Re: Sen. John McCain cancels Bilbray event


Jake wrote:

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McCain Cancels Appearance at GOP California Fundraiser

Sen. John McCain canceled a fundraiser for Republican Brian Bilbray in
California's special election after the candidate publicly criticized
the Senate immigration bill.

McCain, R-Ariz., the top proponent of comprehensive immigration reform,
won't appear at the Wednesday breakfast fundraiser.

Bilbray is in a June 6 run-off election with Democrat Francine Busby to
replace the vacant seat of embattled former Rep. Randy "Duke"
Cunningham, who was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison
for accepting bribes.

Bilbray has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on TV commercials
attacking Busby for her support of the immigration bill that McCain
co-authored with Massachusetts Democrat Edward Kennedy.

"Perhaps Senator McCain canceled his appearance after learning that
lobbyist Brian Bilbray has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars
attacking the McCain immigration reform plan that Francine supports,"
said Brennan Bilberry, a spokesman for Busby.

Busby's campaign released an online commercial to promote her support
of McCain's plan.

"I was looking forward to Senator McCain's visit to San Diego so he
could explain his tough immigration reform plan to San Diegans," Busby
said. "It is disappointing that Brian Bilbray does not want to have a
serious conversation about Senator McCain's tough immigration reform
that I support."


California Republican Rep. David Dreier will replace McCain, FOX News
has learned. Dreier's presence is aimed to identify Bilbray with the
congressman's efforts to lead House efforts on lobbying reform.
Bilbray's campaign told FOX that they considered McCain's scheduled
appearance potentially harmful.

Other Republicans have voiced opposition to the Senate immigration
bill. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee, campaigned for Bilbray and criticized a previous version of
the Senate bill.

Republicans want to replace Cunningham's seat with one of their own as
some consider it to be a test of the Democrats ability to capitalize on
President Bush's low job approval poll numbers.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman has deployed 70
field staffers to canvass voters and generate turnout for Tuesday's
election. The Democrats are sending House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
to campaign for Busby. California's two Democratic senators, Dianne
Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, will also campaign for Busby.

The Democratic congressional committee on Tuesday sent out a mass
fundraising e-mail by chairman Rep. Rahm Emanuel.

"The years when Democrats just played defense are over. This election,
it will be Democrats who set the tone forcing Republicans to
frantically spend millions of dollars to defend themselves. It will be
Democrats who go on to Republican turf and make them fight for their
political lives," according to Emanuel's message.

Cunningham won two years ago 58 percent to 36 percent over Busby. The
district voted 55 percent for Bush and 44 percent for Democratic
nominee John Kerry. Bush defeated former Vice President Al Gore in 2000
with 54 percent to 43 percent.

FOX News' Major Garrett contributed to this report.\

Thanks for posting this information. It is certainly detailed. I
wonder if Pelosi, Feinstein and Boxer will be assets or liabilities?

.

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