Paris Hilton’s family fuming at McCain campaign
July 31st, 2008 . by MartyI hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad criticizing Obama for being a celebrity has ruffled some unintended feathers. I, for one, quite liked the ad, but I hear whispers from the inner campaign staff that the phone was burning off the hook today with calls from Paris Hilton’s grandfather, William Barron Hilton (co-chair of the Hilton Hotel empire), furious that the McCain ad drew an unflattering comparison between Obama and his own granddaughter.
It seems that the elder Hilton has donated $18,400 to the McCain campaign, and $35,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the last couple of years. (Paris’s father, Rick Hilton, has given an additional $6,900 to the McCain campaign. Suffice it to say, he’s none too pleased either.)
Apparently, the elder Hiltons had breathed a sigh of relief that Paris was starting to get her act together since hitting rock bottom with her stay in jail last year, when all of a sudden the McCain ad compares her unfavorably to Britney Spears and Barack Obama.
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 well. So much for my comped room at the Minneapolis Hilton for the convention.
Update: Here’s a few related posts to this item I posted last night. From all ends of the spectrum:
Michelle Malkin, Wonkette, Los Angeles Times, Debbie Schlussel, Huffington Post, DailyKos
[…] Martin Eisenstadt (hat tip - Joe S.) I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad […]
Maybe Mccain dissed Paris because he didn’t like the service at the Hanoi Hilton.
u r deluded
this is all good for mccain
i love hearing u libs squeal
[…] “Paris Hilton’s Family Fuming at McCain Campaign” [via Michelle Malkin] Save and Share: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. […]
any publicity is good publicity. even for hilton. besides, why do you think she is “unfavorably” compared to obama? she seems to have more substance and better resume than him.
Let’s not forget that Britney is also a Republican and a Bush fan.
Phil Grimm, comment no.2:
LOL!
Poul @ 4: Quite! I especially loved the when Miss Hilton proposed and managed to get passed and signed into law against substantial initial opposition a bill which substantially improved the reliability of the justice system in her home state.
Oh wait, that was Obama.
Utter nonsense. Nobody in the McCain campaign gives a rat’s ass as to what any of the addle-brained Hilton’s think about this ad or anything else for that matter.
[…] many other Americans up to this point — the difference being, some of the Hiltons have been huge campaign donors to the Señor McCain for Prez movement (Source: Martin Eisenstadt’s Blog). […]
Oh, please, considering Paris has several sex tapes that circulate on the internet, it’s hard to believe they think this is such a big deal. They gave around 50 grand to republicans, who cares? That doesn’t exactly make or break McCain and certainly does not give them any weight in telling McCain how to run his campaign.
[…] Martin Eisenstadt’s blog: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad criticizing […]
Do you really think the Hilton’s care what McCain’s campaign has to say about their daughter? They’ve lived for years with far far worse. Why should they give a crap?
And do you really think McCain will care what the Hilton’s have to say about this?
Hell, if Hilton is a typical elite Republican than he will probably say, “Hey, if it gets a Republican elected and gives me more tax breaks then smear my daughter all you want!”
You’re right .. McCain should have used Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson instead.
[…] in Uncategorized Someone at the McCain camp wasn’t thinking… I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad criticizing Obama for […]
Let’s not forget the two corporations the campaign slammed, too: MetRx and HonestTea. I bet Obama will have a field day with the “Difficult to find brand HonestTea” - seems to be difficult to find only for McCain! Everyone else gets it at WalMart or Walgreen’s!
actually i think obama should use paris in HIS ad. as an example of why the estate tax (snarkily rebranded the death tax) is bad for this country. it only benefits the oligarchs using the real conservatives as human shields to perpetuate their dynasties.
when are we going to get back to actual conservative thought and politics? im sorry, but mccain is a joke. i am voting for barr.
I think Bush is a better comparison. Paris, Britney and Bush have about the same IQ.
“she seems to have more substance and better resume than him.” by poul
That’s just brilliant. You’re a genius. Substance? How’s your copy of “A Night in Paris?” A bit worn, is it?
It’s no wonder her grandfather’s upset: every time Paris is in the news, fewer people stay at their hotels.
Um, what? Where the hell did you get this “fact” from? Oh right, your rear end.
Phil Grimm You are the BOMB
This ironic affair gives new meaning to the phrase, “you get what you pay for.”
[…] “Paris Hilton’s Family Fuming at McCain Campaign” [via Michelle Malkin] […]
The Hiltons should be outraged over McCain using their daughter in an ad. Paris bears strong resemblance to a young blonde that McCain dumped his first wife for. Cindy is getting old and boring. No one likes her and PARIS HAS LOTS OF MONEY so he wouldn’t need to change his lifestyle although Paris is most likely repulsed by cranky old men who wear diapers and look pretty ugly to boot.
Where are the Republicans who aren’t stupid asses?
When I look at McCain, I start thinking on the old guard of politicians in Sovjet and the former eastern european countries. US need new blood in The White House - and Obama is the only candidate who will be able to get US back on the track as a country, europeans look up to and consider as 100% friends. Thanks to Bush you are down at 51% - if so high. Instead of using dirty marketing, McCain should consider how he could unite the american people in one mission : how to get US back on the track financially and how US can have a comeback as a well educated and highly informed country with a fair and sober attitude to human rights. I am sure that his campaign will backfire as “normal thinking” people hopefully have en brain capacity to see, what the “old man`s” way of campaigning is wrong to secure a fair democratic proces in a all and any run for President or Prime Minister in any country all over the world. Otherwise he will be a joke - outside US.
[…] might say, ‘Oops! He did it again.’ " Except oh no, Paris’s grandfather is understandably pissed at his daughter being compared to a scrappy, charismatic, up-and-coming Illinois senator! […]
[…] the only “hot” involved between Paris and the McCain team is that the Hilton family is a bit hot under the collar. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad criticizing Obama for […]
[…] pleased that his daughter was made a mockery of by the Arizona senator. But today comes news that the rage doesn’t end with Daddy Hilton, because William Barron Hilton, Paris’ grandfather, is a freakin’ GOP whale, having […]
How can you say the Hiltons won’t care about this slam? They’ve been calling because they DO care. Paris’ sex tape is not the same league because her relatives didn’t PAY for the video.
And $50k is a lot when you know that there is a cap on the amount you’re allowed to donate.
[…] Martin Eisenstadt predicts complete doom and damnation over at McCain central: […]
The ad just shows that McCain is still very interested in young thin blondes and that Paris has made sex tapes has made her more of a lure for McCain. When will he go for number three.
Here’s a news flash. Paris Hilton didn’t hit rock bottom by going to jail. She hit rock bottom in a porn video. Just so we have it straight, ‘kay?
They should stick to the issues like MCcain not knowing his history. Does not know what countries boarder each other in the Middle east, does not know when the surge started, does not know what the difference between Sunni is. Yet pretends he knows about foreign affairs. I want someone with intelligence running my country not another Busy. Plus he is the biggest flip flopper about the issues. Now he has allinated the Hilltons And Britney who may just have voted for him. Too bad they already have contributed to his campaign. He already has allinated most of the religous leaders whom he used to get through primaries.
Apropos of nothing, the back of the shirt Ms. Hilton is wear reads, and I am not making this up, “Your Not”. I believe the above photo, paired with the “from behind” shot is the logo for the Facebook group, “People who know the difference between ‘Your’ and ‘You’re’”. Sad.
[…] My last post about Paris Hilton’s family getting angered over the recent McCain ad definitely generated a firestorm in both the MSM and on the blogosphere - even a related story on The Daily Show. I, myself, have subsequently had several interview requests in the last couple of days, and I’m trying to oblige them all. […]
comment number 13 by: Chris Andersen
July 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Do you really think the Hilton’s care what McCain’s campaign has to say about their daughter? They’ve lived for years with far far worse. Why should they give a crap?
And do you really think McCain will care what the Hilton’s have to say about this?
Hell, if Hilton is a typical elite Republican than he will probably say, “Hey, if it gets a Republican elected and gives me more tax breaks then smear my daughter all you want!”
So Chris Anderson, can I smear your granddaughter all over the news media, drag her name and reputation through the mud of a political campaign and use her like a political football? Would you like that? I mean afterall you might get some nice tax breaks for it all. Would you really like that? Knowing what a crass Republican you are, you probably would. The heck with your familie’s good name and reputation so long as I can get my tax break is that it?
[…] celeb comes with its own pitfalls - there’s the racial stereotype thing, the Hilton a.k.a. big McCain campaign contributors thing, the Britney thing, the gender thing, the totally not true thing, his mother is all […]
[…] bookmarks tagged paris hilton Paris Hilton’s family fuming at McCain campaign saved by 3 others ronronnienie bookmarked on 08/03/08 | […]
[…] the couple of naysayers out there who questioned my sourcing on last week’s post about Paris Hilton’s family being upset with the McCain campaign for comparing her to Barack Obama, I simply say the proof is […]
[…] a few people noticed in my Paris Hilton post that hedge fund king Peter G. Peterson of the Blackstone Group gave $30,800 to John McCain […]
[…] to political strategist Martin Eisenstadt, the word on the street is that William Barron has been positively livid about these latest shenanigans, allegedly calling the campaign headquarters furiously in the wake […]
THANK you
[…] Via Martin Eisenstadt’s Blog: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that the new McCain ad criticizing Obama for being a celebrity has ruffled some unintended feathers. I, for one, quite liked the ad, but I hear whispers from the inner campaign staff that the phone was burning off the hook today with calls from Paris Hilton’s grandfather, William Barron Hilton (co-chair of the Hilton Hotel empire), furious that the McCain ad drew an unflattering comparison between Obama and his own granddaughter. […]
Celeb? You mean to tell me Obama is like those Republican Ronald Reagan, Sonny Bono, Arnold Schwarzenegger? WHo are all Celebs? Well, I think old senile McCain’s wife has more in common with the Hiltons than Obama does. And all you wanks who want to focus on getting a wealthy debutant into the White House must be making cash like they do. The rest of us are trying to save our homes from foreclosure, while feeding our families and getting them health coverage and a good daycare. The Republican party turned on the Middle Class long ago with Reagan and now McCain wants to continue it. I’m voting for the Right candidate not the White candidate like all of the fear driven sheep who believe they have something in common with a Celebutant heiress who owns 6 homes and a beer franchise.
[…] phone-calls, telegrams and blog posts from the Hilton family, all the way up to grandfather and co-chair of the Hilton Hotel empire William Barron Hilton. It seems that, being Republicans and having supported his campaign, they did not approve Ms. […]
How could the author think the Hilton pressure will have any impact on the campaign? No one’s resigned. I have lost a lot of respect for McCain. He’s showing his true colors. Whatever the merits, it’s nonsubstantive and personal both which means it’s the definition of a negative campaign ad. Good luck Republicans cause you stink from the top down. Why does the party that’s supposed to be so moral and family values never seems to have any ethical considerations when making a decision?