The hits keep on coming for John McCain since the NY Times broke the lobbyist scandal. For a man who rails against them, he certainly counts many as he friends. During his presser yesterday he even admitted that Ms. Iseman, the gal that is linked as the “it girl’ in the Times story is a “friend.”
Now the Washington Post follows that up with this:
In McCain’s case, the fact that lobbyists are essentially running his presidential campaign — most of them as volunteers — seems to some people to be at odds with his anti-lobbying rhetoric. “He has a closer relationship with lobbyists than he lets on,” said Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “The problem for McCain being so closely associated with lobbyists is that he’s the candidate most closely associated with attacking lobbyists.”
Public Citizen, a group that monitors campaign fundraising, has found that McCain had more bundlers — people who gather checks from networks of friends and associates — from the lobbying community than any other presidential candidate from either party. By the group’s current count, McCain had at least 59 federal lobbyists raising money for his campaign, compared with 33 working for Republican Rudolph W. Giuliani and 19 working for Democrat Clinton..read on
That’s a heck of a lot of lobbyist “friends.” And why would he have have so many lobbyist friends? I mean, their job is to make friends in high places that can help them get deals for their clients. What would his motivation be? I’m sure he has plenty of friends in his life, including his family. And how many lobbyists did Obama have in the piece?
Barack Obama has been advised by former senator Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.), who is not a registered lobbyist but advises clients about Washington.
Stretch, much? I can envision another campaign slogan for Obama….Oh, yea—it’s coming…write a few in the thread below.
UPDATE: Glenn notes that Newsweek has caught McCain in a serious credibility-undermining contradiction:
[W]hat is not old is McCain’s deliberately dishonest claims in response to that story. Denying that he ever spoke with Paxson’s CEO when he testified under oath that he did – and then misleadingly claiming that he was using the royal “I” and meant only that his staff spoke with Paxson — is clear and deliberate deceit.
Filed Under: Election 08, John McCain, Scandals
Tags: John McCain, Scandals
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Looks like the front seats on the Straight Talk Express are reserved for lobbyists…
McCain: Lobbyist Not My Lover, Just a ‘Friend With Benefits’
Uhh try this: I’m not a lying fraud in the pockets of the industry my committee regulates like you are Mac.
A little wordy, but its a start.
I hope Dems dont make the mistake of attacking John McCain for being the pocket of lobbyists. That will open up a can of worms and every Democrat in Washington will be hoisted by his own petard. Politicians love lobbyist money more than Brad Pitt loves Angelina’s vagina.
If you want special interests to continue to control our country, vote more of the same, vote McCain.
If you want change, vote to take your country back, vote Barack.
How about: “An administration run by and for the people, not by and for the lobbyists.”
“It’s the bribery, stupid !”
Speaking of McCain’s surrounding himself with lobbyists, check out this little piece on his chief fundraiser Tom Loeffler:
http://www.democrats.org/a/200.....etools.php
And then to add some context, take a look at what his Saudi clients have been up to lately:
http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
We might have the most powerful military in the world, but it sure looks like it is being bought right out from underneath us.
“Because they’re mine,
I tow their line.” John McCain channeling the man in black.
john INSANE & the double-talk express ride again!
Here is Obama’s ad campaign:
Several fade ins of article headlines of various McCain lobbying scandals.
Then an announcer explains how Obama’s money has come from millions of Americans who’ve chosen to donate.
Commercial ends with Obama saying: The American People are MY Special Interest Group”
And we thought our Representatives were selling us out for cash.
Now it seems that sex is incentive enough to get them to betray the Constitution of the United States of America.
The story that needs to get more press, as mentioned by others, is that McCain was underhandedly trying to stick the taxpayers with his campaign expenses if his campaign went belly.
When McCain says, “my friends” now we know who he was really talking about.
McCain’s bus left for Bizzarro World a long, long time ago.
abob @ 4:
congratulations! you just got a ticket on the “straight talk express”.
enjoy the ride!
Interesting isn’t it.The more a Republican rails against some particular activity the more likely they are to secretly engage in that activity.
Filthy Harry @ 11:
I like it!
Sorry,
Brad will get tired of Angie’s vag and move on. Congress will never ever get tired of fucking lobbyists, and vice versa.
I love it! Now the two choices for the Cons are the double-talking, lobbist-loving McCain or the religious zealot Huckabee. Heeheehee!!
Of course, with the way Dems run campaigns, it still wouldn’t be a sure thing.
abob @ 4:
Give me a break. And Jack Abramoff was a bi-partisan scandal, right? Screw the Democrats that are in the pocket of lobbyists. I’d gladly throw out those babies with the Republican bathwater.
Both parties are not equally dirty.
I liked Dean’s approach of tying McLovin to the GOP culture of corruption.
Makes hates all lobbyists, except for pretty ones he can bang
abob @ 4:
Is this what is known as a concern troll?
Corporate media have made the Times the issue to unite their base.
This is kind of like the repub who makes a big deal out of wanting to protect kids in order to cover for the fact he is the very person who would molest kids.
Seems a theme. If you want to hide something from the public, make a big deal out of being against that something.
Is that what bush is also trying to do when he makes such a big deal about keeping the country safe?
Joe Muama @ 20:
This is playing right in to Ron “Stormfront” Paul’s hands…
Holy Shit!! Check out the breaking news in the McCain-Iseman scandal…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6v8qazD_fFk
vache folle @ 23:
Pretty sure. Either that or a yellow-bellied sap-sucker, and them’s good eatin’.
pissed off patricia @ 25:
And, of course, Larry “I’m not gay” Craig!
This angry old hypocrite has no chance to win in Nov. His own party doesn’t want him.
The Real Significance Of John McCain’s Lobbyist Relationship
Yea, this is the candidate who has been running all over the country claiming to be above the “business and usual” routine associated with Washington politicians. What was this man thinking? Did he really think he could get away with taking on the banner clean politics? Now, he has given the American people a real time reminder: Republicans are hypocrites and liars, even the ones that have military backgrounds.
If this was about an affair, I would of ignored it. I am not a “sheet smeller” who finds someone’s sex life of interest. His sex life is just that: his and his alone. However, as noted above, this man is a real time leader of the Republican hypocrisy. An elite if you will; the best, this case excluded, at lying their ass off to get elected.
The New York Times was right to expose McCain’s hypocrisy in this matter. It would not be a first to have a major candidate nailed by an issue before he gets into the general election process. I am loving every minute of it.
Joseph
abob @ 4:
Exactly. Everybody in Congress is as guilty or moreso. Lobbying is an ugly industry of packwolves lookin’ for cashola. But if politicians actually did what the average Joe wants there would be no problem. So far……….*crickets chirping*
vache folle @ 23:
No, it is what is called realism. The number of elected politicians not in the lobby pocket you could probably count on your hands quite easily. Those who aren’t will be.
Old Billy @ 21:
Both parties aren’t equally dirty? I would say they are. Everytime you read anything on any member of Congress, there are always lobbyist and corporate ties. That’s who they represent.
vache folle @ 23:
Ding, ding, ding….we have a winner.
O/T: Motorcycle cop was killed escorting Hillary Clinton’s motorcade to a rally.
ConcernedCanuck @ 33:
FINE. Toss them all out! It’s time to open that can of worms and feed the fish!!
not convinced the msm will let this gain any traction. corporate bigwigs won’t allow it. besides, this kind of press takes all the steam out of the run-up to the election translating into less drama which further translates into lower ratings…
Clavis @ 1:
quoted for truth
St. McCain @ 38:
It’s almost a sure bet it won’t gain any traction. The MSM has been doing a great job defusing the NYT-McHorny piece.
this isn’t about lobbying, it’s about hypocrisy.
The trough is available to any pol with a ticket to feed (or is that redundant?).
The one I came up with that has a nice rhyme to it is: “Have-it-both-ways McCain” Perhaps he’ll hire a lobbyist and a PR person (and a lawyer) to fight against this perception that he is in bed with lobbyists. Another Republican Roger Clemens-ing (who by the way is a close personal friend of the Bush family).
Blue Lensman @ 37:
I agree!!!
Oops I meant “Play-it-both-ways McCain”
Peoples Front of Judea @ 18:
Sounds like a winner!
Dr. Matt @ 36:
Wow. That’s sad.
St. McCain @ 38:
Serious news organizations don’t like to dwell on the he-said/she-said stories.
(that as just practice bait, no need to respond)
McCain needs to change his slogan from the straight talk express to The Sweet Talk Express. Or maybe Sex Talk Express
I not sure what you are counting, but I know you are not counting corruption scandals. The Republicans far out-scandal the Democrats 5 to 1. This form of globalizing is the Republican’s primary defense for everything they were accused of in 2006. Now, if you want to say all Republicans are equally dirty, I would say right on man.
Joseph