Gaffes

Owing property taxes is a way of life for homeowners. Sometimes we even get a little behind. Sometimes we default. Sometimes our accountants and trustees eff-up paying our bills for our multiple foundation/trust held properties across these great United States. Stuff happens....

When you're poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you're rich, it's hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It's a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona. [...]

Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: "The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due."

Now, the thing I don't get is that the overdue tax bill was for 4 years worth of property taxes. The Newsweek article I linked to doesn't indicate whether these are partial tax bills due or what. I can only hope so....I suppose it could be a net difference in the old tax rate vs. a new rate that the accountants had not taken into consideration or had not been made aware of. I would be truly incensed if the McCain's annual property tax bill for beachfront in La Jolla, CA was $1500 less than our modest townhome in south Jersey.

And they call Obama an elitist...

On a recent White House visit with Phillipine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, US President George W. Bush tried this funny on for size:

PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.

Yeah, George. And I get get all misty-eyed about Mexico whenever I see Jorge and Jesus mowing my lawn...

Update: The Obama campaign released this statement last night, via email:

"Barack Obama welcomes a debate about terrorism with John McCain, who has fully supported the Bush policies that have taken our eye off of al Qaeda, failed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice, and made us less safe. The fact that John McCain's top advisor says that a terrorist attack on American soil would be a 'big advantage' for their political campaign is a complete disgrace, and is exactly the kind of politics that needs to change. Barack Obama will turn the page on these failed policies and this cynical and divisive brand of politics so that we can unite this nation around a common purpose to finish the fight against al Qaeda," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

The Obama campaign holds a conference call with 9/11 Commission member Richard Ben-Veniste today to discuss Black's remarks.

John McCain is doing damage control today after campaign adviser Charlie Black told Fortune magazine that a major terrorist attack on the U.S. could benefit his candidate. From Reuters/AOL News:

Fortune Magazine said Black, in discussing how national security is McCain's strong suit, had said when asked about another terrorist attack on U.S. soil that, "Certainly it would be a big advantage to him."

McCain quickly denounced the remarks, and, of course, wondered about the context:

"If he said that -- and I do not know the context -- I strenuously disagree," McCain told reporters at a news conference in Fresno.

"I cannot imagine why he would say it. It's not true," McCain said, adding that he has worked hard since the September 11 attack to prevent another such attack.

What's really eerie is that McCain and I are in agreement here. I had planned to write a story today about McCain's dimming electoral chances, and the headline I thought of yesterday morning was, "Even an Orange Alert Can't Save McCain."

Monday Update: I asked the Obama campaign for a reaction to the McCain camp's "make-believe" statement, and a spokesman sent the following response, via email:

We've used various design elements and different events, and this particular one fit well here. What would have been "audacious" is if we had gotten the seal made in lime green.

Funny stuff, and it sounds like a shot at McCain's use of an unattractive green background for a speech on June 3.

11 am - Update: The Obama campaign's statement on the logo, immediately after the jump. Hint: Looks like the seal is going to get clubbed.

11:45 am - Update: Check out the end of my story for additional commentary and reaction from John McCain, plus see how this puts Obama in some pretty cool company.

1:10 pm - Update: One last thing. It isn't illegal. The statute people are citing doesn't cover this. If you don't believe me, ask any first-year law student, or high school mock-trial club. I'm just trying to save you some embarassment at your next cocktail party.

"They say a man should always dress for the job he wants...So why am I dressed up like a pirate, in this restaurant?" - FreeCreditReport.com commercial

Barack Obama wants to and will likely be the next President of the United States, and today, the Democratic candidate unveiled a not-so-subtle way of dressing the part: a new campaign seal. From the AP:

The presidential seal has the Latin phrase "E pluribus unum" - "Out of many, one." In place of that, Obama's seal says, "Vero possumus" - a rough Latin translation of his slogan of "Yes, we can."

The seal was unveiled during an economic discussion with Democratic governors, and it has the Hillary Clinton "Den-ver! Den-ver!" crowd in a tizzy. The oddly-named Clinton Democrats blog posts the AP story, in full and without a link, under their own headline, "Presumptuous Nominee!"

Exclamation point, indeed! While the noise level might be out of whack, they might have a kernel of a point here.

During a "Virtual Town Hall Meeting" on Saturday, John McCain was asked a tongue-in-cheek question, but took it seriously, channeling a little Michelle Obama in his response. From Politico:

The questioner noted that he had been educated at Princeton and Harvard and made more than $300,000 a year.

"How can I be proud of my country?" he asked.

"I'll admit to you that it's tough, it's tough in some respects," McCain said, seeming to lend credence to Michelle Obama's observation.

McCain said America needed to be "more humble, more inclusive."

This flies in the face of current political orthodoxy, which states that everything America does is perfect, and that to say otherwise is tantamount to treason.

Good for John McCain for showing an appreciation of nuance, when most other Republicans think it is a wine region in France. Unfortunately, the GOP nominee doesn't apply the same filter to incoming communications.

Cardinal Francis George has removed Father Pfleger from his duties at St. Sabina Catholic church, according to a statement from the Chicago Archdiocese. Pfleger is the fiery father just barely in the shadow of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, both now famous for their offensive pulpit diatribes. Pfleger's latest YouTube moment features his mocking of Hillary Clinton and practically calling her a racist.

The Cardinal has asked Pfleger to take a few weeks off to reflect, a move which the excitable Father doesn't agree with. "While respecting his disagreement," says Cardinal George, "I have nevertheless asked him to use this opportunity to reflect on his recent statements and actions in the light of the Church's regulations for all Catholic priests." Priests are admonished not to endorse candidates or engage in partisan campaigning.

Full text of the statement from the archdiocese after the jump.

Vice President (R-Obnoxious) needed to apologize to the entire population of West Virginia today after some impolitic remarks made to the National Press Club on Monday.

Via the AP/AOL News:

Talking about his family roots and how he's distantly related to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the vice president noted that he had Cheneys on both sides of his family.

"And we don't even live in West Virginia," Cheney quipped.

"You can say those things when you're not running for re-election."

Yeah, you can, Dick. And you can contribute to the enduring legacy of this administration and assist in turning West Virginia blue again. Thanks, we'll take it.

Reaction from West Virginians - both Democrat and Republican - was swift:

It seems to me that for a man with a reputation as a gifted public speaker, Obama's made a lot of gaffes lately. Last week, Michelle Malkin compiled a highlight reel:

...Earlier this month in Oregon, he redrew the map of the United States: "Over the last 15 months, we've traveled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states? I think one left to go."

Last week, in front of a roaring Sioux Falls, S.D., audience, Obama exulted: "Thank you, Sioux City. ... I said it wrong. I've been in Iowa for too long. I'm sorry."

Explaining last week why he was trailing Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, Obama again botched basic geography: "Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it's not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle." On what map is Arkansas closer to Kentucky than Illinois?

...

And this was before the awesome Memorial Day gaffes where he talked of the fallen soldiers, "...some of whom I see here." Nice. And the latest gaffe about his grandfather liberating Auschwitz.

It was on less than this that the perception of Dan Quayle as a political light-weight was manufactured. Obama is a Democrat, so he gets more chances, but the tide may turn at some point. You will know it has when his gaffe-prone reputation becomes regular fodder on the late night shows.

What? You don't like jokes about attempting to shoot presidential candidates? To its credit even the crowd at the annual National Rifle Association meeting didn't seem to think it was very funny.

Huckabee made an off-color joke during his speech in Louisville, Kentucky, when a loud bang was heard off-stage.

"That was Barack Obama," Huckabee quipped, "He Just tripped off a chair. He was getting ready to speak. Somebody aimed a gun at him and he...he dove for the floor."

See the video HERE.

If there's anything positive to come from the Clinton campaign chairman's Meet the Press appearance on Sunday, it's this: There is Scotch in heaven.

During a passionate defense of Senator Clinton's narrowing chances for the Democratic nomination, Terry McAuliffe invoked a vision of his late father and host Tim Russert's father "both in heaven right now probably having a Scotch and looking down and saying, you know what, this fight goes on."

Which hits us all right here. The only problem is, Tim Russert's father is not dead. In fact, according to the Meet the Press host, he's "sitting on a barcalounger" somewhere. [YouTube via Wonkette]



B. Brandon Barker is the author of the novel Operation EMU.