McCain and Special Interests

Everyone know how McCain always portrays himself as a maverick, unswayed by special interests.  Except, it turns out, by the gambling industry.  In an article yesterday by The New York Times, it was revealed that, actually, more than 40 of his fund-raisers and top advisors have significant ties to the gambling industry.  And throughout his years in Washington, he has always been there to help the industry out, with an estimated $326 million in tax breaks over a dozen years and an amendment in 1994 that let more Native American tribes open casinos.  Oh, and I'm sure you remember the Jack Abramoff scandal, when McCain was in the forefront of the investigation?  Well, turns out that one of the crimes Abramoff committed was to steal $66 million from several tribes.  No wonder McCain was so incensed - NO ONE messes with McCain's gambling industry!!!!  And McCain really profited from the take-down, too. One, he crushed a competitor.  Two, he collected inquiry fees from the tribes that had been bilked.  Three, he confronted political enemies from his 2000 presidential campaign while polishing up his maverick self-image.  Good job, Old Boy!

Of course, the McCain campaign was not at all happy when this article ran.  McCain's spokesman, Tucker Bounds, attacked The Times, saying, "Your paper has repeatedly attempted to insinuate impropriety on the part of Senator McCain where none exists - and it reveals that your publication is desperately willing to gamble away what little credibility it still has."  Sound familiar?  It should.  Last week, on Monday, The Times ran an article highlighting the relationship between McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis and Fannie and Freddie Mac.  The McCain campaign attacked The Times then, too, saying that it was no longer a fair reporting agency.  So, now, this is really not right.  Any time The Times comes out with news about some impropriety on McCain's part, it loses it's impartiality?  Uh-uh, I don't think so.  It is just so incredibly rude, and just so wrong, that McCain's advisors would resort to insults!  I'd say that maybe it makes McCain lose some of his credibility.