McCain's troublesome Renzi connection

[one...two...tree 2,762]

EJ Montini, Arizona Republic

The cornerstones of Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign are his experience, his principles, his judgement. However, if he were to criticize either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton about either of the last two, it now appears that they have a one word rebuttal:

Renzi.

Rep. Rick Renzi, the co-chairman of McCain's presidential campaign in Arizona (for now), was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on 35 corruption charges. He said on Monday that he wouldn't resign from Congress, but his name already is being removed from some of McCain's campaign literature.

However, will it be removed from anyone's memory?

In October of 2006, when it already had been well-reported that the FBI was investigating allegations that Renzi was involved in a potentially illegal land transfer deal, McCain campaigned for his Arizona pal.

His recorded an endorsement used on a "robocall" that went to voters in Renzi's district and said:

"This is Sen. John McCain. I'm calling to urge you to support my friend Rep. Rick Renzi for Congress. Rick has represented the first district of Arizona with tenacity, honesty and integrity beyond reproach. I work with Rick every day and can report to you his total dedication to the people of Arizona and the United States. Please join me in supporting rural Arizona's workhorse congressman on Nov. 7. [Paid for and authorized by Rick Renzi for Congress]."

When McCain made a highly publicized trip to Baghdad (that turned into a public relations disaster) he brought Renzi with him.

After the indictment was announced, McCain said he would "pray" for Renzi, adding, "But I don't know enough of the details to make a judgment. These kinds of things are always very unfortunate. ... I rely on our Department of Justice and system of justice to make the right outcome."

Every politician rubs elbows with unsavory characters. They meet too many people not to. But this isn't a chance encounter. This is a Republican Congressman whom a Republican appointed Justice Department believes should spend 20 years in prison for doing some very nasty stuff. And he's the co-chairman of your campaign and a friend?

While McCain repudiated a supporter who called Obama a hack, the senator himself has called Obama "naive" for his assessment of the war in Iraq, among other things?

So, does Renzi say anything about McCain's judgement?

And when McCain was asked Wednesday if Renzi should stay on his campaign, the senator supposedly said, "It doesn't matter."

Really?

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/EJMontini/18101