Show Us Your 1040, Mrs. McCain!
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Joe Conason
Double standards are endemic in American journalism. But Cindy McCain, wife of the Republican presidential candidate, displayed poor taste in flaunting her family’s special immunity from press scrutiny. Declaring on NBC’s Today that she would “never” release her income tax returns even if she becomes first lady, the Arizona beer heiress showed no concern that she and her husband will have to meet the same tests as other would-be White House occupants—ever.
Unfortunately, the arrogance of Mrs. McCain is probably well founded.
While her personal net worth is estimated somewhere north of $50 million, she can surely rely upon the discretion of right-wing media organizations and commentators, which so far have given her and her husband a free pass on the income tax question. In contrast to their unrelenting demands for absolutely complete disclosure by Bill and Hillary Clinton over alleged or suspected conflicts of interest, the so-called conservative media have remained mum about Mrs. McCain.
That silence similarly contrasts with the hell raised four years ago over Teresa Heinz Kerry’s reluctance to reveal her tax returns alongside those of her spouse, the Democratic presidential nominee and senator, John Kerry. Back then The Weekly Standard ran a smirking headline calling her Mr. Kerry’s “sugar mommy” for a column that salivated over the “lavish lifestyle” and “vacation homes” to which her tax returns would draw attention. The Standard editors didn’t even pretend to any substantive concern. They just wanted to play the politics of envy and elitism.
But the National Review’s editors cited weightier reasons for curiosity, including the very size of the Heinz Kerry holdings and the use of her money to finance her husband’s presidential campaign, “at least in its bleaker moments,” as well as the “potential … for conflicts (or the perception of conflicts) of interest.” So did The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial that said the Kerrys would be “the richest couple ever to live in the White House. … Their assets should be disclosed to the voters so that they can assess whether there are any potential conflicts of interest.” The same editorial noted that since Senator Kerry was proposing to raise taxes on higher income brackets, “most people would probably like to know whether the Kerry household uses tax-avoidance techniques to avoid paying its ‘fair share.’”
These partisan sleuths could scarcely contain their outrage when Mrs. Kerry, who had inherited the ketchup fortune of her late husband, John Heinz, cited the privacy of her children as an excuse to resist disclosure. “Privacy? Oh, come off it,” scoffed the Review. “How can disclosure of any part of Mrs. Kerry’s personal 1040 relate to her children, all of whom are now in their thirties?”
Now comes Mrs. McCain, whose case suspiciously resembles that of Mrs. Kerry. Although she and her straight-talking husband keep their finances separate for tax purposes, her company plane has been flying him and his entourage of lobbyists around the country at bargain rates, a particular boon during the many months when his campaign was out of cash. As for conflicts of interest, the patina of reform has long rubbed off of Senator McCain, whose penchant for using his office to assist donors with federal land swaps and other sweetheart deals should surprise no one paying close attention to his career.
Is there further revealing information to be found in Mrs. McCain’s tax returns? Nobody knows except Cindy, but the clues provided in her husband’s returns would certainly tantalize those busybodies on the right, if only the McCains were Democrats. For instance, they appear to have used their charitable foundation, in part, to ensure that their children attended elite schools, by strategically donating very large sums to those institutions. They also appear likely to have benefited very handsomely from the Bush tax cuts, which Senator McCain formerly opposed but whose extension he now supports in perpetuity.
Yet Mrs. McCain is getting away with stonewalling on her taxes. “This is a privacy issue,” she said, and nobody has responded with the mockery directed at Mrs. Kerry. (Imagine the gale-force media uproar if the Clintons had refused to release their returns because they claimed to be protecting Chelsea.) Indeed, the deputy editorial page editor of The Journal, who oversaw those august columns when they howled for disclosure from Mrs. Kerry in 2004, dismissed any concern over Mrs. McCain’s tax returns as “a fairly marginal issue.”
The question that remains is whether other major media outlets—including newspapers, such as The Washington Post, that have urged full disclosure from the Clintons and Kerrys—will challenge the McCains to live up to that same standard. So far, the record is not encouraging.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 46.0
- 42.0
- Obama +4.0
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 55.7
- 33.0
- +22.7
- McCain
- 52.7
- 34.1
- +18.6
You just know Joe Conason gets a little tickle running up his leg when he thinks about Obama. I guess any real scrutiny of Obama should be off limits, especially his non record; his inexperience; his affiliations with folks with questionable motives who helped him along; with various anti-american groups and anti-white groups and OH! the idea he has proposed a TRILLION dollars in new spending. Oh! goody-more wasteful spending by a bloated government.
Folks like Chuck Higgins are why our country is in deep trouble. Never mind what Mr. Conason wrote; let's just trot out some totally baseless innuendo about Sen. Obama, the one politician who might be able to get us past this sort of cement-headed fear rhetoric and get us moving again in a positive direction.
Obama and Hillary need to be liquidated.
Who cares about Cindy McCain. Theresa Heiney Kerry wouldn't release her tax statements either.
So 'ef you Conasonhole!
It is not arrogance on Cindy McCain's part when she states that she will never release her returns - it's a simple desire for privacy. Teresa Heinz was right not to release her returns and Cindy McCain is right, too. Since the McCain's don't file jointly and the candidate, John McCain, has released his returns and provided disclosure, our country may ask for, but does not deserve, further disclosures.
It is not surprising and, in fact, rather boring to point out that those on the left will demand for more disclosure while those on the right will remain silent. Partisan issues affecting objectivity - heaven forfend!
I am amused by the comments on this column being about Obama. It means that the sleazy weasels of the right wing have their panties all in a twist about an intelligent urbane biracial liberal potentially becoming this sountry's president. How scared they must be. They have no one who can effectively compete with Obama so they let fly as much mud as they can spare from their homey slime-pits.
Yeah,the Republicans have been great at protecting "privacy"
especially when it comes to how rich someone is!
There will be a tax increase no matter who the next Pesident is! Congress will compensate by giving themselves a raise. McCain will compenstae by not taxing the "Cindy" crowd! The "boring" part..been there done that for the past 8 years.
as for the republican plant who calls himself "chuck higgins" i say this, if accusations are to be made, then they must be backed up with fact please defend and answer specifically the following statements from you inane comments:
"his affiliations with folks with questionable motives who helped him along."
which people? what affiliations?
"anti-american groups and anti-white groups"
which groups are these specifically?
by your pointless blabbering over mr. obama, i will assume you are republican. if such is the case then your statement, "Oh! goody-more wasteful spending by a bloated government." is an interesting one, seeing as how your party has been in the white house for eight years.
this is all very ridiculous. the simple solution is this:
all 1040 information disclosures should be a requirement for running for president.
this way, the playing field of "disclosed information" is a fair one, everyone's cards are on the table.
if your spouse has contributed in any way to your campaign either financially or through other means (mr. mccain's use of his wife's company's plane, for example) then you should be required to reveal 1040 information also.
Great piece, as usual, Joe - nice to see SOMEONE doing some real journalism. Goodness knows the Mainstream Media won't bother to!
I can just imagine the outrage on the right if it were Michelle Obama who was putting her foot down this way...
Hear hear! Let's ignore what the story is about and try to scare people away from making any progress. We DO deserve what we get.
It's so funny to see the reactions of right-wingers now, defending the right to privacy of McCain's wife, when they were the first to bark and yell at Kerry when exactly in the same situation. What a blatant lack of honesty. Liberals, on the other hand, were already criticizing Kerry for that , so it's just natural that they do the same for McCain.
Is this really a big deal either way? What do we hope to glean from looking at the spouses tax returns?
It just seems like much ado over nothing. Sure there is hypocrisy on the right. There is also often hypocrisy on the left. Is that really news to anyone?
I would rather see the press and the candidates focus on real issues for the American people. Like how do they plan on paying off the debt Bush has accumulated with his wars?
We hope to glean nothing specific from Cindy McCain's tax returns except perhaps to dig something up that can be used as ammunition. Last I checked, Cindy McCain wasn't the one running for President.
Waitaminute! Cindy McCain has to show her tax records because you say so? She isn't running for office. There is no law that says that she must.
How about John Kerry's phony warhero military records? Here's a guy who was given three Purple Hearts and never spent day on in any hospital, military or civilian when most Purple Hearts recipients spend on average three and a half months in hospital and rehab.
When we get to see his military records, we can maybe talk about Cindy McCain. Gimme a break!
WOW! What an indictment of the McCains (thoroughly justified) and right on target. If the McCains do not respond and provide the TRANSPARENCY the Senator demands in others, he
doesn't deserve the presidency.
AFTER ALL, WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?
What is it that Cindy McCain has been doing that cannot be exposed to the light of day?
Thank you once again, Joe Conason, for the most incisive, clear, direct, and informative commentary in journalism today. The veracity of your factual evidence is, as usual, indisputable and your assertions and opinions beg little doubt.
However, may I venture just one suggestion ? To claim that "double standards are endemic in American journalism" is very probably just a bit inaccurate. There is a mountain of evidence to confirm the fact that American (MSM) journalism has NO STANDARDS whatever.
The self-decided role of the MSM media today is to stir up the pot with any garbage they can manage to cough up (or throw up), spread verbal excrement across the landscape, provide bottom feeding "entertainment", but in all cases certainly, at all costs, avoid the Constitutional mandate to serve as "free press" gadflies hounding our "public servants" in the nation's capital from straying from the true path, burying the Constitution under a dung heap, and ripping of the tax ayers, especially neocon Republicans, soon to lose control, who have violated every hope of honest, reasonably progressive democracy.
The corporate MSM of the past decade have "sucked up" to the "rippers-off " and neocons in DC, hoping to gain favor for their corporate interests. But predictably, their enterprises are now showing definite signs that the public and their advertisers are abandoning them because of their ineffectual efforts and their selfish, profit at all costs, perfidity. And ironically, the nation's major news source, right there in the capital, the Washington Post, is among the worst offenders.
So much for standards.
Hey Joe how about a peek at Bill clinton's
herp-----oops medical rcords?????
Recently Frank Rich of the New York Times try to make a comparison between Obama's Reverend Wright situation and John Hagee backing McCain. this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Don't believe me? Check out this article Another Comparison Between John Hagee and Jeremiah Wright.
Better yet have her explain how her dad just happened to land that big South West beer distibutorship
Conason has a very selective memory. I can't remember him going after Kerry's wife. Maybe he and Kerry have a special relationship? Hypocrits stick together.
Another first family that thinks it's above scrutiny and the rules. Just what we need...........
Mark,
Unlike the other posters, you're right on the point: focus on the issues. She inherited money...so what..he's a lucky man and shes a fortunate woman. As far as Obama goes, being from Illinois, it does bother me that we elected him to represent Illinois and, in his very first term, has been galloping around the country and, to me, done little for us. What do you New Yorkers think about your representation from Hillary the last few years? The Obama's sure got a nice "deal" on his home property.
By the way, this is the first I've heard of the Observer...is this another radical?
Dr. Snort
I am a lunchpail democrat and I would like to get into this discousion, I have worked in minning for 40 years. We cannot have you baling wire republicans not be so short sighted as you seem. Your hearting as bad as I am. The trickle down option dousnt work, the only tricle down I got was yellow and brown and smelled like shit. You republicans are to expensive. From Ronnie to old man Bush to Bushie Baby we are still trying to pay of their debts, if were going to run up trillions of dollars of debt, lets do it at home. Some tribale leader in Afganistand, some gun down genneral should be able to steal enough wealth from his owne people to live really good, I dont think I should pay for his sixth wife or his next purchas of opiem crop. Damn here is a time to try and break the old system and try again, we cannot do any worse. Lets go down fighting for a better tomorrow, lets not just role over and go tits up.
WE have paid oure taxes, served in the military, tryed to educate our kids, save for retirement so our kids wont have to take care of us. After the last 7 years I dont know are they going to kill us now because we are a drag on the rest of the U.S. I dont know that answer, but I will not go quitely. I will leave just like I came into this world screaming and kicking.
How scared they must be Mr. ANONYMOUS!!!
Joe Conason it is AH like you that want all you can get on the conservative canidates but don't give a damn about the left with the way you defended the corrupt couple in office before President Bush. The Clintons were crooks from the word go but that was alright with you.
I have to admit that this is the first time I ever realized that so many folks glass was half-empty (or more). Read all the ridiculous comments again for a common thread!
Are you folks really "United" Americans? Are you really trying to do whats best for your country or your ticket?
I struggle believing that the President makes all the decisions, spends all the money and goes unchecked! What a crock.
McCain is as phony as a two dollar bill. First he casually states that we may be in Iraq for "a hundred years"; then he softens his tone and pretends he didn't mean it. He doesn't know who the parties are in Iraq and needs turncoat Lieberman to cue him on which party is which there. He says he wants federal funds, then exceeds the limit for spending his funds, and he would be guilty of a crime if it weren't for the fact that the Federal Election group hasn't got enough members to come down on him. He tells homeowners that he believes they shouldn't get government help because that isn't free enterprise, then he promises help but it's so meager it won't mean much. He calls himself a straight talker, but won't release his wife's tax returns (to show how wealthy she really is). He takes a government disability persion, yet calls himself fit to run. If this isn't the perfect picture of a hypocrite, what is? It also shows how the Media is so screwed up because they take him seriously when he'll say anything, promise anything, to get elected. McCain (who has also been known as "McCave") tends to say what he thinks people want to hear. He often states positions that he can't keep, and the next day will reverse himself. He obviously is a simple man, with a simple one or two track mind, who only believes in the Big Abstractions like "War" and "Military Force" (after all he is a military man) as well as "Capitalism" and the Marketplace". He is a supreme flip-flopper, who says one thing one day and, when caught at it, reverses himself. So beware of being sucked in to his latest quote. Along, shortly, will come another on the same subject that you may or may not like better. This makes it very difficult for anyone who is a true conservative Republican to back him, and if it indicates the kind of irresonsibility it appears to, it may mean more of the Bush agenda with more Iraq involvement and inattention to the economy.
Now that Mrs. McMcain has disclosed her $1.7 million federal tax payment I'm hoping most of you will move on to more important things. Of course there will be those who say she could easily afford to pay more, and they would have a point if it wouldn't make them out to be the selfish, greedy, complainers they truly are. You need to read her bio to find out that she's certainly not perfect, but has done, I imagine, far more good than most of the people commenting on this article, including it's author. I can't help but suggest that Mrs. Obama, given the same years of experience and money would also do as much.
If you are happy with the way this country has gone the last 7 years then vote for the same. I for one think we can go in a better direction. Like (MIKE KENNEDY) said the trickle down theory has kicked my ass. Maybe you have a better LIFE NOW with the 7 years of BUSH, I have not. I want a change. And you have THE FAIR AND BALANCED REPORTING aka FOX.