McCain Bites Dog

This Ken Vogel scoop doesn't shock me like it should:

When John McCain's presidential campaign all but went broke, it borrowed money from its bank using its fundraising list as collateral.

Problem: McCain's own privacy policy promises donors he won't sell their information.

That seems to put the Republican senator's campaign in a pickle; either it pledged to its bank proceeds from something it can't sell, or it offered to violate its own promise to donors.

Vogel links the privacy policy of John McCain 2008:

We will not sell your personal information. John McCain 2008, will not sell your information to third parties or any commercial entities. We may contact you on behalf of other endorsed candidates or organizations. We may share information -- that you voluntarily provide us -- with like-minded organizations committed to the principles or candidates of the Republican party, Republican State Party organizations, local Republican groups and like-minded organizations. John McCain 2008 may provide your email address or other personal information to authorized third parties required to deliver a particular service. These third parties may not use said information for any other purpose than to carry out the services they are performing for John McCain 2008.

I don't think what McCain did violated campaign finance law, but still, insert "straight talk" joke here.

Comments

[ChrisO]

Ah yes, the "Straight Talk Express" at work...

[Lost_In_Translation]

Pretty much McCain can do whatever he want with your money, but he'll never say he "sold" it.

[ChrisO]

Queeg's actions may not have violated campaign-finance laws, but the bank might have a pretty good claim to retrieve the money it lent him.

[Bilo]

You mean to say politicians are liars!? The Horror!

[Reinmoose]

But John McCain is a maverick! MAVERICK!

[Homer Sexual]

This headline reminds me of a funny article from the legendary short-lived comedy zine "Army Man" (created and edited by George Meyer):

MAN BITES DOG
That's news. Lately, however, ruthless publicity-seekers have been exploiting this important journalistic principle. Washed-up entertainers and struggling politicians are biting dogs at an alarming rate. Last week, amid popping flashbulbs, Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) tried to revive his VP prospects by repeatedly biting an unhappy Pomeranian. "He just kept biting me and biting me," the dog said later. "I felt like biting him!"

[The Gaunt Man]

Unfortunately, it's all in the fine print. To wit:

"John McCain 2008 may provide your email address or other personal information to authorized third parties required to deliver a particular service. These third parties may not use said information for any other purpose than to carry out the services they are performing for John McCain 2008."

John McCain authorized the bank to loan him money ( a service) with the list as collateral (a condition of the service), and if he defaulted on that loan they would need to recoup their investment (another conditition of the service). Therefore, any use they got out of the list would be carrying out a service for STraight-Shooter himself, as they would be protecting him from a lawsuit.

See? Nothing but straight talk.

[Warren]

OK I know what I want for my birthday (in early April). I want John McCain to win a majority of primary delegates, and then I want him convicted of violating campaign finance laws.

[Peter K.]

You're commenting on a "Ken Vogel scoop" and you've provided a link to everything except the "Ken Vogel scoop" itself. Is it OK with you if we read the whole thing ourselves?

[Terry]

McCain is a fraud. He will lose in the next state and that will be the end of him.

[R C Dean]

Now, if I was a disgruntled former McCain supporter who had sent him money, I might just sue him for fraud.

[Aresen]

That "privacy policy" is a joke.

There are enough weaselwords in it that he could publish the list on the front page of the Washington Post.

[James Anderson Merritt]

RE thread headline: I hope the dog was checked for rabies afterward. Poor thing.

[Charles Keating]

That's my boy! Well done, lad. Just as I taught you!

[joe]

They didn't sell it. If they'd defaulted and the bank seized the collateral, that wouldn't be a sale, either.

Slimy and misleading, but not fraudulent.

I want John McCain to win a majority of primary delegates, and then I want him convicted of violating campaign finance laws. Oh please oh please oh please...

[A Lawyer]

I was going to write pretty much what Joe just wrote.

Is Joe a retired lawyer?

[The Litigator]

Is someone going to sue?

[Rick Barton]

We will not sell your personal information.

I don't care if someone sells my personal information as long as I get a cut.

Actually, the only candidate I've given to so far is Ron Paul and I would welcome them selling my info cuz it's such a good cause. Also, I imagine that any group that they would sell to would be a pretty interesting outfit that I would dig hearing from.

[joe]

IANAL.