McCain-Palin and the Guilt By Association Game
As the McCain campaign gets ready to spend the last 30 days of the campaign wallowing in the mud with bogus attacks of Obama’s associates, Daily Kos reminds us, and them, that they are playing with fire. After all, both McCain and Palin have long histories of close associations with antisemites and other crazies. Today the Democrats sent out a message that two can play the Associates Game. Here’s what only a little work by Daily Kos revealed:
The Guilt By Association Game
As discussed here earlier, with John McCain facing the prospect of getting his ass handed to him in November, he has decided that the mavericky thing to do is to swift boat Barack Obama by playing the guilt by association game. Great idea, Senator Straight Talk…but it’s no fun to play alone, so let’s add a couple of more players:
There’s McCain’s association with G. Gordon Liddy:
Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in “if necessary”; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a “gangland figure” to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap “leftist guerillas” at the 1972 Republican National Convention — a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain’s campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy’s radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled “John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07″ includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an “old friend.” During the segment, McCain praised Liddy’s “adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great,” said he was “proud” of Liddy, and said that “it’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program.”
Point: McCain
And from Paul Begala:
But John McCain sat on the board of a very right-wing organization, it was the U.S. Council for World Freedom, it was chaired by a guy named John Singlaub, who wound up involved in the Iran contra scandal. It was an ultra conservative, right-wing group. The Anti-Defamation League, in 1981 when McCain was on the board, said this about this organization. It was affiliated with the World Anti-Communist League – the parent organization – which ADL said “has increasingly become a gathering place, a forum, a point of contact for extremists, racists and anti-Semites.”
Point: McCain
And we can’t forget the mini-Maverick and her close and personal relationship with an America-hating secessionist group:
So, we have Sarah Palin, actively involved with a secessionist group that professes its hatred for America, and whose husband was a card-carrying member of the group for seven years. And don’t forget, Todd Palin isn’t just the spouse of an elected official. He has been called a Shadow Governor, attending private meetings, being sent on fact finding trips, and being copied on emails that were later “prohibited from being released to the public due to executive privilege.” This man would be a 72-year old heartbeat and a pillow away from the presidency.
Point: Palin
And let’s add Palin’s pesky, but largely ignored, preacher problem. Thomas Muthee, the preacher that Palin said helped her become governor:
…founded his ministry with a witchhunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells.
And while praying with Palin standing by his side, Muthee:
…implored Jesus to protect Palin from “the spirit of witchcraft.” The video archive of that startling sermon was scrubbed from Wasilla Assembly of God’s website, but now it has reappeared.
And during that same prayer, Muthee also said:
The second area whereby God wants us, wants to penetrate in our society is in the economic area. The Bible says that the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. It’s high time that we have top Christian businessmen, businesswomen, bankers, you know, who are men and women of integrity running the economics of our nations. That’s what we are waiting for. That’s part and parcel of transformation. If you look at the — you know — if you look at the Israelites, that’s how they work. And that’s how they are, even today.
Yes, Palin listened to him calling for God to take banking and business out of the hands of Jews and later praised him and his sermon.
Point: Palin
Oh, and one more that we can’t forget. John McCain’s association with four men…in fact, if it wasn’t for John McCain’s intimate association with them, the Savings & Loan crisis that cost the American taxpayers $2.6 billion, would have been known as the Keating 4 instead of the Keating 5 scandal:
The Keating Five became synonymous for the kind of political influence that money can buy. As the S&L failure deepened, the sheer magnitude of the losses hit the press. Billions of dollars had been squandered. The five senators were linked as the gang who shilled for an S&L bandit.
S&L “trading cards” came out. The Keating Five card showed Charles Keating holding up his hand, with a senator’s head adorning each finger. McCain was on Keating’s pinkie.
Point: McCain
And on the other side we have Barack Obama who served on charitable boards, along with many others, with William Ayers, who was involved with a radical group when Obama was 8 years old. Oh, and they share a zip code.
Point: Zero
And the winner is, McCain and Palin. But when you think about it, this game really isn’t fair. While Obama had no association with Ayers’ radical past and has repeatedly denounced it, both McCain and Palin were personally involved with all of their players. But let’s let them enjoy their victory here. It’s the only one they’ll get.
Add comment October 5th, 2008