John McCain here, with hand out
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain comes to central Pennsylvania today on his fundraising tour of America, or as McCain prefers to put it, for a "Finance Event."
McCain will meet Republican fatcats for a $1,000 per person fundraising luncheon at noon today at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill. It is closed to the public. The West Shore Country Club is where the now nearly forgotten Monica Goodling, the dragon lady in the Bush Administration's U.S. Attorneygate scandal, worked as a lifeguard and swim coach during the summers of 1993, 1994, and 1995 between terms at nearby Messiah College in Grantham. Given the number of Republicans who hang out at the WSCC, it is arguably where she first dipped her toe in movement conservatism and the GOP.
The McCain folks apparently decided that the Republican fatcats here weren't fat enough and so don't have a separate price of $2,300 that includes a photo op with the senator. There is a V.I.P. reception, but no separate price is listed.
McCain starts the $2,300 photo ops later this month in Chicago, then moves to the West Coast where, in Orange County and Los Angeles, the price for anyone to get in, photo op or not, is $2,300. The San Francisco Finance Event lists no prices at all, kind of like one of those pricy (and largely mythical) restaurants with no prices on the menu. Then he moves back eastward to Denver, where a "Finance Event" at the Petroleum Club on March 27 again allows in the Republican poor who can only pay $1,000.
McCain's only event open to the non-paying public this month is tomorrow at the Springfield Twp. Country Club in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It starts at 9:45 a.m. but you have to sign up on the McCain website in advance.