Colo. McCain Staffer Accidentally Leaks Talking Points To Reporters

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/7396/colo-mccain-staffer-accidentally-leaks-talking-points-to-reporters


Colo. McCain Staffer Accidentally Leaks Talking Points To Reporters
By Matthew DeLong 9/24/08 6:22 PM


PolitickerCO’s Jeremy Pelzer reported that the McCain campaign’s regional spokesman in Colorado, Tom Kise, accidentally emailed reporters the campaign’s internal talking points on Sen. John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign.

From our sister site, The Colorado Independent:

The memo, titled “TALKING POINTS: SUSPENDING THE CAMPAIGN,” includes a list of points the campaign wants emphasized, and includes this warning from Kise: “Please do not proactively reach out to the media on this.”

McCain’s plans to stop campaigning — and a proposal to cancel Friday’s debate with Obama — had already been widely reported Wednesday afternoon.

Still, Kise was surprised at his e-mail snafu, as Pelzer reports:

Told by a reporter that the e-mail had been sent to him and others in the media, Kise said, “F*ck, tell me I didn’t send it to the wrong list.”

Kise said the talking points were meant for McCain volunteers.

Among the document’s “Topline Messaging”:

• To address our nation’s financial crisis, John McCain will suspend his campaign and return to Washington. He has spoken to Sen. Obama and informed him of his decision and asked Sen. Obama to join him. The campaign is suspending its advertising and fund-raising.

Obama spokesperson Bill Burton, clearly, didn’t get Kise’s memo. As TPM reports, Burton challenged the McCain campaign’s assertion that McCain “asked Sen. Obama to join him,” saying it was the Obama campaign that first broached the possibility of joint action on the financial crisis:

“At 8:30 this morning, Sen. Obama called Sen. McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal. At 2:30 this afternoon, Sen. McCain returned Sen. Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.”



Wednesday afternoon, Obama told a press conference he rejected McCain’s unilateral decision to cancel Friday’s debate.

[qanda]

1. Oops!!!! I guess it is Campaign First afterall.

[blm]

2. An absolute MUST READ.

McCain's campaign IMPLODED today. Everything they did today will be remembered by them for the rest of their lives.

[stevedeshazer]

21. He's done.

You're right.

Has there ever been a worse day for a presidential campaign?

I can't think of one.

[MyOwnPeace]

32. worse day?

Yes, there was one - the day Robert Kennedy was shot.

However, THIS day I'm laughing!!!!

[TrogL]

42. McCain wants to lose

They want Obama to clean up their mess, then take over again.

[aasleka]

59. What they don't count on is Obama... He IS the right person

for the job. I really think he can give America a new deal.

[Dangerously Amused]

61. I think McCain sincerely wants to win. I mean, look at his freaking ego.

But I think the powers that be want him to lose, for exactly the reasons you cite. And I think they will do everything they can to make that happen, and to make it look like a genuine "race" while doing so. They don't want to have to clean up their own extreme mess (like they even could anyway) and a political trouncing will also be a good way to punish McCain for straying too far away from his party.

[rpannier]

3. It's outrageous that you posted this

Don't you know mcbush is a veteran?

Was a P.O.W.?

Is not well versed in computers?

His inability to use computers is probably the result of having been injured while a P.O.W.?

Why do you hate America and our veterans -- especially the POW's?

These will be the Jonah Goldberg and mcbush talking pionts to anyone who mentions his talking points

[WinkyDink]

55. He didn't have Talking Points as a POW.

[rpannier]

71. That's hysterical

You are to be congratulated on your wit.

I know...I know...mcbush never got to be congratulated as a POW

[Life Long Dem]

66. I find it hard to imagine... once... this board was coddling McSame with those comments.

I'd like to know more about his medical health... to be honest. The more I get to know McSAame... the more I have thoughts about his health. Why does he come out with all these lies when he knows they are lies?

[Barack_America]

4. Item #5 is word-for-word from his statement.

Replacing "he" for "I".

Lol.

[1corona4u]

5. Yep, that's what I was thinking too...

[geckosfeet]

6. Presidents need to delegate and trust their subordinates and coworkers.

If McShit-fo-brains can't trust 200 Republicans in the congress to do their job then we have more problems than he can solve by being there.

What an arrogant pos. How dare he try to play the American public like this.

[MadMaddie]

31. You are right! I have been saying all along who is McCain

surrounding himself with? Croneys, Crooks and just inexperienced people.

Obama on the other hand real professionals in each of their fields. This is the difference.

[Cha]

7. MROP ..They just want to get this passed before

any good will come of it for the people.

Another gimmick from mccain.

[AspenRose]

8. Wow.

:wow:

[The River]

9. For Someone Who Claims Ignorance

on financial matters he's going to go "solve" the "crisis"?????????

I think the odds on seeing flying pigs would be a better bet.

[myrna minx]

10. Um, I can't believe this day really happened. What an epic fail of a day for the McCain campaign.

:rofl:

[Stop Cornyn]

11. People were leaving the McSame-Poison rallies before McSame took the stage anyway so how does this

affect his campaign?

[vanderBeth]

12. I think we all know that by suspending the campaign, he is actually just trying to prop it up

[babylonsister]

14. No, we know he's running scared. He's tanking in the polls and

knows Obama will cream him in the debates. Can't wait for his next trick.

[Quantess]

45. Personally, I think he's suspended the campaign for personal health reasons.

It's just a hunch, but I think a personal health crisis gave him no choice but to take a break.

[LuckyLib]

54. I agree. I think major health issues are at work here.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

13. "suspending its advertising and fund-raising" FEC rules already ENDED fund-raising Sept. 1st,

and suspending ads now saves $$ for crucial final-week targeted ad blitzes.

Remember, Obama has no fund-raising limit, but McCain took public funds and must adhere to FEC rules. See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7170976 .

[ramapo]

15. This is just so FUed

Unbelievable...if anybody thinks McCain is qualified to run this country then they're just as crazy as he is.

[gblady]

48. boy, I agree....

I was phonebanking undeclared voters tonight....
and got ahold of several McCain supporters
(most of whom were quite rude and hostile)

...after today's events...it simply boggles the mind.
What are these people thinking?

[geiger]

68. Minnie-me

is fucking Goofy!

[JBoy]

16. Lucky he didn't email out last week's talking points: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ECONOMY ARE STRONG.

[me b zola]

17. Can you imagine KO & Rachel re-writing copy before they go to air?

Wow, today is a gem that will be explored for weeks--months?--to come. :thumbsup:

[dgibby]

29. Well, Keith's all over it!

He just talked about the e-mail snafu, and earlier he went into detail about McCluess bitch slapping Letterman (my terminology) WHILE Letterman was taping the show for tonight. He said Letterman was "on fire". Evidently, McCain called Letterman, told him he was going to be a no-show---had to get back to DC, but Letterman found out McINSANE was still in NY in another CBS studio, taping an interview with Katie Couric (I think). Keith knew because he was asked to sub for the wannabe Idiot-in-Chief! I'm thinkin" this is going to be some real good TEEVEE tonight!:party: :popcorn:

[CitizenPatriot]

18. my fav is the

from something else he said today:

if we don't fix this on friday instead of debating, we will have a Great Depression by Monday.

LOL! NO way!

Um, I'm not financial genius, but do we really go from fundamentals are fine to GD in a week? And we should elect you because...you're dumber than us?

Get this guy a Recliner. He needs a nap.

[CoffeeCat]

36. LOL...

Thanks for the great post.

You are witty! I LOL!

...and you're right, he does need a nap. I imagine he's heavily sedated right now.

[CitizenPatriot]

39. hi there:-) I'm sure Schmidt and Rove have doled out the

heavy duty Ambien tonight and they're replaying his glory days as a returning POW on continuous loop as beddy-bye time fare.

Thanks! I don't manage witty too often:-)

[vaberella]

19. OMG!!! This IS truly the MOST ridiculous Campaign.

The mountain shit that has accumulated is beyond belief. When I thought it couldn't worse for McCain. Jezus!! ~sigh~

[vaberella]

20. Dupe. n/t

[Raffi Ella]

22. wait...he suspended his campaign!?

I thought he just said he wants to postpone the debate not that he was stopping fund raising and pulling ads - Suspending his campaign!!!?

this means it's over then right??? I mean he's waved the white flag here! this is just UN believable!!!

[vaberella]

25. It went from postponement to Suspension. Ads and all!! He's already started pulling out. n/t

[moodforaday]

51. No.

He calls for a time-out to stop the downward slide. If the bailouot goes through, McCain will return triumphant as the guy who brought everyone together and saved the day. At the same time, if Dems participate in approving the bailout, Obama will not be able to criticize it much.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

52. He's making a campaign speech right now in BILL CLINTON'S forum!!!

Suspend my ass!

[intheflow]

23. My favorite part of the memo:

"It has become clear that no consensus has developed to support the Administration's proposal. He does not believe the plan on the table will pass as it currently stands, and we are running out of time."

Yep, McCain's running out of time, and it has nothing to do with the economy--except that most Americans trust Obama to fix it over any Republican. :rofl:




On edit: spell check is my friend.

[mzmolly]

24. Last week the economy was "strong," this week we're in crisis.

Poor McSame.

[babylonsister]

26. Add this to that long, long list of flip-flops. He will obviously

say anything, anytime, and has no moral compass left. His principles and integrity are permanently shot

[mzmolly]

27. I agree.

And 'integrity' was supposed to be his strong suit?

[NancyG]

28. I bet it was 'leaked' on purpose. nt

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

38. Do you think we infiltrated his campaign?

Wonder what has happened to Tom Kise.... Anyone know his history?

[debbierlus]

30. McCain didn't even read the proposal as of Tuesday....

And, he was saying the fundamentals of the economy are strong just fucking last week....

[Alcibiades]

33. After eight years of Bush

our economy has gotten so bad that there will be a Great Depression next Monday, but only if McCain actually debates Obama. If he doesn't debate Obama, somehow everything will be OK.

[central scrutinizer]

34. But he suspended his Senate attendance back in April

instead of rarely showing up to vote, he quit attending altogether. So, NOW, he is actually going to do what the taxpayers have been paying him to do for 26 fucking years. Sorry, way too little, far too fucking late for me to buy one word of this.

[NJCher]

35. choke/LOL/choke/LOL/choke/LOL

Calming down now.

/gasp

/wheeze



Cher

[Lerrad]

37. Any chance this was leaked on purpose?

Talking point number 2 makes me think it was.

"John McCain is calling on the President to convene a meeting with the leadership from both houses of Comgress, including himself and senator Obama."

[trueblue2007]

41. there it is. McCain told BUSH "Call a meeting" ~~~I GOTTA CANCEL THAT DEBATE!!!!

Old "hero" McCain is a coward

[Chulanowa]

40. "America faces an historic crisies..."

Someone send these dumbfucks a k-5 grammar book

[EOTE]

57. Watch your mouth! Don't you know who you're talking about?!?

The man is an hero for christ sakes!

[bobd0]

43. These giant mis-steps are all a glimpse of how a McCain presidency would operate

Gimmicks, gaffes, mistakes, cover ups. That's what a McCain presidency would be made of.

What would McCain do if faced with a crisis in The White House? Would he suspend his presidency?

McCain and his entire campaign, including that dullard Palin, are just a complete joke.

[Norrin Radd]

44. They label their talking points, "talking points"? Yikes!

[quakerboy]

46. Umm...

nothing in there. It would be much more helpful to have sent the reporters the more pragmatic "for the insiders only truth about why we are suspending our campaign, so don't panic, But DO NOT LET ANYONE KNOW" list of talking points.

[Hippo_Tron]

47. Umm it's not like the media wasn't already aware that these were the talking points

This might've been a case where it would've been better for the McCain camp to not acknowledge their mistake.

[Froward69]

49. this is by no means meant to defend him

what a fucking IDIOT!!! if i had a guy like that working for me he would loose his job faster than the speed of sound.

[moodforaday]

50. McCain is trying to SAVE his campaign

The leak may have been unintended, but McCain's idea to suspend his campaign is an attempt to save it. Yes, he's tanking in the polls, so he calls for a time-out, because it would stop the hemorrhaging for a while. It's a shrewd move.

Also, by canceling the debate, he wants the bailout to go through first, so that Obama cannot criticize him and the Republicans for the looting of the treasury, after (at least some) Democrats have perhaps supported the bailout.

After the bailout goes through McCain will be billed as the one who saved the day by bringing both parties together in a moment of crisis.

I'd say this is a moment of truth for Obama and the Dems. If the debate is canceled and the bailout signed off on, Obama loses the punch of any economic points he may want to make in the debate.

[southpaw]

53. Delicious!!!

I don't believe that there is a god, but if I'm wrong, it's clear that god hates McCain.

[jmrobins00]

56. Haha...reminds me of The Office...

When Michael wants to send the picture of him and Jan to Shipman and sends it to shipping by mistake :)

[torbird]

58. How low can McCain go?

Seriously, he has no feet left to shoot himself in.

[mojowork_n]

60. Aren't those people the least bit embarrassed?

Way too many of those folks have no shame, dignity or honor.

If they did, they wouldn't act like characters from one of those 50's sci-fi movies, wherein the more-than-slightly robotic citizenry are possessed by aliens.

Maybe someone can start a small cottage industry, manufacturing retractable pull-strings -- just like those talking dolls have -- that you could stick to a Republican's back. The pull-string pack could be printed with a warning that said, "Kick Me if I start repeating Talking Points."

[Blue_Roses]

62. oh, come on...this was leaked on purpose.

there's nothing in there and it makes John McCain look concerned about what's going on. I call bullshit on an "accidental" leak:eyes:

[mojowork_n]

69. "Accidental" or not, it's just the whole phenomenon

Haven't you watched one of those "Daily Show" episodes were they fast-cut from video clip to video clip, different Repub talking heads all using the same words, over and over, again and again...

w

i

t

h

o

u

t



d

e

v

i

a

t

i

o

n

[liberalla]

63. ooops!

:rofl:

[FVZA_Colonel]

64. Well, that guy's probably out of a job.

[Life Long Dem]

65. Kise said, “F*ck, tell me I didn’t send it to the wrong list.”

LOL!!! :rofl: this happens to the best of us... no problem!! :-)

Thanks for the great post... as always!

[Supersedeas]

67. and yet the Free Ride Media just plays along with the GoP Rovian Script

[JustAnotherGen]

70. Great info!

Thanks for posting this!