McCain Campaign Cites McCain’s Lawyer As An ‘Objective Observer’ To Vouch For McCain
McCain Campaign Cites McCain’s Lawyer As An ‘Objective Observer’ To Vouch For McCain
Today, Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) campaign manager Rick Davis sent an e-mail to supporters attacking the New York Times’s bombshell story on McCain’s ties to lobbyists. Davis claims that “objective observers” view it as a “sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper.” One of the “objective” sources he cites? McCain’s attorney Bob Bennett. Davis writes:
Objective observers are viewing this article exactly as they should – as a sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper against the conservative Republican frontrunner. … Washington attorney Bob Bennett, who was the Democrat counsel during the Keating investigation, said, “This is a real hit job.”
Bennett is far from an “objective observer.” In fact, Bennett is currently being paid by McCain to help beat back the New York Times story. In December, Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz reported that McCain hired Bennett “to deal with the matter” of the Times’s investigation.
Davis made a similar reference on Fox and Friends this morning. He identified Bennett as only “the counsel for the Keating investigation,” yet cites him saying that it “was total bunk that there was anything inappropriate by John McCain’s actions” in the scandal. Davis never mentions that Bennett is now employed McCain. Watch it:
Now it’s true that as an investigator in the Keating scandal, Bennett has been on the record saying McCain was less culpable than his Senate colleagues. But Davis is referencing comments Bennett made in the context of a scandal he is being paid to squelch.
That’s not “straight talk.” That’s dishonest.
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It’s hard to be objective about McCain. Watching his candidacy go swirling down the toilet just makes me all giggly.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pmLet’s see if we can find one that fits Mr Bennett:
undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena; “an objective appraisal”; “objective evidence”
serving as or indicating the object of a verb or of certain prepositions and used for certain other purposes; “objective case”; “accusative endings”
emphasizing or expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings, insertion of fictional matter, or interpretation; “objective art”
aim: the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable); “the sole object of her trip was to see her children”
the lens or system of lenses in a telescope or microscope that is nearest the object being viewed
belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events; “objective benefits”; “an objective example”; “there is no objective evidence of anything of the kind”
Nope. none of the above.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pmThey can’t spin this story fast enough. This is like watching the guy on Ed Sullivan who would spin the plates. Running to each one to keep them moving so they wouldn’t fall off the stick. They are going to run out of spinners pretty soon and the plates are all going to come crashing down around them.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:08 pmMy advice…
DON’T PANIC!!!! DON’T PANIC!!!!
DON’T PANIC!!!!!
Too late.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:12 pmMcCain’s people are putting in a hell of a lot of energy trying to refute a “non-story.”
February 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pmSo McCain had an affair, covered it up, and now has his lawyer lying about it. Straight Talk!
February 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pmi’m pretty sure i heard correctly that this davis was still lobbying
February 21st, 2008 at 7:21 pmmcCREEPY while also managing his campaign, for free…
So just read between the lines, NYT struck gold and the reichtard machine is in a panic because they are gonna lose big time come November.
We should see more of this in the future but you can bet that they media owners are gonna make sure the talking heads shut up about this one.
Buck Fush
February 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pmWhat was the name of the other scandal which almost devoured McCain a few years back? The ??? Five I believe.
Comment by satirev — February 21, 2008 @ 7:15 pm
The Keating Five
February 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pmObjective adj 1: undistorted by emotion or personal bias.
Let me guess, the McCain campaign doesn’t have access to a dictionary.
Sheesh…
February 21st, 2008 at 7:24 pmIsn’t it just about time for ManHandler to post his “Michele Obama hates America” bit on this thread too?
February 21st, 2008 at 7:24 pmKeep up the good work TP. The best thing that could happen to conservatives this year would be the defeat of John McCain.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:24 pmoh… also wanted to put this out there…
February 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pma caller today suggested that this is why romney only
“suspended” his campaign… think he’ll get called back to duty?
or even jeb?
what WILL the wingers do?
oh… also wanted to put this out there…
a caller today suggested that this is why romney only
“suspended†his campaign… think he’ll get called back to duty?
or even jeb?
what WILL the wingers do?
Comment by katy — February 21, 2008 @ 7:26 pm
I wonder if maybe Daryll had a hand in this… hence his confidence in the prospects of the Huckster…
February 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pmThe NY Daily News says it this way:
“Get ready for a feeding frenzy, with the press as the sharks and John McCain as the bloody chum…”
McBush is toast!
Read it and weep, trolls!
February 21st, 2008 at 7:29 pmMcCain should just keep talking. He’s our best offense.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:31 pmThis is just the absolute wrong time to be seen as someone who screws lobbyists.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:37 pmDoes anyone know why a person would spend almost $150 million to get a job which pays $400,000 per year? That doesn’t sound right to me. Any thoughts?
February 21st, 2008 at 7:40 pmDoes anyone know why a person would spend almost $150 million to get a job which pays $400,000 per year? That doesn’t sound right to me. Any thoughts?
Comment by StratRat — February 21, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Um… you get to torture people?
February 21st, 2008 at 7:44 pmBecause it’s generally not ‘their’ money. It’s the contributors money. Now, if Mitt Romney, for example, spent only his millions on his campaign and not any from contributors then that would raise every red flag in existence.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:47 pmUm… you get to torture people?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama
That and the ability to ignore Congress and it’s oversight responsibilities. Who knew it was that simple?
February 21st, 2008 at 7:48 pmNow, if Mitt Romney, for example, spent only his millions on his campaign and not any from contributors then that would raise every red flag in existence.
Comment by Mr. Evil
I read Mitt burned through about $45 million of his own money. I wonder if he considers it a good investment?
February 21st, 2008 at 7:49 pmas a sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper against the conservative Republican frontrunner. …
Let’s see how delusional these people can be. Just exactly how is McPander a “front runner”. The only way he is a front runner is because he’s running in front of the Bush Bus which is threatening to run him over at any minute.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:55 pmEven a failure like AlGore has turned his run for office into a larger personal fortune.
Answer the question?
Comment by Gin
And Papa Bush is a pauper. I’m sure that the poor tiny brained troll would like to think that Al Gore is a failure. But, that’s nothing but pure envy talking. If Gore is a failure, I’d be happy to take any of his failure he would want to throw my way.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm#31…. and I’m not talking about money.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pmI read Mitt burned through about $45 million of his own money. I wonder if he considers it a good investment?
Comment by StratRat
Can you imagine how his patriotic kids feel about his blowing that much of their inheritance. They must really be pissed.
February 21st, 2008 at 7:58 pmComment by StratRat — February 21, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Does anyone know why a person would spend almost $150 million to get a job which pays $400,000 per year? That doesn’t sound right to me. Any thoughts?
Money is only secondary (although a nice bonus.) Can you think of any job with a bigger ego payoff?
Emotional rewards almost always trump monetary ones. But of course no one is alowed to admit that.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:01 pmCNN’s ticker during The Situation Room and Lou Dobbs said “poll shows McCain over Obama 52%-44% and McCain over Clinton 55%-42%.
They leave out the major detail that this poll is of TEXANS ONLY. (And they call the MSM “liberal”!)
February 21st, 2008 at 8:02 pmMcCain SHOULD BE DAMNED GRATEFUL The New York Times DIDN’T BREAK THIS STORY when he first declared himself a candidate last year in December 2007 or later this year during the General Election, and sunk his “Good Ship Lollipop†and saluted him with “So Long, SUCKER!â€
Comment by raymundohpl
That’s what makes me so suspicious about this story. We all know that the NYT IS NOT in any way a liberal paper. And they sat on this story for a very long time. And now McPander is using the story to get the sympathy vote from the right wingers. He’s also using it as a way to get some more cash in his coffers. He had to know that every one of those charges the NYT made against him would come out some time in the campaign. So he has the NYT write this hit piece so it will all get out now and be forgotten in the general. Plus he has the added benefit of rallying the righties around him. I smell a rat.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:03 pmThey leave out the major detail that this poll is of TEXANS ONLY. (And they call the MSM “liberalâ€!)
Comment by Keith
This is so typical of how the right operates. Cherry pick and skirt just this side of actually lying. It’s no wonder their party is dying. People are sick to death with this kind of shit.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:05 pmComment by bilbobaggins — February 21, 2008 @ 7:58 pm
Can you imagine how his patriotic kids feel about his blowing that much of their inheritance. They must really be pissed.
I doubt they will be unhappy. The emotional reward will be huge, and the fact that they are related to a man who ran for President will be a huge reward. And I doubt they will ever hurt for money. This is not middle or lower class existence here.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:06 pmLawyer, Liar they sound much the same.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:07 pmComment by bilbobaggins — February 21, 2008 @ 8:03 pm
If this works out as you opine, and he rallies the base around him, it does the reverse for the rest of the people watching. It will be a case of winning the battle and losing the war.
The fodder in this story will be a terrible stain on the idea that he is a clean and admirable man. Straight talk Express?? Out the window to every one but the 26%ers.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:12 pmComment by bilbobaggins — February 21, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
The only way he is a front runner is because he’s running in front of the Bush Bus which is threatening to run him over at any minute.
LOL…Beautiful! What a visual that is!
February 21st, 2008 at 8:16 pmLive blogging of the CNN Democrat debate on TheZoo.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:23 pmIts most important that people understand Republicans can do what ever they want and it’s not bad or a problem. Now it’s more important to attack Bill Clinton for his sin. Look at all the GOP Law Makers who have had affairs, molested children, looked for sex in the men’s room and hire prostitutes as they represent American Christian, Moral and Family Values for the United States. McCain can do what ever he wants he’s a Republican but we don’t Bill Clinton should be forgiven. Bill Clinton is only useful when our Government needs someone to help the American people. No body said a word about the affair Bush had as Governor of Texas and the lady was going to file a complaint but was found dead. It’s better that the Media not talk about the sins or crimes of any Republican just push the headlines with lies about all the Democrats.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:23 pmIf the only source they could cite was one of their own lackeys, one can’t help but wonder how serious this revelation really is.
TPM, keep digging.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:26 pmAnd expressing support for Republicriminals makes one look smart? LOL!
February 21st, 2008 at 8:52 pmAre Mr. Magoo’s fellow GOPers behind this?:
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/02/21/timing-sourcing-suggest-gop-behind-mccain-smear/“>http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/02/21/timing-sourcing-suggest-gop-behind-mccain-smear/
February 21st, 2008 at 8:55 pmComment by Arn Gunnutes — February 21, 2008 @ 8:59 pm
Give ‘em heck, Arn. It’s not my style, but, it gets their attention.
February 21st, 2008 at 9:18 pmAnother “objective observer” cited elsewhere in that thing quoted above was…
Sean Hannity.
Yeah, he’s objective, in that he always HAS an objective…
February 21st, 2008 at 10:11 pmSome pundits can portray this as a sex scandal, but it is a scandal about McCain’s lack of ethics, integrity and honesty.
February 21st, 2008 at 11:31 pmHis character flaws, coupled with a quick temper, are enough to make any voter think twice before voting for him.
He would bring us another round of Bush years.
As a lawyer I know I can be objective. As long as the object I’ve got pays the fee.
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 amThank your for your realistic truth, Rehbok.
I think that our government, due to its high amount of lawyer lobbyists, lawyer congressman, lawyer senators, is that we now have is a consortium of rhetoric and intentionally complex legislation meant to confuse and obfuscate.
Would I be correct in that opinion?
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:03 amSo, lawyers will basically hide the truth thru rhetoric if paid?
Isnt this like selling your soul and using objectivity as rational for doing so?
And by objectivity does this mean, as I suppose, rhetoric? Or relativity?
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 amCouldn’t they get a testimonial from his mommy?
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 amMr. Lawyer, can you define conflict of interest ?
Even at that, I have to admit, that from the start I’ve wondered if this could be a neocon swiftboating of McCain. (NOTE: I do NOT support McCain).
If so, this could be a combination of a swiftboating similar to what happened last time in SC, Additionally, the appearance in the NYT gives the appearance of a “false flag” attack.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am