From The Hotline Latest Edition for Monday, April 28,2008

MCCAIN

You Gotta Fight For Your Wright

Mon. Apr. 28, 2008


John McCain on 4/27 delved into remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., saying it was "beyond belief" that Wright had likened the Romans at the time of Jesus' crucifixion to the U.S. Marines and had suggested that the U.S. was acting like al Qaeda under a different flag.

Up until now, McCain "had largely avoided talking about" Wright's "incendiary views," saying he wanted to run a "respectful" campaign. But McCain took a different approach at a presser in Coral Gables, FL, criticizing Wright for "comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our Savior" and for "saying that Al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags" (Cooper, New York Times, 4/28).

On 4/25, conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt broadcast a '03 sermon in which Wright said: "Remember, it was soldiers of the 3rd Marine Regiment of Rome who had fun with Jesus, who was mistreated as a prisoner of war, an enemy of the occupying army stationed in Jerusalem, to ensure the mopping up action of Operation Israeli Freedom. ... What we are doing is the same thing Al Qaeda is doing under a different-colored flag, calling on the name of a different God to sanction and approve our murder and our mayhem" (Gerstein, New York Sun, 4/28).

McCain, speaking on 4/27: "I can understand, I can understand why people are upset about this. ... I can understand why Americans, when viewing these kinds of comments, are angry and upset."

McCain said that he did not believe that Barack Obama shared those views. But he suggested that Obama "had made the subject fair play by declaring in an interview" on "Fox News Sunday" that questions about Wright were "a legitimate political issue." McCain: "If he believes that, then it will probably be a political issue."

The Obama camp, meanwhile, accused McCain "of breaking his promise to run a respectful campaign." Obama spokesperson Hari Sevugan: "By sinking to a level that he specifically said he'd avoid, John McCain has broken his word to the American people and rendered hollow his promise of a respectful campaign" (New York Times, 4/28).

Well, You Realize If You Give Money To The Poor, They Won't Be Poor Anymore, Will They?

Also in Coral Gables on 4/27, McCain called Obama insensitive to poor people and out of touch on economic issues.

McCain "ripped" Obama for opposing his idea to suspend the gas tax. McCain: "I noticed again today that Senator Obama repeated his opposition to giving low-income Americans a tax break, a little bit of relief so they can travel a little further and a little longer, and maybe have a little bit of money left over to enjoy some other things in their lives. ... Obviously Senator Obama does not understand that this would be a nice thing for Americans, and the special interests should not be dictating this policy."

McCain also "deflected questions about his record" on the Bush tax cuts "by again criticizing Obama." McCain: "Senator Obama wants to raise the capital gains tax, which would have a direct effect on 100 million Americans. ... That means he has no understanding of the economy and that he is totally insensitive to the hopes and dreams and ambitions of 100 million Americans who will be affected by his almost doubling of the capital gains tax" (AP, 4/28).

In The Heat Of The Nightmare

McCain suggested 4/25 that Obama "was soft on terrorists" -- noting that he had been endorsed by Hamas pol. adviser Ahmed Yousef.

McCain: "It's clear who Hamas wants to be president of the United States. ... I will be Hamas' worst nightmare." More McCain: "If Sen. Obama is favored by Hamas, people can make judgments accordingly." McCain was referring to remarks made on WABC radio by Yousef, who said: "We like Mr. Obama, and we hope he will win the election" (Campanile, New York Post, 4/26).

The Obama camp responded: "John McCain knows that Barack Obama has said repeatedly that Hamas is a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction, and his attempt to score political points is exactly the kind of divisive gutter politics that he gave his word that he'd avoid" (release, 4/25).

Meanwhile, also in Coral Gables on 4/27, McCain said that Obama has "very little if any knowledge or experience" to deal with complex issues in the Middle East. McCain: "Sen. Obama has literally very little if any experience or knowledge about the challenges, and they are complex and difficult in the region. ... I have the experience and knowledge and background" (Bennett, Palm Beach Post, 4/27).

One Hundred Years Of Togetherness

DNC Chair Howard Dean announced 4/27 that the DNC will begin airing its second TV ad of the '08 election season.

The ad, "100," will begin airing "on cable networks nationally next week." It features McCain telling a town hall audience that staying in Iraq for 100 years "would be fine with me" (release, 4/27). The ad ends with a photo of McCain and Pres. Bush together and asks: "If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America's future?" (Phillips, "The Caucus," NYTimes.com, 4/27).

FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R), on the DNC ad: "He is not talking about staying there for a hundred years. I think anybody that heard the context of his quote understands he is talking about making sure that we come home when it's right. ... Whenever you see one of these sort of cut and paste ads, be a little suspicious because when you have to do that in order to try to communicate, something is wrong" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/28).

Bienvenidos A Miami

Opening a week-long campaign swing to focus on health care proposals, McCain visited a children's hospital in Miami, FL, today, where he argued that the way to improve coverage lies in lowering costs and increasing competition.

McCain, in his prepared remarks: "America can have a health care system that is characterized by better prevention, coordinated care, electronic health records, cutting-edge treatments -- and lower costs. ... We can build a health care system that is more responsive to our needs and is delivered to more people at lower cost. The solution, my friends, isn't a one-size-fits-all big-government takeover of health care" (Whitesides, Reuters, 4/28).

Also on McCain's agenda for this week:

• McCain will stop in Palm Beach Co. today "to raise money from pro-Israel donors." The fundraiser at the Ocean Ridge home of Lothar and Carlyn Mayer was put together as a way of "thanking and acknowledging Sen. McCain's longtime relationship with and support for Israel," according to one of the event's hosts, Jeffrey Feingold (Bennett, Palm Beach Post, 4/26).

• McCain will make "a major policy speech on health care" at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, FL, on 4/29. He will also attend two fundraisers -- including one sponsored by Crist (March, Tampa Tribune, 4/26).

• McCain will return to IA on 5/1 "for his first campaign event in the state since" clinching the GOP nod. McCain is expected to headline an afternoon health care forum in Des Moines (Beaumont, Des Moines Register, 4/26).

Big Ol' Jet Airliner, Don't Carry Me Too Far Away

Although McCain has backed legislation requiring WH candidates to pay the actual cost of flying on corporate jets, McCain's cash-strapped camp last year "gave itself an advantage by using a corporate jet" owned by Cindy McCain's company at "little cost."

McCain's camp paid a total of $241,149 for the use of that plane from Aug. '07 through Feb. '08, records show -- an amount that is "approximately the cost of chartering a similar jet for a month or two, according to industry estimates." McCain "was able to fly so inexpensively because the law specifically exempts aircraft owned by a candidate or his family or by a privately held company they control." The FEC adopted rules in Dec. "to close the loophole," but the agency "soon lost the requisite number of commissioners needed to complete the rule making."

McCain spokesperson Jill Hazelbaker said his camp had acted legally and ethically in paying first-class airfares C. McCain's corporate aircraft. Hazelbaker: "The campaign carefully followed all the relevant laws and F.E.C. regulations on air travel at all times, and paid for travel exactly as required by those rules" (Meier/Williams, New York Times, 4/27).

The Crown Giuls

Rudy Giuliani will be the "special guest" at McCain's Sheraton NYC fundraiser on 5/7, which is expected to raise $5M, sources said.

And according to the invitation, "many of Rudy's wealthy presidential supporters have jumped on the Mac bandwagon" -- including "Corporate raider Carl Icahn and Buffalo pasta king Anthony Gioia," and Giuliani's ex-top mayoral deps. Randy Mastro, Randy Levine, Tony Coles, and Robert Harding. Even ex-Giuliani comm. dir. Cristyne Lategano Nicholas is a McCain donor (Johnson, "Page Six," New York Post, 4/28).

Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

McCain and Mike Huckabee "teamed up on the campaign trail for the first time" on 4/25, with Huckabee joking that they were so civil when they were opponents that they don't have to "unsay" any bad things.

Chatting with reporters on the Straight Talk Express, McCain recalled the days when he and Huckabee were relegated to the most distant ends of the podium in the early GOP debates, drawing few questions from the moderators. McCain: "Governor Huckabee and I had lots of time to chat with each other. We became friends on the campaign trail."

McCain "was quick to volunteer that 'millions of Republican voters voted for Governor Huckabee' in the primaries," and that he wanted him to play a prominent role in his WH bid. When reporters asked Huckabee if he planned to campaign for McCain, "it was McCain who jumped in to answer with a ready 'yes.'" Huckabee, for his part, "deflected a question about becoming McCain's running mate," and said: "The main thing is getting Senator McCain elected" (Benac, AP, 4/25).

Meanwhile, the two made an early-afternoon visit to the Whole Hog Cafe in Little Rock, AR -- a barbecue joint that dishes out pulled pork, ribs and sliced beef brisket with seven kinds of sauce. "During a lengthy tour of the kitchen, McCain insisted on peering into the smoker and tried to coax a recipe out of the owners" (Reston, Los Angeles Times, 4/26).

Put A Muzzle On That Thing!

New York Times editorializes, McCain "was right to condemn" the NC GOP's anti-Obama ad and demand that state leaders pull it -- "a demand they refused." But unless McCain "quickly gets control of his party, we fear there will be worse to come" (4/26).

Wishin' And Hopin' And Thinkin' And Prayin'

Newsweek's Zakaria writes, McCain "appears to think that he can magically unite the two main strands" in the GOP foreign-policy establishment. "But he can't."

"This is not about personalities but about two philosophically divergent views of international affairs. Put together, they will produce infighting and incoherence. We have seen this movie before." We have watched POTUS "unable to choose between his ideologically driven" VP and his "pragmatic" sec/state -- "and the result was the catastrophe" of Bush's first term. "Does John McCain want to try this experiment one more time?" (4/26).

Tell Me Lies, Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

New York Times' Krugman writes, "the McCain tax plan doesn't seem to embody any coherent policy agenda. Instead, it looks like a giant exercise in pandering -- an attempt to mollify" the GOP's right wing, "and never mind if it makes any sense." And the impression that McCain's "tax talk is all about pandering is reinforced by his proposal for a summer gas tax holiday -- a measure that would, in fact, do little to help consumers, although it would boost oil industry profits."

"More and more," McCain "sounds like a man who will say anything to become president" (4/28).

The Biggest Loser

New York Times' Rich writes, "few noticed that" in PA on 4/22, 27% of GOP primary voters "didn't just tell pollsters they would defect from their party's standard-bearer; they went to the polls, gas prices be damned, to vote against" McCain. While the PA GOP primary "was superfluous in determining that party's nominee," 220K PA GOPers -- out of their total turnout of 807K -- "were moved to cast ballots for Mike Huckabee or, more numerously, Ron Paul. That's more voters" than the 215K margin" that separated Hillary Clinton and Obama (4/27).

Best Week Ever?

Meanwhile, discussion continued of McCain's "It's Time For Action" tour, which he concluded in AR on 4/25:

• Los Angeles Times editorializes, "by making a point of saying things his audiences might not want to hear," McCain "gave voters a better feel for who he is and how he thinks. As Obama and Clinton focused on exposing each other's weaknesses, it was nice to see one candidate reveal more about himself" (4/26).

• New Orleans Times-Picayune's Grace writes, coming to New Orleans, "acknowledging the pain and anger, and talking about solutions goes a long way, if only because it has happened so sparingly during the presidential campaign. It would mean even more if McCain would keep talking about it when he visits the other 49 states" (4/27).

• New York Times' Collins writes, McCain "has been visiting the poor lately. Appalachia, New Orleans, Rust Belt factory towns. This is a good thing, and we applaud his efforts to show compassion and interest in people for whom his actual policies are of no use whatsoever" (4/26).

  •  
  •