Erratic McCain Chicanery On “Victory” Party
awesome graphic by twolf
Although the red faced McCain Campaign is now walking the story back and claiming it was all a mistake, the report over numerous press sources Thursday afternoon was:
John McCain’s election night watch party might be missing John McCain. Instead of appearing before a throng of supporters at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix on the evening of Nov. 4, the Republican presidential nominee plans to deliver postelection remarks to a small group of reporters and guests on the hotel’s lawn.
Aides said Thursday that the arrangement was due to space limitations and that McCain might drop by the election watch party at some other point.
McCain’s remarks will be piped electronically into the party and media filing center, aides said. Only a small press "pool" — mostly those who have traveled regularly with the candidate on his campaign plane, plus a few local Arizona reporters and others — will be physically present when he speaks.
The ultra-duplicitous McCain poohbahs are now spinning wildly and saying:
He’ll speak outdoors on the lawn in front of backlit Camelback mountains — it will be beautiful — and 2000 plus people will be out there with him. The rest of the guests will be in ballrooms and overflow tents with widescreen TV’s.
Right. Very believable. Or, actually, not.
Well, in the first place, this whole plan the McCain tactical geniuses clearly had hatched up, until people caught wind of it, is just bizarre. And make no mistake, there was too much detail in the original reports that were picked up by every major news source around; they were based on statements from the campaign in the first place. The McCain campers are just lying through their teeth again. The ballrooms at the Arizona Biltmore are HUGE. Here is a rundown of the main ballrooms available.
Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom
The 24,576 square foot ballroom debuted June 2003 and offers and additional 10,798 square feet of pre-function space.McArthur Ballroom
The 15,159 square foot McArthur Ballroom (formerly the Pavilion) debuted October 2002 and features an additional 6,400 square feet of pre-function space.Conference Center
With over 30,000 square feet of space, the Conference Center features everything from boardrooms to the 11,000 square foot Arizona Biltmore Ballroom.Grand Ballroom
With more than 6,500 square feet, the Grand ballroom opens onto the adjacent Squaw Peak terrace which can accommodate up to 1,000 people.
Don’t you think that 25,000 square feet is enough space to allow John McCain to squeeze into his own celebration?
By the way, I contacted the Arizona Biltmore early Thursday evening, and they have not determined which ballroom the McCain event will be in because they don’t yet know how much space is needed. The prevailing thought is that the crowd of wild and crazy McCain geezers just may not be that large of a crowd. The Frank Lloyd Wright Ballroom (25,000 sqft) is available; but, as of now, the McCainiacs may need no more that the Grand Ballroom (6,500 sqft). Ought to be a real rocking affair eh?
Appears that the self serving coward McCain was trying to chicken out of the funeral that looks to be held the night of November 4 at the Arizona Biltmore. One thing is sure, space is not an issue. Duplicity and chicanery are.
Marcy – AmericaBlog is reporting that senior McCain campaign staffers are already shopping their resumes — seems a mite early, doesn’t it?
ooops – my bad – sorry Bmaz.
Well, I guess there’s one or two ways that could go.
1- They know they’re beaten and just trying to save money.
2- They know the fix is in, election results will be “unclear”, a lengthy “recount” will be needed and no need to waste money on a victory party (just yet).
Maybe they could pay for a larger room by asking Sarah to trot some of that $150K worth of fancy duds down to the second hand shop.
Heh heh;don’t know about that, but she could return it to Saks Fifth Avenue, which is literally right next door and within easy walking distance of the Arizona Biltmore. If you are lazy, they have little shuttle cars to cart you over to Biltmore Fashion Square.
At a campaign rally, the math is 3 square feet per person standing or 5 square feet per person seated. And figure 1/3 to 1/2 of the square footage will be taken up by the event stage, entertainment stage, media riser, cordoned off areas, etc.
Given that interior spaces/ballrooms usually have fire marshall occupancy limits, those estimates will give a reasonable guestimate of how many people you could fit in.
Of course, the McCain team is now denying the whole story.
You are going to be there, right, bmaz?
Maybe he wanted to be outside and away from the crowd because everyone will want to be with Sarah instead of with him.
Just keep in mind – that big ballroom with 25k square feet – that’s more area than your nice half-acre lot has (43560 square feet/acre, for those in need of refreshing their memories).
Of course if, as minnesotachuck proposes upthread, Sarah the Pure (her Alaskan name) should be trotted out to show off what that $150k bought, the runway will take up a lot of that room.
But seriously, I’d hazard a guess there won’t be that many more people besides the candidates, the close-in senior campaign staff, and their immediate families and designated drivers. The rest will likely be down at FedEx/Kinkos running off resumes or passed out in a gin mill somewhere.
Maybe, but that will also probably be the main event for a lot of the bigger state and local GOP campaigns as well; with the lesser ones partying in a downtown hotel meeting room.
Well in 1984 I was right down front in St. Paul when Mondale gave his concession speech. A number of us had been recruited by the campaign to spend time with the foreign press, answering any questions that might arise about the election process — and I drew the correspondant from Indian Radio, and had a most interesting evening, including nipping out after the crowd began to thin for a late supper. The campaign’s idea was to engage the foreign press in a much less scripted discussion of American Politics — particularly political history. I took the lady from Indian Radio up to the bar in the hotel where F. Scott Fitzgerald used to do his drinking, and then to a jazz club in the basement. It all ended up in the New Delhi papers.
Even a campaign that knew it was defeated (and Mondale’s sure did) understood the potential for making friends for the future in such a moment. I wonder if McCain’s organization will have similar class.
No. They will not; that just isn’t in his play book. There is a hell of a large divide between Fritz and McCain when it comes to class, intelligence and looking downfield.
Geez, these people can’t get anything right. Why don’t they have someone go to a mike and say “we lost” and everyone goes home. Seems simple to me.
Occurred to me this morning that the reasons for what appears to be an oversight may not be the reasons why they are planning this “victory party”.
What if the election doesn’t go to Obama, what if it’s very close and what if it’s like 2004?
What will the mood be like across America that evening? If you were the McCain camp, what would your plan look like for a “victory party”?
Thanks Raven, Heading to the pantry for more munchies.
OT, but did anyone hear Bernie Sanders questioning of Alan Greenspan yesterday? It was devasting!!! You will not hear it on the corporate media but I hope it goes viral on the internet!!!
Listen to Bernie Sanders!!!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnKh6B2cMw
um, that’s from April 29, 2007,
which makes it even more interesting, imo
kinda negates the chronic “Who could have anticipated?” defense.
Thanks BlueToe! I was watching a few news snippets of the proceedings that showed none of the fireworks. It was quite the yawner of BS from Greenspan.
I notice out AG just sat there and listened to Sanders like he was watching a valet having a bad day. And then proceeded to serve up more pablum about how great our country is and hit the tape recording on his internalize Econ textbook.
There’s this response to his testimony. Kind of says it all.
I still don’t like how it’s gotten out about how BO is planning a huge blowout in Chi. In fact, i don’t like that he’s planning a huge event.
It would be a huge crowd no matter what happened. People want to see him and hear him so why not a big party. Victory parties are great and people need each other when you lose. No harm.
ya, I predicted he would back pedal on his decision not to show up, and here he is with the back pedal to the metal
I don’t really like John McCain.
I’ve never seen the Arizona Biltmore, but somehow I wonder if Frank Lloyd Wright is spinning in his grave.
Naw, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the two principle collaborators on the original design/architecture team when the Biltmore was constructed, and he stayed there often up until his death. It is a legitimate use of his name.
25,000 feet sq? divide by three sq feet of space because lots of GOPers are plus sized 25,000/3 = 8,333, 25,00/2 = 12,333 but then you might be breaking the fire marshal’s rules.
Of course that assumes no tables for food, chairs or a bar.
Obama to be here on Sunday. I’m in
Thanks bmaz.
digg
…and the rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting mid air…gave proof to the night…that McCain will take flight…
That’s funny !
What is this thing about mcShame and rockets? You would scare the bajeebies out of him.
yeehaw!
Only two problems with their lovely scene construct. 1) Camelback Mountain is 3-4 miles due east of the Biltmore and not going to be in any view. 2) The mountains that the Biltmore actually does back up to, the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, are going to be quite dark when McCain is speechifying (unless he is planning on conceding before the polls even close here). Their vignette is pure bullshit.
They are probably planning to “green screen” him again and drop in whatever BS vignette they need. Like the “West Wing” foible. I mean, he has the winged monkeys running his show, so all we can do is sit back and enjoy the circus.
They could probably hold the entire event in the hat check room!!
Sounds like John McFeeble doesn’t want a window seat in the Titanic’s ball room when it goes down!!
KDKA reporting that McCain volunteer has recanted race baiting story of attacker.
-G
McCain’s Pennsylvania strategy has failed.
Another problem with vetting their people.
I had a diffeent reaction – that they didn’t vet the story. Again. Before BOTH McCain and Palin called her. Clearly they were going to try to use this…
I feel sorry for her. I saw that weird backward B, thought about it for a bit and thought “cutter”.
I’m confused about attackee Ms. Ashley M. Todd.
Her voter registration (and that of her parents) is attached to a dariy farm in Blossvale, NY that her parents sold in October 2007. Both Ashley and her dad voted from this address in the 2007 election.
Texas does not show a current voter registration for Ashley M. Todd.
Is she another walking-talking manifestation of the ‘voter fraud’ that one party is so afraid of?
Blue Texan is up with a new post: Peggy Noonan 2008 vs. Peggy Noonan 2004
i thought of that and guess you’re right. I have no problem with it, but it seems kind of presumptuous and alot of people don’t like that.
Can these people do anything right? What a mess.
There is a great, new Palin story I posted at the end of the Nailin Palin piece bmaz.
It is too funny.
Let’s see what’s more important…foreign policy or beauty…hmmm…
Frank Lloyd Wright was the inspiration for the character Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, a book that has clearly influenced the activities of Alan Greenspan and others who have created the economic tailspin we’re in. (Not Bush, of course, since we know he doesn’t read.) In that respect, I would think that Wright would have voted Republican. But again, the choice of Palin rears its douchy little head. As a true elitist, the architect would have been horrified by Bible Spice and her family of snowbillies, so I think, in the end, elitism would have conquered all, and Wright would have cast his vote for Obama. Class dismissed. Time for beer.
Celebrating defeat. Certainly some in his campaign, the smarter, more realistic ones, are planning for it. John McCain, however, hasn’t much of a record as a sportsman. He has no awareness that games have rules for a reason, if nothing else, because the same players — classmates, political opponents, opposing countries — are fated to play them time and again. Palin’s sense of sportsmanship is apparent from her love of “hunting” wolves from an aircraft, like shooting ducks in a bathtub. No sweating, tracking and guile for her, just shoot ‘em up, making her an unintentionally well-matched running mate for St. John.
One is tempted to think that McCain, like Cheney and Rove, regards rules as strategic vulnerabilities, as self-imposed limits that entitle the one without them to victory. Why stop the bout after the bell rings if a rabbit punch puts your “enemy” on the mat? That he might be your roommate at the Academy wouldn’t matter. Enemies are situational; when interests are opposed, you’re an enemy and all bets, all principles, fall away. That’s the behavior neocons lust for, and which Obama inherently opposes.
McCain, unlike Webster and Faust (and Obama), has a flat learning curve, or he would already know what the NY Times pointed out today in its endorsement of Obama for President. The neocons’ claims are limitless, incapable of being satisfied. Ironically for this former POW, McCain has given up on all he has, all he held most dear. It’s not enough and it’s too much. I hope that on election night, he can concede victory if not admit defeat, rather than stoke bitterness and harbor years of resentment. But if he could do that, he wouldn’t be John McCain.
The capacity of the rooms by the International Building Code would be 5 sq ft. per occupant, if people are standing and 7 sq. ft. per occupant if they have non fixed chairs. So between 3500 and 4900 people would be allowed to be in the FLW ballroom.
That may not be enough for Obama, but surely enough for McCain.
To concede publicly or not to concede publicly, that is the question for Old McErratic. Slings and arrows… Somehow, with his primeval instincts taking over: choosing between fight or flight, Old McErractic will be choosin’ FLIGHT! “My friends, I’m ouuttahh here…”
Oh, get a load of Randy Scheunemann melting down over the dustups regarding Palin: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.c…..239739.php
However, I do fret that as things close in on these creeps, they’ll do something desperate.
Or that vile fiend bin Laden and his ilk will think that we can somehow be swayed if he pops his venomous head up on video between now and Nov 4th.
I don’t mean to be a pessimist, and things are very much moving Obama’s way, but it does concern me that the nutcases will become really irrational as things so obviously slip from their grasp.
Looks like Scheunemann is losing it.
I regard that as a good thing ;-))
Not only internal tricks are to be feared, but IIRC, Kerry attributes a loss of 4% points and the race to bush in the last four days in 2004 due to the OBL letter.
The wheels on the bus fall off and off.
-G
mcsame is a CHICKENSHIT
a sore fuckin loser
doesn’t have the sand to face the music after he loses
john mcsame = LACK OF MORAL FIBER
a little shit in a big package
I could go on about this cowardly fuck …
I’m not going to go do any looking up, but I recall a piece saying she was from College Station, Texas.
Here’s my guess. She’s an A&M student from NY doing volunteer work for McCain in PA.
The cynic in me is saying that this is part of the overall McCain PA strategy? Just as they launch their last-ditch PA onslaught – they had Ridge out doing media, etc – along comes a racial attack. In Western PA.
Ugh, I hate thinking that.
Just because it’s College Station doesn’t mean it’s A&M.
I’ve read she was a student at Blinn College.
heh, maybe I should have said “wild-arsed guess”.
Oh, pants!
yeah
you shouldn’t single out texas a & m
let’s be fair about this
all of texas sucks, not just the towns that got colleges …
I’ll be veal all week, tip your busboy …
they’re just foolin’ .. the real victory party is gonna be out at apache junction … fireworks .. booze .. dancin’ girls .. crap games .. orgies .. and other typical republican pursuits .. goatfuckin’ .. etc ..
[splurf..]
it kinda looks like something an aggie would come up however …
[go red raiders .. lol ]
all ya need to know about ashley todd:
nobody I ever punched came out looking that good
at the time
or the next day
and I’ve punched enough people in the head to be considered a bare knuckles expert
in the interest of fairness, I should admit that I have also been punched in the head myself, but I warn you, it doesn’t produce the desired result (unless you wanted your ass kicked)
They say McCain is failing because he lacks the cadre of rich backers Bush enjoyed, and come to think of it there maybe something there what with so many Pioneers and other Republican bundlers being in jail, indicted or under
investigation. Can you blame him for turning to low level chicanery?
the biggest big backer he lacks is cindy .. eh ?? didn’t she say early on she wasn’t going to spend her money on johnny’s campaign ..