McCain=Viki the lobbiest, McCain=wars, McCain=financial reform but not for me, etc. the straight talk bus lost wheels and its engine.

It's weird that so far Republican voters simply won't have it true that McCain is already in big trouble on various fronts of his campaign.

Lobbyist adviser Mr. Black gave Obama a big stick to hit him till November; we can sure that more sticks will be provided by former lobbyist 'friends' who were kicked from McCain's wagon and by some investigate journalists from The Washington Post and the NYT. Newsweek and Huffington Post as well, they're far from done with McCain.

The worst and most direct trouble however is on the financial side. No way McCain will be able to compete with Obama's financial army of a million contributors; McCains messages will simply drown in a sea of Democrat TV ads, flyers and telephone calls.

Vietnam Vets against McCain will do him him before summer.......

Give it a rest peoples... you're preaching only to your choir. McCain will win the Presidency and there is nothing you can do about it. You just don't know that yet.

Aside from Howard Dean credibility:.....
What kind of stupid argument is that he has used the public funds as collateral for other loans ?
1) In first place, if he did given the AVAILABILITY of these funds as collateral, this would have meant that he could not spent them

2) Obviously, if he renounce now to draw
these public funds, the creditors where
such collateral was used will ask him for another collateral and he will (must) provide them and surly this is already agreed.

So, this seems to be a non issue, unless somebody can tell me otherwise.

The REAL problem is that the FEC must approve the withdrawal and there is the problem of the unrelated Congress nominations.
Of course, this will be solved

TOM

You sure don't need to have the FEC look for from home Mr. Dean at Hillary's finances. What did she receive from Norman Hsu? - $4600 for Hillary for President; $8400 for Friends of Hillary; $10,000 to HillPac. My...my...ain't the pot callin the kettle black again?

I love how you morons argue about which party is worse and defend 'your' party no matter what it does. If you had an ounce of brains you would realize that both parties are useless and start voting for someone like Ralph Nader who actually has a record of integrity and working for the interests of all Americans. You deserve crooked representation. But, you doom the rest of us too.

Democrats would do well to remember that Madman Dean helped them lose the 2004 election. We haven't heard much from Howard Dean lately, and it's been very nice! Howard, sit down and shut up! We liked you much better when you were standing in the shadows with your mouth shut.

This is Grand Kabuki - Howard EEEEYAAAAA Dean knows that there are only 2 FEC Commissioners so there can be no investigation, whatsoever, until a senatorial hold over the appointments is lifted. Until then there can be NO quorum, NO investigation, and NO decision on whether McCain can withdraw from matching funds. The senator placing the hold, by the way, is Barack Obama. But to be fair... Crazy Train Dean is doing his job - throwing as much sand and blowing as much smoke as he can. Obama on the other hand needs to release that hold... unless he is thinking of attempting some irregularities himself without the oversight of an established FEC. Hmmm - I wonder?

Somebody needs to tell that little creep Dean to take a hike. The jerk has done nothing but bad mouth his boss and his friends since the Nixon administration. I would bet that a little digging into his past dealings would shut him up.

Liberal ABC News pulling a story from the mud. Ask a question and put a picture of the candidate in thought. There is a story, at least for those without much deductive reasoning.

never has an american presidential election been so important to the world.Not only because this madman bush should go but more so to restore the dammage done by this man and the bad immage he has created,for many years to come,of the u s around this entire planet.Most people in europe know that americans in general are friendly and nice but over the years we have grown to forget because of walkers horrible behaviour.So,from amsterdam(in my best english)please vote democratic this time.Most of us don't know enough of your elections and how they work exactly but my family and neighbours and friends all hope for president Obama and vice-president clinton...

This is even better than TV. McCain is accused of violating campaign finance law when he wrote that disasterous McCain-Feingold bill. McCain is finding out that the proper respect he has had in the past don't mean squat now. He's finding out that when the media loved him, it was only because he was a maverick. Now that he's securing the nomination, the love fest has ended. I hope this man has learned his lesson.

The FEC should also investigate Hillary and the connections with the so called friends organizing teh $10MM 527 fund and commericals. They would appear to endorse a particular canddiate versus an issue.

Howard Dean was one of the individuals that led me to leave the Democratic party in 2004.

Essentially this is close to what Howard Dean did in 2003. McCain has the option to (more or less) have his actions certified by the FEC. However, the FEC is tied up since it have a vacancy of 4 out of the required six commissioners. The reason for these vacancies it because Democratic congress members have block the White House appointees to these positions.

This action by Howard Dean and the DNC makes me glad that Ralph Nader has decided to run for president.

@wishfull thinking.
This was my aunt playing with my computer but we all agree though.Have a nice day

McCain is the ghost of Christmas Past instead of running for president he should be auditioning for grumpier old men #5

Lets face reality Republicans... John McCain is a screw-up.

If you nominated Romney, the matchup would be a governor with a long list of accomplishments in the private and public sector vs. a half term senator with rhetorical skills.

Instead, you have a 71 year old man, who contradicts himself on the record often.

He wants to opt-out of a system that he created!!! How ridiculous is this man?

He blasted the NYT story, but after 3 days his denial is starting to unravel!
He's holier-than-thou on lobbyist, but surrounded by lobbyist!
He actually WAS against the Bush tax-cut, before he was for it!

Hell, he can't even attack Obama's teenage drug use... Considering his wife was under surveillance from the DEA!!

His temper and lack of disipline will eventually catch up to him in this cycle.

To prepare for the next stage of the U.S. presidential campaign, try this thought experiment: Imagine the television footage of Barack Obama's first trip abroad as president -- the crowds in the streets of Moscow, Cairo, Nairobi, Shanghai, Paris, Islamabad.

Now try to imagine the first visit by President John McCain to those same cities. McCain is a great man, and he would be welcomed with respect, deference, perhaps a bit of fear.
Obama would generate different and more intense reactions -- surprise and uncertainty, to be sure, but also idealism and hope.

Now tell me which image would foster a stronger and safer America in the 21st century.

Obama in Islamabad would probably result in riots.

McCain, who was reprimanded by the Senate Ethics Committee in 1991 for exercising “poor judgment” by intervening with federal regulators on behalf of a corrupt savings and loan executive, recast himself as a crusader against special interests and the corrupting influence of money in politics.

Yet he has continued to maintain complex relationships with lobbyists like Iseman, at whose request he wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to urge a speed-up on a decision affecting one of her clients.

Rightful poetic justice if McCain falls by the sword of his bogus, draconian, campaign finance enslavement laws. How could the Republicans be so DUMB, as to nominate a canidate that won't be able to compete in November... Oh right, the Republicans WANT to THROW the election to get, their welfare/warfare queen of BIG GOVERNMENT Hilliary, in to bankrupt what's left of the country. Be ready for more nanny state, more corporate welfare and our troops being sent into more countries (like IRAN) on a scale that even BUSH can't compete with. It's offical, there now is just a ONE party system in America. Democracy is DEAD. Hope you enjoy your virtual reality election. But then American Idol trained you for that.

John Mason, let me add to your experiment.

Imagine a US dollar that has declining value. And a 71 year old President who admits no understanding of Economics.

Imagine a military in an endless series of adventures at a cost of hundreds of billions.

Imagine if China annoyed with the Taiwan situation, stops floating our currency.

Imagine middle-eastern leaders deciding to stop using US dollars as their reserve currency and start using Euros.

OPEC decides that the US consumer can handle oil at $150 a barrel.

Meanwhile China continues to treat African and Latin-American countries with respect, along with Russia.
-In return those oil producing nations help prop up China's oil consumption.

McCain's narrow field of expertise is national security, with an emphasize on military intervention.

However no nation-state is foolish enough to go to war with us. The way to hurt the US is economic. THATS OUR ACHILIES HEAL!! Attack the economy and the military will be hobbled!

A 71 year old President who admits no understanding of Economics? Scary.

Yes, the Republican party messed up. They should have put forward Mitt Romney as their candidate. We the democrats are happy to have McCain though. This makes getting to the White House a walk in the park. Are you getting the feeling that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Perhaps Huckabee knows something that we don't. This might be why he is hanging in there so stubbornly. He might actually make a better candidate.

Wouldn't it be funny if McCain is disqualified, Huckabee becomes the Republican nominee and then goes on to beat the Democratic candidate.((shudder)) I have been watching too many horror movies!!

someone should probe dean. he's a lame head.

I love the rapid republicans who say things like "McCain will win and there's nothing you can do about it"...denial is such a sad, sad state. I guess that 30% of Americans who still think Bush is smarter than the average garden slug )newsflash, he's not!)like to log on and rant about politics. The Dems will easily win this election because all the GOP is offering is a crazy, little old man who sings "Bomb Iran" and knows nothing about the economy or anything remotely related to it. He's got a checkered past in both his personal and professional life - he's not trustworthy in any respect. I could take you guys seriously if you were offering a viable candidate. McCain will get the old man vote and possibly a few of the bible thumpers, but his candidacy is pointless.

Dizzy Dean will have to face much bigger problems than the FEC - he and the Dems need to find a way to smoothe the feathers of the supporters of the losing Democrat nominee after convention. It does not look like a "nightmare/dream" ticket of Obama/Clinon... they have slung too much mudd! Right now it's smoke and mirrors... he is deflecting attention away from what looks to be an ugly HRC v BHO fight for Texas and Ohio. Just when you thought things were settling down... yippee this has been a fun ride I must say. To all candidates involved - keep it up. Who knew CNN, FOX, ABC, et al were more interesting than HBO, Cinemax, and STARZ... forget the Acadamy Awards... tell me what the polls were in Cleveland and Dallas... and the winner is?????

To say that I'm elated about the election this year would be an understatement. The top three issues to voters are McCain's weakest suit.
1. Economy-McCain has stated and I quote "I don't understand the U.S. Economy".
2. Iraq-McCain supports a war that 70% of the peole in America oppose.
3. Health Care-McCain proposes the status quo with a tax break.
I respect McCain for his service. I also respect Bob Dole. Need I remind you what happened to him?

"McCain is a great man"??? Oh, please! McCain is an adulterer (current wife Cindy was the other woman when he left his first wife and three kids), a liar, his actions were deemed unethical when he was investigated as one of the Keating Five, and he contradicts himself on important issues constantly. A great man? I'll give him credit for being a strong man, he survived being a POW. Surviving that doesn't mean that you're a good person. I respect that he served the country in Viet Nam - and that's about all I respect about him.

Here is the order in which I will vote:
1. Clinton
2. Nader
3. McCain
4. Castro (Raul)
5. Castro (Fidel)
6. Obama

McCain is resorting to the same sort of tactics Bush would use. A vote for McCain is a vote for neverending wars,worse deficits,and more corporate wefare,plus more tax breaks for the rich. If your poor or middle class a vote for McCain is like shooting yourself in the foot.Four more years of a Bush like nightmare!

Here is the order I will vote:

1. Clinton
2. Nadar
3. McCain

That's it.

I love the slogan "yes WE can". WE had the opportunity to decide if WE could afford a home and look at the mess WE are in. WE have the opportunity to purchase guns and WE shoot each other. WE had the opportunity to stay in the dome in New Orleans after the hurricane and WE tore it apart. WE have the opportunity to purchase high mileage vehicles and WE choose SUV's. But now WE think WE can change one block, one city, one state at a time. It's time to get REAL. Yes WE can!

"At this rate, Obama and Dean will soon be as trustworthy as Sen. Clinton." Finally, someone telling it like it is. Ethics complaints from Democrats? The party of Clinton. The party of voter fraud.

John is a consummate liar! We do not need a draft and we should get our troops out of the middle east NOW!

Do any of you really believe any of the campaign retoric you are hearing?

Polititions running for office will say anything their staff thinks will get them elected.

Polititions in office are faced with the reality that they will have to make decisions that nobody likes, but they will still say anything their staff thinks will get them relected.

The change we all really need is to try to get along in peace with the rest of the world, and we need them to do the same. Some chance of that while we are all fighting over oil, land, and food!

McCain's going down in flames, only this time it's not the VC shooting him down over Hanoi, it's his own hypocrisy on campaign finance reform.

What happened to your honesty and integrity, John? What happened to the Straight Talk Express? Did it take a little detour into a lobbyist's bank drive-through?

John McCain respect the law? Why should he do something that he would not ask millions of illegal aliens to do?

typical hypocritical republican...

Howard Dean is just trying to throw up a smoke screen to deflect attention away from the two idiots running in his party for President.

Nothing will happen to McCain. The Supreme Court is in the Republican's pocket. Our government has no morals. Any of us could be put in jail, just like the former Governor of Alabama, Don Siegleman, A Democrat, who was in the sites of Karl Rove, George Bush and Company. If you didn't see 60 minutes tonight, read about it on the net.Don Siegleman was rail-roaded, just like the two border patrol agents Compean and Ramos. Our country is almost being run by American Nazi..it is only a matter of time until there are prison's for anyone who speaks out against the government. America is no longer the home of the brave and the land of the free. The censoring has already started.

Remember Dean: "Yeehaw!!" What a dope!

These Republicons are slick ########. Accountability has never been one of their values so God bless Howard Dean for holding their feet to the fire.

John McCain is nothing but a con man. No one wants a President who is 71 years old who can only think of his "beautiful" lobbyists. You guys calling Hillary all the names must think of your man who is going to be a big loser this time around.

All politicians should be probed by a Grand Jury to determine who has stepped outside the Constitutional bounds.

McCain has proven to be scum of the lowest life form. He offers the country nothing of value, and could even be more reckless and destructive than Bush. I hope he goes down in flames fast, for the good of us all.

Posted by: rmberryman | Feb 24, 2008 5:12:47 PM

... "We haven't heard much from Howard Dean lately,..."

Ya, the Howard Dean that is eating your lunch - that Howard Dean???

Go Howard !!

"He would be welcomed with respect, deference, perhaps a bit of fear."

And to use a McCainism, that my friends is exactly what America needs.

Your constant desire to ne "liked" by everyone is incompatible with your position as the World super power - you should either abrogate that position (and you may not have any say in that depending on how you vote in this election), or look back in history and find out what handling power is all about.
An easier starting point is a book called "The 28 rules of Power". Power has its own set of rules, ignore them at your peril, but one thing you must get into your collective heads, democrat & republican alike, no one really "likes" anyone in power, they just pretend to.
The problem is if you guys get it wrong through naivete it affects everyone in the Western World.
I wont be voting for McCain because I am in Australia, but from what I have seen and heard from the other candidates I sincerely hope you do, otherwise our little country is going to be faced with possibility of considering going nuclear because we wont be able to trust you to responsibly exercise global power, and in case you are unaware our nearest neighbour is the world's most populous Muslim country currently methodically stealing the West Papua New Guinean's homeland just to our North.

McCain is another BUSH on steroids...This country and the world can not stand another BUSH or a McCain.

I find it amusing that McCain had no problem making the public foot his bills when he was testing the waters. Now that he has the blessing of Kings George I and II, he's ready to rake in the private bucks from lobbyists. In all this media coverage of all candidates, lets see the list of lobbyist groups supporting them, all of them. That would tell us more than promises, promises.

It really makes no difference if McCain has broken the rules. Two of the four seats on the FEC are vacant. They do not have a quorum and, therefore cannot take any action. This is a ploy by Bush and the GOP to neuter the FEC during the election. Last year, Bush nominated two completely unqualified candidates, which have been rejected by Congress. Rather than submit new candidates, Bush has simply allowed the seats to remain vacant. Convenient.

Can I vote "present" in the general election?

Let's stick to the subject...which is John McCain's incompetently run campaign. No wonder the North Vietnamese code-named him Songbird McCain.

Republicans = Greed. The trashing of our environment for the profit of a select few. Disintegration of the middle class. Sending troops to war without basic armor while private mercenaries are paid millions. How much more do we have to take?

Hmmm- You would of thought the news of the day would have been the conference held in New Orleans this weekend. Another media pass for Obama, what a shock!

republicans break the law as soon as they get up in the morning, and when they lay their head down at night, the wheels spin thinking of the next days law breaking. Hard to live a happy day when GREED drools out of your every step...

We need to cut out lobbyists on Capital Hill. There are 3 lobbyists for every Congressman. The lobbyists do not represent constituents. They represent special interest groups. We don't need a president who relies on lobbyists to run his campaign. Mike Huckabee is what we need to revitalize this country. He knows how to work hard and get the important things done like lowering taxes, improving education and roads. He will protect our national sovereignty and strengthen our military. And He also knows we have to have fun too. He knows we need to have creativity, imagination & ingenuity. Let elect someone with real governing experience.Let's elect someone who has proven he can balance a budget and is not in debt. Let's elect a true fiscal and social conservative. Don't let media and Washington insiders tell us how to vote, just to line their own pockets. Let's elect Mike Huckabee. Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont, we are counting on you to keep the ball rolling clear through to the Convention! VOTE HUCKABEE!!

Vote for Ralph Nader and vote for change!

Yeah, like Amy said, vote for someone who will handly our taxes like he handles his campaign budget!! Wow! Then Washington would have some real change, not just lip-service to change! MIKE HUCKABEE!

Imagine how his articulate speaking ability, his sense of humor, and his no-compromise belief in American people would change the way America looks to countries around the world.

Give Hope another chance-vote Huckabee.

Biased reporting or political party tactics?

This article makes no mention as to either McCain's or the RNC's response to the allegations. It mentions only that the spokesperson and RNC both accused Dean of doing the same thing in 2003.

Did the reporter ignore the admission to or denial of the allegations? Or was no admission or denial made? And if that's the case, isn't the real story here that McCain's people and the RNC are knowingly covering up what appears to be a violation of campaign finance law?

I suspect the reason why the US doesn't have a third major political party is that there isn't much mud that isn't already being slung between the Dems and the GOP.

This article is a joke. Obama didn't say. "he would consider using public financing in the general election if the Republican nominee agrees to do the same." He said unequivically last year that he would, and now he is considering backing out of that commitment.