Protesters mark McCain’s visit to Atlanta for fund-raiser

More than 50 protesters marched in front of the Marriott Marquis on Monday, shouting “Bush, McCain, same thing!”

But John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, was safely inside for a high-dollar campaign fund-raiser.

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Mikki K. Harris/mkharris@ajc.com

Sen. John McCain arrives at the back entrance to the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta for a fund-raiser Monday.

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Mikki K. Harris/mkharris@ajc.com

Azita Ebrahimi (center) protests among a group of John McCain supporters along Peachtree Center Avenue in front of the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta.

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The protesters were a melding of groups from organized labor, seniors and anti-war organizations. They competed for space and attention with about a dozen young McCain backers.

As the Republicans shouted “McCain!” the protesters added, “Shame!”

Across Peachtree Center Avenue, Georgia Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kidd and state Sen. David Adelman (D-Atlanta) held a news conference to add a more official voice of protest.

Kidd blasted McCain for only coming to the state to raise money and not to meet with regular voters.

“Instead of listening to Georgians, John McCain chose to talk with people who have given him thousands of dollars,” she said.

That includes Ralph Reed, said Adelman.

Reed is the former head of the Christian Coalition who in 2006 lost a bid for the Georgia GOP nomination as lieutenant governor after he was implicated, but not charged, in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal in Washington.

Reed e-mailed supporters and friends to urge them to give to the McCain campaign. Reed also instructed potential donors to send contributions directly to him. Reed told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he sent the e-mail at the request of the campaign and was given boilerplate language to use. He said he has no role in the campaign or in this event, something the McCain campaign confirmed.

But Reed’s involvement in raising money has been a source of ridicule and scorn from Democrats.

Reed, Adelman said, “has sold his influence with Christian conservative voters to the highest bidder.”

That was a reference to Reed’s work to mobilize evangelical voters against a casino that would compete with one operated by an Indian tribe client of Abramoff’s.

Adelman contended that McCain was meeting with Reed at the Marriott, but it is not clear if that would happen, or even if Reed is attending the event.

Several hundred donors milled around the hotel’s Imperial Ballroom, while donors who gave larger amounts met privately with McCain in another room. Reed was not visible in the ballroom 30 minutes before the event was to start.