podesta_email_19785.txt

podesta-emails 4,494 words email

P17 V11 D6 V15 P22

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*Main Topics:* Pastor disaster, McExtreme, McLobbyists, Out of Touch, GI BIll, Petraeus Promotion, Oldy McOlderson/McCain's health records *Summary of Shift:* Around 11pm Anderson Cooper confirms that John McCain has also rejected Pastor Rod Parsley's endorsement. CNN floats reports that Obama is on the V.P. search. The Pentagon is advancing remote control weapons. The meat industry faces heightened regulations in the face of controversial video that features sick cows going unchecked to the food supply. Sen. Kennedy made his first comments since doctors found cancerous cells in his brain. McCain and Hagee's mutual rejection of one another created a firestorm on the networks; the story received coverage on every channel (sometimes airing stories simultaneously). Clips of McCain's appearance on the Ellen show were also somewhat pervasive, but the conversation received scant analysis. The democrats' embarrassment over a botched veto override also received considerable airtime. The polygamist compound story took a different turn after a new court ruling may require that the children involved go home. Highlights 1. Pastor problem ignites a. Parsley still in the wait (all clips before AP story hit the wire) b. Move is likely political calculation on the behalf of McCain camp, critics think it is late; mistake to accept endorsement altogether c. Graham claims McCain rejects Hagee to show he is a uniter not a divider 2. McLobbyist scandal continues 3. Ellen a. Ellen appearance underscores McCain's extreme position on gay marriage b. Republican strategist points to McCain 'genius' logic behind Ellen appearance 4. Rachel Maddow: McCain qualifies as an elitist 5. McCain's health records 6. McCain: MIA on the GI Bill 7. Petraeus promotion 8. The McVeepstakes 9. Fox analyzes Cindy McCain's *Vogue* spread, suggests there could be a potential backlash against her size 0 jeans [no clip] 10. Fox News' Brit Hume reports that the FBI's highest ranking Arab-American official has blown the whistle on severe ineptitude within the anti-terrorism dept. [no clip] 11. Ten-thousand US troops have entered Sadr City, Brit Hume also reports [no clip] 12. The O'Reilly factor hosted a conversation on the White House's allegations that NBC's war coverage is biased against the war effort [no clip] 13. Gupta describes the constraints for reporters looking at McCain's medical records as 'cloak and dagger' [no clip] 14. Congress subpoenas Rove [no clip] 15. Petraeus gets 2nd worst person on "Countdown" for working to 'soften up' military analysts that were to appear on "Meet the Press" in August 2005 [no clip] Clips Highlight #1 *Todd Reports on the Pastor Disaster* (CNN 05/22/08 6:01pm) BRIAN TODD: Hagee then says those Jews who didn't follow Zionism's founder back to Israel went through the holocaust.<http://www.box.net/shared/zyfkcrqos8> *MSNBC Airs Newly Surfaced Hagee Audiotape That Implies the Holocaust Was God's Divine Will* (MSNBC 05/22/08 11:45am) MONICA NOVOTNY: Does John McCain have a pastor disaster on his hands? Pastor John Hagee, who is not McCain's pastor but who has endorsed him for president, recently apologized for disparaging comments he made against the Catholic Church. Now though, audio of a late 1990s sermon has surfaced in which Pastor Hagee makes more controversial remarks, this time about God, Hitler, and the Jews, listen. [cuts to audiotape of Pastor Hagee] PASTOR HAGEE: Behold I will send for many fishers and after will I send for many hunters, and they the hunters shall hunt them -- the will be the Jews -- from every mountain and from every hill and from out of the holes of the rocks. If that doesn't describe what Hitler did in the Holocaust, you can't see that - and that will be offensive to some people. Well, dear heart, be offended. <http://www.box.net/shared/odtkoup0k4> *Todd: McCain Has Two Pastor Problems* (CNN 05/22/08 7:12pm) BRIAN TODD: But McCain's got another pastor problem. […] The council on American-Islamic relations is calling on McCain to repudiate Parsley's endorsement as well. […] The McCain campaign is saying this is purely a political endorsement and they don't know each other well.<http://www.box.net/shared/n56rkp9k4s> *'CBS Evening News' Describes McCain-Hagee Dustup and Obama's Swipe at McCain for Missing Today's Vote on GI Bill *(CBS 05/22/08 6:36pm) KATIE COURIC: In another split between a presidential candidate and a pastor-- This time it's Republican John McCain breaking with TV preacher John Hagee after it came out he had made derogatory comments about Jews. […] Chip, this isn't the first time Hagee's statements have caused some trouble for senator McCain? CHIP REID: Boy, that is right, Katie. John Hagee has been a thorn in John McCain's side for months now. Today, McCain finally said 'enough.' [Begin audio clip] JOHN HAGEE: "Then God sent a hunter… Hitler was a hunter." [end audio clip] REID: The voice of Texas preacher John Hagee, until today a prominent supporter of John McCain. In the decade-old recording, Hagee suggests that God sent Adolf Hitler to force the Jews to the Promised Land. [begin audio clip] HAGEE: "Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the Holocaust." [end audio clip] REID: Hagee was already explosively controversial. He called Catholicism a false religion and suggested that Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for the gay rights movement. McCain criticized Hagee's remarks but did not reject his endorsement. Until today, in a statement repudiating Hagee's Hitler remarking as offensive and indefensible. Barack Obama responded that no one should attribute Hagee's remarks to McCain, just as no one should attribute his former pastor's remarks to him. [begin video clip of Barack Obama] BARACK OBAMA: For McCain to then suggest that, you know, every single statement that was made by somebody is somehow attributable to me is just wrong. [end video clip] REID: Obama also put McCain on the defensive today for opposing a bill to pay college costs of troops returning from war. [Begin video clip of Obama] OBAMA: I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. [End video clip] REID: McCain, who supports a less expensive version of bill, fired off a blistering response: "If Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully," McCain said, "But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent…" <http://www.box.net/shared/fmzmd588w4> *'NBC Nightly News' Reports on McCain's Controversial Day: GI Bill, Hagee, 'Ellen,' Medical Records *(NBC 05/22/08 7:11pm) KELLY O'DONNELL: Today […] Barack Obama singled out McCain over a GI that would increase college tuition benefits for members of the military. McCain does not support this plan, saying it would encourage too many officers to leave military service when retaining mid-level leaders is urgently needed. [video clip of Obama criticizing McCain for "lining up behind the President in his opposition to the GI bill"] O'DONNELL: McCain was not there for the vote but fired back with a stinging 8-paragraph written response. […] McCain, a decorated former POW, typically does not raise an opponent's lack of military service. Why now? Advisers said McCain took personal offense, claiming Obama had impugned McCain's motive for opposing the bill. O'DONNELL: While campaigning today, his campaign cut loose a controversial supporter. McCain rejected the February endorsement of evangelical pastor John Hagee, who recently apologized for anti-Catholic remarks, but today another batch of controversial past statements surfaced. Here, Hagee speaking about the Holocaust: [audio clip] JOHN HAGEE: And they, the hungers, shall hunt them. That will be the Jews. [end audio clip] O'DONNELL: Late today, at a synagogue, Obama tried to ease Jewish voters' concerns, saying he would not negotiate with the anti-Israel terror group, Hamas […] O'DONNELL: And today for McCain, even the lighter venue of TV's "Ellen" show was not controversy-free. Pressed on gay marriage, McCain says he supports civil agreements but not matrimony. […] O'DONNELL: Another punchline: the VP search. […] McCain is inviting 3 short-listers to his Arizona home this weekend. His aides hope the speculation about the V.P. will overshadow tomorrow's release of McCain's medical records. <http://www.box.net/shared/rv0utc8co4> *Wilhelm Weighs in on GI Bill and Reminds Us That McCain Sought the Hagee Endorsement He Now Rejects* (FNC 05/22/08) WILHELM: [McCain] sought the endorsement. He knew—must have known, surely must have known many of the public statements of this very, very public pastor and I think it was an action, in seeking the endorsement that is much more in the public sphere than any of the Reverend Wright connection to Senator Obama […]. <http://www.box.net/shared/exkxo0wsgw> *A Wider Look at McCain's Relationship to the Christian Right on CNN* (CNN 05/22/08 8:02pm) CAMPBELL BROWN: Now remember: McCain had actively pursued Hagee for the endorsement in the first place. He stood at Hagee's side three months ago; a photo op that was supposed to increase conservatives' comfort level with McCain but you have to wonder: had McCain really done his homework on this guy because almost immediately Hagee's long history of inflammatory remarks about Catholics and Jews started increasing McCain's discomfort level. […] TOM FOREMAN: […] What McCain did today may fix one problem but it may cause an even bigger divide with some evangelical voters. […] BROWN: Now John McCain does have a long and tortured history with the Christian right; rejecting them at times then embracing when it suited his political ambitions. TARA WALL: [McCain] has flip-flopped a little bit on this […]. BROWN: But why court him in the first place? […] WALL: The anti-Catholic remarks were somewhat taken out of context as well […]. BROWN: [Hagee] said that [Katrina] was 'a judgment of God against New Orleans.' I mean, how do you take that out of context? […] These comments were well known. Why would John McCain then court his endorsement? WALL: Because—listen—John McCain understands that he needs evangelical conservative support and he has done a whole host of things that, in some ways, can be seen as pandering, yes—because, if he's not genuine about reaching out to conservatives and what conservatives believe and there are some questionable issues that he has voted in stark contrast to what his evangelical base would say they support then he is reaching out an olive branch, if you will, which is in stark […] to what he has said previously about these evangelical leaders […]. <http://www.box.net/shared/phs9trm68w> *Gildoff Predicts Considerable Christian Fallout for McCain *(CNN 05/22/08 8:14pm) ED SCHULTZ: Conservatives are gonna peel away from John McCain. DAN GILDOFF: I think the irony of the whole situation is that John McCain now is gonna be more scared than ever of the Christian right because of this Parsley and this Hagee fallout and he's likely to alienate even more Christian right figures and rank and file evangelicals because of it.<http://www.box.net/shared/dibx1fjvoc> *Begala: McCain's Renunciation Comes 'Late'* (CNN 05/22/08 4:53pm) TERRY JEFFREY: I don't think [McCain] ever should have taken [Hagee's] endorsement in the first place […]. […] PAUL BEGALA: Better late than never. […] Finally Senator McCain has joined Terry [Jeffrey] in renouncing [Hagee], who's just a bigot. I mean, he has no business standing beside John McCain. <http://www.box.net/shared/zwv8yeqgw8> *Cafferty Wonders: Why the Delay? *(CNN 05/22/08 6:32pm) JACK CAFFERTY: […] My question is: Hagee is the guy who called the Catholic church 'the great whore.' What took John McCain so long to say, 'You know what? I don't need that kind of garbage as part of my effort to run the nation's highest office. Now the guy comes out […] and suggests that Adolf Hitler was doing God's work. <http://www.box.net/shared/9wq5jjsowg> *Borger: McCain's Rejection is Damage Control* (CNN 05/22/08 4:01pm) JOHN HAGEE: Hitler was a hunter. […] JOHN MCCAIN: […] I feel I must reject his endorsement as well. WOLF BLITZER: And the irony in all of this is the original endorsement that Pastor Hagee gave John McCain: John McCain cited Pastor Hagee's long time support of Israel and saying that because of that, in part, he would welcome that endorsement and now this statement comes to light that raises questions. GLORIA BORGER: [McCain] wants to control the damage and cut it off and cut it off as quickly as possible. <http://www.box.net/shared/wvnbdgnocc> *Graham Suggests Why McCain Chose to Denounce Hagee** *(CNN 05/22/08 5:39pm) LINDSEY GRAHAM: […] When you're running for president it's not always guilt by association. […] There comes a point in time when you're running for president that you have to disconnect yourself for rhetoric because you're trying to be the president of everybody. You're trying to reassure people that as president of the United States you have a big view and you're a tolerant person and there comes a point in time where you have to break and John made that decision today. […] He's gonna be president of everybody and you just have to reassure people that you're gonna be president of everybody and you have a level of tolerance that'll make the country stronger not weaker. <http://www.box.net/shared/y0abb9z28o> Highlight #2 *"Countdown" Does Segment on Charlie Black and McCain's Lobbyist Problem*(MSNBC 05/22/08 8:11pm) KEITH OLBERMANN: In biblical terms McCain failed to serve God or mammon today. The Washington Post front-paging a long-simmering problem that McCain himself has made worse- the fact that *his campaign is staffed, run and kept solvent by lobbyists who have every reason to craft McCain policies in favor of the companies and sometimes the countries whose patronage they owed their livelihood*. Specifically the Post fleshing out some half dozen terrorist dictators and oppressive regimes who have enriched the bank account of top McCain advisor, long-time lobbyist Charlie Black, including Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines and a high-profile attempt to make over the Angolan terrorist guerilla, Jonas Savimbi. Black saying, in his defends, that he stopped cashing their checks whenever the white house formally declared them bad guys. *These days Mr. Black is well-known for making lobbying calls on behalf of his current clients until his supposed retirement from lobbying in March, literally from on board McCain's Straight Talk Express* and reportedly participating in this weekend's gathering at McCain's ranch to meet with potential vice presidential candidates. […] CHUCK TODD: This feels like one of those […] cutting off your nose to spite your face. […] On one hand, he's being very noble about what he's trying to do. On the other hand, […] Barack Obama's going to find this out when he tries to appoint a government […] and put people in it that have never done any lobbying. […] It is very difficult in this town in Washington, d.c., to find people that don't have a connection to lobbying and sometimes in this case, don't have a current connection […] OLBERMANN: When […] the people for whom they have lobbied comes out, it always seems to be this incredible list of people who were, you know, deposed by democratic revolutions or in jail somewhere or are infamous in their own nations. *McCain advisors have a record of just dealing with shady countries and characters for clients,* or is it just like Sweden does not need lobbyists? […] CHUCK TODD: This is the problem. […] Charlie Black himself […] said: 'You know what? People, voters usually don't care about these issues.' The fact is he's right. And that's what makes […] McCain himself making a stand on this, only putting his own staff at peril. Because *Charlie Black has a lot of bread crumbs for a reporter to follow. Rick Davis, the campaign manager, has a lot of lobbyist bread crumbs for reporters to follow. So they're only asking for more scrutiny* at a time when that's the last thing he needs. He's carrying around a lot of the Republican brand baggage. So he caused himself more problems. TODD: I think part of this goes to McCain himself. […] He hates this idea that Obama is trying to steal the reformist message from him. McCain's been the reform guy in Washington and he wants to keep that mantle. And this idea of Obama taking it away from him, I think gets under his skin a little bit and they -- so they went out and they have a very aggressive policy. But now, all that's done is invited scrutiny of their own staff at a time when he needs to be ramping up and worried about the general election. TODD: […] Look, I've talked to a lot of Republicans who have been nervous […] that there are too many people around him that have done lobbying and lobbying for guys that are--whether it's good guys or bad guys or guys in the gray area--that are just inviting scrutiny to McCain that he doesn't need. He doesn't need to carry on -- he doesn't need to acquire his own baggage. It's tough enough to run as a Republican in 2008 this year. Don't make it harder on yourself and this lobbyist policy, it's made it harder on himself. I mean, you've got the Washington Post—that didn't take very much work to put that story together about Charlie Black. <http://www.box.net/shared/wpvh1mssgw> Highlight #3 *"Access Hollywood" Mentions "Anti-Gay Marriage" McCain* (NBC 5/22/08 7:53pm) ANNOUNCER: Ellen confronts anti-gay marriage presidential candidate, John McCain, on her show today. <http://www.box.net/shared/g4h2637s40> *Maddow Points Out that McCain Has "Extreme" Position Against Civil Unions*(MSNBC 05/22/08 6:56pm) RACHEL MADDOW: I should just note, though, *that he is actually against civil unions*. […] And he does have a real difference with Obama and Clinton on this in that he has said that he'll support a Constitutional amendment in his home state of AZ to ban it. So *he's a lot farther to the Right on gay marriage than either Clinton or Obama is.* SUSAN MOLINARI:* *But he is for partnership benefits? MADDOW: Well no, […] *he's against civil unions. That's a pretty extreme position.* *McCain's "McSquirm" Performance on 'Ellen' Number 1 on "Countdown"* (MSNBC 05/22/08 8:56pm) KEITH OLBERMANN: John McCain's campaign may still be living in some sort of dreamland, in which its candidate gets only the kind of coverage he likes. […] RACHEL MADDOW: His supposed political asset that he is the straight-talking guy that'll, you know, say anything to anyone anywhere, no matter the political cost—well today what it meant was that he told Ellen Degeneres […] that even though she's gay, she should be able to sign her name like an adult. […] Next thing he'll be saying that gay people should be allowed to drive and keep pets. *He's asserting the radical, bold, straight-talking notion that gay people should be allowed to hire lawyers to compensate for the fact that they're discriminated against in the law. Awesome*! […] OLBERMANN: McCain is basically playing a one-on-one basketball game by himself in this campaign-- no opponent yet. He's complained about the refs; he's tried to ban some of the reporters covering the game; he's fired one of the lead cheerleaders, Pastor Hagee, and maybe one of the other one's gonna have to go—And he's losing! How do you do that? MADDOW: He's losing because he's running an incredibly bad campaign. Because he can afford to because he doesn't have an opponent. He's testing to see how far he can push the press back in case they ever decide to stop giving him a free ride. *Ellen Degeneres Grills McCain on Gay Marriage* (ABC 05/22/08 2:22pm) ELLEN DEGENERES: So let's talk about it. Let's talk about the big elephant in the room. So, by the way, I was planning on having a ceremony anyway this summer, even though it wasn't legal. But I feel that at least I can celebrate my love. And then it just so happened that I legally can now get married, like everyone should. JOHN MCCAIN: And I saw where, and I saw where someone even registered you. DEGENERES: Someone, yeah, illegally registered me, but yeah. So I'm obviously excited and to me this only fair and only natural and what are your thoughts? MCCAIN: Well my thoughts are that I think that people should be able to enter into legal agreements and I think that that is something that we should encourage, particularly in the case of insurance and other areas, decisions that have to be made. I just believe in the unique status of marriage on man and woman. And I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue. DEGENERES: Yeah, I mean, I think that it is looked at, and some people are saying the same, that blacks and women did not have the right to vote. I mean women just got the right to vote, 1920, blacks didn't have the right to vote until 1870. And it just feels like there is this old way of thinking that we are not all the same. We are all the same people, all of us, you're no different than I am, our love is the same. To me what it feels like, just you know, I will speak for myself. It feels, when someone says you will have a contract and you'll still have insurance and you'll get all that. It sounds to me like saying well you can sit there, you just can't sit there, that's what it sounds like to me. It feels like, it doesn't feel inclusive, it feels, it feels isolated, it feels like we are not, we aren't owed the same things and the same wording. MCCAIN: Well, I've heard you articulate that position in a very eloquent fashion. We just have a disagreement and I, along with many many other, wish you every happiness. DEGENERES: Thank you, so you'll walk me down the aisle? (laughter) Well, my hope is that some day it won't be called a contract, it will be called marriage. <http://www.box.net/shared/gydmir08w8> *GOP Strategist Points Out Why McCain's Ellen Appearance Is a Smart Move*(FNC 05/22/08 8:32pm) MARGARET HOOVER: Genius [for McCain] to go on [the Ellen show]. [...] John McCain's biggest vulnerability, especially against Barack Obama is being categorized as angry white man. The more he can go on these shows, which we may categorize as liberal, but frankly—the rest of America is watching—it makes him accessible. People get to know him. People see that even though he doesn't agree with Ellen or her way of life he respects her. <http://www.box.net/shared/8v60ope04o> Highlight #4 *Maddow Swipes McCain on Lifestyle: Mentions 9 Houses and $100 Million Dollars *(MSNBC 05/22/08 6:59pm) DAVID GREGORY: [reading letter] Ty from Indiana has this to say about McCain: "How dare John McCain call Barack Obama elitist when his wife is appearing in 'Vogue' at her California seaside home. Last time I checked, the Obamas only have one home. […[] Who is the elitist? Not the Obamas?" […] It does raise an interesting question, and a big question: […] how do we really define elitism? JEOFFREY GOLDBERG: Windsurfing. RACHEL MADDOW: (laughing) *The 9 homes and $100 million?* Forget it; windsurfing is the issue. GOLDBERG: *I think* *$100 million qualifies you as an elitist*. Windsurfing does. <http://www.box.net/shared/pws0c1ag4g> Highlight #5 *Gupta Explains the Circumstances of McCain's Record Release* (CNN 05/22/08 6:14pm) SANJAY GUPTA: […] John McCain's age, 71 makes his health particularly relevant. He'd be 72 on inauguration day: the oldest first-term US president ever. […] His campaign says [McCain's] taking baby aspirin to prevent heart attacks, something common for a man his age […]. <http://www.box.net/shared/mf199zrks8> Highlight #6 *Local News (DC) Reports on McCain's Notable Absence in GI Bill Vote *(NBC-WRC-DC 05/22/08 6:07pm) STEVE HANDELSMAN: John McCain, who's one of the biggest backers of the Iraq War, was not up here on Capitol Hill for the big political fight over the war today in the Senate. But the Democratic candidates were. […] The issue was funding for the Iraq War and whether to tie that to a boost in veterans' benefits. President Bush is opposed. And John McCain, who wasn't in Washington, is opposed. Which gave Obama ammunition. <http://www.box.net/shared/gfop4ndwkw> Highlight #7 *Starr Reports on Petraeus and Odierno's Promotions *(CNN 05/22/08 5:15pm) BARBARA STARR: New jobs for [David Petraeus and Raymond Odierno] aren't likely to make much difference in on-going investigations into financial waste in running the war. <http://www.box.net/shared/c5c48wr8c4> Highlight #8 *MSNBC Panel Discusses Pros and Cons of McCain VP Options* (MSNBC 05/22/08 3:41pm) JOE WATKINS: They bring a lot to the table. Bobby Jindal of course, young energetic conservative republican. Youngest governor in the country the youngest ever. 37 years old. Also the first non-white Governor to be elected in the State of Louisiana. Someone who brings tremendous potential to the office of Vice President should he be chosen. Charle Crist of course brings Florida he's the tremendously popular governor of the state of Governor. ALEX WITT: Would he bring Florida? WATKINS: Absolutely. He brings Florida. If you look at the polls right now that show that Florida is up for grabs that a Democrat could win Florida in the November race. Charlie Crist makes sure that you get Florida. WITT: Even only 18 months in office there? WATKINS: Even though. He's that popular right now. He won John McCain the primary he'd win him Florida in the general election. WITT: That's talk about Mitt Romney. Great name but some of the most heated exchanges during the presidential campaign on the republican side were between these two men. Is this a Viable pairing? WATKINS: Absolutely. Mitt Romney brings so much to the ticket. I mean he is the former governor of Massachusetts, great conservative, great financial background. I mean here's a guy who's been CEO of a couple companies. A very successful CEO I should add. Somebody who added a lot in terms of internal rate of return for those companies over the course of his ten years at CEO. Rescued the Olympics. Has a great track record. And has the ability to raise lots and lots of money so he's a strong fiscal conservative and can raise lots and lots of money. And He's a family Values guy. KELLY GOUGH: I think your forgetting one of his biggest selling points and that is that the best VP candidates are the ones who don't mind going on the attack that way the President can look like the great guy and be the nice pleasant person and leave all the dirty work to the second in command. -- Jacob Roberts (c) 208.420.3470 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. To post to this group, send to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] E-mail [email protected] with questions or concerns This is a list of individuals. 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