BeachGate! McCain Camp Lies Again: There Are No Private Beaches In Hawaii

[jefferson_dem]

McCain Camp Lies Again: There Are No Private Beaches In Hawaii
from Oliver Willis by [e-mail] (Oliver Willis)

Flailing furiously after their candidate’s ridiculously elitist gaffe today, the McCain camp goes into the lie volcano:

“‘Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses?’”

There are no private beaches in Hawaii.

Hawaii has no private beaches. Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his youth there, visited relatives during his vacation and joined members of the public swimming and surfing in the ocean.

You see, real estate magnates like John McCain are used to swimming in private beaches and hot tubs behind their high fences, they wouldn’t dare to swim in a pool where the … horrors … public swims. Sen. Obama has no such concerns, however.

http://www.oliverwillis.com/2008/08/21/mccain-camp-lies-again-there-are-no-private-beaches-in-hawaii/

[glowing]

1. seeing how McLame owns 2 condos on the beach seems like a stupid thing to say

about Obama going home.

[Bjorn Against]

2. Not to mention the stupidity of attacking Obama for making $4 million when just last week...

John McCain said that in order to be rich you had to make $5 million a year. It is also stupid to attack Obama for being a multi-millionaire elitist when you are twenty times richer than he is. McCain is not exactly the brightest person in the world.

[MorningGlow]

3. Thought so

I remember a bunch of years ago when George Harrison got into deep doo-doo for trying to make the beach in front of his house private. He failed.

[progressoid]

4. Oh you libruls with your details and facts and knowledge and stuff.

[hootinholler]

5. Did Obama make $4M last year?

How? Speaking fees?

-Hoot

[unblock]

6. book?

make the books:

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/national/20080417_Obama_s_book_sales_boost__07_income_to__4_2M.html

Obama's book sales boost '07 income to $4.2M

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and his wife, Michelle, made $4.2 million last year as widespread interest in the presidential candidate pushed the sales of his two books.

In tax returns the campaign released yesterday, the Obamas reported a significant jump in their income from the previous year as profits from "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" accounted for some $4 million.

[hootinholler]

7. Thanks!

I forgot about the books. Still, 4.2M from book sales is a shitpot full of books!

-Hoot

[denem]

8. Relax: It's middle class now.

[Progressiveboarder]

9. thought I'd clear this one point up

I'm all for progress and want to see a good campaign but I've seen this posted in several discussion forums regarding Hawaii's "Private" beaches and it should be addressed. Whether or not Obama stayed at one doesn't matter, but when the news media report and then, in turn everyone repeats unequivocally that there are no private beaches in Hawaii, I start to wonder ("However, the McCain campaign erred in part of its criticism: Hawaii has no private beaches. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5KYVj3b7Jr4YUPxf8ppl1QM8QtwD92MQUH80". Three minutes of research online and it's pretty obvious. Hawaii DOES have private beaches and it's official tourism site and city council members make this clear. It may be an ongoing issue in the state, but when city council members and the board of tourism defines them as private... well what are we to think? EPIC Fail! If anyone with a computer can easily debunk what the party is saying, it makes everyone look bad. Please let's not all embarrass the party like this again, and good luck in November!

Just a thought.

http://www.gohawaii.com/search?types=listings%2Cevents&location=&category=&subcategory=&q=private+beaches&p=1

http://www.beachaccesshawaii.org/labels/Legal%20Issues.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. From your link:

The State Constitution guarantees the public's right to use all beaches in the state; the State Supreme Court - on numerous occasions - has upheld the public's right to beach access, and many state laws exist that task the counties with the responsibility of ensuring public beach right of ways.

[Progressiveboarder]

11. both links clearly state that 'private beaches' exist

My point is that if the state tourism and other officials categorize beaches as public or private, then it's clear that they are, whether or not there are issues with people being allowed or denied the 'right' to use them. It's an obvious issue for the state to sort out and I'm as for FREE public use of beaches as anyone but if they're all public then state officials would never refer to any beaches as private...

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. From the AP:

However, the McCain campaign erred in part of its criticism: Hawaii has no private beaches. Obama, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his youth there, visited relatives during his vacation and joined members of the public swimming and surfing in the ocean.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5KYVj3b7Jr4YUPxf8ppl1QM8QtwD92MQUH80

[Progressiveboarder]

14. ah, AP

Please tell me that no matter what your political persuasion may be that you wouldn't simply take the Associated Press' word on something like that without a citation or reference...
I did note the above quote along with the link in my criticism of the story. Perhaps I should email them? :P

[MojoMojoMojo]

13. Nobody gives a rats ass about private beaches.But you ignore

the true statement about Rezko.
Like that is something neutral.
You all are blind ,but the 11% undecided may think its unacceptable.Especially if the media begins to report the true extent of Rezkos relationship to Obama.
Its only going to get worse after the convention.
I agree that the beach thing is a lie BTW .
Sadly the Rezko thing is true.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. The Rezko thing is true??

:wtf:

[dkf]

16. Somebody hasn't done their homework...and I think its you.

[DangerousRhythm]

17. So, you think the Rezco thing is true?

Interesting.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

18. Psst. Hey.

I hear he's a secret gay muslim too.

[Political Heretic]

19. and a communist

[Warren Stupidity]

20. Uh not true. But thanks for your concern.

Rezko bought the adjacent lot and the Obama's bought 1/6 of that lot back from the Rezkos for 1/6 of the purchase price. The deal has been investigated and other than the fact that later Rezko got into legal trouble, nobody has found anything actually wrong with the Obama's purchase of their house and the Rezko's purchase of the adjacent lot.

[GoesTo11]

21. Speaking of Hawaii, it has a special place in John & Cindy's hearts.

That's where they first met and started committing adultery together, and then it's where they honeymooned (while John was apparently still married to Carol) to celebrate John's dumping of his injured wife for the new rich one.