Was another former McCain aide involved in Goldfarb's BRAC report?
December 18, 2009 5:12 pm ET by Jamison Foser
As I explained in a column posted yesterday, The Weekly Standard's Michael Goldfarb's claim that the White House has threatened to close a Nebraska Air Force base if Sen. Ben Nelson doesn't support health care reform is more than a little far-fetched. In fact, it's pretty ridiculous -- even before you consider Goldfarb's history of fabrication.
But now things may be getting really interesting. Goldfarb, remember, claimed only one source, described simply as "a Senate aide." But I've just been forwarded an email that appears to show that a GOP operative was pushing the allegation the night before Goldfarb -- or, apparently, anyone else -- wrote publicly about it.
The From field of the email reads "dmerritt@gingrichgroup.com" -- that's apparently David Merritt, Vice President and Director of National Health Policy for The Gingrich Group (yes, that Gingrich.) Merritt wrote at 10:16 pm on Monday, December 14 (about 14 hours before Goldfarb's post):
[Nelson] is the only obstacle to 60. Word is he's been threatened for the last 10 days with losing Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha on next round of BRAC review (he's on Armed Services, but wouldn't be involved with appointing review committee...something like that). Sure sounds like Rahm, doesn't it?
Merritt was "a health policy adviser to the presidential campaign of Senator John McCain," according to his official bio. Goldfarb was the campaign's deputy communications director.
The McCain angle doesn't end there. As a result of Goldfarb's story, 20 Republican Senators sent a letter requesting a Senate Armed Services Committee investigation. That letter was sent to committee chair Carl Levin and ... ranking member John McCain. But McCain doesn't appear to want to have anything to do with an investigation, according to Greg Sargent:
John McCain is staying mum on right wing calls for his Senate committe to probe claims that the White House has been privately threatening to close an Air Force base in Nebraska to force Ben Nelson into line on health care.
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Turns out, though, that McCain, the relevant committee's ranking Republican, is laying very low on this story. McCain spokesperson Brooke Buchanan confirms to me that the Senator has no comment on the story or on whether he thinks the probe should move forward.
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McCain's refusal to endorse the probe suggests that he doesn't place much stock in the charges and perhaps doesn't want to be publicly associated with them. But he may not want to say so publicly, in order to avoid alienating those on the right who have been pushing it with such fervor.
And Nelson? Nelson reportedly says an investigation would embarrass the Republicans:
Nelson told KLIN/Lincoln radio hosts Jack Mitchell and John Bishop that he knows who started the rumors and when it comes to light it will be "embarrassing for the other side of the aisle," presumably meaning a Republican senator or senators is behind it.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, though, the Democratic/Republican split is not the best way to describe the current make-up of Congress, at least as far as the Senate is concerned. Rather, the two groups I would divide the Senate into are the Big Money backers, who want nothing to do with real reform, and the Little Guy backers, who are fighting uphill to keep real reform on the table. Turns out, quite a few Democrats are on the Big Money side of the aisle. No real surprise when you consider how much money Big Insurance and Big Pharma has been pumping into Washington. Heck, all us little guys can do is vote.
Hopefully Levin moves forward - it would be awesome to see McCain's campaign staff held to account for accusing the president of treason.
Maybe McCain isn't eager to investigate because he knows the paper trail leads back to him and his former staff?
Was it a stolen email though?
Politics once was a term used to describe policy makers seeking to share their wisdom, or lack of, with the voting public. Today this is not the case. To serve your country as an elected official was once considered an honorable endeavor. It should still be!
My observation as it pertains to both articles is the premise. In order for over 50% of those listening, or reading, to one person's perspective, and have any reason to continue, the premise must be believable. In the personalities of both subjects used here, the flaws are not without credibility.
Al Franken is a comedic satirist who became embroiled in a hate campaign against one of Fox' most successful commentators, and is currently host of cable TV's highest rated news programs. Obviously, I'm talking about "The O'Reilly Factor" and Mr. Bill O'Reilly. Franken started this many years ago, and his book bears it out. I became curious back then, and began watching Bill's show. I still watch it, even after being skeptical at first. I turned it on, and said,"That's the guy who was on some Hollywood show", but I liked his professionalism, authenticity, and his knowledge regarding anyone or subject allowed on his show. Franken's beef was seemingly unfounded in my opinion. Next thing you know, Mr. Franken runs for Senator, and (sort of) wins. But his action on the senate floor was obedience to Reid.
Rahm Emmanuel is the perfect person any aide, or columnist, could use in such a bizzare claim as the one made here. His reputation as a con, manipulative backstabber, and vulger liar in Chicago as well as D.C. is not news. When he, and other members of his staff, went around to all the Sunday news programs on the week when Obama (Rahm's idea) declared war on Fox News, he proved that nothing was below him. I recall watching CNN as the COS metaphorically patted John King on his head as if to say,"You're a good little news boy", and wondering how long King would go before calling him out, but he didn't! I couldn't believe it. Then Axelrod did it on NBC, and so on. BTW, that created the highest ratings week at Fox!
In the end, the mat used to walk on must not be worn out. The hate Fox, hate the people who marched on D.C., hell, just hate all conservatives, is got holes in its usefulness as a viable premise. Ricky McDermon in Macon, Ga.