Since John McCain is the self-professed expert in military tactics and counter insurgency, perhaps he could enlighten me as the proper terminology for this. I am leaning towards blowback, but it just doesn't fully encapsulate the raging hilarious stupidity of his campaign.
The John McCain campaign may want to rethink its strategy of attacking Barack Obama by comparing him Paris Hilton, her family has kicked a lot of money to his campaign.
Paris's parents have donated a combined $6,900 to the McCain campaign. The celebutaunt's father Rick gave McCain $4,600 in March, and her mother Kathleen spent her own $2,300 in April.
The family patriarch William Barron Hilton, the co-chairman of the Hilton hotel chain and celebrity's grandfather, has made five seperate donations to McCain, totaling $15,100. The elder Hilton is a highly active GOP donor for several campaigns and committees, having donated to Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani as well as the National Republican Senatorial Committee to the tune of $15,000.
Various media sources are reporting that phone calls have been made. These guys just ran an attack ad using the grand-daughter of a major Republican donor as bait, somehow I doubt Rick Davis will be repeating this quote to good ole W.B. Hilton
"What we decided to do is find the top three international celebrities in the world, and I would say from our indications, Britney and Paris came in second and third," said campaign manager Rick Davis. "Will people think of this as negative advertising? Look, it is the most entertaining thing I have seen on TV in a while." He went on: "It is not our campaign that is trying to make him into an international celebrity. It's his campaign... I don't know Paris Hilton and Britney Spears but they are international celebrities, so, you know, apples to apples."
What is even funnier is conservative reaction now that they find out that Paris Hilton is one of their tribe. Representing Right Blogistan, we have McCain adviser Martin Eisenstadt who was last seen trying to go after Obama's daughters, attempting to carefully execute a 3-point turn on conservative opinion about Paris. Not only does he predict that heads should roll, he defends her honor and then provides a rather tenuous business rationale as to why she should be off-limits. You can't make this up.
I suspect that heads will roll at the McCain headquarters - if not within the staff, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Steve Schmidt starts looking for a new consulting firm for the next round of ads. This is a reminder to my brethren at the Campaign: don’t bite the hand that feeds us.
Paris Hilton isn’t just a tabloid tart to be tossed around willy-nilly. She’s the living brand name of one of America’s most successful global corporations. It’s no wonder her grandfather’s upset: every time Paris is in the news, fewer people stay at their hotels. Try explaining that to The Blackstone Group - the hedge fund firm that bought into Hilton Hotels last year. Blackstone chairman Peter G. Peterson gave $30,800 to the McCain campaign this year. Guess who also called the campaign today?
Oh and yeah, if you are not laughing already, watch Jon Stewart go to town on this.
© Jed Lewison