McCain Without Money (also, news of Fred Thompson campaign)

Human Events ^ | June 8, 2007 | Robert Novak

[2ndDivisionVet]

George W. Bush's 2004 campaign fund-raisers and contributors are being bombarded with appeals for money by Sen. John McCain's heavy-spending, money-short 2008 campaign.

McCain is concentrating heavily on the rich target of lawyers and lobbyists in Washington, D.C. They have been invited to multiple McCain fund-raising events held in the nation's capital, currently a $1,000-a-ticket reception June 26 at the Capitol Hill Club with a potential "event co-chair" asked to raise $50,000. A large percentage of the Bush fund-raising team remains uncommitted, a signal that the Republican establishment is not satisfied with the present field seeking the party's nomination.

McCain's money-raisers are hard put to reach the $10 million goal set for the second quarter of 2008 by the June 30 deadline, after collecting $12 million in the first quarter. McCain raised $2 million in April and $3 million in May, and is expected to reach $2-3 million in June -- falling short of the $10 million goal and of what his opponents have raised.

BUSH COMMUNICATOR

Washington super-lobbyist Ed Gillespie is prepared to step aside as state Republican chairman of Virginia after only six months if asked to join President Bush's senior staff as director of communications holding the Cabinet-rank of counselor.

Dan Bartlett, brought from Texas by Bush in 2001, has announced his resignation from the communications slot. There has been speculation about the difficulty of finding anyone to enter a White House under attack.

Gillespie, Republican National chairman during the 2004 Bush re-election, took the Virginia party position last December after a succession of Democratic statewide victories. However, friends of Gillespie say he feels it would be his patriotic duty to accept the White House post if offered.

THOMPSON'S CHOICE

Fred Thompson came close to alarming his pro-life constituency for his prospective Republican presidential candidacy on Fox's "Hannity & Colmes" program Tuesday when he expressed doubts about "criminalizing" abortion.

After asserting he "always thought Roe v. Wade was a wrong decision," the actor-politician said: "I would not be and never have been for a law that says, on the state level, if I were back in Tennessee voting on this, for example, that, if they chose to criminalize a young woman, and -- ." Co-host Sean Hannity then interrupted: "So, states rights for you?" Thompson replied: "Essentially, federalism. It's in the Constitution."

Although Thompson in his first Senate campaign in 1994 said the decision to have an abortion "must be made by the woman," he built a solid pro-life voting record during eight Senate years that has generated presidential support for him among social conservatives.

THOMPSON'S TEAM

Veteran California Republican political operative Ken Khachigian, a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, has signed on with Fred Thompson's prospective Republican presidential candidacy.

Khachigian supported Sen. John McCain in 2000 but has not been a part of his 2008 effort. As a Nixon aide, Khachigian worked closely with Thompson in 1974 when he was Republican counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee.

A footnote: Tim Griffin, an expert at opposition research who performed that function at the Republican National Committee for the 2004 election, is being asked to join the Thompson campaign. Griffin served briefly as U.S. attorney in Little Rock, Ark., this year but stepped down amid controversy over President Bush's appointments of new federal prosecutors.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

McCain is done.

[DemEater]

Nobody said anything about jailing a person who sought an abortion. Sean never mentioned it as far as I remember and I know Fred didn’t. It’s not even implied.

[HardStarboard]

>>>McCain Without Brains<<<

McCain Without Knees

McCain kneecapped himself on immigration. And, I'm afraid that Bush is very close to doing the same.

[KingSnorky]

>>Keating is still alive.<<

Big oops!

You’re right. I’ll have to refer McCain to charliekeating.com. :)

[rob777]

“I not only read this story, I saw Fred’s interview on Hannity. Since Sean interrupted mid-reply it’s not crystal clear exactly what Fred’s intent in comment was to have been but I did not interpret it as you do.”

I did not see the interview, but did catch one with Bill Bennett on the subject. basically Fred wants to repeal Roe vs. Wade and turn this issue back over to the states. He is not against criminalizing abortion, but thinks that the decision to do so should be made at the state level. No mystery here, just another example of his consistent commitment to federalism.

[Otaku6]

I think that he realizes that when he finally bails out he will either parachute into the conservative base and get torn to pieces or parachute into the liberal base and get torn to pieces.

Ironically he never parachuted in to save his own bill, how sad.

[Joe Boucher]

Have been against McCain since he went stupid after the North Carolina primary in Bush’s first election for president.
After his stance on “election reform”, then this amnesty deal I wouldn’t give a penny to hom for anything.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[EdArt]

Hi 2D
Great name - can I borrow it? - Incumbents Protection Act.

[EdArt]

also- McCain is finished- no chance of him being Pres or even VP. He has put the stake into his own heart- he is done. He can not join the Demos as his war stance has erected unscalable walls. He is living in no-mans land supported by special interests

[Joe Boucher]

I’ve been e=mailing the President congress critter and both senators.
One senator bill Nelson a dem wrote back that he was leaning against the bill where as Mel Martinez simply sent an e-mail back requesting a donation to him and the G.O.P. which he is the head of.
He can pound sand and I plan on working against his butt in any future endeavor he may yearn for.
I’ll continue writing daily and get more mad at the lackey pukes.

[Grunthor]

The Amnesty bill dies AND MCcain is broke? OH HAPPY DAY!

I need to go buy a lotery ticket!

[Grunthor]

“Veteran California Republican political operative Ken Khachigian, a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, has signed on with Fred Thompson’s prospective Republican presidential candidacy.”

Now if Fred can just get Peggy Noonan as well, he’s a lock!

[KoRn]

ping

[RKBA Democrat]

“Yep, all this from the maverick who wants to clean up national politics.”

McCain has always been the fair-haired boy for the well placed.

[RKBA Democrat]

“It looked to me that Sean saved Fred from saying something he may regret in the future.”

Maybe, maybe not. There aren’t many pro-life folks who are interested in making criminals those who obtain an abortion. Now PROVIDING one on the other hand...

Mr. Novak is either ignorant of that, or is putting that out as a red herring. His leftmedia skirts show every now and then.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Correction:
" I’d be perfectly happy with a law that targeted the abortionists industry ".
Take the money out of the abortion industry, and penalize those who perform abortions and we would see less abortions.
Yes, why penalize a woman who has already had a abortion, that in it's self is traumatic for the woman and the baby.
Need to make adoption less costly for the legal matters for responsible couples ( only a man and a woman ) who want to adopted a baby.

[RachelFaith]

Did you read the story. It wasn’t about sending a woman to jail, it was about CRIMINALIZING abortion...i.e. making it illegal.

FT nearly said he wouldn’t have voted for such a law in TN if he had the opportunity (though he did say it was a State issue). Sean cut him off.

---

From the abundance of the heart... the mouth speaks.

= (

[omnivore]

"They have been invited to multiple McCain fund-raising events held in the nation's capital, currently a $1,000-a-ticket reception ..."

How many, exactly, is "multiple," Sen. McCain? There is, is there not, a per-person annual cap of $2500 of donations according to the law that you personally wrote, right? Are you asking your donors to violate the law that you wrote? Or is there some exception in there for fantasically overpriced chicken dinners, perhaps language to the effect that if one actually shows up and stuffs some food in their face while pretending to care what you have to say, they can contribute thousands more to you than the regular annual limit you claim to be so proud of? Please, Sen. McCain, thrill us with your explanation of how these multiple invitations to donate $1000 from the same people, over and over again, work, exactly.

[FreedomPoster]

McCain hasn’t already? Who knew!?