John McCain Cancels Habitat For Humanity Event

The McCain campaign sent out a press release this morning, announcing a schedule change:

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that the McCain family's appearance at the Twin Cities Habitat For Humanity build site on Thursday, September 4, 2008 has been canceled.

My partner in vlog, Ana Marie Cox, made quick note of the change, twittering:

How anti-press is the McCain campaign? They just canceled a Habitat for Humanity PHOTO OP. Because it has to do with "houses"? Go figure!

Indeed. How could McCain maintain his sense of press victimization against the backdrop of people building homes for people who look forward to being able to one day say, "I know exactly how many homes I own! One! Just the one!"

But another part of the reason McCain canceled the outing is because last night, his campaign went out of its way to slag community organizers, defaming them for not having any "actual responsibilities." Habitat For Humanity, as it happens, is one of the biggest brand names in community organizing -- they maintain a massive network of individual donors, are capable of mobilizing an equally impressive volunteer base to contribute labor to the cause, and have a global reach. It's not a bad idea at all to associate one's own brand with Habitat's. But after last night, I have to imagine that McCain would have found it difficult to face the community organizers of Habitat For Humanity.

And now, a special message for Governor Sarah Palin:

Comments

[houseofglass]

So, he reverted on a promise to meet with people who build homes for the homeless...because HE might look bad? Anyway, that video response to Sarah Palin was good enough for it's on post. Doesn't need to be hid behind another one of JM's senior moments.

[Margij]

He will probably cancel the one on 9/11 with Obama about Service to our Nation

[keepemhonest]

McCain was forced to change his schedule. Habitat said YOU AND THAT WOMAN WHO LAUGHED AT US ARE NOT WELCOME-- GO TO ONE OF YOUR 7 HOMES DUDE!

Video above was AWESOME!

[DrFrescas]

Nice video!

[AndrewInToronto]

There is something disturbingly appropos in McCain cancelling a photo-op with an organization, the name of which is "Habitat for Humanity."

[JLee]

And here I was, thinking community organizers were non-controversial. I would've thought Republicans would love them, since they're all about self-reliance, which the GOP purports to champion, and change, which is the purported theme of their campaign this year. There are a lot of community organizers doing great work out there, I don't understand why they should be maligned for political purposes.

[rangem]

what did they refuse to build one for him and cindy

[MadJeffersonian]

He was scared he might run into Jimmy Carter.

[RedKnuckles]

He probably canceled when he found out that HFH wasn't building the house for him.

[RedKnuckles]

It's kind of ironic that Palin slammed community organizers her acceptance speech, while in the same speech talking about Obama's bitter comments. Looks like she got snared in her own trap..

[truthynesslover]

He doesnt want the video of him to be used against him since he has NINE houses.too bad i can see the ads in my head!

[margardner]

McCain doesn't do anything unless it's to his advantage and he knows the script.
Unlike Obama who did very well with Oreilly this evening. It was a good interview. Oreilly asked fair questions and Obama had non-evasive answers.
McCain does most things for photo-ops only.

[margardner]

Great video, let me just add, Cesar Chavez of California. A community organizer who fought hard for the rights, the basic rights like bathrooms, drinking water and breaks, for migrant workers. Workers who this country many times exploits. But then again, you may not even know what a Mexican migrant worker is.
Shame on you Sarah Palin, shame on you!

[Jingo]

McCain cancelled his appearance after he was disappointed to find that Habitat For Humanity is not, in fact, a zoo full of poor people.

[majorteddy]

Actually, Cindy had the event cancelled when she found out she couldn't just buy a poor person and take it home and put it in a pen.Great video. There were a lot of other great community organizers in American history, but the Republicans are great at ridiculing anybody that is not a manager or owner. Doctors , what do they know? Engineers, they don't know anything.They don't even know how to design something properly. Economists, what do they know about the economy. Our tax cut for the rich models will work best.They dismiss the accomplishments of anybody who isn't them.How ignorant.

[truthynesslover]

You mean like her adopted daughter?Where is she, cleaning the nine houses?

[helonias]

You really can't blame Sarah she just read the words on the teleprompter.

[LCRover001]

That's like saying well you can't blame the guy who pulled the leaver to drop those gas canisters on the people in the concentration camps he was just doing his job.

[AndrewInToronto]

"The mouth is the quill of the heart," as the Chofetz Chaim said, even if she has CHOSEN to speak someone else's words.