This week June 27, 2008 ? Progressive Media USA Campaign Update

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week June 27, 2008 - Progressive Media USA Campaign Update New McCain Campaign Developments . . . ・ This week, the campaign rolled out a new theme: “Paint Obama as conventional politician who always takes the safe and easy political road, then amplify the distinction by framing McCain as a patriot, somebody who has put sacrifice above self.” [Politico <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11372.html> , 6/26/08] ・ McCain launched a new ad touting his plan for energy independence and ending with the tagline, "Putting country first." The ad will air on national cable and key battleground states. [The <http://thepage.time.com/2008/06/27/mccain-pushes-the-lexington-project-in-t v-ad/> Page, 6/27/08] ・ The McCain campaign has begun to hold town halls with “undecided” voters. The campaign is paying Direct Response Group $8,000-10,000 per town hall to develop the guest list of undecideds. Our trackers have not been to get into undecided town halls. [USA <http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-06-24-McCain-screen _N.htm> Today, 6/24/08] Progressive Media USA and Partner Activities This Week . . . Charlie Black Terror Comments This week, Charlie Black, McCain’s top adviser and a former lobbyist, said in an interview with Fortune magazine that another terrorist attack would be politically beneficial to John McCain. We used this opportunity to frame the comments as McCain using a page from the Karl Rove-GOP playbook of fear-and-smear tactics and remind the press of McCain’s previous similar statements. We also used Black’s comments as an opportunity to remind reporters of Black’s many other controversies and that Black is one of 137 lobbyists advising or raising money for McCain. RESEARCH: Our research team put together a document outlining the McCain campaign’s use of fear and the terror card. Among research’s find was a McCain web ad from the GOP primaries that used graphic images of terrorism to hit Mitt Romney’s foreign policy experience. They also found a quote from 2004, where McCain said that the bin Laden October tape was helpful to Bush. * 2004: McCain On Bin Laden Tape: "I Think It's Very Helpful To President Bush." According to the Associated Press, "Sen. John McCain, campaigning in southwestern Connecticut on Saturday, said Osama bin Laden's video message to Americans will likely energize President Bush's re-election campaign. 'I think it's very helpful to President Bush… It focuses America's attention on the war on terrorism. I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but I think it does have an effect." [Associated Press, 10/30/04] * 2007: McCain Emphasized Bhutto Assassination Would “Enhance” His Foreign Policy Credentials. In the immediate aftermath of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the Associated Press reported, “McCain was not so reticent about comparing his experience with that of other GOP contenders. ‘My theme has been throughout this campaign that I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge and the judgment. So perhaps it may serve to enhance those credentials to make people understand that I've been to Pakistan, I know Musharraf, I can pick up the phone and call him. I knew Benazir Bhutto.’” [Associated Press, 12/28/07] Research also put together a document on Charlie Black, including his involvement with campaign smear tactics, like the Jesse Helms “White Hands” ad. PRESS: The press team gave the research to reporters and got Hotline to write on the McCain web ad. Hotline and Politico also wrote on the 2004 quote. * “With all the talk of Charlie Black's recent remark <http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/20/magazines/fortune/Evolution_McCain_Whitford .fortune/> in Fortune that a terrorist attack on U.S. soil would ultimately be good for John McCain, we thought we'd remind readers that this was not the first time fear-mongering was employed by the GOPer's team. “Remember this Web ad from the GOP primary? The spot -- title ‘Experience’ -- included graphic footage of a car bombing in making the case for McCain's foreign policy experience over that of rival Mitt Romney:” [Hotline <http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/06/anamoly.html#commen ts> , 6/25/08] The press team pitched the Black story and got Ari Melber at The Nation to write a lengthy piece on Black. * “For those who've followed Black's career, this latest ‘gaffe’ should hardly be surprising. Black has a long history of rough-and-tumble politics, on behalf of some of the most controversial figures in this country and abroad. “Black was a protege of the late GOP operative Lee Atwater, who coldly implemented the Republican Party's racially divisive ‘Southern <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy> strategy.’ Both Atwater and Black were longtime advisors to former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms. In 1990, with Black as his senior advisor (the same position he now holds for McCain), Helms ran this ad against his African-American opponent, Harvey Gantt.” [The Nation <http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters/332544> , 6/25/08] Partner Activities: NSN released a memo to the press on how McCain and Republicans play politics with terror. The memo also included a PMUSA research document. Move On called on Black to be fired. * “For the last eight years, George Bush has built power using the politics of fear. Now, John McCain's team is doing the same thing. “On Monday, McCain's top adviser, Charlie Black, said that a terrorist attack will help his candidate win the election.1 This kind of fear-based tactic is straight out of the Bush play book, and it's just plain wrong.” [MoveOn email, 6/25/08] Here are examples of the press using our frame: * “The comments also returned the political spotlight to McCain's advisers and, in particular, to Black, who has drawn criticism for his long lobbying career and his representation of controversial foreign governments. McCain has been criticized for surrounding himself with top advisers who were lobbyists.” [Washington <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR200806230 1979.html?nav=rss_politics> Post, 6/24/08] * “During the 2004 presidential race, President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other Republicans argued that Democratic nominee John Kerry was soft on terrorism; the argument resonated with voters. The GOP also questioned the Democrats' record on national security in 2002, with White House political adviser Karl Rove saying Republicans should not shy away from citing terrorism concerns as a reason to vote for their party.” [Associated <http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080623/D91G30V00.html> Press, 6/23/08] Energy McCain once again focused on energy this week. He proposed a $300 million prize for whoever develops a reliable car battery to replace gasoline. He also traveled to Nevada where his stance on Yucca and nuclear power is unpopular. RESEARCH: Our research team put together a document on McCain’s true energy priorities, which include billions in tax breaks for big oil companies. PRESS: We shared research’s energy priorities document with reporters and our environmental partners. On the day McCain was in Nevada, we sent the Sierra Club a video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPlaHQCKc34> we found of McCain telling a reporter that he would not be comfortable having nuclear waste travel through Arizona. The Sierra Club sent out a release about this video. * “As John McCain travels to Nevada today to raise money and tout his misguided energy proposals, a newly uncovered television interview exposes the Arizona Senator's hypocrisy when it comes to the issue of Yucca Mountain and nuclear waste. McCain is a major proponent of storing thousands of tons of high-level nuclear waste at the unproven and unsafe Yucca Mountain site and just last week proposed a building 100 new nuclear reactors-a plan that by utilities' own estimates could cost more than $1 TRILLION. Yet, in an interview posted to the YouTube website in May 2007 and uncovered today, McCain says he would not be comfortable with the waste traveling through his own home state on its way to the proposed Nevada repository.” [Sierra Club release, 6/25/08] Lobbyists/Special Interests Dominate McCain Team We continue to keep the pressure on McCain’s lobbyists - finding and sharing new research, highlighting McCain’s lobbyists for the press and giving our partners information on how McCain’s lobbyist connect to their issue area. McCain’s lobbyist advisers were in the news every day this week and we made sure to share the stories with our partners and other reporters. Charlie Black, Senior Adviser - Black’s controversy has been documented above. Rick Davis, Campaign Manager - On Thursday, The Washington Post did a front page story on Davis’ lobbying career and how it has profited from Davis’ relationship with McCain. * “But in the eight years since Davis first managed a McCain campaign, his relationship with the senator has been a lucrative commodity. He and his lobbying firm, Davis Manafort, have earned handsome fees representing clients who need McCain's help in the Senate. He also has made money from a panoply of McCain-related entities, some of which have operated from the upscale riverfront office space that houses his lobbying shop… Their relationship is typical of the symbiotic ties that have come to define the culture of the nation's capital.” [Washington <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/25/AR200806250 2858.html?sid=ST2008062502934&pos=list> Post, 6/26/08] Phil Gramm, Campaign Co-Chair - Gramm came under fire over the weekend for his support of the “Enron Loophole,” which Obama proposed closing. Gramm continues to receive scrutiny for his lobbying work for the banking industry while he was helping craft McCain’s economic policies. * “Democrats also say that Gramm's post-Senate lobbying activities conflict with McCain's promise to steer clear of lobbyists in his presidential campaign. And left-leaning critics point at Gramm for turning McCain, a longtime fiscal conservative who voted against President Bush's tax cuts, into a supply-sider who wants to make those tax cuts permanent.” [Houston <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/5850226.html> Chronicle, 6/21/08] Tom Ridge, Campaign Co-Chair - On Tuesday, it was reported <http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/06/another_lobbying_he adache_for.html> that former Homeland Security secretary and McCain co-chair Tom Ridge failed to properly disclose that he was lobbying for the Albanian government. Guns Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that the D.C. gun ban was unconstitutional. McCain quickly released a very pro-gun statement praising the decision. We made sure reporters writing on McCain’s position had our research document on McCain’s mixed gun record and how he moved to the right to pander to the conservative base. * “But McCain has his own checkered history when it comes to the Second Amendment. “For years, the NRA considered him one of the ‘premier flag carriers for the enemies of the Second Amendment’ for his efforts to require background checks at gun shows. “McCain's support for background checks was not casual. He appeared in television commercials on behalf of referenda aimed at requiring them. And his efforts to pass a federal law caused the NRA to abandon one of their top priorities -- immunity for gun makers -- rather than have McCain succeed in attaching a gun show amendment to their bill. “But since becoming the presumptive GOP nominee, McCain has worked hard to woo his former opponents, appearing at the NRA convention in Kentucky last month and telling it, ‘For more than two decades, I've opposed efforts to ban guns, ban ammunition, ban magazines and dismiss gun owners as some kind of fringe group unwelcome in 'modern' America.’” [Washington <http://blog. washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/26/mccain_praises_supreme_court_g.html# more> Post, 6/26/08] Coordinated Activities with Progressive Partners National Security Network - In addition to releasing a memo on McCain playing politics with terror, NSN also held a pen-and-pad briefing with reporters to get them up to speed on McCain’s true foreign policy record. Fortune 200 Report - The Center for American Progress Action Fund released a report on Thursday that shows that under McCain’s tax plan, the Fortune 200 companies would get $200 billion in tax breaks. CAPAF held a press conference with Senators Durbin, Casey and Klobuchar to release the report. * “If you’re a CEO of one of America’s largest corporations and have enjoyed the Presidency of George W. Bush, a contribution to the McCain campaign is looking like a pretty good investment. “A new <http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fortune_200.pd f> report from the Center For American Progress Action Fund finds that a key piece of John McCain’s tax plan - cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25% - would cut taxes by almost $45 billion every year for America’s 200 largest corporations as identified by Fortune Magazine.” [CAPAF <http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/06/26/fortune-200-report/> Wonk Room, 6/26/08] In conjunction with CAPAF’s report, Campaign Money Watch released a report that found that the top 200 corporations in America are well represented among McCain’s campaign contributors and the lobbyists working to get him elected. * “Apparently, one of the best investments corporate America could make right now is to make a campaign contribution to John McCain, or to hire one of the many lobbyists working for his campaign,” commented David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch. “But regular Americans can’t afford to hire a lobbyist like Charlie Black or Rick Davis, or to make a $2, 300 contribution. Perhaps that’s why McCain’s tax plan is so skewed to help corporate America.” [Campaign <http://www.campaignmoney.org/pressroom/2008/06/26/mccain-fortune200> Money Watch release, 6/26/08] PMUSA also sent reporters and partners a flash report showing that McCain’s 137 lobbyist adviser/staff/fundraisers have represented 120 of the Fortune 200 companies. McCain U - On Monday, CAPAF is hosting McCain U - a briefing for reporters, the Hill and partners on McCain’s policies on the economy, health care, foreign policy and energy. Our research team has been working on summary documents on McCain’s record on these issues for inclusion in the McCain U packet. Our new media team has been working on videos to show at the briefing. Sunday Shows - PMUSA prepared research materials on McCain and Pawlenty for Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s Sunday show appearance. In the States Iowa Policy Works spent a good deal of time this week figuring out the precise mix of policy and politics that the Des Moines Register requires for opinion editorials to get published. They continue to recruit high level, high quality surrogates and have started efforts to reach farther into the blogosphere of Iowa progressives. * Clips : McCain didn't support GI bill Des Moines Register LTE, June 20, 2008 John McCain is on the wrong side of maverick. The Republican presidential candidate and Vietnam POW opposed bipartisan support for renewal and expansion of the "21st‐century GI Bill" that increases educational benefits such as in‐state tuition reimbursement and extends coverage to National Guard troops and Reserves. The bill, which was sponsored by Vietnam Marine infantry officer and former Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, is also supported by 91 percent of Americans. McCain who initially supported the bill said, "One of the things we ought to do is provide significant educational benefits in return for serving." Later, he opposed the measure. Facing opposition from veterans' groups, McCain argued that if government makes college more affordable, people might leave the military rather than re‐enlist. Conversely, the Congressional Budget Office calculates that raising the educational benefits as proposed would result in a 16‐percent increase in military recruiting. Moreover, McCain lacked the courtesy to show up for the vote, choosing instead to attend a pro‐football fundraiser in California. Although the Senate bill passed 7522, McCain should be questioned regarding his alleged devotion to fellow veterans. His opposition to the bill is blatant hypocrisy. ‐ Ellen Ballas, Coralville New Mexico Clearly New Mexico is continuing to drive recruitment of Veterans and is pitching a panel to public affairs television shows across the state (General Mel Montano and representatives of the GI Rights Hotline and GI Forum have signed on.) McCain will be in New Mexico on July 12; his finance chair (Ken Zangara) has quite a checkered press and will initiate a media campaign next week to have him removed as McCain’s New Mexico Finance Chair. * Blog: No Help At All By Matt Brix ‐ Jun 24th, 2008 at 7:24 pm MDT Over the last week, we here at Clearly New Mexico have registered our disgust with the direction of the debate and the level of rhetoric over American energy policy (link)(link). Billions of dollars in public subsidies for oil and gas companies continue, while productive incentives for renewable energy languish. And, the inane idea of drilling for oil in coastal areas on the outer continental shelf is being billed as a legitimate response to the problem of $4.00 per gallon. The Albuquerque Journal (subscription required) saw fit to ignore reality and jump on the "black gold" bandwagon in its Sunday editorial. Like Congress and the president, the Journal is no help at all for the people of New Mexico. Because the president and his apologists in the press are beating the domestic drilling drum, I thought it might be interesting to find out just what kind of a marginal effect, if any, increased American oil exploration would have. So, I did what any armchair research novice would do; I jumped on Google. My grandiose plans of finding a slick econometric analysis quickly ended when I came across a story on NPR, one that put the nonsense about offshore drilling into simple perspective. Henry Lee of the Kennedy School of Government talks about the 8‐14 year time line for getting outer continental shelf drilling on‐line and fully operational. High‐end estimates put daily production at about 1 million barrels per day, or less than 1% of the world's daily oil consumption. This is hardly the kind of volume that would make a discernible dent. Plus, with growing needs from China, India and other Asian countries, oil from the outer continental shelf would have virtually zero impact on world demand. (NPR story) There you have it. When it comes to finding a sensible solution to the related crises of skyrocketing fossil fuel costs and global climate change, leaders in Washington are ignoring plain facts. Instead of serving the public interest, leaders in Washington, and our own Albuquerque Journal, are no help at all. Minnesota Alliance for a Better Minnesota continues to lead the charge in organizing around the National Republican Convention. Surrogates have been recruited as experts to be featured in earned media reports from the convention. This week ABM also worked on issues surrounding Norm Coleman’s ties to lobbyists in DC. ABM also helped us put together research on Gov. Pawlenty to help prep Rep. Emanuel for his Sunday show appearance. * Blog: McCain Advisor Says Another Terrorist Attack Would Be "Big Advantage" for McCain Another <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/23/mccain-adviser-another-91_n_108671 .html> great week for McCain, and it's only Monday. Ohio It was another busy week for ProgressOhio: first the Bush Bus stopped in three locations and then McCain came to visit Youngstown at the end of the week. Press was generous to both organizing opportunities thanks to ProgressOhio’s hard work: clips of McCain’s visit often references UAW’s objections to his record on free trade and gutting workers’ rights and the Bush Legacy Bus clips noted many ways in which conservative policies have failed America. ・ Clips from McCain’s Visit: McCain talks trade, innovation with auto workers By GLEN JOHNSON - June 27, 2008 While McCain received a respectful welcome from a largely union audience, one employee firmly asked him about trade pacts such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Central American Free Trade Agreement ‐ both of which workers believe have triggered job shifts to Canada, Mexico and Central America. McCain supports the agreements but Democratic rival Barack Obama has threatened to unilaterally re‐open NAFTA if labor and environmental concessions are not made. The worker who asked the question, 37‐year‐old Raymond Francisco, moved his family to Ohio after GM closed the sport‐utility vehicle factory where he worked in Linden, N.J. "I don't believe that every trade agreement is totally fair, and we do have mechanisms in these agreements where you can bring suit where unfair practices exist," McCain told Francisco. "I would say that if and when we conclude additional free trade agreements, perhaps we could do a better job of setting up and implementing mechanisms that would address unfair or violations, basically, of the free trade agreements that we make." McCain returns to battered Youngstown area By ANDREW WELSH‐HUGGINS , The Associated Press 6/27/2008, 1:09 a.m. ET (AP) - John McCain planned his second visit in three months to the Youngstown area Friday, an economically depressed region cool to the Republican's position on trade and jobs. [snip] "Sen. McCain's going to Youngstown, Ohio?" a skeptical Gov. Ted Strickland, who represented the area in Congress, said Thursday. "I could not imagine Sen. McCain could hope to gain political advantage in the Mahoning Valley," said Strickland, a Democrat who backed Hillary Rodham Clinton and now supports Sen. Barack Obama. "I really see nothing in Sen. McCain's economic policies that would have an appeal to the folks in these distressed Ohio communities." [snip] Mike Sullivan, retiree chairman for the Lordstown GM plant's United Auto Workers' local, said he hoped McCain wouldn't sway the minds of the union's largely Democratic members. McCain doesn't "have any of the kind of philosophies that are going to help working people," Sullivan said. McCain to tour Lordstown Complex today By STEPHEN ORAVECZ, Tribune Chronicle. POSTED: June 27, 2008 Auto workers want GOP presidential candidate John McCain to talk about jobs, trade and health care when he holds a town hall meeting this morning with employees at the General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex. Mike Sullivan, chairman of the United Auto Workers Local 1714 retirees, summed it up Thursday in anticipation of the Republican presidential candidate's second visit to the Mahoning Valley. He said, ''We need to have someone who understands the problems of working people.'' Auto workers who took part in a telephone news conference in anticipation of McCain's visit doubt he fits that bill. The UAW has endorsed Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama. Among other things, the auto workers are concerned about McCain's support for free trade agreements and his opposition to increases in the minimum wage, said Dave Green, president of Local 1714. Putting money into the hands of working people ''is essential to our economy,'' he said. Green said the next president needs to find a way to revive manufacturing in the United States. Training workers for new technology jobs is not enough, he said, because existing trade agreements let those jobs move overseas along with American manufacturing jobs. Amid criticism from UAW, McCain to stop at GM plant By Don Shilling, Published:Friday, June 27, 2008 The United Auto Workers, which typically supports Democratic candidates, launched a news release Thursday in advance of McCain’s visit to the car plant. “McCain is out of touch with working people and their hardships,” said Dave Green, president of UAW Local 1714 in Lordstown. The UAW criticized McCain for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement and voting against raising the minimum wage. McCain coming to GM's Lordstown plant to talk about energy policy, push his plan to contain fuel costs Sabrina Eaton, Plain Dealer Bureau, Friday, June 27, 2008 Leaders of a union that represents the plant’s workers - United Auto Workers Local 1714 - said they disliked McCain’s past opposition to minimum ‐wage increases and his past support for the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade pacts that they blame for the decline of U.S. manufacturing jobs. Union President David Green said he doesn’t expect McCain will gain support from workers at the plant because of that record, although they’ll give him a polite hearing. “Just because we don’t necessarily agree with his philosophies and ideals doesn’t mean it’s going to be a disrespectful conversation,” Green said. Americans United for Change Bush Bus Clips Anti‐Bush group motors exhibit into Dayton The Bush Legacy Bus will tour 150 cities in effort link John McCain to president's policies. By Lynn Hulsey, Thursday, June 26, 2008 DAYTON - An advocacy group brought the Bush Legacy Bus to Dayton on Wednesday, June 25, the first stop on a five‐month, 150‐city tour designed to bash President George Bush's record and to paint presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain with the same broad brush. "It's very powerful to see the timetable and cause and effect of so many of the administration's failed policies," said Marlene Ostrow, 49, who traveled from Cincinnati to see the bio‐diesel‐powered rolling anti‐Bush museum at Courthouse Square in downtown Dayton. Displays in the bus include timelines, videos and photographs outlining what the advocacy group, Americans United for Change, believes are the Bush Administration's disastrous policies and actions. Displays covered Iraq, the economy, Hurricane Katrina, health care, workers' rights and education. A large old‐fashioned style gas pump sat at the back of the bus, with an electronic display that could determine the annual cost of gas to a consumer. Atop the pump was a round sign with a large "W" in the middle and the words "Bush Cheney Oil," and at the bottom, and one that said "GOP Grand Oil Party." Asked to react to the group's message, Republican National Committee spokeswoman Blair Latoff said, "The last thing Ohioans want or need is a bus full of professional partisans rolling into town and tearing people down. Ohio needs leadership and they are looking for someone like John McCain who has demonstrated the capability and willingness to work on both sides of the aisle to get things done." McCain was targeted along with Bush in speeches by local government officials and union and civil rights leaders. They asked the lunchtime crowd to support Democratic Sen. Barack Obama for president and they took particular aim at gas prices. McCain is on the side of "big oil and corporate greed," said Wesley Wells, executive director of the Dayton‐Miami Valley AFL‐CIO Regional Labor Council. "I agree with Senator Barack Obama. It's time for change. Don't you agree?" Wells said. Keith Lander, 45, of Dayton came downtown to see the tour bus and hear the speakers. Given the state of the economy, high gas prices and the war in Iraq, Lander said he doesn't see how anyone could vote for Republicans in the fall. Those that do are "setting themselves up for their own demise," Lander said. Radio Coverage: Left‐leaning advocacy group starts nationwide tour in Dayton Americans United for Change, an issues‐driven advocacy group, began a campaign this week called the "Bush Legacy Bus Tour". It's dubbed a "museum on wheels", highlighting what they describe as the failures of the Bush administration over his two terms in office. The courthouse square in Dayton was the first stop on the trip after its launch in Washington, D.C. From member station WYSO, Emily McCord reports. http://www.statenews.org/media/2008/06/25/11526/11092.ram Wisconsin The executive director of One Wisconsin Now was in Washington, DC this week so clips and actions were lighter than we’ve come to expect. However, LTE’ s and an adwatch clip on McCain’s energy ad were generated and OWN helped in outreach for SEIU’s Health Care bus. OWN continues to push their petition calling for less breaks for big oil in light of manufacturing plants closing and affecting the economy of Wisconsin. ・ Clips: Reality Check: McCain Ad On Global Warming General Election Ad Airs In Wisconsin, UPDATED: 8:47 pm CDT June 25, 2008 "Today, (McCain) has a realistic plan that will curb greenhouse gas emissions. A plan that will help grow our economy and protect our environment," the ad says. WISC‐TV found that this claim needs clarification. McCain's plan stems from the Stewardship Act he co‐ sponsored. The Stewardship Act failed in the Senate in 2003. It would create a so‐called "cap and trade" system. The program would cap emissions, aiming to reduce them by nearly 70 percent by 2050. It would allow companies to buy, sell or trade their rights to emit gasses like carbon dioxide. So, companies that emit below the cap can sell their allowances not used back to the government... for cash or sell them to companies that want to emit more. The main argument against McCain's plan comes from his own party. The headline shown at the beginning of the ad was from the end of May, just before Republicans blocked a vote on a similar bill.” McCain wrong on health care, says industry union Doug Shore - 6/25/2008 6:24 am In the coming months, Sen. John McCain (R‐Ariz.) and Sen. Barack Obama will be traveling across the country attempting to convince voters that they have a plan to improve our nation's health care system. A group of health care advocates will likely cross paths with the presidential candidates as it travels through many key battleground states to bring more attention to the respective plans of the two candidates. "The Road to American Health Care," a national bus tour organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU), came through Wisconsin Tuesday and held a small rally in the Capitol building. Its primary message: John McCain's health care plan is not going to do anything to control skyrocketing costs of health care. Blogs: Beer conflict brewing for McCain Uppity Wisconsin, Posted June 23rd, 2008 by warmmidwest It's going to be difficult for a large segment of McCain's base to look the other way concerning his family's alcohol fortune and lobbying for distribution of sweet‐tasting beer concoctions aimed at the youth markets. "You can't run a beer company out of the White House," said Samuel L. Popkin, a political science professor at UC San Diego. "You can't run any company from the White House. McCain is leaving a live hand grenade on the table, a major embarrassment." One Wisconsin Now continues to beat the drum over McCain’s handouts to big oil: Reject McCain’s Latest Big Oil Handout By Cory @ One Wisconsin Now ‐ Jun 20th, 2008 at 11:28 am EDT One Wisconsin Now has launched a petition to Wisconsin’s Congressional Delegation demanding that they stand against Senator John McCain’s plan to giveaway $4 billion in new tax breaks to his friends in Big Oil. In 2006 Bush and McCain supported budget giveaways of $5 billion in tax cuts. This at a time when working people are struggling to pay $4‐a‐gallon gas prices and Big Oil companies are raking in records profits. One company pocketed as high as $7 billion in only one quarter recently. According to a report from the Capital Times, “The unprecedented rise in gasoline prices helped put 2, 600 General Motors employees out of work in Janesville.” That plant is scheduled to close as early as the end of 2009. It is pretty clear that the pain at the pump is spreading quickly to many other areas of our economy, especially in working family wallets. Take a moment to sign a petition to your representative in Congress! Tell them to reject the Bush/McCain policies of more tax giveaways to an industry that has devoured so much and given back so little.