Steven P. BarrettSenator Straight Talker -- Tell Us It Ain't So -- You CAN'T Be Walkin' & Talkin' With Reed
August 13th 2008 22:15
By Steven Barrett
Earlier today while checking through my email I came across a brief description of an Orble post by Mike Pouraryan on his blog "Outsider Views" connecting Senator John "Straight Talk" John McCain and the disgraced former so-called "Christian Coalition" leader Ralph Reed. None of it made a dime's worth of sense. So, Mr. Know-it-all-here, responded with a fairly long response intended to reassure anybody pulling for McCain that this wasn't possible.
Mr. Know-It-All isn't infallible and he sure as hell wasn't this morning when I wrote that response, even though the whole notion of Reed coming back to political life with a presumptive nominee like McCain who's made his disdain for special interests and greased-palm politics simple made no sense. It still doesn't, nor does Sen. Straight Talker's refusal to distance himself from Reed.
Really Long Link
According to a story posted yesterday in On The Hill by Susan Crabtree,
Here's a key paragraph I've quoted separately for effect:
If Reed's fellow Georgians felt he wasn't fit enough to occupy the state's chief funeral watcher's job, why the hell is McCain bothering with a losing local pol who -- along with his greedy-grubby pals like Jack Abramoff and Grover Norquist -- has no remaining political trustworthiness at all?
Poor old Ralph: Never original when he got started in politics and hasn't missed a beat in showing us he hasn't sharpened his act.
In their efforts to back-track from any residual association with the much disgraced Ralphie boy, GOP operatives were falling all over themselves trying to come up with excuses and blame shifting. It's sort of like watching the Marx Brothers play football. Unfortunately, like school kids caught in a playground tussle, they give the old "well, look at those guys, too" weasel excuse by pointing to some Democratic questionables. Nyahh, Nyahh, Nyahh.
This coming from a guy who made his bread n' butter arranging one fundraiser, one big party in Washington, one fancy fleece-job after another for decades? Never mind laughing out loud: try howling.
Referring to the investigation about his role in accepting Reservation/gambling during the Abramoff hearings, Reed reverts to his favorite trick: vagueness perfected to an artform.
That's not saying he couldn't be -- and he knows it -- because he knows he and Abramoff gave a lot of people in Washington and on Reservations across the country plenty of reasons to use them. And don't think for a moment he's not worried about the party affiliation of the next occupant of the Attorney General's Office. WIth this guy there's always more than just "good citizenship" as his leading modus operandi.
Few "Christian fundraisers" are as shameless in their methods as Ralph. (Well, Friar Tetzel who got Martin Luther all worked up with his little jingle about releasing a soul from purgatory through buying indulgences; and I'm not sure if Ralph's improved a lot on Tetzel's tact. Instead of releasing souls, he wants to release votes for Straight Talker.) But all's apparently going to be "forgiven."
Mr. Keene, get on your computer and type in -- Really Long Link
No doubt you'll be most enlightened. Pay CLOSE attention to what Michael Waller has to say about the Abramoff, Reed and Norquist clique. Real close.
This is priceless information in the hands of the Democrats because it shows the depths to which McCain will plumb to raise money and grovel for votes despite all his "straight talk" to clean house. John McCain has a "religion problem" as a politician, and it's not theological. It's just plain political carelessness from his earlier schmoozing with the now chastened former bigot megachurch pastor John Hagee to Ralph Reed who's nothing but a radioactive reminder of Jack Abramoff and Tom Delay. (He must be lurking somewhere in all this.)
Even if Reed's innocent, he's NOT like Caesar's wife who had to be purer than Caesar at a time when everybody's going to be wary of him and any association he brings to McCain.
If McCain has any brains at all, he'd get rid of this contemporary Tetzel who's using McCain's campaign as a means to rehabilitate his sorry politcal rear and worm his way back into positions of influence.
Earlier today while checking through my email I came across a brief description of an Orble post by Mike Pouraryan on his blog "Outsider Views" connecting Senator John "Straight Talk" John McCain and the disgraced former so-called "Christian Coalition" leader Ralph Reed. None of it made a dime's worth of sense. So, Mr. Know-it-all-here, responded with a fairly long response intended to reassure anybody pulling for McCain that this wasn't possible.
Reed on Time
Really Long Link
According to a story posted yesterday in On The Hill by Susan Crabtree,
Republican presidential candidate John McCain so far is ignoring calls from several watchdog groups to cancel an Atlanta fundraiser promoted by Ralph Reed, a longtime friend and business partner of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and Campaign Money Watch are urging the Arizona senator to cancel plans for the Aug. 18 fundraiser at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta and remove Reed from McCain’s Victory 2008 Team.
Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), and Campaign Money Watch are urging the Arizona senator to cancel plans for the Aug. 18 fundraiser at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta and remove Reed from McCain’s Victory 2008 Team.
Here's a key paragraph I've quoted separately for effect:
Reed lost his 2006 campaign for Georgia lieutenant governor in large part because of details about his relationship with Abramoff — much of the information uncovered by McCain’s Indian Affairs Committee investigation into the wide-ranging lobbying corruption scandal.
If Reed's fellow Georgians felt he wasn't fit enough to occupy the state's chief funeral watcher's job, why the hell is McCain bothering with a losing local pol who -- along with his greedy-grubby pals like Jack Abramoff and Grover Norquist -- has no remaining political trustworthiness at all?
The watchdog groups reacted to a “special invitation” Reed sent to friends and political contacts, inviting them to the fundraiser and asking them to contribute to the McCain campaign by sending checks to Reed’s address.
“Attached is a contribution form and a fact sheet that details the event,” Reed wrote. “Please complete the contribution form and return it to me at [address], Duluth, GA 30097. If you select (sic) to use your credit card, you may fax the form to me at [number].”
In the invitation, which was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reed also said he had agreed to serve as a member of the McCain Victory 2008 team.
“John McCain also believes that tax cuts work best when tied to spending restraint,” Reed wrote in the e-mail solicitation. “He has a 26-year pro-life voting record and has pledged to appoint conservative judges who will interpret the law, not legislate from the bench.”
“Attached is a contribution form and a fact sheet that details the event,” Reed wrote. “Please complete the contribution form and return it to me at [address], Duluth, GA 30097. If you select (sic) to use your credit card, you may fax the form to me at [number].”
In the invitation, which was first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reed also said he had agreed to serve as a member of the McCain Victory 2008 team.
“John McCain also believes that tax cuts work best when tied to spending restraint,” Reed wrote in the e-mail solicitation. “He has a 26-year pro-life voting record and has pledged to appoint conservative judges who will interpret the law, not legislate from the bench.”
Poor old Ralph: Never original when he got started in politics and hasn't missed a beat in showing us he hasn't sharpened his act.
Watchdog groups are floored that McCain, who has worked with them for years to reform campaign finance law, has called on Reed to help bundle contributions.
“[Reed’s] hypocrisy is legion — now matched only by John McCain’s attending a fundraiser he’s helping host,” said Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director. “You just have to wonder who’s the bigger hypocrite.”
Public Citizen’s Craig Holman called on McCain to cancel the fundraiser immediately.
“[Reed] was involved in money laundering and McCain’s investigation uncovered it,” Holman said. “This is a mistake by the McCain campaign. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t cancel this event.”
“[Reed’s] hypocrisy is legion — now matched only by John McCain’s attending a fundraiser he’s helping host,” said Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director. “You just have to wonder who’s the bigger hypocrite.”
Public Citizen’s Craig Holman called on McCain to cancel the fundraiser immediately.
“[Reed] was involved in money laundering and McCain’s investigation uncovered it,” Holman said. “This is a mistake by the McCain campaign. I would be very surprised if he doesn’t cancel this event.”
In their efforts to back-track from any residual association with the much disgraced Ralphie boy, GOP operatives were falling all over themselves trying to come up with excuses and blame shifting. It's sort of like watching the Marx Brothers play football. Unfortunately, like school kids caught in a playground tussle, they give the old "well, look at those guys, too" weasel excuse by pointing to some Democratic questionables. Nyahh, Nyahh, Nyahh.
An official at the Republican National Committee (RNC) returned a call to McCain’s campaign. The official said Reed’s name is not on the event’s official invitation and would not confirm whether the Georgia Republican is a member of the McCain 2008 Victory Team.
He referred to a quote RNC spokeswoman Katie Wright gave the Journal-Constitution: “I find it laughable [watchdog groups] would go this route, considering Sen. McCain chaired the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that investigated Jack Abramoff. I suggest they take a closer look at Barack Obama’s friends, like convicted felon Tony Rezko, or his National Co-Chairman Harry Reid, who took nearly $68,000 from Abramoff.”
Democrats said Abramoff’s contributions to Reid occurred before news of the scandal broke, and any effort to equate the two relationships is ridiculous.
“Calling yourself a maverick and claiming credit for fighting corruption while raising money with one of the central figures in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal is not what most voters have in mind when they think of ‘straight talk,’” said Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “It is, however, one more example of why John McCain is offering more of the same failed Republican leadership.”
Reed, for his part, said he doesn’t believe he is an official host of the event.
“I don’t think I am,” he said. “I am just strongly supporting Sen. McCain. I’m contributing to him and encouraging others to do so.”
He referred to a quote RNC spokeswoman Katie Wright gave the Journal-Constitution: “I find it laughable [watchdog groups] would go this route, considering Sen. McCain chaired the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that investigated Jack Abramoff. I suggest they take a closer look at Barack Obama’s friends, like convicted felon Tony Rezko, or his National Co-Chairman Harry Reid, who took nearly $68,000 from Abramoff.”
Democrats said Abramoff’s contributions to Reid occurred before news of the scandal broke, and any effort to equate the two relationships is ridiculous.
“Calling yourself a maverick and claiming credit for fighting corruption while raising money with one of the central figures in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal is not what most voters have in mind when they think of ‘straight talk,’” said Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “It is, however, one more example of why John McCain is offering more of the same failed Republican leadership.”
Reed, for his part, said he doesn’t believe he is an official host of the event.
“I don’t think I am,” he said. “I am just strongly supporting Sen. McCain. I’m contributing to him and encouraging others to do so.”
This coming from a guy who made his bread n' butter arranging one fundraiser, one big party in Washington, one fancy fleece-job after another for decades? Never mind laughing out loud: try howling.
Ralph n' Jack
Referring to the investigation about his role in accepting Reservation/gambling during the Abramoff hearings, Reed reverts to his favorite trick: vagueness perfected to an artform.
“How many people have been charged or indicted or accused of wrongdoing in that matter?” he asked. “I fully cooperated with the investigation and I was never accused of wrongdoing.”
When asked whether he accepted laundered money, Reed replied only: “I stated at the outset of the work that I would not be paid with any gambling revenues … and none of the funds paid by me through the law firm or anyone else were from gambling.”
When asked whether he accepted laundered money, Reed replied only: “I stated at the outset of the work that I would not be paid with any gambling revenues … and none of the funds paid by me through the law firm or anyone else were from gambling.”
Chief Jack
That's not saying he couldn't be -- and he knows it -- because he knows he and Abramoff gave a lot of people in Washington and on Reservations across the country plenty of reasons to use them. And don't think for a moment he's not worried about the party affiliation of the next occupant of the Attorney General's Office. WIth this guy there's always more than just "good citizenship" as his leading modus operandi.
Few "Christian fundraisers" are as shameless in their methods as Ralph. (Well, Friar Tetzel who got Martin Luther all worked up with his little jingle about releasing a soul from purgatory through buying indulgences; and I'm not sure if Ralph's improved a lot on Tetzel's tact. Instead of releasing souls, he wants to release votes for Straight Talker.) But all's apparently going to be "forgiven."
Some Republicans say they understand why McCain is turning to Reed, despite his fall from grace.
John Feehery, a former House GOP communications strategist who has bemoaned Abramoff’s corrupting influence on the party, said Reed maintains strong ties to Christian conservatives, a key GOP demographic McCain needs to attract. For instance, in the Indian Affairs Committee’s Abramoff report, Reed boasts of having contact information for 3,000 pastors and 90,000 religious conservative households in Alabama alone.
“He is connected with Christian conservatives and he’s a pretty savvy political operator,” Feehery said. “This is the time when you’ve got to get all the forces in the party together.”
Other Republican stalwarts agree, although they recognize the political expediency of the relationship. (emphasis, sb)
“There’s no indication that Reed did anything illegal,” said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union. “I do find it interesting that the two of them are now getting together. [The investigation] was a cause celebre for McCain. Maybe that means McCain is forgiving his former enemies. … I should get in line
John Feehery, a former House GOP communications strategist who has bemoaned Abramoff’s corrupting influence on the party, said Reed maintains strong ties to Christian conservatives, a key GOP demographic McCain needs to attract. For instance, in the Indian Affairs Committee’s Abramoff report, Reed boasts of having contact information for 3,000 pastors and 90,000 religious conservative households in Alabama alone.
“He is connected with Christian conservatives and he’s a pretty savvy political operator,” Feehery said. “This is the time when you’ve got to get all the forces in the party together.”
Other Republican stalwarts agree, although they recognize the political expediency of the relationship. (emphasis, sb)
“There’s no indication that Reed did anything illegal,” said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union. “I do find it interesting that the two of them are now getting together. [The investigation] was a cause celebre for McCain. Maybe that means McCain is forgiving his former enemies. … I should get in line
Mr. Keene, get on your computer and type in -- Really Long Link
No doubt you'll be most enlightened. Pay CLOSE attention to what Michael Waller has to say about the Abramoff, Reed and Norquist clique. Real close.
This is priceless information in the hands of the Democrats because it shows the depths to which McCain will plumb to raise money and grovel for votes despite all his "straight talk" to clean house. John McCain has a "religion problem" as a politician, and it's not theological. It's just plain political carelessness from his earlier schmoozing with the now chastened former bigot megachurch pastor John Hagee to Ralph Reed who's nothing but a radioactive reminder of Jack Abramoff and Tom Delay. (He must be lurking somewhere in all this.)
Even if Reed's innocent, he's NOT like Caesar's wife who had to be purer than Caesar at a time when everybody's going to be wary of him and any association he brings to McCain.
Fr. Tetzel
If McCain has any brains at all, he'd get rid of this contemporary Tetzel who's using McCain's campaign as a means to rehabilitate his sorry politcal rear and worm his way back into positions of influence.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Good post, Steven.
Comment by Anonymous
When you get a moment, take in that Moyers report. To me it was like going down memory lane since I knew Abramoff and some of his lackeys. Being naive and foolish enough to trust that guy and his friend Stephen Baldwin who invited me, a conservative Dem, to speak against the nuke freeze in a large hearing or speaking room directly under the main Capitol (center) steps, I thought sure, it'd be a great opportunity to make myself a name. But you wouldn't believe what I had to go through -- and still failed -- to get them to pay for my plane and overnight lodging. Oh, sure they had the money, blah blah. They didn't have two cents and they -- esp. Abramoff -- ripped me off.
This isn't payback since I couldn't top the shame he brought back on to himself, his family, party, country and yes, his faith as a self-described "born again Jew" for all of his shennanigans.
This is a warning. I didn't know Reed, or if I'd run into him then would I have suspected him to be such a con-man. But that's how good these guys were at that game. Boy were they good, almost great at it. As for me sharing this, it's just a lesson for anyone else who reads this post.
Watch out for the ideologues wolves baahhiing like sheep or they'll take you and your party to the shearing.
I was totally unaware of how unethical these guys were and had I any inkling they were so broke, I would've stayed at home and saved nearly 300 bucks.What a dumb gamblel at the time but a very expensive lesson to pass along to others. But hey, I can now qualify for my own T-Shirt with Abramoff's mug on the front saying
I and many others got conned by Jack Abramoff and all I got was this T-shirt."