Yesterday, John McCain claimed he was suspending his presidential campaign, and this morning KUOW dutifully and credulously reported it—four times within a 2-minute segment—and despite the fact that the surrounding piece clearly contradicted the claim from the initial lead in:
John McCain has suspended his presidential campaign. He says he needs to help his colleagues in DC fix the financial crisis. But Republicans continued fundraising yesterday (Wed) in Bellevue. Cindy McCain and Todd Palin helped raise nearly a million dollars at a luncheon in Hunts Point.
So… exactly what does it mean to suspend one’s campaign while the nominees’ spouses are raising a million bucks? Huh. Perhaps Washington State Republican Party chair Luke Esser can clear things up:
ESSER SAYS IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS. EVEN THOUGH THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN IS SUSPENDED. ESSER SAYS IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. ALTHOUGH HE DOES HAVE ONE CONCERN.
ESSER: “You know, I worry that if Barack Obama doesn’t suspend his campaign, that he’ll be raising money, and he’ll be running negative ads against Senator McCain, and that may give him an advantage. But I think in the long run, frankly, doing the right thing usually has its own reward, and I think the American people will appreciate that kind of campaign. It’ll be refreshing.”
Um… so… Esser voices concern about Obama raising money while McCain’s campaign is suspended, at the very same time he’s hosting Cindy McCain at a million dollar fundraiser? And the reporter doesn’t bother to challenge with a follow up? I mean… what the fuck?
But it gets worse…
ESSER MADE IT TO LUNCH AND DINNER WITH FELLOW REPUBLICANS. AND SO DID CHRIS FIDLER. HE’S STATE CO–CHAIR OF THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE. HE SAYS HE FOUND OUT THE CAMPAIGN WAS SUSPENDED AFTER HE’D GONE TO THE MILLION–DOLLAR LUNCH. HE SAYS MRS. MCCAIN DIDN’T MENTION IT…
FIDLER: “We’re standing down in terms of campaign activity. We’re going to wait to see how these negotiations go.”
That’s right, they’re “standing down.” Except for, you know, the million dollar fundraiser with Cindy McCain and Todd Palin. And McCain’s speech in New York this morning. And the political ads that continue to run nationwide. But we can trust Fidler that other than that, the McCain campaign, both nationally and locally, has been “suspended,” right?
Huh. This seemed like an opportunity for some actual reporting, so I called the McCain campaign’s West Regional Headquarters in Henderson NV, and surprisingly, they answered on the first ring. They gave me the number for the Washington State campaign, who didn’t answer until the fifth ring (in their defense, from the background noise, they sounded pretty busy), and they assured me that McCain was just “trying to make a point,” but that no local activities had been canceled.
Finally, I sent this following email to the campaign (I’m ashamed to say, under an assumed name):
I have some time to volunteer for John McCain today and tomorrow, and was wondering if there are volunteering opportunities available while Sen. McCain has suspended his campaign, or even if your offices are open. I’m in Kirkland, and am looking for something within a reasonable drive.
And a Don Skillman, emailing from a mccain08hq.com address, quickly and courteously replied:
Our office in Bellevue is wide open.. Ask for Moses..
Hmm. It sounds to me like the only thing that was suspended was KUOW’s disbelief.
“And the reporter doesn’t bother to challenge with a follow up? I mean… what the fuck?”
Our focus has been wrong all along. We should elect journalists and throw them out of their jobs when they do a lousy job of annointing politicians.
Hey Goldy, was I banned from HA when I was on vacation this week? Just curious. Mark1 thought I was.
Dear Mr. Goldstein.
You might be surprised what caller ID can do! Of course we would welcome the famous Goldy’s participation in the Campaign for America.
Unfortunately, there will be limited opportunities to volunteer this afternoon as we have all been asked to attend the All Faiths Bible of God Church retreat in Washington where we will all pray for our country and for John MCCain’s leadership through these difficult times. You are more than welcome to jopin us in prayer either from home or, via the web, using this link.
Yours in the name of the Lord,
Moses
@3 Does this mean that Washington is next on the list of states to be cleansed of witches?
Goldy,
Every good reporter knows how to get the story. Going undercover is time tested way to indeed get the story.
No need to be ashamed.
Ethnic cleansing = bad
Witch cleansing = good
Pelletizer: I hope you get hugged by a witch. I’ll be your last…
:)
Maybe Sarah Praline is a witch. That would explain her rapid rise in the retarded party. She put a spell on them.
I am very, very upset at Sarah Palin!
As the familiar of SJ’s wife, I am very busy working on spells the SJ family need to work their will on Lee, Puddy, and other objectionable people here. A witches’ familar ALWAYS has work to do so I do not spend much time watching the news.
Well, was I surprised to learn that Sarah Palin, my friend Tigger’s mistress, had been nominated to be vice president!
When I told SJ of my surprise and happiness that Tigger might get to live someplace nicer than Drumsilla Alaska, he really gave it to me! I had no idea that Tigger worked for such a hypocritical bitch of a witch!
Do you know that she castrated Tigger! So much for her belief in the right to life or maybe, just maybe she thinks cats do not have the same rights as other people?
Then I saw her on YouTube being blessed by that witchkiller from Kenya! What a fraud! I emailed Tigger and he told me the real truth. Thomas Muthee is a wizard who passes for witch killer to fool the authorities. Pastor Muthee’s real name is DIABLE TONNERE ! You seeWICCA is illegal in Kenya so by posing as Mutthee, Tonnere escapes suspicion!
Anyhow Tigger was telling me that Sarah has her hands full keeping the Lutin of McCain appearing to still be alive. He says this is hard on him too. Apparently they chose to cancel the debate because they were afraid that the unearthly glow from the Lutin’s eyes would show up on TV.
Gotta go, it is time to stick pins in the Rossi doll.
I’d like to know what is with McCain’s left eye.
Did he have a stroke? Lots of people have noticed it. Just Google “McCain’s left eye” for links. Top of the list is this one:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....29119.html
Did anyone hear clinton speak about mcsame and the democrats being at fault for the fannie mae & freddie mac problems?
Priceless.
The only democrat president in decades to get reelected spills the beans on the democrats.
The article even quotes clinton defending mcsame about pulling out of the debates as not being afraid since he wanted more debates with obama. Does that make obama afriad to debate mcsame?
The best part of the video, around 2:40 left when clinton is talking about the democrats-
http://blogs.abcnews.com/polit.....on-do.html
Even clinton sees the problem are the democrats.
I am not familiar with Esser; is he mental?
Luke Esser? Oh yeah. He is mental. How else could he become the chair of the WSRP?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Esser
McCain never suspended his campaign, any more than he suspended it during 9/11/2008 as he promised he would for the anniversary of the attacks on that date. He simply used it as an opportunity to re-direct his campaign towards photo opportunities of him in Washington “showing leadership” in “solving the economic crisis”.
In the meatime, Sarah Palin was still in New York, completing what Maureen Dowd described as her “speed dating” sessions with foreign leaders (in town to attend the U.N. events there), and to have a meeting with Henry Kissinger. Expect her talking points from now own to start with “As I said when I met with ….(insert name of foreign leader here)….” to prove her foreign diplomacy expertiese.
Reminds me of the kids in college who blew off the reading assignments until the day before the exams, and are desperatley trying to cram all night using Cliff Notes.
11 Someone’s been putting something in Slick Willie’s coffee for quite a long time.
@10 He won’t release his medical records. Given his medical history and his incredibly unqualified choice for VP, the present state of health of McCain is a real issue. It’s not only the eye, the dude is acting more than a little bit weird of late.
There were suggestions that the subject of tomorrow night’s debate be changed to discuss the economy. McCain dodged that by saying he was too busy to attend the debate, although now it looks like he will end up attending anyway.
I’d love to see McCain’s face if, with McCain all pumped and ready to talk about National Security, the moderator says:
Obama would answer with his economic plan.
McCain would give a “Journeys of Paul” answer.
You don’t know what a “Journeys of Paul” answer is? It comes from the following story:
THE JOURNEYS OF PAUL:
At a small Bible college, everyone was required to take a class in New Testament history. The football players were assigned to a class where the same professer had taught the class for forty years, ending each term with the following single essay question as the final exam: “Describe in detail the Journeys of Paul”.
Of course, the tutors for the football players were well prepared to have the football players memorize and recite the answers which were guaranteed to earn them an “A”, even if they never attended a single class.
But on one occassion, the football players arrived for the final exam, to find another professer at the head of the room. He explained that the regular professor had taken ill, and had chosen to retire, and would not be returning. He had not left an exam for the new professor to distribute, so the new professor came up with his own exam question. It was: “Give a critical analysis of the life of Jesus Christ”.
Dismayed, the football players took their “blue books” and spent the next half hour trying to think of what to write. Most wrote a page or two, and then turned it in, convinced they had earned an “F” in the course. But one football player was writing furiously, filling up one blue book after another, and was still writing long after every other student had left the class.
The new professer approached the student. “Obviously you have worked very hard in this class, and you have earned an “A”. You don’t need to write any more.” The student gleefully gave his blue books to the professer, and rushed to join his colleagues in the hall.
The professer opens the first book and reads the opening lines: “Who am I to judge the life of Jesus Christ? Instead, let me tell you about the journeys of Paul….”
(I first heard this story at a banquet some 35 years ago….)
I’ve heard him blame the tick in his eye on the results of being tortured in N. Vietnam. But he pretty much blames everything on that, including his inability to use e-mail. Without his medical records, nobody can check that out.
Can anyone else remember a candidate in recent history refusing to make his medical records available? I can’t.
Most of us have something in our medical records which are at least slighly embarrassing, such as referring to you as “obese” if you are thirty pounds over the AMA graph for your height and ideal weight, or complaints over bowel functions, etc.
But I’m thinking that there must be something there which are serious enough that the McCain campaign concluded, long ago, that it might be enough to influence the election. If his own campaign has come to that conclusion, then shouldn’t we draw the same conclusion?
Horsey nailed the administration’s response to the current economic crisis as early as nine months ago:
Horsey Cartoon 14Dec2007)
Yet this was all a suprise to John McCain until this week? Amazing what poll numbers can do to finally get someone’s attention.
Now now Goldy, you can’t use McCain’s verbage against him. When he said “suspend,” he simply meant that the quality of his campaign and his vows to run a clean campaign (you know, the FUNDAMENTALS of his campaign) had been suspended. When did that start? He’ll have to get back to you.
I don’t know the details of the bailout package, but I WOULD be surprised if sometime in the next year the Wall Street CEO’s get HUGE bonuses for their “successful efforts to turn their companies around in a tough economic environment”. And that’s in addition to their stock options suddenly being much more valuable.
Goldy, Goldy, Goldy…
John McCain had to suspend his campaigning because Harry Reid publicly said he needed him to solve the financial crisis.
“We need the Republican nominee for President to let us know where he stands and what we should do.” – Sen. Harry Reid, Media Availability, Washington, D.C., 9/23/08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3f0BwyZKMw
The request is at the end of the short clip and the feed is unedited ABC.
Than again, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Reid, Pelosi and 0bama have no clue and need John McCain to tell ’em what to do.
Take a look at the F18 image on the Boeing website.
Boeing.com
Is it just me, or does this look like the F18 is exploding?
John McCain has suspended his judgment. He is a gunslinger–an impetuous, reactionary gambler, who fires before he knows who the bad guy is. For the good of the nation–country first, after all, he should withdraw from the race.
pl @ 24
And 0bama simply has BAD judgment. What the hell was he thinking when he picked “gaffe machine” Joe Biden? And didn’t granny ever teach him “you’re judged by the company you keep?”
If anyone should withdraw, it is 0bama. He is an intellectual Toyota Prius trying to run in the Indy 500.
As it stands, it looks like the only person to withdraw will be Joe Biden. That is the ONLY way 0bama has a chance of winning. He needs Hillary BADLY. McCain significantly out-polls the generic Republican. With Bush’s approval so low, 0bama’s lead should be in the double digits. But with only +3.5%, the Bradley Effect is going to come into play and he will lose.
I just wonder whether you nutroots are going to need more therapy for your Rossi Derangement Syndrome or for McCain’s win?
The good news for 0bama is that at least he’ll have a job waiting for him with the cable channels — as an empty-suit news anchor.
Pretty much says it all:
Non Sequitor 17Sept2008
24:
Would that mean that Sarah would head the ticket?
Do you suppose that at night when they are alone that the Palin and her first dude talk about “how the hell did we get here and damn honey, you are going to be the vice president of the fucking United States” and then get back to their sexual escapades?
MLF @ 27
Why bother speculating about Sarah Palin and her husband? What we REALLY need to know is what Goldy and Darcy discuss in bed at the Motel 6.
TRM @ 25
Do you honestly believe that John McCain is more intelligent than Barack Obama? Your credibility hangs on your answer. I do agree with you that Obama’s lead should be in the double digits. I would attribute the closeness of the race to Republican fearmongering, lying, and distracting tactics.
TRM@28
OUCH! :0
MLF @ 27
I actually don’t believe Caribou Barbie and the First Dude have sex with each other anymore. The First Dude cruises internet porn sites while wanking away. Barbie sleeps with Levi.
PL@29: We’ll see when Obama doesn’t have his teleprompter.
Maybe John Madden can work the background for Obama with his magic telestrator!
I guess with speculation like that PL@31, Rosy Palm and her four sisters and ugly step aunt are your nightly friends.
pl @ 29 & Puddy @ 32
I didn’t say intelligent. I said intellectual, which is more than just plain IQ points. It involves using the knowledge creatively.
Part of the problem is that 0bama is such a lying, manipulative SOB — a classic “machine” politician — that it is hard to judge what he really knows. Though, if one were to give him (instead of the “machine”) credit for where he is today, that does take some intellect.
The real comparison comes from thinking on your feet. Just one example… McCain flat-out blindsided 0bama with Palin. As one political writer put it, McCain has waged an asymmetrical battle against 0bama, who doesn’t always know how to react.
Also, 0bama was smart enough to know that he couldn’t go toe-to-toe with McCain in a town hall setting, where the questions could come out of left field. McCain isn’t flashy and he doesn’t have 0bama’s rhetorical skills, but he would wipe the floor with 0bama in that arena.
I’m not saying 0bama isn’t intelligent. I’m saying that he lacks the combination of intelligence and creativity to react to unexpected circumstances like the Palin selection or when he’s gone off script in public appearances (boy, do I love the “breathalyzer” speech he gave when his Teleprompter failed – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omHUsRTYFAU )
Republican pedophile hangs himself.
http://wizbangblue.com/2007/10.....uicide.php
This has been another edition of “Puddy’s Heroes”.
Barack, maybe you shouldn’t submit that Mensa application quite yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iap0LMsa36w
Palin threatens war with Russia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxVFiUZglH4
She can see a remote Russian island from an equally remote Alaska island. To Palin and McCain, this makes her an expert in foriegn affairs and qualified to lead our nation in a time of two wars and an economic meltdown.
I can see why they’d rather make up shit about Obama and Biden.
34
McCain is the candidate who appears to have lost his footing. His choice of Palin was ill-considered–he got a brief boost, but now the lustre is rapidly coming off Barbie. His reaction to the market crisis has been laughably juvenile. Obama, on the other hand, has shown a steady hand throughout his campaign. He came up with a strategy 1 1/2 years ago, he’s implemented it, and stuck to it. His campaign has been brilliant. And you guys claim he has no “executive” experience? C’mon, Mark. These guys are both accomplished fellows. McCain, however, is past his prime, long past his prime.
It looks like the real reason McCain won’t debate Obama is because of that damned eye twitch.
@39 One can’t help but notice. Given his medical history and refusal to release his medical records, as well as his horrible choice for VP (does he hate America or something??), his health will likely soon be a major campaign issue. And what’s hidden in Cindy’s tax returns? When Republicans conceal shit, there’s always something there that hurts them.
@25 No doubt a wingnut dolt like you actually believes that Palin is a foreign policy expert compared to Sen. Biden.
41 People believe what they believe. If you go to the CBS site and look at/listen to yesterday’s interview of Palin by Katie Couric, to most of us here it would appear that Couric ended up skewering Palin without really even trying to, by just attempting to get a straight answer to a question while Palin bloviated. However, to the trolls who posted to the discussion thread there, Palin scored some tremendous rhetorical triumph.
pl @ 38
What “executive” experience does 0bama have? He says his allegedly running of his campaign counts, but he is more like the Chairman of the Board and not the CEO — and definitely not the COO.
I never said the kid wasn’t bright (or clean), but he is not qualified to be President. Had Hillary gotten the nom and Barack was chosen as the VP, you would be seeing a 10 to 15 point lead. That would give Barack the seasoning he needs to take the office in the future (not saying 8 years because we don’t know that Hillary could win re-election).
TRM
Running a 50 state campaign over 1.5 years, in a country of over 300M people, most surely counts as executive experience. I would most surely expect that he has relied heavily on the recommendations of others during the course of that campaign–that’s what good executives do. Look who he has surrounded himself with for advice. Warren Buffett, that great patriot who just threw $5B into the market to help this country, comes to mind right off the bat. Do you honestly believe that Sarah Putin could have run a campaign as brilliant as Obama’s campaign? I think, and I could be wrong, that what we will see as the crowning jewel of Obama’s campaign strategy is his ground game. He has registered millions of new voters, and I’m betting they’re going to vote. For him to have a lead in North Carolina, which he apparently does at the moment, is testament to one helluva campaign. I’d hire him. I’d never hire McCain.
@42
Which merely confirms that you’ll see what you want to see, does it not? Perception is reality…
@45 “Perception is reality…”
And that’s something Republicans have understood far, far better than Democrats.
McCain injects presidential politics, deal may be dead.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics.....038;page=1
What an ass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0663DHLr58
Worse. Early indications are that McCain’s plan includes more deregulation and tax breaks for the industry.. If this is indeed the case, I think a lot of people on main street will be pretty unhappy…
I remember NOBAMA telling the truth for once on Setponallofus show NOBAMA said my Muslim faith.
The truth will always leak out.
You truly are an ass, “patriot”. First of all, you lie, and second who cares?
@50
Lie, didn’t you watch him? Don’t you care what he says? Dose his words mean nothing to you?
If words mean nothing he is just empty words.
The Nation cares my friend.
@49
Please produce the clip where he, as you imply without direct quote, says that he’s Muslim. Please make sure you provide the full context. If you can, that would put the christian assertions in his campaign to shame. I would think that is something that people opposed to Obama would want to do. Unfortunately, until you produce the clip, in full context, pardon me if I can’t really take your word for it, given the name calling…
A less biased source, at least from my read appears here:
http://www.washingtontimes.com.....s-critics/
@49
Got any more horse shit you need to shovel?
If that’s what you’ve got, pat, you are a silly fool.
How about McCain’s economic theory? Fundamentally sound, to a crisis requiring full attention. Full attention but he has no opinion of the plan presented by the president.
Grab at straws while your house burns.
@52
That is a exactly what he said my Friend.
If you will notice it wasn’t OBAMA who corrected himself. This is telling my friend.
Either it’s is the truth or words mean nothing to this kid.
@49
What? I Quoted I remember NOBAMA telling the truth for once on Setponallofus show NOBAMA said my Muslim faith.” Then George needed to correct him…
And if a misquote in the face of obvious evidence of McCain’s unfitness to serve is the best you’ve got you are indeed a fool. He was being questioned about whether he was a Muslim. He denied that Muslim was his faith. Words were inexact. McCain’s policies are exact, exactly wrong.
@54
How about a little kid running for a big job and tells America if you need me call me?
What you’re looking for is a follower not a leader.
The Democrats caused this and Senator McCain will not allow the Democrats screw us again!
There dripping saliva to control 705 Billion more of our tax money to save who and what family’s that never could afford a home but the democrats allowed them to. For what VOTES! Then we have the crooks a Fannie and Freddie who stated this mess so you want to bail them and Wall Street out.
Let it fall no one bailed me out when I lost thousands in Wall Street 2001-
@56
He never denied it Fool if George didn’t correct him the words would have stand.
You can’t except truth so be it.
Keep getting your info from this brain dead web site who tell you fools what to read and say.
OK, Pat, that is a full on lie. The Republicans have had 6 years where they controlled the House, the Senate, the Presidency and the courts. Have they been asleep while stealth Democratic policies took effect?
The proposal for 700M came from the republican treasury. “In subsequent television interviews, Mr. McCain suggested that he saw the bipartisan plan that came apart at the White House meeting as the proper basis for an eventual agreement”
Spare me the Saint John on the white hourse bullshit. He’s confused and pandering.
@ 58- I “accept” the truth, I take “exception” to distortion. Believe what you want. But try to believe in grammar.
@59
You can’t even get the money amount correct your spin is just that.
“OK, Pat, that is a full on lie”
What are you trying to say?
Words mean nothing to you too.
@55
If you chose to select a slip of the tongue as the one thing you can believe from someone, you probably should take a step back and take a deep breath. You know, there are people that do this with McCain, and he does A LOT of this, and it’s pretty annoying to anyone who wants to honestly figure out who the best candidate will be.
Look these guys are hounded for answers twenty plus hours a day, they’re non-stop talking and staying on message is hard enough without making an occasional gaff. I’ve done press tours. They suck, big.. You’re exhausted, don’t sleep, don’t eat right, can’t take care of yourself.
If you really believe in your heart that he’s a Muslim because of this one statement, you’re probably too angry to make a rational decision.
Blaming the democrats solely for the mess in the financial sector is just not intellectually honest. Yes they had hand in it. But this is akin to the opposite of the “guns don’t kill people, people kill people” argument. Even if the democrats were solely responsible for all the deregulation, all the budget cutting for the regulators over the last 8 years, and were the only ones taking money from industry lobbyists, NONE OF WHICH IS TRUE, then they only gave wall street the gun. They didn’t make wall street use it.
By the way, he’s as old as I am and, I don’t consider myself a kid. The fact you think I am though, perhaps I should take as a compliment. :)
Can you just imagine mccain out side the room where they are trying to figure out how to do the bailout, jumping up and down, red faced, “Let me in, or I’m going to hold my breath till I pass out. Let me in I tell you. If you don’t let me in, I’m going to walk back in forth in front of the White House with a sign that says ‘They won’t let me help!'”
Gawd he’s pointless.
@62
If you chose to select a slip of the tongue?
Either he has no connection with the words he speaks or it was the truth. As it took Geo. to correct him.
Humm… First black to be nominated for President.
Where is Jesse Jackson?
Where is NAACP? Where is the black leadership.
You don’t see them with him why?
Dems had more than a hand in it they created this financial crises.
Now the Dems want 56 billion more !!!!!