McCain Adviser Pulls Out Of Tech Debate Due To A ‘Scheduling Conflict,’ Only To Appear On MSNBC Instead
McCain Adviser Pulls Out Of Tech Debate Due To A ‘Scheduling Conflict,’ Only To Appear On MSNBC Instead
Today from 12:30-1:45 p.m., the New America Foundation and Wired magazine were scheduled to host an event on tech policy with top McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin v. Obama adviser and former FCC chairman Reed Hundt. Holtz-Eakin, however, never showed up. From a notice on the New America Foundation’s website:
NOTE: Due to a last-minute scheduling conflict, Douglas Holtz-Eakin is unable to participate in today’s event, and the McCain campaign will not be sending an alternate spokesperson. The event will proceed as scheduled with Reed Hundt representing the Obama campaign.
ThinkProgress spoke with Troy Schneider, new media editor at the New America Foundation, who said that the McCain campaign contacted them and canceled at 9 a.m. today. “I do think that this was just an honest scheduling conflict,” said Schneider. “He got pulled into meetings he had to do with the campaign today.” An aide in the McCain campaign press office said that he believed Holtz-Eakin simply had “campaign stuff” to do, but our call to Holtz-Eakin’s office has not yet been returned.
However, Holtz-Eakin appeared on MSNBC today, raising questions about whether there really was a true “scheduling conflict.” Holtz-Eakin’s appearance was at 1:00 p.m., right during the middle of the New America event. While on MSNBC, Holtz-Eakin tried to argue that Obama would be a third term of President Bush, saying that it’s “Barack Obama who’s doubling down on the Bush spending.” Watch it:
Why is the McCain campaign so afraid to debate tech policy? Last week, Thompson reported that WIRED originally requested that former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina represent the McCain campaign at the event. Although she said she would be “happy to participate,” the McCain campaign “vetoed her.” Thompson then requested Michael Powell, Meg Whitman, or John Chambers.
Instead, the campaign offered Holtz-Eakin. On Oct. 24, New America sent out an invitation to the event with the billing of Hundt and Holtz-Eakin. This morning, when he learned that Holtz-Eakin was going to be a no-show, Thompson asked for Lee Dunn, Bill Bailey, and Bryan Tramont. None of them were available.
ThinkProgress also spoke with Nicholas Thompson, Wired senior editor and moderator of the event, who said that he “thought it was lame” that Holtz-Eakin backed out. When we told him that Holtz-Eakin had instead appeared on MSNBC, Thompson was shocked at the McCain campaign’s poor etiquette:
What was frustrating is that how difficult it was to set it up, and they knew how difficult it was to set it up, and they withdrew at the last minute.
McCain has been noticeably weak on tech policy during this presidential campaign. McCain finally released his tech policy in August, a year after Obama. Both Stanford University professor Lawrence Lessig and vice president at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Mark Lloyd have said that McCain would likely follow in Bush’s undistinguished steps on tech policy.
Today during the event, which proceeded without a McCain campaign representative, Hundt sharply criticized the McCain campaign for being too afraid to debate tech policy:
This is feeling ridiculous, isn’t it? Meaning, we were supposed to have a debate with the other guy. I’m gonna answer your question but I just want to say for the record I’m pretty sure that McCain will show up next Tuesday. I’m reasonably confident of that. And I’m sure that Doug had something better to do than come here and answer my questions about the Blackberry, which, you’ll recall, that it was Doug who said that John had invented it.
Watch the full event here.
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41 Responses to “McCain Adviser Pulls Out Of Tech Debate Due To A ‘Scheduling Conflict,’ Only To Appear On MSNBC Instead”
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Obama is Bush?
Bwah
October 30th, 2008 at 4:12 pmIt's so nice when you see a campaign demonstrate the courage of their convictions.
If McCain isn't ready to face technogeeks, how can he be ready to face......
October 30th, 2008 at 4:16 pmNew SAT question:
Obama is to Bush as McCain is to:
October 30th, 2008 at 4:16 pmA-Maverick
B-Presidential
C-Sane
D-All of the above
They couldn't have sent joe the plumber?
October 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pmTrickle-down theory
McCain's cowardice is now trickling down to his staffers.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pmRe 5:
McCain used to suffer from trickl-down theory, then he found Depends!
October 30th, 2008 at 4:22 pmWhen the going gets tough, the tough get going. When the going gets out of hand the Rethugs hide and lie. Shame on any legitimate organization that would expect even a modicum of decency from this Gang of Perverts (GOP).
October 30th, 2008 at 4:22 pmYeah, you'd think Joe would be up on the technical stuff... oh, wait, that's right, he's not really a plumber.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:23 pmWhere is Joe today, anyway, out buying some new duds?
What's your guess folks? First a plumber, yesterday a lumberjack, what will it be tonight?
I'm guessing he'll be morphing into a cowboy, what with his new country music career and all.............
Bobworst at Number 6: The comment of the week! Good Show, Mate!
October 30th, 2008 at 4:23 pmConsidering that Holtz-Eakin can't open his mouth on television without inserting both feet it probably would have been safer to send him to the tech debate.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:23 pmNevar Says:
First a plumber, yesterday a lumberjack, what will it be tonight? I’m guessing he’ll be morphing into a cowboy...
Oh, Look! Joe the Not-so-Plumber is the new Village People!
October 30th, 2008 at 4:26 pmAs anyone who has had their date cancel on them knows, "scheduling conflict" often means "something better came along". That appears to be the case here.
Although if Holtz-Eakin was just going to spend his time saying stupid stuff that nobody would ever buy (like "Obama would be a third term of Bush"), it's puzzling why he wants to look like a fool with as much exposure as possible. He would have been better off sticking with the tech event.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:27 pmWhen you hold them up to the light, they scatter like roaches.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:28 pmHoltz-Eakin couldn't get to the tech debate, because McCain needed his technical expertise because the Blackberry McCain invented wouldn't boot up.
Bwahahahaha
October 30th, 2008 at 4:30 pmWhen we told him that Holtz-Eakin had instead appeared on MSNBC, Thompson was shocked at the McCain campaign’s poor etiquette:
What was frustrating is that how difficult it was to set it up, and they knew how difficult it was to set it up, and they withdrew at the last minute.
Just like his boss, Douglas Holtz-Eakin is such a Maverick, he doesn't care about etiquette!
October 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pmOSarah bin Palin "thinks" funding fruit fly research is a waste of money and is representative of pork barrel spending
October 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Mr. Hyphen-named just pulled a McCain trick...
October 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
As anyone who has had their date cancel on them knows, “scheduling conflict” often means “something better came along”.
Spot on, misshusseinmolly - rather like Paulson telling you he has to "wash his hair", eh?
October 30th, 2008 at 4:37 pmMcCain's Blackberry is a paper that he uses a blackberry
October 30th, 2008 at 4:38 pmto write with.
An amazing video of a girl speaking with NBC 6 after an Obama rally saying she won’t have to pay for gas once Obama is elected.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:44 pmsatirev Says:
October 30th, 2008 at 4:52 pmWhy can’t we see Michelle Obama’s medical records? She scared of the STD’s or the Botox in her Azz?
Bam_Bam Says:
Why can’t we see Michelle Obama’s medical records?
Wow. Third Grade humor, if we can call it that.
And to answer your question, Michelle Obama isn't running for any office.
Dum_Dum.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:56 pmBam Bam Why don't you vote for Obama? It's so easy even
October 30th, 2008 at 4:58 pma baby caveman can do it.
McLiar, McWimpy, Mc"aint-gonna-be-President-any-time-soon", McLuddite.
We're SO not gonna miss you and your pathetic lot of cry-baby loser Repukes dominating the news after next Tuesday.
I can't wait.
October 30th, 2008 at 4:59 pmCan anyone believe how long ten days is?
Without a guarantee that the upside down backwards madness stops then, it is almost unbearable.
Why won't the McCain campaign debate tech?
This guy can't use a flipping computer! Debate what?
October 30th, 2008 at 5:02 pmBam_Bam Says:
Why can’t we see Michelle Obama’s medical records?
What office is she running for, Idiot?
I have a question for you: Why are you Republinuts so gawd-awful stupid?
October 30th, 2008 at 5:02 pmBam Bam doesn't remember the day he took his club with him onto the trampoline.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:03 pmThe little white guy afraid of the black guy gets dumber by the moment it seems...
October 30th, 2008 at 5:10 pmWhat's with this "doubling down" business? All of a sudden its the catch phrase de rigueur. Must have seen it used 100s of times over the last few weeks.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:18 pmdbadass Says:
With a clever name like dbadass how can I argue with you? How long did it take you to think that up? It could have been cooldude or b.o.blower anything, but you went with dbadass. WOW!!! Just..WOW!!! Must be nice to have such a creative mind to think of replacing the word “the” with D. nice! That’s D kind of creativeness that is going to bring about the Hope and Change we need for future generations. Keep up d good work!
October 30th, 2008 at 5:23 pmActually Bam Bam that name has a long history. It was bestowed upon me many years ago working with young people. It is a play on words which would be a little hard to explain. You seem to be mistaking it for something else. Let me just say that you should have met my grandfather. He was a real badass... The d does not stand for the.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:29 pmby the way Bam Bam (wanna tell us about that name selection?, what was it you couldn't argue with me about?
October 30th, 2008 at 5:32 pmAre they even campaigning still? I mean, this should be a cakewalk. Even if he isn't "stronger" on tech policy than Obama's team, it's not like this is the sort of venue where they're going to be throwing hardballs. Not participating looks a whole lot worse than going and giving a lukewarm performance. They could even tout their support for more nuclear energy as a tech spur... well, if McCain didn't publicly scoff at having it be safe.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:32 pmSimple Solution: Put it in a scorecard - column style. I can't quite do it here - but conceptually:
Question A: What would .......
Reed says for Obama: I would .........
McCain - withdrew at the last minute.
Question B: What would.........
Reed Says for Obama: I would ......
McCain: refused opportunity to comment.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:32 pmWayne Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bam_Bam Says:
Why can’t we see Michelle Obama’s medical records?
What office is she running for, Idiot?
I have a question for you: Why are you Republinuts so gawd-awful stupid?
Bam Bam can't answer that question. Really stupid people seldom realize they are stupid. Also, the stupid people with whom they tend to associate seem relatively smart to their dull minds.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:36 pmOh - just noticed the little slap fight going on in here.
Bam Bam, that's a great idea. I think both potential First Ladies should turn in all of their medical records. I bet that Cindy's would make some fascinating reading.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:42 pmElBruce Says:
Bam Bam, that’s a great idea. I think both potential First Ladies should turn in all of their medical records. I bet that Cindy’s would make some fascinating reading.
The blood tests for drugs would probably look like a pharmacy inventory, heh
October 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pmHey, dbadass, I find it rather amusing that bam is wondering how he can argue with you, while the rest of us wonder how bam remembers to breathe. =D
October 30th, 2008 at 6:47 pm...still waiting for the October surprise endorsement from Bob the Builder for McCain.
Why does McCain talk to Americans like we are 5 years old?
October 30th, 2008 at 7:11 pmI guess NOW they know how David Letterman felt when McShrub bailed on him. :)
Now it's time to keep calling the McShrub campaign out for what they are, LIARS, UNTRUSTWORTHY, and BAILERS (multiple ways to use that term.....bailing on someone at the last minute, or bailing out his Wall Street buddies, etc.)
October 31st, 2008 at 1:29 amBam_Bam Says:
Yes Dbadass does good work unlike your weak and ignorant posts
October 31st, 2008 at 9:54 pm