Hullabaloo

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

 
Playing The "Press Card"

by digby


I wrote yesterday about how the right wing gasbags pushing the media narrative about McCain's "x-treme maverickosity" is the only possible way the Republicans can win. Media Matters caught one of the MSM super kewl-kidz helping him out, just as expected:

GREGORY: You know, I think it's more likely than not the Democratic Party does come together behind the nominee despite how passionate and, at times, divisive this primary battle -- and protracted this battle has become. There's no question, you know, this does appear to be a Democratic year, but the Republicans, I think, were smart to nominate John McCain because he's not your average Republican. And he's got a pretty strong brand identity as being a maverick and being anti-politics and anti-Washington. He's got a lot of cards to play here.

Especially the "press card." They are the ones who branded him in the first place, after all.

Meanwhile, here's how our scrupulously honest, straight talking, Republican reformer actually conducts his business:

Donald R. Diamond, a wealthy Arizona real estate developer, was racing to snap up a stretch of virgin California coast freed by the closing of an Army base a decade ago when he turned to an old friend, Senator John McCain.

When Mr. Diamond wanted to buy land at the base, Fort Ord, Mr. McCain assigned an aide who set up a meeting at the Pentagon and later stepped in again to help speed up the sale, according to people involved and a deposition Mr. Diamond gave for a related lawsuit. When he appealed to a nearby city for the right to develop other property at the former base, Mr. Diamond submitted Mr. McCain’s endorsement as “a close personal friend.”

Writing to officials in the city, Seaside, Calif., the senator said, “You will find him as honorable and committed as I have.”

Courting local officials and potential partners, Mr. Diamond’s team promised that he could “help get through some of the red tape in dealing with the Department of the Army” because Mr. Diamond “has been very active with Senator McCain,” a partner said in a deposition.

For Mr. McCain, the Arizona Republican who has staked two presidential campaigns on pledges to avoid even the appearance of dispensing an official favor for a donor, Mr. Diamond is the kind of friend who can pose a test.

Only if anyone pays attention to it.

The New York Times did put this on the front page today --- the day of the most hotly contested Democratic presidential primary in decades. Far be for me to think they might have held this story until a day when people would have focused on it. If another McCain corruption story hits and nobody reads it, did it actually happen?

Update: fergawd's sake. Is there no McCain trait that reflects badly on his sterling "character?"

Nicole Belle at Crooks and Liars caught Tweety with this one:

Matthews: Cindy McCain guest-hosted on The View today. Here she is, talking about her husband’s alleged temper problem.

[START VIDEO]

Cindy McCain: Like anybody who is concerned about America, he is passionate about issues. All of us are. We all have our pet issues. We all have whatever it is we’re involved in. He is passionate about the future of this country. Some people mistake that for temper. It’s not.

[END VIDEO]

Matthews: Well, please give me the list of great politicians who lack a great temper. I hear these stories about everybody in public life. They all got a temper. Seems to come with the territory.

Right, but Hillary putting gift tags on presents in a Christmas video means she's Evita Peron and Obama getting a low bowling score means he's Perez Hilton. But McCain? As Nicole says: "He’s just a great politician with a matching temper, just like all the other greats."



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digby 4/22/2008 11:19:00 AM |