Wash. Post uncritically reports McCain ad's false suggestion that Obama wrote letters for Rezko's project in 1998 "in return" for help ... in 2005
SUMMARY: The Washington Post uncritically reported the false suggestion in an ad by Sen. John McCain that Sen. Barack Obama wrote letters in support of a Chicago housing project proposed by Chicago businessman Antoin Rezko's company "in return" for Rezko's "help[ing] him buy his million-dollar mansion." In fact, Obama reportedly wrote the letters in 1998 but did not purchase his house until 2005.
In an August 22 Washington Post article, staff writers Jonathan Weisman and Robert Barnes uncritically reported the false suggestion in an ad by Sen. John McCain that Sen. Barack Obama wrote letters in support of a Chicago housing project proposed by Chicago businessman Antoin Rezko's company, New Kenwood LLC, "in return" for Rezko's "help[ing] him buy his million-dollar mansion." Weisman and Barnes wrote of the McCain campaign ad: "The spot raises Obama's relationship with Rezko, saying that 'one of Obama's biggest fundraisers helped him buy his million-dollar mansion,' and charges that in return 'Rezko got political favors.' " The McCain ad states that "from Obama, Rezko got political favors" while showing a headline from a June 13, 2007, Chicago Sun-Times article that stated "Obama's letters for Rezko." In fact, according to the Sun-Times article cited by McCain, Obama wrote the letters in 1998; however, he did not purchase his house until 2005.
Additionally, Weisman and Barnes did not note that, while the Sun-Times article reported that Obama "did a political favor" for Rezko by writing letters to state and local government officials in support of a Chicago housing project proposed by Rezko's company, the article also included statements from Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton and Rezko's attorney that challenge the article's assertion that Obama performed a "favor" for Rezko. The Sun-Times quoted Burton stating that "[t]his wasn't done as a favor for anyone" and "I don't know that anyone specifically asked him to write this letter nine years ago." The paper also quoted Rezko's attorney Joseph Duffy stating: "Mr. Rezko never spoke with, nor sought a letter from, Senator Obama in connection with that project."
From the Washington Post article:
That provoked a furious response by McCain campaign and Republican National Committee aides, who charged hypocrisy and argued that the senator from Illinois had received help purchasing his South Side Chicago mansion from businessman Tony Rezko, a convicted felon.
[...]
The senator from Arizona also quickly assembled a response ad, in which a narrator intones, "Barack Obama knows a lot about housing problems." The spot raises Obama's relationship with Rezko, saying that "one of Obama's biggest fundraisers helped him buy his million-dollar mansion," and charges that in return "Rezko got political favors."
McCain left out the most damning piece of evidence too. If he was on his game, this one very important piece of evidence would convict Obama lock, stock and barrel. But I'm an honest guy, so while I'd prefer to not let the cat out of the bag, integrity forces me to reveal that one piece of very important evidence that, if McCain were to say it, would win him over in the minds of the American people.
What is that one piece of very important evidence, you ask?
He forgot to start the sentance with "As a former POW..."
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Hey Colonel you got the wrong war there. Maybe you can post the Vietnam version?
Anyway who cares that McCain was a POW when Obama is:
Super Obama!
Snoop since it's Friday, here's one of my favorite cartoons [off topic of course]
Or this one ;-)
That's pretty good, but I'm still a big fan of tom tomorrow!
Ha! Good one Snoop ;-)
My favorite editorial/political cartoonist is Jerry Holbert.
I loved this one:
Flip and Flop on the same ticket...?
Well, I'm shocked to learn that the former POW known as John McCain was a former POW. Why, the former POW's positions in this election couldn't be more clear!
Apparently, John McCain Was a POW
Georgia Van Cuylenburg | Bio
Aug. 16 - A direct transcript of John McCain's responses at the Saddleback Faith Forum...
When asked about abortion, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam no one ever, once, aborted their babies."
When asked about Christian faith, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam I spoke to the baby Jesus every morning and every night - he kept me safe."
When asked about gay marriage, McCain said when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam none of the men ever got married - but maybe they changed their mind when they got back to their home state"
When asked about embryonic stem-cell research, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam we sometimes had to stay in cells."
When asked about AIDS, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam we didn't even know what AIDS was."
When asked about troubled youth, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam the local kids always would get in trouble for trying to help us."
When asked about the conflicts in Georgia, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam the guy in the bed next do me had a girl pal called Georgia - I am sorry to hear they are fighting."
When asked about safe nuclear power, McCain said "when I was a prisoner of war in Vietnam the guy on the other side of me had deadly gas."
When asked about his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam McCain said "he'd rather not talk about it."
I'm dying to hear Joe Biden say that a typical John McCain statement consists of a noun, a verb and POW. ;>)
How many times do I have to tell all of you? DON'T RESPOND TO WUSS! It is so damn OBVIOUS who he (or she) is and who is paying by the post. First of all, NOBODY can be that dense. Second, the structure, grammar, and spelling are just too, too, well, fey. Like the guy who sits down to play cards and says, "Gee, whiz, I really don't know anything about this game, so be patient, O.K." In going back and reading many of your previous posts and answers to this individual it pains me to see how much time and energy is wasted on this drivel. I guess I have been too appreciative of so much of what IS posted here that I resent seeing it sidetracked by foolish nonsense. My level of understanding of some issues has been greatly aided by these discussions. Please, please use your smarts.
Dogg, you are right but it is Friday. Also, I can play with the Wuss because I am the POW around here.
Seriously, I feel the same way but every now and then, it is time to have some fun. Wuss is a phony, I know that but...being the POW around here, I should get special dispensation just like the other pow, McBush.
I would like to see those letters before I can trust McCain's ad.
Even when vacationing in Taxachusetts.
Since it's Friday it would be really selfish of me not to share this!
1.Water drinks Michael Phelps.
2.Scientists recently discovered the cause for warmer sea temperature and melting icebergs happens every time Michael Phelps gets in the water.
3.Michael Phelps’ sweat is consider a banned substance for other athletes. Too bad Michael Phelps never sweats.
4.When Michael Phelps jumps into the pool, he isn’t making a splash; the water is just trying to get out of his way.
5.Once, when Michael Phelps swam the Atlantic and came across mermaids, one said to him “I thought you were just a myth!”
6.Ancient Greeks used to sacrifice 100 cows to Poseidon who would then turn around and sacrifice them to Michael Phelps.
7.Michael Phelps does not swim like dolphins; dolphins swim like Michael Phelps.
8.There is no need to save the whales, Michael Phelps has saved them all.
9.When Michael Phelps goes water skiing he doesn’t use skis; or a boat.
10.Every time you see a shooting star you are really watching Michael Phelps train in space.
On MSNBC, they portrayed both Obama's and McCain's competing ads about this issue in an equal fashion, which is unequal treatment!
Obama's ad was based on facts - that McCain doesn't even know how many houses he and his wife own - and it doesn't matter, righties, that the homes are in her name!
McCain's ads are based upon lies and distortions! It furthers the conservative agenda to simply expose listeners to this ad without explaining how untrue the ad is. That's why they have campaign ad factchecks in very major paper. News stories about those ads should also adhere to that fact-check rule.
You could say his POW time was his first two flip flops.
1. He was for following the uniform code of military conduct for POW's before he was against it.
2. He was against revealing information to the enemy before he was for it.
I've had enough...get off my case. Being the only true POW in the USA, I represent everything said about me. I, being the POW, don't like this McCain guy cutting in on my territory. He became a film and radio star while parading around as POW. Hell, how many films and tapes did he make for the N. Vietnamese Film Association? Jane Fonda had one picture taken and look what happened to her.
Please, POW speaking, I deny that John MCain is part of the family. Although he looked like a Red Star in those N. Vietnamese flicks.
Next time anyone brings up Rezko or Ayers, can we fight back with G. Gordon Liddy?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/05/g-gordon-liddy-john-mccai_n_100134.html
Snoop, I catch those once in a while when I check out old archived items, the warriors who pop into a 3 day old thread and start demanding answers of posters who are nowhere around.
Some pretty hilarious declarations of victory in those, when the "cowards" who were done posting a few days earlier don't fight back.
Sorry, back to gramps, if you haven't heard his handlers' response to the Obama ad about the 8 houses, it's pretty funny/sad. They worked in Hawaii and arugula in an attempt to show Obama as the true elitist.
And I did my lunchtime El Rushbo scan, where fatboy was countering by asking if Obama knows how many half-brothers he has.They're really running out of bullets early.
One thing you left out on the housing issue is they also used his POW background for an excuse:
Speaking to the Washington Post, aide Brian Rogers, in full damage-control mode, acknowledged that his boss had "some investment properties and stuff," but added: "This is a guy who lived in one house for five and a half years -- in prison."
Now what's really funny is this isn't the first time he forgot. Seems he also forgot what kind of car he drives:
In our News interview, he was asked what kind of car he drove. As with Politico’s question about home ownership, he didn’t know and had to ask a nearby aide. “A Cadillac CTS,” she told him. But then the senator was quick to point out that he had bought his daughter a Prius — the prefect (sic) halo symbol for his green pretensions. […]
Posts courtesy of thinkprogress and huffpo!
"This is a guy who lived in one house for five and a half years -- in prison."
Ohhhh, right...John McCain is a former POW. I had forgotten that. John McCain doesn't like to talk about it, you know...
COL., It won't be long before the buffoons get really angry and begins their...what if something "happens" to Obama? Will the Clintons' ride in to rescue the Democrat(sic) Party? Then after spewing this bile for a few hours to their nimrods, they will only say they were joking. But the next day, they will abase their lowly nimrods and want to know why something wasn't done and why the orders were not followed. Of course, another bit of Con humor.
Rush or Seannie the Sissy..here is the challenge. I WILL vote for McCain if either one or both of your commit suicide on National TV.....wait for it, it is coming, pretty soon....here it is... I am not kidding. I would stoop that low just for you only if you prove your loyality to the party. ; )
SNOOP, where is a the online dictionary for abbreviations. IMOFYA, PWND, etc.etc. Some of us aren't into to this type of language. Please help.
Thanx,
Sen. McCain
P.S. Where's my car?
There's only one abbreviation John McCain needs to know and that's
OK all!
POW - prisoner of war
POS - piece of doo doo
PWND - what's gonna happen to the republican party in november.
Thank You but HMHDIH?
Your Buddy, Johnny Mac
HMHDIH...how many houses do I have?
Since this is apparently old news (still 1st column, top of page 1 of this site) let me ask you to address this today…
Even if Obama did get a special deal on a house, what the hell does this have to do with the inquiry as to whether he makes a better president than McCain?
So, first Obama makes a sweetheart deal with Rezko’s wife (wink, wink) and then he has to do the “backstroke” because he gets his hand caught in the cookie jar after everybody notices all the payola coming in and that doesn’t matter? It may be a classic case of influence peddling…and it does matter.
§ But Obama acknowledged "it was stupid" of him to get involved in the purchase almost one year ago of a strip of property adjoining his $1.65 million home from Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who owned a vacant lot next door. Rezko, a political insider and fundraiser, was indicted in October on charges of trying to extort campaign donations and kickbacks from firms seeking state business. Rezko has pleaded not guilty.
"I am the first one to acknowledge that it was a boneheaded move for me to purchase this 10-foot strip from Rezko, given that he was already under a cloud of concern," Obama said. "I will also acknowledge that from his perspective, he no doubt believed that by buying the piece of property next to me that he would, if not be doing me a favor, it would help strengthen our relationship."
December 28, 2006:
June 1, 2007
June 7, 2007
June 18, 2007
June 25, 2007
December 14, 2007
January 19, 2008
January 29, 2008
The whole deal stinks! From a guy who is making “change” the center piece of his campaign it sure sounds like the Same old Chicago style politics to me. That’s why it is important to note. He’s not “The One”…He’s a fake!
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Let me also add, Obama couldn’t have bought his mansion without Rezco’s wife (wink, wink) buying the other lot on the same day at the same time since the seller was unwilling to sell them separately and Obama couldn’t afford to buy both on his own. No Rezco help, no Obama mansion. Now that would have been a shame. But it was nothing some Chicago style politics and perhaps some strategically placed political influence couldn’t solve.
All he can do is give money back that has any whiff of Rezko's rotten smell. It looks like he has done that.
But if Obama says he was a POW will that make everything OKAY...
How about some Keating 5 stuff while you are being historically inclined?
Why did this Obama guy donate money from these people to charity? Was it the right thing to do?