McCain's Gambling Problem: Campaign Has Massive Ties To Gambling Industry

Senator John McCain was on a roll. In a room reserved for high-stakes gamblers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, he tossed $100 chips around a hot craps table. When the marathon session ended around 2:30 a.m., the Arizona senator and his entourage emerged with thousands of dollars in winnings.

A lifelong gambler, Mr. McCain takes risks, both on and off the craps table. He was throwing dice that night not long after his failed 2000 presidential bid, in which he was skewered by the Republican Party's evangelical base, opponents of gambling. Mr. McCain was betting at a casino he oversaw as a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and he was doing so with the lobbyist who represents that casino, according to three associates of Mr. McCain.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ObserverinVancouver]

The thing that shocked me most was his link to Mafioso Joe Bonanno (who had "retired" to Arizona). The story said, essentially, that Bonanno had invited McCain to his 90th birthday party and McCain sent regrets and a birthday card. You have no control over someone sending you an invitation. It is good manners to reply even though just to say no. But why on earth did Sen.McCain send Bonanno a birthday card? I tried unsuccessfully to find something about the connection between Sen. McCain and Bonanno prior to the birthday party. So I wonder how well they were acquainted. It seems fair to ask questions about this.

This connection appears to me to be way more questionable than Sen. Obama's ties to William Ayers.

[DonDavis]

McCain's REAL Gambling Problem: Rolls a 'Snake Eyes'
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=3577

[deeppeace]

You can see the gambler nature in his whole campaign. Palin was a crap shoot.

[SherryIndianapolis]

The addictive behaviors in that family alone...


WOW>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

[bubblebee]

This is why he did a marathon to Washington DC to wait for the 700 handout so he could then run to the casino. Now I know where all our money went. He will gamble the entire country starting with Alaska.

[dhertzfe]

I sent the link of the NYT article to my born again Christian cousin. BAM! She will now vote for Obama! Another convert to reality and sanity. I wonder how many other TRUE Christian conservatives will do the same?

[mwestorca]

This information about McCain's hobby of big stakes gambling fits with everything we know about him. He's a fighter pilot and flies by the seat of his pants. He loves taking risks. He loves barnstorming and grandstanding. His temperament is that of a gambler. We can't afford a gambler as president. We need a cool, thoughtful, perceptive leader.

I wonder whether this information will turn off some of the religious right base. I've never understood what they saw in McCain. He was at the bottom of his class in Annapolis - a womanizer, rule-breaker, and party boy. When he got back from Vietnam, he was unfaithful to his wife, had an affair, and then married for money. He curses and gambles. He's reckless. He's a spendthrift - multiple houses, multiple cars. He's not even technically a Christian - says he's never been baptized, though he does attend a Baptist church occasionally.

By contrast, Obama sowed a few early wild-oats, settle down, got top grades, graduated at the top of his class, is married to one woman, an apparently faithful husband, has one house, one car, and spent his early career working for the good of others. He's thoughtful, intelligent, calm and reasoned. And he was baptized as an adult - made a decision for Christ, goes to church regularly. So why isn't he the darling of the religious right? He lives more like they think people ought to than McCain does.

Go figure!

[moongal6]

I enjoyed your post, however, I must correct you.
JOHN MCCAIN WAS NEVER A FIGHTER PILOT.
He was a bomber pilot.
He dropped bombs on human beings and buildings.
He never saw combat.
The only time he pays any attention to America's Indigenous people is to gamble at their casinos.
Other than that, he authors senate bills that move them off their tribal lands to toxic waste dumps so coal companies can move in and start mining.
Send that to the religious right.

[WolfLarsen]

Don't sweat it John....just take all your dirty laundry to Cheney and he will have Halliburton clean it for 99 dollars a load.

[thinkworklivelove]

McSame's actual record is bringing him down. He says one thing, but the facts reveal something completely different. Millionaire McSame (nine homes, thirteen cars, ) is not the guy for America. Thank you Media for doing your job and scrutinizing the actual records.

[FatherKindly]

I'm still waiting to see this reported on MSNBC or CNN. Nobody besides the Huffington Post seems willing to touch it. I think it's dead in the water.

Too bad.

[kcam44]

DEAD IN THE WATER, LIKE MCCAIN'S CAMPAIGN

[honeydiva]

the nyt is going to bring him down if it's the last thing they do. he knows it.

[TJoad]

Here"s a solution to the Wall Street meltdown: "The McCain $100 Billion Gambling-Palooza"!

Congress should authorize that $100 Billion be given to McCain for an all-out, balls-to-the-wall, 72-hour weekend gambling binge (televised live on Fake News). If McCain's lucky, he'll win a trillion dollars at the craps table, saving the taxpayers the expense of the bailout and winning the election after his ballsy display of leadership. (And if he loses, well, at least it would be fun to watch).

[darker]

MCCAIN = TOO MUCH BAGGAGE
MCCAIN = TOO MANY SKELETONS IN HIS MANY CLOSETS.
Not to mention S. Palin.
no thanks. No more years of republican shenanigans and hoodwinking the public.
I CAN'T AFFORD republicans any more.
They don't know how to govern!

[thinkworklivelove]

Tell it like it is!

[ECB]

I'll put my bet "on black".

[fedupwiththis]

This is rich! Tucker Bounds questioning someone else's credibility! Mr. Bounds, I think Campbell Brown has yours in her desk drawer.

[CircleofHealth]

Did he pay taxes on his gains-- or take deductions from his losses? Or dId he supposedly lose every time?

Here a law prof comments on the tax implications of McCain's gambling:

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2008/07/why-hasnt-mccai.html