Special Interests and Presidential Campaigns: The Big Lie

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama both claim to be mavericks . . . part of Washington, but Washington "outsiders."

And more importantly, they proudly beat their chests and proclaim their independence from "the special interests." Whatever that is . . .

Well, a closer look shows these statements -- from both -- could not be farther from the truth.

"McCain's advisory committee on legal issues, announced last month,
included at least nine lobbyists, but McCain didn't identify them as such.
Instead, his campaign listed them with their former government positions. In
addition, the committee has members with lobbying ties, included at least five
partners in Washington law and lobby firms who weren't personally registered to
lobby and three former lobbyists.

"Obama accepted an endorsement from former Sen. Don Riegle of Michigan
but never mentioned Riegle also is a Washington lobbyist whose clients include
London-based metals merchant Norimet Ltd. and Geneva-based liquor distributor
SPI Group SA."

Now, keep in mind, special interests have ALWAYS been around. The Left will say that the National Rifle Association is an evil special interest in bed with republicans. So how is the teachers union and trial lawyers association not a special interest?

The pandering to the uninformed is thin, and dishonest as hell.