McCain's sketchy cast of characters

Two can play at this game.  As McCain fires up the guilt-by-association machine, I'd love a quote like this from Biden:

"You know, Barack could play this game too.  John, you know I love him, but he's broken bread with some unsavory characters.  He's been in Congress for a long time, met a lot of people, and that's just how it goes.  But I don't think it casts his judgment in a negative light.  It's John's actual judgment on the issues that casts his judgment in a negative light.  And so Barack and I aren't going to play this old Washington game of guilt-by-association, we're not going to smear John the way his campaign is smearing Barack.  We're going to focus on the issues that matter to everyday Americans, and not debate this sort of nonsense that Americans don't care about.  Who Barack and John associated with has nothing to do with how we're going to fix the mortgage crisis, how we're going to fix health care in this country, how we're....  "    

You get the picture.  Let the speechwriters play with the language, but the key is to point out that McCain has his own closet full of sketchy people.

So, who are they?  Well, just off the top of my head:

1.  John Hagee -- After wooing him for a year (including over breakfast), John McCain secured and accepted the endorsement of Hagee in February, appearing on stage with him and stating that he was "very proud" to receive Hagee's endorsement.  Among other things, Hagee has called the Catholic church "a great whore" and a "false cult"; said that Nazis divine agents were sent by God to chase Europe's Jews towards Palestine; said that God will send terrorists to America to create a "bloodbath" if the U.S. government pressures Isreal to swap land for peace; and said that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God and were the recipients of the judgment of God for that sin

1.  Rod Parsley -- McCain also sought the support of Parsley and in a campaign appearance with him, McCain introduced him as "one of the truly great leaders in America, a moral compass, a spiritual guide." Parsley has called for the destruction of the entire Islamic religion, and described Islam as "anti-Christ" and Mohammed as "the mouthpiece of a conspiracy of spiritual evil."

1.  G. Gordon Liddy --  John McCain had a 1998 fundraiser in Liddy's home, and Liddy has made at least four contributions totaling $5,000 to McCain's campaigns (including $1,000 in 2008).  McCain also appeared on Liddy's radio show in  November, where Liddy greeted him as "an old friend."  McCain told Liddy that "I'm proud of you, I'm proud of your family. It's always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon, and congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great."  Liddy served four years in jail for planning the Watergate break-in that ended Richard Nixon's presidency.  In addition, Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary," plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson, plotting to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators, plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution, and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention using Nazis-style tactics.  He's also said, among other things, that he thought the U.S. should've kill more civilians in Vietnam, that Branch Davidians should "give [ATF agents]  a firefight" by "shooting for the head"; and that Hitler's speeches "made him feel a strength inside [he] had never known before" because "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced him]" and "sent an electric current through [Liddy's] body."

1.  Carl H. Lindner Jr. -- Lindner co-hosted in 2008 a $25,000-per-person fundraiser for McCain in the wealthy Indian Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, raisign $2 million.  Lindner also serves on McCain's Ohio Victory Team.  As CEO and board member of Chiquita Brands International, he oversaw the companies payment of $100,000s to the Columbia terror group AUC that is blamed for many of the country's worst  civilian massacres.  After being indicted by the Justice Department, Chiquita admitted to illegally funding the terror group and agreed to pay a $25 million fine.

1.  Bob Allen -- Allen was appointed co-chair of McCain's Florida campaign.  Allen was arrested for offering to pay for sex from an undercover police officer in a Florida rest area.

1.  Charles Keating -- You know the story.  Keating and his associates showered McCain with over $100,000 in campaign donations.  Keating met with McCain repeatedly and demanded that McCain meet repeatedly with regulators on Keating's behalf to pressure regulators to drop their investigation of Keating's savings and loan.  McCain and other Senators met with regulators twice in what was viewed by the regulators as undue and improper pressure.  Keating served time for being a crook.

1.  Oliver North -- North endorsed McCain this year, an endorsement that McCain's campaign touted by circulating it to the press.  When North ran for Senate, McCain endorsed North.  Of course, North was a central figure in Iran-Contra scandal and convicted of shredding documents, accepting an illegal gratuity and aiding and abetting in the obstruction of Congress.  

1. Ralph Reed  -- Reed co-hosted an Atlanta fundraiser with McCain.  Reed's lobbying and PR companies received at least $4.2 million from convicted felon Jack Abramoff.  Oddly, John McCain in his Senate investigation of the Abramoff scandal did not call Reed to testify, even though Reed was handling the Indian tribe lobbying McCain was investigating.

1. Maj. General John K. Singlaub -- The linked recommended diary covers this connection well, McCain and Singlaub sat on a board together.  Singlaub was involved in Iran-Contra and also was active with the World Anti-Communist League, described as "a collection of Nazis, Fascists, anti-Semites, sellers of forgeries, vicious racialists, and corrupt self-seekers" by a former member.

1. Todd and Sarah Palin -- Husband of McCain's running mate and repeatedly on the stage with him.  Todd Palin was a registered member of the pro-successionist Alaska Independent Party, an anti-American group which advocated the succession of Alaska from the union.  Sarah Palin repeatedly addressed the AIP's convention, and has been reported to have been active in the party as well.

When the media starts breathlessly reporting about McCain questioning Obama's associations, will it bother to look into McCain's only questionable associations?  Probably not -- but perhaps we should help 'em out a bit.