Reed Reality
Key facts are missing in an Obama ad linking McCain to Ralph Reed.
Summary
An Obama ad in Georgia ties McCain to former Christian Coalition executive Ralph Reed and the Abramoff lobbying scandal. It doesn't give a full picture.
The ad says that Reed "is now raising money for McCain's campaign." But McCain has said, "I neither seek nor want his support."
It says McCain, as a committee chairman, "never even called Reed to testify" about Abramoff, which is true. But McCain's public report embarrassed Reed and damaged him politically nonetheless.
Analysis
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign released a new ad Aug. 20 attacking Sen. John McCain for supposed ties to former Christian Coalition executive Ralph Reed, whose reputation was tarnished by his involvement with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The ad is running in Georgia, where Reed lost a bid for state office in 2006 in part because of unfavorable publicity over his Abramoff ties.
Narrator: It was one of Washington's biggest scandals. And the Republican power broker Ralph Reed was in the middle of it. In deep with convicted felon and lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
But when the Senate investigated, the senator in charge never even called Reed to testify.
And that senator? John McCain. And who's now raising money for McCain's campaign? Ralph Reed. For 26 years in Washington, John McCain's played the same old games. We just can't afford more of the same."
Reed's Fundraising
The ad says that Reed is "now raising money for McCain's campaign." That is true. The Hill newspaper reported that Reed sent out an e-mail to friends and associates urging them to contribute to McCain's campaign and attend a fundraiser for him. But there isn't any formal connection between McCain's campaign and Reed's activities. McCain flatly told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that, "I neither seek nor want his support." Reed appears to have gotten the message. He didn't even appear at the fundraiser he told friends to attend.
The Abramoff Hearings
The ad calls Reed a "power broker" who was "in the middle" of "one of Washington's biggest scandals," the Jack Abramoff affair. And it says that McCain, as chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, "never even called Reed to testify" in the Abramoff investigation.
That's all true, but what's not said is that McCain's report caused Reed political embarrassment, making public evidence that contradicted Reed's claim that he hadn't known that his lobbying activities among anti-gambling Christian activists had been paid for by casino-owning Indian tribes who wanted to suppress competition.
McCain's Committee on Indian Affairs held a series of three "Tribal Lobbying" hearings in 2005 on Abramoff's lobbying for tribes with gaming interests. The result of those hearings was a damning 373-page report.
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Member Comments
Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 08/28/2008 4:35:09 PM
Comment: Sen Mc why there was recently a very serious earthquake in California what are your thoughts?
A: Im a POW
Sen Mc a terrible hurricane hit Haiti, any comments?
A Im a POW
Sen Mc for a very long time you were AGAINST OFFSHORE DRILLING, then after receiving 1,580,000.00 you FLOPPED on your "maverick" position, why?
A: Im a POW
Sen Mc you came out very strong for Gruzia, and then we come to find out that a Mr. Schunneman took 800,000.00 for lobbying to you about their interests, can you explain?
A: What's Gruzia, is that a bread or something?
NO it's the REAL NAME of Georgia.
A: Oh, Im a POW!
How many houses do you have
A: Im POW
What kind of car do you drive?
A: Im a POW!
Why did you cheat on and then leave your crippled wife who wait loyally for 5 long years for you?
A: Im a POW
What about the KEATING 5?
A: POW
MY FRIENDA, if I may, 40 years ago, I sucked as a pilot and I got shot down, I had already crashed 5 jet fighters prior to that, so it was NO real surprise. I spent 5 years in prison where i did not have, earthquakes, or hurricanes, or BIG OIL, or 94 million, of 11 houses, or a billionaire wife, or cars, or SENIOR CITIZEN SAVINGS ACCOUNTS TO ROB...
In short, like my height, arms, patients, attention span, and memory, I was a POW, I now suffer from PTSD, or SHELL SHOCK! Even thought I never saw ANY combat, and only had 20hrs of "air combat" time, I am a mess, and I have a HUGE chip on my shoulder for doing 32 propaganda films and embarrassing my father. I know I can WIN a WAR if you'll let me, so vote for me and I'll start a couple of new WARS and see if I can???t finally get one of them WON!
Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 08/25/2008 1:33:42 AM
Comment: Awe repigs, you're confused, if you don't vote for Obama, you a MORON not a racist. If you call him a MUSLIM, knowing he is not...you're a racist. If you're in that group of "older white males" who refuse to hear him, you're a racist.
As for "experience" ther are several 4 Star and lower Generals who say that being a prisoner does NOT a president make...and given mccains attendance record or rather his absence record of 61% gone, his congressional experience is questionable at best. Add to that the fact that for 8 yrs he has sided with bush 95% of the time and here goes the figures ;) :
25 yrs in congress
Present 38% of the time = 9.5 yrs out of 25yrs
VOTED with bush 95% of 8yrs = 7.5 yrs out of 8 (for a total of 6 mos out of 8yrs mccain did not agree with bush)
Let's see our final number shall we.
Time in congress where mccain was just mccain and not a lap dog for bush = 2.5yrs
2.5yrs of actual attendance that was not just BUSH yrs, hmmm who else has just over 2.5 yrs senatorial experience less all the corruption of a John McCain...hmmmm..
Posted By: HarleyisHere @ 08/24/2008 7:16:17 PM
Comment: "My friends, today (and for just $800K) we are all Georgians"...John McCain
"My Friends, I have long been against offshore drilling, but today (and for just $1,580,000.00) we a ALL offshore drillers and we need to drill here and we need to drill now."....John McCain
and did I say "My Friends"?