McCain, Georgia and Lobbying

John McCain's strong anti-Russia comments on the Georgia situation and the fact that his top foreign policy adviser is part owner of a lobbying firm that provides strategic advice to the Georgian government in Washington have produced a surge of anti-McCain comments.

A few commenters have whacked "WaPo" for keeping the lobbying information out of the story on McCain's remarks. The lobbying connection was reported in a separate article, which our Internet readers wouldn't necessarily have seen. Both articles were packaged on page A3 or the The Washington Post's print edition. But the way articles get found on the Internet has little to do with newspaper design. Another lesson for how we in the MSM still have much to learn about the difference between internet and broadsheet presentation.

There are few defenders of McCain in the comments on these articles; many readers cite his statement on Fox News that "We've seen this movie before in Prague and Budapest" as evidence that his well-documented quick temper makes him a significant gamble for president.

There are also a few comments attacking Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee, as inexperienced in foreign matters.

We'll start with nimzodisaster, who wrote, "...Analysis: While McCain is posturing for political gain, his blustering rhetoric make dangerous foreign policy. Better to keep it cool and measured than boyish machismo. Final Analysis: McCain is not good at foreign policy as usually portrayed."

Cowabunga asked, "...Wonder if French President Nicolas Sarkozy has any ideas about Iraq. Conservative French president likes Obama. Not all conservatives are idiots, just the American brand."

ScottinNC said, "...Like Pres. Bush, Sen. McCain seems to think that talking tough and making idle threats is good politics... The US cannot lead an allied effort to apply political or economic pressure because we have neglected and even sabotaged our alliances..."

mrtutto wrote, "...Now we have McCain grandstanding. He scares me folks. If He had been President ,right now we would be fighting a war with Russia."

MarkARKleiman asked, "Why did you omit from the story the highly relevant fact that Randy Scheunemann, McCain's adviser, has been a paid lobbyist for the Georgian government, and his firm still has a contract with them? Do we really need a President who gets his foreign policy advice from people who are working for foreign governments?"

jhough1 said, "This is a genuinely bad article... How can it not report... that the adviser who praises McCain's knowledge is Georgia's lobbyist... We do not need simultaneous crusades against Iraq, Iran, and Russia, all the more so, when as Pearlstein says, Russia controls the oil and gas."

grummantbf said, "The Post is showing itself to be a true hack paper. Not even attempting to disguise its bias any more... This is a nonsense story just trying to raise the spectre of "evil Republican corruption" tied to McCain in the public's mind."

greentrain wrote, "Page 3 ? This is Front Page, screaming headline stuff. The guy wants to be President of the United States and he is taking advice from somebody on another country's payroll. Front Page. That's gotta be Front Page"

AugustWest1 wrote, "...Maybe we should let Barry make a decision. He would tell Putin to just take over any country he wants. Barry does not want to fight as he's too much of a wimp."

johne37179 defended McCain, writing, "McCain clearly demonstrates his knowledge of the region and the players while Obama recreates his version of Neville Chamberlain. The difference could not be clearer..."

But mgibbosh said, "In regards to Russian aggression, John McCain is talking loud and saying nothing. These conservatives and neocons reminds me of a barking dog chasing a car, the gist of the matter is his loud irritating bark which avail est nothing."

Osego wrote, "It's dumbfounding that McCain's reaction to the Georgia fighting is cheered by some as proof of his sound foreign policy credentials...I am surprised that...some Americans would still cheer a warmonger and want him to be president..."

Honest_Abe said, "McCain is an idiot. Does he realize that Georgia actually started this mess? Sure, Russia has overreacted but Georgia attacked the pro-Russian province of Ossetia first. Dolt."

sweetlandoliberty wrote, "...it is McCain's service in the Senate which makes him a better candidate that Obama, whose resume is so thin it practically disappears...The world remains dangerous, especially with too many ambitious men who seek to control it. Kumbya and hand-holding will not change that."

And birvin9999 said, "Be nice to The Messiah Obama. Don't be critical of his inexperience. Don't be critical of his loony wife. Don't be critical of his America hating preachers. Don't be critical of his saying nothing more than platitudes about hope and change. And IF you DO have the audacity to be critical, we have a solution for you: we call you a racist."

eaglechik wrote, "I wonder who McCain is going to get to fight his war with Russia. Maybe he is thinking that if we stand up, pound our chests and yell, USA, USA! they will just turn and run away."

cleancut77 saod, "I'm not particularly fond of Obama but there is no way I'm voting for this baffoon McCain. The last thing this country needs is a President who feels the military is the first in only option in settling international conflicts."

c1736 wrote:

so I hope the rest of the media will jump on this. He gets a free pass for so much of his undercover lobbying connections and actions. thank you for this articl..it is about time. He is not the president and has nerve acting like one. talk about uppity

8/13/2008 7:58:57 AM

gsross wrote:

Apparently, John McCain would not acknowledge a conflict of interest if it beat him about the head and face. Lobbyists are the engineers of the Not-So-Straight Talk Express and it appears they are all as crooked as they come. We don't really need an ethics expert to tell us that.

8/13/2008 1:06:43 AM

All comments on the McCain reaction are here.

All comments on the lobbyist connection are here.