McCain: the Ultimate Hypocrite.

[PA Democrat]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07365/845636-176.stm

<snip>
Mr. McCain's appearance at the Deer Valley event, arranged by J.P. Morgan Vice Chairman James B. Lee Jr., a top McCain fundraiser, put him in a room with the chief executives of companies such as General Electric, Xerox and Sony. It was, Mr. Lee said, "a chance for him to let them see him for who he is and possibly decide to support him." The effort paid off: J.P. Morgan executives have donated $56,250 to Mr. McCain's campaign, two-thirds of which came after his Utah appearance. And his visit there was quickly followed up by dozens of smaller private meetings with corporate executives in New York City arranged by leading Wall Street figures.

<snip>
It is common for politicians to court big money during a campaign. But private schmooze sessions such as the gathering in Utah pose a particular dilemma for Mr. McCain, who has spent a long career decrying "special interests" and politicians who offer special access to them in order to raise money. As a presidential candidate this year, Mr. McCain has found himself assiduously courting both lobbyists and their wealthy clients, offering them private audiences as part of his fundraising. He also counts more than 30 lobbyists among his chief fundraisers, more than any other presidential contender.

<snip>
Nonetheless, a recent study by the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute and the liberal advocacy group Public Citizen found that Mr. McCain has more lobbyists raising funds for his presidential bid than do any of his rivals. He has 32 "bundlers" of donations who are lobbyists. Former New York Republican Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani is the closest to him with 29 lobbyist bundlers, followed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., with 18.

Mr. McCain's campaign has also been guided by lobbyists. Mr. Davis, the campaign manager, is a former lobbyist who represented major telecommunications companies. The campaign's senior adviser is Charles Black Jr., chairman of BKSH & Associates, which represents drug companies, an oil company, an automaker, a telecommunications company, defense contractors and the steel industry, among others.

[TwilightGardener]

1. What happened to that Drudge/NYT story about inappropriate

favors for a telecom lobbyist? Someone should follow the donation trail there. McCain smells to high heaven. I don't know why people think he's somehow better or more honest or ethical than any other shithead Republican.

[PA Democrat]

3. Especially inappropriate since he made a name for himself pushing "campaign finance reform"

McCain is willing to sell out any principle, including his own family's reputation to win. He is scum. You'd never see me campaigning for a guy that had slandered my spouse and child.

[gaiilonfong]

4. The Times in the Tank for the ReTHUGS again

Bill Keller is a loser and closet ReTHUGlican.
Remember he stuck up for MataHori Judy Miller!

[TwilightGardener]

6. Yep--he personally pleaded with them not to release the story.

That they would comply and let voters go to the voting booth without this potentially damaging (but vital) information is just another example of their journalistic irresponsibility.

[gratuitous]

2. When you do that . . .

When you call one of these garbanzos the "ultimate" this or that, you make the others try to outdo him. None of them wants to give up the title. Watch for Giuliani or Romney try to wrest the ultimate hypocrite encomium from McCain, and it turns my stomach to contemplate just what form that might take.

Mostly because of the anticipation. :popcorn:

[Swamp Rat]

5. McCain insane in the membrane