McCain Adviser Pulls Out Of Tech Debate Due To A ‘Scheduling Conflict,’ Appears On MSNBC Instead»

[babylonsister]

Sound familiar? Just like his boss...


McCain Adviser Pulls Out Of Tech Debate Due To A ‘Scheduling Conflict,’ Only To Appear On MSNBC Instead»


Today from 12:30-1:45 p.m., the New America Foundation and WIRED magazine were scheduled to host an event on tech policy with top McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin v. Obama adviser and former FCC chairman Reed Hundt. Holtz-Eakin, however, never showed up. From a notice on the New America Foundation’s website:

NOTE: Due to a last-minute scheduling conflict, Douglas Holtz-Eakin is unable to participate in today’s event, and the McCain campaign will not be sending an alternate spokesperson. The event will proceed as scheduled with Reed Hundt representing the Obama campaign.

ThinkProgress spoke with Troy Schneider, new media editor at the New America Foundation, who said that the McCain campaign contacted them and canceled at 9 a.m. today. “I do think that this was just an honest scheduling conflict,” said Schneider. “He got pulled into meetings he had to do with the campaign today.” An aide in the McCain campaign press office said that he believed Holtz-Eakin simply had “campaign stuff” to do, but our call to Holtz-Eakin’s office has not yet been returned.

However, Holtz-Eakin appeared on MSNBC today, raising questions about whether there really was a true “scheduling conflict.” Holtz-Eakin’s appearance was at 1:00 p.m., right during the middle of the New America event. While on MSNBC, Holtz-Eakin tried to argue that Obama would be a third term of President Bush, saying that it’s “Barack Obama who’s doubling down on the Bush spending.”

Watch it at link~

Why is the McCain campaign so afraid to debate tech policy? Last week, Thompson reported that WIRED originally requested that former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina represent the McCain campaign at the event. Although she said she would be “happy to participate,” the McCain campaign “vetoed her.” Thompson then requested Michael Powell, Meg Whitman, or John Chambers.

Instead, the campaign offered Holtz-Eakin. On Oct. 24, New America sent out an invitation to the event with the billing of Hundt and Holtz-Eakin. This morning, when the learned that Holtz-Eakin was going to be a no-show, Thompson asked for Lee Dunn, Bill Bailey, and Bryan Tramont. None of them were available.

ThinkProgress also spoke with Nicholas Thompson, WIRED senior editor and moderator of the event, who said that he “thought it was lame” that Holtz-Eakin backed out. When we told him that Holtz-Eakin had instead appeared on MSNBC, Thompson was shocked at the McCain campaign’s poor etiquette:

What was frustrating is that how difficult it was to set it up, and they knew how difficult it was to set it up, and they withdrew at the last minute.

more...

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/30/holtz-eakin-naf/

[cocotea]

1. Mccain campaign is very good on being no-shows

[Egnever]

2. I am constantly amazed by the pettiness

Why Veto carly? Causae of that one dumb comment about him not being ready to run HP? Seems pretty stupid to cut off one of their most efective female spokesmen... or is that spokeswomen.

[Poiuyt]

3. They're mad at Douglas Holtz-Eakin brcause he ripped McCain's health plan

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/good-time-for-enormous-gaffe-on-health.html

Younger, healthier workers likely wouldn't abandon their company-sponsored plans, said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McCain's senior economic policy adviser.

"Why would they leave?" said Holtz-Eakin. "What they are getting from their employer is way better than what they could get with the credit."

[AtomicKitten]

4. John McCain Flintstone.

[babylonsister]

6. LOL! That's about right! nt

[dgibby]

5. Now they know how Dave Letterman felt!

[AlCzervik]

7. Holtz-Eakin was also the one that said McCain's health care plan pretty much sucked.

[Overseas]

8. Maybe the REAL inventor of the Blackberry was going to be there. //nt