An example of McCains unquestionable economic reform record: Charles Keating helped McCain's father-in-law buy McCain his seat in Congress in 1982. Keating and Cindy McCain were partners in a shopping mall venture that McCain only cashed out (at a million dollar profit) when Keating was jailed in the late 1990s. Keating was obsessed with obliterating pornography while he was using his... [more]
An example of McCains unquestionable economic reform record:
Charles Keating helped McCain's father-in-law buy McCain his seat in Congress in 1982. Keating and Cindy McCain were partners in a shopping mall venture that McCain only cashed out (at a million dollar profit) when Keating was jailed in the late 1990s. Keating was obsessed with obliterating pornography while he was using his corporation's money for wild drunken parties, at least one of which McCain attended.
McCain hid from Congress that he had taken 9 trips on Keating's jet. These included three vacations at Keating's mansion on Cat Cay in the Bahamas that McCain and his wife shared with Charlie Keating and his family. McCain got more money than any of the other four politicians at the heart of the Keating scandal. When asked if he was buying or influencing McCain with his gifts and money, Keating replied, "I want to say in the most forceful way I can, I certainly hope so!"
Charlie Keating was running a series of shell corporations to hide cash he moved illegally from Lincoln Savings and Loan. Lincoln became the largest S&L to collapse and cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars for a bailout. When Federal bank regulators, led by Ed Gray, tried to limit Keating's worst excesses, Keating sent a letter to McCain describing the bank board (FHLBB) as a police state under a mad dog's leadership.
And then McCain had one of his meltdowns. This was the key moment in McCain's Keating Five scandal and it occurred at March 19, 1987.
Keating asked McCain to pressure bank auditors not to enforce the law against Lincoln S&L. McCain told Keating he was uncomfortable strong-arming the nation's financial regulators. Keating taunted him, "McCain's a wimp." At 1:30, in his Senate office, McCain exploded into fury, "One thing I'm not is a coward." McCain screamed at Keating that he hadn't lived in a box for five years to have his courage questioned. McCain's aides were very surprised by McCain's tantrum and even Keating begged him to calm down.
McCain didn't back off. He shouted that he knew it was not appropriate for him to negotiate on Keating's behalf with regulators who were looking into the illegal activities at Lincoln Savings and Loan. Keating told McCain that he should not bother going to the meeting. McCain was still mad and replied, "No, I'm going to that meeting."
Later that day, Keating boasted that he "knew how to get McCain's attention."
McCain met Ed Gray on April 2, 1987. Against all protocol, McCain didn't allow Gray to bring any staff or attorneys to the meeting and also excluded his own aides. He later said this was because he wanted to be able to deny everything. McCain tried to force Gray to ignore a banking regulation that affected Keating's Lincoln S&L. McCain kept referring to Keating as "my friend."
Seven days later, bank regulators were summoned to the Senate for an unusual late-night meeting. McCain wanted the auditors to let Lincoln continue making real estate loans without carrying out credit checks, a clear violation of the law. This is also the practice that has led to the current U.S. economic crisis. When asked by his aides about the meeting, McCain whistled through his teeth rather than answer their questions.
Here it is in a nutshell: In 1987, McCain tried to force bank regulators to ignore the law for his friend and benefactor, Charlie Keating. McCain knew this was improper but plunged recklessly into the meetings after Keating taunted him for being a coward.
McCain almost destroyed his career by accepting bribes and letting mere words goad him into knowingly breaking the law.
If he was President, what might else might McCain's temper destroy?
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Response by alanhart
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
Don't you worry about a thing -- his multiple primary melanomas would destroy his temper first.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
The guy who repeatedly called Keating "My Friend", and took the most money from Keating is now saying that he is the guy to bring about a complete rebuilding of Wall Street regulatory infrastructure.
You would think that McCain who went through the S&L crisis where Americans got swindled out of their life savings would have recognize the wide spread predatory lending of the past 8 years and would have tried to do something about it.
He didn't.
He suppported it over 90% of the time.
Ignored comment.
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Response by Sizzlack
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 782
Member since: Apr 2008
Petr, instead of constantly ranting about how much you think McCain will destroy the economy....could you write a coherent and clean (no smears, curses or insults) argument on why Obama would bring the real reform you clearly believe he will? And not just a copy and paste from DKos, Politico or HuffPo.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
Obama would not continue the sham policy of trickle down economics. He will give tax relief to 99% of the country. We will no longer give tax relief to the richest of us and hope that they trickle down on us.
Obama doesnt want to be trickled on, neither do I.
Ignored comment.
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Response by julia
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2841
Member since: Feb 2007
petrfitz...i don't know who you are,but as a democrat I strongly believe that you hurt obama with your crazy, crazy talk. stop the hate
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Response by Sizzlack
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 782
Member since: Apr 2008
So that's it? He doesn't want to be trickled on?
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
Obama will actually regulate Wall Street and make sure predatory lending ends. He will repeal the deregulation laws put into law by McCains economic advisor Phil Gramm.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
Obama will invest $150 billion in alternative energy research creating actual high tech well paying jobs in America. He knows that McCains "plan" of building 30 new nuclear power plants in 20 years is impossible and 1 cant even be built in 20 years.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
Obama will eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses, cut corporate taxes for firms that invest and create jobs in the United States, and provide tax credits to reduce the cost of healthcare and to reward investments in innovation
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
Sizzlack please name 1 core component of McCains economic policy that differs from Bush's?
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Response by Sizzlack
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 782
Member since: Apr 2008
Petr how come you always make it out like I am trying to argue against your politics? The only time I chime in here is when you take something totally overboard (rumors, smears) and when you become a rank hypocrite when you call someone partisan with your left hand while making partisan comments with your right. I have no beef with your belief that Obama is the right answer, that is your prerogative. The only reason I say anything here is because you would be much better served by highlighting what you think are the good things about Obama rather than the bad things you find with McCain (we all get it...you HATE him beyond belief). Kind of like what is going on b/w the two of them in their commercials..what happened to the issues?.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
hmm i guess that you cannot tell us 1 way in which McCains policies differ from Bushs. You can only attack me. Kind of what Mccain can only do to Obama. He can only attack, he cant speak to any policy.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
also i stated several reasons above where Obama stands on the issues. Please do the same for McCain.
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Response by Sizzlack
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 782
Member since: Apr 2008
where am I attacking you? Are you going to try and refute the BS you have posted on here all of a sudden now? You admitted that the Palin Jew hater rumor was baloney. If telling you that you would be better served by posting positive things about your candidate instead of constant rantings against the one you don't like is attacking you...well you have very thin skin. Didn't you threaten to kill me the other day? Did I say I was being attacked? No, I just pointed out that it seemed fitting that you of all people would pose a hypothetical death threat.
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Response by petrfitz
almost 18 years ago
Posts: 2533
Member since: Mar 2008
McCain Attacks Wall Street Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign
In the past few days, as the economic crisis has deepened, Senator John McCain has been decrying the excesses of Wall Street. At a campaign rally in Tampa on Tuesday, he vowed that he and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, if elected, "are going to put an end to the reckless conduct, corruption, and unbridled greed that have caused a crisis on Wall Street." He noted that the "foundation of our economy...has been put at risk by the greed and mismanagement of Wall Street and Washington."
He blasted CEOs who "seem to escape the consequences." He denounced Wall Streeters who "dreamed up investment schemes that they themselves don't even understand" and who used "derivatives, credit default swaps, and mortgage-backed securities" to try "to make their own rules." He excoriated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for gaming the system. And he slammed financial industry lobbyists for misguiding members of Congress. "I can promise you the days of dealing and special favors will soon be over in Washington." On Wednesday morning, after the federal government committed $85 billion to prevent the collapse of the American International Group (AIG) insurance conglomerate, McCain again assailed irresponsible corporate executives. "We need to change the way Washington and Wall Street does business," he proclaimed.
McCain has been quick with fiery, populist-tinged speeches. But one thing has been missing: any acknowledgment that McCain's own campaign has been loaded with the type of people he's been denouncing. (The McCain campaign did not respond to a request for comment; we will update the post if they do.) As Mother Jones previously reported, former Senator Phil Gramm, McCain's onetime campaign chairman, used a backroom maneuver in late 2000 to slip into law a bill that kept credit default swaps unregulated. These financial instruments greased the way to the subprime meltdown that has led to today's economic crisis. Several of McCain's most senior campaign aides have lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And the Democratic National Committee, using publicly available records, has identified 177 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign as either aides, policy advisers, or fundraisers.
Of those 177 lobbyists, according to a Mother Jones review of Senate and House records, at least 83 have in recent years lobbied for the financial industry McCain now attacks. These are high-paid influence-peddlers who have been working the corridors of the nation's capital to win favors and special treatment for investment banks, securities firms, hedge funds, accounting outfits, and insurance companies. Their clients have included AIG, the newest symbol of corporate excess; Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy on Monday sending the stock market into a tailspin; Merrill Lynch, which was bought out by Bank of America this week; and Washington Mutual, the banking giant that could be the next to fall. Among these 83 lobbyists are McCain's chief political adviser, Charlie Black (JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America); McCain's national finance co-chairman, Wayne Berman (AIG, Blackstone, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac); the campaign's congressional liaison, John Green (Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Icahn Associates, Fannie Mae); McCain's veep vetter, Arthur Culvahouse (Fannie Mae); and McCain's transition planning chief, William Timmons Sr. (Citigroup, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group).
When cable news shows air footage of McCain railing against greedy execs and the lobbyists who rig the rules for the benefit of Wall Street dealmakers, there ought to be a crawl beneath him listing these lobbyists. (Talk about a fair and balanced presentation.) Short of that, here's the list of the McCain aides and bundlers who have worked for the high-finance greed-mongers McCain has pledged to take on. So far, it seems, none of them have been cast out of the campaign. If McCain were serious about his outrage, he might throw these money-changers out of his own temple.
Phil Anderson: American Council of Life Insurers, Aetna, AIG, New York Life, MassMutual, VISA
Rebecca Anderson: Aegon, American Council of Life Insurers, Cigna, Barclays, Credit Suisse First Boston, HSBC
Stanton Anderson: The Debt Exchange
David Beightol: Allstate, Amerigroup, Charles Schwab, HSBC
Rhonda Bentz: VISA
Wayne Berman: American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Americhoice, Shinsei Bank, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, Broidy Capital Management, Credit Suisse Securities, Highstar Capital, VISA, Ameriquest Mortgage, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Fitch Ratings
Charlie Black: JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, National Association of Mortgage Brokers
Judy Black: Colorado Credit Union League, Genworth Financial, Bay Harbour Management, Merrill Lynch
Kirk Blalock: Credit Union National Association, Financial Executives International, American Insurance Association, Mutual of Omaha, Zurich Financial Service Group, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
Carlos Bonilla: Financial Services Roundtable, Freddie Mac
Christine Burgeson: Citigroup
Mark Buse: Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
Nicholas Calio: Citigroup, Managed Fund Association, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, The Investment Company Institute, TIAA-CRE, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Ben Nighthorse Campbell: Amscot Financial Corporation, Community Financial Services Association, Fidelity National Financial
Andrew Cantor: American Insurance Association, Merrill Lynch
Alberto Cardenas: Fannie Mae
James Courter: Goldman Sachs, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Investment Company Institute, Merrill Lynch
David Crane: Financial Services Roundtable, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Bank of America, Association of Corporate Credit Unions, Freddie Mac
Dan Crippen: Merrill Lynch, National Multi-Housing Council
Arthur Culvahouse: Fannie Mae
Bryan Cunningham: Arch Capital Group
Alfonse D'Amato: AIG, Freddie Mac
Doug Davenport: Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Goldman Sachs, VISA
Ashley Davis: Prudential Financial, American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters, Great American Insurance Company
Mimi Dawson: MassMutual
Melissa Edwards: Freddie Mac, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Access to Capital Coalition
Chris Fidler: American Bankers Association, Milcom Venture Partners, National Association Real Estate Investment Trusts
Samuel Geduldig: American Bankers Association, American Institute of CPAs, America Gains, Berkshire Hathaway, Consumer Bankers Association, Ernst & Young, Financial Services Roundtable, Investment Company Institute, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Prudential Financial, Sovereign Investment Council, Fidelity Investments, FMR Corp.
Benjamin Ginsberg: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, AIG Technical Services
David Girard-Dicarlo: American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters
Juleanna Glover Weiss: RJI Capital, American Institute of CPAs, BNP Paribas, Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Slade Gorton: Allstate Insurance, Hannan Armstrong Capital
Phil Gramm: UBS Americas
John Green: Laredo National Bank, Alternative Investment Management Association, AIG, Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Credit Suisse Group, Fannie Mae, Icahn Associates, FMR Corp., AFLAC, VISA
Janet Grissom: American Institute of CPAs, NYSE, Merrill Lynch
Kristen Gullott: San Diego Credit Union
Kent Hance: Stanford Financial Group, Municipal Capital Markets Group, Inc.
Vicki Hart: American Financial Services Association, Citigroup, Investment Company Institute, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, New York Stock Exchange, VISA, Carlyle Group, Credit Suisse, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Goldman Sachs, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, Stanford Group, Lloyd's of London, National City Corp.
Richard Hohlt: Capmark Financial Group, Fannie Mae, JP Morgan Chase and Co., Student Loan Marketing Association, Washington Mutual, Guaranty Bank & Trust, Peachtree Settlement Funding, Dime Savings Bank of New York
Gaylord Hughey: Heartland Security Insurance Group
Kate Hull: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Zurich Financial Services, American Insurance Association, Financial Executives International
James Hyland: American Insurance Association, Seattle Home Loan Bank, Self Help Credit Union, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Merrill Lynch, Mortgage Investors Corp., Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Freddie Mac, New York Stock Exchange, Citigroup, VISA
Aleix Jarvis: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Financial Executives International, Mutual of Omaha, American Insurance Association, Zurich Financial Services
Greg Jenner: American Council of Life Insurers, JG Wentworth, UBS, VISA, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Frank Keating: American Council of Life Insurers
Steven Kuykendall: California Bankers Association
William Lesher: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Commerce Ventures, Rabobank International
Thomas Loeffler: Citigroup, Fannie Mae, Investment Company Institute, World Savings and Loan Association, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
Kelly Lugar: RJI Capital Strategies
Peter Madigan: Arthur Andersen, Bank of New York, Broadridge Securities Processing, Charles Schwab, Deloitte and Touche, Goldman Sachs, International Employee Stock Option Coalition, Mastercard, NYSE, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, PNC Bank
Mary Mann: MassMutual
Paul Martino: Morgan Stanley, Baker Tilly
Jana McKeag: Venture Catalyst
Alison McSlarrow: Fannie Mae, Hartford
Mike Meece: Georgetown Partners
David Metzner: Ernst & Young, Harbinger Capital Investments, Prudential, Public Financial Management, Western Union
Susan Molinari: Freddie Mac, American Land Title Association, Association of Consumer Credit Unions, Beacon Capital Partners, College Loan Corp, Coventry First, E-Trade, Financial Services Roundtable, Rent-A-Center
John Moran: Cerberus Capital Management, American Council of Life Insurers, Accenture
John Napier: Freddie Mac
Susan Nelson: AIG, San Antonio Credit Union
Paul Otellini: Ernst & Young, Financial Services Forum
Steve Perry: Charles Schwab, Hoover Partners, HSBC, National Stock Exchange
Nancy Pfotenhauer: American Land Title Association, Mortgage Bankers Association
Elise Pickering-Finley: Credit Suisse, DE Shaw, Hartford Financial Services, Research In Motion, Retail Industry Lenders Association, URL Mutual
James Pitts: Advanced Association for Life Underwriting, AETNA, American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, Debt Advisory International, Financial Services Coordinating Council, GE Financial Assurance, Hartford Life, Jefferson Pilot Financial, Kenwood Investments, MassMutual, Mutual of Omaha, New York Life, UNUM Provident, VISA, PMI Group
Tim Powers: AP Capital, Genworth Financial, Retail Industry Lenders Association, E-LOAN, General Electric Mortgage Insurance
Hans Rickhoff: Capital One, Investment Company Institute, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
Kathleen Shanahan: New York Stock Exchange
Andrew Shore: Accenture, Retail Industry Lenders Association, Barclays, Bond Market Association, Credit Suisse, TPG Capital
Katie Stahl: Alliance for Investment Transparency, Ares Management, Fairfax Financial Holdings, Uhlmann Financial Group
Milly Stanges: TIAA-CREF
Aquiles Suarez: Fannie Mae
Don Sundquist: Freddie Mac, The Hartford
Peter Terpeluk: JP Morgan Chase, Ernst & Young, Prudential
Fred Thompson: Equitas
Jeri Thompson: American Insurance Association
John Timmons: National Association of Federal Credit Unions
William Timmons Sr.: American Council of Life Insurers, Citigroup, Dun & Bradstreet, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group
Vin Weber: Agstar Financial Services, AKT Investment Corp., American Institute of CPAs, Ernst & Young, Freddie Mac, Louis Dreyfus Corp, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Jeffery Weiss: JP Morgan
Tony Williams: Russell Investment Group, American Life Inc., Northwestern Mutual
Don't you worry about a thing -- his multiple primary melanomas would destroy his temper first.
The guy who repeatedly called Keating "My Friend", and took the most money from Keating is now saying that he is the guy to bring about a complete rebuilding of Wall Street regulatory infrastructure.
You would think that McCain who went through the S&L crisis where Americans got swindled out of their life savings would have recognize the wide spread predatory lending of the past 8 years and would have tried to do something about it.
He didn't.
He suppported it over 90% of the time.
Petr, instead of constantly ranting about how much you think McCain will destroy the economy....could you write a coherent and clean (no smears, curses or insults) argument on why Obama would bring the real reform you clearly believe he will? And not just a copy and paste from DKos, Politico or HuffPo.
Obama would not continue the sham policy of trickle down economics. He will give tax relief to 99% of the country. We will no longer give tax relief to the richest of us and hope that they trickle down on us.
Obama doesnt want to be trickled on, neither do I.
petrfitz...i don't know who you are,but as a democrat I strongly believe that you hurt obama with your crazy, crazy talk. stop the hate
So that's it? He doesn't want to be trickled on?
Obama will actually regulate Wall Street and make sure predatory lending ends. He will repeal the deregulation laws put into law by McCains economic advisor Phil Gramm.
Obama will invest $150 billion in alternative energy research creating actual high tech well paying jobs in America. He knows that McCains "plan" of building 30 new nuclear power plants in 20 years is impossible and 1 cant even be built in 20 years.
Obama will eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses, cut corporate taxes for firms that invest and create jobs in the United States, and provide tax credits to reduce the cost of healthcare and to reward investments in innovation
Sizzlack please name 1 core component of McCains economic policy that differs from Bush's?
Petr how come you always make it out like I am trying to argue against your politics? The only time I chime in here is when you take something totally overboard (rumors, smears) and when you become a rank hypocrite when you call someone partisan with your left hand while making partisan comments with your right. I have no beef with your belief that Obama is the right answer, that is your prerogative. The only reason I say anything here is because you would be much better served by highlighting what you think are the good things about Obama rather than the bad things you find with McCain (we all get it...you HATE him beyond belief). Kind of like what is going on b/w the two of them in their commercials..what happened to the issues?.
hmm i guess that you cannot tell us 1 way in which McCains policies differ from Bushs. You can only attack me. Kind of what Mccain can only do to Obama. He can only attack, he cant speak to any policy.
also i stated several reasons above where Obama stands on the issues. Please do the same for McCain.
where am I attacking you? Are you going to try and refute the BS you have posted on here all of a sudden now? You admitted that the Palin Jew hater rumor was baloney. If telling you that you would be better served by posting positive things about your candidate instead of constant rantings against the one you don't like is attacking you...well you have very thin skin. Didn't you threaten to kill me the other day? Did I say I was being attacked? No, I just pointed out that it seemed fitting that you of all people would pose a hypothetical death threat.
McCain Attacks Wall Street Greed—While 83 Wall Street Lobbyists Work for His Campaign
In the past few days, as the economic crisis has deepened, Senator John McCain has been decrying the excesses of Wall Street. At a campaign rally in Tampa on Tuesday, he vowed that he and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, if elected, "are going to put an end to the reckless conduct, corruption, and unbridled greed that have caused a crisis on Wall Street." He noted that the "foundation of our economy...has been put at risk by the greed and mismanagement of Wall Street and Washington."
He blasted CEOs who "seem to escape the consequences." He denounced Wall Streeters who "dreamed up investment schemes that they themselves don't even understand" and who used "derivatives, credit default swaps, and mortgage-backed securities" to try "to make their own rules." He excoriated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for gaming the system. And he slammed financial industry lobbyists for misguiding members of Congress. "I can promise you the days of dealing and special favors will soon be over in Washington." On Wednesday morning, after the federal government committed $85 billion to prevent the collapse of the American International Group (AIG) insurance conglomerate, McCain again assailed irresponsible corporate executives. "We need to change the way Washington and Wall Street does business," he proclaimed.
McCain has been quick with fiery, populist-tinged speeches. But one thing has been missing: any acknowledgment that McCain's own campaign has been loaded with the type of people he's been denouncing. (The McCain campaign did not respond to a request for comment; we will update the post if they do.) As Mother Jones previously reported, former Senator Phil Gramm, McCain's onetime campaign chairman, used a backroom maneuver in late 2000 to slip into law a bill that kept credit default swaps unregulated. These financial instruments greased the way to the subprime meltdown that has led to today's economic crisis. Several of McCain's most senior campaign aides have lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And the Democratic National Committee, using publicly available records, has identified 177 lobbyists working for the McCain campaign as either aides, policy advisers, or fundraisers.
Of those 177 lobbyists, according to a Mother Jones review of Senate and House records, at least 83 have in recent years lobbied for the financial industry McCain now attacks. These are high-paid influence-peddlers who have been working the corridors of the nation's capital to win favors and special treatment for investment banks, securities firms, hedge funds, accounting outfits, and insurance companies. Their clients have included AIG, the newest symbol of corporate excess; Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy on Monday sending the stock market into a tailspin; Merrill Lynch, which was bought out by Bank of America this week; and Washington Mutual, the banking giant that could be the next to fall. Among these 83 lobbyists are McCain's chief political adviser, Charlie Black (JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America); McCain's national finance co-chairman, Wayne Berman (AIG, Blackstone, Credit Suisse, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac); the campaign's congressional liaison, John Green (Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Icahn Associates, Fannie Mae); McCain's veep vetter, Arthur Culvahouse (Fannie Mae); and McCain's transition planning chief, William Timmons Sr. (Citigroup, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group).
When cable news shows air footage of McCain railing against greedy execs and the lobbyists who rig the rules for the benefit of Wall Street dealmakers, there ought to be a crawl beneath him listing these lobbyists. (Talk about a fair and balanced presentation.) Short of that, here's the list of the McCain aides and bundlers who have worked for the high-finance greed-mongers McCain has pledged to take on. So far, it seems, none of them have been cast out of the campaign. If McCain were serious about his outrage, he might throw these money-changers out of his own temple.
Phil Anderson: American Council of Life Insurers, Aetna, AIG, New York Life, MassMutual, VISA
Rebecca Anderson: Aegon, American Council of Life Insurers, Cigna, Barclays, Credit Suisse First Boston, HSBC
Stanton Anderson: The Debt Exchange
David Beightol: Allstate, Amerigroup, Charles Schwab, HSBC
Rhonda Bentz: VISA
Wayne Berman: American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Americhoice, Shinsei Bank, Blackstone, Carlyle Group, Broidy Capital Management, Credit Suisse Securities, Highstar Capital, VISA, Ameriquest Mortgage, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Fitch Ratings
Charlie Black: JP Morgan, Washington Mutual Bank, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, National Association of Mortgage Brokers
Judy Black: Colorado Credit Union League, Genworth Financial, Bay Harbour Management, Merrill Lynch
Kirk Blalock: Credit Union National Association, Financial Executives International, American Insurance Association, Mutual of Omaha, Zurich Financial Service Group, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
Carlos Bonilla: Financial Services Roundtable, Freddie Mac
Christine Burgeson: Citigroup
Mark Buse: Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
Nicholas Calio: Citigroup, Managed Fund Association, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, The Investment Company Institute, TIAA-CRE, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Ben Nighthorse Campbell: Amscot Financial Corporation, Community Financial Services Association, Fidelity National Financial
Andrew Cantor: American Insurance Association, Merrill Lynch
Alberto Cardenas: Fannie Mae
James Courter: Goldman Sachs, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, Investment Company Institute, Merrill Lynch
David Crane: Financial Services Roundtable, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Bank of America, Association of Corporate Credit Unions, Freddie Mac
Dan Crippen: Merrill Lynch, National Multi-Housing Council
Arthur Culvahouse: Fannie Mae
Bryan Cunningham: Arch Capital Group
Alfonse D'Amato: AIG, Freddie Mac
Doug Davenport: Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Goldman Sachs, VISA
Ashley Davis: Prudential Financial, American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters, Great American Insurance Company
Mimi Dawson: MassMutual
Melissa Edwards: Freddie Mac, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Access to Capital Coalition
Chris Fidler: American Bankers Association, Milcom Venture Partners, National Association Real Estate Investment Trusts
Samuel Geduldig: American Bankers Association, American Institute of CPAs, America Gains, Berkshire Hathaway, Consumer Bankers Association, Ernst & Young, Financial Services Roundtable, Investment Company Institute, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Prudential Financial, Sovereign Investment Council, Fidelity Investments, FMR Corp.
Benjamin Ginsberg: Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance, AIG Technical Services
David Girard-Dicarlo: American Financial Group, American Premier Underwriters
Juleanna Glover Weiss: RJI Capital, American Institute of CPAs, BNP Paribas, Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Slade Gorton: Allstate Insurance, Hannan Armstrong Capital
Phil Gramm: UBS Americas
John Green: Laredo National Bank, Alternative Investment Management Association, AIG, Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group, Citigroup, Credit Suisse Group, Fannie Mae, Icahn Associates, FMR Corp., AFLAC, VISA
Janet Grissom: American Institute of CPAs, NYSE, Merrill Lynch
Kristen Gullott: San Diego Credit Union
Kent Hance: Stanford Financial Group, Municipal Capital Markets Group, Inc.
Vicki Hart: American Financial Services Association, Citigroup, Investment Company Institute, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, New York Stock Exchange, VISA, Carlyle Group, Credit Suisse, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Goldman Sachs, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, Stanford Group, Lloyd's of London, National City Corp.
Richard Hohlt: Capmark Financial Group, Fannie Mae, JP Morgan Chase and Co., Student Loan Marketing Association, Washington Mutual, Guaranty Bank & Trust, Peachtree Settlement Funding, Dime Savings Bank of New York
Gaylord Hughey: Heartland Security Insurance Group
Kate Hull: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Zurich Financial Services, American Insurance Association, Financial Executives International
James Hyland: American Insurance Association, Seattle Home Loan Bank, Self Help Credit Union, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, Merrill Lynch, Mortgage Investors Corp., Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, Freddie Mac, New York Stock Exchange, Citigroup, VISA
Aleix Jarvis: Credit Union National Association, Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, Financial Executives International, Mutual of Omaha, American Insurance Association, Zurich Financial Services
Greg Jenner: American Council of Life Insurers, JG Wentworth, UBS, VISA, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Frank Keating: American Council of Life Insurers
Steven Kuykendall: California Bankers Association
William Lesher: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Commerce Ventures, Rabobank International
Thomas Loeffler: Citigroup, Fannie Mae, Investment Company Institute, World Savings and Loan Association, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
Kelly Lugar: RJI Capital Strategies
Peter Madigan: Arthur Andersen, Bank of New York, Broadridge Securities Processing, Charles Schwab, Deloitte and Touche, Goldman Sachs, International Employee Stock Option Coalition, Mastercard, NYSE, Fannie Mae, Merrill Lynch, PNC Bank
Mary Mann: MassMutual
Paul Martino: Morgan Stanley, Baker Tilly
Jana McKeag: Venture Catalyst
Alison McSlarrow: Fannie Mae, Hartford
Mike Meece: Georgetown Partners
David Metzner: Ernst & Young, Harbinger Capital Investments, Prudential, Public Financial Management, Western Union
Susan Molinari: Freddie Mac, American Land Title Association, Association of Consumer Credit Unions, Beacon Capital Partners, College Loan Corp, Coventry First, E-Trade, Financial Services Roundtable, Rent-A-Center
John Moran: Cerberus Capital Management, American Council of Life Insurers, Accenture
John Napier: Freddie Mac
Susan Nelson: AIG, San Antonio Credit Union
Paul Otellini: Ernst & Young, Financial Services Forum
Steve Perry: Charles Schwab, Hoover Partners, HSBC, National Stock Exchange
Nancy Pfotenhauer: American Land Title Association, Mortgage Bankers Association
Elise Pickering-Finley: Credit Suisse, DE Shaw, Hartford Financial Services, Research In Motion, Retail Industry Lenders Association, URL Mutual
James Pitts: Advanced Association for Life Underwriting, AETNA, American Council of Life Insurers, AIG, Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers, Debt Advisory International, Financial Services Coordinating Council, GE Financial Assurance, Hartford Life, Jefferson Pilot Financial, Kenwood Investments, MassMutual, Mutual of Omaha, New York Life, UNUM Provident, VISA, PMI Group
Tim Powers: AP Capital, Genworth Financial, Retail Industry Lenders Association, E-LOAN, General Electric Mortgage Insurance
Walter Price: Wachovia
Sloan Rappoport: Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc. (FBR), Trafelet Delta Funds
Hans Rickhoff: Capital One, Investment Company Institute, United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
Kathleen Shanahan: New York Stock Exchange
Andrew Shore: Accenture, Retail Industry Lenders Association, Barclays, Bond Market Association, Credit Suisse, TPG Capital
Katie Stahl: Alliance for Investment Transparency, Ares Management, Fairfax Financial Holdings, Uhlmann Financial Group
Milly Stanges: TIAA-CREF
Aquiles Suarez: Fannie Mae
Don Sundquist: Freddie Mac, The Hartford
Peter Terpeluk: JP Morgan Chase, Ernst & Young, Prudential
Fred Thompson: Equitas
Jeri Thompson: American Insurance Association
John Timmons: National Association of Federal Credit Unions
William Timmons Sr.: American Council of Life Insurers, Citigroup, Dun & Bradstreet, Freddie Mac, Vanguard Group
Vin Weber: Agstar Financial Services, AKT Investment Corp., American Institute of CPAs, Ernst & Young, Freddie Mac, Louis Dreyfus Corp, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
Jeffery Weiss: JP Morgan
Tony Williams: Russell Investment Group, American Life Inc., Northwestern Mutual
— David Corn, Jonathan Stein, and Nick Baumann