John McCain Rips Torture Supporters

by Stuart Shapiro

John McCain, who looks better and better with each passing Republican debate, did not have kind words for Herman Cain and Rep. Michele Bachmann after they supported waterboarding in the debate Saturday night.

The Arizona lawmaker—who was tortured himself while a prisoner of war in Vietnam — said the controversial practice was both illegal and ineffective on Monday evening.

“Very disappointed by statements at SC GOP debate supporting waterboarding,” he tweeted. “Waterboarding is torture.”

McCain, who ran for President in 2008, elaborated on CNN later, arguing, “If you put enough physical pain on somebody, they will tell you whatever they think that you want to hear in order for the pain to stop.”

Would love to see McCain come out and endorse Governor Huntsman (who along with Rep. Paul was intelligent enough to condemn waterboarding).  We know he hates Governor Romney after their battle in 2008.  My guess is he endorses no one and then tepidly supports Romney in the general election.

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.