Exclusive: McCain Personally Called Iowa Woman Snubbed By Rudy Campaign
Senator John McCain put in a personal call today to an Iowa woman that was snubbed by Rudy Giuliani's campaign, asking to meet with her and apologizing to her on "behalf of all politicians," the woman told me this evening.
"John McCain personally called me -- today, this afternoon," the woman, Deb VonSprecken, told me. "Wow. He said, `I want to come and meet you.'"
As we reported yesterday, Deb and her husband, Jerry vonSprecken, had gone to great pains to organize a political event for Rudy on the Giuliani campaign's request. But according to the local Anamosa Journal-Eureka, the Rudy campaign canceled the event once it learned that the VonSprecken family were not millionaires -- meaning that they were not suitable for the Rudy camp's anti-"death tax" campaign purposes.
In his call to Deb, McCain apologized to her on the Rudy campaign's behalf and asked if he could come see her, the woman says. "He apologized on behalf of all politicians," she told me. "He just apologized in general. He was really sweet. I recognized his voice from TV. He was very, very polite, funny."
In asking to come visit with her, "He started teasing me and saying, `We're doing a security check. I'm homing in on satellite,'" Deb tells me. "I said, `No, no, don't do it.' We were laughing. It was incredibly nice."
Apparently, Deb's experience with the Rudy campaign -- her giddy anticipation of his visit, followed by the harsh letdown that followed -- was so jarring that she turned down McCain's request for a visit. For now, anyway.
"I said, `No go, I'm not doing it again,'" she told me. "He can call me if he's in the area, but no go as far as any kind of meeting goes. I'm not doing it again."
After she spoke to McCain, "his people called me and asked if he called and I confirmed Yes," she said. "They wanted to let me know that they were not going to do anything to stress me out further." They suggested the possibility of a private meeting in the future, she says.
Her overall take on McCain's call: "I found it incredible."
I've put in a request for comment to McCain's campaign -- I'll keep you posted.
Update: The Rudy campaign's original snub of the VonSpreckens is the lead story today in the Des Moines Register (though they don't have the stuff about McCain's call).
When will the national political press corps pay attention to this story? Can anyone imagine the media attention that would rain down on this little corner of Iowa if John Edwards had done this?
Update II: Ana Marie Cox has an astute line today about this story:
Undoubtedly, the McCain campaign is attempting to turn Rudy's mistake into a net gain for them -- apologizing "on behalf of all politicians" is the kind of platitude usually reserved for Clintonesque feeling of others' pain -- but the old guy at least has the decency to treat the snubbed woman like a human and not a piece of scenery.
Yeah, seriously.
On a purely political maneuver, this is freaking brilliant. But where did McCain learn about this family? Does he read TPM?
May 11, 2007 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good for McCain for calling Deb VonSprecken. Very shrewd.
Good for VonSprecken for being wary. This won't be the last phone call from a presidential candidate. She doesn't want to be used again.
I'm still amazed that Giuliani's not in damage control mode yet. To insult a farmer in Iowa--for not being rich, natch--is not something a presidential candidate wants to do. This is the kind of sleeper scandal that simmers in blogland until it boils over into the mainstream media.
-womanhattan
May 11, 2007 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
DC Drinking Liberally
May 11, 2007 8:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
This whole story is excellent. It shows just how ludicrous the whole "death tax" argument is -- the movement poster children, the poor American Gothic couple whose poor kids will be forced to sell the family farm when they die -- is a rarity. The idea that some kid in penny loafers will have to sell the third home in the Hamptons when his investment banker dad dies is just not as compelling..
May 11, 2007 9:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know where they learned of the story but I'm sure at least a few McCain staffers read TPM daily.
May 11, 2007 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
This bit here is doubly nice: Someone in the McCain campaign evidently did more than just skim the original reports at TPM or Wonkette, they actually understood the Fibromyalgia and health aspects of the situation. As someone who suffers from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Fibromyalgia's wacky next-door neighbor), I can definitely appreciate the emphasis on not adding to Ms. VonSprecken's stress level.
May 11, 2007 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Giuliani's attitude seems to resemble the New Yorker cover showing Manhattan in the foreground and the rest of the world fading off in the distance.
Chalk one up for McCain.
Now what's McCain's position on the Estate Tax?
May 11, 2007 9:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm torn between pleasure at Giuliani getting richly deserved grief and annoyance at that smarmy McCain. If he wants to apologize on behalf of all politicians, let him do it for the war he's been rubber-stamping for five yers
May 11, 2007 11:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just don't expect these people to vote Dems.
Sure the Repubs are awful, but the Democrats kill babies! And want to make our children queer!
And will let the Muzzies kill us all!
And so on.
May 12, 2007 12:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Chalk one up for McCain?" and "she doesn't want to be used again?"
come on... she was just used again. and even if a victory for mccain, it's a cheap one. (with this country, only cheap wins seem manageable. but that's another conversation.) anyway, i lost even more respect for mccain after reading this. i don't think he's sincere...i think he saw this an opportunity.
May 12, 2007 1:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
So why didn't one of our Dems think of this first--it's a no-brainer?!
May 12, 2007 2:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
So why didn't one of our Dems think of this first--it's a no-brainer
Do you really think this woman would talk to a Dem. She's a frickin' Republican organiser! Worked for Bush in the last election.
May 12, 2007 3:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
So?
Republicans are not alien beings. It makes a hell of a lot more sense for a supporter of a certified Liberal (Giuliani ran for mayor on the Liberal as well as Republican ticket) to even be won over to the Democrats than for "progressives" to support Hillary Clinton or Bill Richardson.
I was slightly surprised to see two self-described "Goldwater Republicans" show up among a small group of Obama supporters starting an organization process here in New York. Of course Goldwater himself was not exactly enamored with the current crop of Republican conservatives towards the end of his life.
Did it ever occur to you that broad-based appeal is a good thing? And one needn't compromise principles as so many are willing to do fruitlessly.
Best, Terry
May 12, 2007 4:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is one of only a couple of Republicans in the Senate who opposes full repeal of the estate tax. As you are probably aware, the estate tax is being gradually scaled back under the tax reduction plan passed in 2001 and will completely zero out in 2010, but is scheduled to return at its previous full level in 2011; that was the only way the newly Republican Senate could make it fit within budget parameters. McCain has indicated he could support a compromise which would offer a larger exemption and taxation of the excess at the capital gains rate; that actually probably could have been passed last year if the GOP hadn't been so pigheaded and intent upon making the "death tax" a campaign issue. The vast, vast majority of farmers and ranchers were already exempt from the estate tax before all this started, but their major organizations, including the American Farm Bureau and National Cattlemen, continue to support total repeal as a matter of principle.
May 12, 2007 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wanna bet no mention of this on the sunday pundit shows. There is a double standard as far as uncomfortable campaign gaffes. The Dems get both burners and the GOP gets empty space.
May 12, 2007 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg,
Thanks for breaking this story and helping get it pushed to the mainstream media in Iowa. I write for a new online journal in Iowa, the "Iowa Independent" and covered this incident, thanks to you. I contemplated calling Deb, but unlike McCain, thought otherwise -- thinking she had already been through enough.
You may want to add "Iowa Independent" to your election radar. Hopefully our staff, mostly comprised of Iowa's more prolific left leaning bloggers will help uncover something for you during the Iowa Caucus season. Here are links to two stories and the "Iowa Independent":
"Giuliani Campaign Reportedly Snubs Iowa Farm Couple"
"McCain Courts Woman Snubbed by Giuliani"
Iowa Independent
May 12, 2007 11:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
My knowledge of the political playing field has been sharply increased as well as the uncanny ability of the press to take facts and twist the words just a little to make that touchdown.
Each and everyone of us is unique and created with our own ideas, takes and beliefs. Personally, I was taught politeness and respect for others, regardless of whom they are or where they live.
Unfortunately, it was also a time when the world was small and computers were nothing but a dream. It did seem safer, but "bad things" were not to be spoken.
Fortunately, it was a safer day, when we could be children! Summer was a vacation for kids, spending countless hours at the local pool or chasing the lizards, horned toads and snapping turtles miles down the local creek alone. No way will my granddaughter be able to experience the freedom of my childhood. My only point being, we must all accept each other more, pull together and work it out. The world has changed!
To say the least, the whole ordeal has stressed me to the max, however, please note, I am listening (or reading) about ALL the candidates.
Thank you Terry for kind comment.
ps. There were several Democrats attending the cancelled event as well.
Deborah VonSprecken
May 13, 2007 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Terry, your point is well taken and the sentiment is shared. However, someone in New York who calls themself a "Goldwater Republican" is not necessarily the same thing as even a moderate republican in most other places.
What folks in DC and NY seem to me to misunderstand often is that a lot of people in smaller towns in the midwest and mountain west get all their national news from a very few sources -- likely their church or bible study group, perhaps a Rotary or other professional club but more likely a gun club, and reinforced by cable tv or am radio news.
So that yes indeed they are "not exactly enamored of the current crop of Republican conservatives" like the aging Goldwater, but Democrats need to find a way to break through this closed information loop. There is still a huge gap between the Democratic message as its being heard in the major news dailies and the blogs, and how its being heard in a lot of areas of the midwest that have become solidly republican -- for just this reason.
That really has nothing to do with the original article, just a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to Terry's comment.
May 13, 2007 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Acknowledged, fellow knee-jerker. :-)
There indeed are myths that seem to dominate both sides. I was warned by real jerks on MyDD for "bashing Democrats" for objections to seeking power at the cost of principle. There is a certain convergence at the top I have noticed that has nothing whatever to do with ideology or even common decency.
Best, Terry
May 13, 2007 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink