McCain Defends Lobbyists Working For Him

Says Advisers Who Are Lobbyists Are "Honorable"; Declines Further Comment On New York Times Article

(CBS/AP)  Sen. John McCain said Friday that while lobbyists serve as close advisers to his presidential campaign, they are honorable and he is not influenced by corruption in the system.

McCain, who has styled himself as an enemy of special interests, defended having lobbyists working for his campaign. He is the expected Republican presidential nominee.

"These people have honorable records, and they're honorable people, and I'm proud to have them as part of my team," McCain told reporters following a town hall meeting in Indianapolis.

The issue of lobbying and influence has arisen in published reports, first in The New York Times and then in The Washington Post, suggesting that McCain had an inappropriate relationship with a female lobbyist and advanced the interests of her clients. McCain on Thursday emphatically denied the reports.

Siding with McCain, the White House accused the Times of repeatedly trying to "drop a bombshell" on Republican presidential nominees to undermine their candidacies.

White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel noted at a Friday morning briefing that the story has received a lot of attention.

"I think a lot of people here in this building, with experience in a couple campaigns, have grown accustomed to the fact that during the course of the campaign, seemingly on maybe a monthly basis leading up to the convention and maybe a weekly basis after that, The New York Times does try to drop a bombshell on the Republican nominee.

For his part, McCain refused to comment on the White House statements.

"I don't have any more comment about this issue. I had a press conference yesterday morning, and I answered every question," McCain said.

"I'm moving on. I'm talking about the issues and the challenges of America and the big issues that Americans are concerned about. I addressed the issue and addressed every question that was addressed to me.

"I do not intend to discuss it further," he told reporters.

His aides had spent Thursday attacking the Times, but McCain said Friday: "My campaign is not doing that anymore."

McCain was asked how he squares his image as a fighter of special interests with the fact that his senior campaign team is largely made up with lobbyists. McCain has battled to reform the system of influence in Washington through campaign finance restrictions, new ethics rules and opposition to the use of earmarks by members of Congress to fund pet projects.

"I square it one way," McCain said. "The right to represent interests or groups of Americans is a constitutional right. There are people that represent firemen, civil servants, retirees, and those people are legitimate representatives of a variety of interests in America.

---

In McCain Saga, Newspaper Becomes A Story
Horserace: Conservatives Rallying - At Least Against The Times

---

"It's not whether the individuals, many of whom are very honorable - it's whether a system or people have violated the trust of the people as representatives," he said.

The Times said McCain was not alone among presidential candidates to rely on lobbyists to help run his campaign. In McCain's case, the Times said, "Since a cash crunch last summer, several of them - including his campaign manager, Rick Davis, who represented companies before Mr. McCain's Senate panel - have been working without pay, a gift that could be worth tens of thousands of dollars." McCain serves on the Senate Commerce Committee.

"Once you're setting yourself up as a paradigm, as the example -- the best example -- of how an ethical member of Congress should behave, then you've got to know people are gunning for you if you're going to make a mistake," Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington told CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes.

"I'm proud of the record of many of my advisers. One small example, Charlie Black. Charlie Black was involved in the first Reagan campaign, and he's been involved in every national presidential campaign since," McCain said.

[samthetvcat]

McCain''s making the exact same mistake as Hillary in thinking his experience is his trump card over Barack, but he''s in even worse of a position to make this argument than Hillary.

With McCain''s experience comes this heavy use of lobbyists, his resistence to Barack''s ethics reform bill (which ultimately ended up banning Senators from flying on corporate jets), McCain writing letters on a corporation''s behalf after getting free flights on their jet), etc

[samthetvcat]

pt 2

And what''s he going to do in the general campaign about money? Either he relies heavily on lobbyists again and looks compromised, or he takes public financing and has a hard time claiming he''s about cutting back on government spending.

And everybody''s savvy about how candidates with cash crunches are now trying to use 527''s to get around campaign finance laws . . . how''s it going to look if he tries this and gets fined by the FEC for ignoring the law?

[briannorwood]

I DID NOT HAVE *** WITH THAT LOBBYIST, Ms. ISEMAN!

[ne_patriot7]

LOL... and another useless establishment hypocrite basks in the spotlight of denial...

[briannorwood]

I am beginning to smell the end of John McCain''s campaign. The is starting to be a drip, drip, drip of information contradicting McCain''s involvment with Paxton.

Trust me, there is a THERE, there!

[boatdocster]

Of lobbyists are honorable - as long as they are working for me.

John McCain

[walt1944-2009]

"Bagdad" John McCain, the "Great Pretender", has stated that all lobbyists are honorable and he sees nothing wrong with having them work on his campaign.

This is the same McCain, who has been saying that "special interests" would not influence him (right!!!!), and the court of the Great Emperor Bush II has come out in his defense. There are many, however, who feel that such a defense is proof enough that "Bagdad" John has also added "The Great Pretender" to his list of titles.

McCain, however, still insists there was nothing going on between himself and a female lobbyist who just happened to look like a 20 year younger version of his wife.

"Bagdad" John just couldn''t get enough of her, that''s all!!! That said, the Great Pretender now wants to move on and "pretend" it all never happened!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!
sig heil, McCain????

[samthetvcat]

That "Congressman Indicted In Land Deal" is co-chair of McCain''s Arizona campaign . . . wow, another awkward day for McCain.

Are the right going to complain about the media on this too?

[crater7]

THEY ARE HONORABLE PEOPLE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LOBBYIST, RIGHT?

THE WORD HONORABLE AND THE GOP, JUST SEEMS TO GO TOGETHER.

THE HONORABLE GWB. THE HONORABLE CHEENEY, LIDDY, LOT, CRAIG, DELAY,RENZEE,FOLEY,FRIST,GONZO,RICE,RUMMY,ROVE,
BREMMER,WOLFOWITZ,CUNNINGHAM, AND MY FAVORITE, JOHNNY SUTTON.

NOW THAT''S AN HONORABLE WHO''S, WHO LIST.

[smirk5]

He''s no maverick. He''s no straight-talker. He sold his honor years ago. He represents a 3rd term for Bush Jr.
He''s John McCain.

[smirk5]

Just hours after the Times''s story was posted, the McCain campaign issued a point-by-point response that depicted the letters as routine correspondence handled by his staff%u2014and insisted that McCain had never even spoken with anybody from Paxson or Alcalde & Fay about the matter. "No representative of Paxson or Alcalde & Fay personally asked Senator McCain to send a letter to the FCC," the campaign said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.

But that flat claim seems to be contradicted by an impeccable source: McCain himself. "I was contacted by Mr. Paxson on this issue," McCain said in the Sept. 25, 2002, deposition obtained by NEWSWEEK. "He wanted their approval very bad for purposes of his business. I believe that Mr. Paxson had a legitimate complaint."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/114505

[crusherking]

Wow.. Still some of you liberals persist in beating this dead horse. No respectable American believes this is evenly remotely true. Most new organizations are distancing themselves from this story already. NYT stock continues to drop.. Wonder why. But yet you liberal mudslingers parade this story like a trophy. I am sure you have much better things to do than make yourselves look even dumber by continuing to flaunt this story as ''true''.. Move on already lmao`!

[gce65]

"It''s not true" from a Republican these days is all we need to hear to know IT IS TRUE!

I don''t particularly care about the alleged affair with Vicki Iseman, but Cindy McCain is certainly not the one to come out and defend John. Cindy is the one he cheated with on his first wife, Carol Shepp, after Carol had waited for him all those years he was in a Vietnamese prison. And carol had two sons from a previous marriage and a daughter with McCain at the time!

[sgtrds]

That "Congressman Indicted In Land Deal" is co-chair of McCain''''s Arizona campaign . . . wow, another awkward day for McCain.

Are the right going to complain about the media on this too?

Posted by SamTheTVCat at 03:32 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Naw, they''ll just claim that he''s really a Democratic plant that been deep uncover for years to embarrass McCain in case he ran for president someday. It''s all a big left wing conspiracy you know.

[smirk5]

Abrams then followed up: "Do you know were they got the information?"

"No," McCain replied. "But I would add, I was contacted by Mr. Paxson on this issue."

"You were?"

"Yes."

Abrams then asked McCain: "Can you tell us what you said and what he said about it?"

McCain: "That he had applied to purchase this station and that he wanted to purchase it. And that there had been a numerous year delay with the FCC reaching a decision. And he wanted their approval very bad for purposes of his business. I said, ''I would be glad to write a letter asking them to act, but I will not write a letter, I cannot write a letter asking them to approve or deny, because then that would be an interference in their activities. I think everybody is entitled to a decision. But I can''t ask for a favorable disposition for you''."

Abrams a few moments later asked: "Did you speak to the company''s lobbyist about these matters?"

McCain: "I don''t recall if it was Mr. Paxson or the company''s lobbyist or both."

Abrams: "But you did speak to him?"

McCain: "I''m sure I spoke with him, yes."

[crusherking]

haha.. you libs want to come in here and talk corruption? Like your party is clean? Wow..Amazing. When are you going to wake up to the simple fact that its politicians. It doesn''t matter if its Rep. OR Dem. They all lie. They all cheat and they all could give a rats azz about your well being. Sure, some speak eloquently regarding the "changes" we need or the "experience" they have. In the end, its all lip service and lies. Feed the masses the bs and they''ll grow up loving it. Well, judging from some of you here, that could not be truer.

[sgtrds]

McCain said. "The right to represent interests or groups of Americans is a constitutional right. There are people that represent firemen, civil servants, retirees, and those people are legitimate representatives of a variety of interests in America."

That''s true Johnny Boy, but the ones working for you do not represent firefighters or teachers. They represent AT&T, Alcoa, JPMorgan U.S. Airways, Verizon SBC, Dell and Fannie Mae. Hardly the same thing now is it Johnny Boy? Not quite as noble sounding huh?

[jack3213]

ATLEAST THE MCCAIN''S CAN BE CONSIDERED PATRIOTIC IN THE FULLEST SENSE OF THE WORD, ATLEAST THEY SALUTE THE FLAG WITH HANDS OVER THEIR HEARTS- AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF THE USA.

[kissamaarse]

I kind of feel sorry for McCain, because the media will keep tearing into the hypocrisy. Now the indicted Congressman from Arizona, Renzi, is McCain''s Arizona c-chair, which follows Bob Allen, McCain''s Florida chair who was busted last year for trolling for *** in a public bathroom. This is a like a soap opera.

[mcvet]

ATLEAST THE MCCAIN''''S CAN BE CONSIDERED PATRIOTIC IN THE FULLEST SENSE OF THE WORD, ATLEAST THEY SALUTE THE FLAG WITH HANDS OVER THEIR HEARTS- AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF THE USA.




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Posted by Jack3213 at 04:41 PM : Feb 22, 2008
+ report abuse

Joe? Is that you? This is the type of thing Joe McCarthy and the fascist of the 50''s used! There is NO excuse for SAYING you are against Lobbist then EMPLOYING them as advisors! How a person stands or what salute they use toward the flag isn''t important at all... Well unless it''s one of these Nazi!! I really do not like their salute or their leaders! Sieg Heil Bush! Sieg Heil McGoo!!

[mcvet]

But that flat claim seems to be contradicted by an impeccable source: McCain himself. "I was contacted by Mr. Paxson on this issue," McCain said in the Sept. 25, 2002, deposition obtained by NEWSWEEK. "He wanted their approval very bad for purposes of his business. I believe that Mr. Paxson had a legitimate complaint."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/114505


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Posted by Smirk5 at 03:55 PM : Feb 22, 2008
+ report abuse

Sounds an awlful lot like what we have NOW. No lie is out of bounds for these people it would seem. Sieg Heil Bush!

[smirk5]

Now that it''s obvious that McCain isn''t a "straight-talker" and isn''t a "maverick", you''re left with a mad, wrinkled old man who represents a 3rd term for Bush Jr.

[sgtrds]

Now that it''''s obvious that McCain isn''''t a "straight-talker" and isn''''t a "maverick", you''''re left with a mad, wrinkled old man who represents a 3rd term for Bush Jr.

Posted by Smirk5 at 04:46 PM : Feb 22, 2008

that''s true. A vote for Johnny Boy is like re-electing Dumba*ss Dubya.

[crusherking]

Oh and Hey McVet.. Don''t forget that Hitler was a Left-winger.. Seig Heil Clinton/Obama!

[thgdriver]

So, when I pointed out Bill Clinton''''s BJ and Monica''''s dress cleaning tab that was relevant because Hillary will have him back in the W house. You all shouted me down. Told me not to drag up the ancient past. You HYPOCRITES even asked if that was all I had.

Now after some rag of a tabloid drags out something that supposedly happened eight long years ago because hype sells, you HYPOCRITES can''''t shut up about it.

I know, like your guru Owl Gore says, do as We say driver not as we do! LMAO.

[sgtrds]

Oh and Hey McVet.. Don''''t forget that Hitler was a Left-winger.. Seig Heil Clinton/Obama!

Posted by crusherking at 05:04 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Lie. Anyone who knows anything about history knows that Hitler was a right wing fascist, not a leftist. The leftists were the Communists and Socialists that Hitler hated (and calling his party a socialist party doesnt change the fact that it was a a fascist (right wing) party). Read history before you post to prevent making an embarrassing as*s out of yourself.

[thgdriver]

crusherking The libs here have been denying it for years but they have all been choking on Bills Diick in Monica''s mouth for years. Now they think they have something and the HYPOCRITE LIBS cant stop drooling on their keyboards.

Move along, keep moving, nothing to see, nothing new, this way.

[denn034]

Didn''t slick Hilly have to defend herself for a lobbyist related issue not long ago. Didn''t she take money from lobbyists or something like that? Don''t get this Republican wrong, I don''t like this one bit but, making this a Republican only problem seems disingenuous to me.

[denn034]

Let me say shame on NYT for the affair rumormongering story as well. Rumors aren''t evidence, NYT!

[denn034]

"the collective stupidity of this nation"
Posted by mortal3

That''s right! Alienate the voters and destroy your party. Keep it up because, it can only help us Republicans, mortal3!

[dan9111]

Doesn''t matter if it''s true. It''s an obvious media smokescreen. The Republicans and their media clowns must be punished. This is their effort to repaint McCain as a victim and a poor nonviolent man. I hope nobody falls for this.

[rowdytexan2]

Now that it''''''''s obvious that McCain isn''''''''t a "straight-talker" and isn''''''''t a "maverick", you''''''''re left with a mad, wrinkled old man who represents a 3rd term for Bush Jr.

Posted by Smirk5 at 04:46 PM : Feb 22, 2008

that''''s true. A vote for Johnny Boy is like re-electing Dumba*ss Dubya.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 04:48 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Yepper...

[changenow]

C''mon McAin''t You got some Puss and a nice fat bank account. We all know you are bushit 3rd term.

[mcvet]

That''''s right! Alienate the voters and destroy your party. Keep it up because, it can only help us Republicans, mortal3!


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Posted by denn034 at 05:55 PM : Feb 22, 2008
+ report abuse

ROFLMAO I''d say after the last 7 years you freaks can use any help you can get. I see ANOTHER member of the "Party" was caught with his hand in the cookie jar today! It won''t be long before you losers will be holding your convention in Sing Sing or a public bathroom! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil Bush! I love these bootlickers who are in complete and total denial!!

[rowdytexan2]

Oh hell, they all use Lobbyists any way they can. Romney''s campaign was full of ''em.

Who gives a rip! They''re all gonna lie about it anyway.

[changenow]

Didn''''t slick Hilly have to defend herself for a lobbyist related issue not long ago. Didn''''t she take money from lobbyists or something like that? Don''''t get this Republican wrong, I don''''t like this one bit but, making this a Republican only problem seems disingenuous to me.

Posted by denn034 at 05:52 PM : Feb 22, 2008



You are absolutely right, is not just the republicans, but they do take more.

[mcvet]

Let me say shame on NYT for the affair rumormongering story as well. Rumors aren''''t evidence, NYT!


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Posted by denn034 at 05:53 PM : Feb 22, 2008
+ report abuse

You can talk until you are blue in the face there swastika breath, it will do little good. The people have been lied to by you fascist for way to long, this is just yet ANOTHER in that long long list of lies. Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

Didn''''''''t slick Hilly have to defend herself for a lobbyist related issue not long ago. Didn''''''''t she take money from lobbyists or something like that? Don''''''''t get this Republican wrong, I don''''''''t like this one bit but, making this a Republican only problem seems disingenuous to me.

Posted by denn034 at 05:52 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Yeah yeah we know... let US get away with it because we say the other guys did. LOL Did YOUR mother REALLY let you go on this argument? Mine certainly didn''t. Sieg Heil Bush... Oh but PLEASE don''t stop trying!! Having you Nazi''s on here doing this after the LIES of the last 7 years really helps my side. Sieg Heil Bush

[changenow]

;-)

[kmccliment]

Equally important, Michelle Obama%u2019s statement aligns perfectly with the hate-America views of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama%u2019s minister, friend, and sounding board for more than two decades. On the Sunday following 9/11, Wright characterized the terrorist attacks as a consequence of violent American policies. Four years later, Wright suggested that the attacks were retribution for America%u2019s racism.

[cbs_oliver]

I was disappointed to hear that Mr. McCain expressed a wish for Mr. Castro%u2019s death. %u201CI hope he has the opportunity to meet Karl Marx very soon,%u201D McCain told a town-hall style meeting of about 150 people, referring to the communist who died in 1883.

Many believe that wishing death to others is not the kind of thing that good Christians do.

[sgtrds]

Many believe that wishing death to others is not the kind of thing that good Christians do.

Posted by CBS_Oliver at 06:29 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Then again neither is being a lying hypocrite and an adulterer, but McCain is those things too, so maybe he''s not such a good Christian after all.

[observantx]

John McCain = K Street lapdog

How far you have fallen sir. I''m sorry for you. I''m far more fearful for our country.

We''ve had enough of being sold out for campaign cash and plum positions after government service.

You were tortured for our country, yet you sell us out for $$$$$.

SHAME!!

[notopennshut]

As they say, "there''s no smoke without fire "--- and now how about more fact coming out? Too dangerous to play the injured party and deny before you go back and see what you promised and signed, McCain. Trying to keep mum and not respond to questions now is a bit late. It won''t keep the questions and more fact coming out.

[jowand]

I was disappointed to hear that Mr. McCain expressed a wish for Mr. Castro%u2019s death. %u201CI hope he has the opportunity to meet Karl Marx very soon,%u201D McCain told a town-hall style meeting of about 150 people, referring to the communist who died in 1883.

Many believe that wishing death to others is not the kind of thing that good Christians do.
Posted by CBS_Oliver at 06:29 PM : Feb 22, 2008

Stop being such a whining lying hypocrite.

[tibu987]

Of course, McCain''s a Republican.

I am not a fan of McCain.
I am also not interested in McCain''s love life 8 years ago.
I AM interested in the current important issues facing this country and who is the best candidate to
try to solve them.

I''m voting for Obama.

[fairandbal]

Newsweek is reporting that McCain testified in a deposition five years ago that he personally spoke with the CEO of Paxson Communications regarding Paxson''s business before the FCC. This flatly contradicts McCain''s denial yesterday that he''d had any contact with Paxson or his representatives regarding the matter.

The Double-Talk express keeps on rolling. Mr. McGoo for President!

[fairandbal]

It''s really amazing, this one story by the NYT is a total anomaly. McCain gets a total free ride from the corporate press. No one dares criticize the press''s darling war hero.

[greatdrivew]

Nothing but sleaze, double-talk and apathy coming from the GOP. Whats new?

[smirk5]

If McCain became President, I wonder which lobbyist he''ll put in as Attorney General and which lobbyist he''ll have working as Secretary of State. Evidently, McCain is a lobbyist w-***. He can''t get enough of them.