New Movie: McCain's Million-Dollar Parking Lot
Here's an advance look at the latest film about McCain's wealth from Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films, the same outfit that did that recent video about McCain's McMansions.
This one reveals another big McCain property asset that's gotten little if any attention, reporting that McCain owns a parking lot in Phoenix, AZ, that the film claims is worth between $1.4 million and $2.4 million:
It's been blurbed here and there that the McCains own a parking lot, but this film airs footage and adds that it's being rented to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who charge fans $10 each (not all that expensive, really) to park there.
It's unclear how much potency this will have as a populist hit, but Brave New Films is trying to maximize it by tying it to his number-of-houses gaffe, reporting that "McCain's parking lot is worth over $1 million more than the average American home."
Weak.
August 27, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
True, but at least it's a story not about Hillary.
August 27, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait a second, didn't Cindy McCain say the only way to get around Arizona is by private plane? If that is true what need is there in Arizona for parking lots? We are talking about parking lots for cars, right?
August 27, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Typed like a true New Yorker!
That's probably expensive for parking in Phoenix, Arizona. It's not Manhattan!
There are lots of malls and other places around Phoenix where you can park for free, although I don't know how near they are the Diamondbacks' stadium.
August 27, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
It can also be tied into Mitt Romney's comment that McCain earned his houses through "hard work" (if that's what you call McCain dumping his first wife for a wealthy heiress a full six years after his release).
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/08/romney_mccain_e_1.html
As in, yeah, right, it's real hard work to sit back and let the cash roll in from your parking lot! Nice work if you can get it!!
August 27, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
"That's probably expensive for parking in Phoenix, Arizona. It's not Manhattan!"
It's not expensive for event parking anywhere.
August 27, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bullshit.
It depends on where you are, my friend. Parking in Phoenix is not at a premium the way it is on the east coast.
You can park all day long in downtown Dallas for $6 and most nights you can find places to park for free.
August 27, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and at the Texas Jam in 1988 it was $20 to park at the Cotton Bowl...event parking is what it's about. $10 to park at a stadium for a game is cheap.
August 27, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not if you are from the area and know where to part, Wallace.
Dude - I live there; are you going to argue with me? You can go to the State Fair of Texas, and that's where the Cotton Bowl is - all day long and park for $3 if you don't try to park inside Fair Park.
ARrrgh!
August 27, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
And Wallace - in Albuquerque, you can park inside the fair grounds for the New Mexico State Fair for free.
I've gone the last two years - parked mere steps from the entrance gate and paid 0 money.
August 27, 2008 1:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just telling you what it cost me when I parked there...it's $20 to park at the Giant's games in San Francisco (whatever they call that stadium these days) and $20 at Turner field for the Braves...just saying $10 bucks to park at the stadium for a game isn't bad.
August 27, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know - I had to laugh too.
Man, you people on the east coast are clueless about the rest of the country.
I mean - clueless.
August 27, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
What "rest of the country"? Is there more country after Philadelphia?
August 27, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
$10 is not too much to pay for that lot, given how close to the ballpark (and the US Airways Center)it is. The city charges the same for the Garage Majal on the other side of the park. (I also chuckled at Greg's off-the-cuff characterization.)
Not only have I parked in that lot before, but I know the guy in the video. He's actually a hard-core Obama supporter, but likely purposely low-keyed it. (Interesting, I was actually interviewed outside a D'Backs game two years ago for an anti-Kyl spot.)
A couple of interesting points: I'm surprised the lot is in McCain's name and/or listed by him; seems that most/all other assets have been either in Cindy's name or LLC's. Second, there was a contentious process to determine where the stadium would be built, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to look back at the articles and find that McCain backed Colangelo in choosing the present site and that he bought the lot around that time. (If anyone wants to search, I would not be surprised if the New Times did an article on McCain's lot back then: www.phoenixnewtimes.com.)
On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me if Cindy's family owned that land before, because it is right next to the tracks and was a major warehouse district.
Summary, for me: Is this a big deal? No. But, it is a mildly-interesting little factoid.
August 27, 2008 2:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it has some potency because McCain's indirectly benefitting personally from Americans using their cars to park. You can tie this into, "No wonder why McCain doesn't really care about the energy issue, and wants to keep us addicted to terrorist-funded oil so we can park cars on his parking lot. He gets money from this--unbelievable!"
August 27, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now THAT was weak...
August 27, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, what would be weak is if we argued that McCain isn't actually against global warming because he owns a parking lot that supports people with cars who drive. Which is bad. I think.
August 27, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
...he could put some trees in between the lanes...make sure the lines were non toxic paint...collect the run off and channel it to an irrigation system for the trees...
August 27, 2008 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I went to school at the university of Maryland, and they kind of actually do that--parking lot runoff goes to a wetland they constructed. Lots of frogs.
August 27, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
We have the "run-off wet lands" where I work here in GA too (I don't think it was planned though).
August 27, 2008 1:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please - most Americans couldn't connect the dots in the outing of Valerie Plame...you think they're capable of the sort of mental gymnastics you're talking about?
August 27, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Based on the description, I think it is a dud. The whole point about the houses gaffe was that it showed he was out of touch. This just shows they are making good use out of a piece of investment property.
Stay focused!
August 27, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes, but McCain's benefitting indirectly from high gas prices. People are parking their cars and being charged a high price for it in addition to what they're paying for in gasoline.
August 27, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds even weaker...run with it!
August 27, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what people said about celebrity ads, but they worked.
August 27, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
So alienating sports fans all over America during football season for not walking to the stadium is your idea of a sound tactic?
August 27, 2008 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
But charging them $10 dollars to park? Give me a break. In a time of high gas prices, charging Americans $10 dollars to park so they can see their favorite sport is ridiculous!
August 27, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
...you haven't been to a game recently have you?
August 27, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not like McCain conspired with MLB to bring the Diamondbacks to Arizona so he could be a parking lot in and charge people to park there. If that were the case, then what you said might have traction.
August 27, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah....a voice of reason (didn't see that coming).
August 27, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally weakens the power of the houses gaffe. Please stop now.
Please refrain from all weak ass arguments. Unless you've got a punch that will take McCain out, save it.
August 27, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of the houses gaffe, what happened to the great "Out of Touch" ad that featured the country club economics line and showed McCain in the golf cart with Bush 41? Has anybody seen that ad even once on TV? I sure haven't and if anything I watch too much TV.
Hopefully it's on hold for now and will start to air next week during the RNC, especially after he picks Romney which will give a boost to the message.
August 27, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I saw it on CNN last night during the post-Hillary wrap up.
August 27, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I await the breathless headline announcing that the Gallup tracking poll has moved from +2 McCain to +1 Obama.
August 27, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome. The parking lot ownership documentary that takes down McCain.
Next!
August 27, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm much more curious to find out how much the Diamondbacks are renting this property for....didn't I read that CindyLou is part owner of the team?
August 27, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ken Kendrick 2004-Present
Jerry Colangelo 3/9/95-2004
http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ari/history/owners.jsp
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Try again.
August 27, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bzzzzz.....Try again:
"With her children, she owns a minority stake in the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.[29]"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Hensley_McCain
August 27, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the link...cleared up the "House gaffe":
They made a prenuptial agreement that kept most of her family's assets under her name;[25] they have since kept their finances apart and file separate income tax returns.[25]
Still looking for the Owner part...
August 27, 2008 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I've got several other sources if you're having problems finding it in that one.
August 27, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I got to it...the question you need to research now is, what came first, the parkinglot or minority ownership in the baseball team?
August 27, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sure, he owns a two million dollar parking lot. But he was a POW 40 years ago, so it's okay.
August 27, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lame. Most of the people who fall for this shit are already voting repugs.
Unfortunately, Repugs have succeeded in instilling the idea: If a republican who dumps his ailing old wife and lives off a new wife worth millions, he is living an American dream- a celebration of capitalism.
If a democrat comes out of the trenches, earns a Ivy league school education, writes a best seller or two and has a intelligent wife and a two kids- and Oh, happens to be black, he is nothing like American. He is elite celebrity.
Democrats and those in the center are too intelligent to fall for this shit and too lame to come up with a affective line of attack.
August 27, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wrong, wrogn, wrong.
The housing gaffe stings. It makes McCain a figure of mockery. That is good. As Josh has pointed out, derision is a potent force.
The more we mock Sidekick McCain, the worse he looks and the angrier he gets.
NBNF is doing great work. This film is okay. They have some stronger ones too.
August 27, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
"... too intelligent...a affective..." Something wrong here.
August 27, 2008 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know, John McCain didn't have any parking lots for five years.
August 27, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry. I'm hoping that Obama gets in the White House, but I just don't get why I should be upset with John McCain because he has a lucrative business.
For starters: the D-backs charge $10 for entrance. So they are probably getting a cut of the money. Secondly, comments above notwithstanding, $10 is not an outrageous amount to charge for a ballstadium. Hell, it's probably the same cost as a beer at the stadium.
Lastly, and we should be clear about this: McCain's $5M figure for being wealthy is fairly accurate. In Southern California a decent home in a surburban neighborhood can already run you north of $700K. Add to that retirement accounts, etc.
If you expect to live on the investment interest of your money, 5%/year of $5M is $250K. That's about right for being *wealthy*.
People forget that wealth distribution is logarithmic in nature, not linear. Therefore the middle class runs a huge spectrum of $50K/year to about $200K/year income.
If you are in Montana, $200K/year income sounds filthy rich. But if you are in a place like San Francisco, NYC, LA, etc., it allows you to live a comfortable lifestyle -- but not opulent when you consider the costs of putting kids through school these days, etc.
The biggest criticism I have of the Democratic party is that they forget there are plenty of middle class families who earn (combined income) $150K or so -- and they aren't feeling wealthy. They are not the "rich" class. Obama has tried to address some of these folks which is why these people, who used to vote GOP, may cross over to the Dem side.
August 27, 2008 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why would anyone think this even qualifies as an 'attack'? The whole point of the houses thing is that it characterizes McCain as someone who owns a lot of property and lives on it lavishly. But if he owns property and then rents it out to others? That characterizes him as... a small business owner. Huh?
August 27, 2008 2:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
As Jack Webb said in "The DI" when asked about his ideal girl:
"A blonde swinger who owns a liquor store."
McCain hit the jackpot...
http://www.edodo.org/rumormill/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=18064&sid=b5510afe7975eb0bb3fc356040127d0f&start=0
Shop McCain into that clip.
August 27, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lame.
August 27, 2008 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pave paradise...
August 27, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why are you guys assuming that the Diamondbacks rent it from McCain?
By the way, the McCains/Hensleys apparently bought this land in 1996, right about at the time that people were scrambling to cash in on the present location being chosen. http://recorder.maricopa.gov/recdocdata/GetRecDataDetail.aspx?rec=19960739073
And, to answer my earlier question, McCain does not own it - it is owned by an LLC of which Hensley and Co. is the managing member. McCain must've just listed it on his Senate disclosure sheet - although I find that odd if he wasn't listing Hensley's/Cindy's other assets. http://starpas.azcc.gov/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsbroker1/names-detail.p?name-id=L07825403&type=L.L.C.
Also, and here's where some investigative journalistic effort really needs to go, McCain/Hensley's LLC apparently did some horse-trading with the State of Arizona surrounding the property.
The award-winning reporters at the New Times did a lot of reporting on the deals surrounding the stadium back then - I'm gonna check to see what they might know.
August 27, 2008 5:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have a great point azpaul,
I think the McCain's own the parking lot in the LLC and they also own a share of the Diamondbacks.... What is relevant here is that I remember when the ballpark was being built and the huge hoopla around it, especially cuz Maricopa raised taxes to pay for the park.... That says a lot for a guy like McCain who is all supposedly against taxes.
I guess it's ok to raise taxes when is gonna make you money...
I think that is what the video does it starts this conversaiton...
August 27, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have a great point azpaul,
I think the McCain's own the parking lot in the LLC and they also own a share of the Diamondbacks.... What is relevant here is that I remember when the ballpark was being built and the huge hoopla around it, especially cuz Maricopa raised taxes to pay for the park.... That says a lot for a guy like McCain who is all supposedly against taxes.
I guess it's ok to raise taxes when is gonna make you money...
I think that is what the video does it starts this conversaiton...
August 27, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
oops posted twice sorry,
August 27, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is interesting only if it can be tied to the bigger idea that John McCain is for taxes on the middle class when he its a bonanza for his personal finances. Tax for a ballpark so I can make money on the parking great. Tax for a health care system so working people can have health coverage, no way.
August 28, 2008 1:01 AM | Reply | Permalink