McCain, Hagel, Dreier and Kolbe linked to group promoting Swift Liars

A little-known organization closely tied to the Republican Party and the Bush administration and often accused of promoting partisan policies and ideology abroad is now heavily involved in efforts to establish democratic institutions in Afghanistan and Iraq, RAW STORY has learned.

The International Republican Institute, though billing itself as an independent nonprofit unaffiliated with the Republican Party, acts essentially as a wing of the GOP. Its is chaired by party presidential frontrunner Senator John McCain (R-AZ), and Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Representatives David Dreier (R-CA) and Jim Kolbe (R-AR) serve on its board of directors. Many of IRI’s high-ranking staff members have at some point worked directly for the Bush administration...

...In December 2004, IRI contracted with Tony Marsh and Lance Copsey of the media consulting firm Marsh, Copsey & Scott to set up a Baghdad Media Center on behalf of the U.S. State Department. Its stated purpose was to assist Iraqi political parties and candidates in the upcoming January elections.

Earlier that year, in January 2004, Marsh Copsey & Scott (now Marsh Copsey & Associates) had registered the domain name crushkerry.com, which was used throughout the 2004 election for an anti-Kerry blog run by their senior account executive, Patrick Hynes. The site was heavily involved in promoting both the SwiftBoat Veterans and CBS Memos stories. It also encouraged readers to suggest other ways of discrediting John Kerry, and claimed to have inside sources of information on the Kerry campaign. Today, the blog is gone, but http://www.crushkerry.com is still the main URL for the website of Marsh Copsey & Associates...

IRI, former Jeb Bush spokeswoman tells all as she allows Raw to 'listen in'

Larry Womack
Published: Friday June 9, 2006

Calls made by RAW STORY to the International Republican Institute for comment on the recent story by Muriel Kane went unreturned. During one such call, however, group spokesperson Lisa Gates left the phone line open while she explained to an associate why she intended to ignore the call.

"This guy called," she said, " he left me this message that was all very, 'Oh, hi! We're so interested in what you're doing right now, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan!'" This was in reference to a message left by a RAW STORY Managing Editor on Gates' voicemail.

"Right," she told the unidentified male. "You should see the site."

(...)

Finally, when asked another unintelligible question, she seemed to be referencing the campaign of Katherine Harris. "She's gonna lose -- she's gonna get her ass kicked in the Senate race, and she's gonna get poor doin' it."

In all, RAW STORY was allowed to listen in on the conversation for approximately 15 minutes--the remainder of a 17-minute phone call. IRI did not answer subsequent calls from RAW STORY.

IRI is chaired by Sen. John McCain, (R-Ariz.), Secretary of State, Dr. Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, former former National Security Advisor, as well as current individuals from the private and nonprofit sectors.

Georgia

In 2003, momentous political events took place in the Republic of Georgia. After a
seriously flawed parliamentary election, peaceful protests forced President Eduard
Shevardnadze, Georgia’s most renowned leader since the fall of the Soviet Union,
to leave office. IRI spent much of the year helping parties prepare for the November 2 elections through campaign academies, women’s training seminars and extensive get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts. In February, IRI hosted nine government spokespersons from the Republic of Georgia for a week in Washington to receive communications training and learn the responsibilities of public information officers. In October, IRI Chairman John McCain conducted a preelection assessment of preparations for the elections. Shortly before the election, IRI launched a GOTV campaign that featured local celebrities and music concerts in several cities. In areas where the GOTV events took place, youth voting rates increased by 30 percent since the last national election.

The Hon. John McCain

McCain's DoubleTalk Express Rolls Into Dallas

May 17, 2006

Senator John McCain heads to Dallas, TX, tonight to raise money for his political action committee. Sam and Charles Wyly, who previously ran ads against McCain during the 2000 Presidential race and who are currently under Federal investigation for tax evasion, are members of the host committee. They are joined by Albert Huddleston and Harold Simmons, who together gave $3.1 million to the Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth. McCain, who called the Wyly brothers "sleazy" and "disgraceful" and the Swift Boat Veterans group "dishonorable", will charge as much as $5,000 a head to attend tonight's event.

more...

http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/05/mccains_doublet.php

THE MCCAIN-WYLY RAPPROCHEMENT ENDS:

The other day we noted the supreme irony of John McCain teaming up with the Wyly brothers to raise money for his political action committee. As several news outlets recently reported, Sam and Charles Wyly were scheduled to be co-hosts for a major Texas fundraiser for McCain on May 15 in Dallas.

more...

http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=18188

DNC: McCain Takes the Doubletalk Express for A Spin on 'Meet The Press'

4/2/2006 5:50:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Karen Finney of the Democratic National Committee, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, April 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- This morning's appearance on NBC's Meet the Press was just the latest stop on John McCain's double talk express. McCain has tried to cast himself as a straight shooter, yet his answers to important issues continue to shift. Since 2000, John McCain has changed his position on abortion, gay marriage, creationism, and tax cuts. But one recent admission by John McCain appears to be true. As Russert noted, John McCain told America in a recent interview that he "doesn't like to lose."

"This morning, Senator John McCain embraced a man he once called an 'evil influence' on the Republican Party," said DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. "McCain has changed his position so many times that Americans can't know where he stands on anything. Unfortunately, it appears that McCain's admission that he 'doesn't like to lose' is the most straight talk voters should expect from him for the next two years."

Below is a document from DNC research:

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: BUILDING A BRIDGE TO THE RIGHT WING IN THREE EASY STEPS STEP ONE: SAY YOU'RE BEING CONSISTENT AS YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND

RUSSERT: Are you concerned that people are going to say, I see, John McCain tried Straight Talk Express, maverick - 1/8but 3/8 it didn't work in 2000. So now in 2008, he's going to become a conventional, typical politician, reaching out to people that he called agents of intolerance, voting for tax cuts he opposed to make himself more appealing to the hard core Republican base? MCCAIN: I think most people will judge my record for what is it, where I take positions that I stand for and I believe in... I will continue to take positions that I believe in and I stand for. (Meet the Press, 4/2/06)

WHAT MCCAIN STANDS FOR: THEN AND NOW

Abortion

THEN: McCain Opposed Overturning Roe: It Would Force Women To Seek Illegal Abortions. (San Francisco Chronicle, 8/20/99)

NOW: McCain Wouldn't Be Bothered By Supreme Court Ban On Abortion, Would Sign South Dakota's Abortion Ban. (CBS News, 1/25/06; ABC News, 3/29/06; ABC News, 2/26/06; NationalJournal.com, 2/28/06)

Evil

THEN: McCain Called Falwell "Evil Influence" on GOP. (Kansas City Star, 5/28/05) NOW: McCain Met With Falwell To Lay Groundwork for 2008 Run And Agreed To Speak At Falwell's Liberty University. (US News and World Report, 11/14/05; Lynchburg News & Advance, 3/28/06)

Tax Cuts

THEN: McCain Opposed Bush Tax Cuts. (Baltimore Sun, 5/27/01; Statement, 3/18/03) NOW: McCain Voted For Bush Tax Cuts. (New York Times, 2/21/06)

Gay Marriage

THEN: McCain Opposed Federal Gay Marriage Ban. (Los Angeles Times, 1/25/05 3/8 NOW: McCain Said He's Willing To Support A Federal Marriage Amendment. 1/8Meet the Press, 4/2/06)

Standing Up to Racism

THEN: McCain Condemned Bush For Failing to Denounce Racist Beliefs At Bob Jones University. (Fox, 2/24/00)

NOW: McCain Endorsed George Wallace Jr., Keynote Speaker at White Supremacist Group Gathering. (AP, 11/17/05; 6/6/05)

Creationism / Intelligent Design

THEN: McCain: Local Schools Should Decide on Teaching Creationism. (Times Union, 8/28/99)

NOW: McCain: "Young People Have the Right to Be Told" About Intelligent Design, Refused To Exclude It From Science Classes. (Courier Journal, 12/20/05; Arizona Daily Star, 8/28/05; NPR, 11/7/05)

Campaign Finance

THEN: McCain Was A Champion For Campaign Finance Reform. (New York Times, 10/22/01)

NOW: McCain Laying the Groundwork To Opt Out Of Campaign Finance System For '08 Campaign. (National Journal, 12/17/05; Hotline On Call, 12/16/05)

AND LET'S NOT FORGET LOBBYING REFORM

McCain Said He Voted Against Lobbying Reform Bill Because It Was "Weak"... "Senator John McCain... who has long pressed for tougher laws on lobbying, called the 1/8recently passed 3/8 bill 'very, very weak.'" (New York Times, 3/30/06) But He Previously Rejected More Robust Lobbying Reform Bill. Previously when Feingold pushed a bill with "more robust disclosure of lobbyists' activities," McCain "had considered the idea, but viewed it as 'too onerous' on the lobbying community." (The Hill, 3/8/06; San Francisco Chronicle, 1/18/06)

STEP TWO: DEFEND "EVIL INFLUENCE"

JERRY FALWELL

RUSSERT: Do you believe that Jerry Falwell is still an "agent of intolerance"? McCAIN: No, I don't. (Meet the Press, 4/2/06)

2000: McCain Called Falwell "Evil Influence" on Republican Party. McCain's 2000 presidential bid tanked in Virginia and South Carolina when he called religious broadcasters Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "agents of intolerance" who exerted an "evil influence" on the Republican Party. (Kansas City Star, 5/28/05)

----

MCCAIN: I met with Reverend Falwell... We agreed to disagree on certain issues, and we agreed to move forward. I believe that speaking at Liberty University is no different from speaking at the New College or Ohio State University, all of which I'm speaking at... I speak at a lot of different universities. (Meet the Press, 4/2/06)

2000: McCain Criticized Bush For Not Speaking Out About Bob Jones' Racist Beliefs When He Addressed the School. "If I'd have been invited to go to Bob Jones University, sure, I'd have gone! And I'd have told them, 'Get out of the 16th century and into the 21st century. What you're doing is racist and cruel!' Instead -- instead, Governor Bush went there and never said a word. I would never, ever do such a thing." McCain was referring to the school's strict ban on interracial dating. (Fox, 2/24/00; The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 4/30/02)

-- Jerry Falwell Previously Used Bible To Justify Segregation and Criticize Interracial Marriage, Then Apologized. In 1958, Falwell gave a sermon on segregation, stating that "The true Negro does not want integration... He realizes his potential is far better among his own race... It will destroy our race eventually... In one northern city, a pastor friend of mine tells me that a couple of opposite race live next door to his church as man and wife... It boils down to whether we are going to take God's Word as final." He apologized for his comments in a 1988 interview. (Washington Post, 7/24/88)

-- Falwell Said That If Supreme Court Had "Known God's Word", Brown v. Board of Education Would Have Been Decided Differently, Did Not Apologize. Referring to the Supreme Courts' decision in Brown v. Board of Education, Christian televangelist and Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell once said 1/8in a 1958 speech 3/8, "If Chief Justice 1/8Earl 3/8 Warren and his associates had known God's Word..., I am quite confident that the 1954 decision would never have been made." There is no record of an apology. (National Journal, 11/3/84)

-- Jerry Falwell Said That ACLU, Feminists, and Homosexuals Were Responsible for 9/11 Attacks, Then Apologized. In an interview with Pat Robertson, Falwell said that "The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this (the 9/11 attacks)... the abortionists have got to bear some burden for this... I really believe that the pagans and the abortionists and the feminists and the gays and lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way... I point the finger in their face and say, "You helped this happen." He apologized for his comments days later. (Washington Post, 9/21/01; New York Times, 9/18/01)

-- Liberty University Dismissed Students For Practicing A Religion Other Than Baptism. Three students at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University were dismissed because they "refused to stop worshiping at a Pentecostal church," as opposed to the Baptist services mandated by the school. University staff said that the three were "creating some confusion" among the other students by sharing with them their differing religious beliefs. (Associated Press, 9/27/91)

STEP THREE: CONTINUE TO CARRY WATER FOR GEORGE BUSH

McCAIN: I didn't say that President Bush ran a dishonorable campaign. I said that things were done that were wrong. I don't believe they were done by President Bush... I supported him in his foreign and other policy matters as President of the United States and I'm proud to do so. RUSSERT: I asked you if you believed George Bush ran an honorable campaign... you said, "I cannot say that." McCAIN: "Ran an honorable campaign?" I put those things behind me. (Meet the Press, 4/2/06)

Why Is He Supporting Bush Now? An Eye On 2008. Bush and McCain have begun to build a political alliance for 2008. As public opinion on the war continued to drop, Bush highlighted McCain's "strong support" for the war in Iraq in December of 2005. In turn, Bush loyalists "have talked (McCain) up in private chats with Republican strategists and have even tried to steer people to the Arizonan's effort." In addition, McCain has used Bush's direct mail list of major political donors to raise funds for his PAC and RNC chair Mehlman told McCain he would help him raise money. (Oval Office press conference, 12/15/05; CBS News Poll Summary, 12/28/05; U.S. News and World Report, 2/20/06; Chicago Sun Times, 2/19/06; Time, 2/17/06)

MCCAIN SHIFTED TO COVER FOR BUSH: THEN AND NOW

Port Security

THEN: McCain Criticized Bush Administration For Not Doing Enough On Port Security. (NationalJournal.com, 5/16/03)

NOW: McCain Called Questions Over The Dubai Port Deal A "Misplaced Priority" (ABC News, 2/26/05)

War On Terror

THEN: McCain Had "No Confidence" In The Bush Administrations Handling Of Iraq. (Associated Press, 12/13/04)

NOW: McCain Said Bush Administration "Earned Our Trust" In The War On Terror. (McCain Senate release, 2/21/06)

NSA Wiretaps

THEN: McCain Thought NSA Domestic Spying Program Was Illegal. (FOX News, 1/22/06)

NOW: McCain Backed Off Claim That Wiretap Program Was Illegal. (NBC News, 1/25/06)

Iraq

THEN: McCain Said The U.S. Made "Serious Mistake" Which Led To Insurgent Victories In Iraq. ( ABC News, 2/26/06)

NOW: McCain Said Iraq Was "On The Right Track" (MSNBC, 3/1/06)

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=63389

Valerie Snesko is indeed a staffer for Rep. Duncan Hunter who is Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. She is his office manager and personal appointment secretary.

Tony Snesko was a Swiftboat for Smears punk. His beef, however, wasn't with Kerry's medals or service. Snesko was part of the group that has never gotten over Kerry's Senate testimony in 1971. Snesko is listed as a contact for Hunter at an upcoming event.

Snip...

But does anyone really believe it's a coincidence that Snesko and his wife are attached to Duncan Hunter's office? I would like to know if yet another Republican is involved in the swiftboating campaign of yet another veteran. Is Duncan Hunter, who was part of the 173rd Airborne and 75th Army Rangers and served in Vietnam, or his office, involved with this latest campaign to swiftboat Jack Murtha? Ask him. Or is this just a coincidental chain of people reaching back to the Swiftboat for Smears that targeted John Kerry? Frankly, I'm not a big believer in coincidences, but that's just me.


http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=24189