February 03, 2007
McCain Hired Who??Yesterday it was reported that David Azbell was hired to be the senior adviser in Alabama for John McCain's presidential exploratory committee.
"I am pleased that David Azbell has joined our team," McCain said in a statement. "David's experience in media relations and communications ensures our conservative message of reform reaches the grassroots."What exactly is Azbell's "experience?" As the story notes, Azbell is a former spokesman for the pro-segregation Governor George Wallace.
Now, it is true that Azbell worked for Wallace late in the Governor's life... after he had apologized for his racist past. But Wallace's past isn't really the Azbell's biggest problem.
The problem is that Azbell hasn't exactly divorced himself from that sad chapter in our nation's history. Using Lexis-Nexis, I found an Associated Press story from February 16, 2003, that said that while Azbell was still keeping Klan memorabilia in his office:
"For instance, there's a matchbook from the United Klans of America that urged people to vote for Wallace. The inside cover of the matchbook is a mail-in form to join the white-hooded nightriders. 'It's a painful part of the story, but it's part of the story,' Azbell said." (Phillip Rawls, "Wallace Memorabilia Decorates Office In Riley Administration," Associated Press, 2/16/03).Appearances mean a lot in politics, and something like this would most certainly be used against McCain later in the campaign by his opponent(s)... especially if Barack Obama becomes the Democrats' nominee.
Posted by Matt Margolis on February 3, 2007 11:28 AM
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Comments
John McCain is a living,breathing,blunder.Although I am a staunch conservative,I have never voted for McCain.Seeing as how I live in Arizona that should tell you something.McCain is an ego driven maniac.There is nothing I can say good about him.
Posted by: jainphx at February 3, 2007 05:12 PM
Before the 2000 election I thought McCain was ok, but after the Bush campaign maligned him, and the way he continued to suck up to them, I've lost all respect for him.
Posted by: Patrick Mercer at February 3, 2007 07:03 PM
And if Barry Obama wants to make an issue out of this in 2008, Mccain can ask him why he campigned for a former Klansman who wanted to filibuster the civil rights act and called blacks "the darkest specimens of the wilds." I am not a big Mccain fan but I will rally around any Republican who may face Barry empty suit Obama or Clinton in 2008. I urge all Republicans to do the same.
Posted by: Pete_Bondurant at February 4, 2007 11:40 PM
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