Only five? Is that all? What about the rest?

It supports what we’ve been seeing in our government for the last few years. Lobbying now trumps need for access to government benefit.

It means that no matter what candidate or party, there are going to be people involved with campaigns that contradict what the campaigns are about. Whether it’s Rev. Wright or these Aides, it’s impossible to make sure every loose end is tied up. I plead with the voters in America to make their choice based on the issues of the candidates, not every single person they surround themselves with on the trail.

Business as usual. Words are cheap but actions speak louder.

Another fine example of McSame double talk. It’s ok for him to have lobbyist to secure the republican nomination. But once the Obama zero’s in on him for being the typical politician in Washington, he wants to clean house for the general election. I have to wonder if he actually have any control of his campaign or his supporters(lobbyist).

It means the general election is coming up and he can cut loose of the last vestige of his hypocrisy express.

It means the campaign is corrupt.

well Jack, i guess it’s no more ugly out there, we are cleaning up the country. it’s the lobbyist campaign against the people’s campaign and someone gotta quit and it ain’t us Jack, we the people want our government back.

Peter, Dallas-TX

It means he is a Jr., Bush and they know he doesn’t know what he is doing either.

it means they didnt read the fine print in mccains campaign ” lobbyists and their associates neither required nor desired, and need not apply”

You are surprised, Jack? D D D

Actually I am sort of surprised that they resigned - not that McCain has a ton of lobbyist aides. It would have been more in character if the RNC and McCain had spun a veil of magnificence on it.

BTW congratulations on your 100,000,000,000th blog posting. Keep up the good work.

Its trouble for McCain,but more then that…It shows trouble for the GOP party.

Jack
This means to me that John McCain does not know his people, what kind of president do you think he will make ? We already have one that doesnt have a clue we dont need another one !

mean McCain is cleaning his camp before he gets caught

Jack,
Let’s not sound surprised. Anyone who pay’s attention and actually researches these candidates, as opposed to just listening to what their favorite candidate has to say a running with it, knows that McCain and Clinton are backed by the same lobbiest and corporate sponsers who were successful in getting George Bush elected twice. I don’t think peoples view on McCain will change at all. This has been going on for some time now and very few people have noticed. This race has become more about one’s favorite candidate being elected and less about changing how our government works. Hint: If a candidate is using the same old Washington tactics to get elected it’s a good bet they’ll use the same old Washington policies when they’re in office.

Easy Jack,
It means that John McCain is John McSame. Some Old Good Ole Boy Poitics. Ask for you vote and shake your hand then spend all his efforts giving tax breaks to the rich and making sure that nothing infringes on the profits of Big Oil and Big Pharmaceutical and Big Insurance companies. With John McSame, oil prices won’t go down, the cost of prescription drugs won’t go down and the United States will remain the only industrialized nation not to have universal heath care for all it citizens.

Michael In Skowhegan Maine

It means that McCain can’t claim his antilobbyist stance..These are the people who helped him win the nomination. He is just dumping them now because it doesn’t look good for the general election.

That there aren’t many lobbyists working on politicians in Washington these days - they’re all working on the “maverick” McCain’s campaign.

It’s the “Straight talk express”. Lobbyists get an express route that runs straight to the McCain camapign.

Jack, I would think name tags are as essential as cell phones in the McCain campaign. At this point he must have worked his way through just about all the political operatives in the country. The speed at which bureaucracy works he won’t have work visas for new Indian campaign staff approved before November gets here.

It means John McCain is no different than every other “bought and paid for” politician in this country.

It means that McCain campaign is practicing “damage control,”……reducing any potential negatives that can be used againist him….a political strategy safety move…….don’t give them any targets to shoot at.

It means that someone is finally putting his “money” where his mouth is. All we hear about are how lobbyists are controlling our elected officials, and now Sen. McCain is attempting to be free from them from his campaign by requiring them to terminate their status from their firms or resign. Although the media will likely turn this into an example of what is wrong with Washington today, Senator McCain’s policy (and his following through with it) shows us he is serious about curbing influence peddling. I bet Senators Obama and Clinton have some lobbyists are there campaing. Anyone asking them to resign?

Brandon P.
Ridgewood, NJ

It means that he is “bought and paid for”. Unfortunatly he is not the only one, all the candidates are. Doesn’t say much for our political system does it?

It means, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” The Sen. McCain in front of the curtain is not beholden to special interests and is truly only concerned about you, the American people.

Ed Reed
Port Aransas, TX

That he is really not tied to these people and their not in his pockets, which I don’t believe. His straight talk is too little too late and why has it taken this long for these people to come forward and why didn’t he know it before mid May?

It means that at least one campaign is trying to do the right thing.

The other on really doesn’t care whose help it gets, (Rev Wright, terrorists, leaders of Hamas).

Come on Jack, you can do better than this!

It means McCain is up to his hips in “old Washington style politics” and he will have a hard time arguing otherwise.

It means it’s business as usual in the Republican camp. If the quality of the vetting of McCain aides is any indication of competency, a McCain presidency might actually be worse than the Bush years. What a scary thought.

90% of McCain’s inner circle were lobbyists. I think he is restructuring in preperation for the general election. The Democrats are supid if they let that pass.

The idea that McCain is somehow a GOP ‘Maverick’ who has bucked the system is ludicrous. He is as entrenched in lobbyists and earmarked pork-barrel spending as any other politician in the past 25 years, even though he’s only been a beltway fixture for 24 years.
It is too late for McCain to re-write his past.

McCain made the mistake of hiring only lobbyists and hacks instead of true believers. It seems that everyone in his campaign is looking out for themselves and their own financial interest. A vote for McCain is a vote for “K” Street!

I guess it means that unlike Hillary, McCain is not just going to talk the talk. He wants to appear to live it.

Healthy housekeeping. It shows that McCain is “walking the talk.” I think this reaffirms my belief that he is a man of great conviction and character. You may not like his policies, but you can trust he will do what he says and what he believes in.

It means the McCain camp knows full well that they have no room for error this election season. They are trying to put out every potential fire before the Democrats turn full attention on them.

It looks as if John McCain is trying to jetison some excess baggage, but he is already carrying a load with George Bush, more than enough to sink campaign. As long as he runs as a Bush look-alike, the further in the hole he gets. I have also noticed that the name Cheney hasn’t been uttered by his any of his speeches. Until he jetisons the present administration, he is a sure fire loser.

It’s all a fancy game, is it not Jack?
Jack C
Oregon

It just goes to show that instead of the “Straight Talk Express” McCain’s campaign should be called the “Flip Flop Express.” I don’t believe a word that man says! He is a war monger and if he is elected we are in for real trouble!

It must mean the Campain pay is worse than the money they make lobbying. Its a problem for McCain because it tarishes the “straight- talk ” message ,unless “straight talk” is just another word for anti-gay.

McCain tries to show he doesn’t want anything to do with lobbyists. If McBush becomes president, the lobbyists will have a field day on him.

Go OBAMA!
2009-2017

Your last paragraph answers your question: Obama’s associations will sink him, regardless of McCain’s staff and its problems. Ayers and Wright, plus the revelations that are yet to come, would be lethal to any campaign, and there is absolutely nothing that Obama can do to prevent this.

All he has to do is say the word EARMARK!!

That’s what he seem’s to think is the solution for every problem!!

Jack

He’s trying to get potential conflicts of interest off his campaign staff. I am not sure his—or anyone else’s campaign–could be entirely free of lobbying or special interest influences. But he’s trying—and that’s a good thing.

He had better watch out or he won’t have any staff left……….

5 and more to go….time for a cleaned up House !!

That’s why I wanted John Edwards to stay in the race. John Edwards knows who is in John McCain’s “kitchen cabinet”… These people are co-operate lawyers, who also lobby. These are the very people who ask the Congress & Senate for the very same “earmarks” John McCain rails against. Yet John McCain has hired some real winners to be part of his campaign. John Edwards would have been able to go point by point through each of John McCain’s campaign people & shown the voter what a vote for John McCain would mean. Instead John Edwards saw the handwriting on the wall when Sen. Obama & Sen. Clinton were doing their dance during the debates. John Edwards wanted to debate issues.
Patricia
Palmdale, Ca.

OOOOOPS………..BUSTED!

It means that the Republicans are as corrupt as ever and no matter how he tries to deny it McSame will give us 4 more years. Why didn’t he find out about this sooner. But you can bet that the Republicans will find the most insignificant issues with regard to Obama so as to cloud the real issues, they are excellent at taking any of their own dismal failures and branding the Democrats with them.

It means that McCain might be the next person to leave his own campaign because of his ties to lobbyists.

Jack - The Republicans sold the cangress to the lobbiests, why not the White House?

Another example that McCain’s reputation of independence and ethics is not under any criteria valid anymore. He shamelessly pandered to the right wing of his party for the nomination, and has for a very long time now been pandering to the big business fundraisers.

It means that perhaps McCain is losing it. When you start tossing your friends off the boat, it may be because it is sinking.

Jack,
This mean his campaign is going down that same path Senator Clinton went down (the path of catching up), he needs to stop, and take some notes from Obama’s camp, because with all that experience he is still picking the bad apples.

Tony Banguel
Honolulu, Hawaii

John McCain needs some further investigating into his lobbyist ties because his ties are in total conflict with what he says. Furthermore, Cindy’s tax information needs to be released immediately if there is nothing to hide.

watch this and play it over and over on air to be fair??

http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/38133-mccain-s-spiritual-guide-wants-america-to-destroy-islam

It means that if McCain is serious about being a straight talker, he should give up the gains he made from those advisers, such as the nomination. He can not have them give him the nominations and toss them out when he believes that the stakes have suddenly become much higher. That I believe is called ingratitude not straight talk. Or did lobbyist become what they are last week? He knew who they are and the interests they represent and chose to deal with them, so if he is running today, point is, he is already tainted.

I can’t imagine how anyone could think that being beholdent to lobbiests serves the greater good of our country. Then again, I still see a few W’-2004 bumper stickers that haven’t completely been scraped off.

I think John McCain finally realized that he cannot afford the perception that special interest groups are directing his campaign.

I am sure there will be more that slip out the back to wait on the sidelines.

By election time, he will have cleaned house of all those “nasty lobbiests” that could pose an embarrasment and cost him votes….

Since most voters will have completely forgotten about them by November… McCains chances of success will be better and the lobiests will have a shot at a cushy job in the McCain administration

Jack it means he is one of the smart ones left realizing that McBush can’t win

It says a number of things. First, his new anti-lobbyist policy seems to be achieving its stated goal. Second, it says his campaign has been heavily influenced by lobbyists in the past right up to the present; otherwise why did he need such a policy?

I think Obama’s “walk softly but carry a big stick” attitude will serve him well in this campaign and I think it will be fun to watch. Whether it’s a candidate’s spouse, foreign policy ideas, ties to lobbyists, or who has the biggest flag pin, it seems that Obama’s armed with a much more powerful stick, but the Republicans just can’t contain themselves. John McCain would do well to realize his own vulnerabilities.

He is just like Bush, to hard to admit that he is just FLIP FLOP ALL THE WAY…

It simply represents the truth in politics. If you don’t dance to the big boys tune, as a politiician you don’t get to dance at all. Nothing new about this. How does that song go? Business as u-s-u-a-l. W-h-o-a-o-o-o!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whomever McCain hired to do his “perception management” isn’t doing a very good job. And would someone help McCain learn how to read a teleprompter better. He sounds like a little boy who is just learning how to read. And this may defeat him more than anything else.

Geri, Mead, OK

It means that McCain is serious about his anti-lobbyist proclamations, so he’s cleaning out his staff now instead of later.

Jack,
It means that all of these folks will be in the Mccain cabinet should he win. That’s how politics are played and he is certainly a big player. He is the ultimate eletist politician, earmarks matter but what you do for the lobby’s is where the real money is and that’s what it’s all about, money and power.
Don
Moline, Illinois

it means the republican party has no sense,of the mood of the country. people are fed up with our voices being drowned out by these lobbyists and their special interests.mccain is too late in sensing this.

Jack,

It means about 15 more are scrambling to cover their ###es or hiring lawyers.

Jenny Rome Ga

Jack, it’s simple: it means the “straight talk express” is really a DOUBLE TALK EXPRESS, and the wheels are coming off right in front of us.

Jack, Maybe this is the pot calling the kettle black. McCain criticized Obama for setting in church for twenty years, would you not thought that McCain would have checked out who was running his campaign. I think before the GOP goes after Obama on anything they had better sweep their own candidates door step off. All the Hillary supports who say they will vote for McCain had better think again. Remember his wife will not release her tax return .You might also goggle Keathing five and find out how she and her father had involvement there along with her husband.Sounds like Keating gate to me.

Connie from Logansport,IN

They see the ship with a gaping hole in it and are abandoning. They are taking their lifejackets with them to the private sector. The McCain is sinking!

Wildwood Crest, NJ

Jack it means that John McCain may as well have a sign attached to him
that says “KICK ME”.

Odd that you think that the lobbyist fungus only grows on the Republicans. “K” Street in Washington is short for Krud. It suffocates the entire governmental process while it rewards the dukes and duchesses, barons and baronesses in Congress with perks. The infection is rampant and not exclusive.

The reason why McCain has flip flopped on every issue in the last couple of months and years is that he is being controlled. The senate and house are being locked up in these debates with proceeder’s underlined by Bush. We all know Bush is a puppet for the special interests. He has also taken a 180 degree turn from his platform in 2000. They will say anything to get your vote, scare you countless times to drown out your conscious, logical thoughts and opinions. They don’t want you to make a reasonable judgment because they know that they cannot stand up to the scrutiny when measured against a reasonable candidate with reasonable policies to better Americans and the American dream.

The reason why McCain has flip flopped on every issue in the last couple of months and years is that he is being controlled. The senate and house are being locked up in these debates with procedure’s underlined by Bush. We all know Bush is a puppet for the special interests. He has also taken a 180 degree turn from his platform in 2000. They will say anything to get your vote, scare you countless times to drown out your conscious, logical thoughts and opinions. They don’t want you to make a reasonable judgment because they know that they cannot stand up to the scrutiny when measured against a reasonable candidate with reasonable policies to better Americans and the American dream.

It means if he is elected he owes a lot of political capitol to special interest groups. It will be business as usual in Washington.

does anyone think Mccain has any integrity… He looks completely dishonest. Mccain has played the victim to try and give himself an advantage over his competitors. You can deny it if you want to but the fact that mccain was a p.o.w in some way makes him stronger on national security than obama. Very ridiculous if you ask me. So it just seems natural that mccain has revealed that he has so many ties to lobbyists. there is nothing that would surprise me about mccain if it came to light. Mr. “straight talk express” has shown that he is less than candid about anything

Jack, it only means that his insiders that he was well aware of are slowly being discovered by outside sources. This only goes to prove that McCain is truly nothing but the McSame, embroiled in controversy, corruption, misleading statements and distortion of fact to gain the end result of more of the Bushism politics. It also means that McCain is not all he is cracked up to be, he thought he could hide this from the public (sound familuar) just as the Clintons thought they could hide Bills continued support and affiliation with NAFTA (remember Columbia and that 800K job)

Here we go again with liberal journalists trying to decide who we should vote for by painting McCain in a negative light and Obama as a rock star—-sorry guys, clean your own house….get rid of papparazzi and tabloid shows parading as relevant news and THEN we’ll look past your obvious manipulation of the public to see if your candidate of choice has actually got some substance.
Jenn Cape Cod

It means John McCain’s campaign will be over before it gets to the November. And this is a very serious issue. Because it’s obvious McCain’s does not have the interest of the American People in mind.

i n Oregon where i come from, it says something smells fishy. we are now a country of lobbyist. if it doesnt stop were doomed. when are the rest of his lobbist going to follow suite? then he’ll be standing all alone…………

If McCain seriously wants to equate past associations with a minister and a community activist to present everyday political involvement with lobbyists, Good luck, buddy. The broken political system in Washington is not due to undue influence by former radical hippies, it is due to the undue influence of big, bigger, and biggest business, facilitated by lobbyists. The fact that old time political pro’s are also lobbyists and former lobbyists just illustrates how the world of politics and business have become seamless in Washington. It is probably hard to find experienced campaign people who are not also lobbyists. McCain’s problem is that even if he purges them now, he will still be seen as the business-as-usual candidate.

First and foremost , candidate knows everything when running or being elected to office but you surround yourself with experts who can help you make the right decisions. Senator John McCain is always calling into question Senator Obama’s judgement but the people should be questioning his judgment. It speaks volumes that so many of the people that he has surround himself with have had to resign. Leiberman has to be in his ear to correct him about Sunni or Shia. The Ninth Ward - he cannot remember. The economy is good but than changed is mind. The only thing he seems to be sure about is war and that is absolutely scary to me. He seems to change with the wind. There are more examples that could be listed but I’m cooking dinner and don’t have time to list them.

It means there is no one avaliable who dosen’t have ties to them! John Mcain should have done his homework before hiring them. Sure, you have to practice what you preach, but you have to have enough sense to screen your workers. What does this tell us about what kind of president he would make?

to those of you who obviously dont pay attention, John McCain has never asked for earmarks, any in all his yrs in the senate. look it up sometime.

These are the people that will make up his cabinet. He owes these people, if they don’t run his campaign; they will run his white house.

Jack, I think this points to the fact that Sen. McCain has a real problem. Perhaps lobbyists see Sen. McCain as a person with whom they could really do business. Since he is trying to create a different image, he is now trying to distance himself from them. It makes us wonder about his real relationship with, and attitudes about, lobbying interests.

It’s one more reason to vote for Obama.

jack it means that mccains new nickname mcsame is all to true from a millionar wife who has something to hide or she would release her tax records like everybody else. to john mccain being the only one left on his staff. i guess he ll fire his wife next so he can try to look clean. mccain is just a grumpy,old, very old man whos every attempt to clean up his ties to lobbiest and his best friend king george
just shows how the same mcsame is.

corrupted campaign, what else is new

I think we should give John McCain credit. I mean, he could have made a fuss and kept all of those gutter-dwelling lobbyists on his staff like a grumpy old man; but instead, he ponied up, kept his word, and moved forward. I mean, he deserves a high-five, at least.

It means that John did not do his homework up front! It honestly looks as if McCain is trying to re-invent himself every week and is making a fair amount of mistakes each time he does. No matter what he tries to do he will always represent Old Style Politics. This Old Dog cannot learn NEW TRICKS!

It looks to me like somebody has been hiding stuff. I wonder what else would be interesting to know?

Kathy

It means that McCain is getting frightened about facing Obama in the fall who is yet to accept any money from lobbyist groups. If he can appear like he’s cleaning up, he may be able to fool a few people that he walks his talk. This voter is not fooled.

They were promised a 5 month vacation and a little pep talk about don’t worry you will be back when I win the election in November. That is when the straight talk express turns to the McSame,Mcbush, express. John McCain is not fooling anyone, he is just the same old dirty politician.

What were these lobbiests doing there in the first place?, it’s to late now McCain ,you’ve been found out.

Kathy

He need to fire his wife Cindy. She could be considered as a Lobbyist with all the Beer Money she has. I’m sure she has some influence over him. And I don’t mean influence in the bedroom!

Jack

I am not sure what it means. Is he trying to maintain a clean image (Isn’t this the same man who championed campaign finance reform?) or does he feel caught? Problem is that we are so cynical about politicians anymore that we instinctively go for the negative.

Matt
Rockford, IL

Can you say politics as usual?

Jack, McSame may have a senior moment when he has to explain his “straight talker” mantra. Too bad the media didn’t turn the lights on those lobbyist buddies of his sooner. It says something about McCain however, in that he’s not worried about their departures.

“McCain defends both of them, saying they’ve been “out of” the lobbying business.” Jack, since when has it been possible for a leopard change its spots?

Is that the reason given or the truth? How do we know? After all, it took a long time to develop a conscience.

It shows that the “straight talking express” had derailed again! The American people should now see why we don’t need that special interest character in the White House. Haven’t we had enough deception in eight years? I for one am battle weary.

Jack, who’s going to fire McCain?

Kevin
Warren, MI

At least McCain is willing to sever his ties when he finds out about them, unlike Obama, who either denies or makes excuses about his, which are far more serious than any lobbist.

Jack, it means that the GOP needed them to get their programs through these last eight years.

This means change is coming in America. The members of the GOP should seat tight. It is going to shake, and some will fall if they don’t hold onto their bearings!

It means he’s a typical republican - crooked, corrupt and contemptuous.

It means he is a bought man.

To me, it seems that for every one that he gets rid of, he is able to keep another dozen or so hidden! For all of McCains’s talk, his actions and choices tell us a lot more! lLook out for McSame!!!

Jack, John McCain is trying to wipe out all of the political woes that he can be attacked on in the general election. He thinks that he will be squeaky clean whenever the attacks are turn on him. He should know that he is flip-flopping like a fish out of water and he should also know that the American people have more intelligence than him and Bush give us credit for. By this I mean they demean the American public that they are the premier party that gets things done but it looks like they have for the past seven years been able to turn us into a hated nation around the world.

Politics is a corrupt place and we should not be surprised by the fact most politicans do one thing but say something different.

Lobbying is a regular ideal for the Senate; Federal Senators will always be petitioned by special interest groups and other organizations housed in their State. So long as they do not take any special favors or gratuities and when interested the Senator investigates the matter separately from the lobbyist…

What hope would a lobbyist or even a firm of lobbyists have against a properly apportioned Federal Congress of nearly ten thousand? A Congress with members who are instructed to have concern for only those residents of their representative district.

Nation Wide Groups should be lobbying petitions with open presented form set before the Vice-President directly.

Parties should be Constitutionally re-directed as political lobbyist firms.

It means that the “Straight Talk Express” has now changed it’s name to “The Lobbyist Limo”. All the fat cats in Washington are now begging for rides with McCain. They just don’t want to be caught.

Rob Murphy - Amarillo TX

It means that the so called “Straight-Talk Express” has been bought and payed for with corporate money.

While Obama’s campaign has largely been funded by internet donations from voters.

Jack, it means John McCain is setting an example, by holding true, to his straight talk, of ridding political compaigns, of lobbyists. Senator McCain has a 22 year record, in congress, of limiting campaign financing and eliminating pork barrel spending, of which he’s never talken a penny, for his state. Lobbyist are the scourge, of our political process and to think there are 10 lobbyist, for each person, in congress.

It means that Mr. McCain has again exhibited some rather poor judgement when it comes to choosing the people who work in his campaign. Politics, it would seem, is unlikely to change any time in the near future.

It means they are doomed! And with the exception of Ron Paul, good riddance!

Perhaps in the ashes a new party will arise which has a genuine concern about liberty, economic freedom, and above all peace. We will know this party because for one thing it will seek the destruction of the crooked and destructive banking cartel directed by the Federal Reserve. This root of evil will not be allowed to slide for much longer.

I say watch out…the democrats are getting ready to have a ball with McCain’s “Flip Flop” campaign. With each lobbyist Mccain releases, so goes the dollars. This would not have happened if the GOP would have just committed to back their poor choice of a candidate. The bright side is that McCain with all of his POW experience, whatever that means, will be able to weather the storm with relative minor bruises.

Hey, hey the straight talk express seems to have crooked wheels! John McCain used to be a maverick who seemed to speak his mind come what may. Since Bush beat hell out of him in 2000 McCain decided that to be president he would sell it all and follow in Bush’s footsteps. So now as America seems to be waking up, Mr McCain seems to have jumped off the straight talk express just in time…to get thrashed again. Now just when America is looking for new solutions here comes McCain in a gawdy suit drivin’ a Ford Pinto.You shouldn’t have sold out John, at least when you lost in 2000 you still had your dignity.

Jack, It simply means that dirty politics still rule in the GOP!

May be if he wants a stright political tem He shoud become a Demacrat After all the K street buch have protecred by the GOP and groomed from the GOP.

It means McCain will have a tough sell convincing people he is not politics as usual. Washington has been bought and sold by lobbyists and the special interest groups. McCain knows it, but has been caught red-handed. One more reason his campaign will have an extremely up-hill battle.

Jack, it means that the Mcain camp has now realized the formidable opponent they will face in the person of Obama come fall, d/4 they are prunning out those in their camp that have skeletons in their cupboards. But the bulb of onion is so rotten that by the time the bad parts are completely peel off they may not have enough onion to make a good tasteful cooking. They are in pain, but the fat lady has not made appearance to sing yet. It will be a thriller in fall and we are ready.

Looks like John McCain has the duster out! He’s spring cleaning. John McCain is getting his campaign advisers ready for the real fight. Bring on the Obamas. Barack and MIchelle better make sure they have cleaned all the cob webs out of the corners and are ready to rumble.

It means that McCain is preparing for a general election battle with Obama than with Clinton.

Jack, It means watch out if he gets elected. I wonder how many of his lobbyist friends will end up in his cabinet? This would will not be in the best interest the working people. He has proved he will flip plop on issues. There is no reason to believe these friends of his are gone for good. Out of sight for now maybe, but are sure to reappear if he is elected.

McCain is trying to become squeaky clean. He is flip flopping all over the place. The American people want more and we deserve more out of a President. I voted for Bush and I can not believe what he has done to this Country. Mc Cain will be NO different than Bush. There is NO reason why we are paying the price for gas, food, electric and everyday living. McCain will take us down the same road. He will not be truthful. It is time for all Americans to have a president that will keep us informed and help us.

Marilyn
La.

Sounds like the Straight-Talk Express is trying to walk the crooked line.

Jack its called the Titanic and Sen McCain has alot in common with that ship.

US president FOR SALE

It means that he’s scared. As the election looms ahead McCain wants to paint this image of himself as a fighter of the people, not as someone who takes money from companies. I think he’s fooling himself. Obamas campaign of being the one hopeful without lobbyists has stuck.

Boston, Massachusets

It means that if McCain were to become President of the US, which I highly doubt, then our government wouldn’t be run by those elected by the US people, but by lobbyists and other big businesses who already run the country.

Leon
NC

Smells like the same old rat that has lived in the GOP for many many years now……..Nothing new. The GOP just doe’s not understand what change means to us out here in the real world. Let them shoot themselves in the foot.

Roy
Olympia, Wa

It means time over for dear old man.Doesnt take a rocket scientist to that hey!!!!!

It means McCain is corrupt just like the other old tired politicians in Washington.

The double talking express lost its 4th wheel and wobbling all the way into the ditch. The bad news for the GOP is that American, the sleeping giant is awake and watching.

Maybe CNN should get The Count from Sesame Street as a special campaign reporter to keep track of all the lobbyists on McCain’s campaign!

FIVE! Five lobbyists working for John McCain! Ah-ha-ha!!

Randolph
Lexington, Kentucky

Jack, I am outraged that this didn’t happen much sooner. McCain is looking like Bush more and more as we start uncovering the rocks. I can’t wait until someone looks under the Cindy McCain rock.

That just shows how short sighted his campaign is. Same old Washington politics. We needs change and that can be found in Barrack Obama. Just look at Barrack’s campaign. Obama 08

Jack, it means the liars have been caught… again, and again, and again.
Do you hear that sound…. Flip! Flop!
James,
Norman, OK

Jack
In the Navy we always said the rats are the first to leave a sinking ship.
Warren
Bristol, VA

Jack it probaboy means not enough campaign aides have resigned because of lobbying ties.

John McCain is the classic Washington insider and it has long been known to politcal junkies how close he keeps lobbyists to everything from his campaigns for President to his work in the Senate. I guess the only surprise is that he has actually realized the American public is not going to like this close association as the media properly publicizes it, and actually has done something about it.

McCains public image as Mr. Clean is belied by a long history of pubilc corruption masked as personal friendship. It began long before the savings and loan debacle and continues to this day.

He is categorically unable to see the dishonor he brings to himself and his party.

it simply means hypocrisy which has been the part and parcel of Mcain’s life and campaign

The issue isn’t that folks with lobbying ties got jobs with the campaign — that’s to be expected. What’s news is that, forced to choose between their lobbying gigs and helping to get John McCain elected, they chose the former. I don’t see a lot of commitment there.

Jack, it shows how inconsistent he is………such hypocrisy…..all we American want, is to be the greatest land on the planet….a commander in chief, that is looking out for all americans….is that too much to ask?

Jack;
It’s just further indication as to the extent of the influence of lobbyists in Washington politics. We have been seeing this influence grow significantly in the last 7 years.

It’s simple, Jack. It means that McCain isn’t the true Maverick he says he is. He’s just your “run-of-the-mill” Washington insider. The time for change is now!

At the rate McCain is losing campaign managers and advisors, with five so far, just four more and he can field his own baseball team.

It shows that he is putting his money where his mouth is. He’s doing the most difficult thing for a candidate which is to purge your own team IN THE MIDST OF SUCCESS for the sake of clarity in purpose and vision. It sends a strong and clear signal to corporations and lobbyist firms who have “lent” their employees to work for his campaign that having one of their own planted (for lack of a better word) within his campaign does not and will not guarantee any sort of favorable returns for their special interests.

It’s virtually unheard of from a successful Republican candidate to purge a team without even being in “crisis mode.” This just further assures me that he is not the typical Republican and anyone not blinded by the strategic and tirelessly repeated dogma of McCain=Bush will realize this when independently looking at his past record.

McCain, been in DC too long, his campaign run by DC insider lobbyists. The only change he represents is the change of a DC insider’s empty suit. McCain=Bush 3rd term, yuck!

Jack,
It shows the kind of campaign the GOP will be running come November. As if the contrasts between Obama and McCain weren’t clear enough, now the democrats have yet one more stark difference from republicans, the honesty and transparancy of their fundraising

McCain did the right thing. It’s doesn’t look good to have to dump 5 people from the campaign.

Interestling though, Obama still has a lobbyist-Jim Hodges on his staff.

It means that McCain is not the ‘maverick’ he has been selling himself as over the years, When it comes to wanting to win the presidency, he is like every other established politician … he will connect, align, promise, side step, misrepresent, distract … do whatever he has to to win. He is showing himself to be no different than the Republicans of old … (no pun intended). If he really wanted to be considered the ‘maverick’ candidate he should has run as an independent. He knows and we know that for him to win the Republican nomination he had to sell his ideals, standards and beliefs to get it. He will show this more and more as the election moves forward. Birds of a feather you know.

It says that McCain has lied through his teeth and that he knows it will be an issue in the general election so he is cutting loose the dead weight..

McCain has to clear off the deadwood to make room for hackers and Diebold agents to subvert the electronic voting and change the actual totals to makew him the false “winner” in Florida, Ohio, New Mexico, etc. That’s how we got W. RECORD YOUR VOTE, folks.

John McCain’s campaign management team is an example of why we are where we are today. It’s run by the financially influential, just like the government has been for decades. Until only government funding of campaigns is the law and lobbyists are outlawed, the system will remain as transparent as a brick wall. It’s not going to go away until we, the American people, make it go away.

Jack, the GOP stands for Grand Ole Pleasers……not to please the American people as they should but instead their cronies in big oil, big pharma, big insurance, etc etc… Interestingly, as big as they love their private corporations, they will not agree to any goverment regulation shooting it down as big bad goverment. HYPOCRITES!!!

5 of McCain’s aide resigning means McCain is not a part of the solution America needs but just another pleaser of Big privatization.

Lobbyists should be expunged!

Jack,

Surely, McCain knew those lobbyist were a part of his campaign in the beginning. Hes starting to realize he should practice what he preaches. Even if he practices what he preaches, hes a little too late. McCain’s boring and mundane sermons, along with his discussions in agreement of continuing the Iraq war, plus siding with Cowboy Bush to give tax breaks to the rich, are good reasons why folks want a change in government. Just getting rid of the pork won’t be enough to cure what ails Washington.
Joan of Skowhegan, Maine

The resignation of more lobbyists from McBush’s camp mean that this so-called “reformer” is just more of the same ol same ol. Independents know if its real change we want, we definitely won’t be getting it from Republicans or McBush.

It means that John McCain is trying to cut people loose that could potentially undermine his campaign, something that the Democratics are also doing. If the liberal media, which I’m sure you will agree you are a part of, would scrutinize Obama and Clinton’s staff and volunteers I’m sure you would uncover an equal amount of “unwanted baggage”. In the final analysis, the answer to your question “What does it mean?” is “It doesn ‘t mean Jack…Jack.”

McCain got help of these lobbyists in winning the primaries. Can he voluntarily nullify his win before he claims to be perfect? Why he’s so slow to take the action of firing itself? Why didn’t he just tell them before employing them? If he couldn’t handle this simple thing more carefully, how we trust him to be the president of the United States of America.

It’s too bad McCain is backing down to the blowhards and letting these guys go. I believe we’re much more likely to get change from a guy whose dedicated himself to doing it from the inside for the last 20-odd years, and knows how a lobbyist works (”…keep your enemies close”), than from a neophyte with only soaring vague rhetoric for ammunition. Unfortunately, if McCain doesn’t start showing some backbone, it’ll be 1976 (Jimmy Carter) all over again.

It means the party is over, McCain. But is has been over for him, already.

But it also means that the party is over for the other two…..

By the way, Hillary, I still want my vote back!

Many want to know, Will the real president please stand up and take this country forward?

It isn’t even remotely the other three.

I will vote for neither party, unless I start seeing credibility with somebody else.

Why now? Why were these people good enough before?
Have we all gotten so petty that event the slightest affiliation will cause an uproar? At this rate, we’re going to be talking about which makes a better president one who wears boxers or briefs?

It only further proves that McCain is the same old politician with no desire for true change in this country, but only uses actions such as these to hopefully gain enough votes to remain in power. This entire GOP campaing has been filled with these subtle actions which should be viewed as mocking the true issues of this country. I’m sure McCain would have rather kept those lobbyist involved but in an attempt to reach voters he had them leave as a part of a political strategy reather than his personal values.

What does it mean when five John McCain campaign aides have resigned in a week because of lobbying ties? It means that there’s no new news. Anybody with half a brain already knew that the Republican Party was full of nothing but greedy hypocrites. Why does this come as a surprise? Oh wait a second…maybe Hillary’s working-class white America didn’t know. After all they’re ignorant, right? What excuse does the rest of America have for not knowing?

“Guilt” by association should really only be considered when persons in question are directly associated or are deeply involved in one’s campaign. Ayers is equivilent to a bad 6 degrees of separation game. No one with 2 marbles kicking around in their heads can hold that narrow association against Obama.

It seems to me that Senator John McCain represent interests other than those of the American people. The truth is that I believe that it is past time for John McCain to retire from the Senate and learn to become a private citizen.

hey jack its amazing how someone can have all these people working his campaign and not know they are washington insiders, are we that stupid,oh yeah has his wife released her taxes, boy this sounds like the clintons,john mc is a stand up guy ,yeah but for who special interest,like the average politician in washington he is full of more crap than a christmas turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack, it means that the lobbyists will turn to the Carl Rove playbook, resign and be quietly replaced by their spouses.

I think that if I worked on the McCain campaign I would be sick to my stomach and run not to the lobbyists but to the Lord for forgiveness.

It means he is trying to clean things up before Obama trounces on him for all the ties to lobbyists. It means McCain is no different than the rest despite his words. Never ever believe the words of a politician. Like Hillary, I don’t trust McCain, he is a dirty old school politician like the rest. I want to see those people voted out, not voted in.

Our country and the American people deserve better.

Where do I even start. John MCCain has changed his position on every major issues since this process started. His aides resigning shows exactly what informed voters already know. The LOBBYISTS control Washington and John MCCain will do anything to get elected. Maybe he forgot staffers were lobbyists due to his age. YES WE CAN CHANGE!!!

McCain’s ties with lobbyist can mean only one thing.the straight talk express is a bunch of b. s. showing that he will do anything to get elected,including using bush tactics.i am ashamed that i voted republican’that won’t happen again.