McCain Accuses Obama of "Exploiting" Financial Crisis

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – In his first public address since last night's presidential debate, John McCain accused Barack Obama using the current financial crisis for political gain.

"It was clear that Sen. Obama still sees the financial crisis in America as a national problem to be exploited first and solved later," McCain said. "I am determined to help achieve a legislative package to help avoid the worst, and to set our economy back on the path of stability, confidence, and growth."

Although he was scheduled to appear live at the 12th annual "Save Our Heritage Rally" in Columbus, Ohio, McCain spoke via satellite from Washington, D.C., because he said was working on the bailout legislation. Sponsored by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, a hunting and fishing organization, McCain also invoked Obama's now infamous comments from last April when he said small-town Pennsylvania voters "cling to guns or religion."

"You can also tell a lot about a man by how he speaks when you're not around," McCain said. "Earlier this year, Sen. Obama gave us all a little insight into his opinions of gun owners when he was among friends in San Francisco. He was in a room full of rich liberals, right at home. And he reported on some of his findings from his encounters with ordinary Americans. He said that in places like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere, people are 'bitter.' And that is why, in his clinical opinion, you folks 'cling' to your guns and religion."

The Obama campaign attempted to change the subject to an infamous McCain comment. "John McCain should be careful throwing rocks in his eight glass houses," said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.

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by bonnetteblj September 29, 2008 2:51 AM EDT: Senator McCain IS projecting. He is the one who tried to GRANDSTAND this past week because his poll numbers went down. HE went to Washington and then had Bush call Obama and invite him to come also.

McCain does not understand the economy. BEFORE, he got to Washington there was an agreed upon settlement (which by the way Senator Obama helped to provide input on over the phone with Paulson and Bernake). ALL that McCain did was stir up trouble and get the Republicans to say they had a DIFFERENT plan which involved even more deregulation!

Senator McCain caused the crisis to be extended further instead of letting the Senators and Representatives finish what they had been working on for a week.
NO, Senator McCain, you are the one who is "exploiting" the financial crisis!; Reply to this comment


by emcclard September 28, 2008 8:45 PM EDT: McCain%u2019s histrionic and erratic behavior in the last few days has been exploitive, petulant, impulsive, and divisive. Respect for his heroism in war does not excuse excessive deference, and we must face the painful truth that he would be dangerous as President.

Unstable, hotheaded behavior characterizes post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). In my role as physician I would also consider borderline personality disorder, or tumor as possible causes. Regardless, these personality traits do make McCain simply unfit as a Commander-in-Chief.

Consider PTSD. We now know that a biological response to torture is shrinkage of two parts of the brain. While these changes do enable the tortured to survive, they make the victims forgetful, irritable and jumpy. Furthermore, loss of the part of the brain that forms new memories is later associated with senility. Loss of brain that weighs, judges, and moderates social behavior causes impulses toward aggression and *** to be acted upon before consideration of the pros and cons%u2014forever inclining to over-quick, under-considered defensive behaviors. Sound familiar?

In the Senate McCain has "reached across the aisle%u201D in pay back to his Republican colleagues when they have insulted him%u2014as when they convicted him of "poor judgment" in regard to dealings with Charles Keating. That makes even his highest achievements motivated by vengeance. The large egalitarian body has served to modulate and direct his impulsive fury. For President?; Reply to this comment


by emcclard September 28, 2008 8:44 PM EDT: McCain%u2019s histrionic and erratic behavior in the last few days has been exploitive, petulant, impulsive, and divisive. Respect for his heroism in war does not excuse excessive deference, and we must face the painful truth that he would be dangerous as President.

Unstable, hotheaded behavior characterizes post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). In my role as physician I would also consider borderline personality disorder, or tumor as possible causes. Regardless, these personality traits do make McCain simply unfit as a Commander-in-Chief.

Consider PTSD. We now know that a biological response to torture is shrinkage of two parts of the brain. While these changes do enable the tortured to survive, they make the victims forgetful, irritable and jumpy. Furthermore, loss of the part of the brain that forms new memories is later associated with senility. Loss of brain that weighs, judges, and moderates social behavior causes impulses toward aggression and *** to be acted upon before consideration of the pros and cons%u2014forever inclining to over-quick, under-considered defensive behaviors. Sound familiar?

In the Senate McCain has "reached across the aisle%u201D in pay back to his Republican colleagues when they have insulted him%u2014as when they convicted him of "poor judgment" in regard to dealings with Charles Keating. That makes even his highest achievements motivated by vengeance. The large egalitarian body has served to modulate and direct his impulsive fury. For President?; Reply to this comment


by emcclard September 28, 2008 8:18 PM EDT: McCain%u2019s histrionic and erratic behavior in the last few days has been exploitive, petulant, impulsive, and divisive. Respect for his heroism in war does not excuse excessive deference, and we must face the painful truth that he would be dangerous as President.

Unstable, hotheaded behavior characterizes post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). In my role as physician I would also consider borderline personality disorder, or tumor as possible causes. Regardless, these personality traits do make McCain simply unfit as a Commander-in-Chief.

Consider PTSD. We now know that a biological response to torture is shrinkage of two parts of the brain. While these changes do enable the tortured to survive, they make the victims forgetful, irritable and jumpy. Furthermore, loss of the part of the brain that forms new memories is later associated with senility. Loss of brain that weighs, judges, and moderates social behavior causes impulses toward aggression and *** to be acted upon before consideration of the pros and cons%u2014forever inclining to over-quick, under-considered defensive behaviors. Sound familiar?

In the Senate McCain has "reached across the aisle%u201D in pay back to his Republican colleagues when they have insulted him%u2014as when they convicted him of "poor judgment" in regard to dealings with Charles Keating. That makes even his highest achievements motivated by vengeance. The large egalitarian body has served to modulate and direct his impulsive fury. For President?; Reply to this comment


by ioweign September 28, 2008 9:58 AM EDT: Is McCain Captain Queeg ??; Reply to this comment


by stevekelson-2009 September 28, 2008 8:39 AM EDT: McCain is %u2018projecting%u2019 with the statement, %u201CIt was clear that Senator Obama still sees the financial crisis in America as a national problem to be exploited first and solved later.%u2019%u2019

A journalist has to first, keep their job. This motivation is what prevents them from telling it like it is: McCain is a seriously mixed up human being. Real sickos have as routine, a habit of shifting blame to others, on things they are guilty of doing.

It%u2019s nearly impossible to believe that such behavior occurs from a US presidential candidate. This trait is common among%u2026%u2026well, criminals.

Anyone understanding criminal justice and forensic psychology would know this to be fact. Unfortunate that more editors won%u2019t let their staff go quite this far into descriptive territory.

A socipopath is a master at this technique. They are also masters of derailing conversations.
McCain does this in nearly every interview where the other party starts to ''uncover the truth.''; Reply to this comment


by donkeysafire September 28, 2008 7:20 AM EDT: How about exploiting anything you can? What about that? What about exploiting the fact that Obama is a better speaker, and calling him all talk and no show? What about that?

John, I''m talking personally to you, if only you would read this sort of thing; you will exploit any possible edge you can find, whether or not it furthers the discourse, so why harp on Barack for exploiting his ability to kick *** where the economy is concerned?

Or would you rather have politics first? Seriously.; Reply to this comment


by Ed Abelia September 28, 2008 4:31 AM EDT: Bush, Reid and Pelosi should all leave office because they over time allowed the nations financial crisis to evolve and continue to get worse until it practically crashed, all on their watch as national leaders. There is a reason that both Bush and Congress have low national approval ratings, it is because they as leaders they have failed to make American better over the years. If either Obama or McCain is elected both leaders in congress should step down so congress can start fresh with new House and Senate leadership so congress once again can gain the confidence and approval of the American public.

The "time of change is now" and we need national leaders to put the "country first" over party politics%u2019 and corporate political donations influences that have led the country to the biggest country''s financial crisis since the great depression.

Right now Obama and McCain should both be very involved with what congress is doing with the bailout because it is going to greatly impact their potential presidency in a few months and one of them will need to fix this country%u2019s financial mess as president.; Reply to this comment


by Ed Abelia September 28, 2008 4:31 AM EDT: Did Congress and Bush really think they could run up the national debt forever and the rest of the world would continue to finance all of the nation''s debt with a falling dollar? What about worthless American housing loan securities that they bought that are now becoming worthless? No! Now the world is slowly stopping to buy our debt and our nation may go bankrupt. Our only solution is to print more money to make up the difference, only leading to a lower dollar. This in turn may require the fed to increase interest rates to a premium to eventually attract more foreigners to buy more of our risky national debt due to a declining dollar at the expense of our own economy.

Bush, Pelosi and Reid had the legislative and executive power to prevent this nation%u2019s financial crisis but they simply ignored it until the nations financial institutions practically crashed.

Now all American''s will suffer, but they will now just continue to blame each other or the other political party, when they were all to blame.; Reply to this comment


by Ed Abelia September 28, 2008 4:28 AM EDT: Leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid had the power as leaders to do something about America%u2019s national financial crisis over their last couple of years in Congress. Bush is responsible for signing bills into law, but Pelosi and Reid have the responsibility to set the country''s legislative agenda and provide leadership to pass financial institution laws and banking regulations, but they both ignored the looming loan crisis until the very last minute. They failed our nation big time and should resign.

The senators and House leaders on the senate and house banking committee''s should also resign because they failed to take action, when they were fully aware the country would eventually face a liquidity and banking crisis. They failed the nation along with the rest of the senate and house that relies on their banking committee to hold hearings, write banking laws and provide legislative oversight of our banking institutions.

The leadership in the White House - Bush, Senate - Harry Reid, House - Nancy Pelosi, and both Democrats and Republican''s on the banking committees have failed to provide leadership and foresight to protect and regulate our nations financial system and institutions. Over the years Greenspan warned them that the increasing national debt was unsustainable that could lead to a national financial crisis if other countries lose confidence in our financial system and stop buying our national debt.; Reply to this comment