McCain questions another Obama VP vetter
At this rate, only Caroline Kennedy will be safe.
James Johnson, the leader of Barack Obama's vice presidential vetting team, resigned on Wednesday after days of criticism from John McCain and other Republicans over supposedly sweetheart loans from subprime lender Countrywide Financial.
Today, McCain reminded reporters that Eric Holder, who had joined Johnson in consulting members of Congress this week about who Obama should pick, has a checkered past as well.
"Mr. Holder recommended a pardon for Mr. Rich, and all of those things should be taken into consideration by the media and the American people," McCain said at a news conference in Boston. "Especially when you are entrusting these individuals with one of the most important decisions that a presidential candidate can make before he’s elected, and that is who his running mate is."
McCain is referring to Holder's role as deputy attorney general in the final days of Bill Clinton's presidency in 2001 when financier Marc Rich was given an unusual pardon, leading to a congressional investigation. Holder denied any wrongdoing, but acknowledged he would have handled the case differently if he had known all the details.
Kennedy, the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy, is the third member of the vetting team.
UPDATE: The Obama campaign has this week targeted one of McCain's chief vice presidential candidate vetters, Arthur Culvahouse, who served as President Ronald Reagan's White House counsel and who is now in a prominent Washington law firm.
“We don’t need any lectures from a campaign that waited fifteen months to purge the lobbyists from their staff, and only did so because they said it was a ‘perception problem,' " Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement. "It’s too bad their campaign is still rife with lobbyist influence and doesn’t see a similar ‘perception problem’ with the man currently running their own vice presidential selection process, a prominent DC lobbyist whose firm has represented Exxon and a top Enron executive, or their campaign chair and John McCain’s top economic adviser Carly Fiorina, who presided over thousands of layoffs at Hewlett Packard while receiving a $21 million severance package and $650,000 in mortgage assistance.”
This is getting ridiculous! Can we move on to the GE. McCain straight-talk who vowed to run a decent campaign is really starting to sound a lot like a whining little girl if you ask me - especially when he's surrounded with lobbyist and has lived and breathed questionable people for the past 10 years. WHATEVA! Grow up people.
I'm starting to doubt the CHANGE theme if Obama kept going back to old crooks.
skm
I doubt that you care an iota about Obama's change theme or that your doubt about Obama is any different than a month ago. Your deception is so obvious.
Eric Holder and Jim Johnson are not crooks. Say that to their face and you will be facing a libel suit.
On the other hand, John McShame's dealings with the convicted felon Charles Keating and his recent dealings on the behalf of real estate billionaire Don Diamond bear some real scrutiny from the media. It's the pot calling the kettle black- and will not work this time.
McSame just promises more of Bush's policies and even more ignorance when dealing with the economy. Look at the issues and stop this republican swiftboating once and for all.
Viet-Nam veteran U.S. Air Force 1963-1968
Question?: Does McCain have any children over in Vietnam?
Why is Obama mixing with people of dubious character. He is a puppet of such people. Every crook is the US seems to be pulling his strings. Nominate Hillary please.
#3 Ron Moe
Of course I do care what kind of CHANGE we're expecting is it the kind of change that benefit each individual person in the nation or is it just his Party and friends? That is why I strongly feel Political Parties must do away with and let the people run their country and not the few that are in Washington.And let me say this to you Obama may be a nice person but I don't see any solid proof or any evidence showing that he actually spearhead or involved in any major CHANGE of some sort national or international that requires specific leadership skills and knowledge.How can I be blindly say yes to someone that does not have any records or history of leading any major CHANGE of any sort.And this is the truth American people should really look at it concerning Barrack Obama instead of their unhappy with President Bush and letting him(Obama) throw a blindfold over their face.He is a good American Obama but he need the help of a proven leader with the right skills and understanding of how,what and when to apply such cahnge and that is why I kept bringing up the name of one of the Presidential candidate Mitt Romney that has actually make major CHANGES to major international/national enterprises and organizations.Remember this is not about Obama or the Democrat or the Republican Party this is about individual people and families in the country.This is real CHANGE is to break down the barrier of Political Party divide that causes corruption and problems economically.
WHAT THE......? WHO ARE THESE GUYS? WHERE'S HILLARY?
AND IS MOVING THE DNC TO CHICAGO SUPPOSED TO MAKE US FEEL LIKE WE ARE ENTERING A PERIOD OF TRANSPARENCY?
OH MY GOD.
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