Rick Davis Busted

If you work for a regular employer and just do a regular job, finding out about the work and finances of big-time Washington lobbyists can be eye-opening. I see them through the windows at the Palm, well-fed, chubby necks muffin-topping their crisp white collars, sharp knives slicing through the steaks, and wonder for a minute how they can endure the sheer boredom of their existence and where all that money really comes from. In Rick Davis's case, it comes from Freddie Mac:

The two sources, who requested anonymity discussing sensitive information, told Newsweek that Davis himself approached Freddie Mac in 2006 and asked for a new consulting arrangement that would allow his firm to continue to be paid. The arrangement was approved by Hollis McLoughlin, Freddie Mac's vice president for external relations, because "he [Davis] was John McCain's campaign manager and it was felt you couldn't say no," said one of the sources. [McLoughlin did not return phone calls].

Davis did next to nothing for the money.

This was classic corporate insurance, shaken down by someone in their pocket. And this person is running the McCain campaign and telling the public not to talk about issues. Meanwhile, McCain has no clue on this, as he seems to have no clue about Palin:

On Sunday, in an interview with CNBC and The New York Times, Mr. McCain responded to a question about Mr. Davis's role in the advocacy group through 2005 by saying that his campaign manager "has had nothing to do with it since, and I'll be glad to have his record examined by anybody who wants to look at it."

Do we really want an out-of-it president surrounded by corporate lobbying sleazeballs?