Secret Service requested cell tower at McCain ranch
posted at 11:35 am on October 16, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The Washington Post accused the McCains of using their influence to get a temporary cell tower installed at their ranch earlier this year, but as it turns out, James Grimaldi didn’t do his homework. The Secret Service requested the additional coverage earlier this year in order to bolster communications for their security detail on John McCain:
A representative for the Secret Service confirms Verizon’s statement earlier tonight that the company only put in a temporary cell service facility near the McCain ranch in Arizona at the request of the agency.
“We made a request of Verizon in I believe May that was covered under our contract and they did address our immediate needs,” said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren.
Zahren said the Washington Post story was “confusing two different issues — the temporary fix and the permanent solution to the tower.”
They’re confused, all right. Grimaldi reports on the two requests as coming from the McCains:
Early in 2007, just as her husband launched his presidential bid, Cindy McCain sought to resolve an old problem — the lack of cellphone coverage on her remote 15-acre ranch near Sedona, Ariz., nestled deep in a tree-lined canyon called Hidden Valley.
Over the past year, she offered land for a permanent cell tower, and Verizon Wireless embarked on an expensive public process to meet her needs, hiring contractors and seeking county land-use permits.
Verizon ultimately abandoned its effort to install a permanent tower in August. Company spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said the project would be “an inappropriate way” to build its network. “It doesn’t make business sense for us to do that,” he added.
Instead, Verizon delivered a portable tower known as a “cell site on wheels” — free of charge — to the McCain property in June, after the Secret Service began inquiring about improving coverage in the area. Such devices are used for providing temporary capacity where coverage is lacking or has been knocked out, in circumstances ranging from the Super Bowl to hurricanes.
This would have been a strange sort of scandal, anyway. Cindy McCain offered the use of the land for free in exchange for a cell tower. She initiated the request, not her husband, and did it through the proper channels. While Verizon certainly must have realized who the McCains are, that doesn’t make Mrs. McCain’s request or offer inappropriate.
And what was the benefit? Better cell coverage? Well, there’s a scandal. That’s so much more important than looking into Barack Obama’s funding of ACORN, the millions of dollars that he took from contributors named Qwerty Fghjkl;’ from ZX, and the cesspool of corruption in Chicago that Obama never bothered to reform but instead endorsed. I hope the WaPo didn’t have to tear too many people off of the tanning-booth beat in Wasilla to cover this blockbuster.
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This is stupid . . . Leftist slime is still creeping under my door.
rplat on October 16, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Verison, huh? Well .. go with the network.
wise_man on October 16, 2008 at 11:40 AM
This does not help Obama’s credibility……oh.. this was the media?
Same thing.
So I say phuey!!!
Mcguyver on October 16, 2008 at 11:41 AM
This is getting desperate…who says the Obama is ahead? This shows some real concern.
right2bright on October 16, 2008 at 11:41 AM
But that’s not the point. The left wanted it to Cindy’s fault. Geesh!
bloggless on October 16, 2008 at 11:42 AM
What’s with showing photos of McCain’s tongue hanging out today, Ed?
Trying to undermine McCain’s cleanliness?
Well phuey!!
Mcguyver on October 16, 2008 at 11:45 AM
I really hate myself for saying this, BUT
The Washington Post are a bunch of DUMBASSES.
I’m Original Pechanga and I approved this message
originalpechanga on October 16, 2008 at 11:46 AM
How about it’s a secruity issue!
Be perpared for the MSM to go into
distraction mode on this for a few
days!
And how about Obama,he’s spending $970,000
bucks for air time,while he claims there
in a depression!
canopfor on October 16, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I’d try to compare Jimmy Grimaldi to something or someone but maybe he’s his own standard of stupid-lazy.
The Grimaldi factor should be synonymous with getting Rathered.
AubieJon on October 16, 2008 at 11:47 AM
It looks like McCain’s saying: “Whhhaaaaazzzuuupppppppppppppp!?!?!?!??!?!?”
wise_man on October 16, 2008 at 11:47 AM
WaPo should correct this article immediately.
jimmy the notable on October 16, 2008 at 11:47 AM
…And in a related story:
Michelle Obama has requested all of James Brown’s stage costumes delivered to the White House since they fit her…
pherrman on October 16, 2008 at 11:49 AM
People do that all the time. It’s usually because they know they will collect pretty good rent for the tower, but sometimes they want it because of lousy service in the area too.
It’s apparently a low traffic area, so VzW put up a COW instead of spending hundreds of thousands for a permanent site. They do this all the time too. They bring in a COW for capacity coverage at car shows down the street from my house several times a year.
This is almost as bad as the tanning bed “scandal”
forest on October 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Jesus this is about as dumb as it gets.
They did the same thing when Sarah was in Alaska for her biased interview with whats-his-name. Brought in an extra tower.
Big Deal!
upinak on October 16, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Just another prime example of “in-depth” reporting from the MSM.
GarandFan on October 16, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Big Deal!
upinak on Oct 16,2008 at 11:50PM.
upinak: Excellent intel work!
Now somebody, somwhere, get on that story,and find
out what Gibson did,to have his tower set-up!:)
canopfor on October 16, 2008 at 11:54 AM
This is the first election I can remember where the MSM has been this blatant about their biased coverage.
highhopes on October 16, 2008 at 11:57 AM
I’m getting an ATT ad popping up with the WaPo article. Heh
forest on October 16, 2008 at 11:57 AM
If (please, dear God) McCain wins you can be sure the VzW and ATT Wireless will be installing a permanent cell tower in the area for the traveling press corps that’ll be hanging around the Western White House while McCain is at the ranch.
If not, the press corp would whine about the lousy cell coverage in the area, not good publicity for the cell carriers.
Sparky on October 16, 2008 at 11:59 AM
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!
I would do more than chuckle but my cold-cough gets worse when I guffaw.
Bishop on October 16, 2008 at 12:00 PM
This is getting desperate…who says the Obama is ahead? This shows some real concern.
right2bright on October 16, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Don’t forget when Bush ran the first time, they had him losing big time. He won hands down. Also, the second time because 9/11, they were a little in favor but still said same thing. Bush was behind. They try to spook all of us into going for the one that is ahead. Like we don’t have a brain of our own.
…And in a related story:
Michelle Obama has requested all of James Brown’s stage costumes delivered to the White House since they fit her…
pherrman on October 16, 2008 at 11:49 AM
LMAO! Michelle does look exactly like James Brown. Does she have a atoms apple?
sheebe on October 16, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Desparation
I feeble attempt at best. I think Zombie is on to something here. The lefts big blunder.
Kevin in Washington State on October 16, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Hmm, Presidential candidate lives in remote area with bad cell coverage. I can see the Secret Service not being happy with that arrangement. That tower may become permanent if McCain wins the White House, because the need for Secret Service presence at that point will be permanent.
This is like slamming someone for buying a burglar alarm. WTF?
Sekhmet on October 16, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Yep, and I think the media would appreciate the coverage too.
forest on October 16, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Ed, I know you have to keep traffic flowing through HA, but this is weak, at best. We are into the final stretch and you are talking about cell towers? You can do better.
trailboss on October 16, 2008 at 12:29 PM
He’s debunking he accusation, trailboss.
wise_man on October 16, 2008 at 12:32 PM
This sounds like the villainous work of evil Big Tower.
Coronagold on October 16, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Is this the Tower of Orthanc? Do they have a palantir (crystal ball) up there?
Steve Z on October 16, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Great job making Ed’s point, dude.
Sheesh.
Buy Danish on October 16, 2008 at 12:53 PM
But,but what about Hopeys acceptance speech,
at the,
Roman Temple Pillars(towers)of Everlasting Hope
and Perpetual NeverEnding Change!!haha.
canopfor on October 16, 2008 at 1:04 PM
I’m outraged!
/sarc
CP on October 16, 2008 at 1:52 PM
The house was a dead zone and Verizon fixed it. They get the plumber treatment for improving service.
Feedie on October 16, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I think it’s funny. I’m voting for McCain, to be sure, but man did he look funny last night, as when he went round the chairs the wrong way and did a Bush-worthy “oops!”, and especially that odd, unnatural smile he kept propping up. I kept thinking I was looking at a sympathetic but undeniably awkward little kid.
Tzetzes on October 16, 2008 at 2:52 PM
LOL. I loved those commercials.
baldilocks on October 16, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Thanks for the laugh, Ed.
Wildcatter1980 on October 16, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Guys, the pic is really not funny. McCain w/tongue hanging out. I just wrote to a French paper chewing them out for using a similar pic… What’s up with you guys?
http://www.liberation.fr/monde/0101150760-mccain-sort-ses-griffes-obama-esquive?xtor=EPR-450206
lostinfrance on October 16, 2008 at 4:03 PM
living near that area in Arizona for about ten years, many spots are dead or weak areas for cell phone coverage..
DaveC on October 16, 2008 at 4:39 PM
This is a faux scandal, but for the DNC propaganda machine this is a HUGE story…
Joe the Plumber FTW!
Cr4sh Dummy on October 16, 2008 at 5:49 PM