McCain Camp Lies Again: There Are No Private Beaches In Hawaii

Flailing furiously after their candidate's ridiculously elitist gaffe today, the McCain camp goes into the lie volcano:

Oliver Willis searches for Hawaii's mythical private beaches while snorkeling at one of Hawaii's public beaches

"'Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?'"

There are no private beaches in Hawaii.

Hawaii has no private beaches. Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his youth there, visited relatives during his vacation and joined members of the public swimming and surfing in the ocean.

You see, real estate magnates like John McCain are used to swimming in private beaches and hot tubs behind their high fences, they wouldn't dare to swim in a pool where the ... horrors ... public swims. Sen. Obama has no such concerns, however.

More detail here. And Sen. Obama bought the land from Rezko for more than the appraised value.

More coverage at OliverWillis.com

Follow Oliver Willis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/owillis

Comments

[JaneEyrez]

I think Obama should say in all of his stump speeches that his supportors should donate $10 every time McCain tells a lie about him... except he's afraid it would bankrupt his supporters.

[soonerdru]

How do you know if Republicans are lying? When you hear them talking.

[noamjunior]

given the complete dishonesty of nearly every communication coming from the McCain campaign, how can the TV media continue to ignore the pattern of lies that has engulfed McCain's campaign?

[gopindrag]

McCains who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!

[swift goat pet for truth]

O went body surfing at Sandy's. it is a public beach. Parking is free.

O went snorkling at Hanauma. Parking $1per car. Entrance per person over 12 years old is $5 per.

For everyone.

[CalGoldenBear]

For those who have never been to Hawaii and the island of Oahu, Sandy Beach as well as Hanauma Bay are beach parks, operated by the City & County of Honolulu's Parks Department.

[TroubleNYC]

Wait, he's (still) trying to paint Obama as the elitist because he made $4 million last year... but according to McCain that's not rich. I mean, rich is $5 million or over.

Oh wait, I forgot. McCain does not speak for McCain.

[NDNlady]

So Barack Obama made $4 million last year?? But Johnny, according to you, that's NOT rich! So yeah, let's discuss who has so many houses they can't remember them all when so many people are losing their ONE house. Or have never been able to afford to buy a house at all. Or worse, are homeless.

[swift goat pet for truth]

McCain pays more in taxes than $4 mil.

[roald]

I doubt that. The truly rich finds ways to hide their wealth from the tax man.

[Querent]

Prove it.

[JNail]

Gosh, another McCain lie! I am aghast..

[standard]

Actually (per Wikipedia), Niihau, the smallest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands, has been privately owned since 1864 and "is generally off-limits to all but relatives of the island's owners, U.S. Navy personnel, government officials and invited guests."

Therefore, there ARE private beaches in Hawai'i.

As Obama wasn't on Niihau, McCain was wrong. Even so, let's keep the record spotlessly accurate.

[CalGoldenBear]

Mr. Willis is correct that there are no private beaches in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Supreme Court, in "in re Ashford," 50 Haw. 314 (1968) and again in County of Hawaii v. Sotomura, 55 Haw. 176 (1973), held that the State of Hawaii owned all oceanside land up to the upper wash of the waves as evidenced by the vegetation line.

As a result, some private landowners in beachside communities like Lanikai, which is right next to Kailua where the Obama family and friends stayed during their visit, in years past planted grass or other shrubs that could survive in a salty environment to extend their property seaward.

A number of oceanfront landowners have also put in locked gates at public access points between the road and the beach in order to thwart public access to the beaches.

[standard]

Thank you for that!

Assuming that those rulings extend to Niihau, I happily stand corrected.

I just want all attacks on McCain to be unassailable.

[BethStuart]

Good point. By law, all beaches in Hawaii are public.

[Aloisius]

Anyone who has lived in Hawaii can tell you that all beaches are public by law in Hawaii. There must also be public access to the beach (i.e. a walkway between beachfront houses). You can walk right onto beaches that hotels are on and sit in front of ten million dollar homes and no one will bother you.

Some of the best beaches in Hawaii are "hidden" like this. Luckily for locals, most tourists stick to easily accessible beaches that have parking lots and what not.

[CalGoldenBear]

Some of the Waikiki beachfront hotels have resorted to the ploy of setting up folding canvas chairs in the area between what should be their property line and the water, then roped the area off for the use of their customers.

The result is to encroach on or even severely limit the public's use of the prime Waikiki beaches fronting the hotels.

[demfriend]

Mad Man Mccain is his name and lies are his game, over and over and over again. That Obama made money off of book sales isn't even mentioned. That Obama paid off his student loans as well as Michelles with book sales isn't mentioned. That Mccain is still to be considered an adulterer because he was "fooling around" courting Cindy while very married tot he first wife who no longer met his standards. Oh and it might be considered that Mccain did look at the bank balance of Cindy's prior to the selection of her even though she was "model" material. What he lies about is very harmful and it shows what low moral charactor he has to say anything andd do anything to win the office I doubt he has ever deserved. If a serial killer had crashed landed in vietnam and been held prisoner for over five years then come home and killed a whole lot of people who would give him the pass Mccain gets? Not calling Mac a serial killer but saying the mere being held a POW doesn't alter the charactor of the man nor should it automatically make him a hero for life.

[mommamia526]

Well, you know, even if there were a private beach? So, what? I am living on mostly social security and I ocasionally swim on a...gasp...private beach! Now, how do I do that? A family member rents a small apartment in a former hotel, and this building has...a private beach! Sometimes, not too often, I am invited to share or use the apartment. I go downstairs, hang around the pool for a while and then go through the gate an on to the private beach! A beach is a beach is a beach! Sand and water. And, so, Obama bought a piece of property from a guy with some excess bagage? At least he bought it. And, you know, you may be living in a house which once belonged to a person with...who knows what, and in fact, there may be a lien against that person for I do not know how much, and you may not have one thing to do with that. Still, those money owed to, may come *and look to you to pay it off*. Because? Because that person once owned that particular piece of property. That is why. And, what do YOU know about that real estate agent, who once upon a time...Oh, forget it. I want universala healthcare. My friends and kids want jobs. We all want to pay less for heating, cooling, transportation and groceries. And, oh, yeah, some would like to go to College and University.

[judyc]

Actually, he didn't but the house FROM Rezko. He bought the house from a doctor and his wife after making 3 offers. Rezko's wife then bought the lot next door.

There seems to be a real misconception that he bought the house from Rezko.

[noamjunior]

it's not a misconception- It is a lie spread by Republicans