The McCain Spin Cycle: Rinse. Reframe. Repeat.

[Solly Mack]

First consider this:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/drugs/print.html">How Cindy McCain was outed for drug addiction

When that maneuver backfired, the McCain media machine went into overdrive to spin the story.

It's a story of unintended consequences. It's also a story of power politics and media manipulation that's very un-McCain-like -- if you believe his national media hagiography.

But both of Cindy McCain's staged, teary drug-addiction confessions have been vintage John McCain. His MO is this: Get the story out -- even if it's a negative story. Get it out first, with the spin you want, with the details you want and without the details you don't want.

McCain did it with the Keating Five, and with the story of the failure of his first marriage (Cindy is his second wife). So what you recall after the humble, honest interview, is not that McCain did favors for savings and loan failure Charlie Keating, or that he cheated on his wife, but instead what an upfront, righteous guy he is.

Now read this from earlier in the day.

GOP vetting Palin (after the fact), group has gone to Alaska :from a thread by Liberal_in_LA


Vetting the Veep...post announcement
The campaign of John McCain has sent a staff of eight people into Alaska to conduct background checks and vetting on Governor Sarah Palin.

Word is they have have eight rooms reserved at a Wasilla hotel.

Now this from later in the day.

CNN: Palin's unmarried teen daughter is preggers & hubby has DWI arrest: from a thread by tpsbmam


"Republican presidential candidate McCain was aware of Bristol Palin's pregnancy before he chose her mother for his running mate, the aide said.

The aide said it was decided the campaign would reveal this information now because of rampant Internet rumors that Sarah Palin's 4-month-old baby, who has Down syndrome, was actually Bristol's.

In the course of correcting that, we needed to get the truth out," said the McCain aide"

and

"A senior adviser to the McCain campaign confirmed Monday that Todd Palin, husband to Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, was arrested for driving while intoxicated in 1984.

"Yes, 24 years ago he had a DWI," senior McCain adviser Steve Schmidt told reporters in St. Paul.

Schmidt was asked if he was worried about the news, and replied, “I was not.”"

I think we can expect more interesting little tidbits to come out in the days ahead.

[Solly Mack]

1. kick

because any story being leaked is probably not the full story

[ColbertWatcher]

2. The GOP want power, that's all there is to it.

They don't care how they get it or keep it, so long as they have it.

Integrity and honesty be damned.

[seemslikeadream]

3. She's got that great white hunter vote but I don't think that's enough

to save her

[Solly Mack]

4. Notice the wording in the last article...like McCain knew the daughter was pregnant

when I doubt he did

but how the spin is he knew and it's no big deal

and it's no big deal that Palin's husband drives drunk...youthful indiscretions and all that...because McCain already knew....but again...I doubt he did

What if that so-called vetting team is really the clean up team and spin machine?

Finding out all the possible dirt..and spinning it their way as is McCain's known MO.

[seemslikeadream]

6. Did you hear that NO one from the RNC went to Alaska to look at the news papers

The only reason that is known cause the DNC went there and found out they were the first, the towns paper is not on line

[Solly Mack]

7. Seriously? LMAO

and now they're sending people...according to that one link...to vet...after the fact....and now Bristol is pregnant...Tony has a DWI is hitting the press

[spanone]

5. lying liars

[Solly Mack]

8. Let's say they are vetting her after the fact...how embarrassing is that?

Especially with her now hiring a lawyer for an abuse of power charge

and what if she does drop out? LMAO...equally as embarrassing..McCain can't even pick a VP

but what if she drops out and they blame her for not being forthcoming?

LMAO

[Solly Mack]

9. And now this....just breaking

Andrea Mitchell just said Repub lawyers currently doing vet of Palin in Alaska

lololololol

[Solly Mack]

10. and this

Day of stunning Palin disclosures

"Life happens," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, talking about the pregnancy story."

"An American family," added colleague Mark Salter."

"Palin had told McCain's team about the pregnancy during lengthy discussions about her background, aides said. At several points, McCain's team warned Palin that the scrutiny into her private life would be intense."



and this:

Disclosures on Palin Raise Questions on Vetting Process


"Aides to Mr. McCain said they had a team on the ground in Alaska now to look more thoroughly into Ms. Palin’s background. A Republican with ties to the campaign said the team assigned to vet Ms. Palin in Alaska had not arrived there until Thursday, a day before Mr. McCain stunned the political world with his vice-presidential choice. The campaign was still calling Republican operatives as late as Sunday night asking them to go to Alaska to deal with the unexpected candidacy of Ms. Palin.


Although the McCain campaign said that Mr. McCain had known about Bristol Palin’s pregnancy before he asked her mother to join him on the ticket and that he did not consider it disqualifying, top aides were vague on Monday about how and when he had learned of the pregnancy, and from whom. "

[Solly Mack]

11. and this from later this AM

In Political Realm, ‘Family Problem’ Emerges as Test

Mr. McCain’s aides disclosed the news at the same time as Hurricane Gustav struck land in what they said was an orchestrated attempt to minimize attention to it

Mr. McCain’s advisers said that they were confident the story would fade soon. Still, it seemed certain, along with other dribbles of disclosures about Ms. Palin, to interfere with the careful effort by the McCain campaign to portray her as a socially conservative, corruption-fighting hockey mom with five children.

Mr. McCain’s campaign, which has shown itself adept at handling the news media, tried to influence coverage of the disclosure by releasing it as Hurricane Gustav was slamming into the Gulf Coast. (The Palin news was not mentioned on the “CBS Evening News” until 15 minutes into the newscast). It was also by every appearance tucked into a series of problematic tidbits released about Ms. Palin’s past, including news that her husband, Todd, was arrested for driving while impaired in 1986.

“We are going to flush the toilet,” said Tucker Eskew, who is a senior adviser to Ms. Palin, describing the campaign’s plans for Labor Day, when much of the nation was busy with family and social activities.

[countryjake]

12. You know what I've wondered about since Palin was announced?

Out here in the PNW, those to the North used to have something of a rep for succumbing to the ravages of cocaine, especially if they were there during the eighties and had anything to do with the pipeline. I've heard a lot of jokes made about this already around my town, since she has a hubby in the business. It is a pretty nasty generalization, but it's also a tidbit that I sure as hell wouldn't mind somebody digging up, during this belated "vetting process".

[Solly Mack]

13. Never heard that (coke/pipeline thingie)

If there was anything like that about the Palins, I'm sure someone will find it and spread it


I'm still trying to flesh all the whys on a Palin pick...course, I could be over thinking that one

and I think this vetting by McCain after the fact leans more toward a clean up the stink crew and then spin it our way

but I dunno....mostly I'm just pondering....primarily because I trust absolutely nothing to do with the religious right

and it has been McCain's MO to leak information and attempt to control it...how it comes out and what info is released


and....well...McCain's on my list of people that really need to pay for the last 8 years...and I could cross him off if he crashes and burns now

LMAO

[countryjake]

14. Here's what we've been thinking...

My man came home Friday immediately stating that this has to be a ploy, that she's never gonna actually be on the ticket. Our little town had a woman mayor a while ago and people at his job were roaring with laughter that McCain had picked (insert my tiny town name)(insert her name) to lead the nation. LOL! Nobody could believe it was serious or true.

Now her background starts being examined and whoa nelly, she's a religious fanatic. The fundie base all over the country was immediately inspired (and previously, they had not been too hep on casting a vote this Fall) so disgruntled wingnuts prick their ears to this nod to their personal insanity. Today, the woman is exposed to the public, the entire nation is abuzz, rethugs are falling all over themselves trying to think of how to promote such a ticket, and the fundies are on the defensive. Mission accomplished. If and when the Republicans dump Palin, (blaming it on the Democrats), they can move on to whichever stick-up-the-ass goon they want and still be assured that their religious base will come to the polls and vote for them, because they so "bravely" tried to get the fundie woman on the ballot.

I don't think Palin will make it out of Minnesota and I think McCain, and all the rest of the right-wing knew what kind of shit they were stepping in when they picked her.

[Solly Mack]

15. That could be it

angry at the Democratic Party because "they" got rid of "our" candidate

but..they might also get angry with McCain for not standing by her

or...there is someone worse coming right behind her that they love more

[Solly Mack]

16. and now this...

McCain says Palin thoroughly checked

"John McCain says he is satisfied that Sarah Palin's background was properly checked out before the Alaska governor joined the Republican ticket.

Touring a Philadelphia fire house Tuesday, McCain told reporters that "the vetting process was completely thorough and I'm grateful for the results."

[Solly Mack]

17. More from today: "Likely Damaging" Report on Palin

McCain campaign is using stall tactics to prevent him from releasing his final report by Oct. 31, four days before the November election.

[Solly Mack]

18. .... Classic McCain MO

McCain camp: Questions on Palin's party a 'smear'

John McCain's campaign said Tuesday that rival Barack Obama's campaign was spreading "smears" about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's past political affiliations. Yet, some of Palin's previous political activities are a matter of dispute.

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At issue are claims by members of the Alaskan Independence Party that Palin was once associated with it. The party, some of whose members have advocated secession from the United States, wants to place all federal lands in Alaska under state control.

The McCain campaign released voter registration documents Tuesday dating to 1990 in which Palin lists herself as a Republican. Campaign spokesman Brian Rogers said Palin has been a registered Republican since 1982, and has never been a member of the Alaskan Independence Party.