A goldfish's lifetime ago, Sen. John McCain was happy to accept the honors and acclamation of the Service Employees International Union, People for the American Way, UNITE HERE -- and ACORN. Here he is, on Feb. 20, 2006, telling immigration rights activists at a rally in Miami that they "are what makes America special." ACORN co-sponsored the rally, and its volunteers surround McCain, and while there's no evidence that McCain ever formally teamed with the group, the video serves as a reminder that he did not mind being associated with them when the politics of the moment were different. (The video clip was e-mailed to this column by a Democrat who supports Barack Obama.)
It's important to know, as you watch this, that ACORN was, to Republican field operatives, a Dirty Word in 2006...and in 2004, but general awareness among politicians and activists of what it does was limited to those who had to deal with its voter registration efforts. See here. (A clue: they were part of the America Coming Together consortium in 2004...that should have been a clue as to their ideological leanings.)
A few weeks ago, House Republicans screamed bloody murder when it appeared as if ACORN would benefit from the bailout bill, although McCain, President Bush and House Republicans have supported legislation with similar provisions before and they spent billions on the Road Home project, which contracts with ACORN to help provide housing for Katrina refugees. (You can't say...ah, but ACORN wasn't suspected of doing anything bad earlier... you can't say that because ACORN has been doing what ACORN is accused of doing for several cycles now.)
In 2008, of course, ACORN has become a stand-in not only for the registration fraud allegations, but also for the coincident insinuations that Sen. Obama and his liberal allies are trying to steal the election in battleground states. Indeed, because "ACORN" has become a national political issue, it will be hard for Republicans to use it as a political wedge issue. Once an attack is associated with a party, it doesn't become an attack; it becomes part of party dogma and can service only party activists.
McCain had no trouble fraternizing with ACORN in 2006 when their political interests coincided with his. Now, his campaign is writing e-mails in his name bashing ACORN as a tool of the Obama machine.
"We need your help to ensure a fair and honest election. Already we have
seen nationwide voter registration fraud by ACORN - a group closely
linked to Barack Obama," one e-mail from "The McCain Legal Team" says.
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» The Ironic Associations of John McCain from Liberal Values Comments (47)
No surprise here. The hypocrisy and hate of some in the republcan party that is. 
I guess he must have been for them before he was against them. Pretty typical of this campaign if you ask me.
John McCain has a different face for every moment and every crowd. We should all be insulted by his assumption that we are stupid and gullible enough to watch his silly charades and accept them as if they were actual leadership, or wisdom. He is like a kid in a costume shop before Halloween - ready to be anybody he thinks we want him to be to become president. One moment he's Darth Vader ready to annihilate anyone he suspects of disagreeing with him, and the next moment he's Tinkerbell. Is there even a real "John McCain" in there? Until 2004, I had voted Republican for more than 30 years. But, how can anyone watch McCain's bizarre and erratic performances day-to-day and picture him in the oval office, even in their worst nightmares?
Marc, you miss the point. Participating in a rally with a group that allegedly engages in illegal activity after the fact doesn't deprive the alleged victim from using the group as a political wedge issue (wow that was a long sentence). Now I think it's all bullshit and this ACORN meme doesn't warrant your attention; or mine for that matter. But, if you're going to engage the issue, do it like you usually do, with tempered analysis and cold objectivity, people respect you for that and so do I. I can go to Kos, TPM, and KO for this garbage.
Obama is heading for a voter mandated election win. A Republican Party response would be to play the "stolen election" card to dampen the mandate mantle. Such an attempt would also absolve McCain from having run a very poor campaign. The notable ACORN organization is simply a convenient group to hang a deceit claim against. The American public has become accustomed to Republican Party truth deflections. Maybe someday the Party leaders will mature enough and learn to accept responsibility for their strategy shortcomings.
Voters were fooled twice by the fabricated, hate filled, character assasinating campaigns of George Bush Jr. Ironic, the same propaganda cretins that beat McCain in 2000, when he was young enough to be capable, are the same slimy guys that are running his campaign marketing today. We know better now.
Doesn't it waste taxpayer money to have to check out all of these "odd voters" who shouldn't fill out voter registration forms without citizenship? Rather than working for AMERICAN'S , this Dem Acorn plan will cost us even more valuable time as an unstable nation for wall street, while we learn that corruption was the electorate. He must not believe he can win without frauding the American people.
ACORN's like, one of two dozen sponsors of the rally. That's somehow equivalent to teaching them bully tactics and giving them $832K? We won't be bullied like the Clintonites. The Obamabots produced a picture of her with Rezko, and all of the sudden it's like it's okay for him to receive $400K from him to pay for his house.
ACORN are pushing their secret muslim communist agenda against America! They must be stopped! I just learned about them yesterday!
Considering that Ambinder blew/covered-up what could have been a big McCain story, gosh thanks. What a reporter. All this clip shows is that McCain is willing to lower himself to BHO's level, whether due to pandering or because he doesn't have the brainpower to figure out whose interests he's really serving. McCain has made other forays into the far-left (see the NCLR meet), but the difference is that BHO lives there. McCain just visits.
Ralph, ACORN has been accused of this type of thing for years, well before the above video. So it's not true that this came up AFTER the fact. It came up well well before the fact.
Big surprise here. Mr Hypocrisy strikes again. The question is did this man ever have any decency? If so, he certainly has lost it over the past few months. This ACORN stuff is a big talking point on the right wing--a friend was going off on it this weekend even. No wonder Mr. McCain has changed his tune... More on his crazy flip flopping: McCain's Mob Is Out of Control
The fact is that anyone reading this has access to the internet and therefore, has ample opportunity to visit the multitude of web sites devoted to the election. It is very clear from many of the emails responses I read (here and in similar columns) that there is a high level of narrow-mindedness in the American populace. If these bigots had any intelligence at all they would use their computer to find out the truth for themselves instead of believing everything they read or hear. The high level of misinformation and gutter journalism coming out of the McCain camp and their media puppets (e.g. Fox) is despicable to say the least. The message they portray plays on people fears and feeds bigotry and ignorance. The Obama camp is being forced to respond in kind rather than concentrate on the important issues, i.e. Putting integrity back into American politics and earning the respect they once had at home and on the world stage.
Doesn't it waste taxpayer money to have to check out all of these "odd voters" who shouldn't fill out voter registration forms without citizenship? Rather than working for AMERICAN'S , this Dem Acorn plan will cost us even more valuable time as an unstable nation for wall street, while we learn that corruption was the electorate. ACORN is non-partisan, that's why they did stuff with Obama and stuff with McCain. Your first point: Yes, such things have to be checked by the officials "wasting" taxpayer's money. Imagine if a NGO would start registering voters. Thousands, hundred of thousands in a Battleground state. And now imagine the NGO saying "Well, well, let's weed out all those fraudulent registrations: All that might be voting GOP/Democrats because of residence, age, colour of skin, name... we now call fraudulent. Throw them away.". This would be voter suppression. An NGO can't decide which form is fraudulent or incorrect and which is a "good one". Only the election officials can do this, not some NGO paid by whomever. McCain knows this, but conveniently leaves it out of his speeches.
How can the pot call the kettle black. Mccan't is palling around with todd palin a seperationist whose dessent seems hidden and not publicized and i don't know why anyone would be ashamed of their culture. yupki(Eskimo). Just like myself i was born in jamaica and very proud to be from a beautiful island. I would like the MC to talk about the issues, but what he stands for is blurred by the smears on Barrack Obama. How can you Associate barrack to Williams Ayers when you John Mccain is as connected to williams ayers through Mrs Annenburgh. Who recently adorned you as her choice. Is there any judgement being associated with here while williams Ayers is associated with Annenburgh who endorsed you recently. is she or your self asssociating with terrorist as well. Mccain you cannot do both. You also palled around with criminals like Keating who served time in Jail for his crime unlike william Ayer. where was your judgement john Mccain maybe in your pocket. why should I trust you to make good judgement on the economy. To me you are a sell out to the country as it relates to the economy. You should have voted against the bailout thats what Mavericks do. You are also a sell out to the veterans why would you not support education or even talk about the soldiers returning who are ill and have PTSD. You of all people should know how important it is for veterans to come home without support. Lastly, I would like to add Sarah Palin was found guilty of abusing her power. What kind of judgement were you both using. How can you run on reforming anything while your very own running mate is displaying unethical behaviors.
Your last line would seem to imply the fraud was just a partisan attack and not true. Is it not true? I keep seeing reports from several states about thousands of names being fraudulent.
Fine...McCain is a stinking hypocrite He was either pandering then, now, or both. The fact seems to be that ACORN does some good things in the community and does some bad things in the electoral realm. If stuff like this is going on: http://www.nypost.com/seven/10142008/news/politics/bogus_voter_booted_amid_probe_of_acorn_133540.htm then I'm glad that at least one candidate is opposing it - even if it makes him look like a fool in your video. I'd rather our future president recognize and condemn vote fraud in a past ally than protect them because of a past alliance.
Obama gave $800,000 to ACORN; another $200,000 through the (Bill Ayers) Woods Fund, and he trained ACORN's Project Vote, and Obama was an attorney who represented ACORN, and ACORN endorses Obama. There's a difference here...
Nobody really cares about this story if a handful of battleground states could be decided by 10,000 or few voters. When 5,000 forms are fraudulent in one county in Indiana, yes, this is a significant problem. When the 5,000 forms all come from the same organization, it might lead one to raise questions about the group submitting the forms. Strabo is correct. ACORN can't pass judgment on the veracity of any of the voter registration forms collected on their behalf. However, ACORN can pass judgment on the status of their employees, paid staffers, and subcontractors from where these fraudulent voter registration forms originate. ACORN says they are cooperating with law enforcement. OK. How? Report this story. Sounds like a good one. And in the meantime, you can continue to read email from partisans and post their supplied information. At least we got some disclosure there. I'm a little surprised they didn't tell you they were a "Concerned Christian Conservative voting for Obama". Well, maybe they did tell you that.
PS: The ACORN stories are relevant. The Obama campaign is spending campaign funds on Google advertisements for keyword searches for 'acorn'. Go report. Ask the Obama campaign about these expenditures. Team Obama is changing their "fight the smears" information. Team Obama is backtracking on earlier comments praising ACORN. It's now spending money on google adwords to address this story. Right wing activists didn't place ACORN voter registration operations in the battleground states only. ACORN did that. Right wing activists didn't submit 5,000 fraudulent voter registration forms in one Indiana county. ACORN did that.
I read though the bulk of the comments and wonder... How is it that the Republicans are the only ones who are accused of being filled with hate. Folks read what you have written here, and think about how you would react if those were words aimed at you...it ain't a pretty picutre. To me the interesting point is that those organizations would have anything to do with McCain in '06. Seems to me that is an indication that he can work both sides of the aisle instead of all the partisan crap we see typical of most of congress today.
Feigned indignation reigns in the GOP. Where ere you guys when the partisan preachers defied the Constitution a Sunday ago? Where were all of you when GOP operatives were phone-jamming and suppressing votes in urban centers around the country? These weren't outside groups, but party operatives. The hypocrisy is truly stunning. Acorn is guilty of bad hires for sure. But bogus registrations do not a ballot make. If anything, ACORN seems inept and unprofessional. No one does devious better than the Republicans. With them, it's an art.
"Ralph, ACORN has been accused of this type of thing for years, well before the above video. So it's not true that this came up AFTER the fact. It came up well well before the fact." This is a narrow take. Marc said that this video precludes McCain from using ACORN as a political wedge issue. I pointed out the obvious: you can't blame McCain for playing the righteous indignation card against ACORN for the alleged improprieties that ACORN has committed against him, not necessarily for what they've done in the past. Your reply above doesn't really refute this observation. Moreover, there is a big difference between ACORN today and "ACORN in the past." They've broken record numbers this cycle and done A LOT more of "what they've done in the past" only this time against a presidential candidate. So your narrow take on the facts is reductive and, quite frankly, boring.
I don't really get the acorn issue. They have to submit fraudulent forms. So maybe they could pass judgment on the people and places that fraudulent forms are coming from but that is pretty hard to do fairly and to top it all off obviously ACORN would prefer real voter registrations to fake ones but they pay the same amount for both so they are also being taken advantage of. It seems odd to jump to malice on this issue. Some people who worked for ACORN figured out they could make more money turning in some fake registrations. The law makes it difficult to confirm these things. And voter fraud is a much smaller problem than voter repression.
Obama could not get Top Secret clearance with all his Questionable aquaintances.
If McCain had known what ACORN's dishonest tactics were, I doubt that he would have accepted the award from ACORN. Everyone knows it, and honest bloggers will admit it. Mickey & Minnie are registered in Florida; I would like to know if ACORN's California efforts registered them there, too. ACORN's honest efforts and good work is now forever damaged by the scoundrels. This election will not be stolen. American voters will make sure of it. Let's watch the polls as McCain & Palin kick it in and take the lead, taking the cheaters out of the game. We are a government of laws, not of men.
Okay what a stretch...Acorn was not the lead and they were HONORING MCCAIN...much different then BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA who was their DIRECT ATTORNEY and gave them 880K!!!!!!!! wake up america...
How is this even relevant? If a politician needs to evaluate every group that is entered in a group of non profit groups attempting to help the greater good of the low income, how can he then be slammed for opposing an individual group? As the article said, "ACORN co-sponsored the rally, and its volunteers surround McCain, and while there's no evidence that McCain ever formally teamed with the group" You can have a stand against a single group but support the greater good the other organizations stand for. ACORN was suppose to be helping but in actuality was full of fraudulent individuals attempting to influence the election.
Big difference between appearing at a rally sponsored by a dozen organizations, one that happens to be ACORN to support comprehensive immigration. Another to represent ACORN as their attorney, donate money to them (800K) from your campaign, train them on how to manipulate banks into making low income loans to unqualified applicants, sit on a board with a Bill Ayers who supports and gives millions to them. Trying to compare the two is desperate. I hope this brings Obama down. But it won't because the mainstream press will ignore it.
This isnt' simply hypocrisy folks. This is the usual republican platform from which to throw out thousands of votes. How do you think they've stayed in power all these years. When millions show up to the polls and cannot vote this year, you'll understand what I'm talking about.
Gee - Where's Sara this week? Sara Palin is the equivalent of Dick Cheney on crystal meth...
But did he pay them 800,000 dollars to register voters.
ooh my goodness.why can't mcain and palin adress the issues that affect the americans most.am sure that if there is aproblem that has occured during the voter regestration,that will be taken care of because right now we want problems solvers not haters.right now mcain is preoccupied with winning the election not people losing their houses and jobs.and to them sear campaingh goes on to the end. mr obama run your own race to the end.
Voter "fraud" is the big cause celebre of the Right Wing. The wingnuts drag it out every election to explain why their regressive, mean spirited and hypocritical policies are not viewed favorably by the voters. Remember, voter fraud was the driving force behind the firings of US attorneys under Alberto Gonzales. Because certain attorneys rightfully chose not to pursue this bogeyman, they were fired. Voter fraud ranks right up there with alien abductions as a major threat to our way of life.
nothing has prove that mccain has been involved with acorn. the obama supporters are just trying to twist the issue. why can't they not talk about how much money has obama handed to them, and how much will the acorn will have 20% of 25billion from the bailout, that's the reason why the republicans voted no. this is the kind of hypocrisy that the obama has.
It is the law that ACORN has to turn in EVERY single registration forms. They include any suspicious form. A lot of republicans can pretent to register incorrectly. ACORN still has to turn those in.
Could someone please copy this article from Marc Ambinder to conservablogs.com/haemet ??? I have been blocked from their site...hahaha My name was foreignpolicymyass:-) Thanks!
Mc Cain spoke at the conference for Acorn in 2006. Acorn themselves, asked for help with some of thier employees who collected pay checks for getting people registered, and some of those people just filled out the forms with "any name" to get paid. It happens in every election. Barrack Obama, actually was hired by the Justice Dept to "represent" ACORN against the State of illinois when Illinois was refuseing to uphold voter rights, at the DMV. You can register at the DMV in Illinois. and the DMV was not honoring that. Obama has no actual ties to ACORN. This is a tactic to "accuse" the other side of something you your self have done... so odd... that people believe anything that MC Cain or Palin says anymore.... seriously... I thought that people were smarter and cared more about what was going on in the world to at least look these things up.
McCain is the Anti-Christ. I heard McFake demand some sort of "apology" from Obama for nasty ads, but I didn't hear him apologize himself, or on behalf of the Dingbat for calling Obama a terrorist or for the crowd shouting "Kill him!" She made statements in a public forum that almost caused a civil riot. Doesn't that make Palin the "domestic terrorist" ??
You realize of course that this is a distraction from the voter purging that is going on around the question. That's 100,000 of Americans including soliders returning from have knocked off the voter rows. That's the real scandal. Since McCain wants ACORN to be an issue. McCain should be asked about his associtation with ACORN and why he chose to be a keynote speaker at an ACORN rally? What happpened between 2006 and 2008 to make him change from praising ACORN to attacking the orgnazation. ACORN is a victim of fraud, committed by a small percentage of it's 13,000 employees, by employment theft. Some received pay for work they did not honestly do. That's employment theft ACORN is also a victim of fraudulent right wing attacks, trying to make a claim that turning in fraudulent names somehow benefits ACORN. If an employee makes up hundred names or uses Mickey Mouse. That doesn't mean the made up names or Mickey Mouse is going to vote. ACORN calls the numbers of new registrants to verify the signatures. It separates the good signatures from the ones they feel are problematic, and tags the bad ones for the election board. ACORN has been around for thirty years, and does good work.
I find it very interesting that most of the comments have injections of Republican atrocities that never seemed to make headlines after the last election. So if you make blog posts that make claims of fact of previous fraud against dems then it must be true. The truths are connected to facts, facts are reasearched for yourself, lookup Tony Resko, Illinois is a pay to play state. I know, I live and work there. There is not one facet of the state's politics that is not corrupt. Obama is a direct product of the Chicago machine. Illinois is the most corrupt state in the union. If obama is elected you better lookout. Who attends session and vots with a "present" vote instaed of yes or no? Who brings up issues of health but fails to release his own medical records? Only one page? What is he hiding? A script for Zoloft? Depression? Run away as fast as you can. This guy is covered in problems. Not spotless, not a prospective leader. Salesman yes. I'm not buy'n.
Hi there, This post really helped me in writing some thoughts about John McCain and his self awareness. The piece was about leadership and McCain's own style. I tried to do a pingback, but I'm not sure it worked, so I thought I'd say hello the old fashioned way! btw, the piece is online at http://www.fourgroups.com/blog/archives/19/john-mccain-and-self-awareness/
After reading all of the above, I have come away exhausted with For ill or good, 'ACORN' has been around for a while. I cannot help I'm tired of it all, and voting independent for the first time. Time for a strong third party in this Country! God Bless America.
Keep writing "wake up America" wingnuts. If I see that in the last line, I know I can ignore the post above it as the ravings of a dittohead.
That was a whole ten seconds of John McCain's support not for ACORN, but for the "American people" of all walks of life who were sitting in that room together at peace with one another. ACORN offices have now been raided by the FBI in Ohio and Nevada. More is to come. ACORN is not above the law. They have no right to create havock on election day and to overwhelm the system of Democracy in the USA with illegal voter registration fraud and whatever comes next. Dorothea
Dorothea, ACORN needs to be dealt with NOW. Not after the election. After the election will be too late and the peoples will, will have already been thwarted.
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John McCain - Me First. It seems the hypocrisy of Team McCain knows no bounds.
Posted by dkan71 | October 13, 2008 10:16 PM