Update: Tucker had the audio of McKinnon’s interview on NPR. (h/t Silent Patriot)
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Via The Baltimore Sun:
Earlier today, the Swamp noted that Mark McKinnon, a senior campaign adviser to both President Bush and Sen. John McCain of Arizona, had said some time ago that he could not serve McCain if Sen. Barack Obama became the Democratic presidential nominee.
And now this evening, the Republican consultant is reaffirming his stance that he will have to step out of his advisor’s role for the campaign if Obama wins the Democratic nomination. He explained his aversion to campaigning against Obama in an interview aired by National Public Radio, where Michele Norris interviewed him for All Things Considered:
“I met Barack Obama, I read his book, I like him a great deal,” McKinnon said. “I disagree with him on very fundamental issues. But I think, as I said, I think it would a great race for the country, and I would simply be uncomfortable being in a campaign that would be inevitably attacking Barack Obama. I think it would be uncomfortable for me, and I think it would be bad for the McCain campaign.” Read on…
Can you even fathom the notion that any senior adviser for either the Obama or Clinton campaigns would drop out to avoid confronting Senator McCain? It doesn’t bode well for him that one of his closest campaign advisers is a FAN of an opposing candidate, but if Obama does eventually get the nod and he follows through on his pledge, he has our thanks for doing his part to help put a Democrat in the White House…
Filed Under: Barack Obama, Campaigns/Elections, Election 08, John McCain
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Well that’s a good reason that Obama should be our front runner! But Hillary will fight on, in spite of party, country and purpose!
Don’t get too excited. This is going to be a nasty campaign. The Republicans seem willing to concede 2008, but not before reinforcing the lie that Obama is a closeted Muslim intent on bringing about the Final Days and putting our women in burkas.
Do the knowledge. Its called Niqab, not Burkas. The Billary spin continues. She needs to do the honorable thing, quit and never come back. While she’s at it bring every boomer still serving in politics with her.
Let the repubs wage a nasty campaign, America is way too tired for nasty. Sure the relpub base loves it, but the rest of America is better than that.
Cut and Run defined.
pissed off patricia @ 4:
What % is that though ? I see a bit of complaining though no action.
I think today I finally realized why a candidate like Ron Paul doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell– our government is messed up beyond foreseeable repair. Check Obama’s foreign policy and listen to his rhetoric before you try to tell me he’ll change things. This is just ping pong for power, Democrats just have a more “liberal” persona. Ultimately, many of these people are still serving corporate wishes! And we’re electing them!!
Fox Conscience @ 3:
Another large blanket unfurls. Every boomer? Are you sure about that?
My bet is McCain will bring Rove on board. If he hasn’t already. I can’t imagine Rove not being involved in this one. Even if it’s under the radar. I’m not that ignorant.
McCain’s reaction to Mark McKinnon’s plan to resign the McCain campaign rather than oppose Obama, was,
‘I fully understand Mark’s position. As a matter of fact, I have come to them same conclusion. If Obama wins the democratic nomination, I shall join his campaign for the good of the country’.
Whaddaya know, McCain is a good citizen, with the nation’s best interest at heart, after all.
Fox Conscience @ 3:
Since when did Quitting become an American value nitwit?
This country is ripe for an assassination.
Barack beware. Powerful forces are observing your campaign.
McKinnon still has a career ahead of him. Do you think he wants what could be the largest defeat in electoral history on his resume?
I can’t help but wonder how someone with scruples made it so far in the Republican party. Could it be that some of them are decent human beings?
The wimp must be a lot like Mitt , he doesn’t like to lose , but he knows when he is going to .
L.A. Confidential @ 9:
Agreed. I’m starting to see his signature on a lot of slime that’s starting to surface. It’s starting already.
Cue ominous, low-impedance music:
“So, Barack Hussein Obama wants to be commander in chief of the United States of America in a time of WAR. But did you know he was schooled in madrassa? where every student must kill an American civilian in order to graduate? His message? I love the terrorists and we must cut and run from Iraq as soon as I am sworn in. Oh, and did we mention his rampant drug use as a teenager growing up in the ghetto? Or that he believes George Soros is the greatest man on the entire planet? He’s even been spotted in a hot tub with Hanoi Jane Fonda. Is this the kind of man (negro) we want in the white house to defeat the terrorists who want to kill us,rape our wives and take away our guns? We didn’t think so.”
Paid for by the committee to elect John McCain for Emperor for life.
liberalista @ 14:
Basically the Necons took over the Republican party and totally used it then destroyed it.
There are decent Republicans. What I don’t understand is how they can take this stuff without just throwing their papers in the air and saying thats it I’ve have it with this bullsh*t.
These Republican Valentine’s Day Cards are CLASSIC!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7.....912749605/
liberalista @ 16:
And they are loading up the big guns while causally waiting for the Winner to emerge. Then it’s open fire.
The enemy isn’t repubs in congress. They’re all pawns, as is shrub.
It’s the folks behind the curtain.
Bloomberg Ridicules Washington On Economy
‘Cash Rebates Like Booze For Alcoholics’
U.S.Resembling A ‘Third-World Country’
Wow one of these guys is finally bringing out the Truth
liberalista @ 16:
Actually LA, I read somewhere one of Rove’s underlings was already onboard. Damn can’t remember where I read it. Sorry.
L.A. Confidential @ 18:
NAME ONE
Cry from the wilderness.
The real conflict in this country is not between dems and repubs, as we’re led to believe.
It’s between 99.998% of Americans and the power structure.
That clinches it! They DEFINITELY fear running against Hillary Clinton more than Obama.
My god, a senior Republican campaign advisor just TOLD Democrats to vote for Obama in the primaries! He’ll be able to retire like Midas on bonus pay for life anyway if that little trick actually pays off.
At a time of war, Obama’s subliminal message that he would NOT be our wartime president must be causing pre-general election Repug power erections all over town.
Obama - Clinton
Practically the same in policy
Obama - Clinton
Obama stands better chance to defeat McCain
When will this party get off its ass and go for Howard Dean instead of Kerr… I’m sorry. When will this party unite behind our strongest candidate?? It’s nothing personal, I have no qualms with Mrs. Clinton. I’m not here to troll. I’m just a Pragmatist. Lets stop loosing elections because we’re proud!
Rove was Faux the night before. He was absolutely drooling at running
against the Clintons…..
If it’s McCain against Clinton, you bet he will jump in….
Pardon me, but I’m too much of a cynic to take any of this at face value.
Obama as Democratic candidate is seen by many in the GOP to be the best thing that could possibly happen. They will do everything they can to turn him into Sen. Willie Hussein Horton, admitted drug-taker and government lawyer. They’ll walk all over him and bring the Base back on board in the process.
Obama’s teflon charisma will disappear the second he becomes the presumptive nominee. Rove, McCain and the Swift Vets will eat him for breakfast.
BIGBONEDED @ 24:
My Uncle for one. But even he no longer has a Political “Home” anymore and fully knows it.
Strawberrybitch @ 23:
Yep, I’m smelling turdblossom all over the place.
Annoyed Canuck @ 29:
And I’m not optimistic people will storm the RNC War Room Headquarters en mass saying hey we’ve had enough of this sh*t! either.
Annoyed Canuck @ 29:
Disagree. I think he’s much tougher intellectually and emotionally than Kerry. I think he knows how to take a punch and give one back.
As to whether he’d be a good president, that’s another matter. Depends on what’s inside of him, which we don’t fully know.
It is so Gay…
L.A. Confidential @ 5:
Actually, seems like a courageous, principled stand to me. Surprising to see in a Republican — or any politician, for that matter.
Annoyed Canuck @ 29:
^^^Hates Freedom^^^
Senior McCain Adviser Refuses To Campaign Against Obama
We have PACs to do that.
I wonder whether Clinton will choose to even bother continuing to serve as Senator of the state Arkansas, whups - I meant New York.
Hellary is starting to get nasty. I realize this is the way of politics but it really disturbs me to think that the excitement Obama has brought forth being squashed. I’m 53. I was in elementary school when JFK was shot so I don’t remember much. I do remember that my parents had an record album of JFK speeches. Do we even have anything like that today? Since JFK, have we had anyone bring such inspiration to the people? For too many years voters have been apathetic until now. They talk about reaching across the aisle. Does anyone think ANY repug will reach back if its Clinton? I don’t. Four years at least listening to the bullshit. I don’t want to hear it. Fair? Maybe not, but it is reality.
I think maybe this guy dropped out because he was being asked by the psycho right to attack obama for his name, where he went to school, that he is part black. they probably wanted him to do just evil things and he had enough compassion and human decency to drop out instead of sink himself to the lowest depths of hell.
this is a message that the attacks will be very harsh and Obama is doing at least two smart things to prepare for that 1 - mentioning in every speech at the crescendo that the opposition will say this can’t be done - this unites the campaign supporters against opposing candidates and groups identifying them as naysayers. When the naysayers become harsh critics, as Bill did, the campaign and its supporters are prepared to respond by unifying against the threat and 2 - Obama infuses his charisma into the whole campaign to develop it as a movement so that an attack on Obama will be perceived as an attack on the movement and therefore as much on his supporters as on him. Obama is already setting up that his candidacy is about a movement and about the people he represents more than about him - that message - the WE in yes we can - is perhaps the most important step in getting the campaign, the participants in that campaign and the candidate all defined as inter-changeable parts so that an attack on Obama will unify rather than splinter support. Its not novel but its brilliant in its application because the unity is based on hope not fear.
I don’t believe it. It’s a Trojan horse.
liberalista @ 14:
It’s just too bad the 999 bad ones ruin it for the one good guy. Other than that, there isn’t much else to do than to pinch my arm.
But then…… He still works for McCain now, right?……………………………. Damn, this guy is crazy like a fox. Must be a diversion of some kind.
You guys are a bunch of wimps. As an Obama-supporter, I fully welcome a total assault by the same political “genius” who saw the big, blue wave wash over his pathetic attempts in 2006.
As our fearless leader said once: Bring. It. On.
We’ll bring an electrified base, broad demographics, huge turnout, substantial financial-base to bear on John McCain. Obama has a historic wave of support behind him, and the Democratic Party will be laughing itself to the White House once blubber-boy fires his salvo. He’s such a footnote in history.
Dhalgren @ 2:
I thought it was Dubya’s job to bring about the final days…and even if it is Obama’s isn’t that what the Crazy Religious Right wants anyway? isn’t that why we’re in the middle east in the first place?…becuase these idiots believe if you create enough dead bodies then Jesus will come back!
McCain Campaign Slogan - Dont Get Your Hopes Up
I’m not sure about it because it is extremely rare in the American political arena but McKinnon sounds like he actually might have some principles.
Music for St. Valentine’s day:
http://wfmu.org/hova/000214.html
Lets not forget McCain used to have principles too 8 years ago