Republican Business As Usual For John McCain

By: Teddy
Published On: 12/14/2006 3:54:23 PM

Senator John McCain, (R, Arizona) has zealously cultivated his reputation as a GÇ£maverick,GÇ¥ and being what passes for an erratic moderate among Republicans--- and the media have aided and abetted him. This persona has tickled the fancy of many Americans who, wary of the neo-cons in the current Republican Party, nevertheless liked the general conservative Republican philosophy.  In other words, McCain for long has managed to have his cake and eat it too.
No longer. McCain's claim to political integrity was slightly tarnished when he made nice and kissy-kiss made-up with George Bush after BushGÇÖs minions savaged him in the 2000 South Carolina presidential primary with racial attacks and push-polls, implying McCain had a mixed race child out of wedlock.  Now that Dubya is a lame duck and the Republican nomination for President in 2008 is open, McCain has recently begun mending fences and cultivating the intransigent far right wing base of the current Republican Party, meeting with Falwell and others, securing their approbation, and promising them who knows what.

The real tip-off that McCain has shed his independent  maverick persona came when he hired Republican operative Terry Nelson last March as a senior adviser and then on 7 December appointed Nelson as his campaign manager.  Media Matters on 14 December noted that both the appointment and its significance have been under-reported by the media.

Nelson has deep connections to various Republican scandals:
  * Nelson, as head of the independent expenditure unit of the RNC (Republican National Committee), approved the notorious racist ad attacking Rep. Harold Ford, Jr in 2006; one analyst said the ad made the old Willie Horton ad look like childGÇÖs play
  * Nelson, as deputy chief of staff for the RNC, was a conduit for money transferred through the RNC between Tom DeLayGÇÖs PAC and various Republican Texas House of Representative candidates (a ploy which earned DeLay an indictment); Nelson arranged to receive a $190,000 check from DeLay aide John Colyandro, which was subsequently diverted to contributions to the election campaigns of specific Texas Republicans named on a money list given to Nelson by Jim Ellis, another DeLay aideGÇö all of which was against the law
  * Nelson, as RNC deputy chief of staff, was involved through his New Hampshire deputy James Tobin with the New Hampshire phone-jamming scandal in 2002 when Republican operatives jammed the Democratic PartyGÇÖs phones in an effort to disrupt the Democratic Get Out The Vote campaign, for which offense Tobin was convicted and sentenced to 10 months in prison, two years of probation, and a $10,000 fine
  * NelsonGÇÖs consulting firm, Crosslink Strategy Group, now employs Chris LaCivita, a former Swift Boat Veterans for Truth advisor; LaCivita (then employed by another firm) was a major contributor to the infamous smear campaign of lies and distortions mounted against John Kerry

McCain has clearly decided to go down the dark road.  The media should no longer keep referring to McCain approvingly as a "maverickGÇ¥ or a GÇ£moderate Republican.GÇ¥  You shall known him by the company he keeps, and judge him accordingly.

Comments



Call him what he is (Teddy - 12/14/2006 5:48:04 PM)
a standard issue GOP functionary who desperately wants to be President and will do anything to achieve it. He called LaCivita's Swift Boat campaign "dishonest and dishonorable" at the time.  Guess he decided it was effective, and so he should hire Nelson, who now owns LaCivita... because the ends justify the means.


So true, Teddy. (Eric - 12/14/2006 7:37:21 PM)
McCain has been given a free pass of sorts - the public perception is not exactly accurate.  Put back to back with Dubya he does come off as a moderate and this is certainly what he'll be playing up during his campaign efforts.  Great. 

One of the moral corruptions McCain shares with Bush is his craving of power.  Not long ago he stood against the Bush administration on the issue of torture only to cave to Republican pressures.  Oh sure, he came out with a bunch of feel good bs justifying his change of heart, but in the end it was capitulation to remain in good standing with the extremists who he'll need during the primaries.  Pathetic.  If he wins (God forbid) we'll be singing "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss".



Lewis Black on McCain and Falwell - A Joke? (cycle12 - 12/14/2006 10:35:29 PM)
Thanks, "Teddy"; excellent information, analysis and conclusions. 

Primarily because of his commendable and honorable military service, including his subsequent horrendous treatment at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors during the Vietnam War, I had retained some measure of respect for John McCain until he traveled to Lynchburg a few months ago in order to rub elbows with Jerry Falwell. 

From that point on, I viewed McCain as just another retail Republican politician looking to make amends and solidify his connections with the overblown religious right, and I have big problems with that.  I never thought that McCain would sell out to them, but it now appears that he has done so.

Interestingly enough, a couple of weeks ago, comedian Lewis Black (who graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill and then earned his MFA from the Yale School of Drama) was on CNN's "Larry King Live" program and said almost those identical words about McCain when asked about him by King.

Unfortunately, this is no laughing matter, and Black didn't even smile when he talked in all seriousness about McCain and other such politicians.

We Democrats need to choose a candidate who can win the presidecny in 2008.  Retired four-star general Wesley K. Clark, yet another highly decorated Vietnam War veteran/hero, is my choice to be our candidate. 

Let's not let McCain make a joke out of us.  In 2008, may the last political laugh be on him, Falwell and their ilk.

Thanks!

Steve



I read thru the transcript (Kathy Gerber - 12/15/2006 9:33:22 AM)
It's missing a little context but your comment takes care of that.  Thanks for the reference.

Don't you think that the general public have become better "shoppers?"  Not saying perfect, but improved...



Better "Shoppers"! (cycle12 - 12/15/2006 12:38:52 PM)
Yes, Kathy; agreed - probably out of anger, frustration and general disappointment over our current state of national affairs, many of us have certainly become better political shoppers of late. 

During the Larry King interview, I was most impressed with Black's knowledge, insight and general attitude toward various national candidates and situations.

I've always liked Black and, when he mentioned McCain in that context, he moved himself up yet another notch with me.

Lewis Black for Secretary of the Interior!!

Thanks!

Steve



Clark needs to get his name out there (Catzmaw - 12/15/2006 9:29:03 AM)
C-Span spent an hour taking calls from people saying who they think should get the nod from both parties.  I heard a dozen names from both sides of the aisle from callers, but not a single one mentioned Clark.  His only real name recognition is coming from the Democratic blogosphere.  If he's going to run he'd better announce soon because otherwise he'll be buried under a mountain of other candidates.


Agreed! (cycle12 - 12/15/2006 12:32:44 PM)
I haven't communicated with Clark in quite a while.

Anybody out there got any "inside information" about him?

Thanks!

Steve