Lordy, lordy how's this going to go over with the self-declared 'moral majority' and religious fundamentalists that has been breastfeeding the Republican Party for the past few decades. The top man in their party has been outed in Saturday's NY Times as being a lifelong gambler who gambled at Las Vegas casinos on a monthly basis.
Oh my, I can just feel the wrath that many wingers are feeling toward their candidate. Will they forgive him? Will some switch to Obama? Or will many just sit this election out?
I can just see and hear ol' John now, seven eleven baby, seven eleven and blowing on those dice. Four the hard way, four the hard way.
Johnny, Johnny, what were you thinking. A U.S. sitting Senator regularly visiting the Vegas casinos, taking millions from Vegas bosses and then leading the charge in Congress and voting for massive tax breaks for the gambling industry? Johnny, now that doesn't look and smell like a MAVERICK. It looks and smells almost like a BRIBE? Of course we don't call them bribes now do we Johnny. We call the millions and millions donations. Has a much better ring to it doesn't it?
A few excerpts from the Times article:
*In a room reserved for high-stakes gamblers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, he tossed $100 chips around a hot craps table. When the marathon session ended around 2:30 a.m., the Arizona senator and his entourage emerged with thousands of dollars in winnings.
*Mr. McCain was betting at a casino he oversaw as a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and he was doing so with the lobbyist who represents that casino, according to three associates of Mr. McCain. The visit had been arranged by the lobbyist, Scott Reed.
*"One of the founding fathers of Indian gaming" is what Steven Light, a University of North Dakota professor and a leading Indian gambling expert, called Mr. McCain.
*Mr. McCain portrays himself as a Washington maverick unswayed by special interests, referring recently to lobbyists as "birds of prey." Yet in his current campaign, more than 40 fund-raisers and top advisers have lobbied or worked for an array of gambling interests — including tribal and Las Vegas casinos, lottery companies and online poker purveyors.
*Only six members of Congress have received more money from the gambling industry than Mr. McCain, and five hail from the casino hubs of Nevada and New Jersey, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics dating back to 1989.
*Afterward, Mr. McCain attended a boxing match and hit the craps tables.
*For much of his adult life, Mr. McCain has gambled as often as once a month, friends and associates said, traveling to Las Vegas for weekend betting marathons.
LINK TO THE NY TIMES COLUMN TITLED "McCain and Team Have Many Ties to Gambling Industry."
Closing thoughts by Steve:
Maybe this penchant or compulsion with gambling explains a few things. Maybe it explains why McCain would take a chance on selecting someone to be his running mate who two years ago was a part time fisherman and mayor of a town of 5500. Now appears he lost that bet.
Maybe McCain's penchant or compulsion with gambling explains why he would take a chance on telling BLATANT lies about Senator Obama to the American citizens with the hope of winning an election? Appears he lost that one too.
Got any more political dice to roll between now and November 4th, Johnny McCain? Double or nothing? All in? Or will you just decide to take your remaining chips and go quietly and with dignity (assuming you have any dignity left) back to the Senate?
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Cross posted to Steve Everett Random Thoughts .com and Daily Kos.
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