John McCain called out by Jed Bartlet's aides

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- It turns out that hobnobbing with liberal blogger Arianna Huffington and the cast of NBC’s "The West Wing" on the left coast can be a risky proposition for a Republican with White House ambitions.

In Jersey City Friday morning, John McCain emphatically denied a report by Huffington on her blog that he confessed, during a Beverly Hills dinner party in 2001, that he had not voted for George W. Bush after his bitter defeat in 2000. But "West Wing" cast members -- who said in published reports they supported a Democratic ticket -- back up Huffington’s story.

"It’s nonsense," McCain said this morning when a reporter asked about the matter in the Liberty Science Center. "I voted, campaigned for, worked as hard as I could for President Bush’s election in 2000 and 2004. I voted for President Bush. I said so at the time." And McCain is proud of what he saw as his help in getting Bush elected. "I know we’re already in a silly season—but my record stands very clearly of campaigning all over this nation on behalf of the candidacy of President Bush," he said. "I think that some people believe that contributed to the fact that he won that election, and also in the 2004 election."

On Monday, Huffington posted an entry on her website asserting that McCain confessed during the 2001 party that he had not voted for the President. On the Huffington Post website, she explained her long silence by saying ...

... she "felt it was time to for me to tell what I knew," because the press was giving McCain "a pass."

McCain’s longtime aide Mark Salter, who said he spoke directly with McCain about his vote for Bush after the election, quickly dismissed the story as fiction, and said Huffington would "make anything up" to promote her cause of the moment or her new book.

But actors Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff, who played White House deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman and communications director Toby Ziegler on the show, told the New York Times -- at Huffington’s prompting -- that they too heard McCain’s confession at the dinner party at actress Candice Bergen’s Beverly Hills home.

Whitford told the New York Times and the Washington Post that when a guest asked McCain at the dinner if he’d voted for Bush, McCain put his finger to his lips and mouthed "No way."

Asked about the detailed accounts offered by Huffington, Schiff and Whitford, McCain said he had "no clue" where the story came from.

"I know that I discussed my vote with my wife and family -- and discussed it and said so at the time," McCain said. "In all due respect, this is hardly worth our time. Allegedly this happened eight years ago. I know this is a silly season."

-- Maeve Reston

Comments

[Steve Wimer]

It appears McCain is a liar.

[Joe]

If he voted for Bush in 2000, then why did he contact Kerry about possibly joining the Democratic ticket in 2004? It makes no sense (and he has publicly acknowedged the contacts with Kerry).

[Abe]

I had hoped that John would be a good candidate for my vote, but after his nomination was set, he has become a Bush! Not sure why he thinks he has to do this. Those of us who supported him when he was just making a comeback feel betrayed and are now going to vote Democrat!

Bye bye Bush Jr

[Candi]

It sounds more like he put his finger to his lips and said "no way" like there was "no way" he was going to talk about it with them because of who they are. I am certain they understood the context and are using this to smear him. No one is more annoying than money-grubbing Huffington.

[Todd Franks]

I think if McCain would have said: "Of course I didn't vote for Bush, he's an idiot" he would win in a lanslide in November!

[Mark]

Let McCain's people do a poll real quick to determine if Americans would have liked it better if he voted against Bush. if the polls say yes, than McCain will say he voted against him. McCain is such a spineless jellyfish, that he will take either side. It would not shock me that he voted for the guy that smeared him in the Republican primary, like I said, he is spineless.

[Bob Scofield]

That's how deluded McCain is, he thinks not voting for Bush is a bad thing.

[egc52556]

[QUOTE]
McCain said. "In all due respect, this is hardly worth our time. Allegedly this happened eight years ago."
[/QUOTE]

So anything that happened more than 8 years ago is off limits? Or is it that anything that happened more than 8 years ago is beyond McCain's aged ability to remember?

[Marcisdad]

This just raises my opinion of John McCain. While I have always been for Obama and hope to vote for him for President, if he is not the choice there is no doubt that McCain is my man.

[boomerscoutofamerica]

I dunno. Can Johnny Mac's memory be trusted? Admittedly, Huff's account is hearsay, but TWO confirming witnesses? Wait, what are we taliking about?

[PC]

I don't think anyone should be put on the hot seat to discuss who they voted for in an election. But aside from the integrity issue which this brings to light, I fear the story will only serve to endear McCain to even more voters. His biggest mistake right now, is in aligning himself so closely with Bush.

[jsny]

It's ok, John... I didn't vote for George W Bush in 2000 eithier

[Rattlesnake Bob]

The more John McCain can move to the center of the political spectrum, the better chance he has of election. With the inevitable nomination of Barack Obama, the Dems will feature their most blatant socialist agenda since the candidacy of George McGovern in '72. The thought of higher capital gains taxes, more social security taxes, higher estate taxes, and passage of Nancy Pelosi's windfall profit stock market tax on those over 65, strikes fear into the heart of this aging Democrat baby boomer. My prediction is that in the moment of truth behind the curtain of the election booth, well to do and working class baby boomers will send the Democratic Party a message they will always remember. So why in the world, would Senator McCain worry about upsetting the conservatives in his party. For whom shall they vote other than McCain?

[Bob]

The press gave McCain a free pass ? Kind of like how it gave Obama a free pass in Jan and Feb ? Had I known about Rev Wright, I never would have voted for Obama. He's an unpatriotic, far-left, confused loser. His words have no value anymore. Now that Clinton is out, I'll take my chances with McCain, thank you.

[john stein]

If Arianna is on the money (and her past would certainly indicate she has those tendencies), I might consider voting for the Admiral's son, despite his reactionary voting record and the fact that his party stands for nothing but flag pins and screwing everybody but the Fortune 100. God bless us all, Tiny Tim.

[Chris Eagan]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!

So if McCain didn't vote for Bush, he is a bad republican. Therefore he has to emphatically state "worked as hard as I could for President Bush’s election in 2000 and 2004, admitting he is partly to blame for the messes Bush has created.

Nice corner!!

[Otto Schiff]

I don't care who McCain voted for. I am more interested in his part of the Lincoln Savings. He was one of the Keating fives.
Where is his explanation of that fiasco?

[S.E. LANDIS]

Not quite an outright denial from McCain. I'll take the word of three witnesses. Is this the straight-talk express?

[Christopher Fee]

Obama is going to turn McCain into lunchmeat during the debates . . .

[jim Sargent]

The left wing nutjobs have proven they will stoop to any depth. This is nothing else but typical BS from a crowd of idiots. McCain may not want to run a dirty election but I am under no such pressure. Huffington is an idiot.

[josie]

you have got to be kidding me. Huffington needs to get off her bias backside and get a real life instead of hanging around actors who seem to confuse acting with reaity. Is anyone really expected to believe anything an actor from the West Wing would say? Gossip. Gossip. Gossip.

[Frank]

Silly season! What a great term!

I wonder who came up with that?

[James Wilkinson]

This was in the "Top of the Ticket" blog on Friday, May 9. It contains an interesting statement about one of the bloggers, long-time journalist Andrew Malcolm:

"A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four."

Who knew that a man could be the author of 10 books and the father of four! I guess I slept through that part of my physiology lectures. Do young books have temper tantrums at two like young children at two?

[JDaniel]

More NOTHING from the left....and also nothing unusual....

[John D. Karns II]

John McCain proudly and strongly states in his words to a reporter at the Liberty Science Center "I voted, campaigned for, worked as hard as I could for President Bush’s election in 2000 and 2004”. This statement alone by McCain is an indictment showing that his judgment is beyond repair.