Democrats question McCain gambling ties
The Democratic National Committee is up with a new web video seeking to capitalize on a new report about John McCain's ties to the gambling industry.
The New York Times reported on Sunday about McCain's role and that of lobbyists close to him in shaping the growth of the $26 billion annual gambling business on Indian reservations.
The stark video, without any narration, shows McCain admitting with a smile, "Well, I am a betting man."
Then it shows on screen, "Betting on McCain? Casino Lobbyists Are," with a citation of the Times story.
"John McCain Stacked The Deck For His Favorite Lobbyists," it says on the screen, followed by photos of lobbyists Scott Reed and Wes Gullett, then the words: "And They Returned The Favor."
The video then refers to $400,000 casino campaign fund-raisers, and McCain gambling at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut at 2:30 a.m. one day after his 2000 loss in the Republican presidential primaries.
"40 Gambling Lobbyists on the Campaign," it says on screen, concluding with: "JOHN MCCAIN: Special Interest Driven Politics. JOHN MCCAIN: More of the Same Broken Politics."
In the article, the McCain campaign defended his record on Indian gaming, saying he had always looked out for the public interest.
About that late-night gambling excursion at Foxwoods, a spokesman said, "Your paper has repeatedly attempted to insinuate impropriety on the part of Senator McCain where none exists — and it reveals that your publication is desperately willing to gamble away what little credibility it still has.”
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What else is new? McCain's betting that Americans won't see through him & Palin, probably the weakest ticket ever foisted on the American electorate.
Sobering, but not surprising. McCain is proud to bet the entire US foreign policy and national security on a tactical "surge" in Iraq. What is next? Social security funds? The $700 billion bailout?
Accusing the accuser of "gambling away" credibility? They should probably have chosen a different word! Now the g- word will stick.
big deal Mccain gambles some ..lots of people do. That doesn't make him a bad guy..Look at Obama he is going to gamble with our money by spending billions in Africa he plans to rebuild that country from the ground up. thats not a surprise he is from there. but why doesn't Obama rebuild our country first feed the hungry here.Firs t it was what car Mccain drives big deal now he has been seen in 2000 gambling big deal.If we see you gambling once in awhile can we say your a bad guys. What about all those stars you love so much that gamble all the time. Get real people just another trashing of Mccain for no reason.
The ad seems a bit weak--although evangelicals might be affected by it. A more affective ad would be McCain's "I am a betting man quote." and then some of the decisions he's made or things he has said--Palin pick (this is by far the best reason not to vote for McCain--such an irresponsible choice), Iraq war will be "easy" quote, privatizing social security. He is a gambler and like many gamblers, he is reckless and erratic.
Hey Mat..seems you have no problem lying in an open forum! Senator Obama is not from Africa but it’s nice to see you taking McCain’s lead by spreading more lies about the Democratic candidate. If you had actually finished school or even studied while there you would then know that foreign born Americans cannot run for the office of president. But keep spreading those lies, especially when they are as transparent as the one you just told, it only makes us look that much better!
Few will dispute that McCain continues to make gambling trips to Vegas and Indian casinos about once a month. Maverick (votes with Bush 90% of the time) or Bat Masterson (gambler)?
Gamblers can be hot headed, unpredictable, and on occasion show poor judgement such as choosing a person "out of her league" for VP.
Should the President of the US be a gambler?
@ # 4,
Since when is Obama going to "spend billions in Africa he plans to rebuild that country from the ground up?" I'd like you to go to www.BarackObama.com and find the plan outlines this comment.
Otherwise you are a Liar.
Here we are in the hardest economic times to hit the US in 50 yrs. People are living beyond their means. And to show his economic responsibility and values what does McShame do, gives in to the filthiest business on the planet. This idiot is digging his own grave. Can't wait until he falls into it. Anyone got a shovel?
McCain likes to gamble. When his jet came down in Vietnam he didn't know how where the escape device was. He almost drown. Who goes in a jet without knowing how to escape? Now he wants to control the Economy, take crazy decisions... sorry, I meant "Maverick" decisions... Sorry but I prefer a rational and smart guy, that takes 5 seconds to take a decision... somebody like Obama.
Hey Mat, those stars gamble with their own money, and they don't use taxpayer's money. McCain takes decisions that affect all Americans and if he is trying to please lobbyists that means the country is paying the bill.
Hey Mat, Africa is not a country!
Dan... you have to excuse Mat... he obviously skipped geography class in high school and wouldn't know that Africa is a Continent... this is if he even went to high school...
McCain is a regurgitator... Obama thinks on his feet... While McCain will keep pressing the dooms day button over and over again Obama seems like he would will be "creating" new buttons... hopefully for the better, and leaving the Dooms day as a last resort.
His gambling has been widely known in the press for years. Llike the current plane reporters, they are filtering his words to his advantage. amazing.
Again, McCain has many items that would have any ohter candidates lose the election. But just like the numerous other things (davis), the press will walk away and he will be ok.
It is more than amazing. Like Jim L. kissing his ass in the last debate.
There is a huge diference in betting for a couple of hundered of dollars and not being connected to the industry. And betting for 1000s of dollars late in the night 1 time per month and having industry lobbiest there. I hear that his wife had to pay his very very large debt that he had.
So some Indian tribes use their casino revenues (courtesy of John McCain) to hire Jack Abramoff and Greenberg Traurig on the promise that Abramoff can buy the legislatures of Texas and Louisiana and keep other tribes from opening competing casinos. At the end of his investigation, the main problem McCain has with all of this corruption was that the Indian Tribes didn't get what they were paying for.
Obama used to gamble weekly with lobbyists in illinois. Why isn't anyone going after that?
The NYT seems pretty hypocritical. This story was hinted at in the beginning of the year, and they've probably been sitting on it until a month before we go to the polls, when it could hurt him, or rather help Obama. And they're saying McCain is influenced?
This guy Abramoff was a slime. Who cares how he went down. He went down. Wikipedia shows his emails where he called native Americans 'monkeys'. Good riddance.
I support Obama, gamble responsibly, and am a member of the Poker Players Alliance.
When people stop equating "gambler" with "problem gambler" (which btw is a very small percentage of gamblers... about 7 percent), the comments will likely be more sensible.
I don't like this coming from Democrats. Barney Frank is actively, and rightly, leading efforts to defend our right to play poker online, and this message strikes strikes me as hypocritical and ignorant.
McCain has every right to gamble with his money, he earned it (and he earned the right, the hard way.) If there is an abuse of lobbying dollars, lets hear that instead of this lame insinuation that gambling is evil and McCain must be irresponsible because he enjoys that form of entertainment.
And can we Americans please stop getting suckered into this cheap mental manipulation so the politicians are forced into discussion rather than propaganda? Thanks.
ubercuber, it's not that mccain indulges in gambling -- it's that his late night excursion to a casino that he regulates, with a lobbyist for the casino in his party, and his leaving at 2:30 a.m, with thousands of dollars of "winnings" creates an appearance of payola -- bribery. In the NYT article, one of his aides at the time was quoted as saying to mccain: We shouldn't be here. This looks bad. To which mccain is reported to have replied: "You worry too much." The republicans would have had a better chance in this election if they could have found aide and nominated him!
I`m involved there`s a lot of articles on casino gambling. There are different methods, tactics, strategies, algorithms of counting, calculations and so on.
But these items are only heap of ads and i don`t want to analyze them `cause i don`t have any basic knowledge. It`s ineffective. Estimation i think will be wrong.
Is there anyone here who is interested in such topic?
I`d appreciate someone`s explaining to me is there any systems or strategies, what are they (what approaches or concepts lay in basis) and in which casinos could they be applied to?
Thanx a lot.