BY TAYLOR MARSH
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An email from John McCain the other day came in with the above beauty of a picture attached. Marc Ambinder has the full text of the email up, so I won’t reprint it.
The Department of Defense is quite specific about these things (pdf via email).
Section 4 of this directive states that the policy behind this directive is to remain “[i]n keeping with the traditional concept that members on active duty should not engage in partisan political activity[.]” … ..
4.1.2.2. Use official authority or influence to interfere with an election . . . solicit votes for a particular candidate or issue, or require or solicit political contributions from others . . . .
Here’s the response from the McCain campaign:
UPDATE 2: McCain campaign spokesman Brian Rogers says using the image of Petraeus is not at all contrary to the spirit of Mullen’s directive. “We’re not suggesting General Petraeus has endorsed anyone in this race. I’m sure you’ll find (attached is one example) that Senator Obama has used pictures of himself with troops in the course of this campaign.”
McCain’s email message is obvious: General Petraeus is all in for John, whether he states it or not.
I’m on a call with the Clinton campaign about tomorrow’s RBC meeting. It began like this: The January results should count. The preferences expressed in those votes should be honored. The full delegation should be seated. … Full votes, period, no half votes… .. “Those are our goals.” I’ll report more in the comments if something interesting pops up.
UPDATE and Breaking… “No, it won’t happen again,” John McCain said during a press gaggle when asked about the appropriateness of the email above that had been sent out in a fundraising plea. You could tell by McCain’s response he was not happy about either having to answer the question or the fact that his staff blew it.
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