A Letter To Senator Obama (from Senator McCain): Enjoy The Epistolary Irony
And it is a devestating epistle. Barack Obama risks losing his status as a “new liberal” and a “bipartisan” political figure.
In this letter Senator John McCain gives Senator Barack Obama a big-time slam-down. McCain uses irony to question Obama’s integrity. If Obama pulled the powerplay McCain suggests he did, the Dems’ “culture of corruption” agenda will slip another three or four notches lower on the credibility scale. I wonder if McCain –who is a Beltway media star– will attract MSM attention with this letter.
Here’s the full text, via Senator McCain’s website . Senator McCain demonstrates a flair for effective irony and sarcasm; no old Navy language here. His faux restraint is remarkable.:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 6, 2006
Washington D.C. – Today, Senator McCain sent the following letter to Senator Obama regarding ongoing Congressional efforts towards bipartisan lobbying reform. The following is the text from that letter:
February 6, 2006
The Honorable Barack Obama
United States Senate
SH-713
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Obama:
I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private assurances to me regarding your desire to cooperate in our efforts to negotiate bipartisan lobbying reform legislation were sincere. When you approached me and insisted that despite your leadership’s preference to use the issue to gain a political advantage in the 2006 elections, you were personally committed to achieving a result that would reflect credit on the entire Senate and offer the country a better example of political leadership, I concluded your professed concern for the institution and the public interest was genuine and admirable. Thank you for disabusing me of such notions with your letter to me dated February 2, 2006, which explained your decision to withdraw from our bipartisan discussions. I’m embarrassed to admit that after all these years in politics I failed to interpret your previous assurances as typical rhetorical gloss routinely used in politics to make self-interested partisan posturing appear more noble. Again, sorry for the confusion, but please be assured I won’t make the same mistake again.
As you know, the Majority Leader has asked Chairman Collins to hold hearings and mark up a bill for floor consideration in early March. I fully support such timely action and I am confident that, together with Senator Lieberman, the Committee on Governmental Affairs will report out a meaningful, bipartisan bill.
You commented in your letter about my “interest in creating a task force to further study” this issue, as if to suggest I support delaying the consideration of much-needed reforms rather than allowing the committees of jurisdiction to hold hearings on the matter. Nothing could be further from the truth. The timely findings of a bipartisan working group could be very helpful to the committee in formulating legislation that will be reported to the full Senate. Since you are new to the Senate, you may not be aware of the fact that I have always supported fully the regular committee and legislative process in the Senate, and routinely urge Committee Chairmen to hold hearings on important issues. In fact, I urged Senator Collins to schedule a hearing upon the Senate’s return in January.
Furthermore, I have consistently maintained that any lobbying reform proposal be bipartisan. The bill Senators Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson and I have introduced is evidence of that commitment as is my insistence that members of both parties be included in meetings to develop the legislation that will ultimately be considered on the Senate floor. As I explained in a recent letter to Senator Reid, and have publicly said many times, the American people do not see this as just a Republican problem or just a Democratic problem. They see it as yet another run-of-the-mill Washington scandal, and they expect it will generate just another round of partisan gamesmanship and posturing. Senator Lieberman and I, and many other members of this body, hope to exceed the public’s low expectations. We view this as an opportunity to bring transparency and accountability to the Congress, and, most importantly, to show the public that both parties will work together to address our failings.
As I noted, I initially believed you shared that goal. But I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. Again, I have been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn’t always a priority for every one of us. Good luck to you, Senator.
Sincerely,
John McCain
United States Senate
UPDATE: Commenters, thanks for the link to Senator Obama’s response. Obama posts all three letters. I do like Senator Obama’s careful tone in his response of February 6– very savvy, very controlled. It sets up McCain for the “prima donna” charge, which a commenter makes. There are several personal and political scenarios that would explain this exchange. The simplest is Obama told McCain, in a personal conversation, in very plain words, that he wanted to with him to forge a genuine non-partisan lobbying reform program. Two talented men then left the conversation with two different interpretations of what that entailed. But–that’s speculation. Instead of speculating further I think I’ll just watch, wait, and see what happens.
I cannot stand McCain but one has to admit he does have his moments.
Comment by Agesilaus — 2/6/2006 @ 8:22 pm
this mccain letter echoes my own story about obama’s personal untrustworthiness. http://astuteblogger.blogspot.com/2005/06/hillary-and-barack-perfect-together.html
Comment by reliapundit — 2/6/2006 @ 9:31 pm
John McCain’s Letter Bomba To Obama A clearly seething Senator John McCain wrote a scathing personal letter to Senator Barack Obama and stuck it on his website. The letter…
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[…] « Is Abortion Bad? McCain Spanks Obama Austin Bay tips us to a letter written by Senator John McCain (R — AZ) to Senator Barack Obama (D — […]
Pingback by UrbanGrounds » Blog Archive » McCain Spanks Obama — 2/6/2006 @ 10:01 pm
This is McCain’s sister souljah moment. Even if we assume that McCain is actually upset at Obama for selling out a private agreement this is a smart political move for many reasons: #1…Sister Souljah McCain goes after a darlling of the left he shores up his base. #2…CYA This puts something on Obama in case he is considered for VP in 2008 OR if McCain wins in 2008 and Obama is on the ticket in 2012, excellent move for a general election. #3 Media Moment of truth This is where the media has to take sides. They have been lionizing McCain for 6 years. Now he is not only attacking a Demorcrat in a VERY public way but he is attacking a BLACK Demorcrat who is himself considered “untouchable” by the media. It will have to take sides and will of course side with Obama due to his race and the letter D next to his name. This helps McCain in several ways: a) His own image has been firmly established so it will be hard to change it, particularly over an issue of reform. b) If He wins the Republican nomination the media would have changed sides at some point, this way he forces them to do it at a time and on an issue of his own choosing. c) It plays to the base he needs to win with. d) It puts the media in the position of using the race card against financial reforms that they have already supported. shatters the untouchable nature of a foe of color early removing the race card from attacks in the future. #4 Liberal moment of truth For six years Senators invoked McCain when attacking Republicans. Now they can either change their tune and look like phonies or they will have to hazard the wrath of the black vote that they can’t afford to lose. A very few who consider Obama rivals for power might take this chance to hit him here while McCain give them cover as well. Any which way you cut it McCain wins!
Comment by P Ingemi — 2/6/2006 @ 10:06 pm
Ditto.
Comment by DRJ — 2/6/2006 @ 10:15 pm
Obama’s response is here: http://obama.senate.gov/letter/060206-sen_obama_and_sen_mccain_exchange_letters_on_ethics_reform/index.html
Comment by penly — 2/6/2006 @ 10:18 pm
Ouch! That has got to sting a bit… Still looking to “to exceed the public’s low expectations” isn’t aiming very high, either, since that would take very little.
Comment by ajacksonian — 2/6/2006 @ 10:18 pm
Read Obama’s reply, and contrast it with McCain’s. This is strictly inside-the-beltway stuff, but for what it’s worth, Obama clearly wins the exchange with his grace and sicivility.
Comment by Joe — 2/6/2006 @ 10:19 pm
I’d say that in this political “dog-fight” McCain put a sidewinder up Obama’s tailpipe.
Comment by Neo — 2/6/2006 @ 10:34 pm
Oooooooooh, them’s are fightin’ words!
Comment by Jonas — 2/6/2006 @ 10:40 pm
Good for McCain. Now he ought to let Feingold have it, too — another one whose true colors have suddenly shown. Any Democrat who is ambitious and therefore needs party money and backing must suck up to Boss Kennedy for it. Talk about Feingold’s favorite subject — “integrity.”
Comment by Kathy K (At the Zoo) — 2/6/2006 @ 10:48 pm
The only potential governor on Barack’s behavior is whether or not he wants to be President someday. One only has to look to Senator Durbin to see how far to the left an Illinois senator can safely veer, and still get resoundingly reelected. I say “potential” governor, because there’s no reason to assume that Mr. Obama has anyone counseling him thus.
Comment by Steve — 2/6/2006 @ 11:03 pm
Both Chicago papers, at least, have already picked it up. Interestingly, the usually grayer Tribune portrays it as the juicy catfight it is, while the usually livelier Sun-Times sort of downplays it.
Comment by Mike G — 2/6/2006 @ 11:11 pm
Jeez I hate to see McQueeg racking up points but slandering this particular schmuck is worth it.
Comment by Scott — 2/6/2006 @ 11:19 pm
this may sound strange, but the reason I like McCain so much is precisely because sometimes I can’t stand him.
Comment by Bjs — 2/6/2006 @ 11:29 pm
That is just briliant. Say what you want about mcCain… no one on either side of the aisle will doubt that this is true.
Comment by k — 2/6/2006 @ 11:49 pm
Obama’s answer is in his page: “[…] I am puzzled by your response to my recent letter. Last Wednesday morning, you called to invite me to your meeting that afternoon. I changed my schedule so I could attend the meeting. Afterwards, you thanked me several times for attending the meeting, and we left pledging to work together. “As you will recall, I told everyone present at the meeting that my caucus insisted that the consideration of any ethics reform proposal go through the regular committee process. You didn’t indicate any opposition to this position at the time, and I wrote the letter to reiterate this point, as well as the fact that I thought S. 2180 should be the basis for a bipartisan solution. “I confess that I have no idea what has prompted your response. But let me assure you that I am not interested in typical partisan rhetoric or posturing. The fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem. “
Comment by jbuhler — 2/7/2006 @ 12:51 am
Here’s the full exchange, including ALL of Obama’s responses (McCain didn’t want him to have the last word) here: http://obama.senate.gov/letter/060206-sen_obama_and_sen_mccain_exchange_letters_on_ethics_reform/index.html Obama had told McCain he would participate, IF they follow Senate procedure, which would ensure the process (while slow) would be open and visible to all. McCain agrees. McCain then invites Obama into a private “bipartisan task force” to study reform. Obama declines, since that’s not what he agreed to. McCain goes ballistic and makes a public hissy fit, exhibiting conduct unbecoming a Senator. Obama is puzzled, but keeps to the high ground. Analysis: McCain is still trying to make the current rash of Republican corruption scandals into a “bipartisan” issue. Obama, still a freshman Senator, falls for it, but also holds out for a more open process (i.e. hang up all of both parties’ dirty laundry in a public forum). McCain freaks out (thanks to the extremely high ratio of Republican to Democrat skid marks), and attempts to turn the tables by tarring Obama with the same “corruption” brush. Because obviously, he’s part of the problem. Ugh.
Comment by Matt McKeon — 2/7/2006 @ 12:56 am
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, but daaaaaaaaaaaamn!
Comment by gus3 — 2/7/2006 @ 2:50 am
McCain’s membership in the Keating Five has left him with an unhealthy obsession with reform — or at least the appearance of reform. The American taxpayer bailed out the savings and loans at huge expense. That McCain feels genuine remorse I have no doubt. But the pendulum has swung too far, from theft to tyrrany. McCain-Feingold represents a grave infringement on our freedom of speech. This is something I would expect a blogger to understand. This isn’t some pornography/theoretical-litmit-of-the-first-amendment exercise; McCain-Feingold puts real limits on explicitly political speech. What Obama did or did not do, did or did not promise, I have no idea. But I do know that McCain’s idea of reform is dangerous, sprung from some psychological need for redemption.
Comment by Rory B. Bellows — 2/7/2006 @ 3:55 am
I’ve never been a fan of McCain’s either, but if he dishes out a few more smackdowns like this to the people who sorely need them, I might have to start liking the guy…
Comment by LagunaDave — 2/7/2006 @ 5:37 am
I am inclined to give Obama and not McCain the benefit of the doubt. A short translation of the letter exchange. McCain: “I am the prima donna. You can be one of my back up singers”. Obama: “In that case I’ll just sing along with my own chorus and not with you”.
Comment by nk — 2/7/2006 @ 7:28 am
Phoney is a good one. Similar to Mr. Kerry and his antics. I worked for Senator McCain’s 2000 campaign.
Comment by Chief RZ — 2/7/2006 @ 8:04 am
Barack Obama had better put some ice on that. I’ve had my disagreements with McCain, but he’s doing what he honestly feels is needed. I think he went way too far with campaign finance reform. But I could live with a President McCain over a President Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Comment by HaroldHutchison — 2/7/2006 @ 8:26 am
Obama’s political calculation is wrong. As a black Democrat with a liberal record from a large state, he has more maneuvering room within his caucus than another freshman Senator would have. The organized interest groups who dominate Democratic Party politics would end up supporting Obama whether he worked with McCain or not, and an association with McCain is good insulation with independents, and some Republicans, that Obama is as much a prisoner of “the groups” as every other major Democratic politician. Obama probably got dressed down by Reid after McCain’s meeting and pressured into backing up his Leader. Reid, though, needs him more than he needs Reid. I don’t know if Obama is as smart as some press commentary makes out; if he is he will eventually figure this out.
Comment by Zathras — 2/7/2006 @ 9:23 am
McCain slams Obama I have to say that this letter from Sen. McCain to Sen. Obama is possibly the most hilarious use of irony in a political contest I have seen since Sen. Proxmire. The beginning paragraph: I would like to apologize to you for assuming that your private
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