Culver aides: McCain ignored request to cancel Iowa visit

DES MOINES, Iowa — An aide to Gov. Chet Culver said Thursday that Republican presidential candidate John McCain ignored the governor's request to cancel a campaign visit amid a massive flood recovery effort in the state.

McCain toured flood-damaged sites in Iowa on Thursday, including the town of Columbus Junction in the southeast.

Patrick Dillon, Culver's chief of staff, said the governor was concerned that McCain's trip would divert local law enforcement from the flood recovery effort to provide security for McCain.

David Roederer, who chairs McCain's campaign in Iowa, said McCain's trip didn't hamper Iowa's recovery operation. He said McCain proceeded with the visit because the campaign was providing much of its own security.

"There was really no state resources diverted," Roederer said.

The mayor of Columbus Junction, Dan Wilson, agreed.

"Certainly, Mr. McCain's visit today in no way hindered any relief efforts or any of our efforts on recovery or security or whatever we were working on," Wilson said. He said McCain's staff called him Wednesday night and Thursday to be sure the visit would not cause a problem.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama canceled a scheduled visit to eastern Iowa last week at the request of state officials.

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"As a courtesy _ and as we did for Senator Obama _ we privately made an effort to make sure that Senator McCain knew that state and local resources were still being deployed to support the flood fight and that now may not be the best time for a campaign trip," Dillon said in a statement.

Dillon's comments came as President Bush toured the state, and hundreds of law enforcement officers were diverted from flood recovery to provide security for him.

Culver, who endorsed Obama well before the primary campaign with rival Hillary Rodham Clinton was settled, is expected to be one of Obama's biggest supporters in Iowa during the general election.

Dillon said the issue was not about the election but about recovering from flooding.

"At the end of the day, it's not about politics but about what's best for Iowa," he said. "We hope any attention brought to the state _ from Senator McCain or any other leader _ will help bring assistance and enduring commitments to support Iowa's recovery."

Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin and Charles Grassley also have teamed for a tour of their own to see the flood damage.

While these high-profile politicians bring attention to the disaster, they cause headaches for hard-pressed law enforcement. Bush and McCain are protected by the Secret Service, and call in scores of local law enforcement to provide security during local appearances.

Comments

[kay]

McCain has to go to Iowa, he has to go to Georgia, he has to go to Alaska.

He's going to be very, very busy.

I read that his campaign has a "Big Ten" strategy. Does this mean he plans to win the Big Ten states?

I hope so. Is that delusional, or what? The Maverick is pinning his hopes on Minnesota?

[jkpcguru]

Sounds to me like McCain did a "Hillary Clinton Michigan job".

[rollingdivision]

In another post here the complaint is Bush didn't visit long enough and here the complaint is McCain visited.

[kay]

This won't make the news.

We're still talking about why Michelle Obama keeps forcing Cindy McCain to say mean things about Michelle Obama.

[Rescisco]

Politicians and disasters seem to go hand in hand.

[ErnestineBass]

ROFL!!! Ain't that the truth!

[kellygrrrl]

so he's not going to respect our requests either. big shock

[kay]

McCain backed Bush's veto of funds for Des Moines flood control, last year.

The money was going to Iowa, not Iraq, so it wasn't a priority.

[biffer]

Did he have any cake?

[TheRealMacDaddy]

But as his campaign made very very clear yesterday.­...HE WASN'T WITHIN 35 MILES OF PRESIDENT BUSH. LMAO

[Daly]

Kindred! McBush twins are connected by the common bound of twisted vision.

[kay]

He was lock-step with Bush on vetoing money for flood control in Iowa last year.

Can't dodge that.

[mom2sons]

Joe has got to go and Mika needs to be more substantive. Pat B has to go to as well as David Gregory who is such a wimp. As I watched yesterday, I said to myself, he learned nothing from Tim Russet. He was on such petty issues like Michelle and Cindy....I turned HGTV back on. He is pitiful. He should have stayed at the WH. I think he's worse than Tucker.

[ebanks84]

Absolutely correct.

[BigSid]

Sorry fellas, but Buchanan is a genius!

Joe would be great if he would only be truthful and have a consistent POV.

Mika contributes nothing of substances.

David Gregory is pathetic.

Chris Matthews is the worse.

The fundamental problem is that MSBNC is totally biased.

[Amennyc]

Same thoughts. Watching David Gregory made me want to vomit. He is so petty and insubstantial. He needs to go back to high school. Where his style of reporting works best.

[Amennyc]

Same thoughts. Watching David Gregory made me want to vomit. He is so petty and insubstantial. He needs to go back to high school. Where his style of reporting works best. What a joke.

[chic111]

Nobody is worse than Tucker. lol

[JennyJay]

McJerk's phoney visit to the sticken flood area . . Did they leave his walker on the plane, so he could look strong and tough?? Gov. Culver should have simply said - - - - -NO POLICE PROTECTION THIS WEEK - - -BECAUSE WE ARE JUST TOO BUSY RIGHT THIS MINUTE YOU SCUMBAG!

[jupitor]

He was forced to take public finance, because the Demacrates took him to task on securing a earlier loan useing the public finance as colateral for that loan! But unlike obama he has a rich wife and they found loop holes to use her plane and fuel cost to go all around the world without takeing a dime out of campagne money! Obama don't have a rich wife who they can sneak all kinds of funds for his campagne from! This is exactly what Mccain is going to have to be about! He will have to think of himself and his campagne and NO ONE alse now he's got limited funding. He doesn't care who it hurts or what it hurts in the long run! He cheats and get's away with it, and than expect obama to do exactly what he wants him to do And threatens to smear him if he don't! This was a simple stunt by mccain to get news coverage and so the people there say he cares, and Obama doesn't. Allhe did was cost that state money they don't have to pend on his lousy stunt.

[sandiegoconservative]

If memory serves me correctly, he opted out before he had to commit to that. Dems made it a big issue because they wanted to tout the public financing option because Obama was touting it. And now, it is no longer needed by him. Hmmm . . .

[scorpioleidy]

This is like an uninvited guest crashing your party ... unbelievable!!! They told him NOT to come and he came anyway ... just to get some much-needed coverage & publicity??? What an @$$!!!

[MickyD10]

And that gives a pretty good indication of his attitude when it comes to running this country as POTUS. IMO, McCain's I don't care what YOU want, I'll do as I damn well please attitude is very disrespectful of the Gov's request. McCain is no maverick, he's just a carbon copy of Bush. Only with a comb over.

[ebanks84]

He's as much an unwanted guest as he is an unwanted president.

[kay]

He backed President Bush's veto of money for flood control measures in Iowa.

That was a political stunt, too, actually. Back when McCain was a deficit hawk.

Back in the day, McCain made huge political hay out of backing Bush's infrequent vetoes. Always for funding for domestic projects. Always because we can't afford domestic spending.

I think it will probably come back to bite him. Americans are understandably upset that conservatives won't invest in US infrastructure.

[ebanks84]

The more we observe McCain, the more we can see his downright selfishness, arrogance, inconsistency, flip flopping, and total ignorance. I'm not surprised at anything he does.

[Grunty1]

Mc'Cain is B'ush Term 3 in policy and attitude.

[Obama4change]

I try watching MSNBC because I totally dislike CNN and I really like Keith Olbermann. He tells the truth everytime. One show I dislike with a passion because I feel that I am watching FAUX NEWS is the Morning show with Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan. They are really two disgusting politicans and should join Lanny Davis on FAUX NEWS. That show is never neutral. I actually did not miss Joe and wish they would replace him with the more personable Willie Geist. I think Keith O should do a "Worst Person in the World" on Joe.

[ebanks84]

I second that emotion. Everything you say is correct.

[scorpioleidy]

You are SO right; Joe & Pat are big-time repugnicans who never pass up an opportunity to insult or bash Barack and/or Michelle .... I think the only reason MSNBC keeps them on is because, I believe, Keith & Chris Matthews lean more left, whereas these two buffoons are solidly right, and it gives the impression that MSNBC is more fair---representing both sides---as opposed to Faux/ Fake/Fixed News ...

Now that Tim has gone to Heaven, I hope MSNBC gets rid of them!

[GemNY]

My biggest complaint about Joe is that he is factually incorrect much of the time and still spouts it as though it is truth. Mika and Willie G. are the balance point there.

Last night Keith read the entire statements made by Obama about the campaign finance and public money. This morning Joe represented the republican spin. Not news. Not even eloquent and fact based opinion. What Joe offers is simply spin and we've had enough of that to last us a lifetime!

[ebanks84]

You, me, and every American who can read and listen to him. He is so disappointing. You would think his rear was permanently positioned on a spinning top.

[ebanks84]

And he still has no respect for Mika.

[SaddieMcCall]

I wonder if having McCain in one city, and Bush 30-60 miles away at the same time had any impact on air traffic, or getting supplies in to the people?

[eggman]

If McCain wants to burnish his image by visiting a disaster zone, he should stop by his campaign headquarters more often.

[CindyM2008]

LOL

[ErnestineBass]

ZING! Good one.