McCain asks Russian UN mission to help finance his presidential campaign

**Heathen Hammer** · October 20, 2008, 04:31 PM

http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/2110380/posts
http://www.undispatch.com/archives/2..._un_amba_1.php

UNITED NATIONS, October 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's permanent mission to the UN has received a letter from U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain asking for financial support of his election campaign, the mission said in a statement on Monday.

"We have received a letter from Senator John McCain with a request for a financial donation to his presidential election campaign. In this respect we have to reiterate that neither Russia's permanent mission to the UN nor the Russian government or its officials finance political activities in foreign countries," the statement said.

According to Ruslan Bakhtin, press secretary of the Russian mission, the letter dated September 29 and signed by McCain, was addressed to Vitaly Churkin, Russia's envoy to the UN, and arrived on October 16.

The ambassador's title was not included in the letter, and was not clear why the letter had taken over two weeks to arrive.

Enclosed was a request for a donation of up to $5,000 to McCain's election campaign to be returned with a check or permission to withdraw the money from the donor's credit card until October 24.

Individual donations to candidates' election campaigns are capped by law at $2,300, and it is illegal to accept donations from foreign nationals.

McCain accepted the $84 million in public financing available to his election campaign, and consequently cannot accept private donations. However, the Republican National Committee is collecting donations that can be used to support his candidacy in limited ways.

Legal barriers aside, the request and the official response from the Russian mission appear even more confusing in the light of McCain's overall negative attitude toward Russia.

Last year he said the G8 should exclude Russia, citing "diminishing political freedoms, a leadership dominated by a clique of former intelligence officers, [and] efforts to bully democratic neighbors."

On August 12, during the brief conflict between Russia and Georgia in its breakaway region of South Ossetia, McCain said he had told Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili: "I know I speak for every American when I say to him, 'Today, we are all Georgians.'"

The Gallup Poll daily tracking survey on Sunday showed Democrat Barack Obama leading McCain nationally by 10 percentage points, 52-42.

Jeez, what a hypocrite.

**Kiljan Arslan** · October 20, 2008, 04:32 PM

source?

**Heathen Hammer** · October 20, 2008, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Kiljan Arslan

source?

My bad, I just edited my first post.

**Frankie88** · October 20, 2008, 04:42 PM

The spokesperson from the Russian UN Mission believes that that this letter was received in error. The letter contains no honorifics to describe Ambassador Churkin nor does it refer at all to Russia. It is simply a generic fundraising letter--albeit sent to the top Russian diplomat at the United Nations.

So its basicly spam send to the wrong adress, a rather badly timed cock up

**Mikelus Trento** · October 20, 2008, 05:16 PM

I can just hear Rush now if it had been Obama's side made that mistake.

**Erik** · October 21, 2008, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Frankie88

So its basicly spam send to the wrong adress, a rather badly timed cock up

You can't expect somebody who wants to become president to have the management skills to instruct his own campaign organization to filter his list of potential donors on legal criteria, can you?

Originally Posted by Big War Bird

Noit would still be a non story to me if Obama had sent a form letter to an alien resident.

I'm not going to call you a liar but.....Uhm...OK, who am I kidding, I am going to call you a liar.

**Big War Bird** · October 21, 2008, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Erik

You can't expect somebody who wants to become president to have the management skills to instruct his own campaign organization to filter his list of potential donors on legal criteria, can you?

How about Obama not putting any controls on his campaign website to filter out illegal donations from foreign sources? Obama has received possibly as much as $200 million in suspect donations.

I'm not going to call you a liar but.....Uhm...OK, who am I kidding, I am going to call you a liar.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

(Looks longingly at the report button.)

**Kiljan Arslan** · October 20, 2008, 04:38 PM

It was a letter to the Russian ambassoder. THey didn't realize they sent it to him.

THat hardly is Mccain asking russia for help more of Mccain s campaing making a mistake.

**Каие** · October 20, 2008, 05:17 PM

No friggin way.

**Big War Bird** · October 20, 2008, 06:22 PM

What an incredible non story.

**morteduzionism** · October 21, 2008, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Big War Bird

What an incredible non story.

If this had been Obama you'd be using it to confirm your accusastions he's a Socialist...

But since it's McCain it's a "non story"...

Wait-a-sec...

Instead of just trashing it like 99% of people, the russian ambassador choose to try and embarass John MCCain, I guess we know who he's pulling for . . .

You still managed to sling some mud at Obama...sheesh...

**Big War Bird** · October 21, 2008, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by morteduzionism

If this had been Obama you'd be using it to confirm your accusastions he's a Socialist...

But since it's McCain it's a "non story"...

Noit would still be a non story to me if Obama had sent a form letter to an alien resident.

You still managed to sling some mud at Obama...sheesh...

It is no secret that virtually every entity that wishes America harm is rooting for Obama.

**Ishoss** · October 21, 2008, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Big War Bird

Noit would still be a non story to me if Obama had sent a form letter to an alien resident.

It is no secret that virtually every entity that wishes America harm is rooting for Obama.

I am not an American. I do not wish America any harm. I root for Obama.

**Applesmack** · October 21, 2008, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Ishoss

I am not an American. I do not wish America any harm. I root for Obama.

Couldn't have said it better

Agree 100% in everything.

**Big War Bird** · October 21, 2008, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Ishoss

I am not an American. I do not wish America any harm. I root for Obama.

So?

**Manco** · October 21, 2008, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by Big War Bird

It is no secret that virtually every entity that wishes America harm is rooting for Obama.

It is no secret that virtually everyone in the world roots for Obama. It's only statistically consistent that people who wish the US harm will root for him as well.

**zznɟ ǝɥʇ** · October 20, 2008, 06:26 PM

lol

**Big War Bird** · October 20, 2008, 06:29 PM

Instead of just trashing it like 99% of people, the russian ambassador choose to try and embarass John MCCain, I guess we know who he's pulling for . . .

**Strattios** · October 20, 2008, 06:38 PM

I highly doubt that it is as they said. Since they didn't show any evidence, it is more than likely it is either a lie, a set up, or someone who isn't really connected is responsible. While else would only a Russian bring it up. Its not like they are unbiased as to who wins.