May 10, 2008

(graphic via Press TV)It's been well documented that John McCain has more lobbyists running his campaign than the entire 53 man roster of an NFL football team. I remember seeing John McCain look so sheepish during his presser with his wife Cindy after the NY Times story came out that I said this:

Because he now knows that reporters will be digging into his business for the past decade or so to examine how far and deep his love affair with lobbyists actually goes.

Immediately, Newsweek busted John McCain over his denials that he spoke to anyone at Paxson or Alcalde & Fay.

They will also be digging into the lobbyists business as well. Newsweek broke the news yesterday that Doug Goodyear, John McCain's choice to manage the GOP convention after it was found he lobbied for the military junta that runs Myanmar. Is there anything more despicable than this connection?

But some allies worry that Goodyear's selection could fuel perceptions that McCain—who has portrayed himself as a crusader against special interests—is surrounded by lobbyists. Goodyear is CEO of DCI Group, a consulting firm that earned $3 million last year lobbying for ExxonMobil, General Motors and other clients. Potentially more problematic: the firm was paid $348,000 in 2002 to represent Burma's military junta, which had been strongly condemned by the State Department for its human-rights record and remains in power today.

And the news that Myanmar has been stymieing relief efforts after a cyclone ravaged the country’s coastal areas on May 3, killing thousands did not help Goodyear's case either so he has resigned.

The public relations executive whom Senator John McCain’s campaign had chosen to run the Republican National Convention this summer resigned his post on Saturday after a magazine reported that his firm had lobbied for the military junta that runs Myanmar.

The executive, Doug Goodyear, said in a statement that he was stepping down as the coordinator of the convention, which will be held Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, “so as not to become a distraction in this campaign.”

“I continue to strongly support John McCain for president and wish him the best of luck in this campaign,” the two-sentence statement concluded.

This once again shows the judgement John McCain shows as he moves closer to the fall election. Will McCain consider Goodyear a good lobbyist or a bad lobbyist? I'm just asking since he did that on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago.

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