How Much Did McCain Pay for the Hillary Handbook?

And whatever it was he was ripped off. I know McCain's war chest seems more like a glove compartment compared to Obama's but still, buying your campaign playbook from the loser of the last race doesn't make any sense. It would be like plagiarizing last year's Laker's strategy when it was your team's turn against the Celtics.

It really seems that the only voting bloc McCain is courting these days is that of the Angry Old Man.

Not since the NAACP convention has McCain made a single non-vituperative comment about Obama. Instead, McCain's answer to "Yes, we can," seems to be "HEY YOU KIDS. GET THE HELL OFF MY LAWN!"

Before this campaign I always had a bit of a soft spot for McCain, the lone Republican to stand up to the Bush disaster. Two years ago I assumed the two nominees would have been McCain and Hillary and although I would have voted for Hillary, I didn't really think there would be that big of a difference.

Well, that well of good will has long-since dried up. Much has been made of McCain's scurrilous contention that Obama is a traitor who would rather lose the war than a political contest, but it was McCain's reptilian smile after delivering the line that sent a chill down my spine. I've seen him charming and light on the Daily Show but it really seems that the main substance flowing through his veins these days is hate. How else to explain the ad his camp is running now saying Obama would rather play basketball than visit wounded troops? If that came from some rich right wing nut I would have just shrugged it off but to hear, "I'm John McCain and I approve this message" at the end was a shock. When George Bush and Karl Rove spread the rumor that McCain had an illegitimate black baby they at least had the good sense to cover their asses with plausible deniability.

(This from the man who obstructed the latest GI Bill, and seems willing to cripple our own armed forces, watch al Qaeda reconstitute and the Taliban retake Afghanistan, all so he can tell himself that we won the war in Iraq.)

Senator McCain, a friendly hint from the opposition: instead of trying to get us to believe that a calm, charming, educated man is actually craven, ignorant and traitorous, try telling Americans how you'd plan on righting this listing ship of state.

Comments

[Kache]

How else was she going to pay off her debt? I bet McC paid a bundle of Cindy's money for it.

[Lu4PUMA]

Do you have any idea how hypocritical it is to say things like that on a forum accusing others about sleazy smear tactics?

[Stew118]

John McCain is doing precisely what republicans should do. It was HIllary who employed the GOP style tactics against Obama earlier this year. Whether he wins or not (and I believe he will) the Clinton's legacy will be severly tarnished. John McCain's legacy has been largely airbrushed and dosctored by the media.

[Lu4PUMA]

When sombody runs for President of the United States they get subjected to scrutiny by the voters and the opposition. The idea that people are not allowed to say "negative" things about the candidate is just a manipulative tactic to try to silence opposition. Just what is it that you refer to as "the GOP style tactics " that were employed by Clinton? Specifics?

[Talwar]

Saying that you are ready to be commander in chief and so is the republican nominee, but not your fellow Democratic candidate.
Inflating your resume with blatant lies like Bosnian snipe fire
Ads that darken the features of your opponent to increase racial tensions
So basically, scare tactics and fear mongering, making your opponent look weak on security and Defense, that's been the Republican play book for decades. Hillary just happened to copy them.

[mypov123]

Oh, so it's "fair game" to scrutinize somebody who's running for President? Then why was the Clinton campaign constantly complaining about the scrutiny they were receiving for their sleazy campaign tactics? Anytime they were criticized, they cried "sexism" as the reason people were opposing them, it seems pretty hypocritical when you think there's nothing wrong with criticizing your opponent in every possible way, but you don't want the same level of scrutiny because you think you're entitled to the presidency.

[taitracee]

I dont know how much he paid for it, but it should come with a money back gaurentee becaus it was a failed book, it didnt work for Hillary, It BACKFIRED ..... so I say use it McSame see where it gets you.

[Lu4PUMA]

Are you sure it was the "book"? Maybe it had more to do with Patti Solis Doyle, Clinton's earlier campaign manager who ran so ineffectively against Obama and then was later "hired" by the Obama Campaign after leaving Clinton's. I guess it was a coincidence that Clinton's Campaign picked right up and was very successful after that.

[BillForObama]

Lo4Puma,

How do you mean Rodham's campaign picked up? One might say, too little too late, if it did pickup. It was TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE, right after Super Tuesday.

I guess you will also think twice about PRIMARYing out of turn, NEXT TIME.

[LeftLeanWing]

How much did McCain pay ?


Ans: 6 drops of Essence of Terror ; 5 cups of Sinister Sauce

[jazzlover824]

My response was posted without my check spelling or finishing it.
Hillary has nothing to do without the MCCain campaign. If you saw any of the Black in American series last week you would understand whether you want to believe it or not this is still the most racist nation in the world. All other countries copied the American system of segregation on how to keep the races apart. Before this is all over you will understand what your MOMMY and DADDY have been telling you for years. It is still here and McCain and the republicans have just started.

[Lu4PUMA]

Trey,

That just stinks, assigning these tactics to Clinton. She tried to warn her Party that Obama would be subject to scrutiny that he could not stand up to. And that the GOP would be way worse than anything that she ever dished out. So here we are. DON"T BLAME CLINTON!

[Pollitrix]

Puma,

The reason he can blame Clinton is that she gave the Repubs half of there talking points by being Rovishly, mean herself

[Lu4PUMA]

They already had them. And alot more. They just do not start using it until after Labor Day. They are just coasting right now, building up their dirt and their funds. McCains Campaign appears to be behind Obama's on funds but the GOP is holding of $50 Million while the DNC has less than $4 Million. (opensecrets.org)

[theplaintrutho1]

I have no real measure of the type of President O will make should He win.

Make no mistake about this though, the article is about Hills giving credence and authority to "Where no one has gone before". Not even Reps would dared touch the kind of issues that Hills put out there. The perception would have been disastrous. Hills gave them the okay.
It's like, an A.A. getting on one of their own, Jacko for instance, it suddenly becomes "fair-game" for all others.

The majority of Dems knew what she was doing then, and know what, why and how it's happening for the Rush-Lim side now.
Most A.A.'s never heard of O and was on her side until bill went spastic after Iowa. Still on her side until, finally enough was enough.
You all know what I'm talking about, throw the Blacks under the bus strategy.

[Lu4PUMA]

I do not know what you mean by "what she was doing then," or "the kind of issues the Hills put out there. I think you are blowing smoke. The GOP has already gone past anything I saw and they have only gotten started. Wait until after Labor Day.

I do not think that you speak for A.A.'s and Obama threw them under the bus back in June so he could get his membership into the DNC Good 'ol Boys Club and get those delegates. Od didn't you notice?

[mypov123]

Obama didn't throw anyone under the bus, don't compare his efforts to Bill Clinton's "Sister Souljah" moment, because it's not the same thing. And it wasn't until Hillary was behind in the delegate count that she started her one-woman crusade to count the votes in FL and MI. Crying sexism because not everyone is flocking to support you doesn't work.

[justobserve]

I thought Hillary took from the Repub book, not the other way around!

[idest]

Shameless, sleazy tactics are shameless, sleazy tactics no matter who is using them.

[Lu4PUMA]

You want to see some sleazy tactics for winning elections, try this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-B_G5SczZtY

[IowaKid]

Be careful of the backlash to come.

[SunnyCA]

Hillary's media-control trick worked brilliantly...let's HOPE at least somebody among the so called pundits who attempt to brainwash the American electorate daily will use their own brain this time! ...unless there was a corporate interest even behind the drive to serve up Clinton to McCain & Co.

Although with the latest swift boating of Obama about wounded soldiers that's been going on plus the utter failure of anyone in the media, to highlight the following exchange from McCain's interview on ABC last Sunday:

STEPHANOPOULOS: So, that means payroll tax increases are on the table, as well?

MCCAIN: There is nothing that's off the table. I have my positions, and I'll articulate them. But nothing's off the table.

(This Week with George Stephanopoulos. July 27, 2008)

[Lu4PUMA]

What are you are talking about? Obama was the big Money Machine. He was the one feeding the Media Hog. He has spent way more than Clinton did and 3X what McCain did. Just check out Opensecrets.org and look at expenditures- media.

[Kache]

Hon, he RAISED way more than she did.

We put our money where his mouth is at. That's how it's supposed to work.

She loaning her campaign 10M out of her hubby's speaking fees while McC borrowed 10M of his wife's beer money. At least Mitt's wife had the good sense to cut him off.

[Talwar]

Oh, right, I forgot that it was Obama who fed "the Media Hog" those stories on flag lapel pins and all those videos of Reverend Wright
And how dare he spend the money that so many of people have donated to his campaign! He should have led an idiotic campaign and put it millions in debt.

[eden4barack08]

-"Before this campaign I always had a bit of a soft spot for McCain, the lone Republican to stand up to the Bush disaster."-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ieHwOm4ljA

[jsinclair]

Charlie Black and Mark Penn co-wrote the book. I think McCain and Hillary were jointly reading it (and sharing chapters out loud) back in the primaries.

The worst part of McCain's lie about "playing basketball" instead of visiting the troops, is the total intentional dishonesty of it because they all know...Obama was playing WITH THE TROOPS!!! IN AFGHANISTAN!!!!!

As for McCain being "the lone Republican to stand up to the Bush disaster"-- isn't that a big MEDIA LIE, too???

What about Lincoln Chaffee, Chuck Hagel, and Olympia Snowe, just to name a few of the most outspoken moderate Republicans?

McCain has voted with Bush 95% of the time and has, according to the NYT, an even more conservative agenda.

I think the "maverick, independent" is more fiction than fact, at least at this point.

[knighthowl]

I think the "maverick, independent" is more fiction than fact, at least at this point.

It always has been and always will be more fiction than fact.

[FairandBalanced08]

She gave it away. How else would she still be 20 mil in debt? Just kidding Hillary, I like you. That said I hope McCain doesn't change his strategy anytime soon.

[disqo21]

he's showing all his cards wayyy early in the game...

[Lu4PUMA]

Actually, Hillary Clinton had cash flow problems between her Presidential and Primary funds more so than real debt. Obama far outspent her (opensecrets.org) . That debt is probably gone by now. Watch for the July closing on her Campaign.

[Boadicea]

McCain is running a typical Republican campaign a la Rove. Very typical, we've heard it all before.
Attack patriotism, check.
Attack support of troops, check.
Attack character, check.
Attack where you're weak yourself, check.
Complain about liberal media, check.

Hillary's idiot advisors had her taking some plays from the Republican playbook, but they backfired because this whole country is sick of this nasty, useless kinda sh*t.

Let McCain continue with it, it will get him nowhere.

[memphispaul]

The biggest joke concerning John McCain is that he is "authentic".
McCain is as manufactured as they come. The thing is that he was manufactured to be the third admiral in a row from his family and he failed to achieve that goal.
He decided that after a tour as the Naval liaison to the congress and being set up with Cindy that the life of a politician was for him. Since that choice was made he and his handlers have decided to manufacture a maverick. It would appear as though he might well fail to achieve that goal as well.