WASHINGTON, May 1, 2008

Disabled Arrested At McCain Office

20 Protestors, Many In Wheelchairs, Seek Senator's Support Of Expanded In-Home Care For Medicaid Recipients

  • A group disabled activists, most in wheelchairs, from the group ADAPT wait to be processed after they were arrested in Washington, April 29, 2008, in Washington, by Capitol Hill police outside Sen. John McCain's offices. The activists were refused a meeting with McCain over a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more people who want in-home care.

    A group disabled activists, most in wheelchairs, from the group ADAPT wait to be processed after they were arrested in Washington, April 29, 2008, in Washington, by Capitol Hill police outside Sen. John McCain's offices. The activists were refused a meeting with McCain over a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more people who want in-home care.  (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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(AP)  At least 20 disabled activists, most of them in wheelchairs, were arrested outside Sen. John McCain's offices Tuesday after being refused a meeting with the GOP presidential nominee-to-be over a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more people who want in-home care.

"If he should be president, it would be ironic that he comes from a party that talks a lot about family values," said Bob Kafka, national organizer for ADAPT, a group advocating for passage of the bill. Without the legislation, many disabled and elderly people don't have the choice to apply coverage to anything other than institutional care, he said.

"Families are devastated because they don't have a choice to keep people at home," Kafka said.

McCain was not in his office during the protest. He was campaigning Tuesday in Florida on his health care plan.

The bill, S. 799, stuck in committee since last year, would amend the Social Security Act to allow people who are eligible for Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs to spend it instead on home-based, or community care.

Sponsored by Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., it also would grant extra money to states that participate in the program, according to a summary of the bill.

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, are co-sponsors of the bill, but McCain is not.

Quote

If he should be president, it would be ironic that he comes from a party that talks a lot about family values. Families are devastated because they don't have a choice to keep people at home.

Bob Kafka
Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said about 20 people from the group were arrested outside McCain's office in the Russell Senate Office Building on Tuesday and charged with unlawful assembly.

McCain's Senate chief of staff said the protesters turned down an offer to meet immediately with McCain's aides. Mark Busey said he didn't know McCain's position on the legislation but would ask. The chances are slim, however, that the senator himself would be meeting with members of the group.

"We are more than happy to let them know when he will be back in the Washington area at public events, town halls and the like," Busey said in a telephone interview. "Right now we do not know when he's going to be here for a meeting."

© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Add a Comment See all 63 Comments
by algoresarse May 3, 2008 3:19 PM EDT
Dear We talk about the runners for the oval office. I told my friend this is the 1st years I have heard super delgates. I am appalled that one person can and has changed America..Mr. T had a line *crazy fool*. That is bush and company. Our votes don''''t count. It is in the paws of the super delgates. It is a sad day when ye can''''t talk to yer govt officals. It is not just MaCain..People in WA state could not meet with the gov. I ''''member as a school child our class visited the gov in Maine. We met the gov years ago. The bully started it bush.

Posted by MichelleM99 at 05:31 PM : May 02, 2008
+ report abuse

************************

do you ever re-read some of your bullsh*t?
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage May 3, 2008 9:28 AM EDT
This is just unbelievably stupid on the part of McCain''s staff people. They should have had them removed from the premises, but NOT arrested! What GOOD is that going to do?!

Instead, McCain''s staff provided additional evidence that HE and the GOP are a bunch of no-good, heartless, hate-mongering jerks! It shows extreme poor judgment! The actions of staff reflect on the ''boss''.

People are not quite so quick to vote for a guy---or his staff---who has wheelchair-bound people arrested!
Reply to this comment
by michellem99-2009 May 2, 2008 8:31 PM EDT
Dear We talk about the runners for the oval office. I told my friend this is the 1st years I have heard super delgates. I am appalled that one person can and has changed America..Mr. T had a line *crazy fool*. That is bush and company. Our votes don''t count. It is in the paws of the super delgates. It is a sad day when ye can''t talk to yer govt officals. It is not just MaCain..People in WA state could not meet with the gov. I ''member as a school child our class visited the gov in Maine. We met the gov years ago. The bully started it bush.
Reply to this comment
by rwm2_2000 May 2, 2008 12:40 PM EDT
Well I admit McCain is just another Bush-maybe even worse if that''s possible and Obama is a closet racist until he''s caught and folks don''t like Hilliary so there''s only 1 real choice---VOTE FOR RON PAUL...UR vote may get cast aside but why vote for anyone who U don''t think is qualified and really wants to help America! Our Dollar is going down the drain and our candidates don''t even talk about our real problems and how they intend to help.
Reply to this comment
by michellem99-2009 May 2, 2008 3:21 AM EDT
US Brit. I take it ye are UK living in America. I am a disbled person and I am appalled at this govt. Yes I have the right to my say as born US citizen. I know how the able body feel in this matter. I have dealt with this all my life, Have ye read the US constution. If I was in yer nation of yer birth, I would not have the rights I have in the US over there. They have a right under our constution to talk to our govt It is the police that is in the wrong. The fonding Fathers framers of the constution had all bases covered as the saying goes. So it is the abled bodied pushing the handicapped around /that is not right. The rights granted in the constution gives us Americans rights and ye if yer nationalised living in this nation.They have a right under the constution to gather and that is a right.
Reply to this comment
by candy-apple May 1, 2008 7:02 PM EDT
bunch of disabled Viet-Nam vets arrested.

Posted by USBrit at 11:29 AM : May 01, 2008

"At least 20 disabled activists, most of them in wheelchairs, were arrested ...."

Am I missing something here? Where does it say disabled Vietnam Vets??

MOst people know that you can''t just show up at Capital Hill and expect to meet with someone. How did these activists get to Capital Hill? Where were the people who transported them there? Why didn''t they escort them out after the offer was turned down to meet with staff members?
Reply to this comment
by darnedsocks May 1, 2008 6:26 PM EDT
IF MCCAIN ALLOWED PEOPLE TO GET CARE AT HOME, THEN HIS "BUDDIES" WHO HAVE "INVESTED" INTO THESE INSTITUTIONS WOULD LOSE MOST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!

Of course he wouldn''t want to sign something like that! Afterall, his "buddies" Swiss bank accounts need more stuffing, which is far more important than the quality of these human''s lives! NOT!(McCain is acting like a jerk!)
Reply to this comment
by taddles-2009 May 1, 2008 6:22 PM EDT
"I do get your point - they should have made an appointment.

Posted by USBrit at 11:29 AM : May 01, 2008"


That has become the only way they can get politicians attention. They try to make appointments and get blown off, they try to present their grievances in a civil manner and get ignored. Sometimes you have to make it in the politicians interest to listen, like publicly shaming them.
Reply to this comment
by taddles-2009 May 1, 2008 6:17 PM EDT
" boo-hoo , sniff, sniff

Posted by LibH8er at 02:33 PM : May 01, 2008"



Typical Repub response, don''t have anything intelligent to say so just ridicule. Can''t develop a reasoned argument so lie. Can''t defend a point so insult and attack. You act like selfish arrogant spoiled children.
Reply to this comment
by libh8er May 1, 2008 5:33 PM EDT
McCain doesn''''t care. Just like Dubya.

boo-hoo , sniff, sniff
Reply to this comment
by sgtrds May 1, 2008 5:25 PM EDT
McCain doesn''t care. Just like Dubya.
Reply to this comment
by usbrit-2009 May 1, 2008 2:57 PM EDT
usbrit---if you are really a Brit---Go back where you came from----you don''''t belong here`

Posted by blondbeotch

Well you certainly picked your screen-name appropriately.
Reply to this comment
by libh8er May 1, 2008 2:51 PM EDT
''A group disabled activists''

The Wheelchair Brigade. Where are your raspberry berets? Ever thought of picking up the phone and making an appointment....like us non handicapped people have to do?

Reply to this comment
by blondbeotch May 1, 2008 2:50 PM EDT
usbrit---if you are really a Brit---Go back where you came from----you don''t belong here`
Reply to this comment
by allamr18 May 1, 2008 2:47 PM EDT
lol question, whay are the security gaurds there? is it really necessary
Reply to this comment
by libh8er May 1, 2008 2:41 PM EDT
Once you make a handicapped chick climax, you''ll never get rid of her!
Reply to this comment
by usbrit-2009 May 1, 2008 2:29 PM EDT
I do get your point - they should have made an appointment. I do not blame them for not wanting to talk to an underling. I''m basically saying that Mc.Cain et al missed an opportunity to do some good and make some good headlines Now, headlines being headlines, to most of the world his staff had a bunch of disabled Viet-Nam vets arrested.
Reply to this comment
by smiley676 May 1, 2008 2:13 PM EDT
would be better press than "Bugger off or I''''ll have you arrested" like it sounds now.


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Posted by USBrit

But that isn''t what happened. They were invited in, remember?

Anyone loitering in the halls would be arrested. I''m sure the police warned them to leave. It wasn''t the Senator''s staff that called the police. The police are already there.
Reply to this comment
by smiley676 May 1, 2008 2:11 PM EDT
I can''''t believe you haven''''t blamed a Clinton yet. Actually they probably wish they''''d thought of it, but it takes a GOPig to be that devious.

Seriously though, what''''s wrong with "The senator is in Florida right now but I can get him on the speaker phone in 20 minutes if your representative would care to wait." Good press, no arrests, everyone''''s happy. Even "I''''ll make you an appointment for when the senator''''s back in town" would be better press than "Bugger off or I''''ll have you arrested" like it sounds now.


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Posted by USBrit

Obviously I wouldn''t blame Clinton. That''s just stupid.

And what''s wrong with them making an appointment before going somewhere they KNOW they will be arrested?
Reply to this comment
by usbrit-2009 May 1, 2008 2:05 PM EDT
Hey cool - CBS doesn''t censor bugger!!!
Reply to this comment
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