In Cliff Schecter’s new book The Real McCain, he talks about Huggy Bear’s history of vindictive temper flashes as he made the awkward but politically convenient transition from scandal-ridden Keating 5 member to "hero of campaign finance reform" (*cough*) — as he was introduced during his recent visit to Alexandria.
Cliff quotes George Will:
Such is his towering moral vanity, he seems sincerely to consider it theoretically impossible for him to commit the offenses of appearances that he incessantly ascribes to other.
In fact, McCain’s history with campaign finance reform is full of self-serving inconsistencies. Says Cliff:
That same moral vanity has led McCain to pick fights with fellow reformers as well. Two sources (neither at Common Cause) who spoke on condition of anonymity told me about McCain’s attempts to remove former president of Common Cause, Chellie Pingree, from her job. Common Cause, a non-partisan group devoted to open government, was in some ways the field operative for McCain-Feingold in the Sneate. But soon, according to my sources, Pingree saw that this regulatory scheme was too full of loopholes; in particular, she realized that it would lead to too much confusion about what various sorts of organizations could do or not do.
Like many others at the time, Pingree concluded that straightforward public financing was the answer. This wasn’t what McCain wanted to hear. In an effort to remove Pingree, McCain’s operatives made phone calls to Common Cause board members, funders, and anyone else they thought they could persuade or intimidate. McCain’s efforts failed, but they showed that he was willing to attack an ally the moment her judgment veered away from his own.
Once McCain decided to run for president again, these differences became moot. He realized he would benefit in the presidential sweepstakes if he treated campaign finance reform as he’d once treated Chellie Pingree — as something to be left behind.
McCain’s ally in trying to take Pingree out was the former head of Common Cause, Fred Werthehimer (of Democracy 21). It’s more than ironic that Wertheimer has been openly critical of Barack Obama for not taking public financing, but has said nothing negative about John McCain’s open flouting of campaign finance law (this despite the fact that both Common Cause and FEC Chairman David M. Mason has said McCain can’t legally do what he’s doing).
Cliff’s book is great, it has a lot of heretofore untold stories like the Pingree one. He is, as Atrios says, a great presence on TV and it would be good for everyone to see more of him. So please buy the book, because book sales is one of the only things that seems to convince the Brahmins of TV punditry that someone is worth listening to.
Because being openly and publicly wrong about everything all the time doesn’t seem to disqualify you from upchucking an opinion on my teevee, though I really think it should. And we definitely need to see more ‘o Cliff.
Related posts:
- Why We Need Genuine Campaign Finance Reform
- Does Obama’s 2008 Campaign Have a Lesson for Saving Healthcare Reform?
- SCOTUS: Citzens United to be Re-Argued Today; Campaign Finance, Speech Rights Hang in Balance
- Why Did NYT Do a Puff Piece on Finance Members Holding Up Health Reform?
- Republican Health Care Politics and Right Wing Thuggery
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Digg It Jane!
I do not understand why McCain doesn’t get called on this. I know, the media lurves him, he made them bbq, but this is one of those things that just makes me want to scream.
The hypocrisy is off the charts here, it pegs the outrage-o-meter into the stratosphere, but there is nada on my teevee about it.
Here’s hoping Cliff can help get that out.
Cliff is also on every Thursday on The Young Turks with his “Republican Sexcapades” segment.
And here’s another tale from Cliff’s book:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/….._0407.html
A lead on the AOL welcome page asks the question “Do you trust Obama’s patriotism?” How long before these fascists are nothing more than a bad memory?
He really must cook up some most excellent ribs. Either that, or he has a secret recipe for Kool-Aid marinade.
From John McCain’s remarks in Memphis, at the tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. last Friday:
Last week, McCain was confronted with his shameful vote against an MLK holiday; today it’s his history on campaign finance reform.
Let’s hear it for a little more “radical confrontation.”
Jon Sudbury over at AmericaBlog has a plug for the book as well, along with a great clip of Cliff demolishing a Repub in a spirited “discussion” of republican corruption.
Cliff is great as usual, we need to see more of him!
WTF?
Atwater’s legacy, this type of campaigning just f’ing sucks. The fact that the question is given any credibility makes me crazy, too.
My father-in-law is currently not speaking to me, because I rejected his forwarding e-mails with this kind of garbage in it – telling him to THINK about what he was saying, and that it made him look idiotic to forward the stuff. Does he start thinking? No, he justs stops talking to me.
I might have to send some more money to the MUP, my own personal protest against that kind of garbage.
Rice is Not Eyeing McCain Veep Slot
I’m sure she just wants to chair McCain’s VP search committee.
McCrazyGlue had some lovely remarks for his wife.
John McCain, one larger-than-life self-serving inconsistency. We don’t need another C+ Augustus in the Oval Office.
Every time a talking head says “Maverick”, they should have an electric shock passed through their genitals… unless of course they’re into that, which is a discussion for another time.
Awesome post, Jane. Welcome to the Great Proxy War of April 2008. While HRC and Obama are slugging it out, we can keep McCain on the ropes.
The only reason I can think of why the MSM is pumping up McCain and giving him passes on everything he says or just not reporting anything bad about him, is to keep the general election appear to be somewhat even between the two parties. I think they are even pimping the polls to support this. They need to keep viewers interested to maintain ratings during this frankly dull period in the election process.
With two thirds of the country believing we are on the wrong track, everyone completely sick of the war, the economy faultering via the mortgage crisis, and gas prices increasing daily at the pump it makes no sense that any GOP candidate running on and supporting Bush’s disasterous policies could even be considered a viable candidate for president.
I can’t wait for the general election to start so the true McCain can be exposed and hopefully the media forced to face some form of reality and start reporting on McCain with some basis in fact.
Maverick? more like a Ford Pinto: explodes upon being bumped into.
TRex thinks the moniker fits:
George Will:
Such is his towering moral vanity, he seems sincerely to consider it theoretically impossible for him to commit the offenses of appearances that he incessantly ascribes to other.
McCain is such a sanctimonious, condescending hypocrite that he cannot discern his own actions from the actions of others whom he holds to higher moral standards than those standards which he professes to keep as his own but cannot because he is Mack The Knife.
Wow what a prick! Thing is, I totally see it, I know these kind of people. The “Tail Hook”club, I wonder how many of those little soirees the “Maverick” attended?
OT Stop Loss movie review on NewsHour
OT: For a little fun, you can watch Senator David Vitter backing his car into a street sign:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/187770.php
huhu, total McCain.
McStray is convinced that he can do no wrong. He has seen it work before. He has lost his ability to process information required to be a “candidate” because he is old and losing control. These are his strong points as a gop candidate. He knows he can’t be elected, all his lobbyists know it too.
Why do they continue? Is it because they are paid to do so, just another job? Do they think the election is rigged that somehow a 70/30 split is going to be in their favor? Is oldguy going to be the next VP when Bush has to resign? or his war time consiglieri when he declares martial law?
150+ congress scum profiteering on the war. Kerry is one of them. This is real human garbage folks. I wonder, do we really want to be in such a club? Would we want a member representing us? Not in a 100, not even a thousand years.
Cliff Schecter will be interviewed by Jeff Farias tomorrow 4/8 during his show which is 3-6pm MST (PDT)…. you can listen at 1480 KPHX
I have a MD appointment so cannot guaranteed I will be around to let you know the actual time.
BTW the link for Cliff Schecter’s book goes to the Media Matters book “Free Ride” …. here is the correct link
The Real McCain
Was he wearing a diaper?
Vitter said he is “going to stay hard at work”. See the video. If he were a Democrat it would make the local nightly news.
Speaking of thuggery, just saw an ABC report by Brian Ross on a WVa mining case and the conflict of interest of the judges in the case. Would be interested in Christy’s take on this. At the outset, my reaction was, well, Scalia went hunting with Chee-knee, this sounds like the same thing.
Heckuva role model, “Justice” Scalia.
Cliff is on This is America with Jon Elliot tomorrow night at 1130 EST
Air America
Vitter’s restraint system has been broken for a while now.
1,805 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:
All this shit on McCrazy has been known for a long time and it doesn’t resonate like “warmonger”…I think that taken ‘im down on his stance on the war, removes the cover of “war hero – POW” and enables people to express what they have long felt about the poor fucker but have been intimidated into keepin’ silent. Let’s by all means point to the books and articles on his history and record but let’s make sure and lead with what ties ‘im to today…and that’s “warmonger” and his insane stance on the war in Iraq.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…THEY WON’T GO QUIETLY!!
Ha, ha that was good. Vitter had a Brittany Spears moment.
OT: Heads-up:
The Senator freaks me out.
Ha! And did you see the photos?!? Vitter wasn’t wearing his diaper either. Ooops, he did it again!
Bought the book. I hope it can be a springboard to more talking head appearances. IMHO, Schecter really brings it in that medium.
Is this any way for a man who basically owes his political career(at least the beginning of it and the connections to the Busch family that have been so profitable for his campaign fundraising)to his wife to treat her? In private or in public? He’s a classless slob and a bully.
Did you see him on Book TV on C-span for his last book? You’re absolutely on target…
John “Twitchy” McCain
Hello everybodee. I’m taking a week to get my head straight. Major shake-up at work.
Oilslickguy?
McCain is dangerous
hey, ofg!
But but, we needs more earl!
Good to see ya OFG, I just dropped by yer place earlier today for a gander.
Thanks.
No, missed the C-Span appearance. I’ll be looking for it.
I saw him last year?? on CNN??/MSNBC?? as the liberal opposite some “cons.” He didn’t just play good defense, he attacked.
I like “Twitchy” mo’ betta! Much more subtle and yet infinitely more powerful. Listen to him speak. Yeah, he’s “twitchy” alright.
Kerry was doing purgatory yesterday on Fox Noise, but he did well in condemning Insane McCain. Better late than never.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,347034,00.html
I’m thinking that, besides all his other ‘qualities’, McCain is dumb. I think his lobbiest/advisors are telling him that he’s not making decisions based on their advice (which enriches their clients) that he is making those decisions based on his personal beliefs. And he believes them.
Then they walk away and laugh.
It’s like Rummy saying that you have to present your opinion to the pres as being a “Big idea”. McCain’s lobbyists are playing him. And he’s not bright enough to realize it.
Putting aside for a moment his POW status, what else has he done that is even remotely distinguished or laudable in his career?
Hang on to a senate seat? Please.
His trophy wife’s family bought him that.
He’s an older Dubya with a worse temper.
sorry OT, but the shit is hitting the fan.. going to be a rough few days.
We need to watch Israel and their ‘In case of ‘Attack’ war preparation/practice..
BAGHDAD – Hundreds of people fled fighting in Baghdad’s Shiite militia stronghold Monday as U.S. and Iraqi forces increased pressure on anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who faces an ultimatum to either disband his Mahdi Army or give up politics.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..mi_ea/iraq
You have to wonder whether McBush was shown that WE torture too? Just light a firecracker near a VietNam vet and watch what happens (if you survive, that is). Just think what happens when the big dick offers to show McBush the new techniques they have developed? Does that help him tow the line?
I am sorry to say that, although I look at McBush as someone who deserves our sympathy, FAILING YOUR MISSION (getting shot down) and getting captured does NOT make you a hero, just a victim (and deserving of every post service benefit we can bestow on our veterans!). Didn’t McBush also somehow launch a missile on deck, killing a bunch of crewmen and badly damage the carrier?
Where are the heroics a la Kerry jumping into the water to save someone?
If you measure heroics as to the DANGER they put themselves into; that would make every crewman on the flight deck a bigger hero than the pampered pilots. (Please don’t take this as a put down to pilots, what those guys do is astounding. Their job just isn’t as dangerous as the guys that get them on and off the deck!). Unless he was a “wild weasel” or the like, he was just a pilot. Being a pilot is the glamorous job (why else would Chimpy’s Dad buy him that job?).
McBush maybe a veteran, but I have seen nothing that makes him a “hero”.
Yes, and excusing himself because he was tired/long day seems to hint that he just doesn’t get it that is really NO excuse.
To Pingree’s credit, she hung in there, and only left Common Cause when an open seat for Congress emerged back home in Maine. You can support her campaign at ActBlue and check out her site here.
Oh, and here’s Jim Hightower endorsing Pingree for Congress!!!
Can you tell I’m a fan?