McCain's letter to Obama
The full text is over at the swamp. This is what happens when a stuffed shirt talks too much in politics. Somebody takes you apart.
I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable.Eugne Sawyer told Bruce DuMont once the one thing he learned from the elder Daley was you never have to take back things you don't say. Obama should talke some lessons from Mayor Sawyer.
25 comments:
WOW! What is this all about?
And of course McCain campaigning for Bush in 2004 after the way they slimed him in 2000 had nothing to do with politics and wanting to run in 2008. He very well might be correct about Obama's motivation, but given what Rove/Bush did to him in West Virginia, McCain's sellout in 2004 makes his outrage here laughable.
I'm anything but a big fan of John McCain, because of what a serious pain in the butt he is, but Barack Obama just got schooled on Politics 101.
Obama just got the opportunity to learn an important lesson about national politics - this isn't IL politics where you get protected by your mentors when you screw up big time.
And regarding the comment "McCain's sellout in 2004 makes his outrage here laughable", shows you are pretty clueless - remember McCain-Feingold and campaign finance reform?
You think McCain hasn't been waiting and praying all along for these type of lobbying scandals to come to the forefront? He's in heaven right about now.
Say what you will, but McCain is an honest "true believer" in campaign finance reform after his brush with the Keating Five scandal. And he's been a flat out unbelievable thorn in his own party's side over the issue.
And along comes Obama, who tries to "play" John McCain over lobbying reform. That's the living, breathing defination of playing the role of "The Fool".
Welcome to the big time, Barack.
Anon 7:13: it was South Carolina, but your point is well taken.
The way I see it, if John McCain wrote that snarky letter and then offered it to the media for effect, then he's a crybaby hypocrite, in my opinion.
It's still a good lesson for Obama about life in the Senate and he would be wise to remember Mayor Sawyer's anecdote.
47th:
Yes, you're right. West Virginia is where John Kerry was going to ban the Bible. Sometimes I lose track of who Rove slimed where.
And anon:
So a guy can campaign for people who called his wife a whore and a drunk and said he cooperated with the enemy in Nam so maybe they'll support him in 2008, but don't question him on campaign finance reform because he's a true believer on that. It's just his own family and his own honor that's for sale.
Obama's hands are tied. He cannot talk about any type of reform in this country until our own democrat party in Illinois cleans up the backyard. We are one of the most corrupt states in the union so nobody takes Obama serious because he does not address what his own party is doing in Illinois. He has already stepped on it once concerning this subject but his handlers have reeled him in. He could do the right thing and start advising Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and Blago to clean up Illinois first then take on the rest of the nation. He is capable of being a real leader, we'll see what happens.
I don't like Obama, because I think he is a fraudulent "centrist," as John McCain has obviously concluded. He has some intellectual and communicative skills for leadership, but I'm not convinced he has either the spine or the integrity.
If anyone thinks the Springfield Democrats are going to bow to Obama like Pharaoh, guess again. Madigan didn't build his power over decades to have Barack Obama tell him what to do with it. Mike has a very large animal to feed, thank you, and it is always, always hungry.
I just read Obama's letter to McCain at The Swamp (thank you Mr. Barr).
Having read the letter, I don't blame McCain a bit.
This deserves to be repeated a few times....
He could do the right thing and start advising Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and Blago to clean up Illinois first then take on the rest of the nation. He is capable of being a real leader, we'll see what happens.
When McCain was unwilling to stand up to for either his family or his time serving his country, I lost all respect -- and interest -- in John McCain.
In addition to calling his wife a drunken slut and accusing him of cracking up in Vietnam, the Rove/Bush machine also floated the "McCain's black baby" rumor down south.
But that wasn't enough to stop Johnny Mac from stumping for Rove in 2004. So, in selling out his family and honorable service to Bush's Brain, I would say that John McCain knows a thing or two about bowing to his party masters.
Your suggesting Obama is bowing to a master Austin?
Hope you don't cross paths with him some day.
Bill Baar said...
"This deserves to be repeated a few times....
He could do the right thing and start advising Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and Blago to clean up Illinois first then take on the rest of the nation. He is capable of being a real leader, we'll see what happens. "
Bill,
I am not sure if you caught the news.
Senator Obama is no longer a STATE senator. As such, his "area" is the working of the United States Senate and not the Illinois Senate. It is HIS job now to clean up the UNITED STATES Senate.
Hope that clears up the issue. I understand your confusion though. All this "senator" talk sure is boggling.
Skeeter,
He turns in his Illinois Democratic party card plus all contributions and help when he gets elected Senator?
c'mon.
-B
"Senator Obama is no longer a STATE senator. As such, his "area" is the working of the United States Senate and not the Illinois Senate. It is HIS job now to clean up the UNITED STATES Senate."
- well, thank goodness he's on the case in DC now....because he did SO much to clean up Springfield while he was there!
Oh, and perhaps you can explain waht endorsing a State Treasurer candidate has to do with the United States Senate.
McCain's cooing with Bush pretty much sunk his credibility.
GOP,
I am not sure that you understand our federal system.
As a United States Senator, Senator Obama can introduce bills into the United States Senate, but can longer introduce bills into the Illinois Senate. As such, given his current job description, it makes sense for him to concentrate on bills that have been or may be introduced into the United States Senate.
I do have to admire the Republicans on this one though. Ney et al are on the take, President Bush was photographed meeting with the indicted, and they complain that Senator Obama is making it a political issue. Nice effort! I can't wait to your outrage when the impeachment hearings start.
I, on the other hand, agree with Senator Obama and believe that it is wrong for our United States Congress to be bribed by lobbyists. I guess we are at an impass, aren't we?
Skeeter,
Did I say anything about introducing bills in the State Senate? I don’t think so. What I am saying is that the most popular politician in Illinois (and America) just might have a bully pulpit to affect policy and politics in his home state. Do you agree, or are we at an impasse?
And I actually agree that it is wrong for our United States Congress to be bribed by lobbyists. So I’m not saying that Obama should not “concentrate on bills that have been or may be introduced into the United States Senate.” I think that should be his first priority. But if he can find the time to make an endorsement in the State Treasurer's race (that relates to his Senate duties how?), perhaps he can also find the time to take Bill’s suggestion and advise Mike Madigan, Emil Jones and Blagojevich to clean up Illinois.
Mayba Obama isn't in a position to tell Madigan, Jones, and Blagojevich much. Austin suggests that.
my apologies to Austin and Bill for the mix-up, my mistake.
I don't think there is a mix up GOP. I thought Austin's comment on Obama's master relationship with the our State's Democratic powerhouses was in poor taste. I thought of deleting but let it stand.
sorry for all the confusion, I think I got it now:
the suggestion I cited in my 1:29 comment was originally made by Anon 10:46 PM and then seconded by Bill at 2:24 AM.
Let's be very clear -- I was not suggesting that Sen. Obama had bowed to party masters, I was saying that it is highly HIGHLY ironic that Sen. McCain was accusing Sen. Obama of doing so. Especially when Sen. McCain kissed the asses of the men who slandered his family and his service in the military.
I don't think that Sen. Obama follows Democratic party leaders, I think is is a Democratic party leader.
And I hope that he one day soon is the the President of the United States.
And I am politically correct enough that when I inevitably become disappointed with Sen. Obama, I will not use racially charged language.
Got it?
I don't think that Sen. Obama follows Democratic party leaders, I think is is a Democratic party leader.
This should read: "I don't think that Sen. Obama follows Democratic party leaders, I think he is a Democratic party leader.
That's why Mayor Sawyer said you never have to take back things you don't say.
I quote him to my kids all the time.
I'm not taking anything back.
I am asking that the comments be read more carefully and thoughtfully. And that readers not presume that a comment in which Sen. Obama is not even mentioned somehow contains a racial slur directed at him.
Is that too much to ask?
I understand how that baseless inferrence could serve a retorical function, but it is not founded on the text of my comment. And is nothing less than absurd in light of the pro-Obama cheerleading I have engaged in on my blog and in the comments here and at CapFax.
If Obama Boosterism were a crime, sir, I would hang before the dawn.
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