If there's anything an underdog needs before his final debate, it's an investigation that questions whether he got special favours from a powerful corporation.
Seriously, the Washington Post's report this afternoon on John McCain's relationship with Verizon is not good news for the struggling Republican.
The story, linked to above, lays out the basic facts: McCain has a myriad of ties to Verizon, a major US wireless company whose activities he helps oversee from the Senate commerce committee. When spotty cell-phone coverage at the McCain ranch in Arizona became a glaring issue, the company was only too happy to oblige Cindy McCain's request to build a brand-new cell tower.
And here's the most damning part:
Randy Downing, a contractor hired by Verizon to install the tower, told county officials on January 27 the project would "improve Verizon Wireless' network coverage for residents, businesses, and visitors." But coverage maps submitted by Verizon to the county show that the tower would fill gaps in unpopulated parts of Coconino National Forest and on about 20 parcels of land, including a handful of residences, and two small businesses open only by appointment. ... Three telecommunications specialists consulted by The Post said the proposed site covers so few users that it is unlikely to generate enough traffic to justify the investment. Robb Alarcon, an industry specialist who helps plan tower placement, said the proposed location appeared to be a "strategic build," free-of-charge coverage to high-priority customers. A former Verizon executive vice president, who asked not to be named because he worked for the company, agreed with Alarcon, saying, "It was a VIP kind of thing."
