The press has given the republican party another break, calling this a mistake. What is missed is the irony of the fact that in trying to associate their candidate with the Walter Reed Medical Center, they have proved that their candidate has never even seen the Walter Reed Medical Center (or if he has, he has no recollection of it.)
It gets worse. The LAUSD charges $2,500/day for filming at its schools. I wonder if a check is on the way. So if its not bad enough that Republicans perpetually underfund education, it now appears as if they are actively stealing from our public schools.
The principal of Walter Reed Middle School, Donna Tobin released a statement on the school's website saying that the school had not given permission for the footage to be used, "nor is the use of our school’s picture an endorsement of any political party or view." I have lived in North Hollywood. McCain's lame attempt to connect himself to this marvelous community is an insult. I am willing to bet that there is not a single person with a family member in that school or otherwise actively involved at that schools that benefits from another Republican administration (except for those that are willing to sacrifice their jobs and affordable healthcare over gun control.)
I am not convinced this is a mistake. At best, this was a reckless act. In other words, an act undertaken without any regard for the truth. As McCain has insisted, "this campaign is not about the issues." It is an effort to convince a majority of the populace that they are similarly situated to those who earn over $600,000 per year and thus benefit from Republican policies. The only way they can do this in light of increased wealth stratification, decrease in real wages, the disappearance of public social services, and the rising cost of and thus unavailability of health care to the marginalized middle class, is to lie.
