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This Is What a Suspended Campaign Looks Like?

A Slog tipper with Republican connections sends over a link to images of Cindy McCain’s fundraiser in Washington State yesterday—held well after John McCain announced he was “suspending” his campaign.

McCainFundraiser.JPG

The link arrived in my in-box at about the same time as this new memo from the Obama camp. It calls McCain’s “suspension” a pure political stunt.

Make no mistake: John McCain did not “suspend” his campaign. He just turned a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign. It’s become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the Senator’s aimed more at shoring up the Senator’s political fortunes than the nation’s economy. And it does nothing to help advance this critical legislation to protect the American people during this time of economic crisis.

The full memo, quite long and full of citations, is in the jump.

TO: Interested Parties

FR: Bill Burton, National Press Secretary

RE: Suspending disbelief, not the McCain campaign

DA: Thursday, September 25, 2008

John McCain sought to change the subject from his out-of-touch response to the economic crisis with a big announcement that he was “suspending” his campaign. But the only thing McCain really wants suspended is the American people’s disbelief. In fact, he’s been in full campaign mode the entire time.

Instead of heading to Washington right away, Senator McCain stuck around in New York to do TV interviews, spend the night, and give a scheduled speech. Though the McCain campaign announced yesterday that they were also “suspending” their attack ads, they continued to run Thursday.

When McCain finally arrived in Washington, almost twenty-four hours after his announcement – and after Congressional leadership announced a deal in principle – he huddled with his lobbyist campaign advisors while his running mate held a political rally and his political spokesmen and surrogates were out in full force, continuing to attack Barack Obama.

So make no mistake: John McCain did not “suspend” his campaign. He just turned a national crisis into an occasion to promote his campaign. It’s become just another political stunt, aimed more at shoring up the Senator’s aimed more at shoring up the Senator’s political fortunes than the nation’s economy. And it does nothing to help advance this critical legislation to protect the American people during this time of economic crisis.


THE FOLLOWING CLIPS TELL THE STORY:


McCain Arrives After Deal Announced by Leadership, Continues to Huddle with Campaign Advisors.

McCain’s “Straight Talk Air” landed at National Airport just after noon, and McCain’s motorcade sped toward the Senate. But by then, senior Democrats and Republicans colleagues were already announcing that a deal in principle had been reached. [WaPo, 9/25/08]

“McCain met with congressional leaders earlier today and has now returned to his Senate office. But it’s increasingly implausible to think that what he’s doing is anything different than he’d be doing on the campaign trail, except he’s in person now instead of on his cell phone. Take this latest pool report below from the Trib’s Jill Zuckman, which basically confirms that he’s conferring with his closest political and policy advisers: Sen. McCain left his lunch in the Capitol at 1:50 pm and returned to his Russell Senate office with Sen. Lieberman and Rick Davis. Your pooler asked him if he was making any progress and he said something I couldn’t hear too well, but seemed friendly and basically nonresponsive. So your pooler said that I would be around all day and if there’s anything he’d like to tell me I’d be happy to hear. That got a laugh from Lieberman and a “thanks, Jilly” from McCain. As I type, Sen. Graham and Doug Holtz-Eakin have entered the Senate office.” [Politico, 9/25/08]

McCain Campaign Surrogates Continue to Attack Obama On Television.

“In the five hours after McCain’s speech, aides Nancy Pfotenhauer, Tucker Bounds, and Mike Duhaime appeared on Fox News and MSNBC five times, frequently criticizing Obama and Democrats.” [Think Progress, 9/25/08]

“Despite McCain’s claim that he’s put his campaign on hold, two of them directly attacked Barack Obama in political terms on television this morning.” [TPM, 9/25/08]

“McCain’s campaign cease-fire apparently doesn’t extend to some surrogates and the Republican National Committee… Adviser Nancy Pfotenhauer, responding to the Obama camp taking credit for the bailout deal adopting some of his suggestions, said on Fox News Channel, ‘This is maybe perhaps part of the pattern that we’ve seen before where Senator Obama would claim that the housing bill came out of his committee — and he didn’t even sit on the committee. or that the stimulus package was his package and even his Democratic leader said that it wasn’t.’ The RNC went after Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden after he said in Greensburg, Pa., today that McCain is ‘proposing the largest tax increase on middle-class taxpayers in American history.’” [Boston Globe, 9/25/08]

“Does a suspension include Nancy Pfotenhauer talking about Biden and Obama’s foreign policy on Fox?” [Politico, 9/25/08]

McCain Television Advertising Continues.

“Readers in Iowa and Wisconsin emailed to say that they saw seen McCain ads on the air this morning, though he’s said he’s taking them down.” [Politico, 9/25/08]

“Aside from the trip to Washington, the suspension seems not to take in fundraising or surrogates attacking Obama on television, and the ads haven’t come down all that speedily. A reader reports seeing on in the Tampa area at 12:45 this afternoon.” [Politico, 9/25/08]

McCain Campaign Offices Continue Normal Campaign Activity.

“The Huffington Post called up 15 McCain-Palin and McCain Victory Committee headquarters in various battleground states. Not one said that it was temporarily halting operations because of the supposed “suspension” in the campaign. Several, in fact, enthusiastically declared the continuation of their work. Others hadn’t even heard that the candidate for whom they were devoting their time had officially stopped campaigning.” [Huffington Post, 9/25/08]

“So, I called as well, and was told specifically that “volunteer activities are still ongoing” and that people are welcome/encouraged to come in and do so.” [Raising Kaine, 9/25/08]

Governor Palin Held a Press Avail and Campaign Rally.

“A local Philadelphia NBC News affiliate was reporting Thursday morning that Mr. McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was to hold a rally at the airport in Philadelphia upon her arrival there this afternoon. The most recent official schedule for Ms. Palin, which the campaign distributed late Tuesday night, did not include an airport event.” [NYT, 9/25/08]

“Although the McCain campaign said Palin was suspending her activities - McCain on Wednesday called a halt to his campaign to deal with the financial markets rescue plan being negotiated by Congress and the Bush administration - Palin was heading to Philadelphia for a rally at the airport.” [AP, 9/25/08]

“On Thursday, despite the McCain-Palin campaign saying they would suspend campaigning until Congress had dealt with the financial crisis, Ms. Palin made a campaign stop at ground zero in Lower Manhattan, and finally “fielded” four questions, according to a reporter in the small pool of journalists assigned to accompany her.” [NYT, 9/25/08]

“The decision to have Palin hold her first avail ever today of all days is either brilliantly cynical or (in my opinion more likely) a sign of how little coordination there is this completely candidate-led campaign. As one senior aide put it recently: “It wouldn’t be a McCain campaign if knew what we were doing.” [Time.com, 9/25/08]

The McCain Campaign Is Still Sending out Top Surrogates For McCain.

“Mitt Romney Campaigning in Michigan TODAY: Romney’s visit appeared to be on track even though McCain on Wednesday challenged Obama to suspend their campaigns, postpone Friday’s debate and work together to deal with the nation’s financial troubles. By Wednesday evening, Obama had rebuffed McCain’s suggestion, saying the debate should be held, but agreeing to go to Washington to meet Thursday with President Bush to discuss the bailout proposal.” [AP, 9/25/08]

McCain Rapid Response Operation Continues to Attack the Obama-Biden Campaign.

“Not suspended: McCain rapid response operation.” [The Atlantic, 9/24/08]

“McCain suspends campaign, but politics still simmer at surface: John McCain may have suspended his presidential campaign as of Thursday morning, but an appearance at President Clinton’s Global Initiative forum and his campaign’s releasing its daily note to reporters gave the Republican candidate a few remaining opportunities to weigh in politically on a proposed Wall Street bailout.” [FOX News, 9/25/08]

The McCain Campaign Continues to Circulate Campaign Press Clips.

“What exactly constitutes a “suspended campaign?” Well, Team McCain is still working away this morning. Joe Pounder, the indefatigable press aide, blasted out his morning email of clips and quips to reporters with just a bit of dissonance.” [Politico, 9/25/08]

Comments (17)

1

I know this is nitpicky, but didn't McCain say yesterday - the day this fucking fundraiser occurred - that he was suspending his campaign "tomorrow"? That would be today. Like, after this fundraiser.

I don't support that gnarled old stuntman one iota, but if I were Republican hair-splitter, I'd lean on that.

Off the subject, I am tired of hearing Bill Clinton say nice things about McCain. Wait til after he loses for that, Bill. Jesus. What are you up to? kthnx

Posted by matt | September 25, 2008 5:47 PM
2

Yet another savvy move by McCain. You could just hear the whining from Obama who had probably went out and bought a brand new suit just so he could preen in front of the camera and swat a few slow lobs from fawning MSNBC interviewers.

McCain held the debate in the Senate council chambers -- a place Obama has rarely if ever set foot in. Smart man. Smart move. McCain '08.

Posted by John Bailo | September 25, 2008 7:08 PM
3

Looking at that picture, I half expect Cindy to sprout horns and one of those spade-tails you always see on drawings of devils. And who on earth is that ugly guy next to her?

Posted by east coaster | September 25, 2008 7:17 PM
4

She always reminds me of Jean Enersen.

Posted by Mike of Renton | September 25, 2008 7:21 PM
5

Cindy in a tight, close-cut military inspired leather jacket - I'll salute that!!! Nice cleavage

more Cindy pics please!!!

Posted by jackseattle | September 25, 2008 7:28 PM
6

Cindy looks like any cute local UW blonde girl... hard to believe she's not in her early 20s!

Posted by John Bailo | September 25, 2008 7:31 PM
7

FUCK YOU JOHN McCAIN and all your fucking bullshit!!!!!!!

Posted by joey | September 25, 2008 7:35 PM
8

OMG, she's really the Rocketeer!

http://www.homevideos.com/movies-covers/rocketeer.jpg

Posted by jeffc | September 25, 2008 7:56 PM
9

That's certainly not a Value Village jacket -- who's the designer? Anybody here know?

Posted by Calpete | September 25, 2008 8:12 PM
10

When will you apologize to KUOW for not editorializing the facts?

Posted by Bellevue Ave | September 25, 2008 8:30 PM
11

Cindy rockin the leather! She looks like a dominatrix.

Maybe "suspend the campaign" means "the candidate bound, gagged, and hanging from the ceiling"

Posted by Mahtli69 | September 25, 2008 8:41 PM
12

i'd hit it.

Posted by ... | September 25, 2008 8:45 PM
13

Stroke.

That's why.

But nobody will admit it.

Posted by Will in Seattle | September 25, 2008 10:31 PM
14

@6
I understand that she kills young coeds so that she can bathe in their blood. She feels it keeps her skin looking young, well, that and all of the pain killers that she takes.

Posted by Blood Bath and Beyond | September 25, 2008 11:43 PM
15

That dude in the striped tie is hella do-able. I wonder what that would-be cougar is showing him on that... wait is that a color coordinated iPhone case???

Posted by Nixor | September 26, 2008 8:15 AM
16

I pray before going to sleep each night that Cindy will get briefed by the Fashion Police in time for selecting the right designer for her inauguration gown.

Posted by raindrop | September 26, 2008 9:31 AM
17

@2: fucking educate yourself on what occurred in the white house yesterday. obama ran the fucking meeting after pelosi & reid took it away from the chimp, and mccain sat on his wrinkly ass.

mccain didn't accomplish shit with this maneuver but stick his nose into business he doesn't understand. he doesn't sit on the banking committee. he doesn't really have any influence with boehner's rapture-wing of the GOP.

and if you look at cindy and don't see the hideous surgery, you are blind. she was once fuckable, but now her skin's stretched tighter than a drum.

Posted by max solomon | September 26, 2008 9:48 AM

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