From The Road
October 9, 2008 2:15 PM

Biden: McCain Can't "Look Obama In The Eye" When Attacking

By
Ryan Corsaro
Topics
Joe Biden
(CBS)
From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

(ST. JOSEPH, MO.) - Joe Biden told supporters today that John McCain did not have a "steady hand" in leading America through economic crisis and attacked his campaign's negative advertising toward Barack Obama.

"Look, folks. Don't be distracted. These attacks don't hurt Barack Obama and me. What they hurt is you, and your fellow Americans. Every single false charge, every baseless accusation is an attempt to get you to stop paying attention to what's going on in this country and what's going on in your lives," said Biden.

Biden spoke in a gymnasium with several hundred supporters, and said his goal to ending the economic crisis would be bringing back some of the 70,000 jobs lost in Missouri during the last eight years.

"All of the things they said about Barack Obama…on the TV, at their rallies, and now on YouTube, and everything else they're doing before the debate, all the things they're saying after the debate as recently as this morning, John McCain could not bring himself to look Barack Obama in the eye and say the same things to him," said Biden.

However, Barack Obama himself kept mum during his town hall debate with McCain when it came to attacks his campaign has made against McCain's character.

Obama did not mention the recent 13-minute documentary the Obama campaign posted on YouTube, which brought attention to McCain's involvement in the Keating Five savings and loan scandal, during which McCain was criticized by a Senate committee as having "poor judgement" accepting contributions from Charles Keating, a real estate speculator.

The Obama campaign said their acknowledgement of McCain's role in the Keating Five scandal was a "direct response" to attacks on Barack Obama for his association to radical activist Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground, a group which was accused of domestic terrorism in the late 1960s and early '70s.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., introduced Biden, calling the McCain campaign's tactics "petty, small and personal."

"The oldest trick in their playbook, they've gone to it time and time again, the politics of fear and smear," said McCaskill. "Now they want America to be afraid of this inspirational, smart, strong, humble patriot. God-loving family man. That's what they want?"

She argued that Americans should instead "be afraid of four more years of Bush economics."

Biden continues a two-day trip through Missouri, making several campaign stops before flying to Chicago for a fundraising event tomorrow evening.

Add a Comment See all 14 Comments
by totheright2 October 10, 2008 5:55 PM EDT
I am sick. I read here what everyone is saying and it really bothers me. Are you so blind that you don''t see the Socialist / Communist agenda? Obama''s radical associations are scary. Frank Marshall Davis, Gerald Kellman, Saul Alinsky, Industrial Areas Foundation, Developing Communities Project, ACORN, Bill Ayers, Woods Fund, Gamaliel Foundation, Jeremiah Wright, Trinity, Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Khalid al-Mansour, Antoin %u201CTony%u201D Rezko, Public Allies, Democrat Socialists of America, Marxist New Party, Dr. Quentin Young, Communist Party of the USA, Alice Palmer, Rev. Pfleger, James Meeks, Arab American Action Network, Chicago Communist Party, Young Communist League, Nadhmi Auchi, Raila Odinga and George Soros. Did I miss anyone? How can we accept someone for the highest position in the country, who couldn''t even pass the secret service security requirements for employment?
Reply to this comment
by selenia08 October 10, 2008 2:11 PM EDT
John Mcain won''t look him in the eye because to him Barack Obama isn''t up to his level. His racism and prejudice shows when he''s around Barack or speaking of Sen. Obama. Mcain is a rich high-class conservative who thinks that people like me and my family don''t make a difference in the economy or the world. But that''s his down fall and Obama''s strong point Obama gets it he knows people like my family are the ones who make a bigger contribution to this country then any rich and priviledge family does. John Mcain thinks less of Obama cause of his color and it shows take for instance the last debate he pointed to obama and said that one voted for whatever it was they were speaking about. He was talking about a Senator of the United States not some inanimate object or something like that. He''s a bigot and he tries to hide it but when Sen. Obama is in the room he lets it all hang out cause its just part of his nature.
Reply to this comment
by storeyy October 10, 2008 2:34 AM EDT
I am ashamed of the fallen hero once known as John Sidney McCain and will vote Obama in November.
Reply to this comment
by newslink October 10, 2008 2:29 AM EDT
MCcain can not look Obama in the eye. Because: The Guilty can''t Fight. Biden is Right as Always.
Reply to this comment
by florida301 October 9, 2008 10:07 PM EDT
gaypastor, it''s your decision to choose whatever party you want. If you are happy with the conduct of Republicans, go for it.

I have heard them all and the Republicans do not represent the God that I serve. Specifically Palin and McCain are promoting HATE, Violence, Ignorance, and FEAR. This is happening daily.

I do not promote sexist conduct or attitudes. Palin put herself in hiding instead of talking to the American people. Sure she has been at some rallies, but look at who is there...Republicans target only a limited segment of americans..there are few minorities (almost none)who are also citizens of this great country.

When Palin has spoken to the press, she is responsible for how she is perceived. Katic Couric asked her very basic questions which she had trouble answering. She is on the national stage and does women a great dis-service when acting as if she will melt. Yet in her rallies, mean and attack seem to flow naturally.

I am a Hillary Clinton supporter - she is gracious, tough, determined and intelligent. Greatly admired.

I find many making excuses for Palin and McCain....accepting such low expectations.

I have also researched Barack Obama. He is not perfect, but the intolerance, hate and attack dog mentality of McCain/Palin is a turnoff. And is NOT GODLY according to my Bible.
Reply to this comment
by patianne October 9, 2008 9:41 PM EDT
Of course McCain can''t look Barack Obama in the eye...he has a little shame left.
Not only that, it would completely infuriate him to look up.
And look up he would have to, in more ways than one.
Reply to this comment
by zukatesta October 9, 2008 8:57 PM EDT
The questions about Ayers have been asked, and asked, and asked. They''ve been answered. You either buy the explanation, or you don''t.

Bill Ayers is a respected professor at the University of Illinois, who is currently a left-wing activist that is strictly non-violent and law-abiding. It has been nearly 40 years since Ayers'' last crime, and Obama has known him 15 years or less.

Serving on the same board of the Annenberg challenge as Obama and Ayers were many other highly respected bi-partisan officials, and Walter Annenberg himself was a close personal friend of Ronald Reagan, and Leonore Annenberg was his State Department''s Chief of Protocol. If the Annenbergs saw fit to have Bill Ayers on the board of their foundation, that speaks volumes for the rehabilitation of the man.

Further Ayers has never claimed to be a friend of Barack Obama. They have never "palled around."

Now, I am supposed to believe that Ayers must be the same terrorist he was in the 60''s, but Charles Keating is not the same man McCain took trips to Bermuda with?

McCain was implicitly involved in Keating''s criminal acts. Obama was 8 years old when Ayers committed his. McCain and Keating vacationed together. Neither Obama nor Ayers, nor anyone near them, has said they are close.

There is now way I can absolve McCain and lambaste Obama, and if I had to chose which relationship is more damning, it is OBVIOUSLY McCain''s and Keating''s.
Reply to this comment
by hungry4goodg October 9, 2008 8:42 PM EDT
Let''s be obvious: The Obama campaign has never tried to hide the fact that it "pushes back" when McCain''s campaign attacks with mud. (Obama can''t allow the campaign to be ''Swift Boated.'') McCain will try every dirty trick in the book to confuse people, but much to McCain''s consternation, Sen. Obama keeps returning to bread and butter issues.
Reply to this comment
by dutch163 October 9, 2008 8:10 PM EDT
Joe Biden is so good and so right, McCain can''t look Obama in the eye. He is despicable, he should say it to Obama''s face on TV
Reply to this comment
by arlorant October 9, 2008 7:52 PM EDT
gaypastor, the "that one" comment got the attention it did because McCain himself said it, on live TV with millions of viewers. If Obama had hacked Palin''s email or invited her to pose nude, I can assure you that would be a big story, too. But the media just isn''t going to give the same attention to what every anonymous staff member says or every Democrat''s son does. And thank goodness we hold our presidential candidates to higher standards than Hugh Hefner!

I agree that sexism is more overt than racism at this point in our history. But that''s not Obama''s fault, and it doesn''t make Palin more qualified to lead the country should the need arise. I would encourage you not to change your party allegiance on that basis.
Reply to this comment
See all 14 Comments
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...