John McCain solicits campaign funds from Russia

[Blue Velvet]

So, on a day when the McCain campaign is questioning where all Obama's small donations have come from, this story comes to light on Bloomberg and AP.

Russia Says McCain Campaign Sent Donation Letter to UN Mission
By Bill Varner

Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The Russian government said it got a request for a campaign contribution from Republican presidential nominee John McCain, a vocal critic of the country's policies.

Russia's mission to the United Nations received a fund- raising letter on Oct. 16, spokesman Ruslan Bakhtin said today. McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said the letter was undoubtedly a mistake because the campaign would "never'' solicit money from the Russian government.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aCh9n3zjSWA4&refer=us


Never! We would never ever never! Apparently it was all just a little mistake. Imagine the hooha if the Obama campaign had been accused of the same thing.

I looked into Putin's eyes and saw three letters... USD. :D

[IJ Reilly]

I believe it is illegal for a political candidate to take money from foreign governments.

[Beric]

Imagine the hooha if the Obama campaign had been accused of the same thing.

It would have been ignored by the media and yet attracted the attention of conservatives.

In this particular case here, such an issue will grab more attention than deserved by the media, and be ignored by conservatives.

[rdowns]

I'm sure it was just an honest mistake. Since Bible Spice can see Russia from her house, I'm sure the McCain campaign thought it was a local donation request. :D

[hotzenplotz]

The fund- raising letter was supposed to go to Russinistan. Silly spokesperson. :rolleyes:

[takao]

while obviously an error, it would have been hilarious if they jokingly donated 10 dollars .. especially if revealed afterwards

i sure could imagine putin voting for palin .. with him being such a nature guy

http://www.doublespeakshow.com/images/2006/07/putinanddolphins.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m47/ellroon/putin-cp-3459593.jpg

http://www.elpais.com/recorte/20070904elpepiint_4/LCO340/Ies/Putin_cazando_Siberia.jpg

sadly i couldn't find the "putin measures the tooth lenght of sibirian tiger he just narcotized before it attack a TV crew" and "putin riding through sibiria" pictures ...

[skunk]

It would have been ignored by the media and yet attracted the attention of conservatives. Colour me convinced.

[synth3tik]

I believe it is illegal for a political candidate to take money from foreign governments.

There has been a lot of illegal activity going on with the GOP. You have the voter fraud in Mich. Where the GOP chairman was caught sending certified letters to people in low income neighborhoods, when the person was not home to receive the letter the GOP removed them from the voter register.
Then there was all the robo phone banks. Some stuff like the Mich case are not directly related to McCain, but it is directly related to his party. As with the past 2 elections the GOP is playing dirty and crossing the lines of what is morally and legally right. When McCain/Palin and other republicans try and say that Obama has anti-American views I can't stop thinking to myself that there is nothing more anti American then undermining the electoral system and the American people.

Shameful, the whole lot of them.

[.Andy]

It would have been ignored by the media and yet attracted the attention of conservatives.

In this particular case here, such an issue will grab more attention than deserved by the media, and be ignored by conservatives.
This is what conservatives actually believe.

[plinden]

It was probably just someone printing something off from a mailing list - I'm sure no one said to themselves "maybe we can get our Overlords in the Kremlin to contribute".

However, having said that, since the McCain campaign accepted public funds, they shouldn't be soliciting contributions now.

[Peace]

It was probably just someone printing something off from a mailing list - I'm sure no one said to themselves "maybe we can get our Overlords in the Kremlin to contribute".

However, having said that, since the McCain campaign accepted public funds, they shouldn't be soliciting contributions now.

The mission in Russia is on a campaign mailing list ?
:confused:

[plinden]

The mission in Russia is on a campaign mailing list ?
:confused:

No, the (apparently illegal) solicitation was sent to Russia's mission to the UN, which, last time I looked, was based in New York.

[yoppie]

I'm sure it was just an honest mistake. Since Bible Spice can see Russia from her house, I'm sure the McCain campaign thought it was a local donation request. :D

Juice just shot out of my nose. Good one :D

[IJ Reilly]

It would have been ignored by the media and yet attracted the attention of conservatives. .

Ignored, as in this way?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/162403

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/us/politics/06donate.html?ref=politics

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/05/rnc_to_file_fec_complaint_on_o.html

This hardly compares to the storm in the right wing blogosphere, which has tried mightily to tie Obama to any number of foreign groups, mainly Arab terrorists.

[Peace]

No, the (apparently illegal) solicitation was sent to Russia's mission to the UN, which, last time I looked, was based in New York.

Ok. My mistake. But it's still on a campaign list ?

Don't think that's legal.

[plinden]

Well, mailing lists can have some screwy entries. Asking the Russian ambassador to the UN for funding is probably an "honest" mistake.

What should be of concern ... McCain has accepted public funding, so his campaign can't legally solicit contributions between the beginning of September and the election, and definitely shouldn't ask for or accept contributions of $5000, since the maximum individual contribution is $2300.

[TheAnswer]

Imagine the hooha if the Obama campaign had been accused of the same thing.

As a gay man, I demand a gender neutral item to visualize! :p

Too bad they didn't actually accept a donation; We could have done that "little boy that cried socialist" routine they seem so enamored with.

[TheAnswer]

No, the (apparently illegal) solicitation was sent to Russia's mission to the UN, which, last time I looked, was based in New York.

Hmmm...do missions to the UN have the same status as embassies? If so, they sent it to foreign soil.

[yg17]

Just because you can see Russia from the U.S., doesn't mean it's part of the U.S.

[maxrobertson]

It would have been ignored by the media and yet attracted the attention of conservatives.

In this particular case here, such an issue will grab more attention than deserved by the media, and be ignored by conservatives.

Oh, and what about Fox News?