John McCain and the Group that May Be ‘Destroying the Fabric of Democracy’

Acorn, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, has a well-deserved reputation for effective grassroots activism. But it’s been getting terrible press lately, because of an internal embezzlement scandal and a controversial voter-registration drive.

Acorn’s bad news has become an 11th-hour election gift to Senator John McCain’s sagging presidential campaign. Conservative commentators, led by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, have been braying about the organization around the clock, as if they had suddenly uncovered some sort of black-socialist-madrassa-Mafia terror cell.

That’s no joke:

In Wednesday’s debate, Senator John McCain tried to turn Acorn into a mighty oak of evilness, one that’s “maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.”

Hah. Mr. McCain has been around a while, and knows better what Acorn is all about.

Here, via Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic, is a video of Mr. McCain palling around with Acorn at an immigration-rights rally in Miami in 2006:

“What makes America special is what’s in this room tonight,” says Mr. McCain, serenaded by cheers of “Si se puede!”

Oh, Mr. McCain, you are so right! Or were.

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Okay. Your video is from 2006. This is 2008. Simple math says there are two years between 2006 and 2008. Times change. People and organizations go rotten.

Right now, ACORN is under investigation in 11 states. Is it “controversial” that ACORN in Florida tried to register Mickey Mouse? Is it “controversial” that ACORN workers in Las Vegas tried to register members of the Dallas Cowboys?

That’s not “controversial'; that’s ILLEGAL.

You folks are SO far in the tank for Obama that you can no longer tell simple right from simple wrong. I sure hope you have your meds on hand when McCain and Palin win in November.

Oh, and don’t be guzzling too much more of the Obama Kool-Aid. Save some to wash down your tranquilizers on Election Day.

Has John McCain no shame? It seems that the Seanator will attempt to win by ANY means…it’s a shame that he has sold his soul in the process.

Why, oh, why are we not seeing more of this? And why hasn’t the distinction been made between “voter fraud” and “voter registration fraud”? Big, and crucial, difference! Finally, why is the FBI now investigating ACORN? This is insanity.

This is such a bunch of hooey….The republicans stalling a true investigation yet again. And the gullible lemmings of America buying it with their last breath.
It’s the electoral board’s job to confirm every registration form. It’s not fraud unless someone submits it intentionally with incorrect information with the intent of having it being added to the voter rolls. If Acorn is identifying suspicious registration forms for the electoral board, the fraud, if any, is NOT being committed by Acorn. The fraud is being committed AGAINST Acorn.
Additionally, since a fake form, if investigated properly will not turn into a listing on any election roll. So, as long as no one attempts to vote, using a fake ID for that fake name, there is also no Voter fraud.
What is more curious is why the FBI is not investigating illegal purging of voter rolls in swing states. This was reported in a big bold way by the NY Times last week, but no additional mention of it has been made the FauxNews or even the real news stations like CNN, which I’m no longer sure is a real news station given their recent attempts. Only MSNBC (Keith and Rachel) have even mentioned it as far as I can tell. But no one is YELLING at the tops of their lungs about this. Why isn’t this being addressed by Newsweek? Were’s the FBI with this?

McCain appears to have no conscience or scruples when it comes to outright lying, which most of the media appears willing to facilitate.

What a colossal failure of a campaign and of a person. It’s rather sad.

Apparently paid registrars turned in bogus registrations. Acorn itself is therefore the damaged party. Unless Acorn conspired to solicit false registrations, the organization is the victim, not the perpetrator.

let’s talk about how the Republicans really did disenfranchise voters in Florida in the last two election cycles…..

If you knew much of history you would remember ACORN has been investigated ever since John Ashcroft lost his bid in Missouri in 2002, claiming he was defrauded the election. They are the perpetual scapegoat for the conservatives to help re-energize their base, all while their own attempts at purging newly registered voters from the rolls of eligability fly under the radar. It won’t be so easy this year. This video is just yet another example of how McCain has sold out his principles in a vain attempt to win the presidency. Sadly, for the John McCain, the end justifies the means.

Something that the average Republican voter seems to not understand about this ACORN mess: Voter registration fraud does NOT translate to election fraud. So what if some “Joe the plumber” signs up 1000 fictional people to register to vote in Ohio? Where will he get 1000 people with proper identification? Or for that matter, what home will these voter registration cards be mailed to? Think about the subject instead of repeating Hannity’s talking points please.

Hey mesmerati- people forget that it was ACORN officials who blew the whistles on their own sub-contractors, which the best (and most would say only proper) course of action.

No cover-ups, no denials, no 11th hour scandal- they saw people playing fast ‘n ‘loose and they did their best to notify those who need to be notified.

What’s wrong with that. and more to the point, how does it make Obama somehow responsible for their actions?

Just once in my lifetime, I’d like to see the GOP win in a FAIR competition, like honorable men and women, like fair-minded individuals, like the honest and earnest Americans they scream themselves horse declaring EVERY election cycle to be time and time again.

However, given the hate-filled actions of the GOP machine this past month (and the glaring lack of repudiation by Gov. Palin at her rallies and Sen. McCain last night of those clearly un-patriotic nut jobs who WISH OBAMA DEATH- repeatedly), I can see that this is what we’re going to have to deal with for the remainder of the election, but thankfully never settle for EVER again.

Too funny!!! He really is palling around with ACORN. John McCain clearly is having cognitive problems, memory being one of them.
Hey, have you guys found any video of McCain meeting with Bill Ayers in Chicago? That would be fun, too!!

There is no known case were a fraudulent name from Acorn has led to an illegal voter. I think our Democracy will manage to survive, depite a few bad Acorns.

i would like to point out to mesmerati that the connection mccain referred to when he accused obama of misdeeds in his dealings with ACORN were from far longer ago than 2 years. the last 2008 presidential candidate to get cozy with ACORN was john mccain.

and let’s be clear: what ACORN members have done is clearly wrong and illegal but it would have NO IMPACT WHAT SO EVER on actual votes casts on november 4. mickey mouse is not going to SHOW UP at the polls.

Mesmerati, give me a break. ACORN did not try to register Mickey Mouse. They hire people to collect registrations and ARE REQUIRED BY LAW to turn all those registrations over to the state. So they can’t cull out obviously phony names even if they want to. ACORN is an admirable organization going to bat for people who don’t have adequate representation. McCain is despicable (what’s new) for targeting them as the new axis of evil.

To commenter # 1 –

State governments have also be illegally purging voter lists 90 days before an election, which they are not supposed to do (unless someone has died). Republicans in some states are taking pains to prevent people foreclosed on from being able to vote. An investigation is meaningless considering this administration’s history of using the justice system to unjustly scrutinize the Democrats, for which non-compliant US attorneys believe they were fired for. That is more dangerous if you ask me.

Both sides are playing dirty right now, not just ACORN.

So linking McCain to ACORN in 2006 is unfair, but linking Obama to Ayers from over 30 years ago is okay? You Republicans can’t have it both ways. Quit your whining & start helping your candidate campaign. He needs it.

Actually holding those who made donations to ACORN responsible for corrupt employees, is like holding all customers of a bank responsible if a teller embezzles. You can’t throw the baby out with the bath water.


I’m still trying to figure out how a phony voter registration of Mickey Mouse or the Dallas Cowboys is going to impact the election. I am thinking they will not show to vote. I need the connection to be made how Obama or McCain actually gets more votes cast for them out of these phony registrations?

Talk about in the tank:

Everytime anyone pays anyone to stand in front of the grocery store to collect names, some of those people fake it to get paid. Guess what?





I think the Times reported a while back that no one has ever been convicted of ‘voter fraud’. When Micky Mouse shows up at the polls, if his registration ever got that far, he would most likely not make it into the voting booth.

The FAR bigger story is one the Times had on the front page a week or so ago, of ILLEGAL VOTER SUPPRESSION AND PURGING OF THE ROLLS. This is a Republican tactic perfected in the age of Rove.

No other advanced democracy allows partisan operatives to actually run the election process. Yet here they are brazen enough to have Republican Secretaries of State at the State level that not only run the election, control the registration process, purge the rolls, whatever they want, but at the same time, THEY ARE THE STATE CHAIRMEN OF THE BUSH CAMPAIGN!! (Harris, FL, 2000, JK Blackwell, Ohio, 2004). AND YOU TALK ABOUT ‘VOTER FRAUD’???

Once again, it seems McCain is guilty of everything he charges Obama with. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac? He’s there. ACORN, ditto. Terrorists? G. Gordon Liddy, John Singlaub, etc.

I don’t know if he lost his honor, or never had any.

Hey mesmerati
do you really think that mickey mouse or Tony Romo is going to try to vote illegally on election day? Do you really think this is going to have an impact on vote count? Republican efforts to suppress legal voters is a much greater threat. GET OVER IT. Find another excuse for the fact that you have a pathetic ticket that no one wants to vote for.

Is ACORN only representing poor Americans. Are there any GOP voters that has registered with ACORN ?

The GOP ain’t got a leg to stand on when it comes to charging “voter fraud.” ‘Course, when you steal a few elections, you always want to see if you can get just…one…more.

For the last time, who first flagged the bogus registrations? ACORN!

So far, the only bad thing I have heard about ACORN is that they may have paper work that show people with names like “Mickey Mouse” or “Tony Romo” registered to vote. Does anyone really believe a “Mickey Mouse” or anyone other than the real Tony Romo can really vote? If these people with fictitious names do not actually vote, and ACORN and the responsible authorities can eventually weed out such faulty registerations, shouldn’t we be happy as long as the real people ACORN registers vote?

Oh whine…

No one complaining about ACORN is willing to state ANY concern for the stuff that Jeb and Co (Katherine Harris) pulled in Floriday (state troopers coincidentally doing random safety checks on election day in poor districts, purging voter rolls willy nilly, etc. etc. etc.)

If you’re really concerned about democracy, you’d be asking why Diebold changed it’s name, among other things…

Don’t want to share the big toys is all…