
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 24, 2008
Casino Tycoons Stack Chips For McCain
CBS Evening News: Sin City Bigs Bundle Cash For Republican, Fearing Regulations Under Obama
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Casino Heads Bet On McCain
It seems gambling industry honchos are hoping to better their odds by increasing John McCain's. Sharyl Attkisson follows the campaign money - all the way to sin city.
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Can McCain Make A Comeback?
Most polls are favoring Barack Obama in the presidential race, but John McCain has been called the "comeback kid." Chip Reid reports on McCain's revised strategy.
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Schieffer On McCain's Chances
John McCain's favorability has dropped considerably with voters, according to recent polls. Katie Couric speaks with "Face The Nation" host Bob Schieffer about McCain's campaign.
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Photo Essay
McCain Campaigns
Arizona Sen. John McCain crisscrosses the U.S. in search of votes.
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Photo Essay
John McCain
Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?

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But the casinos aren't nearly so welcoming when it comes to Washington regulations - and in Campaign '08, they're leaving nothing to chance, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.
You might not know it, but Americas gambling obsession has become a major force in the U.S. economy. All that money pouring into casinos and wagered in sports betting amounts to $85 billion a year.
And the handful of tycoons, who control the gambling industry, are playing an unprecedented role: putting all their money behind Sen. John McCain in Nevada, a key battleground state.
McCain's Vegas team of five includes billionaires Sheldon Adelson, of Las Vegas Sands and longtime Democrat Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts. They're acting as "bundlers," mega-fundraisers who, critics say, get special access.
One of their posh events last June carried a $1,000 ante; $10,000 got donors into a VIP reception with McCain; and $33,000 bought access to an even more exclusive reception.
The casino bosses wouldn't talk to us, so we got the scoop from Ray Poirier, of "Gaming Today."
Whats different about this presidential election that would motivate them to get that heavily involved? Attkisson asked.
"I dont think theyve encountered this kind of concern in the past," Poirier said.
Poirier says they worry Obama would be a big regulator - and cost them billions.
"It could bring problems with unions; it could bring problems with taxes," he said.
As for McCain - he too was once viewed as hostile to gambling after he tried to ban sports betting. He failed after the gaming industry flooded Congress with campaign donations.
"This is all about money!" McCain said in 2001. "This is all about $10 million in campaign contributions by the gambling industry."
Today, McCain is accepting donations from some of the same players. His office didn't return our calls, but according to federal records, his gaming-related donations reach $2 million dollars or more.
In contrast, Obama's gotten between $50,000 and $100,000 from one fundraiser with casino interests - the wife of resort owner Steve Wynn.
Like Vegas, politics is always a gamble. But it seems gambling industry honchos are hoping to better their odds by increasing John McCain's.
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See all 211 CommentsSure McCain you are looking after the middle-class.
Posted by promise4me at 07:27 PM : Oct 24, 2008
Right!!!!
You ''do'' have respect for a guy with ties to the Mafia (Big Gambling) and other Crime families?
Ssssssshhhhhhheeeeeeesssssshhhhhhhhh
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Posted by davidy007
''McPoopy'' pants?? What are you, 9 years old???
experience in office
Posted by promise4me at 07:33 PM : Oct 24, 2008
Sorry to inform you (burst your bubble) Both candidates have the same experience being President as I do. This is where the term ''On the job training'' means more in the first term than the second. If they blow the task in the first term, they should not be allowed to run for a second term. We ought to have a vote on the also.
I think I am gonna hang out at the poll and wait for one of those dead people to come and vote. Or wait for the guy that comes in then goes out the door only to return an hour later to vote again under the same name. ROTFLMFAO
Posted by obiden08
The brain dead person is the person willing to allow voter fraud in the first place. Is that you?
Acorn is the biggest voter fraud in history, in any country. Our citizens fight and die for the right to fair elections....then we hear
Acorn is handing out free cigarettes and candy to those that register "Democrat"..those that register GOP or Independent" do not get the free cigarettes & candy.
Hello supreme court.
I am ashamed to say Acorns activities are even possible in our great nation.
Pathetic !
Obama is getting dirty votes, dead votes and multiple votes from 1 person. I will never respect this type of man as President. NADA !
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Posted by promise4me
agreed - thing that makes me nervous is nobody seems to care about his ties to ACORN or his affiliation w/ Ayers and his terrorist BS - some are actually saying "So what, he was on a school board w/ him 30 years ago, that was 30 years ago" It wasn''t 30 years ago, it was recent - and when he was asked about it he skirted the issue and talked about Buffet, and never once has he denied ties to ACORN, he just ''ignores'' the question - he gave them 830K to recruit the ''dead/illegal/double'' vote - and theres a recent photo of Ayers standing on the flag - our founding fathers are rolling in their graves.
Nice try! No Cigar!!
that figures
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Posted by johnbrown888 at 07:48 PM : Oct 24, 2008
LOL
" If McCain Worker ''Mutilation'' Story Is a Hoax His Campaign Is ''Over ''
Join, the Democratic Party!
You better read history about war mongering Johnson.
and of course Jimmy Carter.
Obama will give us a "Jimmy Carter" kind of change!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_wTLzJKt1I
I remember alot of free peanuts though."
And the 20+% inflation.
And its pumping as much money as it can to John McBush McCain!
So much for straight-talking! So much for family values!! So much for leading a clean, honest campaign!!!
SIG HEIL, CHINA''S ALL TAPPED OUT; I''LL START WITH THE MOB NEXT!!!, BUSH!!!
sig heil, THEY PROMISED TO MAKE ME A "GOODFELLOW"!!, McBush!!!
sig heil, I''LL BE BACK, IN 2012!!!!, Palin!!!
Gambling and Prostitution are the cornerstones of the McPalin''s family values agenda now. Didn''t you guys get the memo?
LooseLines Sportsbook posts the best odds on Senator John McCain with +600 odds (a $100 wager pays out $600) and BetUS Sportsbook posts the best odds for Senator Barack Obama at -600 odds (a $600 wager pays out $100)!
I don''t think many people are putting wagers on Obama with that payout.
Fellows, fellows, fellows, put down the beers for a minute. "Star Wars" never existed, idiot, but the threat of Star Wars''cost was another brick in the wall of doom for the Soviet Union. You remember them, well, you might if you put down the beer for a few hours. OK experts, who controlled the purse strings for your weapons? The democrap congress, dummies. OK pick up the beers it doesn''t matter.
Peace and Love
Posted by promise4me at 07:27 PM : Oct 24, 2008
Baloney! If you are referring to Acorn, these are only ATTEMPTS at registering people. How do you equate ''attempted registrations'' with ''fraudulent votes''?
When you pay ''volunteers'' and set quotas, you''re going to have to expect some fudging (not that I''m excusing that, but let''s be real). Also, Acorn flagged the suspicious attempted registrations, as required by law in most states--they weren''t necessarily trying to pass them off as legit.
And I also think it''s quite possible that SOME of the Acorn volunteers may have been McCain supporters (a la ''Operation Chaos'') who may have tried to pull this nonsense just to try to make Obama supporters look bad.
on the sidewalk with the extra advertisement
"Vote Obama, I need the money".
I laughed.
In the restaurant,
the waiter had an Obama ''08 button with his Obama necktie.
Again I laughed.
When the $12 lunch bill came, I explained to the waiter
that I was testing the Obama wealth redistribution concept.
He stood there, dumbstruck and MAD, as I told him I would be
giving his tip to the homeless guy outside who needed it more.
The waiter trotted off pissed, while the homeless guy
was thrilled that he receieved money he didnt EARN!
Just a short lesson in Obama socialist economics.
Great story, huh? (and true) just happened
Try it yourself in the next few days!
ANYONE WHO THINKS I WAS BEING MEAN,
I got the "spread the wealth" idea from OBAMA
Posted by rhs648 at 07:44 PM : Oct 24, 2008
Show me proof of documented widespread voter fraud in the last 3 Presidential elections.
Attempted fraudulent voter registrations are NOT the same as ''voter fraud.'' Nice try.
This is an all out attack to BUY McBush''s support. I''m going to laugh my *ss off on November 5th and when the entire world knows that Obama is our President.
A billionaire like Steve Winn true colors come thru when he feels threatened. Afterall - we''re talking about tighter regulation of one the most corrupt industries of our time - Are We As "honest" Americans really against tighter regulation on such an idustry?
All you have to do is look at the banking industry and you clearly see what happens without adequate safety checks in place.
Vote Right - Vote Obama/Biden
Mafia for McSame...
Posted by ConDumbistan at 08:32 PM : Oct 24, 2008
I already heard that. So let the lame duck cast his vote. His day is done and his legacy is toast.
After all - Las Vegas, NV - Has been historically referred to as - Lost Wages, NV
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See all 211 Comments