Charlie Black

[lyon]

"A senior adviser to the US presidential hopeful John McCain has apologised after saying a terrorist attack on American soil would be a "big advantage" to the Republican candidate's election campaign.

Charlie Black later expressed regret over his "inappropriate" comments, and McCain said he disagreed with the claim.

Discussing national security in an interview with Fortune magazine, Black was asked about the impact that another terrorist attack on US soil might have on McCain's campaign. "Certainly it would be a big advantage to him," said Black.

He said the assassination of the former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December was an "unfortunate event" but had helped McCain to win the New Hampshire primary, a state he had to win to save his candidacy."
# guardian.co.uk,
# Tuesday June 24, 2008


Wow, what a disgrace for McCain. Talk about rooting for the terrorists. Sounds like McCains top advisor wants another attack on the US, so the Neocons can sell more fear.

[Mule]

Brilliance through & through on this post.

[Jim Richards]

This degree of cynicism in politics is SOP, but the stupidity of uttering it out loud is unfathomable.

Nothing surprises me when it comes to how much political power trumps national interests.

[Mule]

Brilliance through & through on this post.

[lyon]

Blacks client list:
Ferdinand Marcos
Mobuto Sese Seko
Jonas Savimbi
Ahmad Chalabi
John McCain

Why would McCain want this type of person running his campaign?

[varmint]

reality helps McCain.

denial helps obama.

[Rick Lee]

Charlie Black is a longtime GOP operative who lobbies for foreign governments during the campaign offseasons. Both parties have countless such people who always latch onto a campaign for $10-$20k per month and then go back to lobbying when the campaign closes up shop. BTW, that list of some of Black's clients is nothing to be real ashamed of since the U.S. government supported a few of them. The Dems do it too. Remember Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, Mark Penn, lobbying for the Colombian government on a position opposite Clinton's at the same time he worked for her? Ditto for Lanny Davis, who lobbied for Pakistan at the time we were considering trade sanctions in response to their nuclear testing. There's a LOT of money in lobbying for foreign governments.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Mule

Brilliance through & through on this post.

Thank you.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

The Dems do it too.

Absolutely.

[Tishabet]

Disclaimer - I haven't read the quote in full or done any more research than read this thread, I have no dog in this fight.

Isn't what Black is saying actually correct?

I mean, all bad taste/offense aside, if another terrorist attack occurred on US soil, don't you think it would result in an up swell of support for McCain's candidacy as he is viewed as being tougher on terrorism than Obama?

I realize the statement in this case is presented in a taboo wrapper, but are you guys objecting to the validity of the statement or the who/how of the statement?

[Rick Lee]

Yes, Charlie Black was essentially correct in what he said. So was Hillary Clinton when she referenced RFK's assassination as a reason to stay in the race. Too many cooks in the kitchen often make for PR blunders in campaigns. Charlie Black should not be allowed to speak to the press. Ditto for about 99.9% of campaign operatives. There should be one person in each campaign, other than the candidate, who is authorized to speak to the press. And that person should be reviewing every press release or coordinating with every subordinate on the campaign who has anything to do with the media.

I vividly remember an all-staff meeting at the RNC where Haley Barbour told us we were all absolutely forbidden to speak to anyone remotely connected with the press. About an hour later, some co-workers and I were eating lunch on a bench netx to the U.S. Capitol when Chris Rock walked up to us with a camera crew, wanting to interview us for Comedy Central. Talk about a buzzkill. We sooooo wanted to chat with him and had to politely decline while he moved on to the Hill staffers next to us for an interview and some joking around.

[sammyg2]

He didn't say he wanted it to happen. He didn't say he was rooting for them, you made that up. He made a factual statement that if there was another attack it would benefit McCain's campaign because McCain seen as is tougher on terrorism than Hussein obama.
That is a true statement, but should not have been made because lefties will dishonestly take it out of context, twist it around, and try to make it mean something it doesn't.

Do Obama's supporters really fear the truth that much?

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

This degree of cynicism in politics is SOP, but the stupidity of uttering it out loud is unfathomable.

Nothing surprises me when it comes to how much political power trumps national interests.

Prepare for it to get much worse.

Why do you say something everybody knows, but is going to make you look bad for saying it?

Like this, "Mr Obama's father is typical of the majority of black men in that he abandoned his child and failed to support him." True, but if Don Imus said it, people would be choking on their lattes

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

...He made a factual statement that if there was another attack it would benefit McCain's campaign because McCain seen as is tougher on terrorism than Hussein obama.
That is a true statement...

Hmm...I thought GWB's plan was "we fight them over there so we don't have to over here". Another attack would also prove how rediculous that strategy is (that McCain has solidly backed), and why we should have been MORE focused on our own country's borders, container inspections, etc. (instead of Iraq). Just playing devil's advocate. Of course no one want's to see another attack and although it's virtually inevitable (in the long run), we will still be just fine. We (as a nation) CAN take a punch and still thrive if our priorities are in the right place, and Iraq isn't (and never has been) the right place imo.

[lyon]

We all know that the neocons sell fear and terror. They "secretly" hope and pray for more attacks so they can spread their "war on terror".
That is a pretty sick way to go through life IMO. To each his own.

[lendaddy]

He was asked the question and gave a correct answer. He did not volunteer the statement.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

He was asked the question and gave a correct answer. He did not volunteer the statement.

He could have just responded like Mr Obama would; tell them what they wanted to hear no matter what he thought or had said he thought in the past. Seems to be workin' out pretty well for him.

HOPE, CHANGE, Si Se Puede

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Prepare for it to get much worse.

Why do you say something everybody knows, but is going to make you look bad for saying it?

Like this, "Mr Obama's father is typical of the majority of black men in that he abandoned his child and failed to support him." True, but if Don Imus said it, people would be choking on their lattes

Yep. Some people need a stronger connection between their brain and their mouth.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by Tobra

"...Mr Obama's father is typical of the majority of black men in that he abandoned his child and failed to support him." True, ....

That's really true? The majority of black men abandon and fail to support their children? Wow! That's horrible and sad. Where did you get this information?

[Mule]

Originally Posted by lyon

We all know that the neocons sell fear and terror. They "secretly" hope and pray for more attacks so they can spread their "war on terror".
That is a pretty sick way to go through life IMO. To each his own.

Really! And how exactly do you "know" this?