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Blog For Arizona
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Links for 2008-09-19 [del.icio.us]
Posted: 20 Sep 2008 12:00 AM CDT
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/397853953/mbryan
State Budget Troubles Worsen
Diane Tucker: America Can Not Afford Another American President
Marlene H. Phillips: Families Of Fallen Soldiers Sound Off On McCain-Palin
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Let McCain's (False) Apologies Begin!
Posted: 19 Sep 2008 04:15 PM CDT
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/397544545/let-mccains-fal.html
by David Safier
Blog for Arizona, Where You Get the News Before It Happens It's News.
If you've been following my serialized, semi-graphic comic panels showing
McCain at his Ranch, you'll remember this one from a few days ago. McCain sees
a vision of Jesus and promises to repent for his dishonorable campaigning --
but only when the campaign is over. Gradually, he talks himself into the idea
of apologizing during the campaign -- but only after he's inflicted sufficient
damage on Obama -- figuring he can win repentance points with the voters.
My attempts at satire may prove to be prescient. Check out this clip from one
of today's appearances. The line to listen for: "I regret, and sometimes I'm
offended,by some of the negative aspects of this campaign."
It's a far cry from saying, "I've lied through my teeth about Obama, and when
I'm not actually lying, I'm shamelessly distorting his record." But it's a baby
step, a nod to the idea that, yeah, maybe both of us have stepped over the line
a bit."
Will McCain go further? If he does, I expect to hear something like this: "My
friends, there have been some negative things said by both of our campaigns
that, well, that both of us might wish we hadn't said. Let's be honest,
friends, the tone of this campaign has not been what we should hear from two
good people vying for the office of the President, and for my part, I regret
it. So I say to Senator Obama, let us both call a halt to the negative
campaigning. Let's run campaigns that build ourselves up, not tear our opponent
down. If Obama will agree, I promise to . . ."
No admissions. No retracting the statements he made after each new ad that,no,
he wasn't going negative and,yes, his ads were telling the truth. Just a
general sense that we've both been a little naughty and we should behave
ourselves from now on.
I just heard McCain go after Obama with more half truth and innuendo in a
speech on CNN, so I'm sure we won't see anything like a call for a truce right
away. McCain knows the economic collapse we've seen unfolding this past week
has cost him, and his numbers could continue to slide, so he'll keep slashing
away at Obama without worrying too much about what's true and what he's making
up. But if things ever look like they're evening out again or he pulls a little
ahead, that might be the time we'll see his "Moment of Truce."
And if that moment ever comes, the Obama campaign has only one response, in my
view. Make a long list of all McCain's negative and false advertising, from the
"Obama the Celebrity" series to the ad that makes an Illinois law to have age
appropriate sex education in schools (like warning kindergarteners about
predators) sound like its purpose is to institute graphic sex education for
young children. Then make another list of all the false things he's said in
speeches. Tell McCain, "We need to know how you define negative campaigning, so
before we begin to talk, let us know if you consider each of these an instance
of negative campaigning. And oh, by the way, what about all the 527s that are
cooking up Swiftboat-style ads as we speak? Will you tell your supporters to
cease and desist, and if they put out the ads, will you condemn them for the
trash they are?"
Of course, McCain's camp won't do anything of the sort. Their bluff will be
called.
I'm just talking, of course. I can't predict what's going to happen next. But
if it unfolds anything like this, remember, you read it here first.
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A shameless campaign of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists, and for the lobbyists
Posted: 19 Sep 2008 12:21 PM CDT
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/397385091/a-shameless-cam.html
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Today was the day that John McCain said he would reveal his "detailed plan" for
the U.S. economy. McCain, however, gave few new details of his economic
proposals and instead used his speech to take political pot shots at his
opponent, Barack Obama. McCain Fires at Obama Over Economy
Mr. McCain painted Mr. Obama as being beholden the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,
the loan giants that were just taken over by the federal government, by virtue
of the campaign contributions he took from them and his ties to their former
leaders.
“We’ve heard a lot of words from Senator Obama over the course of this
campaign,’’ he said. “But maybe just this once he could spare us the lectures,
and admit to his own poor judgment in contributing to these problems. The
crisis on Wall Street started in the Washington culture of lobbying and
influence peddling, and he was right square in the middle of it.’’
Mr. McCain did not mention that several of his campaign’s senior aides and
advisers lobbied on behalf of the companies as well.
The man is shameless. This dishonest and dishonorable man will say anything
and lie with impugnity. John McCain should answer his own challenge to "admit
to his own poor judgment in contributing to these problems" during his 26 years
as part of "the Washington culture of lobbying and influence peddling," because
he has been "right square in the middle of it."
David Corn has posted an excellent piece at Mother Jones documenting a McCain
campaign of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists and for the lobbyists. The
hypocrisy of John McCain knows no bounds. McCain Attacks Wall Street
Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign
McCain has been quick with fiery, populist-tinged speeches. But one thing has
been missing: any acknowledgment that McCain's own campaign has been loaded
with the type of people he's been denouncing... As Mother Jones previously
reported, former Senator Phil Gramm, McCain's onetime campaign chairman, used a
backroom maneuver in late 2000 to slip into law a bill that kept credit default
swaps unregulated. These financial instruments greased the way to the subprime
meltdown that has led to today's economic crisis. Several of McCain's most
senior campaign aides have lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And the
Democratic National Committee, using publicly available records, has identified
177 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign as either aides, policy advisers,
or fundraisers.
Of those 177 lobbyists, according to a Mother Jones review of Senate and House
records, at least 83 have in recent years lobbied for the financial industry
McCain now attacks. These are high-paid influence-peddlers who have been
working the corridors of the nation's capital to win favors and special
treatment for investment banks, securities firms, hedge funds, accounting
outfits, and insurance companies. Their clients have included AIG, the newest
symbol of corporate excess; Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy on
Monday sending the stock market into a tailspin; Merrill Lynch, which was
bought out by Bank of America this week; and Washington Mutual, the banking
giant that could be the next to fall. Among these 83 lobbyists are McCain's
chief political adviser, Charlie Black (JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank,
Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America); McCain's national
finance co-chairman, Wayne Berman (AIG, Blackstone, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac); the campaign's congressional liaison, John Green (Carlyle Group,
Citigroup, Icahn Associates, Fannie Mae); McCain's veep vetter, Arthur
Culvahouse (Fannie Mae); and McCain's transition planning chief, William
Timmons Sr. (Citigroup, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group). (emphasis added)
"When cable news shows air footage of McCain railing against greedy execs and
the lobbyists who rig the rules for the benefit of Wall Street dealmakers,
there ought to be a crawl beneath him listing these lobbyists." Read the
entire list of 83 financial industry lobbyists here McCain Attacks Wall Street
Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign.
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Jack Cafferty mocks John McCain for privatization of Social Security
Posted: 19 Sep 2008 11:41 AM CDT
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/397355145/jack-cafferty-m.html
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
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