Demand an Answer from the McCain Campaign!

[jsteele]

Okay, this has been all over the Internet today, but I can't help piling on.

Last night those of us who watched John McCain's convention speech saw him standing in front of what appeared to be a studio "green screen". I, for one, was already planning my entry into the expected Stephen Colbert "Green Screen Challenge".



However, those in attendance saw that McCain was actually in front of a large picture of what might have been one of his 9 houses:



However, this was in fact not a McCain pied-à-terre. Rather it is the Walter Reed Middle School located in North Hollywood, California:



Moreover, the school is not at all happy about it. Donna Tobin, the school's principal, issued this statement:

"It has been brought to the school's attention that a picture of the front of our school, Walter Reed Middle School, was used as a backdrop at the Republican National Convention. Permission to use the front of our school for the Republican National Convention was not given by our school nor is the use of our school's picture an endorsement of any political party or view."

So, just why did the McCain campaign stand John up in front of a middle school? The McCain campaign is refusing all comment.

Was this a wink to the Hollywood liberals that they should ignore his right wing rhetoric? Was he saying, "don't worry you West Coast Elites, I'm not serious about this"?

Was this an indication that, having graduated from the primaries, he was ready for middle school?

Is this the next place he plans to drill for oil?

Did he confuse the school with the Iraq-Pakistan border?

Perhaps he thought this was the Czechoslovakian Embassy?

Is this where they will be hiding Sarah Palin to keep her away from the press until the election?

The American people have a right to know!


ps. the best theory going is that the campaign meant to have a picture of Walter Reed Hospital rather than Middle School. They falsely accused Obama of using wounded troops as a political prop, but then screwed up their own attempt to use the hospital that treats those troops as a political prop.

pps. No, I'm not really serious about this post.

ppps. All photos stolen from Talking Points Memo

[Anonymous]

I also read this on TPM, this morning..Do you think that someone on his staff just messed up and placed the wrong photo?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:I also read this on TPM, this morning..Do you think that someone on his staff just messed up and placed the wrong photo?

I think they asked for a picture of Walter Reed Hospital and some idiot came up with a picture of the middle school. If you remember, one of the recent claims by the Republicans is that Obama skipped meeting with wounded troops to play basketball while McCain and Palin have meet with wounded troops. The McCain campaign probably wanted to put that image in people's mind.

As I mentioned, Republicans have been criticizing Obama for attempting to politicize meeting with wounded troops. Therefore, it is ironic that McCain's campaign screwed up this attempt to politicize the hospital that cares for those troops.

[Anonymous]

This election just gets weirder and weirder and I can't stop reading about it. I've been googling half the day waiting to see what McCain's campaign will say about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This election just gets weirder and weirder and I can't stop reading about it. I've been googling half the day waiting to see what McCain's campaign will say about this.

Okay I just googled again and it turns out that the McCain campaign has responded:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/walter-reed-post/

Here's the relevant part:

Not so, according to campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds, who said the campaign intended to showcase “images of Americana” during the Arizona senator’s remarks.

“The changing image-screen was linked to the American thematics of the speech and the public school was simply part of it,” Mr. Bounds said, adding that during the speech, Mr. McCain “called for public education reforms that empower parents and students before bureaucrats and labor unions.”

Okay, I'd buy that except this building was the only thing up on the screen for awhile and then it switched to the flag waving in the blue sky. (Maybe I missed other pictures-- I did fall asleep at one point.) So does that mean that there were pictures left out? Or did they think 2 pictures was enough? And why put up a picture of a school that looks like a mansion without explaining that it is not a mansion! Still feel like I'm missing something here....

[jsteele]

Just another "stretching of the truth" from the McCain campaign. According to TPM, last night McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis was telling people it was the ad guy's fault. His name is Fred Davis (I assume no relation). They wouldn't have had to refuse to respond to questions all day if the explanation was that simple. All the other speakers had context-relevant images behind them. Why would McCain suddenly get random images?

[Anonymous]

Okay, PP again. Just looked at the speech on McCain's website and there was a second picture -- a corn field -- after the school. Then it switched to the blue sky with the flag for the rest of the speech.

One theory: The corn field was waving in the wind behind him and distracting. Maybe there really was supposed to be a series of images but they figured out during the speech how distracting this was and just switched over to blue sky to minimize the distraction.

But if that were the case, why not just say that instead of letting bloggers speculate for 24 hours? But then I haven't had to run a presidential campaign so maybe it's not so easy.

Still. It's kind of weird...

[Anonymous]

Seriously, this is a real issue with which you think we should be concerned? Bloggers who spend 24 minutes, much less 24 hours speculating on this should get a life, or at least a clue about what's relevant to a presidential election.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, this is a real issue with which you think we should be concerned? Bloggers who spend 24 minutes, much less 24 hours speculating on this should get a life, or at least a clue about what's relevant to a presidential election.

Seems like it's the same people who pick apart the "putting on" vs. "selling" a jet on eBay.
I suppose the Dems are absolutely perfect and therefore in depth analysis and creating mountains out of mole hills would not be necessary.

[jsteele]

jsteele wrote:pps. No, I'm not really serious about this post.

Just a reminder for humorless Republicans.

[Anonymous]

What I find humorous is that the principle of a public school feels that she has the right to approve (or disapprove) of use of photos of the building.

Maybe I can use that argument in traffic court when a traffic cam catches me running a red light - "Your honor, I did not approve of the use of the photo of my car in this court."

[Anonymous]

Personally, I'm just fascinated by the possibility that something like this was left to chance by the Republicans, who are normally known for being so well organized.

Just like if there was an unusual occurrence of this sort during another highly scripted event, like the Superbowl or the inauguration. I'm curious as to how it happened and that's why I was looking for alternative explanations.

Just surprising that McCain's campaign wouldn't have thought about how he looked on television against that background. But then maybe they did. I certainly don't know.

Sorry if it offends anyone that I was wondering about it. I think if you're offended by it or think it's another plot to prove that the Democrats are more organized that the Republicans (ha!, that would go against type!), you're the one who needs to get a life. Just bypass this thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I find humorous is that the principle of a public school feels that she has the right to approve (or disapprove) of use of photos of the building.

Maybe I can use that argument in traffic court when a traffic cam catches me running a red light - "Your honor, I did not approve of the use of the photo of my car in this court."

why? I think she should have that right. I wouldn't send my son to a school that officially declared itself part of the republican party. That impression could very well be gotten from having the school's picture in the background of McCain's speech.

[Anonymous]

No this isn't a huge issue but keep in mind it is this group of bungling spinners who YOU are expected to TRUST that Palin is qualified even though nothing in her resume points to any relevant experience. They will not answer the question and they will not allow her to answer questions from any respected news journalist or editorial boards. It is criminal to me that they can get away with this.