Natural Born Liars Presidential candidates usually have to wait until they're elected to start obstructing investigations into their own wrong-doing. But ready on day one as he is, John McCain and Sarah Palin are getting a jump on this front too. I'm not sure I've ever seen an instance of a president, let alone a presidential candidate, quite this nakedly doing everything in his power to shutdown an investigation. And look closely -- Palin herself has at this point entirely turned the obstruction over to the McCain campaign. They're even the ones who make the announcements. (I won't get into the battery of lawyers plumbers up in Alaska getting all the small fry to clam up and digging up dirt on all Palin's accusers.)
Meanwhile, the claim that the Obama camp has 'tainted' the trooper-gate investigation is truly risible. This investigation was well underway and already looking bad for Palin and her husband well before John McCain picked her as his running mate. (We know: we were already covering it.) What I do not think that many people know is that this investigation up in Alaska has actually been authorized and is being run by Republicans. They make up a majority in the state senate. The committee member overseeing the investigation happens to be a Democrat. But at any moment of their choosing, they could pull him off the case, overrule his decisions, or shut the investigation down entirely.
Palin's response to this -- to the question of how Obama could have tainted the investigation which is under the control of Alaska Republicans -- is to claim that there are actually a lot of Republicans in Alaska who oppose her. And that's true. But observing that a sizable number of officeholders of your own party think you're probably a crook too does not amount to an affirmative defense. Really, it doesn't.
The fall back defense, when claims about Obama's 'taint' fall flat, is that Palin's someone who 'shakes things up'. That's what she's done in Alaska and that's what she's going to do in Washington.
But a pattern of crony hiring and politicized firings of public officials all followed up by stonewalling and obstruction of justice really would not amount to 'shaking things up' in Washington. After eight years of President Bush, that's more like steady as she goes.
--Josh Marshall
tlsintx
· 1 year ago
McKeating5
you know it had to happen...
reelactor
· 1 year ago
While McCain's role in the Keating 5 is well defined, I don't think anyone wants to debate that 4 Democrats were involved also. It would be great if someone could interview Keating today, for his take on the crisis. I think he's over 85, but have no idea where he lives.
Wolf Blitzer actually mentioned it earlier in the strategy session segment. The GOP spokeman mentioned something about McCain having had experience in the S&L crisis, and Wolf bluntly said the McCain campaign might not want to bring that up because of Walnuts involvement in the Keating Five incident.
It kindof surprised me..
woodroad34
· 1 year ago
John McCain/Sarah Palin...no one knows abuse of power like these two...
George and Dickiepoo must be sooooo proud.
grandma
· 1 year ago
Obama today:
McCain says he wants to get rid of 'the old boys network' in Washington....and he hires 7 of the most powerful lobbyists to run his campaign......In the McCain campaign 'the old boys network' is called a 'staff meeting'.
tlsintx
· 1 year ago
ba da bing!
scottinsf
· 1 year ago
I hear you John. I don't understand it either. Even Sherrod Brown barely touched on it. He merely said the words and the repugs went into a tizzy.
Off topic but isn't it cool as hell for Brad Pitt to donate $100,000 to fight the anti-gay haters here in California?
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
then again... its always good if the mention of a scandal puts the repugs into a tizzy.
let their responses to it dredge the whole thing up again :-)
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
and as for Brad Pitt... yep, very cool.
he must want to get married... he and Angelina said they wouldn't get married until all of us could marry.
HelenaMontana
· 1 year ago
Not only will the corporate media not mention the Keating 5 to McCain, they'll never even mention Sherrod Brown's remarks. The story will stay buried except for Huffington Post and other liberal blogs.
Soundboy_jeff_meanie
· 1 year ago
I'd love to see 60 Minutes go into the whole Keating 5 scandal... the American public needs a refresher of the whole thing, and how/why it disappeared.
grandma
· 1 year ago
Good question for Jack Cafferty to ask:
"why is it sleazy and unscrupulous to mention an ethics violation that McCain has admitted to, and one he did on the job?"
brb915
· 1 year ago
I wish Jack peace after the recent passing of his wife
grandma
· 1 year ago
Yes...me too.....am glad to see him back this week.
brb915
· 1 year ago
I also want Joe Biden to eat Sara for lunch
grandma
· 1 year ago
haha
Sage24
· 1 year ago
Palin down in the polls....maybe the "in what respect Charlie", did it.
If McCain's POW experience 40 years ago counts in his favor, his Keating Five involvement 20 years ago counts against him.
It'd also be interesting to revisit his involvement with Vicki Iseman. McCain lucked out when people focused on the allegations of an affair, which were pretty sketchy, and ignored the pretty clear evidence that he acted improperly on her behalf.
Aanya
· 1 year ago
After what happened to Dan Rather, I can see how they are all fearful of having the same thing happen to them! Maybe it should be Dan Rather who lights this McCain bonfire!
SSB
· 1 year ago
I cannot believe the repugs want to make a big deal about Obama and his connection with what's-his-name, the unscrupulous realestate investor when you read the following:
Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates.[22] In addition, McCain's wife Cindy McCain and her father Jim Hensley had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators. McCain, his family, and their baby-sitter had made nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard Keating's jet. Three of the trips were made during vacations to Keating's opulent Bahamas retreat at Cat Cay. McCain did not pay Keating (in the amount of $13,433) for some of the trips until years after they were taken, when he learned that Keating was in trouble over Lincoln.[6][23]
Strong ethics, huh?
Bush_Bites
· 1 year ago
I like Sherrod Brown.
I hope he keeps firing on McCain from now on.
rusty08
· 1 year ago
I think I read somewhere that Charles Keating had died. Anyway, McCain is still a corrupt politician and he is acting like a righteous person that is going to "clean" Washington. What a joke!
All Comments
Presidential candidates usually have to wait until they're elected to start obstructing investigations into their own wrong-doing. But ready on day one as he is, John McCain and Sarah Palin are getting a jump on this front too. I'm not sure I've ever seen an instance of a president, let alone a presidential candidate, quite this nakedly doing everything in his power to shutdown an investigation. And look closely -- Palin herself has at this point entirely turned the obstruction over to the McCain campaign. They're even the ones who make the announcements. (I won't get into the battery of lawyers plumbers up in Alaska getting all the small fry to clam up and digging up dirt on all Palin's accusers.)
Meanwhile, the claim that the Obama camp has 'tainted' the trooper-gate investigation is truly risible. This investigation was well underway and already looking bad for Palin and her husband well before John McCain picked her as his running mate. (We know: we were already covering it.) What I do not think that many people know is that this investigation up in Alaska has actually been authorized and is being run by Republicans. They make up a majority in the state senate. The committee member overseeing the investigation happens to be a Democrat. But at any moment of their choosing, they could pull him off the case, overrule his decisions, or shut the investigation down entirely.
Palin's response to this -- to the question of how Obama could have tainted the investigation which is under the control of Alaska Republicans -- is to claim that there are actually a lot of Republicans in Alaska who oppose her. And that's true. But observing that a sizable number of officeholders of your own party think you're probably a crook too does not amount to an affirmative defense. Really, it doesn't.
The fall back defense, when claims about Obama's 'taint' fall flat, is that Palin's someone who 'shakes things up'. That's what she's done in Alaska and that's what she's going to do in Washington.
But a pattern of crony hiring and politicized firings of public officials all followed up by stonewalling and obstruction of justice really would not amount to 'shaking things up' in Washington. After eight years of President Bush, that's more like steady as she goes.
--Josh Marshall
you know it had to happen...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/17/obama-...
It kindof surprised me..
George and Dickiepoo must be sooooo proud.
McCain says he wants to get rid of 'the old boys network' in Washington....and he hires 7 of the most powerful lobbyists to run his campaign......In the McCain campaign 'the old boys network' is called a 'staff meeting'.
Off topic but isn't it cool as hell for Brad Pitt to donate $100,000 to fight the anti-gay haters here in California?
let their responses to it dredge the whole thing up again :-)
he must want to get married... he and Angelina said they wouldn't get married until all of us could marry.
"why is it sleazy and unscrupulous to mention an ethics violation that McCain has admitted to, and one he did on the job?"
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/09/16/poll-pa...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-romm/obama...
It'd also be interesting to revisit his involvement with Vicki Iseman. McCain lucked out when people focused on the allegations of an affair, which were pretty sketchy, and ignored the pretty clear evidence that he acted improperly on her behalf.
Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates.[22] In addition, McCain's wife Cindy McCain and her father Jim Hensley had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators. McCain, his family, and their baby-sitter had made nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard Keating's jet. Three of the trips were made during vacations to Keating's opulent Bahamas retreat at Cat Cay. McCain did not pay Keating (in the amount of $13,433) for some of the trips until years after they were taken, when he learned that Keating was in trouble over Lincoln.[6][23]
Strong ethics, huh?
I hope he keeps firing on McCain from now on.