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Will McCain's gambling stance scare voters?

Casino industry not worried despite hopeful's earlier support of bet ban







WASHINGTON -- The casino industry is not worried Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., might resurrect a plan to prohibit Nevada sports books from taking bets on college football and basketball games if he becomes president, according to the industry's chief lobbyist.

"The world has changed," said Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association.


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  • McCain began pushing the sports betting ban in 2000 when he first ran for president.

    After being repeatedly outmaneuvered by Nevada lawmakers and casino lobbyists, McCain acknowledged in 2005 that Congress would not pass a ban until another gambling scandal occurred on a college campus. McCain also predicted there would be another scandal.

    But Fahrenkopf said support for a sports betting ban faded when new leadership at the NCAA decided it would not be a priority.

    Since then, the casino industry has forged a "tremendous working relationship" not only with the NCAA but also with the National Football League and the National Basketball Association, Fahrenkopf said.

    Now, Fahrenkopf said, "Most believe we are the canary in the mineshaft with regard to detecting point shaving and fixing of games."

    Calls to McCain's campaign and the NCAA were not returned.

    While McCain's sponsorship of the college sports betting ban set off alarms in Nevada's top industry, "John never indicated concern about any other aspect of gaming," Fahrenkopf said.

    Fahrenkopf, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, said he is not sure McCain can win Nevada in November if he is the GOP presidential nominee.

    "It depends on who he is running against," Fahrenkopf said. "I think he stands a much better chance if he's running against (Sen. Hillary) Clinton (D-N.Y.) than (Sen. Barack) Obama (D-Ill.)."

    Obama would be able to attract independent voters and even some moderate Republicans in Nevada, "which wouldn't happen if Clinton is the Democratic nominee," Fahrenkopf said.

    Since 1988, Fahrenkopf has served as co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates. He said he knows McCain better than any of the other previous presidential nominees in the last 20 years.

    "I don't think it will make any difference in the debates. We do these things fairly," Fahrenkopf said.

    Contact Stephens Washington Bureau reporter Tony Batt at tbatt@stephensmedia.com or (202) 783-1760.

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    tim wrote on February 12, 2008 06:18 PM: to much money to ban gambling,much more things to worry about,2nd amendment for example,free speech i.e. mcain-feingold.and the whooper of em all illegals flooding our nation.all running suck its now pick the lesser of the 3 evils,then pick our fights one at a time.i going to be hard but when you piss off enough people,the voices will be heard and they will back down for fear of reelection.


    fed up wrote on February 12, 2008 03:05 PM: dennis1944-they ALL have a scofflaw attitude toward ILLEGAL Aliens. In fact-most Americans have become frighteningly apathetic about this issue. They don't care or aren't aware about the damage the ILLEGALS are doing to our economic, health and school systems. The politicians are just looking for the next big voting block to get them and keep them in ofc. Especially Hillary & McCain. Too bad the paper/tv/radio doesn't state whether the mexican, honduran, asian, [fill in the blank] immigrant is ILLEGAL when broadcasting said immigrant's crime. That's about the only way apathetic America is going to understand the true impact of our current and (obviously) future border policies. Otherwise, 40+ million criminals are going to get undeserved amnesty.


    dennis1944 wrote on February 12, 2008 02:51 PM: I don't know about betting, but his wimpy, scofflaw attitude toward Illegal Aliens scares the hell out of me!


    Ken wrote on February 12, 2008 02:15 PM: Keith,

    Its the latest drug "electora". Side effects include, but are not limited to Dimwittided behavior, lack of comprehension, severe nearsightedness, and in most cases causes a complete a break down of common sense.


    Keith wrote on February 12, 2008 12:27 PM: I agree with you Fed Up, but it's what the pharmacitical drugged up american populace wants, thats the only way I can explain it Fed Up, the pharmacitcal industry has created a bunch of foggy minded, dimwitted americans who don't see the folly of thier ways, unfortuantely people like me and you have to suffer for thier drugged up state of mind, thankfully I am not a pharma junkie, I have common sense and see what these idiots will do to america, lead it down the socialism path.


    Jason wrote on February 12, 2008 12:21 PM: Oh, you gamblers don't have to worry, McCain wont get the presidency anyway. The liberal media and associates will bring up his record of all his years in politics and it will cause the Hillary/Obama team to win the presidency. All you McCain/Huckaby supports just don't seem to understand this, but as I said before, your arrogance blinds you.


    fed up wrote on February 12, 2008 12:14 PM: Clinton or Obama or McCain or Huckabee. This is a CHOICE? How pathetic that these 4 clowns are the best presidential candidates this country has to offer. I was hoping for a BETTER president to follow the loser currently in ofc. What we have to "choose" from now will continue to drive this country into the sH**hole - more illegals, more war, more economic downward spiral. lovely.


    Jason wrote on February 12, 2008 12:01 PM: Oh, you gamblers don't have to worry, McCain wont get the presidency anyway. The liberal media and associates will bring up his record of all his years in politics and it will cause the Hillary/Obama team to win the presidency. All you McCain/Huckaby supports just don't seem to understand this, but as I said before, your arrogance blinds you.


    Opinion wrote on February 12, 2008 11:41 AM: A premature withdrawal from Iraq would be a critical error for the United States.


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