By Natalie Gewargis

Jul 18, 2008 11:55am

DNC Sees Cindy McCain’s Wealth as Fair Game

CNN this week took a look at Cindy McCain’s wealth this week, reporting that she "is not only a wife to Senator John McCain, she is also his meal ticket. Her reported 2006 income of more than $6 million exceeded her husband’s earnings 16 times over. That money pays for a wealthy lifestyle of high end condos, an Arizona ranch, flying in a corporate jet, and more." The story quoted a writer from the Politico saying that her beer distributorship funded his first congressional campaign and has subsidized his presidential campaign.

CNN correspondent David Mattingly reported that "as president, McCain would run a mammoth bureaucracy with regulatory control over alcohol sales, distribution and consumption. The next administration would probably have to deal with issues of beer taxes, labeling, maybe even the politically sensitive international merger just announced involving the giant Anheuser-Busch. These are all issues that could create a conflict because they could have an impact on the McCain family bottom line."

The story noted this 2005 letter from McCain’s son Andrew — posted in a Los Angeles Times story about possible conflicts regarding McCain’s political career and Cindy’s business — lobbying against a federal beer labeling proposal.

Asked by host Campbell Brown if he saw any "red flags" in this story, DNC adviser Jamal Simmons said yes.

"The real question is not so much about what Cindy McCain does for a living," Simmons said, "She can do whatever she wants to do for a living. This is America."

Simmons said the issue is that McCain had promised "to lead a transparent government, and he’s so far, he’s not leading a transparent campaign…He hasn’t talked about how much he pays, or why he doesn’t pay full fare for those airplane flights he flies around that (corporate) jet. He doesn’t talk about what’s going to happen to his Cindy McCain if he goes into the White House. And so the question is, of course he listens to somebody like Phil Gramm who thinks that the economy is all in our heads, or the economic problems are all mental, because with John McCain, he has eight houses. They spend $750,000 on credit cards in one month. And he’s flying around the country in his corporate jet."

Simmons said that shows that McCain is "not in touch where most of Americans are. That month where he was spending $750,000 on credit card debts, it was from March 2007 until the beginning of 2008, middle of 2008. And that’s when they were spending all the money of credit cards. They would not have been able to keep the John McCain campaign alive had he not had this personal wealth."

Republicans say this shows the Obama campaign is hypocritical when it gets mad when Michelle Obama is attacked, since Democrats are attacking Cindy. Democrats say you can’t compare impugning Michelle’s patriotism with questioning whether Sen. McCain is improperly using his wife’s fortune, or asking about potential financial conflicts of interest.

This all comes the same week the Washington State GOP put up a web video attacking Michelle , prompting — per Ben Smith at the Politico — the Obama campaign’s Bill Burton to say "With our economy in shambles, our nation at war and our challenges mounting by the day, it is beyond sad that the Republican Party of Washington would spend its time launching shameful attacks on the wife of a candidate–attacks our current First Lady Laura Bush has decried . Michelle Obama has lived the American Dream, and it’s love of country that leads Michelle and Barack to make this race. But how does it strengthen our country to pollute our politics with false and mean-spirited attacks? John McCain promised us better. It’s up to him to curb these tactics, or take responsibility for them."

RNC spox Danny Diaz responded with: "Is Barack Obama going to speak to his operative’s attacks against Cindy McCain?" (That’s a reference to Simmons.) "The WA GOP’s actions were completely independent of the McCain campaign and RNC, the same cannot be said for Obama’s handpicked spokesperson at the DNC.

In an interview with Glamour magazine published Thursday, Sen. Obama said he didn’t want anyone in his campaign or the DNC to attack Cindy McCain. "I’ve said this before: I would never have my campaign engage in a concerted effort to make Cindy McCain an issue, and I would not expect the Democratic National Committee or people who were allied with me to do it. Because essentially, spouses are civilians. They didn’t sign up for this. They’re supporting their spouse," Obama said

What say you?

- jpt

User Comments

The attacks on Michelle are of a personal nature. Simmons is asking the questions that need to be asked. And what in the WORLD do you spend $750,000 on? I would love to see exactly how they are spending that money. It would say a lot about them.

Posted by: Jane Hussein | July 18, 2008, 12:03 pm 12:03 pm

I say the most offensive thing is CNN’s reportage that Cindy is McCain’s “meal ticket”. They are married, and I doubt people would be happy to have a man described as his wife’s “meal ticket”. It’s pretty sexist.
Obama really needs to get over Michelle being “attacked”. I don’t see why it would be ok to question Cindy’s finances and not Michelle’s campaigning (or their finances, for that matter). It’s a distinction without a difference.

Posted by: MayBee | July 18, 2008, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm

how is this the same thing, michelle is not sponsporing her husband’s campaign.

Posted by: johnosahon | July 18, 2008, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm

The article quotes Sen Obama…..
“Sen. Obama said he didn’t want anyone in his campaign or the DNC to attack Cindy McCain. “I’ve said this before: I would never have my campaign engage in a concerted effort to make Cindy McCain an issue, and I would not expect the Democratic National Committee or people who were allied with me to do it. Because essentially, spouses are civilians. They didn’t sign up for this. They’re supporting their spouse,” Obama said”
But of course this is only true if you can effectivly speak out of both sides of your mouth.
We all know Obama is an effective speaker.

Posted by: smith | July 18, 2008, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm

MayBee | Jul 18, 2008 12:10:35 PM
yes, question the Obama’s finances, but GOP are not doing that, they are attacking Michelle on racial and religious issues.
i was not complaining when the Obamas were attacked because of the so called sweet deal of their house.
Cindy is paying for Mccain’s campaign so we should know where the money is coming from. after all we just found out that the mccains profited from the sale of that beer company to begium, because she has 1 million shares with the company.

Posted by: johnosahon | July 18, 2008, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm

I think Cindy McCain’s finances are fair game but so are Obama’s dealings with Tony Rezko and both candidates should be watched closely for financial support, either directly or indirectly through 529s, they receive from a few wealthy individuals or groups with issue specific agendas. That is an indication to whom they are beholden after the election and is very relevant.

Posted by: em | July 18, 2008, 12:15 pm 12:15 pm

Big deal. Obama funneled money directly to his wife’s employer and then she gets an outrageous raise! There’s your story. What about reporting on that conflict of interest?

Posted by: Ed | July 18, 2008, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm

Both spouses should be carefully “vetted”, since they have influence over men who will lead what was, at one time, the greatest country the world has ever known. The media reports things we already know. They seem to have no real curiosity about either spouse.

Posted by: Independent | July 18, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm

Obama has made over 10 million on his books.
Michelle Obama said she would use a $600 dollar rebate check on earrings.
Obama’s got a special loan on their home because he is a senator.
Obama saved 300 thousand on his home by getting a sweetheart deal from tony rezko who was raising money for Obama at the time illegally and was under investigation.
Jamal Simmons makes it like Obama isn’t wealthy. He has made millions on his book. McCain donated all his money from books to charity.
McCain since 1989 has donated all his senate money pay increases to charity while Obama doesn’t.
Obama gave a 1 million dollar earmark to the place where his wife works at the same time his wife got a huge raise.

Posted by: Sam | July 18, 2008, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm

Obama gave a 2 million dollar earmark to a hedge fund run by Jesse Jackson.
Obama gave a 1 million dollar earmark to father pfleger’s church.

Posted by: Sam | July 18, 2008, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm

Bush still following obamas lead on foreign policies stating that they will work on a time table for withdrawl
lol
obama you are an appeaser
hello north korea
obama how dare you say you would sit down with iran
hello iran lets have a sit down
obama wants to focus on afghanistan which is stupid when we have iraq to deal with thats the real problem
ok afghanistan is a real problem we will need to deal with that
A time table for withdrawl is the worst thing you could possibly do
ok we will come to some sort of withdrawl timetable
(mccain hasnt echoed this one yet, hes still saying we need to stay, but expect him to flip flop on this soon enough)
wow so according to bush and mccain obama doesnt know what hes doing on foreign policy, but yet… they sure are following his every lead
lol
mccain and bush need to get behind the real leader OBAMA!

Posted by: bhrandon | July 18, 2008, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm

Posted by: em | July 18, 2008, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm

Sam
maybe you could try to stop lying because you look like an idiot
oh… hey i have a list of mccain flip flops for you to sort through
expect to add one more here in an hour or so
bush is now saying they should have a time table for withdrawl from iraq
LOL mccain bush following obamas lead
FLIP FLOP
John McCain -
National Security Policy
1. McCain thought Bush’s warrantless wiretap program circumvented the law; now he believes the opposite.
2. McCain insisted that everyone, even “terrible killers,” “the worst kind of scum of humanity,” and detainees at Guantanamo Bay, “deserve to have some adjudication of their cases,” even if that means “releasing some of them.” McCain now believes the opposite.
3. He opposed indefinite detention of terrorist suspects. When the Supreme Court reached the same conclusion, he called it “one of the worst decisions in the history of this country.”
4. In February, McCain reversed course on prohibiting waterboarding.
5. McCain favored closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay before he was against it.
6. When Barack Obama talked about going after terrorists in Pakistani mountains with Predators, McCain criticized him for it. He’s since come to the opposite conclusion.
Foreign Policy
7. McCain was for kicking Russia out of the G8 before he was against it.
8. McCain supported moving “toward normalization of relations” with Cuba. Now he believes the opposite.
9. McCain believed the United States should engage in diplomacy with Hamas. Now he believes the opposite.
10. McCain believed the United States should engage in diplomacy with Syria. Now he believes the opposite.
11. McCain is both for and against a “rogue state rollback” as a focus of his foreign policy vision.
12. McCain used to champion the Law of the Sea convention, even volunteering to testify on the treaty’s behalf before a Senate committee. Now he opposes it.
13. McCain was against divestment from South Africa before he was for it.
Military Policy
14. McCain recently claimed that he was the “greatest critic” of Rumsfeld’s failed Iraq policy. In December 2003, McCain praised the same strategy as “a mission accomplished.” In March 2004, he said, “I’m confident we’re on the right course.” In December 2005, he said, “Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.”
15. McCain has changed his mind about a long-term U.S. military presence in Iraq on multiple occasions, concluding, on multiple occasions, that a Korea-like presence is both a good idea and a bad idea.
16. McCain said before the war in Iraq, “We will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” Four years later, McCain said he knew all along that the war in Iraq war was “probably going to be long and hard and tough.”
17. McCain has repeatedly said it’s a dangerous mistake to tell the “enemy” when U.S. troops would be out of Iraq. In May, McCain announced that most American troops would be home from Iraq by 2013.
18. McCain was against expanding the GI Bill before he was for it.
Domestic Policy
19. McCain defended “privatizing” Social Security. Now he says he’s against privatization (though he actually still supports it.)
20. McCain wanted to change the Republican Party platform to protect abortion rights in cases of rape and incest. Now he doesn’t.
21. McCain supported storing spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Now he believes the opposite.
22. He argued that the NRA should not have a role in the Republican Party’s policy making. Now he believes the opposite.
23. In 1998, he championed raising cigarette taxes to fund programs to cut underage smoking, insisting that it would prevent illnesses and provide resources for public health programs. Now, McCain opposes a $0.61-per-pack tax increase, won’t commit to supporting a regulation bill he’s co-sponsoring, and has hired Philip Morris’ former lobbyist as his senior campaign adviser.
24. McCain is both for and against earmarks for Arizona.
25. McCain’s first mortgage plan was premised on the notion that homeowners facing foreclosure shouldn’t be “rewarded” for acting “irresponsibly.” His second mortgage plan took largely the opposite position.
26. McCain went from saying gay marriage should be allowed, to saying gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed.
27. McCain opposed a holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. before he supported it.
28. McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.
29. McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag.
30. In 2005, McCain endorsed intelligent design creationism, a year later he said the opposite, and a few months after that, he was both for and against creationism at the same time.
Economic Policy
31. McCain was against Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy before he was for them.
32. John McCain initially argued that economics is not an area of expertise for him, saying, “I’m going to be honest: I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues; I still need to be educated,” and “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” He now falsely denies ever having made these remarks and insists that he has a “very strong” understanding of economics.
33. McCain vowed, if elected, to balance the federal budget by the end of his first term. Soon after, he decided he would no longer even try to reach that goal. And soon after that, McCain abandoned his second position and went back to his first.
34. McCain said in 2005 that he opposed the tax cuts because they were “too tilted to the wealthy.” By 2007, he denied ever having said this, and falsely argued that he opposed the cuts because of increased government spending.
35. McCain thought the estate tax was perfectly fair. Now he believes the opposite.
36. McCain pledged in February 2008 that he would not, under any circumstances, raise taxes. Specifically, McCain was asked if he is a “‘read my lips’ candidate, no new taxes, no matter what?” referring to George H.W. Bush’s 1988 pledge. “No new taxes,” McCain responded. Two weeks later, McCain said, “I’m not making a ‘read my lips’ statement, in that I will not raise taxes.”
37. McCain has changed his entire economic worldview on multiple occasions.
38. McCain believes Americans are both better and worse off economically than they were before Bush took office.
Energy Policy
39. McCain supported the moratorium on coastal drilling; now he’s against it.
40. McCain recently announced his strong opposition to a windfall tax on oil company profits. Three weeks earlier, he was perfectly comfortable with the idea.
41. McCain endorsed a cap-and-trade policy with a mandatory emissions cap. In mid-June, McCain announced he wants the caps to be voluntary.
42. McCain explained his belief that a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax would provide an immediate economic stimulus. Shortly thereafter, he argued the exact opposite.
43. McCain supported the Lieberman/Warner legislation to combat global warming. Now he doesn’t.
Immigration Policy
44. McCain was a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to illegal immigrants’ kids who graduate from high school. Now he’s against it.
45. On immigration policy in general, McCain announced in February 2008 that he would vote against his own bill.
46. In April, McCain promised voters that he would secure the borders “before proceeding to other reform measures.” Two months later, he abandoned his public pledge, pretended that he’d never made the promise in the first place, and vowed that a comprehensive immigration reform policy has always been, and would always be, his “top priority.”
Judicial Policy and the Rule of Law
47. McCain said he would “not impose a litmus test on any nominee.” He used to promise the opposite.
48. McCain believes the telecoms should be forced to explain their role in the administration’s warrantless surveillance program as a condition for retroactive immunity. He used to believe the opposite.
49. McCain went from saying he would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade to saying the exact opposite.
Campaign, Ethics, and Lobbying Reform
50. McCain supported his own lobbying-reform legislation from 1997. Now he doesn’t.
51. In 2006, McCain sponsored legislation to require grassroots lobbying coalitions to reveal their financial donors. In 2007, after receiving “feedback” on the proposal, McCain told far-right activist groups that he opposes his own measure.
52. McCain supported a campaign-finance bill, which bore his name, on strengthening the public-financing system. In June 2007, he abandoned his own legislation.
Politics and Associations
53. McCain wanted political support from radical televangelist John Hagee. Now he doesn’t.
54. McCain wanted political support from radical televangelist Rod Parsley. Now he doesn’t.
55. McCain says he considered and did not consider joining John Kerry’s Democratic ticket in 2004.
56. McCain is both for and against attacking Barack Obama over his former pastor at his former church.
57. McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but then decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks.
58. In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.
59. McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.
60. McCain decided in 2000 that he didn’t want anything to do with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, believing he “would taint the image of the ‘Straight Talk Express.’” Kissinger is now the honorary co-chair for his presidential campaign in New York.
61. McCain believed powerful right-wing activist/lobbyist Grover Norquist was “corrupt, a shill for dictators, and (with just a dose of sarcasm) Jack Abramoff’s gay lover.” McCain now considers Norquist a key political ally.
And while I realize there are some who believe these constant flip-flops are irrelevant, I respectfully disagree.
AlterNet is a nonprofit organization and does not make political endorsements. The opinions expressed by its writers are their own.
See more stories tagged with: election 2008, john mccain, flip-flop

Posted by: bhrandon | July 18, 2008, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm

An attack on Cindy McCain would be bringing up the fact that back when she was a drug addict, she stole drugs from the charity she worked for. I hear some folks have to go to jail for stuff like that.
Asking Cindy McCain to pay the property taxes on her houses and show her income tax returns, however, is not an attack.
See the difference?

Posted by: Nobodys fool | July 18, 2008, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm

HERE WE GO!
iN THIS CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY, IT IS A CRIME TO BE RICH!
……unless it comes to you via the perks of pork bellies or the paybacks there-from.
Cindy got her millions honestly; I hope she and John continue to help others as they have… and live to enjoy the benefits of their wealth.
At least they are not stealing un-needed funds from their followers which might better be used by them to pay bills and get out from under.
Why couldn’t B O have stood by his original promise to utilize public funding?
How many millions must a candidate spend to keep his campaign alive… and show he can still wiggle his ears.
How many photo-ops must we ALL pay for?
HILLARY OR MCCAIN
but always:
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY!!!

Posted by: HMMMMMM | July 18, 2008, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm

both cindy and Michelle are in the public spotlight, so they are fair game. And if you are going to attack Cindy, please do make sure to mention that Michele served on the board of Univ of Chicago hospital, a socalled “nonprofit”, that made over a 100 million in profit, and Michele earned 6 figures for “part time” work, while thousands in her state went without health insurance.
Cindy, meanwhile, has dedicated her life to charity work abroad, and all of this long before her husband considered running for prez. Cindy is dedicated to service, Michele is dedicated to bitterness and racism and not being “proud” of America, just take a look at her thesis, where she attacked affirmative action, even though she fully admits it got her to where she is now. I can not stand the thought of Michele and her horrible husband in the whitehouse.

Posted by: doublestandard | July 18, 2008, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm

“make sure to mention that Michele served on the board of Univ of Chicago hospital, a socalled “nonprofit”, that made over a 100 million in profit, and Michele earned 6 figures for “part time” work, while thousands in her state went without health insurance.”
______
AND MAKE SURE, TOO, THAT YOU MENTION THAT SHE GOT AN ENORMOUS RAISE BASED ON OBAMA’S HEFTY EARMARK TO HER COMPANY….
HILLARY OR MCCAIN
but always:
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY

Posted by: HMMMMMM | July 18, 2008, 12:42 pm 12:42 pm

This election cycle started with pledges from all of the candidates to forgo the ugly tactics of the past. It has quickly turned in the other direction. So much for anything anyone can believe in.
There you go kids. Enjoy the first splash of really cold water on your illusions about your ability or the power of the web to change the world, overcome the baby boomers, etc. etc. ad nauseam.
It is what it is.

Posted by: len | July 18, 2008, 12:47 pm 12:47 pm

HMMMMM
your logic is outstanding
because hillary and mccains policies are sooo similar
makes me wonder why you were voting for hillary to begin with
and why you find it acceptable to vote for mccain over obama
hmmmm???
lol republican

Posted by: bhrandon | July 18, 2008, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm

They should see her addiction to pain killers and theft as fair game too.
Oh, it’s coming and it’s not going to be pretty.
McCain is already standing on two toothpicks in a TERMITE convention with regards to his campaign.
He’s already toast.
OBAMA 08 – ITS INEVITABLE!!!

Posted by: Nat Turner | July 18, 2008, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm

A few days ago, Cindy McCain said the following in an on-camera CNN interview: “The only way to get around [Arizona] is by small private plane.”
If Michelle Obama has said that, many in the media would have quickly suggested that she’s an “elitist,” and the foot soldiers in the right-wing attack machine would have been falling all over themselves to get that message out.

Posted by: LESD | July 18, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm

How does cindy spend her money is none of our business. she did not steal the money she earned it. Did I die and got reincarnated in Lenin’s Russia? When did it become a crime to be rich? She pays her taxes and gives money to charity.
she does not campaign for her husband and keeps out of the lime light. Unlike Michelle who wants to be Hillary 2.0.

Posted by: coolrepublica | July 18, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm

The libs: OK to talk about Cindy but not Michelle. Democrats are strange.

Posted by: S | July 18, 2008, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm

Cindy is dedicated to service, Michele is dedicated to bitterness and racism and not being “proud” of America, just take a look at her thesis
posted by doublestandard
*****************************************
And doublestandard provides us with yet more evidence that the dumbing down of America has been successful.

Posted by: Truth Matters | July 18, 2008, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm

Who is Larry Sinclair?

Posted by: Just Curious | July 18, 2008, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm

Posted by: Truth Matters | July 18, 2008, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm

AHA – so the Obama comments on his wife and Cindy McCain to Glamour the other day – - – becaome all too clear now.
He knew this smear job was coming from the DEMS – and he had to insulate himself….
Hey Oz – guess what – your insulating and diversion tactics have established a pattern -
those of us who have been in the center are now also on to you….

Posted by: few | July 18, 2008, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm

she does not campaign for her husband and keeps out of the lime light. Unlike Michelle who wants to be Hillary 2.0.
Posted by: coolrepublica | Jul 18, 2008 1:07:07 PM
**********
You are joking, right? Over the weekend Cindy Mccain was giving interviews left and right. And she is on the stump with John and FOR John at every appearance.
Use real information in your posts, so you don’t sound so ill-informed.

Posted by: Jane Hussein | July 18, 2008, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm

When you want to be president of the United States of America, EVERYTHING is fair game. Cindy is a wealthy woman, there is no doubt about it. So what? I bet if the DNC used a baby tooth comb they couldn’t find any anti-American soundbites from her. On the other hand, Mrs. Obama is a surrogate for her husband. She has said some questionable things on the campaign trail. Of course the RNC will use it. She brought it on herself. I hate cry babies.

Posted by: Deborah | July 18, 2008, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm

Obama campaign and DNC can attack only McCain but why RNC cannot attack Mitchell. It is unfair to Cindy and Obama is hypocrisy.

Posted by: Laura | July 18, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm

john McCain should be working at Wal*Mart not running for President.

Posted by: Lookup | July 18, 2008, 1:22 pm 1:22 pm

Also, if Obama doesn’t want Michelle criticized than he has to stop sending her out to make speeches on his behalf. She is clearly a strong, intelligent woman who can take care of herself. Pretending otherwise is just another attempt (like charging cynicism or racism) to deflect legitimate criticism of the content of her speeches.
Posted by: em
****************************************** He didn’t say she shouldn’t be criticized. He said most of the people running the smear campaign against her don’t have the guts to say any of it to his face.
The rare times I have seen any of them questioned about their smears on TV, they squirm like little mice in a trap. Criticism and Smears are not the same thing. Smear campaigns are the work of cowards, who cower in the shadows behind their handi work.

Posted by: Truth Matters | July 18, 2008, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm

i think jane is right.. This would be like the dnc running a ad of her company what they sell and then people drunk fighting in a bar or getting sick then showing a clip of cindy saying ” im proud of my country”

Posted by: melissa | July 18, 2008, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm

Cindy is a wealthy woman, there is no doubt about it. So what?
******************************************** ONLY REPUBLICANS ARE ALLOWED TO BE WEALTHY!!!
IF DEMOCRATS ARE WEALTHY IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE ELITISTS!!

Posted by: Truth Matters | July 18, 2008, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm

Deb wrote:
I bet if the DNC used a baby tooth comb they couldn’t find any anti-American soundbites from her.
***********
REally? Because in the same CNN interview Cindy McCain said she decided to raise her children in Arizona because Washington DC was a dangerous place and not good for raising kids there. And yet she wants to LIVE there as the First Lady with her kids??? What the heck…suddenly Washington will be cleaned up to Cindy’s standards once John is elected. I thought her statement was repugnant and elitist.

Posted by: Jane Hussein | July 18, 2008, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm

Does the RNC really want to make Cindy McCain fair game with her past? Michelle has lived the american dream and is a role model.

Posted by: leslie | July 18, 2008, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm

At least, Cindy McCain is spending money she actually earned.
Posted by: Mary | Jul 18, 2008 1:30:08 PM
*********
Cindy McCain INHERITED her beer company. She did not earn it. She did not build her empire from the ground up. She was born into it. ZERO effort.
Michelle Obama was born to a relatively poor family to had to earn her way to her success. She didn’t do it on Daddy’s money. SHE EARNED IT!
Nice try.

Posted by: Jane Hussein | July 18, 2008, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm

Mary ,
How did she earn that money, being born?
its not like she struggled to build it …
what great things has she done in the united states?
how many children did she adopt or foster in the united states?
the country she loves so much

Posted by: melissa | July 18, 2008, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm

And jane hussein how do you spend your money??
Remember you can never be to thin or to RICH!

Posted by: HP Boston | July 18, 2008, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm

I just want to know how Cindy McCain is going to live in the White House since she thinks it’s too “dangerous to raise kids there”. Is she going to use her uber-wealth to clean up the streets of the Capitol??

Posted by: Jane Hussein | July 18, 2008, 1:48 pm 1:48 pm

Michelle Obama was born to a relatively poor family to had to earn her way to her success. She didn’t do it on Daddy’s money. SHE EARNED IT!
Nice try.
————————
WHO’S her daddy?
Nice try.

Posted by: HP Boston | July 18, 2008, 1:53 pm 1:53 pm

Those of you who are critizing Cindy McCain because she inherited some money and a business need to grow up. Your jealously and contempt is showing.
Michelle Obama is making twice as much as other people with like job because her Senator Husband distributed tax money to her work place. And when was the last day she actually worked eight hours?

Posted by: Mary | July 18, 2008, 1:58 pm 1:58 pm

How come the Obama’s mansion is in Michelle’s name?????

Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs | July 18, 2008, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm

The DNC wants to pit Michelle against Cindy? How stupid are these people?

Posted by: geevill | July 18, 2008, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm

How come the Obama’s mansion is in Michelle’s name?????
Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs | Jul 18, 2008 2:00:13 PM
————-Ummmm
well I bet she is the BETTER lawyer!

Posted by: HP Boston | July 18, 2008, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm

Amwerica does not know about Michelle Robinson’s thesis. or how she got into Princeton on her brother’s athletic coattails.

Posted by: geevill | July 18, 2008, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm

Let’s also hear about the millions Michelle and Barack have in tax-free bonds.

Posted by: geevill | July 18, 2008, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm

“Michelle has lived the american dream and is a role model.”
And she is only really proud of America when her husband is winning, then goes on to tell a former first lady she needs to manage her husband better?
Some role model.
BTW: Sean Hannity challenged Barack to come on Fox where he would repeat what he said to his face. When MSNBC laid into Hillary, she took their invitation then took their talking head out. Tough gal. Barack, on the other hand, is a lot of talk but no walk.
Food fight!! Food fight!!

Posted by: len | July 18, 2008, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm

Cindy is not the only super wealthy wife in recent history who has helped her husbands presidential campaign.
Teresa Heinz wife of John Kerry her personal wealth is estimated at 1+ billion also inherited her wealth. also declined to disclose her personal tax returns. also like the mccains own 5 homes. meal tickets a plenty!

Posted by: sonia trevino | July 18, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

Will this lower gas prices, improve education, and create a health care system?

Posted by: Bette | July 18, 2008, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm

Jane: I watch diverse news sources. That this bothers you says a lot about you.
No pity. No excuses. No fear.

Posted by: len | July 18, 2008, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm

I say campaign finance is a real issue, judgement calls over whether someone is patriotic is not. See: numbers, facts. BTW – the level of pathetic, angry discourse on this blog is consistently high compared to others. Do you all live on here or what?

Posted by: squintz | July 18, 2008, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm

Poor Baby Obama does not want his wife to be critized, yet she critized everyone and everything that is wrong with America.
If he does not want his wife critized then he should lock her up.
Tell her to keep her opinions to herself.
Besides, baby Obama, do not stress to much you will not be the president of America, and that is something you can believe in.
PumaPac totally and only for H.R. Clinton. Future President 2008-2012

Posted by: TerryDo | July 18, 2008, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm

geevill, anyone can read Michelle Obama’s thesis for themselves now. There’s nothing in there that matches up with any of the hype about it. It’s about how a young black girl felt about race relations at her prestigious university. The problem with all the rumor-mongering is that people in this country are fed up with being told lies. Watch out for the backlash.

Posted by: obamamama | July 18, 2008, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm

Cindy McCain was zoned out on drugs for 3 years and had stolen those drugs from a charity set up to give those drugs to 3rd world nations. can you imagine if Michelle Obama had that little tidbit in her past? we’d never hear the end of it.

Posted by: alison | July 18, 2008, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm

Posted by: Mark | July 18, 2008, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. I find it unfortunate and completely irrelevant but if The Right Wing Nut Case smear campaign against Michelle Obama continues, Cindy McCain will become fair game. We will have a continuing discussion about her drug addiction, drug theft, how their marriage license managed to come before his divorce, her non-payment of property taxes on one of her seven homes, her one month $750,000 American Express charges, etc., etc.
What some people fail to realize is that this is not the old Democratic Party. After eight years of lies, distortions, innuendo, divisiveness and character assassination, we’ve had enough. When punched, we will punch back…harder.

Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | July 18, 2008, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm

OMG… the DNC has a problem with Cindy McCain because she is wealthy???????? I have a problem with the DNC because they get my tax money for their salary and they do nothing to earn it…the DNC is lowering their reputation every day they say stupid things like this….and CNN…just another “rag” channel!

Posted by: mfmros | July 18, 2008, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm

LOL, I had to read that twice to see where the attack against Cindy McCain was.
hmm, mentioning her vast wealth is an attack? who has thin skin now?
I thought the American dream was to be weathy? Who knew it was somehow shameful to the McCain campaign

Posted by: tinat | July 18, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm

“Will this lower gas prices, improve education, and create a health care system?”
No Bette. It is the bread and circuses of political parties and media where wealth has concentrated the message in the hands of a few and intelligence in the heads of fewer.
We need a competent executive. Instead, they give us a war hero and a rock star with no hits past or present.

Posted by: len | July 18, 2008, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm

the Salon.com article on Cindy McCain stealing drugs from a charity. this is not libelous, it’s public record.

Posted by: alison | July 18, 2008, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm

Why didn’t the people attacking McCain’s wife’s fortune have a problem with Kerry’s wife’s fortune. Such narrow shallow people!\

Posted by: Aston | July 18, 2008, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm

Nobody’s Fool.
You crack me up. You can list alot of way’s McCain has changed over 40 years in government. I can’t create a list like this for Obama because he spent about 3 months in congress before forming a committee to run for president. This is worse than Clinton becoming a senator for 1 term (6 years) before declaring her candidacy.
Posted by: Mark
=====================================
This guy has the thinnest resume and still wants to believe that he can C-in-C. Whatever record he has on in the legislature is he is a far-left out of touch with the mainstream America.

Posted by: yesiamaconservative | July 18, 2008, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm

yesiamaconservative
One might say he’s nothing more than Pelosi’s puppet!

Posted by: Aston | July 18, 2008, 3:09 pm 3:09 pm

But I still believe that Michelle Obama should not be attacked unfairly nor should Cindy McCain. Both are good women. If I don’t like Obama, it is based mainly based out of issues. He is far-left. Any candidate who supports abortion, limits gun rights, raises taxes will never be my candidate.

Posted by: yesiamaconservative | July 18, 2008, 3:09 pm 3:09 pm

Cindy McCain said the only way to really get around Arizona is by private jet. Could we imagine Michelle Obama saying something like this? No, because she grew up on the south side of Chicago, raised in a working-class family. Michelle is much, much closer to the average American woman. She wears dresses we can actually afford to go out and buy. Much more down to earth.

Posted by: cincyr | July 18, 2008, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm

James McDouglas
I’m not a Republican and I’m only advancing the truth!

Posted by: Aston | July 18, 2008, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm

Those of you who think Cindy McCain is being “attacked” purely because of her wealth need to work on your reading comprehension skills. The article stated pretty clearly that there are concerns about transparency, and about the *source* of that money, and how it can affect/be affected by presidential decisions. That’s not a personal attack, it’s due diligence, and all candidates should be subject to it.
I’ll probably vote for Obama, but if someone wanted to check up on where the Obamas’ income comes from and how it might affect his political decisions, I’d consider that entirely fair.

Posted by: metamanda | July 18, 2008, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm

McCain gets around his own campaign finance laws by using his wife’s corporate jet.
That’s a MAJOR expense for these campaigns.
Clever how McCain’s laws work so well for… the rich.
But nothing new. He’s a Republican after all, and his voting record is extremely corrupt.

Posted by: James McDouglas | July 18, 2008, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm

It should also be noted that the McCain’s have a special deal with American Express where they pay no interest on that $750,000 credit card bill.
It’s nice being an heiress in America… although I thought we kicked the royalty out of our country about 250 years ago… at the point of a gun.
Maybe it’s again time to take out the garbage?

Posted by: James McDouglas | July 18, 2008, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm

When a case before a federal judicial panel involves a party with whom the judge has a financial interest, the judge is obligated to recuse himself or herself from the case.
That option is not open to the president of the United States; there’s no “co-president” to whom the president can defer.
Over the next four years, matters will come up before Congress and the presidency that will directly affect Cindy McCain’s bottom line. They will also affect John McCain’s bottom line.
It’s perfectly reasonable to wonder what effect such matters will have on McCain’s decisions as president. Especially since Cindy McCain refuses to divulge anything that bears on how her income is actually derived.
Equally, the American people have an interest in considering the dollar value of Cindy McCain’s financial support of her husband’s campaign, especially relating to matters subject to campaign finance disclosure rules – as with the use of her company’s corporate aircraft in lieu of public transport.
These issues are all the more pertinent because John McCain stakes his reputation as a straight-talking reformer of campaign financing.
A little transparency would help his claim.

Posted by: dennis Berry | July 18, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm

mfmors-
Where one earth did you get the idea that your tax dollars support the Democratic National Committee?

Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | July 18, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm

James McDouglas
You’re still one of the most accomplished liars around here. Not quite as bad as BHO but really really close.

Posted by: Aston | July 18, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm

Wow Aston, I have read every post you have made and none of them have any real content in them. No basis in fact, nothing constructive, just flaming. Incredible.
I think the American Public has learned what family money can do to a President. I don’t think we’ll let it happen again soon. The key word being soon. We’ll probably forget in a few decades.

Posted by: Dave | July 18, 2008, 5:23 pm 5:23 pm

TerryDo
This is no different than anything else in life.It’s all about Perpective, what they have experienced, how they see things based on their experience.Michelle Obama has the right to speak about Anything,from her perpective.Now, unless you are an African American, or any other person of color,(even then, there may some differences in one’s perpective)how can you First: speak to or even attempt to speak to how someone WHO IS of Color,Does,Should or Will see things,and Secondly:WHY WOULD YOU?

Posted by: fempharoh08 | July 18, 2008, 5:39 pm 5:39 pm

Since when is making money in a capitalist society a sin? Don’t forget that you need the people who make the money so Obama can take it and redistribute it.

Posted by: HoosierSue | July 18, 2008, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm

When CNN referred to Cindy McCain subsidizing His campaign, it was also noted she has not given his campaign. The subsidy is paying for his transportation on the jet. I think it is misleading you did not include that.
I would rather have her pay for the jet than us taxpayers. The taxpayers are paying for Obama’s campaign trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, for his photo ops. He is saying it is a “senate trip”. PUMA

Posted by: rrow | July 18, 2008, 9:37 pm 9:37 pm

oy, Michelw……
” She didn’t do it on Daddy’s money. SHE EARNED IT!”
Yeh!
With the help of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!!!!

Posted by: just thinking: | July 18, 2008, 11:00 pm 11:00 pm

Cindy McCain has used a her money to help children… and has even adopted a daughter who was in need of serious medical attention.
Her income has nothing to do with us!
The stories you slander her with have nothing to do with us!
Cindy is a classy lady who has accomplished a lot of good with her money … who doesn’t deserve being bad mouthed by the dumb remaining dems just because they don’t have Hillary to slam any more.
John Mccain doesn’t have the suavity of of a Chicago politician…. but he’s got substance in lieu of glitter….
and I like that in a Presidential contender!
HILLARY OR MCCAIN…
But always:
COUNTRY BEFORE BUSTED DNC !!!!!

Posted by: just thinking: | July 18, 2008, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm

I read the article and followed the link to the CNN transcript. There is nothing in the article or remarks by Jamal Simmons to justify the headline.
Nobody associated with Obama or the DNC said anything remotely critical of Mrs, McCain. John McCain’s use of her jets for his campaign was questioned.
This is distortion by one network of a two day old story at another network.
Please delete this as soon as possible so that the nuts who want to attack either Cindy McCain or Michelle Obama can continue their field day of bottom feeding vituperation.

Posted by: Ricky | July 19, 2008, 12:26 am 12:26 am

Did Sam say something about McCain spending his Social Security check at the gambling table in Vegas? And what was Jane Hussein’s response. Is WWF still on so I can get back to non-fiction?

Posted by: Ricky | July 19, 2008, 12:38 am 12:38 am

Wow. You guys all need to get out more often. It doesn’t matter who gets elected because the REAL power behind the throne will still be there. That power is the institution known as the corporation. These artificial constructs are out of control and should be called to account for their blatant disregard for the law.

Posted by: AndroidBoy420 | July 19, 2008, 3:11 am 3:11 am

While they’re at it, somebody might want to look at what made MRS. Obama’s executive services at U/C suddenly worth an annual 350,000 a year as soon as Big Daddy was elected to the Illinois State Senate . . .

Posted by: Edgar Cayce | July 19, 2008, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm

To cincyr:
I guess it just depends on what your values and priorities are. Yours, as you stated, are about banning abortion, guns for all, and keeping your tax money. Mine are about caring for the children who are already here and insuring that they grow up with the same advantages as everyone else, insuring that irresponsible lunatics do not get their hands on guns and insuring that the money that I pay in taxes does not go to support a war we never should have waged in the first place and which has cost thousands of American and Iraqi lives and which is also responsible for the economic mess we are now in. It’s all about priorities, cincyr. Obama vs McCain? May the man on the side the the angels win! We will soon see which is which. Peace!

Posted by: truthzone | July 19, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm

to yesiamaconservative:
Teresa Kerry’s wealth was a huge issue for the “cons.” Turn about is fair play! No one is attacking Cinny’s character, no one is calling her names. It just needs to be pointed out that her business could be a conflict of interest and that there is no way the McC’s can possibly relate to the average American with a credit card bill of $750,000 a month. All of that is fair game. If you can call Michelle names to defame her character, we certainly can point out the conflicts of interest and ask for reports on how Johnny is spending the money that seems to go from Cinny to the campaign.

Posted by: Lynne | July 19, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm

Senator McCain thought it was so horrible that young people have to pay into Social Security, in order for retirees to draw a Social Security check. How hypocritical can you get? The Social Security system was designed that way! But please do tell us Senator McCain, why are you drawing $23,157. per year in Social Security, while at the same time you are receiving a $58,358. Navy pension and a senator’s salary of $161,708, while at the same time, you are married to a millionaire?
I guess we could just say those are FAKE tears for all those young people who pay into Social Security,so you can get that $23,157 Social Security checks.

Posted by: Rene | July 19, 2008, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm

Here are several ways that McCain could fix this “problem”:
-McCain concedes now to Obama
-McCain divorces his wife if he wins
-McCain and his wife pledge to sell all of her stock and gives it to the poor if he wins
-McCain and his wife pledge to put their stock in a blind trust run by Jesse Jackson if he wins
-McCain vetoes any legislation that could conceivably benefit any company in which he and his wife owe stock directly or through a mutual fund or the Senate’s retirement plan.
Just kidding.

Posted by: Dh | July 20, 2008, 12:31 am 12:31 am

to the uniformed comment that the McCains do not pay interest on their American Express bill. It is obvious that you never had an American Express card. I have the same deal. Nobody pays interest on AMEX Card if it is paid on time. You do pay a penelty if not paid on time. I don’t that think Cindy McCain will have a problem with that.

Posted by: RUCKUS | July 20, 2008, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm

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