Politics | Whinergate 'Venal' Phil Gramm No Big Loss to McCain Camp 'Nation of whiners' quote simply the latest in a long string of bad moves By Jonas Oransky Posted Jul 15, 2008 8:15 PM CDT Copied Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at a press availability in Phoenix, Ariz. Monday, March 3, 2008. At left, former Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) "Nation of whiners” adviser Phil Gramm was simply an "accident waiting to happen" for the McCain campaign, writes Max Blumenthal in Huffington Post. Blumenthal runs down the “reactionary, venal and destructive” senator’s foibles—which run from enabling Enron to investing in porn. Gramm “left a massive heap of wreckage…in his wake,” Blumenthal asserts, helping former campaign co-chair Ken Lay build the shadow banking system that aided the mortgage meltdown. He also sought to defund the NEA, smeared an opponent for accepting donations from gay rights advocates, and gave an interview to white supremacists. But the icing on the cake is Gramm’s penchant for adult films. He ponied up $7,500 to finance the sequel to Beauty Queens in the 1970s—which bombed and was perhaps fittingly named White House Madness. Read These Next Keith Urban interview ends after Nicole Kidman question. Sean Combs jury reaches a decision on all charges. Bryan Kohberger has admitted his guilt. Red Sox player is just the 6th player to register rare HR combo. Report an error