Austin consultant meets with McCain (about 2nd presidential run )

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washin...

Mark McKinnon, the Austin political consultant who oversaw the advertising for President Bush in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, has committed to help Sen. John McCain in a second presidential bid.

Mr. McKinnon – one of the president's closest friends and confidants and a frequent mountain biking companion – met with the Arizona Republican over lunch this spring in the Senate dining room to discuss his support, said a GOP activist familiar with the meeting.

At this point, Mr. McCain, who lost to Mr. Bush in a bitter 2000 Republican primary, is in the early but unmistakable stages of laying the groundwork for another campaign. And Mr. McKinnon has indicated he'd review his options, should Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, run in 2008.

The White House has sent word that Jeb Bush should be taken at his word, that he'll not run. Dr. Rice, just four months into her new job, is not expected to seek the presidency, though some top Republicans have suggested she might be considered for vice president.

[bluestateguy]

1. I think we should trash McCain's war service

Just absolutley eviserate it:

McCain gave away top screts to the North Vietnamese while he was in captivity.

He shot himself on purpose.

He was a careless soldier who exposed himself and his unit to the enemy.

He stabbed veterans in the back upon his return from Vietnam.

[still_one]

2. don't worry the freepers have already started to attack him

[Dickie Flatt]

7. The right has been doing that for years.

WorldNetDaily says:

While serving as a POW, McCain was one of the captives who agreed to be used for propaganda purposes by the enemy. In fact, some argue that an interview he gave to a communist publication – detailing an accident aboard his ship, problems with low morale among U.S. servicemen, the chain of command in the U.S. Navy and other pertinent information – went far beyond mere propaganda and crossed the line into disclosing military intelligence secrets.

On June 5, 1969, the Washington Post carried a story titled, "Reds Say PW Songbird is Pilot Son of Admiral." The article states that, "Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of United States Commander in the Pacific, Adm. John McCain, purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praises medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner."

Worse yet, many years later, when both John McCain and John Kerry were serving in the U.S. Senate, they teamed up to betray the families of the POWs and MIAs in favor of sucking up to the murderous Communist Vietnamese regime.

[Wabbajack]

8. He shot himself on purpose?

And gave away secrets?

[LibDemAlways]

3. Cheney will pick the chimp's successor,

and he will be another lightweight, easily manipulated stooge. After what the thugs did to McCain in 2000, you'd think he have a clue about how evil this cabal is. There's no way they'll allow someone they can't easily control to win the nomination. That's why the name "George Allen" is starting to surface. As big of an idiot as the chimp, son of a well-known NFL coach, never deviates from the party line -- the seemingly perfect candidate to keep power in the hands of the BFEE. And with Diebold for insurance, someone hard to beat.

[Chipper Chat]

5. You're on the money here.

Allen would be the perfect transition from Bush. (And he's from the south). I hear he want's to change the state's motto from "Virginia Is For Lovers" to "Virgina is for Family Values." Lovers sounds too, well, just to democratic!
Wind him up Karl!

[LibDemAlways]

14. Allen isn't really from the south.

He was born and raised in California. He was in my high school graduating class. He has some racial skeletons rattling around in his closet which the repukes would do well to investigate now before they are embarrassed later. Personally I hope they do decide he's the guy, promote him heavily without doing their homework, and then hang themselves with Allen's noose - the one he displayed in his law office.

[quaoar]

20. It looks like Allen is trying to clean up his ugly past

Allen went with John Lewis to Selma last year. This was at the end of a story in the Atlanta Constitutin:

Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), said he's among those changed by the experience.

Allen, who once decorated his law office with a Confederate flag and noose and, as governor of Virginia, signed a "Confederate Heritage Month" proclamation while dubbing the NAACP an "extremist group," returned from a trip to the bridge with Lewis last year and introduced legislation that essentially apologized for lynchings.

That journey, said the senator — who is a co-chair of this year's tour — "will guide many of the decisions that I have yet to make."

And then he did this:

Senators Introduce Lynching Apology
( The New York Times ) 223 words
Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 13 , Column 1

ABSTRACT - Sen George Allen, Virginia Republican accused in past of insensitivity on race issues, introduces bill to apologize officially for Senate's role in blocking antilynching legislation through decades of killings across South; he and Sen Mary L Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, are co-sponsors of bill (S)


Lots of good info on his disgusting past here:

http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/2005/05/george_allens...

[LibDemAlways]

21. Thanks for posting this.

I have a personal interest in Allen's racist past. I saw it firsthand back in high school when he painted racist anti-white graffiti on the walls of our school to make it look like the work of blacks. Racism was his hobby back then, and he wanted to stir up as much hatred toward blacks as possible. The only way to keep him off a repuke national ticket is to embarrass the shit out of him about his past and keep him on the defensive.

[MaryBear]

16. Cheney has power but not that kind.

Although Cheney has more power than usual VP's, it doesn't go this far. Remember, there are moderate republicans and they do count. W schmoozed them and didn't really say what he would do -- he didn't steamrollered the election.

[LibDemAlways]

18. Cheney calls the shots. Cheney was in the WH

when DC went on alert recently. The front-man for the operation, chimpy, was out riding his bike. No one will make it to the nomination without Cheney's blessing. There's lots of unfinished business - more mayhem, death and destruction, billions for Halliburton, rights eroded, destroying social programs. Cheney isn't anywhere near finished.

[MaryBear]

19. In the WH, not in the Party

They are different.

[expatriot]

4. would freepers really vote for a black lady for v.p.?

I have said it before and I will say it again....

The only thing that will get conservatives out to the polls to vote for McCain would be if he were running against Hillary. But if McCain had a black woman as his veep, Hillary as an opponent may not be enough to get them out of their houses. They don't mind celebrating "diversity" in Bush's cabinet, but I think they would cringe with Rice on the ticket, the bigotted sexist bastards.

[bluestateguy]

6. Likewise...

Under that scenario we Democrats might have a one time shot to win the southern white racist vote for the first time in 50 years.

[bdot]

11. That is unless Hillary runs

Then McCain would win.

I'd have to take McCain over Hillary.
Now if it was Rice vs Hillary, then I'd have to vote for my neighbor's dog because it would do a way better job.

[LibDemAlways]

15. Rice on the ticket would be poison for the repukes.

The Dems could run anybody and win at that point. Too many repukes (some relatives of mine among them) would stay home rather than vote for a black person. And the repuke party knows it. Condi has about as much chance of ending up on a Presidential ticket as I do.

[booksenkatz]

9. Jeb Bush taken at his word?

We all know what THAT is worth, don't we? The stuff on the bottom of your shoe is more trustworthy than that snake.

And speaking as a Texan, I'd like to say that it is my firm belief that Texas and Texans need to stay the *****>>>>>FUCK<<<<<***** out of anything having to do with the election of the president in 2008, regardless of who runs and who wins. This cabal has made me completely ashamed of my home state that I used to love. I don't want to see a single piece of Texas shit having anything whatsoever to do with 2008. I don't even want a Texan cleaning up the fucking confetti at either convention.

Slither back to Austin, McKinnon. We've had enough of Texans to last us until the end of time.

[dandrhesse]

10. If he is trusting Texas money he is even dumber than i thought!

[dbt]

12. A consultant is a guy who knows 150 sexual positions

but doesn't know any women. A consultant is a guy with a briefcase who can't get a job where he's from.

When you're too afraid to make your own mistakes, you hire a consultant to help you.

The first job of a consultant is to find something wrong. The second job of a consultant is to keep his job. Repeat as necessary.

You can thank consultants for the sorry-ass state of commercial radio in this country. Do you suppose there's a political parallel as well?

[PsN2Wind]

13. Julius hires Brutus

to "watch his back"

[MaryBear]

17. I'd like to know more about McCain

and what he would do, who he would appoint, etc. He'd be a tough opponent because he already appeals to many Dem's.

[Moderator]

22. kick

[Bleacher Creature]

23. SJ Mercury News: Bush Consultant Meets with McCain About Presidential Bid

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/11830...

BY G. ROBERT HILLMAN
The Dallas Morning News

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - Mark McKinnon, the Austin political consultant who oversaw the advertising for President Bush in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, has committed to help Sen. John McCain in a second presidential bid.

McKinnon - one of the president's closest friends and confidants and a frequent mountain biking companion - met with the Arizona Republican over lunch this spring in the Senate dining room to discuss his support, said a GOP activist familiar with the meeting.

<SNIP>

It's not the part about McCain that gets me -- since his intentions are obvious and have been discussed ad naseum. It's Mark McKinnon -- I REALLY HATE THAT GUY. For those of you who don't remember, he was a prominent Democratic consultant who worked for such politicians as Ann Richards. He later decided to work for Shrub because he was "personally inspired" by him -- as if that's possible. McKinnon swore up and down that his support was personal, and that it had nothing to do with switching parties or anything like that. What an asshat!!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

24. I may have the wrong guy,

but I think McKinnon was the guy who told Ron Suskind about how Bushco "creates their own realities," etc.

[KT2000]

25. McCain signing up for dirty tricks?

That will be interesting to see - just how far he will go. About the depths to which the * campaigns will go is not news to McCain either. He knows what he is shopping for.

[lancdem]

27. Do you think this mean Bushco supports McCain running?

Or is McKinnon acting on his own?

[Bleacher Creature]

29. No way in hell Bushco will support McCain

EVER!

[KT2000]

32. Don't think bushco supports McCain

and will probably keep their support from him until the very end.
If Jeb doesn't go for it, McCain would be too strong to be a placeholder for the bush's tastes. They need a puppet who will keep all their secrets til jeb gets there.
And then who?? Neil???

[AlGore-08.com]

31. He's already proven that he's just as scummy as the rest of 'em

Smirk ended McCain's 2000 campaign by spreading rumors that McCain had an illegitimate black child, that McCain was gay, and that McCain turned traitor while in a POW camp.

But McCain stumped for him in the 2000 general. And in 2004 he campaigned for Smirk, claiming Smirk was "a great moral leader".

But what do you expect from a member of the Keating Five?

[KT2000]

33. McCain is like Powell

in that people project their need for a hero onto him.

The Dems will have to set the record straight if he is the candidate. He is a RIGHT WING CONSERVATIVE who would keep most of bush's agenda.

[lancdem]

26. I think McCain is too old to run in 2008

He'll be 72 by election day. That apparently isn't stopping him, though. If he does get the nomination, which will be tough because the wingnuts don't like him, I fear he'll be very hard to beat, no matter whom we run.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

28. if mccain gerts the establishment behind him,the wingnut right will follow

they'll take back all of their bashing of his so-called lib'rulism if hannity tells 'em too. mccain will fall in line and be a good little drone for the GOP establishment.

the psuedochristians worship republicanism first and their bizarre version of god second

[WI_DEM]

30. McCain would be our most formidable foe

Let's hope he is not nominated. The media loves the guy and will do everything they can to help him.

[Diane R]

34. No surprise

I always thought that McCain cut a deal with Bush in exchange for campaigning with him in '04.

[progressivebydesign]

38. Remember, McCain's own family said he couldn't stand Bush. n/t

[Xithras]

36. Agreed.

Many Democrats like McCain, and excepting the wacko fringe, most Republicans do as well. Had he run against anyone other than GWB in 2000, the man would be President right now. McCain is like Reagan in many ways...he's generally right wing, but he plays the centrist roll very well when it's convenient and he has a personality that most people find friendly. Add to that the fact that he's a "war hero" and has extensive experience in government, and you have the perfect electable Republican.

If McCain runs, he has an extremely good chance of winning. Since there aren't any other strong Republican candidates for the next election, there's a good chance he could take the nomination this time around. If that happens, we're in trouble.

One upside to McCain though...he's so old that two terms are practically out of the question.

[saracat]

35. NOW we know why McCain supported Bush.

This was the deal folks. OMG, I hate MCCin and he is my senator.I hope he rots in hell. He is scum.

[teryang]

37. McCains an unbalanced hot head

This is a side of his personality he keeps carefully out of the public view. His handlers have covered up this side of his character very well.

The man could easily go nuts in office, particularly with his ideosyncratic ideas about armed conflict. If Iraq were still an issue when he takes office or any other "rogue nation" McCain would commit the full power of the US to the conflict rather than concede that we were embarked in an untenable and unwise affair. He is incapable of cost benefit analysis when it comes to the Pentagon. And the pentagon is now completely out of control. He's the wrong man at the wrong time.