US 08 Presidential Campaign General Discussion Thread #7

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politico.com

McCain takes aim at Obama’s character
By: Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin
July 28, 2008 06:49 AM EST

As Senator Barack Obama traveled overseas, the campaign against him appeared to take a decisive new turn with Senator John McCain zeroing in on his Democratic opponent’s character.

In a year when polls show an easy victory for a generic Democratic candidate, McCain has until now been loathe to employ the tack many strategists see as essential and which anonymous e-mailers and commenters with no apparent links to his campaign have been practicing since last summer: hitting Obama not on his record or his platform, but on his values and person.

The Democrat’s Achilles’ heel in this model is an inchoate sense among some voters that the new arrival on the national stage with the unusual biography—and who’s the first black nominee from either party—isn’t American enough.

Prior to Obama’s trip overseas, though, McCain had instead employed, without appreciable effect, a more conventional critique of his opponent as an ordinary politician, a “flip-flopper,” and, of course, a liberal.

On Saturday, though, McCain released a new television advertisement in which the announcer says that on his trip, Obama “made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras.”

"John McCain is always there for our troops," adds the announcer, before concluding with the campaign’s new slogan: “McCain, country first.”

The slogan’s inverse implication for his opponent was made clear earlier in the week, when McCain accused Obama of placing the his political ambitions before the national interest.

"It seems to me that Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign," McCain said Tuesday in New Hampshire, in a line he’s been using regularly since.

While Republican presidential candidates have long sought to paint their Democrat foes as insufficiently devoted to the country, the military or both, McCain’s suggestion that Obama preferred to hit the gym than to visit wounded soldiers is considerably more personal than, say, President Bush’s 2004 attack on Sen. john F. Kerry for voting against bills to fund troops in Iraq. In some ways, it bears more of a resemblance to the third party Swift Boat campaign that denigrated Kerry’s service in Vietnam.

Further, McCain is uniquely qualified to make this charge, and Obama uniquely vulnerable to it.

A former naval aviator and prisoner of war in Vietnam, McCain is pressing his case against a candidate with no military experience, and who—thanks in part to a subterranean smear campaign that’s tapped a nerve with some voters who because of it or even prior to it—don’t see him as entirely or all American.

While the botched troop visit might have been the stuff of an attack ad in any case, since it was the only significant slip-up in an otherwise well-staged trip, McCain’s new ad dovetailed with the latest viral email aimed at Obama, a widely-circulated—though later recanted—missive from a Utah National Guard officer stationed in Afghanistan, Joseph Porter, who wrote that Obama "blew…off" and "shunned" soldiers during his visit there.

"He was just here to make a showing for the Americans back home," Porter wrote, though press reports contradicted some of the details provided in his email. "It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country."

Obama responded with high-minded disappointment to McCain's new round of attacks, and his traveling companions in the Middle East, Senators Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed, condemned them.



"I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'you're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic,'’” said Hagel, a Republican and Vietnam veteran who’s yet to endorse a presidential candidate and is rumored to be considering a cross-party endorsement.

It’s a tempting line of attack, though, against Obama, who a recent poll found that 55 percent of voters thought was the “riskier” choice for president as against 35 percent who said McCain. It’s also an attack that tap into a major source of that unease, race, and is especially likely to pay dividends with a relative newcomer to the national stage such as Obama, whose public image is not yet as clearly defined.

McCain’s turn to character also reflects his campaign’s deep, genuine contempt for Obama. As the Democrat enjoyed boffo media coverage and a warm reception at every turn on his foreign trip, McCain aides began to openly use their derisive nickname for him, "The One," mock some of his more gushing coverage, and draw a contrast between what they characterized as their candidate's demonstrated dedication to country and their rival's lip service to the same.

The tone is reminiscent of Hillary Clinton's disdainful mocking of Obama in the primary. "The skies will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing and everyone will know we should do the right thing and the world will be perfect” she said, just a touch sarcastically, of her rival. Her attack is also a reminder of the difficulty in landing a clean shot on Obama.

In his book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama wrote: "I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views."

While that has helped fuel Obama's meteoric political assent and may have blunted the impact of some attacks on him, it's now proving a stumbling block for many swing voters, particularly older ones. For all the media attention his historic run has attracted, not to mention the quarter-billion he has already spent introducing himself to the nation, 25 percent of respondents in a recent Newsweek poll wrongly believe he was raised as a Muslim and nearly 40 percent errantly thought he attended a Muslim school while growing up abroad.

These claims have also come up repeatedly in Politico interviews voters, including Democrats and independents.

Kathie Steigerwald, a Dearborn, Michigan businesswoman who said she voted for Hillary Clinton but now plans to support McCain, offered an especially succinct recital of a narrative on which other interviewees offered numerous variations:

"I feel John McCain is a true American and I want to support a true American," she said.

But isn't Obama a "true American?" she was asked.

"I don't know," she said after a measured pause. "I question it."

Why?

"I don't know—maybe because of his name?"


Whatever his motives, McCain’s new hit on his foe’s patriotism hints at two years of whispered, viral rumors and myths about Obama centered on his patriotism and American values, or, more to the point, his lack thereof. The emails —catalogued in snopes.com's lengthy Obama section and Obama's own “fight the smears" page —often have contradictory particulars, but the thrust is clear: Obama, various false emails claim, is not really a natural-born American citizen; is not really a Christian, and refuses to pledge allegiance to the American flag.

"[McCain] can't beat him with the old 'liberal' playbook, they can't beat him by deploying the old social-cultural wedge issues, and it seems more and more that they won't be able to beat him on readiness and experience," said Dan Gerstein, a Democratic consultant whose clients have included Senator Joe Lieberman.

"So all they really have left is the personal stuff, first and foremost what I would call fear of the other, which is mostly but not exclusively about race, and goes to visceral issues of trust."

"I'm not questioning his patriotism," McCain said on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopolous. "I am saying that he made the decision [to oppose the surge], which was political, in order to help him get the nomination of his party.

"It really is the first time in the campaign where you have had the Obama online smears, of which there have been many, matching up with the actual paid negative advertising of a candidate," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic consultant.

McCain supporters rejected the notion that this new line of attack is out of bounds.

"It's accurate, effective, and timely," said Rick Wilson, a Republican consultant, of McCain's ad. "It seriously speaks to the calculated nature of the trip and Obama's own [calculating nature].”

Wilson said the questions about Obama's values and patriotism have particular potency because of his background, though he rejected the notion that race played a major role in it.

"Obama is always going to struggle with the cultural disconnect—he scans very much as liberal Ivy League elitist," he said. "People automatically put him in a box with people who are not like middle America's view of patriotism."

Jim Pinkerton, a contributor to Fox News who worked for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and for Mike Huckabee in this year's GOP primary isn’t convinced of the efficacy of this line of attack:

"First they goaded him into going to Iraq and that was pretty successful—for Obama. And now the McCain people are trying to goad him into spending more time with the troops and going to hospitals to visit wounded soldiers.

“They better be careful what they wish for, since Obama just might screw them up and do it.”
 
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politico.com

McCain takes aim at Obama’s character



smells like desperation. and i don't blame them. McCain has pretty much based his candidacy around "the surge," and that's just a small part of the entire spectrum of issues that voters are going to be deciding upon. on everything else, Obama and the Democrats in general are much preferred to the Republicans.

i still don't trust polls, but Gallup now has Obama up by 9 points, and he's solidified his positions in virtually all of the states that Kerry won. he's in a very, very good position right now.

imho, though, Obama's going to have to do even better to win, though, because i think there is a good percentage of people who will get into the voting booth and not vote for him simply because he's black. it might be conscious or subconscious, but this is the reality, and this is exactly why Obama did this week abroad. of course many things were accomplished, not least of which was the welcomed surprise of Maliki endorsing his plan for Iraq (as well as rave reviews from the Israeli press and politicians), but it's important for us to actually see a black man looking like a president and acting like a president.

it's kind of like with gay marriage. it sounds weird in the abstract, but once you see it in action, it doesn't seem so weird after all. which is why the citizens of MA are now in support of marriage equality, and which is why the will likely vote against Proposition 8.

and this is also why the McCain's only hope is to continue to make Obama seem unamerican, weird, foreign, and to paint him as visually "muslim" in the way that they visually painted Kerry as "french."

it's sad, but that's how it goes.
 
McCain is looking overly desperate already, with three months to go.

If he picks Romney the attacks will get even more desperate, and he can use Romney to do it. He's quite good at smarmy with a smiley face-somehow that makes it more palatable for some. Plus the hair factor :drool:
 
Did you watch any of the debates? Have you seen any other town hall meetings?

So him answering questions in a debate is an example of his marvelous, eloquent, far-superior-to-anyone-else speaking skills?


Have you seen any other evidence of his not being able to speak other than this clip and the one from Rush last week?

Yeah, actually many.
 
and this is also why the McCain's only hope is to continue to make Obama seem unamerican, weird, foreign, and to paint him as visually "muslim" in the way that they visually painted Kerry as "french."

it's sad, but that's how it goes.

Give me a break.

When has McCain called Obama unAmerican, weird, or muslim? He has avoided such implications throughout the campaign. A majority of the people referring to Obama as a muslim are his own supporters who pretend and lie that that is what the Republicans are saying. The worst thing McCain has said about Obama is that he is out of touch with middle America, which can certainly be argued.

If you want to talk about sad, "only hope" maneuvers, you need to address your own candidate who is only doing so well because of the neverending comparisons of Bush and McCain.
 
Multiple people in this forum have said he is going to win in a landslide.

Who? If you want to make this claim, then back it up. I really can't recall anyone saying he'll win in a landslide, much less multiple people.
 
A majority of the people referring to Obama as a muslim are his own supporters who pretend and lie that that is what the Republicans are saying.

And you say Obama is out of touch? You can't possibly be this naive.


If you want to talk about sad, "only hope" maneuvers, you need to address your own candidate who is only doing so well because of the neverending comparisons of Bush and McCain.

Yeah, that's the only reason. *rolleyes* So if no one ever compared McCain to Bush, McCain would have a demanding lead? I thought Republicans liked Bush. :shrug:
 
Apparently with Obama speaking off the cuff our only two options are either incompetent drooling wreck or magnificent eloquent speaker.

I think he's pretty good. Not great, but solid. Clearly has better speeches, but by no means will there be Obama calendars with his misspeakings on them. There are a few instances of him not sounding brilliant, but I think it's rather convenient that the cover story is that the media's in the tank for him, which is why we don't hear about it more. Otherwise people might think those few examples are all that exist. :shrug:
 
Apparently with Obama speaking off the cuff our only two options are either incompetent drooling wreck or magnificent eloquent speaker.

I think he's pretty good. Not great, but solid. Clearly has better speeches, but by no means will there be Obama calendars with his misspeakings on them. There are a few instances of him not sounding brilliant, but I think it's rather convenient that the cover story is that the media's in the tank for him, which is why we don't hear about it more. Otherwise people might think those few examples are all that exist. :shrug:

No, no, no, this is too fair minded and makes far too much sense. That isn't allowed in here.
 
Who? If you want to make this claim, then back it up. I really can't recall anyone saying he'll win in a landslide, much less multiple people.

I stand corrected. I was referring to posts I found back in March of a potential Clinton/Obama ticket crushing a McCain ticket.

Regardless, my original point remains. Anyone who, as of right now, believes Obama will win huge needs to get some fresh air.
 
And you say Obama is out of touch? You can't possibly be this naive.

Can I have some prominent Republicans who have called Obama a muslim? Obama himself is the only candidate doing it, saying how conservatives are going to "make you afraid of his name." That's shameful.




So if no one ever compared McCain to Bush, McCain would have a demanding lead?

Not necessarily. But the constant Bush-McCain references are low, and I don't think the intelligent voters will fall for it given the numerous differences between the two. If that's the best that the Dems can do, they might be in trouble.
 
Can I have some prominent Republicans who have called Obama a muslim? Obama himself is the only candidate doing it, saying how conservatives are going to "make you afraid of his name." That's shameful.
Like I've said to you before, no one, I repeat NO ONE has ever said any prominent Republicans are saying this, but plenty within your party are. Do you see the difference?



Not necessarily. But the constant Bush-McCain references are low, and I don't think the intelligent voters will fall for it given the numerous differences between the two. If that's the best that the Dems can do, they might be in trouble.

The best the Dems can do? Have you been paying attention to the race at all?
 
I don't think the intelligent voters will fall for it

As a side note, this is hilarious.

Because we all know that it is the "intelligent" voters that decide elections. Like the ones who would like to have beers with the president.

:lol:
 
So sure? I've got about a month's worth already...

You should start a thread or something, you keep talking about all this misspeaking, how he can't put two words together, how it's obvious to everyone he needs a teleprompter, etc etc

Yet with the exception of the one A_Wanderer posted I haven't seen shit to back this up...

I mean apparently you have all these examples. :shrug:
 
ABC News has learned that two former administration officials for President George W. Bush will appear with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, at an economic meeting today, having signed up to be Obama economic advisers.

Bush administration veterans former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and former Securities and Exchange Commissioner William Donaldson will join former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, and more traditionally Democratic economic advisers such as former Clinton Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, billionaire liberal Warren Buffett, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, and SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger.

Finally Paul O'Neill gets his chance to stick it to Bush et al.
 
I'm running for president of the United States, because I want to help with family values. And I think that family values are important, when we have two parent -- families that are of parents that are the traditional family.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But there are several hundred thousand children in the country who don't have a home. And if a gay couple wants to adopt them, what's wrong with that?

MCCAIN: I am for the values that two parent families, the traditional family represents.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you're against gay adoption.

MCCAIN: I am for the values and principles that two parent families represent.

Gays, lesbians, and single people - you're out of luck.
 
Who? If you want to make this claim, then back it up. I really can't recall anyone saying he'll win in a landslide, much less multiple people.


Irvine has used the word Tsunami to describe his "victory" in November. :wink:
 
Just so everyone is clear on Obama's "cancelled" troop visit with the cameras:

NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports that there was never a plan for Obama to take the press to Landstuhl, despite the claim by McCain folks and others. The plan was to go with his military aide, retired General Scott Gration. The Pentagon said Gration was off-limits because he had joined the campaign -- violating rules that it not be a political stop.

Obama had gone to see wounded troops in Iraq earlier in the week, without even confirming he'd been there. No press, no pictures. He has done the same when he goes to Walter Reed -- never any press.
 
You should start a thread or something, you keep talking about all this misspeaking, how he can't put two words together, how it's obvious to everyone he needs a teleprompter, etc etc

Yet with the exception of the one A_Wanderer posted I haven't seen shit to back this up...

""I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go."

"It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

"In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died -- an entire town destroyed."

"But she is a typical white person..."

“They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’"

"We passed out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which is my committee."

"...and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted.”

“I had a uncle who was one of the, who was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps"

"There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Ala., because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born."

"On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today"

"You can call my hotline, which is 1-888-NC-Early... E-A-R-E...uhh... E-A-R-L-Y."

"Iran doesn't pose a serious threat to us."

Plus the neverending "uhhh" in his talking, the clip posted a few pages back, him thinking that Canada has a president, etc etc...

Do gaffes like this from either candidate influence my decision? Not at all. But for everyone making fun of how Bush talks, I'd say Obama has proven himself roughly on par with the President. I don't see a ton of "eloquent speaking" from him. At the same time, I could name a handful of pretty awesome impressive speeches the President has given.
 
Regardless, my original point remains. Anyone who, as of right now, believes Obama will win huge needs to get some fresh air.



i believe Obama could win huge. :shrug:

it's entirely conceivable, since he's leading in states that Kerry didn't win: OH, VA, CO, NM, and he's turned other states like NV and even NC and MT into competitive races.

but, no, no one actually knows what's going to happen. let's see what's going on in October.
 
I'm not sure you understand what we're talking about.

“They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’"

This isn't a misspeak. This is true, there are many who are doing this. Many of those aren't misspeaks, especially in the context of Bush or what the rest of us have been talking about.

Some of these are missing context. Some of these are just lines you don't like.

And then a few are dumb misspeaks, but nothing compared to Bush...

But this has nothing to do with your statement that he can't even put two words together.

Maybe one of those would make a calender.

But at the end of the day, this is just your bias forcing you to make weak attacks.
 
It's flip flop weather!

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Kevin Kilbane Report: During a "This Week" interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos John McCain reversed himself on affirmative action and endorsed for the first time a proposed state ballot measure which would end race and gender-based affirmative action in his home state of Arizona.

"I support it," McCain declared when asked about the referendum. "I do not believe in quotas... I have not seen the details of some of these proposals. But I’ve always opposed quotas."

McCain has long opposed quotas but his new support for ending affirmative action programs which stop short of quotas puts him at odds not only with Democratic rival Barack Obama but also with the Arizona senator's own views in 1998.

When asked if that includes a possible hike in the payroll tax, McCain reiterated that nothing -- including such a tax hike -- is "off the table."

"I don't want tax increases. Of course, I'd like to have young Americans have some of their money put into an account with their name on it," McCain said.

However, in a February interview with Stephanopoulos, which also aired on "This Week," McCain made a pledge not to raise taxes as president. When Stephanopoulos asked, "Are you a 'read my lips' candidate, no new taxes, no matter what?" McCain responded affirmatively: "No new taxes."

Don't get me wrong, I hate the idiotic "flip flop" phrase, but hey the Republicans came up with it and embraced it so wholeheartedly, so if the shoe fits...
 
Plus the neverending "uhhh" in his talking, the clip posted a few pages back, him thinking that Canada has a president, etc etc...



seriously, what the fuck?

this is so, so weak. all the candidates commit gaffes. Bush is in another category altogether, do you want me to toss out a series of McCain verbal fuck-ups? just starting with the Iraq/Pakistani border?

or is this just a fundamentally STUPID way of judging candidates and is little more than tit-for-tat and pulling out quotes from people who spend A LOT of time speaking in public about a vast array of topics?
 
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