John McCain's ties to Vicki Iseman starting to be revealed: Covering Loopholes
By John Amato Saturday Feb 23, 2008 9:15pmThe NY Times ran another piece today on McCain's love affair with lobbyists. They shed more light on his role as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and his dealings with the FCC and Glencairn Ltd., a client of Vicki Iseman, his friend the lobbyist. The letter writer called John McStraightalker urged the commission to abandon plans to close a loophole vitally important to Glencairn Ltd.
...a client of Vicki Iseman, a lobbyist. The provision enabled one of the nation’s largest broadcasting companies, Sinclair, to use a marketing agreement with Glencairn, a far smaller broadcaster, to get around a restriction barring single ownership of two television stations in the same city.
You remember Sinclair Broadcasting---the wonderful company that planned to air the hit job on John Kerry called "Stolen Honors." Here's the key passage of the piece though.
For its part, Glencairn appeared to have been getting little support in Congress until it retained Ms. Iseman in 1998.
Edwin Edwards, who was the president of the company at the time, said in a recent interview that after retaining Ms. Iseman, he was able to get heard by Mr. McCain.
"We were pounding the pavement in Washington," Mr. Edwards said. "We recruited help from as many people as we could. We knocked on every door just trying to get support.
So Glencairn was getting nowhere until Vicki was able to get McCain's attention. I wonder how she did that?
Marcy Wheeler breaks it down for us. McCain’s Favors for Iseman Involved Helping Far Right-Wing Families to Sustain their Shell Companies
McCain helped a company evade the clear intent of the law, and in so doing, really concentrate its reach for such a moment when it might want to use its stations as a propaganda vehicle.
And then there's the sheer hypocrisy of it. Five years later, when Sinclair used its concentration to smear a military hero, McCain blamed that smear not on the motivations of the family running Sinclair or those bankrolling the propaganda, but on the concentration of Sinclair's company.
"I do have an opinion that this is an issue that results when you have media concentration, which I have been opposed to," he said at a fund-raiser for Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.). "When you have media concentration - this is the largest TV owner with 62 stations - this is something that happens." [my emphasis]
As the NYT shows, Sinclair only achieved that concentration thanks to McCain's inappropriate intervention...read on
But the media isn't interested in really examining the relationship with Iseman because the nasty NY Times uses unnamed sources in their piece. I admit it wasn't the greatest first piece---kind of looked like a bunch of lawyers had a whack at it, but if McCain's paid lawyer, Mr Bennett says he's an honest guy then I guess that's that. Bennett even said today that it doesn't matter if Paxson disputed McCain's claims that he never talked to him before. Hey, it was a few years ago, who can remember, right?


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This story has legs.
I have been railing about McLiar for more than a decade; every time I hear someone left-leaning talk about how he is "Independent" or "One Republican I have some respect for."
Makes my hair stand on end!
It is ALL A SCAM!
That corrupt bastard has been running the same scam for at least 20 years - to loudly take a somewhat liberal position (or claim to take one - like he did on the torture issue) get a ton of fawning press coverage, and quietly do an about-face (like he just did - voting against a ban on torture!)
It has worked for him time and again - just like his press conference the other day - when he lied his ass off. If he was telling the truth about the corporate perks having no influence, he perjured himself in a sworn deposition.
As much as they are bitching now, the conservatives are gonna line up with him in November. We have to make sure enough of the truth gets out that Independents won't touch him with a ten foot pole.
this is huge .. how come nobody is posting? the NYT piece will be vindicated - McCain's lobbyist connections are deep and huge in scope.
Arrgghhh! What a waste of biscuit dough is McCain!
The following speaks volumes about McCain's character and his threshold for hypocrisy, that the loopholes are everywhere McCain is. His weird wife Cindy is also in it up to her weird vicodined eyeballs..
It concerns McCains' GRAFT in connection w/ New Cardinals Stadium where the last Superbowl was won by NY Giants, just a few weeks ago.
Did McCain Finally Get His Stadium Help Payoff?
Cardinals, Anheuser-Busch ink sponsorship deal
Subject: the 2003 Glendale, AZ Cardinals stadium deal in which Sen. McCain personally intervened to get the $600 million deal approved. After approval for the stadium, Anheuser Busch was given the single contract for alcohol serving .
The company that holds the distribution rights for Anheuser Busch is Hensley Co, whose Chairman of the Board, Cindy Hensley McCain received nearly $50 million dollars in a bonus payment after the stadium deal was secured.
The issue is not what politicians do with their private lives-- the problem is graft. And the public life of John McCain shows a continued pattern of duplicity to enrich his own pockets.
.
QUIZ
Q: Which politician worked to get the FAA to approve the doomed Cardinal Tempe Stadium?
A: John McCain
.
Q: Who just landed the alcohol deal for the Cardinals?
A: Anheuser-Busch
.
Q: Who has the distribution rigths for Phoenix area?
A: The Hensley Company
.
Q: Who is Hensley's Chairman of the Board?
A: Cindy Hensley McCain
.
http://www.abwholesaler.com/hensley/AboutUs/AboutUs
.
You Too Can Connect The Straight-Talking Dots...
.
New Cardinals Stadium
The stadium is the first and only stadium in North America that is capable of completely removing the grass playing field from the stadium
.
The roof is made out of translucent "Bird-Air" fabric and opens in twelve minutes. It is the first retractable roof ever built on an incline.
Facility information
Bush & McCain --- So Happy Together! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFhakR_dork
Boosh 3
Wonder who McDukes choice for VP is going to be. Cheney?
"So Glencairn was getting nowhere until Vicki was able to get McCain’s attention. I wonder how she did that?"
Ever see those late night ads for 'Girls Gone Wild?' You know the girls do that cutesy, slutty thing-lift up their t shirt to show off their titties? I think that's what she did to got McHorndog's attention
I don't think this is going to be enough to knock McCain out of the Con Nomination.
He's their man. Signed, sealed, delivered.
You know, I don't care who anyone screws so long as the encounter is consensual. The issue isn't the affair, but the 'quid pro quo' that McCain delivered, and has all along, beyond Iseman. Why won't the Senate censure these crooks? Harry?
By the way, the Glencairn owner is Edwin L. Edwards - not to be confused with Edwin W. Edwards, former governor of Louisiana and convicted felon. That threw me for a loop there.
How did she do it? Not to sound too piggish, but I'd bet two and a half words:
rug-burned kneecaps
...ewwww....
The McCain sex tape will hit the internet any day now...
Bud @ 12:
I believe it involved a compound, an achronym and a proper noun:
Strap-on G.I. Joe
Has anyone noticed that if you take away the first initials of Vicki Iseman's name you get
Icki Seman?
Is that a coincidence, or what?
It was clear that NYT has a much bigger story, or they wouldn't have run what they did.
McCain't is in deep shit on two fronts (lobbying corruption and FEC fraud, or lack of campaign funds).
I'm trying to relearn smiling. Anyone still remember how?
Wow! This is starting to look REALLY bad.
it's should be no surprise who will
be a political whore and fuck an old man
for corruption in washington d c
I wouldn't be surprised if the lobbyist lady took him as a bit of a fool and played him for the power it gave her -- he wants her, she gives enough to get access, she gets well paid, her clients are happy, she's happy; all in a day's pay.
He's the jackass for being a foolish old sniffing hound, not her so much, even if she did fake an orgasm or two. Any man who looks like him and thinks he truly can make a woman want him only for his hawt body deserves to be taken down the road.
I just wish to fuck we didn't have to go too. I don't feel so optimistic about McCain's sleaze getting much press.
And yes, I agree, I've seen far more of him than I have enjoyed over the years, I thought he was an idiot a decade or two ago and nothing has changed, 'cept that he has a lie machine to work for him twenty-four seven.
More innuendo. Where's the substance?
This is the kind of crap that conservatives do - libs are SUPPOSED to be better than that...
Looking at the money:
McCain was the top donee of Telecoms in 1998: http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.asp?Ind=B09&Cycle=1998&reci...
Of course, Fritz Hollings was #2, and coincidentally was the top Dem on the Senate Commerce Committee in 1998.
Sinclair isn't in the top 20 donors to McCain in the 1998 election. If you really want to see if McCain was affected by lobbyists check out what legislation he back that benefitted Quest. They were the top contributor to his campaign in both the 1992 (then as U.S. West) and the 1998 campaigns.
I'm not sure if McCain had some sort of affair with Iseman but I do think that it's interesting to note that she does have a resemblance to his current wife. He really likes those skinny blondes.
Horst @ 10:
Screw corruption, Iraq, treason, and the devestation that's still New Orleans. We're going after Roger Clemens and steroids in baseball! Uh...yeah...
L.A. Confidential @ 9:
Who wants to knock him out? Let him get the nomination and then hopefully the smoking gun will be found that dooms his nomination.
“To the extent the F.C.C. shows itself incapable of following Congressional intent,” the letter said, “these issues will become part of our overall review of the commission’s functions and structure during the next session of Congress.”
Look, he's threatening the FCC! Jeezus.
UnEasyOne @ 1:
McCain's "Straight Talk Express" is just a marketing phrase, ala "Fair and Balanced"...
miss_kitty @ 8:
Answer: BJ
McStraightalker
#303, thanks John! ;}
miss_kitty @ 8:
lol, #304, thanks!
{;-)
Saturday's C&Ler's contributions to the McNames McList (current total 304):
McDeepthroat
McDoggiestyle
McSexo (Repugs love their cheap Latino laborers)
McPene (again with the Repug Latino love)
McCrackerain’tevengotnostandardtokens
McKrieg
McKill
McKonquer
McCalamity
McMuffinface
McHorrific
McAim
McSexForFavours
McSexwithbenfits
McWhore
McOldMan
McLobbylover
McCanofbeans
McHardOnForLobbyistButI’mOldAndImpotent
McMussolini
McHitler
McStalin
McNazi
McFacist
McTerrorist
McPedophile (Cindybarbi was young enough to be his granddaughter)
McRohm
McDaub
McFriend
McNepotism
McDrools
McMasturbatorinchief
McPresident
McCameandWent
Keep McPileing on C&L'ers! The current McList numbers 304 and the updated entire list and/or links will be posted on McStraightTalker and/or Open threads Fridays and Tuesdays, and the previous day’s contributions the rest of the week, John permitting.
“Shorter lists are funnier” generally holds true, and very well may re the McList. C&L’ers are diverse and eclectic, and I’ve enjoyed many lols, LOLs, LOL!s and Ha ha’s here. I’m reluctant to exclude any McEntry, ’cause they’re all funny/pointed/cathartic to varying degrees, and the sheer length of the entire list has a humorous quality of its own.
We are also generating denigrating McMemes, some of which may be useful, in a memie sort of way. The thuglicontards are very aware of the usefulness of denigrating memes, and it won’t hurt to put out a few of our own.
That being said, a Top 11, Dirty Dozen, etc. are considerations, for those (myself included, usually) who like things condensed to essentials.
Will update at my convenience or tolerable inconvenience on pertinent threads.
8-D
The entire (211) current (as of Friday 12:01am pst) McName List :-D
The good blog Praire Weather tonight reports:
Transmission of "60 Minutes" blacked out
Scott Horton, one of the legal eagles most involved in publicizing government malfeasance in Karl Rove's and Alberto Gonzales' prosecution of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman, writes that in the parts of Alabama the "60 Minutes" expose could not be seen.
In a stunning move of censorship, the transmission was blocked across the northern third of Alabama by CBS affiliate WHNT, which is owned by interests of the Bass Family.
Bass. That's the north Texas family, most likely. Robert Bass of the Bass brothers. Out of Fort Worth. Big Bush pals, contributors. Also turn up regularly in the society columns of the New York Times....
Just finished watching the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I am starting to feel like all these hypocritical rethuglicans are soul-less aliens among us. McCain was unfit to be president before these revelations, but now damn it- I hope he's investigated for corruption while in office. He escaped the Keating scandal, let's hope he's snared this time. Dear God, is there no honorable politician amongst them? I am appalled just by the corruption that is oozing to the surface. Can you imagine what we would find if we had real investigations?
Each week I see the GOP slime machine trying to get the Hillary and Obama campaigns angry enough at each other that they "would never vote for the other"
This is BULLSHIT... and the Democrats would be wise to announce NOW AND FOREVER...
VOTE FOR WHICHEVER CANDIDATE WINS THE PRIMARY
The LOSING CANDIDATE should STEP UP LARGE to back the winner.
------- I would love to see the top 10 idiots include those Rethugs who think they can run the democrats into the ground.... the swift boaters... etc....
Yes... she can be a bitch
AND
Yes... Obama has a black baby
PREPARE FOR THE DEM LANDSLIDE...if only we can stick together
McCain's double talk express better go into overdrive to explain this one.
lol
McCain the Liar @ 33:
And hit the nitro switch and turn on alllll the amps.
"Last word, freak." - Melvin Udall
out
JW @ 30:
I am stunned - but not surprised. The day for direct, very direct, citizen action draws nigh.
A corrupt republican in this day and age? I have a hard time believing that.
Oh wait, no I don't.
"So Glencairn was getting nowhere until Vicki was able to get McCain’s attention. I wonder how she did that?"
And did it involve whipped cream and the song "Hey, Look Me Over?"
Friendships and close relationships other than biological family - intimate or platonic - are always quid pro quo. What would Vicki Iseman and John McCain get out of this relationship? What does each of them have to give, What does each of them want in return?
Perhaps the ONLY bit of McCain's bullshit I ever fell for was that, as a fellow Vietnam vet, he really respected Kerry's service to his country. (Remember when there was actually some buzz about McCain running on the Democratic ticket as Kerry's veep? )
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/4/3/11936/97033
Well, John, you've...sob...shattered my illusion.
CappuccettoRosso @ 4:
Great info. So, unless Cindy put up a chinese firewall between herself and johnny, guess who benefits from that $50M "bonus payment?
And the walls keep tumbling down!
Any more of this and poor johnny will be lucky to get re-elected as senator.
I hope he at least f*&k#d her.
It'd be a shame to have gone through all that trouble, sold your soul and not even have gotten laid for your trouble.
@ #31: "Dear God, is there no honorable politician amongst them? I am appalled just by the corruption that is oozing to the surface. Can you imagine what we would find if we had real investigations?"
Sorry. "Honorable politician" is an oxymoron; actually, I believe it's the phrase that spawned the invention of the term oxymoron.
Thus the inclusion of the last part -MORON!!! Which is what most all of our "honorable politicians turn out to be once we really get to know them. Very sad.
Why don't you include the fact that in 1998, John McCain thretened the FCC with reorganization if they closed a loophole that Sinclair and Genlcairn were using to evade the rules against owning multiple television stations in the same market, and then a couple of months later, the Sinclair PAC gave McCain $5000. The thretening letter was also signed by Conrad Burns, who got $3000. The PAC gave NO OTHER DONATIONS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1999.
Links to the Federal Elections Commmissions documents are at my blog, www.burningelephant.com. Their Pants Are On Fire!
Big Dick Cheney @ 32:
Well, of course, BDC, at least that's the way I see it. The Democrats are going to vote for whoever ends up being the nominee, it's the Repugnics that are trying to create the image that the Dems are fighting amongst each other. Most of us know that once the primaries are over, everyone is going to kiss and make up and focus all our attention on defeating the Republican candidate. The Repugs are pulling for Hillary because they have 17 years worth of slime that they've been just aching to pull out again, and with Obama, they'd have to start from scratch. So far all I've heard from the Repugs on Obama is 1.) he's black, and 2.) His name sounds funny. I realise there's a lot that that the Slimemeisters can do with those two items, but it can all backfire on them too before November.
I find it amusing that the Repub right wing didn't want McCain as their candidate. Once he was accused of possible wrong-doing, they opened their arms and embraced him. I guess that made him one of them. If I were a Repub, I'd be real concerned. But then the Repub pundits didn't think Giuliani's provision of security for his girl friend (while he was still married) wouldn't affect his candidacy either. They need to leave Washington, D.C. and discover the rest of the world. The same can be said for some of the Democrats.
It was no doubt in the way she brought it up. (heh)
All this is verrrrrry interesting. But I cannot help but wonder. It's been a week since the story broke, and we have not yet heard directly from the "lady" in question. Which begs the question: where is Vicki?
Are the papparazzi taking a nap?
Hope she doesn't disappear like Chandra Levy...
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