John McCain a Long and Close Friend to Casino Gambling

Some have found links between McCain's campaign and tribal casinos, Las Vegas resorts, and online poker sites to be discouraging.

Both land-based gambling ventures and Internet casinos have wondered which Presidential candidate would be best suited to their needs, without much data to base the answer on. While the general thought has been to favor Barack Obama because of the Republican religious right's anti-gaming stance, the New York Times revealed in an article the lengthy and close connection between John McCain and gambling interests.

The Times relates a story of McCain retreating to Foxwoods Casino after being forced from the Presidential primary race in 2000 by those same conservative Christians. McCain allegedly spent a night at his favorite gambling pastime, craps, playing at high-roller stakes.

Noted in the story is McCain's passion for helping the destitute tribes in America, and his vision in participating in the creation of the framework allowing the development of tribal casinos in the U.S.

Some have found links between McCain's campaign and tribal casinos, Las Vegas resorts, and online poker sites to be discouraging. But it seems worse to drop connections to online gambling as if they were an impropriety, as Hunter Biden did once his dad was selected as Obama's running mate.

After all, there is plenty of solid political philosophy that leads to supporting gambling interests. Anyone urging a Jeffersonian practice of government would be for allowing individuals the freedom to choose or reject gambling as they saw fit.

Further, financial concerns must lead politicians to the fountain of great wealth legalized gambling represents. Land-based casinos and lotteries prop up state governments throughout the U.S., and online casinos could be a multi-billion dollar source of money for years to come.

Even the Times grants that McCain helped usher in the most stringent lobbying laws ever in the U.S. after he spearheaded the investigation into Jack Abramoff''s scam on Indian tribes.

Perhaps comfort should be found in McCain's gambling ties, as they separate him from the far right fringes of his party.