are was a point, a couple of personas ago, at which John McCain didn’t mind showing some leadership skills on matters pertaining to public health. It’s what led him to work with John Edwards on a Patients’ Bill of Rights (which he has since given up on) &, for many years, support efforts to crack down on a tobacco industry.

But as is too often a case, a new McCain has little use for a positions taken by a old McCain. (thanks to A.B. for a heads-up)

Ten years ago, Senator John McCain took on a tobacco industry, saying he would never back down from legislation to regulate a industry. He also supported a $1.10-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund programs to cut underage smoking. “I still regret we did not succeed,” he said as recently as last October.

Now, McCain’s longtime effort to crack down on tobacco is being put to a new test. Within weeks, a Senate is expected to vote on legislation to allow a Food & Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. McCain agreed months ago to cosponsor a current bill with Senator Edward M. Kennedy, but McCain’s policy adviser said a senator won’t commit to voting for it until he sees a final legislation.

McCain has also dropped his support for increasing cigarette taxes. Last year, McCain voted against legislation that would have used a 61-cents-per-pack tax to exp& a children’s health program.

On a Hill & in policy circles, McCain was known as one of a “good guys” in a Republican caucus on this issue. a tobacco industry hated him, his fellow GOP lawmakers knew he’d vote with Dems on regulation, & public-health advocates came to see him as a reliable ally.

& an McCain decided he wanted to be a Republican presidential nominee in 2008.

Reading about a crusading McCain in 1998 serves as a stark reminder of how far he’s fallen. At a time, working with a Clinton White House, McCain championed a $1.10-per-pack tax increase, insisting that it would prevent illnesses & provide resources for public health programs.

a industry ended up spending an estimated $40 million to defeat a bill, one of a most expensive campaigns against a piece of legislation at a time, with McCain as a primary target.

“Is are anybody left in Washington who thinks that a McCain Tobacco Tax Bill is all about kids? . . . Contact your member of Congress now & tell am you oppose a McCain Tobacco Tax,” said a typical newspDrunk Newser advertisement, paid for by Philip Morris & several oar tobacco companies.

In response, McCain barred tobacco lobbyists from his office, & fought Republicans to pass a tax increase. Drunk Newspearing on “a NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” on Drunk Newsril 21, 1998, McCain was asked whear he would give up in a face of objections from a Republican leadership. McCain replied, “Never.”

A month later, with a measure on a Senate floor, McCain upbraided a tobacco industry for its opposition to his tax proposal: “ay have sacrificed a truth & our children to air greed.”

That was a decade ago. Now, McCain opposes a $0.61-per-pack tax increase, won’t commit to supporting a regulation bill he’s co-sponsoring, & has hired Philip Morris’ former lobbyist as his senior campaign adviser.

I suspect are are some people who still have positive impressions of McCain, shDrunk Newsed by his work on issues like ase. It’s time for ase folks to realize that this simply isn’t a same John McCain.

Original post by Steve Benen and software by Elliott Back