FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
If John McCain keeps firing people with ties to lobbyists, there won't be anyone left to run his campaign. His national finance co-chairman resigned from the campaign yesterday because of his ties to lobbyists. That makes him the fifth campaign adviser in about a week to leave due to increasing questions about whether lobbyists have too much influence over John McCain.
These folks have been cutting ties with McCain since the campaign issued a new policy that requires all staffers to either step down or end their relationships with lobbying firms or outside political groups.
The issue here is that John McCain has built his reputation on ethics and fighting special interest groups. The appearance of all these people with ties to lobbyists working for him doesn't seem to wash with his image as a self-described "straight talker." In fact, his campaign manager Rick Davis, who ran a lobbying firm for several years, has taken a leave of absence from his job. And, top political adviser Charlie Black, who was the head of a Washington lobbying firm, has resigned from that firm. McCain defends both of them, saying they've been "out of" the lobbying business.
When asked if he was worried about all the departures, McCain said his campaign's new conflict of interest policy should solve the problem.
He better hope it does. Of the latest resignation, Barack Obama said, "It appears McCain is very much a creature of Washington"... which doesn't represent the kind of change Americans are looking for. The McCain campaign shot back saying it looks forward to a debate about Obama's associations and what they say about his judgment, pointing to people like William Ayers, a former member of the radical Weather Underground group.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean when five John McCain campaign aides have resigned in a week because of lobbying ties?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Jon from Austin, Texas writes:
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.
Mitch from Arkansas writes:
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.
Mark from Yuba City, California writes:
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.
Don from Moline, Illinois writes:
Jack, It means that all of these folks will be in the McCain cabinet should he win. That's how politics is played and he is certainly a big player. He is the ultimate elitist politician, earmarks matter but what you do for the lobby is where the real money is and that's what it's all about, money and power.
Pete from Massachusetts writes:
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!
Nancy from Tennessee writes:
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 cobwebs out of the corners and are ready to rumble.