April 15, 2008

Contact: Caroline Ciccone - 202-863-8148

College Students Don't Want a Third Bush Term With John McCain

Washington, DC - Republican presidential candidate John McCain is set to appear on NBC's 'Harball College Tour' with Chris Matthews at Villanova University in Pennsylvania this afternoon, offering America's students four more years of the same failed Bush policies that have been disastrous for young people. From promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years, to rehashing Bush economic polices that have led to what many call a recession and record deficits, to opposing vital measures to help America's students afford a college education, John McCain has been woefully out of touch with young people.

Although McCain now says he is concerned students won't have access to student aid, he has voted again and again against giving students greater access to student loans even while college costs have skyrocketed in recent years. Instead of supporting additional funding for Pell Grants, more direct student aid, a tuition tax credit for middle class families, and loan forgiveness for students who go into public sector jobs after college, McCain chose tax cuts for the wealthy and billions in corporate tax loopholes, as his votes show. And though he says he supports our troops, McCain has yet to support a new GI Bill in Congress that would help service members and veterans pay for college. 

"John McCain may be trying to cozy up to college students, but the last thing young voters want is the third Bush term we'd get with McCain in the White House," said College Democrats of America President Lauren Wolfe. "The fact is, McCain is out of touch with young people. We want our troops out of Iraq, but McCain wants them there for 100 years. We want good jobs after college, but McCain would ship them overseas. And we want to be able to pay for our education, but McCain wants to give tax cuts to the wealthy at our expense. That's not leadership and that's exactly why young people will turn out in record numbers this November to defeat John McCain and elect a Democratic president who we can entrust with our future."