McCain is dubbed a reformer "because of" The Keating Five?

[babylonsister]

And he's a maverick, too. :eyes:

http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/the_irony_of_reform.php

The Irony of Reform
Matthew Yglesias
23 Jun 2008 06:15 pm

It's interesting that the result of not one but both major parties nominating presidential candidates known as process-oriented reformers has merely resulted in an usually large volume of campaign finance shenanigans -- from McCain illegally backing out of the system after having used public financing to secure a loan, to Obama wriggling out of a commitment to use public financing for the general election. I bet that two years ago, reformers would have told you that a McCain-Obama matchup would be great for their cause. In practice, it's turned out to be terrible.

And I think it's not a coincidence. McCain and Obama both feel they can take the hit on these issues in part because they're both branded as "reformers" and thus don't need to worry as much about being perceived as corrupt. Years ago, of course, McCain had a different reputation as a consequence of the Keating 5 business and became a reformer in part in order to change that reputation. But politicians who have the clean image can feel free to ditch process constraints whenever convenient.

[BuyingThyme]

1. Yes, REFORMER as in REFORM school.

Being a criminal has its upside.

[Bozita]

2. It cost my former senator, Don Riegel, his job.

And McCain?

[babylonsister]

3. Keating 5, McCain, who or what? I don't know who Riegel is. nt

[Bozita]

7. former Senator Don Riegel (D-MI) ...

He was an incredible speaker. Informed, passionate, purposeful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_W._Riegle,_Jr.

Political life

In 1966, Riegle defeated incumbent Democrat (United States) U.S. Representative John C. Mackie to be elected from Michigan's 7th congressional district to the 90th Congress. He was subsequently re-elected as a Republican in the next three elections. In 1973, he changed party affiliation to become a Democrat and was re-elected to the 94th Congress. He did not run for reelection to the House in 1976, but was elected to the U.S. Senate for the term commencing January 3, 1977. On December 30, 1976, before the new term began, he resigned from the House and was appointed by the Governor to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Philip A. Hart for the term ending January 3, 1977. He was reelected to the Senate in 1982 and 1988, but did not seek re-election in 1994, after his involvement with Lincoln Savings and the Keating Five scandal was revealed to the public.

He was chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 1989–1995. He was a member of the Senate Committee on Budget from 1979 to 1994. In 1994, he delivered what is commonly referred to as the Riegle Report to the U.S. Senate, asking for further investigation and recourse for war veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome.

In 1995, he joined Weber Shandwick Public Affairs in Washington, D.C., serving as executive committee chair. He has been an adjunct professor at Michigan State University School of Business since 1995. He also serves as a senior strategist for business and finance with APCO Worldwide. In 1972, he published a light-hearted but idealistic reminiscence of his early years in public office, "O Congress."

[az chela]

8. he was a michigan senator

[lonestarnot]

11. Deconcini threw in the towel too.

[az chela]

4. So many retired people lost all their money that was invested

for their retirement.Governor Symington was also involved and he became a cook.
They were a very slimy bunch of bastards that took people's life saving and ran/Yah hows that for a senator and make believe prez??And dont forget his wife who stole drugs from the poor where she was volunteering and altho she is filthy rich she was stealing from the poor.Now there's a couple

[babylonsister]

12. Wow, az. I forgot you.. what is your impression of McCain? Have

you always been so severe, and when did it start, after 2000, when * disgraced him?

[az chela]

13. I have detested that bastard since 2000.He is such a

low life and his bitch wife is trash.Thats how I really feel!!!!!

[Median Democrat]

5. I Guess David Dukes Should Be Labled Racially Sensitive

By virtues of his experience as a Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon.

[DJ13]

6. ........

[silverojo]

9. We in AZ called them "The Cheating Five"

'Nuff said? :mad:

[babylonsister]

10. What about the question of McCain/Obama-50/50 in AZ? I think I saw

that earlier, yet I know there are people who can't stand him. Who's voting for him?

[bridgit]

14. It'll be a shocker if McCain can reform his way out of a bag of wet mice alright...

:rofl:

[Leopolds Ghost]

15. Yep, Obama has sold out the 30-year campaign finance movement

To the monied interests of online free-trade, socially liberal upper-class
fundraisers like Kos and MoveOn.

People who have no interest in principle or genuine social justice, only
their issues.

So they attack folks for criticizing Obama when he backs warrantless
wiretapping and essentially promises to use it now that it is legal,
when he essentially promises that no future Dem candidate will accept
public money as Kerry did, despite his inherent money advantage that
would have allowed him to do so.

(And the fact he's running against an architect of
campaign finance reform, however corrupt.)

It's an immense shift to the right.

Instead of Nixon vs. Kennedy, Obama advisors (including corporate spies
fresh from the Clinton camp) have decided we need another Humphrey.

If Obama wins, media will poortray it as Dems inheriting the
Reagan coalition as the new definition of center-left, while
the racists and radical fundies go off and form an even more radical party of the right. What's next, Hindenburg v. Hitler?

[babylonsister]

16. Delete-too early? nt