McCain Flack On Transition Chief Lobbying For Saddam: ‘We’ve Had No Associations With Any Lobbyists’
McCain Flack On Transition Chief Lobbying For Saddam: ‘We’ve Had No Associations With Any Lobbyists’
Yesterday, Murray Waas revealed that the head of Sen. John McCain’s transition team, power lobbyist William Timmons, was involved in a lobbying effort on behalf of Saddam Hussein in the early 1990s “to ease international sanctions against his regime.”
Today, MSNBC’s David Schuster asked McCain spokesperson Ben Porritt about the revelations. Porrit claimed that the campaign has had no associations with lobbyists, quickly changing the subject to Bill Ayers:
I’m actually not too familiar with his history, but what I do know is that throughout our campaign, we’ve talked about this a lot, we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign, and I think there’s questionable associations with Barack Obama that needs to be addressed before we even get into talking about the transition:
“You have no associations with Charlie Black?” asked Schuster incredulously. “I mean, he’s a lobbyist.” Watch it:
Timmons is the chairman emeritus of Timmons and Company, an influential lobbying firm in Washington. In addition to helping Saddam avoid sanctions and trying to profit off Iraqi oil, Timmons has also lobbied for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the American Petroleum Institute. Time Magazine called Timmons “a Washington institution.”
It is absurd to claim McCain has “had no associations with any lobbyists.” He has at least 164 former lobbyists running his campaign, fundraising, and setting his policy agenda — including Charlie Black, Rick Davis, and Randy Scheunemann.
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WHAT A LYING SACK OF S**T!!
October 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pmThese people will say anything.
This has all been a great psychology case study in mental illness.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:24 pmMcCain spokesman: “we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign,”
Why not go all-in with the lying? It’s not like telling the truth is gonna dig them out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves. Might as well just say whatever sounds best for their side. Maybe they’ll fool enough LIVs to make it interesting.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:24 pmralph lol
“If you vote for me, all of your wildest dreams will come true.”
October 15th, 2008 at 4:27 pmDamn those facts and their liberal bias again
October 15th, 2008 at 4:29 pmSolution to the problem of Campaign functionaries blowing smoke up reporters asses?
Shut ‘em the phuque right off. Close the segment.
here’s how you do it:
Interviewer: Tucker, you say Bombin John’s campaign has no affiliation with lobbyists? Does the name Charlie Black register? What about him?
Tucker: Well, Bob, Bill Ayers…
Interviewer: Tucker, that’s not what I asked you. Wnat to respond to my question?
Tucker: Well Bob, Bill Ayers…
Interviewer: Right. Thanks Tucker, Bill back to you in New York…
See how easy?
October 15th, 2008 at 4:30 pmYet another LIAR for McCain. A freaking Fannie Mae/Freddy Mac lobbyist is RUNNING his campaign.
This is why it is so often said that truth has a liberal bias.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:31 pmREPORTER: In todays polls John McCain is trailing Barack Obama by 35 points. How do you explain that?
MCCAIN SPOKESPERSON: First of all I want to make one thing clear. Throughout our campaign we’ve had no associations with anyone named John McCain. Barack Obama on the other hand..
October 15th, 2008 at 4:33 pm..we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign
Lobbyists RUN the McCain campaign. A boyish GOOPER “on his way up” going on television to give us the spin isn’t going to change that.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:37 pm..we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign
I guess that he is saying they don’t associate with the
October 15th, 2008 at 4:43 pmlobbyists on their campaign.
Um…OK. Apparently, McCain is defining “lobbyist” as someone who currently lobbies. The hundred-plus people on his campaign who USED to be lobbyists are no longer lobbyists, since they have suspended their lobbying activities to work on the campaign. And in McCain world, once you are not a lobbyist, it’s as if you’ve never been a lobbyist. And CERTAINLY not a lobbyist for Saddam and his merry men.
OK, following this logic, Ayers is not a terrorist. Or a bomber. Or a member of the Weather Underground. Since he doesn’t currently do any of those things, he can’t be saddled with any of those labels. If he’s not a bomber now, it’s as if he was never a bomber.
Can’t have it both ways, Johnny.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:43 pmgalmud that reminds me of when John McCain’s campaign said he wasn’t speaking for it. Has anyone pointed out to John McCain and Sarah Palin that they are drama queens. I think the proper psychiatric term is Histrionic! from dictionary.com
his·tri·on·ic Pronunciation [his-tree-on-ik]
–adjective Also, his·tri·on·i·cal.
1. of or pertaining to actors or acting.
2. deliberately affected or self-consciously emotional; overly dramatic, in behavior or speech.
–noun
3. an actor.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:45 pmI agree with Ben Porritt on one point. There’s no need to talk about McCain’s transition team. Their services will not be required anyway so it’s all for naught.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:47 pmAt some point in the very near future there must be a penalty administered for a public official knowingly lying to the public. Like, I don’t know, three strikes and your out of your job.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:52 pm“… we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign …”
… and if you vote for Senator McCain, you’ll get a new pony for Christmas.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:54 pm…we’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign…
He didn’t say the McCain campaign had no lobbyists. He said we’ve had no associations with lobbyists on our campaign. I guees that means they don’t associate with the 164 lobbyists working on the McCain campaign. Considering the terminal disfunctionality of the McCain campaign, I can believe that no one on the McCain campaign associates with each other.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:55 pmth H. Says:
At some point in the very near future there must be a penalty administered for a public official knowingly lying to the public. Like, I don’t know, three strikes and your out of your job.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
_______
In theory, such a penalty already exists. It’s called Election Day.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:59 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
OK, following this logic, Ayers is not a terrorist. Or a bomber. Or a member of the Weather Underground. Since he doesn’t currently do any of those things, he can’t be saddled with any of those labels. If he’s not a bomber now, it’s as if he was never a bomber.
These guys make laugh. What’s next “we are not republicans.”
October 15th, 2008 at 5:00 pmshoeless Says:
Considering the terminal disfunctionality of the McCain campaign, I can believe that no one on the McCain campaign associates with each other.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
_______
There really should be more pundits talking about this. While all the wingnuts like to whine about Obama’s lack of “executive experience,” they seem to not notice that you rarely, if ever, see Obama’s surrogates contradicting him or each other or themselves the way McCain’s surrogates do.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:02 pmPay no attention to the man behind the curtain!
October 15th, 2008 at 5:04 pmjust when you think it can’t get any stupider
it does
oooowwwwww, teh stoooopid, it huuuuuuurtz!
October 15th, 2008 at 5:04 pmlurker Says: “we are not republicans.”
You forgot the next line, lurker — “we are DEVO”…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
OK, following this logic, Ayers is not a terrorist. Or a bomber. Or a member of the Weather Underground. Since he doesn’t currently do any of those things, he can’t be saddled with any of those labels. If he’s not a bomber now, it’s as if he was never a bomber.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
_______
And, by extension, this means that McCain is no longer a Vietnam Veteran nor a POW. A development that would cut his stump speech in half, to say the least.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pmWell, now…all that depends on what your definition of “association” and “lobbyist” is…is…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pmWhat kind of immature,inexperienced,and young team that McCain has put together to speak for him.!!!
October 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pmThat alone should be a good indicator of his poor judgement,and what his presidency will be like if he wins.
The Dogfather Says:
lurker Says: “we are not republicans.”
You forgot the next line, lurker — “we are DEVO”…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
_______
Devo?
Well, that’d explain McCain’s line about “whipping” Obama in tonight’s debate.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pmKeith H. Says:
At some point in the very near future there must be a penalty administered for a public official knowingly lying to the public. Like, I don’t know, three strikes and your out of your job.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Stocks, aka “the pillory” or “the pranger” were much admired for that purpose in times not far removed from these…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:09 pmNo lie too big to tell, no storm too big not to try to spin away.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:10 pmRoket Says
October 15th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
There’s no need to talk about McCain’s transition team. Their services will not be required anyway so it’s all for naught.
________________________________________________________
This might make a very interesting rebuttal point for McCain if Obama happens to mention Timmons…
OBAMA: But what about your association with William Timmons, who’s heading up your transition team?
McCAIN: That’s just it — he’s on my transition team, not my campaign. Which makes him irrelevant, as anyone can plainly see.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:11 pmI think it’s apparent that the GOP is gearing it’s whole message to people who are stupid enough to pay extra for a “4D” movie. And they would leave convinced that it’s 33% better than “3D”.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:14 pmWhere did I leave my keys? What day is it today? What’s his name? Where am I? What am I doing here?
October 15th, 2008 at 5:17 pmThese guys remind me of the old SNL character played by Martin Short, Nathan Thurm. “I didn’t say that”…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:18 pmObama’s associations? Fair game. McCain’s? No, his credibility is peerless! Whatever.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:18 pm“These are not the droids you’re looking for.” Someone should tell these idiots that they are NOT Jedi warriors. But I must say, a video of this guy making this kind of a statement would be a terrific ad, with a list of the lobbyists working for the McCain campaign running on the screen.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:19 pmThe Republicans are slowly but surely all going insane. That’s the only way I can describe what is happening to them. They have all become unhinged.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:27 pm“If you vote for me, all of your wildest dreams will come true.”
That’s the old McNumbNuts slogan. Since he selected Failin’ Palin, the new slogan is “if you vote for me, all of your wildest dreams will come true”.
Seriously, is everyone in McNumbNuts’ campaign certifiably and terminally st-o-o-o-o-pid?
October 15th, 2008 at 5:30 pmJebus.
I’m sooooo damned glad that I am a reality-based life form!!!
October 15th, 2008 at 5:41 pm“Oh, you mean those lobbyists.”
-AF
October 15th, 2008 at 5:41 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
It is astonishing that less than three weeks from the election McCain can keep coming up with new breathtakingly stupid people to throw in front of the camera. I sure hope the DC restaurants are doing well because there are going to be a lot of preppy looking twits applying for dishwashing jobs in early November.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:50 pmNow let’s see the US has killed the same man 3 times, can’t find Osama Bin Laden and killed Saddam. Saddam said he had man made to look like him just in case. What will Americans say if Saddam comes out of hiding, Osama shows up to talk peace and all the so called leaders of Al Queada are still alive and well? As many of the US officials worked closely with Saddam you never know. We do know Daddy Bush is a partner in business with the Bin Laden Family, was their a deal to keep Osama live? The White House quickly set up the Propaganda Dept. for keeping correct information from becoming public. We were told Saddam had WMD’s only to find out everyone in the White House knew Saddam had no weapons even Secretary of State Powell who said trust him at his word. There are to many lies to count so to think more of Saddam’s workers are still working with the Republicans is something that could be true.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:08 pmWho TF ISN’T a lobbyist on the McLame/Flailin campaign? They have more connections to K Street than Abramoff had.
Lying and denial are the two best campaign tactics of these assklowns.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:13 pmget that kid a napkin, so he can wipe the fecal matter from his chin.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:38 pmThis kid is great, like Tucker Bounds redux! I wonder if Tucker is his mentor. I wonder if the two of them go skipping through the park on the weekends, sharing lollipops and chuckling over their ignorance.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:13 pmwe’ve had no associations with any lobbyists on our campaign,
Except that the entire senior staff are/were/willbe lobbyists.
C’mon, ya gotta at least try!
October 15th, 2008 at 7:16 pm“You have no associations with Charlie Black?” asked Schuster incredulously. “I mean, he’s a lobbyist.”
What the hell is wrong with Schuster? He started to challenge Porritt (where do they get these guys?!) but then let the little weasel change the subject.
October 16th, 2008 at 9:29 amShuster asks about Charlie Black, he say…let’s move on…and Shuster says: “Fair enough”???
Are there NO real reporters left?
What’s the point?
Gutless.
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March 31st, 2009 at 10:27 am