I won’t even use the comparison to what Teresa Heinz Kerry went through and was accused of when she refused to release her tax returns. Because, while there is a reason to compare the media hypocrisy for hounding Kerry but giving McCain a pass – this is not about a gotcha moment.
Nor is this about John McCain using Cindy’s private jet and the hypocrisy of McCain’s faux maverick persona. And it isn’t even completely about transparency, as the talking meatsticks are focusing on (even though it is consistent with past criticisms of Democrats).
No – this is about something much worse. It is about doing business with murderers and dictators and profiting off of genocide. Maybe that is a strong phrase – but if McCain is vetting his already stuffed to the hilt campaign for questionable financial ties, then he should look no further than his sugar momma wife, Cindy.
Yes, it is clear that McLobbyist has an entire campaign of lobbyists, including just-resigned national finance co-chair, Tom Loeffler, who is also:
a former Texas congressman whose lobbying firm has collected nearly $15 million from Saudi Arabia since 2002 and millions more from other foreign and corporate interests, including a French aerospace firm seeking Pentagon contracts. Loeffler last month told a reporter “at no time have I discussed my clients with John McCain.” But lobbying disclosure records reviewed by NEWSWEEK show that on May 17, 2006, Loeffler listed meeting McCain along with the Saudi ambassador to “discuss US-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relations.”
But if McCain is to be serious about being transparent, we should know what other brutal regimes and human rights violators his chief source of income and funding is profiting from.
And while pointing the finger at everyone but himself, Mr. Double Talk Express should tell the world what his own conflicts of interest may be. We have already seen lobbyists making calls right from his own campaign bus. We have seen top lobbyist campaign official after top lobbyist campaign official after top lobbyist campaign official leave team McSame after another embarrassing disclosure finds ties to Saudi Arabia, Burma and other foreign firms seeking Pentagon contracts – and that is just on the overseas front.
We have seen McCain launch hysterical tirades about Obama and Hamas – only to have his own hypocritical ties to or comments about Hamas. We know that his wife had extensive dealings in mutual funds that invested in China and Sudan – to the tune of at least $2 million (that we know of).
The American people have a right to know what investments an aspiring First Lady has – especially one worth over $100 million. There is already ample evidence that the entire McCain campaign is a walking conflict of interest. There is already ample evidence that Cindy McCain is not afraid to do business with corrupt criminals. There is also ample evidence that Cindy McCain is not of the highest moral character.
And there is ample evidence that Cindy McCain is not shy about investing millions in companies that support brutal regimes.
We should know what other brutal and murderous regimes the McCain’s may be profiting from currently, or may possibly also owe favors to.
There should be no “benefit of the doubt”. After all, this is a “post 9/11” world, right?
