and taking into account some
of the hardships and difficulties that communities of color may have
experienced, continue to experience, and it also speaks to the value of
diversity in all walks of American life," he said Sunday. "I've also said
that affirmative action is not going to be the long-term solution to the
problems of race in America, because, frankly, if you've got 50 percent of
African American or Latino kids dropping out of high school, it doesn't
really matter what you do in terms of affirmative action. Those kids aren't
going to college."

McCain's opposition to affirmative action is winning him points in
conservative circles,<http://phibetacons.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDdmMDZkNDBhMjU0MGM2ZDNmMWYzMWU4MmY4NmQzNW>but
drawing criticism from defenders of affirmative action in higher
education. In particular, they object to his equating affirmative action
with quotas.

"Changing one's mind is certainly the American way but changing positions to
garner support from a particular population should be questioned even by
those who oppose affirmative action. Moreover, using affirmative action as a
wedge issue only divides our nation when it is time to bring us together,"
said a statement from ReNee Dunman, director of equal opportunity and
affirmative action at Old Dominion University and president of the American
Association for Affirmative Action. (The association is non-partisan and
does not endorse candidates for office.)

On the issue of quotas, Dunman added: "Once again, I am compelled to dispel
the myth that affirmative action requires quotas — they are unlawful and
expressly prohibited by federal regulations." She noted that many
affirmative action plans have goals, but that such goals do "not require
hiring or admitting a particular number of women or minorities."

Affirmative action is the second diversity-related issue on which McCain has
shifted during the campaign, although he may be switching sides again on the
other issue: the federal DREAM Act to help students who cannot document
their legal immigration status.

McCain was one of the key forces behind immigration reform legislation last
year that for a time would have included the DREAM Act (Development, Relief
and Education for Alien Minors), which would have provided a pathway to
permanent residency for undocumented students who complete two years of
college or military service. For students who came into the country
illegally before age 16 and have lived in the country for five years, the
DREAM Act would have for the first time given undocumented students access
to federal loans and work study programs (but not federal grants).

When many Senate Republicans challenged the immigration reform measure, and
many conservative activists denounced McCain for backing it, the larger
piece of legislation was blocked, but many educators then backed a plan to
push the DREAM Act by itself. But during meetings to try to repair his ties
to conservatives, McCain pledged to oppose the DREAM Act solo, saying: "I
got the message and the American people want the borders controlled first."

This month, however, in answering questions from a Latino
group,<http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/7/14/174550/455>McCain said he
approves of the DREAM Act.

Obama has consistently supported the DREAM
Act.<http://obama.senate.gov/press/071024-obama_statement_94/>

— Scott Jaschik <scott.jaschik at insidehighered.com>