Dean: McCain Is Part Of "Culture Of Corruption"
Howard Dean, in an interview with National Journal Contributing Editor Linda Douglass that will air tomorrow, said that John McCain is part of a "culture of corruption." The DNC chairman said McCain, despite his reputation as a maverick, has long been cozy with lobbyists.
A snippet:
Dean: I have no idea whether the affair story is true or not, and I don't care. What I do care about is John McCain -- and this has been well-documented -- is talking all the time about being a reformer and a maverick, and in fact, he has taken thousands of dollars from corporations, ridden on their corporate jets, and then turned around and tried to do favors for them and get projects approved. He has tons of lobbyists on his staff. This is a guy who is very close to the lobbyist community, a guy who has been documented again and again by taking contributions and then doing favors for it. This is not a guy who is a reformer. This is a guy who has been in Washington for 25 years and wants to give us four more years of the same, and I don't think we need that.
He's right, at least in terms of McCain's long ties to lobbyists. His campaign is staffed and advised by tons of 'em. That doesn't necessarily mean he's tainted, but it's hard to claim the mantle of "Maverick" and "reformer" when you're sleeping with your professed enemy.
Well, maybe "sleeping" is the wrong word. Or maybe not.
I hope that this and a new stupid allegation comes up regularly so that the republicans can get a feeling that the clintons went through for 8 years.