What the hell is wrong with the McCain campaign?

Listen, …when camp McCain decided to reach deep into the Republican farm team to pick a running mate so blatantly unqualified for high office that she's quickly become a national joke and embarrassment, at least one was able to see some thread of political logic in the decision. McCain wanted to shore up his right flank, and being a raging misogynist, wrongly figured that disgruntled Hillary supporters would vote with their genitalia rather than their minds. … OK …. It was a stupid, insulting, and frankly dangerous decision, but at least one could understand the thought processes behind the move.

But what could possibly be the rationale behind having someone working for your campaign who thinks likes this:

The spokeswoman for the Republican Party in Nevada's most populous county was removed from her post Saturday, after she said the Democratic Party made black people "dependent on the government."

Didi Lima, the Clark County GOP communications director, also was removed from her volunteer role as a Hispanic community liaison for Republican John McCain's presidential campaign over the remarks made earlier in the day while working at a McCain campaign booth.

"We don't want (Hispanics) to become the new African-American community," Lima told The Associated Press. "And that's what the Democratic Party is going to do to them, create more programs and give them handouts, food stamps and checks for this and checks for that. We don't want that."

"I'm very much afraid that the Democratic Party is going to do the same thing that they did with the African-American culture and make them all dependent on the government and we don't want that," she said.

In August, Lima was named co-chair of McCain's Nevada Hispanic Leadership Team, which aimed to reach out to a crucial voting bloc in a state where polls show McCain in a dead heat with Barack Obama.

AP

These remarks are not the result of a casual slip of the tongue, or an innocent display of political incorrectness. These are the words of someone whose racist worldview goes so deep to the core of their being that it flows out of every pore of their body.

Like fellow McCain spokesman, Fernando C de Baca, who claimed, "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks (because) Hispanics came here as conquerors. African-Americans came here as slaves.", Lima demonstrates through her willingness to share this hatred publicly that she is so poisoned by the disease of racism that she can no longer even recognize it as it spews out of her twisted soul.

Of course, the McCain camp quickly disassociated themselves from Lima, and removed her from any position of power.

But the real question is ….How many more like Lima and de Baca are still lurking around the corridors of camp McCain? And perhaps more importantly: How is it that McCain's campaign was unable to recognize this kind of sickness and hatred in the first place, and what does that say about a possible future McCain administration?

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So called "Grassroots Hispanic Group" endorses McCain

In the heat of last weeks discussions of the Spanish language air wars going on between the two presidential candidates, a little tidbit of info started to show up with some frequency in my in-box.

It seems that a "Hispanic" advocacy group was weighing into the fray with not only an admonishment of both candidates dirty little war of words …but an endorsement of Sen. McCain.

In fact this "grassroots" group picked up on McCain's discredited "Obama killed reform with poison pill amendments" statement as one of its chief reasons for throwing their support behind the Arizona Senator:

"It's time to turn down the rhetoric and the highly-charged television
commercials, and get down to the real facts," said Jose Nino, Co-Chairman
of the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute. "Voters deserve to know
the truth on the critical issue of immigration reform, and let the chips
fall where they may."

"While Senators John McCain and Barack Obama both have expressed their
support for the doomed bipartisan immigration reform compromise that
Congress rejected this Session, only one candidate remained true to his
commitment -- John McCain.

“Virtually every Hispanic organization from the League of United Latin-American Citizens (LULAC) to the National Council of La Raza has recognized that Sen. John McCain risked his entire political career by defying much of his Party and supporting comprehensive immigration reform, including a Guest Worker Visa program.

“Barack Obama, despite his promises of support, was absent from much of the debate on the compromise, then turned his back on the proposal, siding instead with organized labor on a series of ‘poison pill’ amendments that even his supporter, Sen. Edward Kennedy, opposed. Among the proposals Obama supported were amendments that would have cut the number of Guest Worker Visas in half, and would ultimately have killed the program after just five years.

“In the heat of the campaign, overheated rhetoric and campaign promises should never eclipse the truth – and when it comes to comprehensive immigration reform, the truth is that Sen. McCain has shown courage and leadership, while Sen. Obama, despite his promises, ultimately sided with those who oppose comprehensive reform.”

HAP Institute Press Release

I had heard the views of many of the leading Latino and pro-migrant advocacy groups who were involved in last years negotiations over reform, and knew for a fact that they were not standing by McCain's re-writing of history. I wondered exactly who this Hispanic Alliance of Prosperity (Progress) Institute was.

A quick look at their webpage showed that this was unlike any Latino advocacy group I had seen before.

I stopped first at their Take Action page to see what issues were of most concern to Latinos according to this group. …Voter registration? …. Immigration? …. Education?

Not quite

The Action page leads off with an obviously old call to sign an on-line petition in support of Alberto Gonzales.

Next is an action item to contact the Texas legislature to prevent the Texas Public Utilities Commission from reviewing a utility buyout by a private investment group called Texas Energy Future.

Then there's a call to support a piece of Florida legislation deregulating telecom and broadband services.

Clicking further, the featured "action items" included a petition for more oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf, and a letter writing campaign in support of the Columbia Free Trade Agreement

Of course they frame these issues as crucial ones of concern to all Latinos:

As a Hispanic American consumer, I am concerned about continually rising energy costs, and realize that the cost of energy is related directly to supply.

The U.S has access to an abundant supply of domestic oil and natural gas which government has deemed “off limits” for production.

or

As a Hispanic American, I am keenly aware of both the benefits and challenges of America’s diplomatic and trade relationship with Latin America. This agreement will promote the long sought and elusive concept of “fair trade” and propose a win-win scenario for businesses and workers on both sides of the border. I ask that you bring the Colombian Fair Trade Agreement up for a vote this year in 2008 without any further delay.

Not exactly the usual fare at a Latino advocacy web page I thought… offshore drilling? ... telecom and utility deregulation? ... but what the hell, I figured I'd go explore a little further and look at their issues page. Perhaps there I would find a more traditional approach to advocacy.

Again, not quite

Although some of the more traditional advocacy issues were covered, for the most part, the positions taken were not exactly those of the more mainstream Latino organizations.*

Trade - (Free Trade) - " HAPI supports Free and Fair trade and believes it fosters economic benefits to U.S. businesses and U.S. consumers. …. HAPI was a key advocate and major player supporting and voicing the Pro-Business and Hispanic Pro- CAFTA positions and a leading advocate for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement currently pending before Congress."

Education- (School Choice/Vouchers/Assimilation ) - " HAPI supports empowering parents with the authority to make decisions related to the allocation of tax dollars for the education of their child and placing their children in the school best suited for the needs of the family…. Through enhanced economic and social assimilation, enhanced self sufficiency is fostered."

Immigration- (Enforcement/Guest workers) - " HAPI supports strong national security measures without jeopardizing the U.S. economy. HAPI advocates for a balance that will accommodate both critical interests. A vital component of legislation should include a guest worker program that is realistic to deploy"

Media, Technology, Information Platforms (Deregulation) - " HAPI believes that the enhanced use of media, technology and information applications must be included in a 21st Century Hispanic agenda. …HAPI supports regulatory environments that ensure consumer access and affordability to these platforms and supports products and services that best serve the needs of the community."

Homes and Communities - (Ownership Society) – "HAPI supports ownership society tenets vital for asset creation, and ensuring access to affordable housing. Research validates the connection between housing stability as a cornerstone to family stability."

OK, this was not what I expected from an advocacy group. Since when is telecom and broadband deregulation a top issue on anyone's issue list, outside of possibly those who own them?

A little more checking around found some other odd activities from the Hispanic Alliance for Progress.

For instance, in 2005 they organized a rally in support of controversial Judge, Priscilla Owen in her bid to get a Supreme Court nomination.

In 2004 they sponsored a "Hispanic Safety and Health Summit" with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and OSHA that was boycotted by every major worker safety advocacy organization, labor group, and Hispanic organization because they claimed it was organized by the Bush Administration as a blatant election year play for Hispanic votes.

In their letter to OSHA, members of the Coalition for Hispanic Worker Safety noted that the conference was organized with virtually no input from major Hispanic advocacy organizations or grassroots worker groups. “This is clearly not a serious effort to address the epidemic of workplace injuries and illnesses suffered by our community,” said Jayesh Rathod, Staff Attorney of CASA of Maryland. Planners chose not to invite groups like ours because they knew we would raise serious concerns about the administration’s dismantling of workplace safety rules,” Rathod added.

Link (PDF)

So who exactly who is this "grassroots Hispanic advocacy group" now endorsing John McCain?

From Right Wing Watch:

The Hispanic Alliance for Progress Institute (HAPI) claims to be a grassroots organization but its Board of Advisors and Policy Board are made up of high-level Republican political operatives with deep ties to various Republican administrations. As part of the "National Coalition To End Judicial Filibusters," HAPI— in conjunction with the Committee for Justice, Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, James Dobson's Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and others— supported the use of the so-called "nuclear option" to eliminate Senator's ability to filibuster against President George W. Bush's right-wing judicial nominees.

… its Board of Advisors and Policy Board are made up of high-level Republican political operatives with deep ties to Republican administrations (Reagan, Bush I and Bush II). HAPI's boards are composed almost entirely of Republican players, including lobbyists, donors, and political appointees.(Chairman, Manuel) Lujan and his former boss, President George H.W. Bush, launched the organization at a 2004 gala in New York City.

And that Board of Advisors and Policy Board ….. Who is it made up of?

CHAIRMAN
Hon. Manuel Lujan, Jr., New Mexico

CONGRESIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Congressman Joe Barton, TX
Congressman Henry Bonilla, TX
Congressman John Boehner, OH
Senator Richard Burr, NC
Congressman Ken Calvert, TX
Senator Saxby Chambliss, GA
Congressman Tom Cole, OK
Senator John Cornyn, TX
Senator Pete Domenici, NM
Congressman Elton Gallegly, CA
Congressman Louis Gohmert, TX
Congressman Doc Hastings, WA
Congressman Jeb Hensarling, TX
Congressman Darrell Issa, CA
Senator John Kyl, AZ
Congressman Jerry Lewis, CA
Senator Mel Martinez, FL
Congressman Gary Miller, CA
Congressman Michael Oxley, OH
Congressman Steve Pearce, NM
Congressman Pete Sessions, TX
Congressman Heather Wilson, NM

BOARD OF ADVISORS
Mr. Adrian Arriaga, Texas
Ms. Rosemary Barbour, Mississippi
Mr. George P. Bush, Texas
Mr. Jose Canchola, Arizona
Mr. Pedro Celis, PH. D., Washington
Mr. Lupe Cruz, California
Hon. Patricia Diaz Dennis, Texas
Hon. Robert A. Estrada, Texas
Mrs. Grace Flores-Hughes
Hon. Lou Gallegos, New Mexico
Hon. Raul A. Gonzalez, Texas
Mr. Abel Guerra, Florida
Hon. Jimmy Gurule, Indiana
Mr. Steve Gutierrez, Michigan
Dr. Venicio Madrigal, Louisiana
Ms. Margaret Martin, Texas
Mr. Jacob Monty, Texas
Mr. Jose Nino, Maryland
Mrs. Rita Nunez, New Mexico
Hon. Robert Pacheco, California
Mr. Cesar Remond, Illinios
Mr. Louis Sanchez, Florida
Mr. Rudy Sandoval, Texas
Mr. Jerry Silva, California
Dr. Josh Valdez, California
Mr. Massey Villareal, Texas

POLICY BOARD
HON. Ted Cruz, Texas, Chairman
Mr. Juan Carlos Benitez, DC
Mr. Victor Cabral, DC
Mr. Troop Coronado, CA
Mrs. Ann Costello, DC
Ms. Raquel Egusquiza, DC
Mr. Henry Gandy, DC
Mr. Mike Hernandez, Texas
Mrs. Bobbie Kilberg, Virginia
Ms. Laura Lawlor, Texas
Mr. Glenn Lemunyon, DC
Mr. Joseph Samora, DC
Mrs. Leslie Sanchez, DC
Mr. Scott Styles, Virginia

CORPORATE BOARD MEMBERS
Bank of America
BellSouth
Ford
AT&T
AIG (American International Group)
Information Technology Industry Council
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Altria Group, Inc.
American Petroleum Institute
IBC Bank
Case New Holland
DCI Group
Coca-Cola Companies
R.J. Reynolds
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Realtors

Can you say …ATSROTURF?

* (note …this organization has two web pages running at the same time, with two different URLs and slightly different content…it also operates under two different names: Hispanic Alliance for Progress and the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity ...not exactly a surprise)

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Obama boxes McCain into a corner: The Spanish language air wars

After spending most of the campaign season trying their damnedest to stay as far away from the thorny issue of immigration reform as possible, both presidential candidates have now picked it as their weapon of choice in some key battleground states….but only in the Spanish language media.

With polls numbers showing McCain's support amongst Latinos somewhere in the Bob Dole range, and crucial swing states like Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Florida starting to slip out of range, the McCain camp decided earlier this week to go on the offensive and try to cash in on his long abandoned credentials as an immigration reformer….but it may turn out to be the biggest mistake of his campaign.

Taking an ad buy in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, McCain launched a Spanish language ad entitled "Which Side Are They On?" depicting a revisionist history of the failed attempt to pass comprehensive immigration reform in 2007. The ad claims that Democrats in general and Obama specifically, sabotaged his efforts to enact reform through the use of "poison pill" amendments and asks Latinos if Obama is really on their side .

Translation: Announcer: "Obama and his allies in Congress say they're on the side of immigrants. But are they? News reports say their efforts were like 'poison pills' that caused immigration reform to fail. The result: No to the guest worker program, to the road to citizenship, to secure borders. No reforms passed. Is that being on our side? Obama and his allies in Congress: Ready to block immigration reform but not ready to govern." McCain (speaking in English): "I'm John McCain and I approved this message."

Of course anyone who followed the issue even casually knows that anti-immigrant forces within the Republican Party and right-wing media worked tooth and nail to kill the legislation. … but truth is not a crucial component in campaign ads….if it was we would have never seen the first Bush, let alone the second.

After a day or so of attempting to refute McCain's false claims, Obama fired back with his own truth-challenged ad… and managed to box McCain into a corner from which he may not be able to effectively extricate himself.

Translation: Obama: "I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message." Announcer: "They want us to forget the insults we've put up with, the intolerance. They made us feel marginalized in a country we love so much. John McCain and his Republican friends have two faces. One tells lies just to get our vote, and the other, even worse, continues the failed policies of George Bush, putting the interests of powerful groups above working families. John McCain, more of the same Republican deceptions."

Admittedly, tying McCain to Limbaugh is beyond a stretch and leaves Obama open to accusations of being no better than his opponent in the truth department ….But, in a pure political sense, the ad is strategically brilliant.

Up until now, McCain has been totally unwilling to define his current position on immigration. Having run as rapidly as possible from his previous record on reform during the primaries, he has lately managed play both sides of the field according to who he's pandering to at the moment without firmly taking a stance.

He talks to his base about enforcement first and governors certifying the borders hermetically sealed before there can be any talk of reform (knowing, as they do, that that will never happen), while telling Latinos not to worry, Tio Johnny will take care of everything (wink, wink).

It's reached the point that earlier this week during the conference call sponsored by the leading Latino and immigrant-rights advocates, NCLR, MALDEF, and Americas Voice to discuss McCain's bogus ad, the majority of time was spent not on the ad, but rather trying to figure out just where McCain stands at the present time. ...and in the end, no one could definitively answer the question.

It appears that Obama has done us all a favor.

He has forced McCain into a corner where he must make a choice between two very unpleasant options.

He must either defend his previous record, reminding those who nearly denied him the nomination why they hated him in the first place, negating all the Palin picking, ass-kissing, and soul-selling he's done over the last year to win over the base …or …. Leave the ad unanswered and give up any hope whatsoever of getting the 40% Latino vote he has to have to even stand a chance at getting elected. …Tough times for Tio Johnny Huh?

Of course he could just tell the truth, and let everyone know where he actually stands on the issue and argue his position on the merits …..but then again, that's not how elections are really won, is it?

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Will McCain throw "God's children" under the bus?

Early on in the Republican nominating process, John McCain raised the ire of much of his party when during a debate he admonished his fellow candidates for their tough stance on the issue of immigration by reminding them that "we're all God's children" and that each immigrant community had added to the vibrancy of American culture.

Yet, while appearing to take the high ground on immigration, McCain has been moving his position further to the right throughout the entire campaign season. As a recent, rather fawning, AP article pointed out; "Once a crusader for offering the nation's roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants a way to get legal status, McCain now says his first priority is fortifying U.S. borders".

Listen to McCain's speeches or look on his campaign web site now, and there's little mention of the fight to give illegal immigrants a way to stay in the U.S. lawfully. He instead emphasizes border security — the catch phrase of conservatives who scorned his earlier proposals.

…McCain told congressional Republicans in a closed-door meeting recently that he had been badly bruised by his push for immigration reform and had learned the hard way that sealing the border should be his priority.

Republicans who support McCain say he has no choice but to abandon his past approach on immigration in favor of one that causes less consternation among conservatives virulently opposed to providing undocumented people with legal status.

"What kind of an idiot can't figure out the route that you took didn't work? You don't keep charging the center line when you're getting your head bashed in, and John was on this," said former Sen. Trent Lott, R- Miss.

AP

But it now appears that Republicans will be putting McCain's new-found conservatism to the test.

Senate Republicans are set to announce today the hardest-hitting package of immigration enforcement measures seen yet -- one that would require jail time for illegal immigrants caught crossing the border, make it harder for them to open bank accounts and compel them to communicate in English when dealing with federal agencies.

Most of the bills stand little chance of being debated in the Democratic-controlled Congress. But the move by some of the Senate's leading Republicans underscores how potent the immigration issue remains, particularly in a presidential election year.

… The package -- an enforcement smorgasbord assembled by at least eight lawmakers -- consists of 11 bills, but it could expand to as many as 14. Some elements echo House bills, but others go beyond House proposals.

One would discourage states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants by docking 10% of highway funding from states that continue to do so.

Another would extend the presence of the National Guard on the border, and a third would end language assistance at federal agencies and the voting booth for people with limited English ability.

A bill by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who is leading the effort, would impose a maximum two-year prison sentence on someone caught illegally crossing the border a second time.

…

Other bills in the package would:

* Block federal funding to cities that bar their police from asking about immigration status.

* Give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to use information from the Social Security Administration to target illegal immigrants.

* Require construction of 700 miles of fencing along the southern border, not including vehicle barriers.

* Impose sanctions on countries that refuse to repatriate their citizens.

* Deport any immigrant, legal or illegal, for one drunk-driving conviction.

*Enable local and state police to enforce federal immigration laws.

LA Times 3/5/08

This new legislative initiative puts McCain in a precarious position.

As he moves towards the general election he's looking for support from moderates, independents and most importantly Latinos. But all those groups find McCain's previous position on immigration much more appealing than his new, more conservative, one. With 11 get-tough bills in the Senate, and others in the House, McCain will now be put on the hot seat. Favor, oppose or abstain ... McCain will upset some vital part of his constituency.

At first glance it appears as a no-win situation for the Arizona Senator.

(Sen. Jeff) Sessions said he had not consulted with the White House on the issue, nor had he talked directly with McCain

…Sessions and other opponents of comprehensive immigration reform believe McCain has learned his lesson.

"He has said he got the message and believes the way to go is border enforcement first," Sessions said. "I think he'll be supportive of much of it."

"There's nothing in here that represents an attempt to embarrass him," Sessions was quick to add.

… The package of proposals unveiled by McCain's colleagues may only inflame the immigration debate. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), for example, has proposed withholding federal law enforcement money for "sanctuary cities" that have lax immigration enforcement. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) wants to dock states 10 percent of their highway funding if they give licenses to illegal immigrants. And Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) has a bill that would make English the "national language."

Sessions, who made a name for himself by spending hours at a time on the Senate floor last year, fighting the doomed immigration bill, has proposed mandatory minimum prison sentences for illegal immigrants.

… In the House, Republicans were making a more concerted effort to coordinate their immigration message with McCain.

Some House Republicans were moving ahead full-throttle to force a vote on an immigration enforcement measure offered by Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina. But leaders have temporarily applied the brakes to that effort until they have more time to coordinate with the McCain campaign.

Politico

But McCain might try to use the situation to his political advantage. With such a large smörgåsbord of bills to pick from, McCain can pick and choose. He could choose to accept a few of the less egregious proposals while rejecting others. If played wisely, he could confirm his anti-immigrant bona fides to the right, while being able to still say to moderates and Latinos that he opposed the harshest measures.

Angela Kelley, director of the Immigration Policy Center …. suggested that the Senate bills could provide political protection to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has clinched the GOP presidential nomination.

…If McCain endorsed the Senate package, that could "create a platform for McCain to look tough on immigration, create distance from Ted Kennedy [D-Mass.] and erect a shield around the amnesty charge," Kelley said.

LA Times

But it's a very dangerous game:

… Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), one of only three Hispanic senators, has called on McCain to reject the GOP proposals, saying the package would only create a "wedge" issue come November.

“The Republican Party might think this is a wedge issue for November, but their strategy only dims their chances this year and for generations to come," Menendez said. "Latinos are not a group on the fringes of our society that can be manipulated to score political points. If this presidential primary season has shown us anything, it is that Latinos are no longer the sleeping giant in American politics – they are fully awake, active and making a difference. This is the type of cynical effort that serves to deepen the divisions in our nation that we should be working to bridge.”

Politico

I'm not a betting man ….but my money's on McCain throwing "God's children" under the bus ….albeit as quietly and as inconspicuously as possible …and he certainly won't roll back and forth over them as his Republican brethren would wish …but under the wheels they shall be none the less.

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