McCain Still Wistful for "Charlie Keating's Shangri-la"

I write about John McCain's shady dealings with the felonious financier Charlie Keating in this section of Rolling Stone's current cover story -- which includes Charlie Keating's bald declaration that he was, indeed, buying favors from the politicians whose war chests he larded.

But there's quite a bit more about their relationship that comes from McCain himself, in his memoir Worth the Fighting For.

McCain's account is replete with details of unrepentant entanglements and top-dollar favors that would make Jack Abramoff blush.

McCain and Keating were much more than "social friends" as McCain's lawyer said on a conference call today. They were political business partners.

Charlie Keating, his family and associates donated over $100,000 for my first campaign, and for each of the two that followed. That was a hell of a lot of money in those days.... Supporters like Charlie were not easy to come by for a first-time candidate, and I made damn sure that he knew how much I appreciated his support.

More important, I became friends with Charlie, his family, and many of the top executives and employees of his company. [pp. 59]

And...

He was as close to the archetype of the high-flying eighties chief executive as anyone I had encountered, and he was a hell of a lot of fun to be around.

On several occasions, he invited Cindy and me to his beautiful vacation retreat at Cat Cay in the Bahamas, flying us there, with our infant daughter, Meghan, and her nanny, on his private jet....

He entertained us lavishly, as was his style. We would all crowd on his yacht, off for a day of swimming and snorkeling, and then return for another extravagant party with the best wine, food, and entertainment available...

I would be lying if I were to deny... just how eagerly I awaited invitations to Charlie Keating's Shangri-la. [pp. 60]

Comments

[Oldchef]

Somehow, McCain has always been able to skirt serious investigation of his ties with Keating, although, of the 5 senators, he was the one closest to Keating and the one with family business ties. Whether a result of special consideration for his years as a POW or what, he has always gotten a pass on his associations. Now that he wants Obama pilloried for a tenuous association with a reformed domestic terrorist, whose crimes occured while Obama was 8 years old and thousands of miles away, McCain's association with Keating (close and continuing while Keating was carrying out his crimes) should be gone into thoroughly.

[fran-pan]

everyone should read your article. it is very informative and frightening. thank you for showing us the
real john mccain.it shows howa man who is thought of as a hero is allowed to get away with almost
anything.he shouldn't be called to account for his failings because he suffered as a p.o.w. he is allowed to lie about others and accuse them of his own failings. i hope the truth gets out in time..
thank-you..

[Nia1999]

I guess when McCain fool heartedly decided to bring up the Ayers situation, he opened up a new can of whup %$# for the Obama campaign!

[demfriend]

And yet McCain was slapped by Congress and allowed to stay on wiht his promise to make amends and never ever be seen is the same light again. Yeah sure. Dowd the lawyer also said McCain had no clue about the strip mall the Cindy familiy invested in when McCain hinself said the guy who ran the Cindy Family investments told him in advance and he paid it little mind at the time. Now the GOP and McCain are saying the Keating mess has not one thing to do with today and yesterdays' news but how different is it? McCain's camp is flooded with lobbyists and he has been selling out in faovrs right and left to stay in the campaign at all and this all speaks to pandering for votes and money and influence peddling all tied together. Is this a change at all? McCain's son was "removed" from a S&L type situtation closer to Keating than we probably can find out. But right now we are in a finacial meltdown without end and the very idea that one who sees nothing wrong with selling his influence to companies can also lead seperate from them?

[citizenoftheworld]

Thanks for the great article, that you wrote about
McCain.
The world needs to know this.

Erratic is a very kind word for the man.