2012 GOP Race Is 'Nastiest' Campaign Yet, McCain Says

ktvz.com/CNN ^ | March 18, 2012 | Gregory Wallace

[Free ThinkerNY]

(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain knows his way around rough politics: an opponent started rumors during the 2000 presidential race that he fathered an illegitimate African-American, and a CNN fact check called false his 2008 vice presidential pick's assertion that now-President Barack Obama was "palling around with terrorists."

But the veteran politician from Arizona -- first elected to the Senate in 1986 -- said Sunday that the current Republican presidential campaign is the most brutal race he has seen, fueled in part by super PACs that have rivaled campaigns in spending on this election.

"This is the nastiest I have ever seen," McCain said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The two-time presidential contender is not watching this GOP primary entirely from the sidelines: McCain is among several high-profile political figures actively stumping for Mitt Romney, and one of his roles has been to attack former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on behalf of the former Massachusetts governor.

"When you have a Las Vegas casino mogul - by the way, who gets part of his money from Macao - pouring $20 million into a campaign, obviously that drives up people's unfavorables," McCain said of donations to a pro-Gingrich group by casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife. A casino in the Chinese semi-autonomous region of Macao is owned by a company under Adelson's control. Forbes lists him as the seventh richest person in the United States.

[RoosterRedux]

Sorry, McLame...it is not Newt, but your candidate that has injected the “nastiness” into this campaign.

[ChadsDad]

McCain making negative remarks to the press about Republicans, I am shocked.

[Politics4US]

Ron Paul and Mitt have been nastier than Rick and Newt.

[FrankR]

Just shutup McCain't...you need to spend your time and advice to help your daughter...maybe some therapy would do.

It is romney who has spent the millions to tear down his opponents obama-style, not the others.

If one of the others bothers to defend himself against these attacks, then the obama/gope tagteam unleashes the fire on them...why? Because they know that obama will clean Romney's clock, and they want mittens to be our candidate.

Another weak whiner, just like McCain't was in 2008. If Palin hadn't stepped in when she did, McCain would have the title of the biggest election loser in America.

[dennisw]

McLame.....you are an embarrassment. We don’t want your opinion you senile old backstabber. FOAD!

[Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri]

I can see Meghan McCain didn’t fall far from the tree.

[Godebert]

CNN fact check called false his 2008 vice presidential pick's assertion that now-President Barack Obama was "palling around with terrorists."

That's right. They asked Obama and were told "He (Ayers) was just some guy in the neighborhood". End of story, case closed.

[FlingWingFlyer]

If Juan thinks this is bad, wait until he sees what happens when the GOP nominee is named and goes up against the Kenyan. This GOP primary is going to look like a pillow fight.

[TexasCajun]

Juan, you stupid SOB!

Your douche-bag friend Steve Schmidt is still denouncing your Conservative VP choice even today.

And now he's working for your pal Romney & continues to denounce and sling mud at the Conservative candidates.

[X-spurt]

So mclame thinks 2012 is dirty.... guess the old weasel didn’t know just how bad we all talked about HIM in 2008.

[freedomfiter2]

Hey McCain, it was your job to vet Obama but you’re too much of a panty waist. We’re looking for men this time around.

[Vendome]

Well the number of retards are fewer this time around

[duffee]

I thought he was about to offer an apology for the statements and actions of himself and the Romney campaign. But No, just another attack on Newt and his supporters. Stuff It John.

[mardi59]

It is McStains fault that obama got elected. He is an embarassment to this country.

I have never seen a man try harder to throw a campaign than he did. Did Sarah scare him that much? He is a waste of oxygen and should not be re-elected.

[Diogenesis]

"Army Major (Hasan) Played Role in Presidential (Obama) Transition"

[Diogenesis]

FLASHBACK:

The McCain/Palin ticket was up ++4 to 10 pts
in some polls, days prior to Election 2008.
So rather than helping the GOP, Romney and
TeamROMNEY and the RNME (Republican National Media Establishment)
decided …to attack Gov. Palin to throw Election2008.

Romney, and the Van der Sloot RNME RINOs for Obama in 2008

Late in October, The American Spectator's The Prowler revealed:
"Former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffers…
have been involved in spreading anti-Palin spin to reporters, seeking to diminish her standing after the election.
'Sarah Palin is a lightweight, she won't be the first, not even the third, person people will think of when it comes to 2012,'
says one former Romney aide…
'The only serious candidate ready to challenge to lead the Republican Party is Mitt Romney.
"Some former Romney aides were behind the recent leaks to media, including CNN, that Governor Sarah Palin was a 'diva' and was going off message intentionally."

---

The Palmetto Scoop reported: "One of the first stories to hit the national airwaves was
the claim of a major internal strife between close McCain aides and the folks handling his running mate Sarah Palin."
"I’m told by very good sources that this was indeed the case and that a rift had developed, but it was between Palin’s people and the staffers brought on from the failed presidential campaign of former Gov. Mitt Romney, not McCain aides."
"The sources said nearly 80 percent of Romney’s former staff was absorbed by McCain and these individuals were responsible for what amounts to a premeditated, last-minute sabotage of Palin."
… aides loyal to Romney inside the McCain campaign, said The Scoop, reportedly saw
that Palin would be a serious contender for the Republican nomination in 2012 or 2016, which made her a threat to another presidential quest by Romney.

---

"These staffers are now out trying to finish her off ….hoping it would ingratiate themselves with Mitt Romney."

---

"Who's the Palin Leaker from the McCain Campaign?
National Review Online The publication of a Vanity Fair profile of Sarah Palin
appears to have opened old wounds in the McCain campaign.
... the source of the “Diva” leak was Nicolle Wallace’s husband."

---

"Peeking Out From the McCain Wreckage: Mitt Romney"

"Someone's got to say it: IS MITT ROMNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBAMA'S VICTORY?"

"Vanity: Team Romney Sabotaged Palin and Continuing to Do So?"

"Romney Supporters Trashing Palin"

"Romney advisors sniping at Palin?"

---

[mardi59]

I know this egotistical maniac was behind the attacks on Sarah. He had the money and the motive.

McCain did nothing to help. They are scared to death of her because she is intelligent and speaks the truth. She would tear Mitwit apart, as well as obama.

[Free Vulcan]

I don’t believe anyone is nastier than you were Tijuana Juan.

[Forgotten Amendments]

Pretty civil ... for a guy who wants to start about eight more wars.