Flashback: Lawyer Defending McCain On Keating Five: "We Lost The McCain I Knew"
The McCain campaign is rolling out attorney John Dowd to purportedly "set the record straight" on a campaign conference call about McCain and the Keating Five scandal.
So it seems worth recalling that Dowd actually endorsed Fred Thompson during the GOP primary, revealing that he was "very sorry" about the campaign McCain was running and lamenting that "we lost the John McCain I knew."
From The Washington Post, June 8, 2007...
John Dowd represented Sen. John McCain in his darkest hour, the "Keating Five" scandal. He supported McCain the first time he ran for president in 2000 and signed up to be a major fundraiser for him in this year's presidential race. But when former senator Fred D. Thompson began thinking about running, the Washington lawyer changed his mind..."I am very sorry to see what's happened to John," Dowd said in an interview. "I don't think his campaign is being well run. It's been over-managed. He blew through $8 1/2 million. It's a difficult thing to leave a friend and go to another friend. But we lost the John McCain I knew."
If Dowd was saying this way back in June of 2007, imagine what he must really think now...
Late Update: The conference call is underway, and John Aravosis brings you the first wave of absurdity.
Wow. That's what his defenders are on the record saying?
This is going beyond bad parody, and veering hard into tragedy. Not that I mind.
October 6, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you like this, I give you permission to use it on bumper stickers, T shirts, etc.
John McCain:
The Original Mav-Erratic.
October 6, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
the funny thing? they are totally in reaction mode. Obama has not said a thing about Ayers or held a call about it. But McCain has to talk about Keating 5. And all they had to do at Obama was set up a website....Our guy is very clever
October 6, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, exactly. They know they will be fucked up if this dominates the narrative in this tanking economy. But it will.
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can hear it now: "Even John McCain's closest advisors don't know who this erratic person is. One even said "We lost the John McCain I knew"".
October 6, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
There ya go again. All you East Coast elitists want to do is keep lookin back. When are you gonna start lookin forward and behavin like mavericks?
October 6, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow.
Nobody in this country who knows him much wants John McCain in charge - that much has become increasingly clear in the last two weeks.
Nobody - but a bunch of dimwitted Repug voters who just don't know any better, apparently, or cannot bring themselves to get over being racist.
October 6, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
And we can't wait to loose McCainin 29 days...I've a feeling we will loose the slut on Oct 10 by the way, with the report about her escapades of abuse in Alaska.
This is the worst campaign ever. And Sarah is like the bad rash on McLame's wrinkled ass. Also, bad luck completes their threesome orgy.
They cannot get a break.
October 6, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not bad luck, it's karma.
October 6, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've been saying the same thing. Karma!
October 6, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's also George W Bush.
October 6, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
McPalin is on the defense on the Keating Five attack.
The hilarious thing is that his only character witness is, of all people, his defense attorney.
October 6, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously, since when is a defense attorney for a criminal case one's character witness! These people live in such a bizarro universe!
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
John mcShame - destroying himself and taking his party down with him. Don't let him take America down too!
October 6, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uhh... has anyone else noticed the VA polls in the sidebar? Suffolk (so-so pollster) and SUSA (one of the best) both have Obama leading by double digits and above 50!!
October 6, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
So maybe the "Why can't he break 50 theme" will start to die a well-deserved death?
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
yup, if it wasn't still morning (W side of the country), I'd be drinking a beer.
October 6, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's noon somewhere!
October 6, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's fucked up.
Anyone who knows Dowd's track record knows that he's long been one of the right's top legal hatchet men. A complete "ends justify the means" kind of guy who would fit into the mindset of Cheney and Addington.
John
October 6, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very true, tosh. Dowd says...
You mean the same McSame who supported (or opposed) your positions on some of the issues? Or are you lamenting his erratic character?? No! It's just exalted crassness...
Aha. He doesn't have enough money left over for you. How typically principled.
Buck up, junior. You'll get over it. I can tell.
October 6, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wowza, look at those VA polls!
October 6, 2008 12:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wowza is right. Someone earlier posted that the scuttlebut is McCain will leave Minnesota like he did Michigan so he can defend OH, VA, and FL. I think its too late now.
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Also possibly PA, I hear.
October 6, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well the last 4 PA polls have been 11,15,8,7 for Obama. If I was the McCain campaign I really wouldn't know what to do. They need to defend 8 different states in order to win and they are already way behind in a couple.
October 6, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Arkady Darell would:
When in danger,
When in doubt...
Run in circles,
Scream and shout!
October 6, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Way too late!
He's lost those states - he lost Florida with his "health care plan" which is paid for by medicare cuts -
Who is in charge of this campaign for the love of god? It's ridiculous.
October 6, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure the Obama people will have a medicare cutting ad up by tomorrow.
October 6, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can you fucking imagine saying that during a presidential campaign? Do they think Florida is in Europe?
God damn I'm loving this train wreck!
October 6, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe they think Florida is New Spain!
October 6, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
The hell with VA. We know we're taking that barring a miracle. Think about GA. I tossed this in another thread:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/in-georgia-small-improvements-in-black.html
Can you imagine the whole Eastern Seaboard with the exception of SC?
Of course it would be nice to make some inroads into SC to make Lil' Lindsay get nervous. He's so tied to McCain that if in the last three weeks of the race MacCain turns into a led bricks, we might even roll that little pain in the ass.
But that's still a massive long shot. I'm getting more worked up at the chance of running Mitch McConnell. Obviously the #1 thing I want on that Tuesday is Obama winning, and winning big. But if we could run Mitchy... that's the cherry on the top.
John
October 6, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not a big fan of polls, but two polls released today say, Obama up by 10 points or more in VA. Those damn communists.
I love it. We'll soon be down to saving GA at this rate.
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Public Service Announcement. A blog PETITION to ban Robert Hewson from posting long, off-topic, thread-clogging blogs is currently accepting names and Rec'ds here:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/10/public-service-ban-robert-hews.php
I have also emailed TPM about this blog PETITION.
Prayers ascending...
October 6, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those VA polls are pretty brutal. McCain must be messing his diaper.
October 6, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
They must not have been much taken to being called communists by McBrother.
October 6, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
its about the ECONOMY STUPID! PERIOD. McPalin would best served by focusing on the issues and the personal character, because if McPalin wants to go down that route they will surely lose.
October 6, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
OT: This is the hate that Palin is whipping up, and it's fucking disgusting.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/06/in_fla_palin_goes_for_the_roug.html
What the fuck is this campaign coming to? And why didn't Palin smack that asshole down?
I'm seeing red right now.
October 6, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
As one person posted earlier, these are hate rallies. Nothing more and nothing less.
October 6, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
O my god!
O my god!
October 6, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a black mass...
October 6, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is hate speech!
For a politician to be whipping up hate speech is simply reprehensible! This woman should be banned from ever holding public office again if she continues to encourage violence against a candidate and likely future president.
I am appalled beyond words!
October 6, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
The secret service should be paying close attention. These rallies are a clear and present danger to Obama.
October 6, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, and McCain's minions aren't letting the media talk to the crowds at Palin rallies.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/10/under-the-watch.html
Maybe they're afraid the 'kill him' guy will get in front of a mic?
Maybe they're afraid that someone in the crowd will go off with some end-times spiel?
Whatever. bottom line - they don't want the media to find out what Palin's crowd really thinks.
October 6, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
McPalin might as well keep it up re: pissing on the press. sure isn't going to endear them to him and they have shown their cards:
hate rallys and no journalist access.
October 6, 2008 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm almost tempted to pose as a McSame supporter, attend a rally, and record some crowd reaction... If only I didn't have to cut my hair!
October 6, 2008 1:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a new type of "deregulation" on the part of mcShame and his campaign. If you have one candidate engaging in rabble rousing, making use of hate speech, whic encourages murderous comments against another candidate, then that is a serious security breach, which the secret service is bound to investigate!
The press absolutely should be following Palin at every stop she makes and every time she opens her mouth to speak with voters. Otherwise, she should withdraw from the race.
October 6, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
"which" encourages
October 6, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hell - the Secret Service needs to sit her down and have a serious talk with that bitch!
Are those heels that are on (while the gloves are off) her fuckme pumps?
October 6, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK, where was the FBI or Secret Service when that guy yelled?
October 6, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hope that this hate mongering, and the effect "Kill him!" starts getting some attention.
And I hope that the Secret Service finds that gentleman, and investigates him.
October 6, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
As it happens, there were Secret Service agents there at the time. She has a detail, remember? If they heard it, I assure you it got their attention. That kind of shit kicks off a spinal reflex in those guys.
October 6, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Josh, or any other TPM crew! Post this WaPo stuff on the front page please. This should get serious attention!
October 6, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Next step: hand out brown shirts and let the crowd loose to go find houses with Obama/Biden signs in their yards.
October 6, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can the adults please step in here? If there are no adults left in the republican party, then god help us all!
October 6, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
CORRECTION: its about the ECONOMY STUPID! PERIOD. McPalin would best served by focusing on the issues and NOT personal character, because if McPalin wants to go down that route they will surely lose.
October 6, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
In a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Monday afternoon, 59 percent of those questioned say that its very or somewhat likely that another depression could occur in the United States.
October 6, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah and then I ask my husband if it's really that bad I get:
"Would please take it easy - it goes up and down. It will go back up."
Yeah it will, but this is fucking scary just the same.
October 6, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Especially for folks in their 80's and 90's - the demographic of my parents...
October 6, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, it does go back up eventually. Why it only took the Dow forty years to get back to its 1929 peak.
October 6, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have posted John McCain's Keating Economics Full Thirteen minutes of video.
Go to this link, and click it on up. Thanks.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/10/john-mccains-keating-economics.php
October 6, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
That Keating Economics video is quite a production and by no means something churned out over-night. They had been working on this for months now and it shows.
October 6, 2008 12:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are some audio blanks in the 13 minute video it seems like.
October 6, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
How the hell is Bush's approval rating up to 32% (see http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/polltracker/bush/) I thought that at some point even the undead have to say down.
October 6, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
O Noes! 32%
We're dooooooooooomed.
October 6, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe Bush is looking not quite as bad anymore, in comparison to the prospect of a McCain/Palin presidency.
October 6, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
David Axelrod? Soupy Sales? David Zurfluh?
October 6, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
In reply to The Lovely Tena.
....new software my Aunt Annie's fanny....
October 6, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is McCain's campaign, foremost. If the unthinkable happens and McCain wins, this chaos, I bet, would just be a harbinger.
October 6, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, now McCain says he did nothing wrong. Is there nothing he won't lie about. Next up: Cindy is my first and only wife.
October 6, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
For twenty years?
Oh, wrong thread....
October 6, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This whole line of attack is very sexist and unmavericky.
October 6, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wait a minute here. The Keating Five inquiry was a partisan scheme to get MCCAIN? If it was, then those must have been some of the most incompetent partisans in the history of the known universe The other four Keating Five Senators (Cranston, DiConcini, Glenn and Riegle) were all DEMOCRATS! Some these supposedly partisan investigators were willing to kneecap four of their own party's sitting Senators in order to get a relatively new and largely unheard-of Republican?
Riiiiiiggggghhhhhhht.
October 6, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I love this point. They can't credibly call the Keating 5 a partisan witch hunt due to the fact that the other four are Democrats -- including one REAL American hero, John Glenn. So, I think this is as far as it goes from the McCain camp. And, Obama's website will likely speak for itself, and no commentary by the campaign will be necessary. Love it!
October 6, 2008 1:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I read that conference call excerpt - my oh my. I guess they are determined to go down in a flurry of agression, otherwise known as a tantrum. You'd think McPain would be somewhat concerned about coming out of this with a shred or two of his carefully contructed reputation intact. I guess he has made the decision to burn out rather than fade away.
October 6, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
: : : carefully constructed reputation : : :
October 6, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
He can forget VA now...
October 6, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
HusseinTenaX:
"Way too late!
He's lost those states - he lost Florida with his "health care plan" which is paid for by medicare cuts -
Who is in charge of this campaign for the love of god? It's ridiculous."
You're absolutely right...a total reactionary candidacy. Hell he skips weekends, read the Rolling Stone article, that should tell you the story, he's basically Bush with a campaign with less drive and no issue to scare the public with...
October 6, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tosh,
Georgia will go down in flames too...though I would keep an eye out for a trend of voting irregularities there.
But definitely NC and GA will go for Obama, SC may be a lost cause...BUT I believe that the white vote will be down...even southern whites are done with his economics...they just won't vote. This is the only way he BO will win SC.
October 6, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
They are definitely afraid of the "true believers" doing something stupid to the east coast media, or worse saying something stupid...with Palin, they really are scrapping up the worse of the worst...the funny part is I bet half the redneck males at the rally probably aren't even registered to vote.
October 6, 2008 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink