Blame Game Begins: Fingers Being Pointed @ A.B Culvahouse for Palin 'Vetting' Process

[ByLoSellHi]

I realize that this is from the liberal-bastion that is the Wall Street Journal, but...

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/09/03/as-palin-gets-picked-over-some-eyes-turn-to-culvahouse/

As Palin Gets Picked Over, Some Eyes Turn to Culvahouse

Posted by Ashby Jones
September 3, 2008, 2:02 pm

As details of Sarah Palin’s past have dribbled out over the last several days (Troopergate, her daughter’s pregnancy, her husband’s DUI), some have questioned the thoroughness of John McCain’s veep-vetting process. So it’s perhaps only natural that the name A.B. Culvahouse would start appearing with more frequency.

Culvahouse, the chairman of O’Melveny & Myers, a former counsel to President Reagan and a well-respected Beltway lawyer, was tapped by McCain earlier in the year to head up McCain’s VP search team.

Both the LA Times and the Washington Post report today that Culvahouse sat down with Palin for a lengthy interview last week. When asked by the LA Times why more of Palin’s Alaska colleagues hadn’t been contacted, McCain aide Mark Salter said that Culvahouse and his team of lawyers “are very good and very discreet.”

An American Lawyer article out today on the topic asks whether McCain’s timing may have made life difficult for Culvahouse and his team. McCain’s need for discretion and secrecy may have compounded problems. According to the WaPo, Culvahouse was chasing down last-minute information about Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty at the request of the campaign as late as last Thursday, the day McCain offered the job to Palin and she accepted. Culvahouse did not respond to a request for comment made by AmLaw, and did not immediately respond to a call placed by us.

Still, as Palin gears up for tonight’s speech at the Republican Convention in St. Paul, the campaign is sticking by her wholeheartedly. Asked by the LA Times whether there was any chance Palin would be dropped from the ticket, Salter responded indignantly: “Why? What would be the reason? Her daughter’s pregnant? A bunch of cable chatter? He made the right pick. He’s very excited.”

 

[OldTrader]

Here's a link to another look at the McCain vetting process:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/palin.vetting/?iref=mpstoryview

Here's a reprint of part of it:

This official said a 25-person team, led by Washington attorney A.B. Culvahouse, started by compiling reports on 20 top vice presidential contenders, using only public documents like disclosure forms, public records, newspaper articles and interview transcripts.

That information was eventually presented to McCain, and to top campaign advisers Mark Salter, Steve Schmidt, Charlie Black and Rick Davis -- the only four aides involved in the highly secretive process.

Once McCain and those aides narrowed the choices to a short list, Palin and other contenders were contacted and asked for documents, including a credit check, tax returns and additional financial disclosure forms.

The official told CNN that all of those on the short list -- including Palin -- were asked to answer 70 "intrusive" questions, including "Have you ever paid for sex?" and "Have you ever been fairly or unfairly accused of sexual harassment?"

The questions were also described as some basic queries now asked of presidential nominees, like whether they ever hired illegal workers or neglected to pay taxes for nannies.

In one of her answers, Palin told McCain aides about her husband's DUI arrest 22 years ago.

Then Culvahouse, along with a few associates, interviewed Palin for three hours. During that interview, she revealed her teenage daughter's pregnancy -- and was warned it would become public if she were picked. "She said she'd have those conversations with her daughter," the source said.

From the start of the vetting process, one red flag was a state investigation into whether Palin improperly dismissed Alaska's Public Safety Commissioner for not firing her ex-brother-in-law.

CNN was told that McCain investigators spent considerable time looking into the so-called "Troopergate" affair -- interviewing Palin's lawyer and quietly talking to others involved -- and decided the facts were on her side.

 

[ByLoSellHi]

Quote from OldTrader:

Here's a link to another look at the McCain vetting process:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/02/palin.vetting/?iref=mpstoryview

Here's a reprint of part of it:

Interesting. Thanks.

It would appear there's a conflict in the media about whether Palin was satisfactorily vetted or not.

We won't know the answer unless McCain removes her from the ticket now, which is highly unlikely, though Intrade is taking bets on that now.

 

[bigdavediode]

Quote from ByLoSellHi:

Interesting. Thanks.

It would appear there's a conflict in the media about whether Palin was satisfactorily vetted or not.

Based even solely on her daughters unmarried, unplanned pregnancy I'd say the answer is a big "unsatisfactory."

The evangelicals are already displeased, now they're going to be right upset.

 

[AAAintheBeltway]

Quote from bigdavediode:

Based even solely on her daughters unmarried, unplanned pregnancy I'd say the answer is a big "unsatisfactory."

The evangelicals are already displeased, now they're going to be right upset.

Evangelicals are displeased? Says who? They love Palin.

This pick has done the impossible. It has energized the conservative base. They are mad as hell about the way the left wing media have gone after this woman and her family. Obama's lackeys in the media have awakened the sleeping giant.

 

[Mercor]

Quote from OldTrader:

In one of her answers, Palin told McCain aides about her husband's DUI arrest 22 years ago.
Then Culvahouse, along with a few associates, interviewed Palin for three hours. During that interview, she revealed her teenage daughter's pregnancy

Seems like they knew all this stuff.

The issue is how do you release it. Do you make the announcment then at the same time announce the DUI and the pregnancy.

No , you make the annoucment then after a pause release more info.

Obama admitted to cocaine use , a felony...If he had got caught would that make it an issue as a DUI? I really think the two are both serious even though the law looks much worst on Cocaine......Of course had he got caught he could never had become a lawyer.

 

[OldTrader]

Quote from Mercor:

Seems like they knew all this stuff.

The issue is how do you release it. Do you make the announcment then at the same time announce the DUI and the pregnancy.

No , you make the annoucment then after a pause release more info.

Obama admitted to cocaine use , a felony...If he had got caught would that make it an issue as a DUI? I really think the two are both serious even though the law looks much worst on Cocaine......Of course had he got caught he could never had become a lawyer.

Obama uses cocaine, Palin's husband gets a DWI 22 years ago. Note, nothing there about Palin.

OldTrader