Honorable Lobbyists” Would Run Mccain’S White House
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*0808Lowdown_final.qxd 7/25/08 5:43 PM Page 1 The “I don’t know if I would want him for vice-president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.” —— JOHN MCCAIN, when asked if he’d consider DICK CHENEY for a position LOWDOWN in a McCain administration Edited by Jim Hightower and Phillip Frazer Vol.10 No.8 August 2008 Even though a few of them have been dumped from the campaign Heartless Phil and “honorable lobbyists” would run McCain’s White House HE POLITICAL MEDIA ESTABLISHMENT is enraptured by John McCain. Mainline media sparklies, as well as the blatherers on the Fox channel, routinely buff up his image as a straight-talking, maverick foe of Washington’s special interests. “The press loves McCain. We’re his base,” gushes MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. But if the senator really is the feared reformer of business-as-usual government, why does This presidential campaign look like the back alley of K Street? Many a president has had certain supporters behind him whom lobbyists, executives, and fund-raisers who are shaping his policies… he should have moved out in front in order to keep an eye on them. and expecting to walk right into the White House with him. McCain, however, isn’t even bothering to keep his self-interested There was a hilarious dustup in May when two of the campaign’s backers in the shadows—he has literally put them in charge of his cam- key operatives were publicly fingered as lobbyists for the totalitarian paign. “Tell me with whom you walk,” goes the old adage, “and military thugs who rule Burma. Bad image. To patch over this embar- I’ll tell you who you are.” Candidate McCain is rassing exposure, the campaign dumped the duo and loudly proclaimed walking cozily with a new internal ethics rule barring lobbyists from paid positions on the a coterie of “Straight Talk Express.” Bold! Decisive! Laudable! corporate Except that it was a crock. Here’s the hilarious part: the announce- ment was made by the top campaign staffer, Rick Davis. Guess what he is. A lobbyist! His clients range from such telecom giants as Verizon to undies-maker Fruit of the Loom, and most have had business before McCain’s Senate committees. The trick is that the new rule bars “active” lobbyists from being “paid” to work “full time” on the staff. *0808Lowdown_final.qxd 7/25/08 5:43 PM Page 2 2 Hightower Lowdown August 2008 TIME TO FREE UP OUR FREEDOMS These highlighted terms are care- What is it about the First fully contrived loopholes. Lobbyists Amendment that confuses can simply go on leave from their Rise of the Rovians today’s political elite and active influence peddling for a few THE NASTY FELLOW WHOSE ATTACK-DOG, smear-tactic, lie-and-dis- their police agents? months to work on the campaign tort brand of politics lifted George W into the White House twice has qui- (as Davis is doing); they can work Amendment Number One part-time for McCain’s election etly slipped back into this year’s presidential game. Yes, none other than is a pretty straightforward while still lobbying up a storm; Karl Rove! declaration of the people’s or they can take no pay from the His infamous search-and-destroy approach to political opponents fundamental political rights: campaign, working pro bono while (John Kerry, Max Cleland, et al.) turned his name into a verb—to “rove” freedom to speak out pub- being retained by their corporate someone—and now Rovians have moved inside John McCain’s campaign. licly, to assemble, to con- clients. No matter their guise, they Not that Karl himself is directing the senator’s political shop (though he has front officials with our are lobbyists, and SourceWatch been giving pointers from the outside). Instead, it’s his political spawn who grievances. It does not say (sourcewatch.com) counts more recently have taken over day-to-day operations. that these freedoms can be than 100 of them working in Steve Schmidt, who’s been described as a “political artillery shell,” is eliminated any time they McCain’s camp (only five had to might pose an inconven- step aside under the ballyhooed now in charge of strategy and communications. Known as intense and hard ience or embarrassment new rule). hitting, Schmidt has long been one of Karl’s key henchmen. He has run So many lobbyists swarmed to those in charge. Yet it’s Bush’s campaign war room, served as counselor and spokesman for Dick McCain’s presidential team that he become commonplace for Cheney, been Rove’s point man on the battles to put Sam Alito and John felt compelled to defend them ear- Roberts on the Supreme Court, and been a member of Rove’s exclusive the Secret Service and lier this year. “They’re honorable police to exclude even the people,” he vouched, adding that “breakfast club” that plotted the Bush White House’s political attacks. mildest protest from presi- “the right to represent interests or Rove operative Nicolle Wallace, who was communications director in dential campaign events. groups of Americans is a constitu- Bush’s 2004 run, has been brought in to travel with McCain and keep him on Last month, a 60-year- tional right. There are people that message. Another Rovian, Greg Jenkins, was added last month to try to old librarian named Carol represent firemen, civil servants, add some pizzazz to McCain’s campaign events. He’s a former Fox news Kreck attended a John retirees, and those people are producer and advance man for Bush. McCain “town hall meet- legitimate representatives of a vari- Meanwhile, the swift-boat slime crew that Rove orchestrated in ’04 to ety of interests in America.” ing” in Denver. Held at a trash John Kerry is back this year in the guise of a group calling itself Vets city-owned hall, the event Sure they are, Straight Talker, but, as you know, none of the lob- for Freedom. Pretending to be independent of the McCain campaign, it’s was billed as open to the byists on your team are being paid already running ads that attack Obama on Iraq. Far from independent, its public. But it was not open to serve the interests of firefight- founder is a member of a McCain leadership team and its line of to Ms. Kreck. She stood ers and retirees. Let’s meet a few attack directly mirrors that of the campaign. quietly in the public plaza of them: outside the hall holding a handmade sign that simply CHARLIE BLACK. Known as “the false information that led to the phone industry inside McCain’s said, “McCain = Bush.” Republican party’s quintessential disastrous occupation of Iraq. operation. Of course, these corpo- company man,” Black has been Charlie became a multimillionaire rations have been money backers Her silent (and polite) McCain’s top strategist for more lobbyist through his tight political ($365,000 in donations through exercise of First Amendment than a year while also heading a connections with the Republican May), but the campaign is also rights, however, so offended powerhouse lobbying outfit that right wing. He was a crony of Lee teeming with their employees— Republican officials that represents a menagerie of special Atwater and Karl Rove in develop- AT&T, for example, has 21 of its McCain’s Secret Service (and sometimes shady) interests. ing the GOP’s style of slime poli- lobbyists working as McCain detail had her arrested for Until forced by the “clean house” tics, and he began his electioneer- advisors, staffers, or fundraisers, “trespassing” and escorted rule to step aside from his firm in ing career in 1972 as political and Verizon has 18 of its lobbyists off the public premises. May, Black’s corporate clients director of Jesse Helms’ first on board. Also last month, the included Blackwater, Lockheed Senate race. In 2001, to hype McCain’s image Martin, AT&T, GM, GE, Rupert as a maverick on campaign-finance Democrats announced that RICK DAVIS. A former White House Murdoch, and Philip Morris. issues, Davis helped establish the citizen demonstrations at aide to Ronald Reagan, deputy While working for McCain and Reform Institute, ensconcing the their convention in Denver manager of Bob Dole’s 1996 presi- representing AT&T last year, Black senator as chairman. It lacked credi- will be in a fenced-off was the principle mover in a then- dential run, and longtime McCain bility as a reform agent, however, enclosure. These “freedom secretive lobbying campaign to win operative who now chairs his presi- since Davis—a registered lobby- cages,” as they’ve been retroactive immunity for telecom dential campaign, Davis built a ist—served as the institute’s presi- dubbed, will be out of sight corporations that helped Bush spy lucrative lobbying business through dent, housed the group in his lob- and out of earshot of the illegally on millions of us Americans. his political ties, maintaining an bying offices, and shook down his Democratic delegates and Charlie conceded that he has done especially close relationship with corporate clients to help fund it. dignitaries—so as not to a lot of his lobbying chores by the Arizona senator. How close? The institute was a sham, and in muss up their reverie with phone from McCain’s campaign After being the manager of 2005, after a flare-up of negative any, you know, democracy. bus, which is named the Straight McCain’s 2000 loss to Bush in the publicity about some of the dona- When the parties and Talk Express.