Political Punch
Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper

« Previous | Main | Next »

Is the McCain Camp Spreading Smears in the Name of Fighting Them?

September 03, 2008 6:17 PM

Did you read the National Enquirer this week?

I didn't.

Why am I bringing it up?

Because I just got an e-mail about it from the McCain-Palin campaign.

“The smearing of the Palin family must end," said McCain-Palin campaign manager Steve Schmidt in the statement. "The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer, insinuating that Gov. Palin" (something untrue) "are categorically false. It is a vicious lie. Gov. Palin is the most popular governor in the country. She is a proven leader, an accomplished executive, a champion for ethics reform, and a fighter against corruption. The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it. ... Legal action will be considered with regard to this disgraceful smear.”

I didn't even know such a story existed.

Any campaign faced with false allegations has to decide whether responding to them is giving them more voice and notice -- certainly the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., faced that problem for months and months with the Manchurian Muslim candidate stuff.

But this e-mail comes in the context of an aggressive pushback after only a matter of days in which the chief talking point the McCain campaign seems to have about Gov. Sarah Palin is that she's being smeared by Democrats, the Obama campaign, and the media.

Lumped into this description of smearing are any questions about her experience, her time as mayor or governor in Alaska, her relationship to the Alaskan Independence Party -- which her husband Todd was a member of, and any other issues in which you might be interested.

Obviously, they want to rally voters behind her. But are they doing Palin a service?

"Members of this campaign went to off-the-record lunches with reporters today," Schmidt told Katie Couric, Tuesday, according to Politico, "and they were asked if she would do paternity tests to prove paternity for her last child. Smear after smear after smear, and it's disgraceful and it's wrong. And the American people are going to reject it overwhelmingly when they see her."

First, that's an intriguing definition of off-the-record, but second, what a reporter asks is not the same thing as what a reporter reports. It could be argued that Schmidt, raising the notion of paternity on national TV, did far more to spread that unpleasantness to millions of voters than anything anyone in the mainstream media did.

Some of the tactics the McCain campaign is using could certainly be seen as spreading rumors in the name of fighting them.

- jpt

September 3, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (91)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

"You are George Bush all over again, you DO NOT THINK BEFORE YOU ACT!!!!"

Now there is a very good reason why not to vote for McBush. Thank you Shelly. I completely agree with you.

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:46:17 PM

THANKS TO JOHN McCAIN FOR SENDING OBAMA HIS EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT!!! SARAH PALIN!!!! Of all his possible VP picks.. this idiot takes Palin???? Ummmmm ok...good one John. You definately are not getting my vote for President. You are George Bush all over again, you DO NOT THINK BEFORE YOU ACT!!!!

Posted by: Shelly B | Sep 3, 2008 9:43:46 PM

That's the point. Where is the bashing going? What is the point to it? So far, I haven't learned one thing new about who is best for the country from you people. I'm asking a very simple question over and over. Who is best for the country, the people, us americans, and why? Yet noone has anything to say other than "Palin is a bad pick because she has pregnant teen and seems to be an extremist"

So I ask again, WHO IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR US AMERICANS AND WHY?

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:42:18 PM

Now how in the world do you KNOW that Obama campaign is spreading rumors about anyone? Did you talk to Obama? Do you work for Obama? Did you spread the rumors yourself? Quit saying so and so did this, that, or another when you don't even what you're talking about. The Vice President isn't even an issue, they don't make any decisions whatsoever. The elected president keeps them on a leash and feeds their opinion to them for breakfast.

The real issue is....WHO IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY, FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR US AMERICANS??? Who cares about some pregnant 17 yr old and her opinion fed mother.

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:22:16 PM

No one is allowed to stand in his way... including an inadequate candidate and a couple of Bush clones.

Posted by: desensitized | Sep 3, 2008 9:20:51 PM

It is the Obama campaign who is planting the rumors, starting with the fever swamps of the Daily Kos, with whom Obama has a chummy relationship, knowing that the msm will then take it and run with it, in their determination to see their ONE elected. No one is allowed to stand in his way.

Posted by: CS | Sep 3, 2008 9:16:54 PM

Put a script in front of Palin and watch her lips move. God help us.

Posted by: hamishdad | Sep 3, 2008 9:16:35 PM

Protection from the government??? I've never even heard from the government on any issue of my life. What I want to know is, who is going to protect me from the IRS taking all my hard earned money just to send bombs towards some irate iraqi's?

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:14:47 PM

"The point isn't that it's untrue - it may be true. The point is that it's nobody's g*dam business but the Palin's. It has absolutely nothing to do with Gov. Palin's performance as an elected official."

Not necessarily true, when one is a severe proponent of a certain policy or ideology and something happens which shows that policy did not work for you ( abstinence only), the public has all the right to know.

Posted by: cooper | Sep 3, 2008 9:12:56 PM

At this point nothing is protecting us from the government. But, dully noted!

Posted by: desensitized | Sep 3, 2008 9:10:59 PM

By the way, ending your comment with a Jerry Springer quote automatically nulls all your credibility.

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:09:47 PM

I can't believe you care so much about his running mate. Female or not, pregnant teenage daughter or not, who cares?!?! The real issue is, what is going to happen to the country if we continue in the same direction we're going....which clearly is the issue, NOT whether or not some lady that just entered the campaign has pregnant teenage daughter or not.

What we need is a complete U-turn from the destination where we're headed.

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 9:05:24 PM

Sounds to me like the MSM has figured out they overstepped the usual bounds of decency and so instead of taking responsibility, they're going to pretend that maybe the McCain campaign put out the ugly rumors about Palin.

Posted by: Sarah for president | Sep 3, 2008 9:05:19 PM

I couldn't agree more. As a woman I feel insulted that the mccain campaign would even begin to think that Hillary supporters would be swayed by this selection.

Posted by: desensitized | Sep 3, 2008 8:48:36 PM

Admittedly I don't like what Palin stands for, but what I think I really fear (and what is hitting my hot buttons) is that she truly appears to be an extremist. She accepted the nomination knowing that her daughter was pregnant out of wedlock and subsequently would have to undergo the harsh glare of the national spotlight. UGH! What truly loving parent - male or female - puts their political ambition before the pain it is going to bring upon their child? I can't imagine asking that out of anyone I love.

Unless, of course, they are an extremist? Does Palin feel like she's the only choice to bring her brand of morality to America? It brings to my mind crazies, dictators, fascists and religious zealots. Those types that speak out of one side of their mouth while the other side is busy dirtying the laundry.

And yes - other candidate's children have gotten themselves in the limelight as well - but after the fact. The Bush girls well knew what they were doing when they went out partying, for example.

To me it seems obvious that Palin has chosen to espouse a belief (abstinence education being the way to bring down the problem of teen pregnancy) she can't even inspire in her own children. The reason she is unqualified to be in a position of power is because she can't even positively influence those closest to her.

Someone said Jerry Springer - she brings to mind those people I've known that always have some issue going on. Drama queens.

Posted by: Dawn M | Sep 3, 2008 8:45:40 PM

Apparently freedom of speech is a theory around here, huh?

Posted by: desensitized | Sep 3, 2008 8:39:55 PM

Is there a reason why noone is stating the obvious? Both candidates are horrible candidates to represent our country and take over the mess that Bush is leaving behind. It's unfortunate that the country is going to hell and all you people can do is sling mud at eachother because you think it makes you stand for soemthing. Maybe it's the first time you have ever stood up for anything, but standing up for one horrible candidate over the other horrible candidate is a lost cause. We all know that America, as we know it, is going down the crapper with Bush sitting in the oval office. So, my vote is going to the person who clearly agrees to disagree with Bush's tactics in every aspect.

That's my two cents, take it how you want, but that's the way it is.

Posted by: an American | Sep 3, 2008 8:31:28 PM

ApostasyUSA,

Great find!

Posted by: Ryan C | Sep 3, 2008 8:29:41 PM

Concerned in OH,
Your sarcasm is dripping with immaturity. If you were really all that concerned you would not be voting Republican.

Posted by: desensitized | Sep 3, 2008 8:20:55 PM

"EXECTUTIVE experience"

Now that's funny. Smearing themselves with that one. You wanna see some real smears?

WHAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HIM BEST SAY ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN.......

"He is a vicious person"
Former representative Charles LeBoutillier R-NY

"An embarrassment to the party"
Arizona GOP state senator Susan Johnson

"There is nothing redeeming about John Mccain...he's a hypocrite"
Former house GOP whip Tom DeLay

"The thought of him being president sends a chill down my spine. He is erratic"
Senator Thad Cochran, R- MS

"Hard headed is one way to say it. Arrogant is another way to say it. It's a quality about him that disturbs me".
Larry Wilkerson, former chief aide to Colin Powell

"What happens if he gets angry in a crisis...? It's the president's job to negotiate and stay calm. I just don't see that he has that quality".
Former Arizona GOP chairman John Hinz

"His temper would place this country at risk...and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind that should disqualify him"
Former Senator Bob Smith, R-NM

"I decided I didn't want this guy anywhere near a trigger."
Senator Pete Domenici, R-NM

Pete.....that is mad funny!!!

Posted by: ApostasyUSA | Sep 3, 2008 8:12:31 PM

Post a comment





 

POLITICAL VIDEOS