Obama Continues Attacks on McCain

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

WILKES BARRE, PA. -- Barack Obama continued to ratchet up his attacks against John McCain today, as he tries to shift the focus off of his race with Hillary Clinton and onto the presumptive Republican nominee.

"John McCain wants to continue the war in Iraq, I want to end it. John McCain wants to continue George Bush's economic policies, I want to change them. And I think we will persuade the American people that we need a new direction because John McCain represents the policies of the past and we are the party of tomorrow," Obama told a crowd at a town hall meeting here.

Although Obama spoke about the economy in his opening remarks, he used the opportunity to argue the McCain's policy proposals would be an extension of the Bush administration.

"John McCain said a few weeks ago that, "the issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," Obama said quoting McCain. "And that's clear, since all he's offering is four more years of the Bush policies that have put our economy into a recession and put the American Dream out of reach for so many working people.

Obama's criticisms of Hillary Clinton have decreased in recent days, as pundits have begun to argue that Clinton and Obama's attacks on each other will divide the Democratic Party. Obama has dismissed these claims, but admitted that some comments may have caused "bad blood.'

"It's true that Senator Clinton's folks are passionate and my folks are passionate and some surrogates have said some things that created some bad blood," Obama said.

However, Obama said that once the nominating process if over, he expects that he and Clinton will come together and focus on beating John McCain.

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by shawnhussey April 2, 2008 10:39 PM EDT: I can see why Barack Obama has been named the most liberal individual in the United States Senate.He thinks government intervention is the best way to create jobs.John McCain believes that low taxes and job training are the prime ways to bulild employment.Barack Obama wants our nation to abandon Iraq, while the Islamic terrorists are still killing American soldiers and Iraqi civilians there.John McCain wants to defeat Al Qaeda and the other Islamic fascists in Iraq.Then, our nation''s military forces can leave Iraq and Iraqi citizens can live in peace and freedom.If you believe in life,liberty, and democracy, John Mcain is the clear choice for President.; Reply to this comment


by jonathandc April 2, 2008 2:16 PM EDT: Obama has been every bit as specific as the other two candidates. It is a myth that he does not speak without substance. It is just that the most memorable perts of his speach tend to be the generalized parts about unity and rising above the political noise. Then the political noise comes out and says there is no substance, because they have nothing legitimate to attack Senator Obama on. He has a sound and descript foreign policy, he has laid out his health plan with as much detail as Hillary, he talks about how he wants to restructure education in America, and if there is anything you might be curious about got his website and click on "ISSUES". But, noise isn''t curious, it just likes to hear itself.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 April 2, 2008 1:47 PM EDT: How much more specific can anyone be?
A vote for Republican John McCain equals:

War
Corruption
Deaths
And
Destruction.; Reply to this comment


by jtorres138 April 2, 2008 1:23 PM EDT: "Although Obama spoke about the economy in his opening remarks, he used the opportunity to argue the McCain%u2019s policy proposals would be an extension of the Bush administration."

LOL. Obama never gives specifics. He just criticizes his opponent.; Reply to this comment


by shingles1 April 2, 2008 3:43 AM EDT: There''s an assumption on the part of the establishment press that McCain has unimpeachable foreign policy credentials. However, the more McCain speaks about foreign policy, the more clear it becomes that he doesn''t have a grasp of simple fundamental facts.

Just the other day he claimed that it was Sadr who asked for the ceasefire, and then went on to say, "Very rarely do I see the winning side declare a ceasefire." The problem here, of course, is that it was members of Maliki%u2019s own government who requested the cease-fire, to which Sadr agreed.

But the press hearts their straight talking maverick mancrush who will tell them exactly what they want to hear while feeding them swanky hors douvres at his absurdly wealthy wife''s "ranch" in the country.

It''s going to be a long and painful campaign season.; Reply to this comment


by johninfresno April 1, 2008 10:00 PM EDT: With all the "accidents" that happened to the friends, supporters, and officials around the Clintons during the 90''s, would Obama really pick Hillary as his vice presidential choice?; Reply to this comment


by catchsandy April 1, 2008 9:55 PM EDT: McSame, McBush, McFlipFlop, McWar!!!; Reply to this comment


by jmh787 April 1, 2008 9:14 PM EDT: McCain: "as an adult I''ve been known to forget occasionally the discretion expected of a person of my years and station when I believe I''ve been accorded a lack of respect I did not deserve". Let''s hope that after you take a 72 year old man who unquestionably would have to suffer under some degree of post traumatic stress disorder and put him under a 90 hour a week schedule in one of the most stressful and demanding executive positions ever contemplated by man... and let''s hope that he doesn''t have a slip of discretion when he''s leading the US military. Would you trust your grandfather with full control over nuclear weapons? What about after he''d been sleep deprived for three years and was 76 years old? What flexibility of judgement are you prepared to accept when it comes to our response in reaction to an event that may or may not require a nuclear response? 76. My guess is that you roll your eyes when you find out someone still drives at that age, and you think it''s crazy when you hear about someone that old piloting an aircraft.; Reply to this comment


by jonathandc April 1, 2008 8:51 PM EDT: there are more typos in that comment than I am willing to count. Sorry.; Reply to this comment


by jonathandc April 1, 2008 8:47 PM EDT: I wouldn''t this an attack on John McCain. It is a criticizing his policy. Which should be easy for Senator Obama. In order for McCain to advocate his policy in Iraq it is clear that the U.S. would have to have at least 140-170 thousand troops in the country for at least another 5-10 years for. The only way to do that is through a subsancial tax hike, and a draft. One the general election gets started, think it will become clear that John McCain''s policies is not what this country wants.; Reply to this comment