double zed

Would somebody please cover up her chastity belt?

Jeez!

Please put McCain on the same stage as Obama. Do it.

I was happy to see this as the top story on HuffPo. The “lobbyists on the bus” is such a great story that everyone will immediately understand it. Very good strategy.

I think McCain’s done. Stick a fork in him. The MSM will not be able to ignore his lobbying scandal forever. It’ll take awhile for them to catch on, like it took a long time for them to catch on to Rudy’s true nature & situation, but now that it’s in the open, McCain’s a goner.

I love this photo so much.

Yes, more of this indeed. It’s doubly good here in that McCain’s “strength” is proving to be built on a foundation of sand.

it do protrude,ya dont think it was an incomplete gelding do ya?

clay foot Spartacus

Sing with me kids:

The doors on the bus spin round and round, round and round, round and round;
The doors on the bus spin round and round, all through the town.

EPU’d

St.McBush’08™: “I did not have relations with that lobbyist…“

Personally, I wish Obama would decline to comment. There are plenty of surrogates and others to attack and allow him to stay on the high ground.

it took a long time for them to catch on to Rudy’s true nature & situation

I propose the “caught on” to Rudy because he had lost his bid and there was nothing “in it” for them to continue to ignore it.

I think you give them too much credit. The media will ignore and downplay McCain’s scandals until the election… …or the GOP finds a “better” candidate to run.

One must be teh careful wearing silk charmeuse cut on the bias…in light colors especially

Get on the Gus bus!

Would somebody please cover up her chastity belt?

Is that a chastity belt or a lobbyist’s money belt?

family jewels sort of

I think McCain’s done. Stick a fork in him.

I wonder if there’s a connection to McCain having forks sticking out of him and professional concern troll Ralph Nader crawling out of the woodwork again?

Is that a chastity belt or a lobbyist’s money belt?

Or…is it both?

It’s Harry Reids balls.

Mystery solved.

Didn’t Bush have one of those on his back in a debate?

Looks to me like she got hold of Rush’s panties.

You know, the ones that are always in a bunch…

Your’e assuming that the MSM will do the right thing. Don’t forget that the MSM exists solely to preserve the status quo. They will rally around the “maverick” to insure their pampered and priviledge position in the pecking order will be preserved. Democrats have to run not only against the GOP but the military/industrial/media complex.

The only thing Nader’s reappearance has anything to do with is Nader’s ego. By the by, he’s older than Don Juan McCain…pass it on.

Personally, I wish Obama would decline to comment. There are plenty of surrogates and others to attack and allow him to stay on the high ground.

We aren’t talking about the sex scandal, which he shouldn’t comment on. This is about a lobbyist influence scandal, which is not only 100% appropriate to talk about but has already been a part of Obama’s campaign rhetoric during the primaries. This is right in his strike zone. (baseball analogy, sorry).

Not to mention Nader’s formative years were spent in a madrassa;)

-G

NYT is first break in MSM & that meant that others had to respond. Smugby’s point that MSM piled on Rudy when he was losing is a good one, but pretty soon (May-June time frame) it’ll seem that McCain’s losing in the general, and give MSM latitude to pile on him.

fell off my perch,on that one
hahahahahahahahahaha

((( TSF )))

I thought it was a GPS for McCain …

Nader is a non-issue, for everyone but the media. He will draw very few votes and is irrelevant. The media will continue to give him a platform because it serves their interests.

I do not worry that he is any threat in any way to the Democratic supernova that is coming in November.

Yep. 74 in February.

or an on/off switch

The only thing Nader’s reappearance has anything to do with is Nader’s ego. By the by, he’s older than Don Juan McCain…pass it on.

Rant*** This man angers beyond all reason. A lot of my relatives voted for him in 2000 I am still pissed at their stupidity./Rant***

Frankly I think it is another ploy of his to get more money from the goopers. In 2000 the pumped him with money and I can see them doing the same thing again. He is just a greedy egotistic bas**rd.

Well, to follow your analogy, they don’t follow the actual strike zone as defined in the rules anymore. I think he would be better off considering it between the knees and the waist, until there is absolute evidence, adopting the “I can only speak for myself and have take Senator McCain’s word,”. There are plenty of people to press the issue.

However, the media will cover him, and they will cover the fact that the only people he trashes are Democrats.

I made this comment the other day in regard to a TBogg post about McCain’s involvement in the Keating Five incident:

To me, this is the money quote of the scandal:

From an article entitled “Pluck, leaks helped McCain to overcome S&L scandal”…

http://graphics.boston.com/new.....dal+.shtml

By Walter V. Robinson, Globe Staff, 2/29/2000

In 1989, Keating himself left no doubt that the campaign funds he lavished on the five senators were designed to produce results, when he declared to reporters: ‘ “One question, among the many others raised in recent weeks, had to do with whether my financial support in any way influenced several political figures to take up my cause. I want to say in the most forceful way I can: I certainly hope so.” ‘

Does he really expect people to believe that we should not be concerned with his close associations with lobbyist if he didn’t understand through this quote that nobody does something for nothing in this business. The fact remains, if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

if he had good intentions..he would back Obamas anti corporate leanings,and spur him on

Exactly !!!

Your statement has to be repeated continuously until it gets through Ralph’s thick skull …

Are you saying that Senator Obama should not mention McCain’s ties to lobbyists (lobbyists that serve in most of the important positions in his campaign) because the NYT implied a romantic relationship with one lobbyist (a lobbyist who does not work in his campaign)?

Nader is a non-issue, for everyone but the media. He will draw very few votes and is irrelevant. The media will continue to give him a platform because it serves their interests.

I do not worry that he is any threat in any way to the Democratic supernova that is coming in November.

Agree. I think even 99.5% of progressives will not support his campaign (his ideas, yes…but why not go out and support progressive Congressional candidates rather than ones ego). It would be interesting, however, to look at who is providing him with $$$. THAT could be worth publicizing.

if he had good intentions

As if… Not for years, or if ever when he was running for office.

the MSM-esp. TV and at least 2 of the newsweekly magazines still have a man crush on st john. Look at those from “the village”-tweety, timmah, the editorial page of the NYT to just name a few. As long as these opinion makers have their stage, no bad news about st john will be allowed. You can almost see timmah and tweety drool whenever they throw their softball questions to him. BTW, since all of these lobbyists are “volunteering” their time and skills in the st john campaign, doesn’t he have to declare their unpaid salaries as campaign donations? If that is in fact the case I have 2 questions. 1. Is he in fact required to list both them and what their salaries are, like they do when flying on corperate planes? 2. Wouldn’t their salaries go over the individual donation limits? Bonus question. If he is taking govt matching funds, would the lobbyists time/skills even be permitted? Just asking

Prolly some Wyoming- based concern called Chick Deney … *g*

Maybe you can find out on his really cool website.

McCain/Schiavo 2008.

-G

Personally, I wish Obama would decline to comment. There are plenty of surrogates and others to attack and allow him to stay on the high ground.

I disagree. Obama can’t just stop campaigning against McCain.

While I agree that he should stear clear of the romatic affair accusations, that lobbyists are in effect running his campaign is fair game. He should attack McCain hard on that alone.

Well it’s no secret that he was funded by Republicans in both 2000 and 2004.

Obama V McCain will be reminiscent of Ali V Cosell, only more lopsided …

Funniest comment yet!!!

I didn’t know that. Got a link?

Constitution;
An agreement under which we are governed. Attorneys operate under “the rule of law” which emanates from the constitution as a body of common law decisions and the Statutes which I regret I am not in command of.
The pain for me is that as we read the Bill of Rights and the Articles of the Constitution we cannot justify the actions of our elected representatives.
The “Corporate Culture” has overlain the political culture and the government. Justice has been slain by corruption. Expediency has been used to implement the abuse of our rights.
A corporate fascism has grown to control our democratic process. Casually ridiculing these events does not address the crimes against the American people.
In the criminal justice system, when an alledged crime is commited it is charged or investigated by a grand jury of a District Attorney. When high crimes and misdameanors are alleged a similar investigation is called for. Nixon was impeached and removed from office for far far less than has occurred under the Bush/Cheney administration.
To whom do we turn for justice if not the legal community?

After Gore’s treatment by the MSM in 2000 I’m skeptical of your take. I actually think the NYT’s story helps McCain by consolidating his support with the extreme right wing. There’s nothing to rally them like the meme of “liberal” media “attacks.” How much of the MSM is talking about the corruption of the political process by lobbyists and McCain’s involvement?

IT IS MERELY THE SCRIPT HANDED TO THEM BY THE BIGGEST WAR PROFITEER GR..it butters their bread,and pays their bar bills nicely

Ralph gives Republics cover by shouting that there’s no difference between Democrats and Republics. They will keep running him until they either lose or he is dead.

damn i cant see…war profiteer is GE!

I try to take the high ground and focus on McCain’s whatever-gender carousing with boy lobbyists or girl lobbyists but every time that photo appears her funny part that sticks out through her crepe silk cling-on nightgown distracts me. I can’t help it. I can’t figure out what it is. Is it too much of something or too little of something else? Lordy me! Get me a cool glass of water…..

EDP, Are you in Iowa City? Thought our rotten fruit could use a workout on March 9 against Evil-Doer Rove.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/a...../1006/NEWS

Well here’s one from 2004.

Same was true in 2000.

he is vile…misanthrope

This is Nader’s claim to qualify him for the presidency?:

There’s no ticket of admission for active citizenship. Anybody can get through that gate, and anybody can ask that basic question that gets the ball rolling.”

In 1965 Ralph Nader asked a question that shocked America. In his book Unsafe at Any Speed he asked why thousands of Americans were being killed or injured in car accidents when the technology already existed to make our cars safer. The automobile industry resisted Nader’s suggestions furiously, but public outcry forced government and industry to apply new safety standards, and to include devices like shoulder harnesses and air bags which have saved thousands from death or injury.

Ralph Nader didn’t stop there. His concept of full-time citizenship led him to form groups such as Public Citizen which have exposed corporate and governmental negligence and corruption and won important new protections for Americans as citizens and consumers.

More than 30 years after he began his crusade for automobile safety, Ralph Nader continues his efforts to make government and business accountable to the people, and to make all Americans aware of their rights and of their own power to defend them.

This page last revised on Feb 02, 2005 09:50 PST

Last revised is mighty current though! ;~)

Gore ran a bad campaign. Gave MSM the excuse it was looking for.

There is no law against lobbyists serving in campaigns. To make a point of the fact is, in affect, an accusation that he is a corrupt tool of lobbyists. It may be a valid charge, but there are plenty to make it and search for evidence. Since Obama is campaigning on changing the old style politics and putting an end to character assasination, I think he would be better off leaving it alone. Again, there are plenty to make/prove any charges, but it leaves him open to accusations that he’s no different than any other negative campaigner. I don’t see any advantage in him personally engaging. You are, of course, entitle to think otherwise.

I am in Iowa City, but I must admit, I planned to just give Rove the cold shoulder.

They’re not, and that’s why it’s important that Obama does.

If Nader was motivated by anything other than pure ego, where has he been for the last four years while this administration was performing a lobotomy on the American spirit and deliberately botching the surgery they were doing on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. If he was half the activist he used to be, he would have been crusading to save rule of law and Habeas Corpus. Those things are much more important than a Corvair ever was. A real leader would have been making speeches pointing that out, among other things! But no, this guy just turns up like the proverbial bad penny whenever there’s an election for President to give him a soap box to stand on. Total BS!

McCain has a real problem with adhering to ethical restrictions on avoiding influencing closed hearings and investigations.

He did it with the Keating investigation, and then just a decade later, he tries to interfere with a closed ex parte hearing at the FCC by writing letters telling the Commission to rush a decision for Paxson. He was told this was inappropriate, and went ahead and did so, and then was admonished by FCC Commissioner Kennard for meddling and attempting to influence the Commission.

That’s twice. And then, when the FCC came out with the “wrong” decision, McCain and the Republicans, like a bunch of tantrum-throwing brats, threatened to strip the FCC of any power over limiting religious broadcasters from purchasing and running any proigramming they wished on non-commercial frequencies…INCLUDING 24-hour religious proslytizing and full-on commercials!

Shiny, tight dresses are never a good idea. Seems we are just never going to know what that “something” is in front. :)

I doubt that Fox will ever pile on any Republic, but maybe you’re not considering them part of the MSM.

oyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy shortrideVP

wow, I have to say, when obama first hit the trail I wasn’t certain he was a progressive, I wasn’t certain he was ready to take on these corporatists

but it really looks like he gets it, it really looks like he’s taking a page from edwards and I wouldn’t be surprised if edwards is not and advisor of barak

unless there is a self destruct, it looks like we have the our candidate

let’s hope he can overcome the base turning out en masse, let’s hope he can withstand the barage that is sure to come in the general

and rest assured, there WILL be dirt that the republicans are going to unleash

that dirt will probably not even be true, but they will spew it, they will give it credibility by repeating it and I hope barak’s advisors know what to do when it happens

I believe this primary season might be over

Nope. Faux is propaganda arm of Rs.

Obama must have some incredible advisors. He has run an almost perfect campaign and has now really stepped up the message with precise plans and programs. I don’t think his campaign will get blind-sided by anything.

i really want the Clintons to be in the background,they have had their chance to be more progressive,it wasnt in the cards,if it was in their hearts

I wonder when the MSM will start questioning Obama about Specter’s Spygate probe of the Patriots? After all, Congress seems to have nothing better to do these days so it’s important to know where candidates stand on professional sports irregularities.

The media “piling on McCain?” Why isn’t any MSM talking about McCain’s involvement in the Keating 5? He has a pattern or influence peddling but are careful to avoid the topic. The MSM “likes” the maverick because he will insure with his election that the interests of their corporate masters will be preserved and the pampered and priviledged positions of the high salaried pundits/newsreaders and bloviators will be insured.

He was a grass roots organizer…in the inner city.

I think the ground swell will continue to grow and we will see amazing change next year.

since all of these lobbyists are “volunteering” their time and skills in the st john campaign, doesn’t he have to declare their unpaid salaries as campaign donations?

No. If that were so, then the value of all volunteers’ time for all campaigns would have to be treated the same way.

I think one of the beliefs that a solidified Republican base supporting McCain and his 100 years war is a good think may be folly.

Remember the GOP is bleeding support and self indentification.

They have been low in the polls and people do not seem to be rewarding negative campaigning.

The more the Limbaugh/Coulter Republicans embrace McCain and his 100 years war, the more detrimental it is to him.

I repeat, in 2006 George W. Bush campaigned for his Party and told America in explcit terms that “If the Democrats win, the terrorists win” and it didn’t work.

-G

bingo…an expensive prostitute

Since Obama is campaigning on changing the old style politics and putting an end to character assasination, I think he would be better off leaving it alone.

McCain pretends to be a “maverick” who listens to the people instead of lobbyists, so pointing out that lobbyists are actually on the Straight Talk express bus is absolutely not “character assassination”. I must say that is a ridiculous characterization of this legitimate issue.

It didn’t work because Bush forgot to mention that the terrorists were gay. The Republics will not making that same mistake this year.

Thanks! At least his VP said the money should be returned.

It’s twice as funny when the MSM sagely nods its collective head when Conrad Black “explains” that e is not being paid by McCain. So it is OK?
Exactly, wrong. He is being paid by his lobby business to do this.
that’s worse.

it is a very important issue,wheres the integrity?

Obama addressing McCain’s lobby entanglements over decades is legitimate. It is a fact that needs to be aired and McCain has some serious explaining to do not excuses to make. I think Obama can use his skills to expose McCain as a fraud without using my lay terminology.

McCain pretends to be a “maverick”.

Bush pretends to be a Christian, among other things, so it seems like McCain is a worthy successor.

And whatever happened to “Phase 2″ of the 911 investigation?

Now that’s one of the first fair criticisms of Nader I’ve read here today.

he can fillet him,and never break a sweat

Obama is well withing his rights to hit McCain on his sleazy ties to lobbyists.

Fire away. It is McCains’ media engineered strength.

Hit him hard.

-G

how quickly you forget,i said that at the end of the last thread ,and you responded…he is looking for gooper $$$$$$$$$$$$$

with a velvet glove…he has the style

Also, as a rejoinder to any GOP-ers who hate Obama’s message of hope ask them why they have been praising Ronald Reagan for 30 years because ‘he made America feel good again’.

-G

where has he been for the last four years while this administration was performing a lobotomy on the American spirit and deliberately botching the surgery they were doing on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. If he was half the activist he used to be, he would have been crusading to save rule of law and Habeas Corpus.

Ann,

Nader writes regularly for Counterpunch and Common Dreams. His essays have been on a wide range of subjects, but he’s addressed the subjects you’ve brought up rather well.

My experience since 2004 has been that many former Nader supporters are now working hard WITHIN the Democratic Party to get our people elected. I’m a former Green who grew tired of my votes not counting or being counter-productive, and am actively recruiting Greens, Republicans and Independents into the Dem ranks.

Nader’s ego has become a problem, for sure, but he HAS BEEN fighting. His columns don’t get the play on the left they deserve because of what I call Green Hatred Disorder.

“It didn’t work because Bush forgot to mention that the terrorists were gay. The Republics will not making that same mistake this year.“

And want to be married. And move in next door to take your gun away.

That would be Charles Black who is the unpaid lobbyist campaign consultant for McCain.

Conrad Black is the media mogul who got himself caught and convicted by Patrick Fitzgerald for some fraud.

And Obama is commenting on the lobbyists while stepping around the lady:

“It’s indisputable that his top advisers in his campaign are lobbyists, that many of them have been running their business on the campaign bus while they’ve been out with him. And he’s comfortable with that,” Obama said during a media availability in Columbus, Ohio.

Obama called that “a legitimate issue for voters” to consider “if somebody presents themselves as a reformer.”

The Illinois senator also raised the issue earlier in the day, saying in an opening statement at roundtable discussion on health care issues that McCain “takes (lobbyist) money and has put them in charge of his campaign.

But:

McCain’s ties to lobbyists have been the focus of attention since the New York Times reported several days ago that McCain aides were so alarmed by the senator’s close relationship with a then-31-year-old telecommunications lobbyist in 1999 as he was preparing for his last president that they confronted him and acted to keep her away from him at his office and political events. McCain has denied the report, which was based on anonymous sources.

Obama demurred when asked about the article.

“I have not studied that carefully and so I can’t really measure what’s going on there,” the Illinois senator responded.

{Thanks, Christy!}

and he didnt give a rats ass about 99% of Americans,funny dat

I am two hours north but did discuss it with Irish Jim. I also talked to the Public Info guy and he assured me no tax funds were involved. I also got a nice call back from the foundation and expressed my opinion on Rove in particular. Rove needs to be frogmarched… maybe after 60 minutes siegleman episode.

Really would like to have an Iowa Firepups meet this summer.

Will Ralph Win Ben Stein’s Money again?

The Pugs get three things from Nader running…one is that they get to pretend that they support “free speech” and access to the Democratic process, and Democrats don’t. And they can assert this high-ethical rhetoric while playing real-politik and siphon off Democratic votes. Third, they can come onto Democratic and progressive sites and troll as Naderites and call people hypocrites and sow dissent against the prospective or actual Democratic nominee for not being as holy as St. Ralph.

The simple rebuttal to those things is “I’m as progressive, if not more so, than Ralph Nader. I’m better than Nader, and I’m not running, because ideological purity would have a million different candidates. The “right wing” would always win as a result of such factionalism. A President is a representative, and must represent a balance of a million different views. To move ahead on implementing those views one should work within a community…not act like a prophet in the wilderness and lecture the “evil people” who are in fact unifying against embedded power-structure. But if I were running, I wouldn’t take right-wing money. It would be against my ideological fabric to be used as a tool for making political progress.”

How soon before George W. Bush launches his next military adventure in order to liberate Cyprus from the Commies?

-G

When I envision McCain and Obama in a TV face-off, it’s JFK and Nixon all over again. One smooth and to the point; the other Rumpelstiltskin in a sweat. Who do I want to be a decision maker? Why, the one with a cool head assessing the situation.

yeeeeeks.
I think I better resend that letter to the editor, too.
thanks.

I was thinking that his next target will be Cuba. After all the gov’t there is now weakened, their leader is not strong and we could create a democracy by liberating all those people - and they are, after all, brown.

one big reason i picked him over Hill

But they don’t have oil….

Maybe Bush/Cheney can invade and force the Cubans to grow switchgrass, eh?

I think it’s childish and pointless to resent Nader’s runs for the presidency. Frankly, 2000 was Gore’s election to lose, just as 2008 was Hillary Clinton’s election to lose. Don’t you get it? If Gore couldn’t beat the imbicilic Bush, as well as Nader, then he clearly hasn’t got what it takes to be President. This year if Hillary can’t beat Obama, she hasn’t got what it takes to be President.

Do you want a President who surrounds herself with advisors as terrible as Hillary’s have been?

Blaming Nader for the Democrats’ loss in 2000 is a Republican-style exercise in irresponsibility. Gore lost in 2000 because he was too chicken to be himself, and too chicken to take advantage of Clinton’s coattails. And he lost because he could not ADAPT to the brutal, unethical, no-holds-barred politicking of the Cheney/Rove machine - just as Kerry lost in 2004.

We need an adaptable, intelligent, ruthless candidate who can face down Rovian tactics while being progressive enough to deflate anything Nader has to say by embracing it.

Quit whining about Nader - it’s pathetic. The Democrats and the Republicans control the game and own the ball. Whining that the nerdy kid next door made you lose is just pathetic.

Switchgrass shigars……fashinatin’ how demawkrashy and freedom work.

-The Decider

If that were so, then the value of all volunteers’ time for all campaigns would have to be treated the same way.

Actually I have no problem with this, if indeed it is simply REPORTING the time and corporate affiliation of volunteers….with an estimated value applied to those volunteers time. It need not be a part of the campaign limitations an individual can provide in cash…but should be reported.

A $200/hr. lawyer that contributes 10 hours of their legal advice to the campaign should be required to report a $2000 donation. If they are simply working the phones…well that volunteer activity can be reported as at some standard scale (maybe $10/hour). Again, no restriction on how much can be volunteered…but reporting by name/profession/ and type of activity…YES!

I was under the impression the original question was about current law.