From The Hotline Latest Edition for Friday, May 9,2008

MCCAIN

He's Lost His Bearings And He Can't Get Up

Fri. May 9, 2008


Barack Obama said 5/8 that John McCain was "losing his bearings." The comment came in a 5/8 interview with CNN's Blitzer, in which Obama responded to McCain's previous comments about Hamas supporting Obama's WH bid.

Obama, on Hamas: "I've said it's a terrorist organization and we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they are willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. So for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don't need name calling in this debate" ("Political Ticker," CNN.com, 5/8).

In response to Obama's interview, McCain adviser Mark Salter released a blistering memo, in which he argued that Obama "used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue." Salter: "We have all become familiar with Senator Obama's new brand of politics. First, you demand civility from your opponent, then you attack him, distort his record and send out surrogates to question his integrity. It is called hypocrisy, and it is the oldest kind of politics there is" (Aigner-Treworgy, NBC/National Journal, 5/8).

Meanwhile, Obama spokesperson Bill Burton responded in a statement: "Clearly losing one's bearings has no relation to age, given this bizarre rant that Mark Salter just sent out. It's clear why a candidate offering a third term of George Bush's disastrous economic policies and failed strategy in Iraq would want to distract and attack, but it's not the kind of campaign John McCain has promised the American people that he would run" (release, 5/8).

For more on Obama's CNN interview, see today's OBAMA story.

I Wish I Had A Million Dollars ... Hot Dog!

McCain will hold a 5/27 fundraiser at the Phoenix Convo Center that will be "headlined" by Pres. Bush. It "includes VIP treatment for supporters bringing in" $25K for McCain's WH bid "and other GOP causes" (Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal, 5/8).

Also on the fundraising front:

• McCain spoke at a fundraiser in Lakewood, NJ, on 5/8, as his supporters enjoyed a $1K/plate lunch. An attendee: "He hit all the points that are normal in a campaign. ... Iraq, health care and taxes. Most politicians say what they want you to hear -- he told us the good and the bad" (McGrath, Asbury Park Press, 5/9).

• McCain will be back in SC today, attending a $1K/person fundraiser at the Columbia Metropolitan Convo Center. He'll be joined by SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), as well as Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) (Columbia State, 5/9).

• McCain will hold fundraisers in Portland, OR, on 5/12, and in Bellevue, WA, on 5/13 to "look for deep-pocketed donors to fork over as much as $33,100." Large donations "will be split between" the McCain camp and GOP orgs (Phoenix Business Journal, 5/8).

• On 5/14, McCain is due in Columbus, OH, for a private fundraiser ("Openers," Cleveland.com, 5/8).

• "Employees from the securities, construction, pharmaceutical and energy industries, who accounted for about a tenth of Bush's money" in '04, "are turned off" by McCain's record and are giving more to Hillary Clinton and Obama. Obama and Clinton each raised close to $11M from the four industries through the end of Mar., compared with $6M for McCain. Meanwhile, in '04, Bush raised three times more money from those sources than Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) (Salant, Bloomberg, 5/9).

Don't Know Why There's No Sun Up In The Sky ... Stormy Weather

McCain is due in NJ today "to give an environmental address," joined by ex-NJ Gov. Tom Kean (R) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). The event had been planned for Sandy Hook, a barrier peninsula at the Jersey Shore, but was moved to Liberty Science Center in Jersey City "because stormy weather was forecast" (Delli Santi, AP, 5/8).

Kean, who called McCain "a Teddy Roosevelt Republican on the environment," has praised McCain "as supportive of environmental issues including clean oceans and combating climate change" (Spoto, Newark Star-Ledger, 5/9).

Meanwhile, on his 5/12-13 campaign swing on the West Coast, McCain will again talk about "the environment and climate change" (Koff, "Openers," Cleveland.com, 5/8).

Are You Experienced?

FNC's O'Reilly caught up with McCain. "O'Reilly Factor" aired part one of the two-part interview last night. Some highlights:

McCain, on Obama's main weakness: "Inexperience. I think inexperience and lack of judgment, and a record that shows that, whether it be showing a desire to sit down with the president of Iran, who has articulated his country's commitment to the extinction of the state of Israel, to wanting to raise people's taxes. ... So I think it's inexperience and judgment and vision."

O'Reilly: "You're ready for the viciousness of this campaign? We understand the New York Times ... is looking to dig up any dirt they can on you. You know that, right? ... They're going to smear and slime you like crazy."

McCain: "But I have the utmost faith and reliance on the American people and their good judgment."

McCain, asked if he will crack down on sanctuary cities: "Obviously, I don't approve or would oppose sanctuary cities, but, again, it's a larger problem. And that is our failure to carry out a federal responsibility to enact immigration reform."

McCain, asked when he will release his medical records: "Very soon. I think a couple of weeks. A week or two."

Laura Ingraham: "I think it's not surprising that the most troubling aspect of the interview for conservatives was his answer on sanctuary cities. ... On that issue, I mean, John McCain and conservatives have just parted ways. I do not think he sounds comfortable on that" ("O'Reilly Factor," FNC, 5/8).

How I Met Your Mother

CBS' Couric also conducted a two-part interview with McCain. McCain's mother, Roberta, also joined them.

McCain, on enlisting the Chinese to help with the situation in Myanmar: "I would start putting some pressures on ... appealing to them to have this junta -- at least allowing aid to care for these people. This is a very bad government. And right now I think that we should ask the other countries in the region, as well as China, that they have close ties to, to really put some pressure on them for humanitarian purposes."

The rest of the interview will air tonight ("Evening News," 5/8).

Meanwhile, McCain released a new TV ad, "Johnny's Mom," just "in time for Mother's Day. The ad, which features McCain and his mother discussing his childhood, will air on 5/11 "on select DirecTV channels including ABC Family, A&E, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, Oxygen and TLC (release, 5/8).

FEC You Real Soon

"For months," the WH and Senate GOPers "have been content to let a political impasse over vacancies" at the FEC "persist." But on 5/6, Bush "suddenly announced three new nominees." The "reason for the about-face?" Several Dem officials familiar with the negotiations and watchdog groups "said they believed that" McCain "had been pressing" the WH and Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell "to resolve the issue."

After all, McCain "has an urgent pecuniary interest in the matter." The FEC has had only two commis. out of "a normal complement of six for months, leaving it without a quorum and powerless to act." Without a functioning FEC, campaign finance experts said, McCain's ability to collect $85M in public funding for the general election "would be severely complicated."

Campaign finance atty Kenneth Gross: "Without an act of the commission, you don't get the money" (Luo, New York Times, 5/9).

Meanwhile, McCain's camp is rejecting allegations that Bush withdrew the FEC nomination of David Mason in order to "spare" McCain "an embarrassing rebuke for violating campaign finance rules." McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers: "These are presidential appointments, not McCain appointments. ... We obviously did not request the White House appoint or not appoint anyone."

Mason, a GOPer who has served on the FEC since '98, "this year expressed reluctance about letting McCain have his way" on backing out of primary election public funding. Mason wrote the camp, saying it would need a vote of the FEC to do that, but that first the FEC "needed additional information about a loan McCain had secured by pledging as collateral funds from the program" (Vogel, Politico.com, 5/8).

Why Is It That "Land Deals" Never Lead Anywhere Good?

Washington Post's Mosk reports, McCain once "championed legislation that will let" AZ rancher Fred Ruskin "trade remote grassland and ponderosa pine forest" for "acres of valuable federally owned property that is ready for development" -- a land swap "that now stands to directly benefit" McCain "top" fundraiser Steven Betts.

"Initially reluctant to support the swap," McCain "became a key figure in pushing the deal through Congress" after Ruskin and his partners hired lobbyists that included McCain's '92 Senate mgr., two of his ex-Senate staffers, and an AZ "insider who was a major McCain donor and is now bundling campaign checks."

When McCain's legislation passed in Nov. '05, Ruskin gave the job of building as many as 12K homes to SunCor Development, a firm in Tempe, AZ, run by Betts, "a longtime McCain supporter who has raised more than" $100K for him. Betts "said he and McCain never discussed the deal."

In an interview, Betts said there is "absolutely no" connection between his contributions to McCain's WH bids and the deal involving Ruskin and the Yavapai Ranch Limited Partnership. "While his company's possible involvement was discussed casually before the bill's passage, Betts said SunCor did not sign on to the project until afterward."

McCain spokesperson Rogers: "At no time during the consideration of this legislation was there any involvement by officials of SunCor" (5/9).

So It Must Be True

On 5/5, Arianna Huffington said in a blog post that she heard McCain say at a '00 L.A. dinner party that he had not voted for Bush. The McCain camp "swiftly quashed the account," while Salter called Huffington "a flake and a poser and an attention-seeking diva" (see 5/6, 5/7 Hotline).

Now, two other guests at the same dinner -- ex-"West Wing" actors Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff -- "say they heard much the same thing." Both Whitford and Schiff "were asked by Huffington to speak to the New York Times."

Whitford, who has contributed to Clinton and Obama, said 5/8 that he was sitting across from McCain and next to Huffington at the small dinner, "and that he was startled to hear the senator sharply criticize" Bush. Another guest then asked McCain, Whitford recalled, whether he had voted for Bush. Whitford: "And he put his finger in front of his mouth and mouthed, 'No way.'"

Schiff, who supports Obama, said he was listening to McCain "from the other of the two tables in the room." Schiff: "Someone asked, 'What do you think of Bush?' My recollection, and I have to qualify this, because I'm not 100 percent sure he used this word, but my recollection is that McCain said that Bush was dangerous and he didn't trust him. Then this person said, 'Why did you support him?' And McCain said, 'It was my obligation as a Republican to support the Republican candidate.' And the person said, 'Did you vote for him?' And McCain said, 'No'" (Bumiller, New York Times, 5/9).

McCain, asked if he voted for Bush in '00: "Of course. I mean, that's a ridiculous question."

O'Reilly: "So [Huffington] lied?"

McCain: "Frankly, I do not read Huffington Post. I spare myself from having that experience. ... I voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. ... And not only that, far more important than a vote, I campaigned everywhere in America for him" ("O'Reilly Factor," FNC, 5/8).

The State Of The Union

The AFL-CIO, which has not endorsed anyone in the Dem primary, announced 5/7 that it is sending more than 6K of its people "to more than 22 states during the next two weekends to talk to more than" 200K union voters "about McCain." AFL-CIO pres. John Sweeney: "Senator McCain's economic path would lead to disaster for America's working families."

In addition, the nation's largest union, the SEIU, "is increasing its focus" on McCain as well. The SEIU's PAC "is already running commercials critical of McCain's health care plan" (Holland, AP, 5/8).

Meanwhile, Obama supporter/Teamsters pres. James P. Hoffa writes in the Detroit News, McCain's "proposals to help our country are stuck in the past." His "prescription to treat our ailing economy here in Michigan is standing by the job-draining" NAFTA, and "adopting" Bush's "failed policies" (5/9).

Howard Dean A-Tax

The DNC responded 5/8 to Cindy McCain saying that she would not release her tax returns, even as FLOTUS (see 5/8 Hotline).

DNC Chair Howard Dean: "What is John McCain trying to hide? Throughout this campaign, he has acted like his own calls for openness and accountability apply to everyone but himself. Now he thinks he can bring that same double standard to the White House. ... John McCain may not like it, but the American people have a right to know about the well documented links between his political career and the McCains' business ventures. John McCain's refusal to meet the standard of every other candidate seeking the office is one more reason he's the wrong choice for America's future" (release, 5/8).

Old Man East River

In preparation for McCain's "planned ferry ride" from NYC to NJ today, the DNC released a tourist map of the "series of landmarks he opposed funding for or even voted against" -- including "clean-up and sea walls for the East River, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and port security" (Hotline sources, 5/8).

Don't They Have Some Non-Binding Resolutions To Pass?

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Dem Caucus chair Rahm Emanuel "have decided to fill a void left by the seemingly endless" Dem primary by "targeting" McCain.

Emanuel, who has "made it a point of calling reporters who cover" McCain's camp "several times" each week: "Given that we don't have a nominee at this point, I think it's worth reminding people that Bush-McCain is one word the same way Gingrich-Dole was one word in '96." Pelosi, meanwhile, "has issued a number of statements in response to McCain speeches on the economy, his plan for a summer moratorium on the federal gas tax, and in response to reporters' questions."

But McCain officials "scoffed at the notion" that House Dem leaders "could damage their candidate with words alone." McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt: "They will have very little impact, if any, because they are the spokespeople for perhaps the most unpopular institution in the history of the world, the Democratic Congress. ... They literally represent the failed status quo" (Zuckman, Chicago Tribune, 5/9).

Everything In Moderation

USA Today's Jackson notes, four Senate GOPers facing "tough re-election battles" because of the war, Bush's sagging approval ratings, and the shaky economy -- Sens. John Sununu (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Gordon Smith (R-OR), and Norm Coleman (R-MN) -- "will put McCain's independent appeal to the test" in Nov.

Sununu: "I can't think of a Republican candidate who could have more of a positive impact for Republicans nationwide" (5/9).

And Then They Had A Vodka-Drinking Contest

At last night's Time 100 gala at NYC's Lincoln Center, McCain "asked guests to raise a glass to two fellow honorees on the list of the world's most influential people" -- Obama and Clinton.

McCain: "Sen. Obama is a man of unusual eloquence who has performed the great service of summoning to the political arena Americans who once thought that it was of little benefit to them. Sen. Clinton has demonstrated great tenacity and courage. I count myself among their many admirers" (Rush, New York Daily News, 5/9).

It's The Same Age As Hillary Clinton

McCain released a 5/8 statement on the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding.

McCain: "I join all Americans in offering my heartiest congratulations to the Israeli people on the 60th anniversary of their state's founding. ... I am proud to support the vital ties between our two countries. Our bond will be of great importance in order to continually fulfill that aspiration sounded so eloquently in the HaTikva: 'to be a free nation.' As Israelis celebrate 60 years of independence, let no one doubt that, while the challenges will continue, Israel will survive and it will flourish. There will always be an Israel, and there will always be a vital bond between our two peoples" (release, 5/8).

On A Happier Note, They Could Make Minneapolis A Lot More Interesting

"Across the country, at state and county GOP conventions, diehard supporters" of Ron Paul "are staging uprisings in an effort to secure a role for Paul" at the nat'l convo in MN. And "in the four primaries since clinching" the GOP nod in Mar., McCain "has yet to reach" 80% of the vote, as Paul and Mike Huckabee "continue to siphon away votes, even though Huckabee has withdrawn from the race."

The "lingering anti-McCain sentiment among some voters and the continuing Paul insurgency suggest that McCain has not fully quelled hostility from some elements in his party" (Mooney, Boston Globe, 5/9).

Say WHAT?

National Journal's Rauch writes, McCain "has a choice to make, one that will define his candidacy and, should he win, his presidency. He can fold his tax cuts into a larger program of revenue-neutral tax reform and long-term fiscal balance, or he can go with supply-side tax cuts and spending-side evasions. For a candidate whose credibility is in the balance, it shouldn't be a hard call" (5/10 issue).

  •  
  •