(CNN) - Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin has been uninvited from attending a rally against Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad next week in New York, one day after Hillary Clinton nixed her appearance at the event because the Alaska governor was slated to be there.
“In order to keep the focus on Iranian threats and to ensure that this critical message not be obscured, the organizers of the rally have decided not to have any American political personalities appear,” the organizers, which include several Jewish groups, said in a statement.
In a statement, John McCain expressed disappointment over the decision.
"Governor Palin was pleased to accept an invitation to address this rally and show her resolve on this grave national security issue, regrettably that invitation has since been withdrawn under pressure from Democratic partisans," he said. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with Republicans, Democrats and independents alike to oppose Ahmadinejad's goal of a nuclear armed Iran. Senator Obama's campaign had the opportunity to join us. Senator Obama chose politics rather than the national interest."
A spokesman for the event, Glen Rosencrantz, would not confirm a Politico report that several high-profile Jewish Democrats had pressured the organization to nix Palin from the event.
But in a conference call with reporters Thursday, Ira Forman, the Executive Director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, said his group strongly disapproved of Palin's invitation to the event.
“We have a presidential election where the McCain-Palin ticket want to use what’s supposed to be a very, very bipartisan-type of operation to, again, use it as a campaign event," he said.
The organizers announced earlier this week that both Clinton and Palin would be "keynote speakers" at the event, along with Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. But aides to Clinton announced Wednesday the New York senator had been unaware Palin would also be attending, and as a result would not appear at the event after all.
The McCain campaign quickly criticized the move and suggested it came at the behest of the Obama campaign, though did not provide evidence that was the case: “Senator Clinton has since withdrawn from the engagement, presumably at the behest of the Obama campaign, and according to news reports, Senator Obama's campaign may be leaning on organizers to disinvite Governor Palin as well lest the rally appear partisan," McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb said.
UPDATE: Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor has issued a statement reacting to McCain.
"This is another dishonorable lie from John McCain. The Obama campaign had planned to send a surrogate to the rally," he said. "The truth is, John McCain had a real opportunity to stand up for Israel's security yesterday, but he refused to stand up to his allies in Congress who blocked Barack Obama's bipartisan divestment bill that would have increased pressure on Iran. So while Senator McCain uses the 'Stop Iran' rally to issue dishonest political attacks, he has refused to join with Barack Obama in supporting the kind of sanctions that could actually stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon."
– CNN's Martina Stewart contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
McCain's campaign slogan seems to be shifting to "If all else fails, blame it on Obama." This is hilarious. Too bad – Prom Queen was ousted!! The event coordinators were probably afraid she would make another stupid comment and piss off yet another foreign leader. She and McCain are on a roll!
Poor John McSame...he's lost his marbles. He can't win the economic debate, so he figured he would invent a fake controversy to distract the American people from finding out that he has NO IDEA about the economic crisis we are facing. Just FYI, Johnny...noone has time for your shenanigans. We have real things to worry about...like trying to figure out whoch Presidential candidate understands that the fundamentals of the economy ARE NOT strong. I know...do you?
Palin wanted a photo-op with Clinton. It wont happen because you miss Palin are not even worthy of bowing at her feet.
Oh, I'm sure Old Man McShame is pretty relieved his pet pitbull won't be speaking.... everytime she opens her mouth she seems to show her ignorange of this country and it's issues.
Actually, Palin was probably disinvited as the organizers realized being able to see Russia from your state does not give you foreign policy experience.
I agree with Hope LV, NV. This tendency to make Palin into some kind of victim/wimp reinforces the idea that she is not ready to be VP and not ready to represent this country on important matters, such as Iran.
Are you telling me you McCain supporters are..... dumping PUMAS because you don't need them anymore?
Wow... you republicans are harsh.....
Well the upset Hillary Clinton supporters are always still welcome at the Democratic Party. We don't use women to get votes like McCain does.
On what factual basis does Sen McCain's outrageous claim that Sen Obama "chose politics over national interest"?
Oh right. Silly question. Sen McCain creates reality by lying enough times that, through the pure drumbeat of endless repetition, it becomes his reality.
Palin's foreign policy experience:
She can see Russia from her house in Alaska.
How funny is it that the McCain camp thinks every last thing that happens to them is attributable to Obama?!?!?
Got an investigation you don't want to cooperate with?
No problem. Just say Obama has tainted it somehow.
Using Yahoo! as your governor's email address, making it simple for hackers to access?
No blame to be had for Palin... nah, let's distract with lies that Obama hacked her email.
Get dropped from a serious rally because organizers realize you have nothing legit to say?
No worries! Just say that Obama people pushed to have you removed from the event.
Wow... well, with as much as they blame on Obama, I am surprised they can also try to scare people into believing he'll be ineffective. Sounds like the McCain camps feels like Obama has been darn effective.
As I read this, I thought. . . If this Jewish, anti-Iran group decides not to have US politics clouding their event. . . well that seems to make sense. Then I notice the all too common, mature, response. . . that we were uninvited because those other guys are so self-centered that they can't put our national interest first. Wow, and you wonder why grown-ups might retract an invitation. . .
AWWW!!! That's no big deal though, we already know she was going to give her Republican Convention acceptance speech..
I don't blame her for trying to steal the Gov't spending transparency idea had Barack Obama not already had it implemented as law it would have made her a genius.
I guess she'll have to admit that Obama has at least DONE ONE thing as senator..lol.
I don't blame her for being left behind by the time machine, she lives in Alaska, that's behind God's back. They only get six months of day per year up/out there.
Poor republicans- so sad you can't do your fear & smear routine this time-
But since you're a part of a Nation of whinners----whine away!
Nice partisanship Hillary. Gheez we can't even come together against Iran. What a shame.
FORGIVE ME BUT THIS IS HILARIOUS WITH MCCAIN AND PALIN . MCCAIN SOUNDS LIKE HE IS BECOMING MORE SENILE EVERYDAY. HE SAYS THE CRAZIEST THINGS I MEAN IT IS RIDICULOUS. NOW YOU TELL ME WOULD YOU WANT A PERSON AS HIMSELF BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND DON'T KNOW THE FOREST FROM THE TREES. LOL HE IS PRACTICALLY GIVEN THIS ELECTION AWAY. PALIN WELL SHE IS A COPY VERSION OF MCCAIN.
GOP STRATEGY.....
SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS, LETS BLAME OBAMA EVEN IF WE CAN'T SUPPORT OUR CLAIM!!!!!!!!!
PROBLEM WITH THAT STRATEGY IS THAT IF YOU CAN'T PROVIDE EVIDENCE, YOUR CLAIM IS NOT VALID. CASE CLOSED!
Where is the proof McCain? Such bigotry and lies from your camp. Disgusting!
She's probably upset because now she can't list "Attended an Anti-Iran Rally" as foreign policy experience.
Palin dodged that bullet. LOL
The Republicans are jumping for joy!
I have grown tired of the arrogance of the Jewish lobby. There are two reasons the US is in the Middle East: Oil and Israel. The Republicans have been the staunchest supporter of that country. Both Democrats and Republicans have shed blood. Remember the 200 marines dead in Lebanon?
So what's Palin's foreign policy experience?:
She can see Russia from her house in Alaska.
They knew that all she would offer them is either:
1) A proposition to invade them now or
2) One of Obamas original ideas from 2 years ago
She has nothing new ever to offer us. She needs to go back to staring out her window and ripping off the tax payers while doing it. She's pathetic, and McCain's judgement proves he is not fit to run our country.
Small wonder she was "disinvited".....
Finally people are coming out of the reality -show coma they've been in for the past two weeks. It is hard to understand how anyone can still try to enthusiastically prop up support for palin after all of this.
Repubs have screamed about people smearing her with lies, and yet seem unable to SEE with their own eyes the torrid smelly swath of lies she has left on the campaign trail, leaving many to wonder how long can blind loyalty to her go on? She thrives on deceit and fabrication, and her loyal and rabid fans can deny it all day.....but the rest of the nation sees the true problem with her now.
that's good. we dont need her starting an international incident. send her to campaign in alaska that day.
The momentary lapse of the American people around Palin is gone. No one wants another fascist in the White House. Eight years is enough.
Sure!!!!!!!!!!!!Blame it on Obama as everythng else that goes wrong with McCain/Palin. It was only fair that she be pulled. The attention need to stay on the rally & not politics. By the way, Joe Biden is an excellent choice for VP. Hiliary would have been also.