Turns out McCain’s June flip-flop on offshore drilling was followed by $285,000 from Hess Oil executives just a few days later.
Compare to the man’s own words:
“I’m the only candidate that the special interests don’t give money to.”
— John McCain, 11/18/07
Apparently $400,000 from lobbying firms, including $100,000 in donations from Jack Abramoff’s firm, doesn’t count as “money.”
“[The American people have] seen me put our country before… any special interest — before my own interest.”
— John McCain, 6/3/08
True in Vietnam forty years ago. But how this squares with the man’s presidential campaign, which has been staffed by more lobbyists than any other, and now employs Karl Rove’s protegé to try to reach office through crude smears instead of debating actual issues, is hard to figure.