McCain, Palin Avoid Hot-Button Issues at Colorado Rally

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The two big constituencies here for Republican presidential candidates are members of James Dobson's Focus on Family ministry, and the large military presence anchored by the Air Force Academy. Sarah Palin and John McCain talked extensively to one and ignored the other, speaking more than they have in recent days about the war in Iraq, but not addressing any social conservative issues.

"John McCain is a man who wore his uniform for this country for 22 years and he refused to break faith with our troops in Iraq who have now brought victory within sight," Palin said at a rally here today. "As the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander-in-chief."

"There's no better place than Colorado Springs for me to tell you this," McCain echoed. "We are winning in Iraq."

The only domestic issue either of them spoke abut specifically was the government takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, although Palin did not offer specifics about how the ticket felt about the bailout.

"Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, they've gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers," Palin said to applause. "The McCain/Palin administration will make them smaller and smarter and more effective for homeowners who need help."

In the past, McCain has said the two companies "are too big to fail," and that he'd support "effective action" from the federal government to keep them from going under.

[patdcombs]

Well I have major concerns about Mrs. Palin. I would not vote for her in any case, to be honestt, but it is alarming to me that someone can be on any part ticket who has close ties to a seccessionest group. How can one supposedly have American values when they don''t want to BE American?

The stated purpose of The Alaskan Independence Party is to remove their star from our US Flag. Mrs Palin has been affiliated with this party on her own and through her husbaand, who once held party office.

I don''t get how anyone who says that they believe in American values can ignore these ties and not be concerned. How can the Republicans explain this away? It scares me to think that someone who believes that Alaska should be its own country would be even remotely considered as a Vice Presidential candidate for the United States. The thought absolutely terrifies me! Seems she may be really espousing Alaska first values instead of US values.

[scarpo69]

B.Hussein Obama, the "FORWARD LOOKING", "CHANGE" candidate made the bold and daring choice of .... Joe Biden? The neanderthal plagerizer from Delaware? A boilerplate career politician from the good-ole-boy network? Thats change? WEAK WEAK WEAK pick. This is why he''ll lose!

MCCAIN / PALIN 08!!!!!!

[hobbes1128]

One thing this country doesn''t like is hypocrites. Palin is against earmarks, but didn''t give the money back that Alaska had received for the bridge to nowhere. She only canceled the bridge once she realized that there was too much political attention being paid. I could go on and on - banning books, teenage pregnancy program funding...

[obbcbs]

when mccain was a POW he told fellow prisoners he would run for president. Being a POW is his best thing he has going. Just dont ask him about the propaganda film he made for the communists after two weeks in prison. That''s off limits.
Like Sarah, who doesnt give real interviews, just set pieces in friendly offices.
These GOP candidates are talking their cue from advertising men, not the public.
We want to know, WHICH BOOKS did PALIN TRY TO BAN? Why does a mayor try to censor a librarian?
WHen Palin''s husband goes to AIP meetings, does he prefer the NATION of ALaska as the outcome of the voting, or secession to become a commonwealth? In all the years he was a member, surely he spoke with someone about it. What was the appeal, after all?

[wilder5121]

"Hey John McCain, your zipper is down."

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

"Hey John McCain, one of your seven houses is on fire!"

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

"Hey John McCain, what did you eat for breakfast?"

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

"Hey John McCain, looks like it''s gonna rain today."

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

"Hey John McCain, what are you gonna do about the economy?"

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

"Hey John McCain, why are you exactly like George W Bush?"

John McCain: "But...but...I was a POW!!!"

[antipalin]

Can we really afford to have a religious zealot in the white house? These christians are always the most corrupt people in politics. Less than 1% of christians have actually read the bible, which is obvious, because it clear states a number of times that a person who follows the word of god can not be involved in political/state matters. It is against god''s will and a sin. There is no scale of sin in the bible, all sins are equal and punishable by god in the exact same way. From homosexuality to unwed pregnancy, to practicing politics, to judging others, to working on the sabbath, to murder. Exactly the same weight. Yes, if you actually look into in the myth of the bible and take the time to read it you will be repulsed. A vote for Palin is the end of not just our country but perhaps the world...don''t take my word for it, read about the end times in the bible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkXOwBIRX7Y

[realidad-2009]

September 2007: McCain voted against the Webb amendment calling for adequate troop rest between deployments. At the time, nearly 65% of people polled in a CNN poll indicted that "things are going either moderately badly or very badly in Iraq.

May 2006: McCain voted against an amendment that would provide $20 million to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care facilities.

April 2006: McCain was one of only 13 Senators to vote against $430,000,000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs for Medical Services for outpatient care and treatment for veterans.

March 2006: McCain voted against increasing Veterans medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.

A Military Hero, or McBush with 95% Bush Vote in Congress?
McCain "Supports Bush/Cheney Iraq War of Choice and Continued Oil Occupation... For Next 100 Years if Needed For Victory"!

McCain Does Not Support American Soldiers and Their Families.... Only Himself!

[jefflz-2009]

McCain has mobilized the hard right wing of the Republican Party and they are coming out in droves -you know- the Ralph Reed, Phyllis Shattley, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O''Reilly crowd. They were the power behind Bush and now with Palin they will be the power behind McCain all carefully orchestrated by the Karl Rove band of dirty tricksters. So we change the name from Bush to McCain but that is the end of the change he now mumbles on about. Furthermore McCain has turned this election into a soap opera about Sarah Palin and her family. When people are losing their jobs, their homes, and soldiers are losing their lives McCain wants to turn extremist social issues. Why are we talking about Roe v. Wade again instead of the economy? Why has religious fundamentalism reared its ugly head again instead of a debate about energy or foreign policy? This is the cynical legacy of a fake maverick pretending to be a straight talker. McCain has turned this election into a three ring circus to avoid facing the truth: We have had eight years of a nightmarish Bush administration and he will bring us four more years of the same economic policies and enthusiasm for war. The McCain of 2000 is dead, meet the McCain of 2008, former war hero who now hides behind the skirts of PitBull Palin ! He can run but he cannot hide from 8 years of failure.

[misha128-2009]

Senator McCain -- Less regulation and less government (enforcement) has led us to this crisis with Freddie and Fannie. How will less regulation and less government correct this issue? Quite simply it will not. When will you propose to present real solutions to the real problems facing Americans? It''s too big to fail, fine. How do we save it and minimize the burdens on the taxpayer. The Republican less regulation/less government policies were responsible for this getting so out of hand. Again what changes to fix the creation of these problems in the future.

[misha128-2009]

Mccain says Winning?

Sunni regions were considerably less organized than the Shiite and Kurdish regions because of their initial violence levels and non-participation were not aided with the passage of the Reconciliation Law. The Reconciliation Law (a falsely claimed success), intended to reinstate qualified Sunnis excluded in the initial post-war setup of the government, backfired as significant numbers of "previously qualified" Sunnis were disqualified (not expected) and fewer "previously disqualified" Sunnis were reinstated than expected.

Further indications of failure came with the backsliding provincial elections (another claimed success) as first delayed and then canceled for 2008. The Sunnis remain under represented and their regions remain disorganized due to a boycott of the national elections and the cancellation of provincial elections.

The formal sharing of oil revenues between the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is only a interim agreement as the Oil Law is not completed.

Sunnis insurgents (most are still disqualified by the government) were paid and guaranteed future jobs (government) by US forces in exchange for their cooperation (the "Anbar Awakening") cannot be satisfied with the proceeding issues. Especially considering the risks associated with the pending withdrawal of US troops, opening the real possibility for civil war a between the factions considering all the unresolved issues.

Does this even sound like success?