McCain Aide: Obama Is No Bill Clinton

Political Players: McCain Adviser Nicolle Wallace Also Says Her Candidate Is The Real Reformer

(CBS)  Political Players is a weekly conversation with the leaders, consultants, and activists who shape American politics. This week, as the general election campaign kicked into higher gear, CBS News' Brian Goldsmith talked with McCain Senior Adviser Nicolle Wallace, a former CBS News analyst and communications director to President Bush.

CBSNews.com: Taxes and the economy have been the main point of contention between the two candidates since Senator Obama became the nominee. More than 80 percent of the country is dissatisfied with the state of the economy. What is the fundamental difference between how President Bush has managed the economy and how Senator McCain would manage the economy?

Nicolle Wallace: Well, I think McCain has a decades-long record of calling for far greater fiscal discipline and for making some of those tough choices between spending and spending restraint. And I think that sets him apart from a lot of politicians, Democrats and Republicans. I think that's essential to his philosophy that the entire federal government needs fundamental, seismic reforms--to serve the people that it's there to serve in every capacity, not just in terms of the economy.

Even with those first Bush tax cuts. At the time that was a vote in favor of fiscal discipline, not against tax cuts. So I think there's a really big difference between these two.

CBSNews.com: Of course, at the time, Senator McCain argued against the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts not just because of spending cuts that he thought should happen--but because he thought they weren't fair enough. And he criticized the percentage that went to the wealthiest one percent. So what's changed between now and then?

Nicolle Wallace: Well, I think that what the two candidates running for President right now face is the choice between the tax burden on Americans getting bigger or the tax burden on Americans getting smaller.

And what they have to choose between is two men who I think stand proudly on their vision for the future. Barack Obama seems to stand very proudly on a platform of raising taxes for just about every working American family. And John McCain stands very proudly on what is his economic vision for the future which is cutting taxes for a vast majority of working American families.

I mean, they have a huge difference of opinion on the role of the job creators in America. Barack Obama believes in taxing the job creators. John McCain believes that the best way to keep them creating jobs and creating more jobs is to lower the tax burden on the job creators. So it's just a big policy difference and I would hope that the debate remains truthful and respectful.

CBSNews.com: But, as you know, the Democrats are trying to sell a narrative about McCain, which is that he used to be a maverick, he used to be independent. He opposed the Bush tax cuts both times, not just because of fiscal discipline but also because of fairness. And he essentially sold his soul to become the Republican nominee and is now running on the Bush economic policy. What's your response to that?

Nicolle Wallace: We should only be so lucky to have the Obama campaign be stupid enough to depict John McCain as a man who would sell his soul. I mean that's just offensive at every level. He's a man who spent years serving his country. He has a well documented record as a POW who let his fellow soldiers go before him.

That is an offensive political attack that I think the American people will reject, so I'm not even going to dignify it with a response. But I think that the voters and John McCain are both focused on the future, which is a choice between two candidates who have a very different view about the size of the tax burden on the American taxpayer. And I don’t think that the voters will believe for a minute that John McCain is carrying anyone's water other than theirs.

His positions on taxes are rooted in what he thinks is the best thing for the American economy and the American people. And I think we welcome a robust debate, but I think what we will reject loudly is any effort to impugn the motives or what you described as selling one's soul. I just don't think that's true or fair at any level.

CBSNews.com: For the record, I didn't describe it that way. I was characterizing what some Democrats have said for your response.

Nicolle Wallace: I wasn't addressing you. I was addressing the Democrats that said that.

CBSNews.com: Your former boss, President Bush, expressed regret during his trip to Europe this week. He said he should have used "a different tone, a different rhetoric” so that people would see him as a man of peace. You were communications director at the White House. Looking back, what could have been done different about how the President communicated on the war?

Nicolle Wallace: I just saw those comments reported the same way you did. And I think that it's natural and positive and healthy that at this point, he's reflecting on a lot of aspects of his presidency. I think we're all kind of at that point where people are looking back. A lot of people in the media and Democrats are drawing very negative conclusions. Even some Republicans are, I guess.

But, without kind of seeing the whole context of that, I don't want to say too much more. I would say that President Bush has admitted mistakes, you know, big ones--at all levels--multiple times. I mean, this is going back to 2005. We talked about mistakes in the military strategy and adjustments that were made. Mistakes in the political strategy in Iraq and adjustments that had been made. And I think it's probably a natural extension of that reflection that he said what he said today. But I don't have any other insights there.

CBSNews.com: Does McCain believe Bush is a great president?

Nicolle Wallace: I don't know. That's a good question to put to him next time Katie gets an interview with him.

CBSNews.com: There's obviously been a lot of Republican criticism of that McCain event last Tuesday night, of the now infamous green backdrop, of McCain's presentation as he gave his speech, and the composition of the crowd, and pretty much everything about the room. How did that happen, and what has the campaign learned from the experience?

Nicolle Wallace: You know, having joined the McCain campaign late--just about six weeks ago, I can brag on them in a way that they can't do on themselves because I joined late. When you walk around the campaign headquarters, what is most stunning to me is just how lean it is. Everything looks like something you and I would have put in our college dorm room--like temporary furniture. They did not spend money they didn't have.

And if you know anyone that's stared down death, you know they have this inspirational kind of gratitude for just being here. And I think there's a little bit of a mentality that they were grappling with right after seizing the nomination where they did not want to spend more than they had. They did not want to ramp up too quickly.

There was this sense to start small and to build slowly. And I think what the media is seeing, and what you're talking about, are just some natural growing pains. And we are now in a position where when we made mistakes, we're under the full glare and scrutiny of the media spotlight, as we should be. But we obviously see what you see and we're making adjustments and we're making corrections.

CBSNews.com: Is there concern in the McCain campaign about the fairness of the mainstream media coverage going forward? Because the Clinton campaign certainly raised a lot of objections to the way Senator Obama was treated, in their view, by the media. Does the McCain campaign share those concerns?

Nicolle Wallace: We are focused on the future and I think we are going to observe very closely and be on the lookout for any disparities. I think John McCain has a decades-long record of being one of the most extraordinarily accessible and one of the most well-liked politicians in America among the public and among the media. He has a famous joke about the press being his base.

So I think we feel that we enjoy, by and large, a very open, very positive, very healthy relationship with the vast majority of the media. But where we see bias or where we see an incomplete story or where we see a story that we think is out of line or unfair, you'll hear from us. Or whatever outlet that carries that story will hear from us.

CBSNews.com: Is there any consideration being given to McCain making a one-term pledge?

Nicolle Wallace: No. Not that I'm aware of. I think that what people will look at in November are two very different candidates. Two men who, I think, represent the best of their parties at this moment, perhaps. Obviously, based on the votes cast by primary voters. And I think they'll make a choice based on big, wide gaping differences on the big policies we're facing.

CBSNews.com: Do you think Michelle Obama is a legitimate issue in the campaign?

Nicolle Wallace: What do you mean?

CBSNews.com: Will the McCain campaign be open to attacking what she has to say, or do you rule out making comments about what a candidate's spouse has to say?

Nicolle Wallace: I would look back among your records, but I believe our candidate has spoken clearly on that. This will be a debate between Barack Obama and John McCain and that would not be the case. But you should check that.

CBSNews.com: The Obama camp is very proud of the fact that soon they will have staff in all 50 states. Is that something that the McCain campaign hopes to match?

Nicolle Wallace: I think there are probably many different schools of thought about the political wisdom of staff in 50 states. I believe that we subscribe to something that will look different. But our political strategy will be one that's born of our view and our perspective of what it takes to win in November.

CBSNews.com: A couple of times this week, Senator McCain said he is not running for President Bush's third term but Senator Obama is running for Jimmy Carter's second. But you have to be in your forties, at least, to remember Jimmy Carter. So is there a concern that that attack is less relevant given how many voters don't particularly remember how President Carter performed in office?

Nicolle Wallace: Well, I think that there's a policy point being made. And I'll give the Obama campaign the benefit of the doubt and say that I think what they're trying to make is a policy argument there. We're making a policy argument when we talk about Jimmy Carter's second term. And I think that Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter should be proud to embody each other on many aspects of the policies they seek to advance.

Their national security vision is nearly identical. And their economic policies are most similar. I certainly think it would be illegitimate and wrong to say that he's running for an extension of Bill Clinton's presidency. So we went back to Jimmy Carter's policy vision to find a comparison or an analogy or something to help people understand what kind of America he envisions.

CBSNews.com: Why do you think he's so different from Bill Clinton?

Nicolle Wallace: Well, economists who are much smarter than me can tell you much, much more about this. But I think at his core, his economic vision was different from Obama's in that it favored pro-growth policies more. And, again, you have to talk to an economist to get into the nitty-gritty there. But I think the economic vision that most closely mirrors Obama's is Jimmy Carter's.

CBSNews.com: Early in the campaign, Senator McCain seemed to rule out naming somebody pro-choice to be his running mate. He spoke very frankly about how difficult that would be within his own party. And yet, lately, he's spoken favorably about Governor Ridge and Mayor Bloomberg. So what is his policy about naming somebody who's pro-choice?

Nicolle Wallace: We're not going to have anything to say about the vice presidential selection process or any of the people being considered until we announce our running mate.

CBSNews.com: Finally, let me ask you about the town halls. The first one is happening this week. Presumably, there will be an empty chair there for Senator Obama.

Nicolle Wallace: Aw, that's too bad.

CBSNews.com: Do you think Obama really wants to do these forums or is he just talking about it?

Nicolle Wallace: You'd have to ask them. Everything I've seen and observed about his candidacy, at least the rhetoric, speaks to the deep desire of the American people to see politics done differently, done better. I don't know that there's any proposal on the table right now to accomplish that than Senator McCain's proposal for town halls.

CBSNews.com: And your campaigns have been in touch but no progress has been made on actually scheduling these?

Nicolle Wallace: Right.

[terrorislami]

Thank God he isn''''t like BILL Clinton. Talk about a disaster if he was

Posted by jedi080808 at 03:48 AM : Jun 16, 2008

exactly

and hussein is exponentially WORSE,,,

[jedi080808]

Thank God he isn''t like BILL Clinton. Talk about a disaster if he was

[terrorislami]

HUSSEIN IS SOFT ON FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,

HELL HIS KENYAN FAMILY AND TRIBE ARE FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,

Obama''s Cousin Charged With Ethnic Cleansing
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/01/great-obamas-cousin-charged-with-ethnic.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7192958.stm

Obama''s relative linked to Ethnic Cleansing in Kenya
http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com/2008/02/obamas-relative-linked-to-ethnic.html

Signs in Kenya That Killings Were Planned
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1957451/posts

Ten Obvious Reasons Why Islam is NOT a Religion of Peace
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Top-10-Reasons.htm

Kenya Muslim Violence Pictorial *Warning Graphic*

Africa, Kenya, Muslims%u2026nothing more needs to be said%u2026
http://patdollard.com/2008/01/kenya-muslim-violence-pictorial-warning-graphic/

The Kenyan jihad
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/433766/the-kenyan-jihad.thtml

nothing new,,, more radical muslims ethnically cleansing non-muslims

19 Burned to Death in Violence in Kenya
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1960644/posts

[terrorislami]

HUSSEIN IS SOFT ON FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,

HELL HIS KENYAN FAMILY AND TRIBE ARE FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAMIST JIHADISTS,,,

Obama Sides With Radical Islamists

The magnitude of difference between the two candidates running in our presidential election could not be more stark! After reading the statements of both Obama and McCain regarding the horrible Supreme Court 5-4 decision to allow Gitmo detainees the right to be tried in civilian courts, we can clearly see what a flawed, unfortunate, and terrible direction Obama would take this country if [God forbid!!]elected in November.

Obama''s statement:

Barack Obama statement on the Supreme Court''s 5-4 decision today extending civilian legal protections to terrorist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay:

Um...er...earth to Obama? Foreign terrorists caught in battle against our forces during war have never been eligible for "habeas corpus"! They are not covered by the Constitution of the United States of America. So...what "rule of law" are you referring to?
http://talkwisdom.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-sides-with-radical-islamists.html

[kansas1946]

McCain Aide: Obama Is No Bill Clinton
**************************************

Duh, YA'' THINK??? What a stupid statement.

[kansas1946]

Blah...blah...blah...what a ditz.

[rufisgufis]

Good thing Obama is not like Billy Boy. When Obama is in the White House we won''t have to worry about the safety of the interns. And I''m sure by now that the stench he left behind is probably long gone thanks to Laura. "Happy days are here again."

[toldyouso12]

"Nicolle Wallace: When you walk around the campaign headquarters, what is most stunning to me is just how lean it is. Everything looks like something you and I would have put in our college dorm room--like temporary furniture. They did not spend money they didn''t have. And if you know anyone that''s stared down death, you know they have this inspirational kind of gratitude for just being here. "


TRANSLATION: McCain and company look a lot like starving deer caught in your headlights. Rotflmao

[toldyouso12]

The ISM is not the organization I used to know"

If Barack Obama didn%u2019t know about Abunimah%u2019s writings (and Abunimah says he did), the same as his claims of being unaware of Reverend Wright%u2019s remarks after 20 years, then Obama is not competent to be our President. Abunimah likes to lie and claim Al Awda has nothing to do with the ISM or Electronic Intifada, though plenty of evidence exists on the website the homepage at www.StoptheISM.com showing the contrary.


Posted by obama8years at 08:21 AM : Jun 15, 2008

How much do you think you know about your church or even your own family members--you only know what they deign to show....right? As for Abunimah--you first say he disputes Obama then says that Abunimah is a liar--if he is a liar--why are you parsing some of his comments to believe while discounting others?

Another reason Clinton lost--her followers are too caught up in pettiness to connect the dots. LOL

[toldyouso12]

Obama is not Bill Clinton? That''s a good thing. In these times Bill Clinton is not wanted--especially not the Bill Clinton we''ve been seeing. Get a clue McCain aide--you''ve been hanging around old people like McCain too long--this is not your grandad''s America anymore--move over for the next generation--who are tired of the old schtick--and the old prejudices and the old indiscretions--with the new kids--Bill''s "aw shucks bubba routine, while he boinks the broads" would be hooted at with laughter--but his stand on NAFTA and CAFTA and trying to sell Dubai Ports would get him rode out of town on a rail.

[Stratmaster7]

good to see obama8years is still pasting the same posts from 10 months ago. sorry bud, but they obviously have no traction, or Obama wouldn''t have won the primaryor have a consistently widening lead over McCain. when lies and decpetion don;t work, switch to calling names; the majority of you fellow McCain supporters have already made the transition.

[obama8years]

Or should we be asking do the radicals control Obama like a puppet.

The question is if we want a man in the White House who will regularly give his ear to the likes of a Reverend Wright, his and Sabeel%u2019s replacement theologies, and pro-terrorist propagandists like Ali Abunimah on a regular basis? In one sense, Obama could be considered the ISM%u2019s Manchurian candidate given his wide connections to ISM activists and campaign movements such as the Wheels of Justice Tour, Joseph Carr a.k.a. Joseph Smith, Hannah Mermelstein, Anna Baltzer and others.

[obama8years]

Why is Hamas Supporting Obama. Why are radicals and terrorist attracted to Obama. What magical power does Obama hold over these dangerous people.

Now, it has become the ISM%u2019s time to deconstruct religious dogma of Israel belonging to the Jews as is preached in US churches and to increase the number of black churches in America that are working in %u201Csolidarity%u201D with this program. Jeremiah Wright%u2019s church is one of them. Even though the national synod of the United Church for Christ rescinded a boycott and divestment plan against Israel, a wing of the UCC church keeps trying to get it reinstated. That wing includes Reverend Wright%u2019s Trinity UCC Church in Chicago. Few people know also, that there are many Muslim members of Reverend Wright%u2019s %u201CChristian%u201D church, a close ally of Sabeel.

Led by a Palestinian Christian pastor named Naim Ateek, Sabeel%u2019s purpose is as part of the ISM to especially convince churches in America that the diminishing Christian population in the West Bank, particularly Bethlehem, is not due to persecution by the Muslim majority in the Palestinian Authority against Christians caused Christian flight, but because of Israel%u2019s Jews and %u201Cthe occupation.%u201D In order to achieve this, Sabeel practices something called %u201Creplacement theology %u201C

[Stratmaster7]

14 reasons not to vote for John McCain.
1. Claims foreign policy as a strength but can%u2019t keep friends and enemies straight.
2. Too hawkish on the war.
3. Too hawkish on Iran
4. Did the biggest flip-flop in history & sold his soul to Bush for an endorsement.
5. Admits he knows nothing about the economy.
6. Seems to always have lobbyist issues.
7. Thinks pharmaceutical & insurance co., if left alone, will fix healthcare system.
8. Did not hold Bush administration accountable for torture. He of all people should know better.
9. Says he won%u2019t raise taxes, but doesn%u2019t explain how to reduce record debt or record deficit.
10. Shows early signs of senility. Look at video in 2000, & then current video and you can see the decline. Follows every statement w/ that Cheshire cat grin & deer in headlights stare.
11. Says %u201Cit%u2019s not important when our soldiers come home from Iraq if there are no casualties%u201D ignoring that there will ALWAYS be casualties while we are there & we have unfinished business elsewhere w/ an already stretched military.
12. Says %u201CAmerican%u2019s don%u2019t care if their President has a temper%u201D. He tried to dictate debate w/ his unsubstantiated assumptions about what we care about.
13. Has been associated for 18 years, & refuses to give back the $300k in contributions, from a man who thinks raping women is fodder for jokes.
14. He will veto all beer.

[obama8years]

"The ISM is not the organization I used to know"

If Barack Obama didn%u2019t know about Abunimah%u2019s writings (and Abunimah says he did), the same as his claims of being unaware of Reverend Wright%u2019s remarks after 20 years, then Obama is not competent to be our President. Abunimah likes to lie and claim Al Awda has nothing to do with the ISM or Electronic Intifada, though plenty of evidence exists on the website the homepage at www.StoptheISM.com showing the contrary.

But Obama%u2019s association with the ISM through his church and lobbying in Chicago goes even deeper than just his past links to Al Awda and Ali Abunimah. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, are both equally involved with the ISM.

[trbundro1277]

Nicole Wallace isn''t good looking, she is chubby! Like most american girls! She is so misguided! She things rich people are the ones creating jobs with tax breaks? NO! Walmart and Walstreet don''t create jobs with those tax breaks, it is more money in their pockets! That is it! Why don''t those rich people have to be accounted for? IF they don''t create so many jobs, they should have to pay that money back to the goverment. The ultra wealthy that got those big tax breaks, are walmart executives, wallstreet, and Oil company executives. Do you really think those people created good high paying jobs?? NO!

[trbundro1277]

it is time to consider how much more it will cost if we do not defeat fascist nazi terrorislam,,,
Posted by terrorislami at 08:10 PM : Jun 14, 2008
*** Then how can you tolerate Amnesty mccain???

[terrorislami]

Because, Iraq was no threat
Posted by psy_war at 11:21 PM : Jun 14, 2008

ummmmmmmmm was bosnia???

what an idiot left wingnut koolaid drinking barking moonbat,,, LOL

hahaha

[greatdrivew]

You gotta hand it to ol'' Bernie McCain: he sure knows how to pick a pretty adviser. However, I''m not certain Nicolle is the person I want advising the President. Bernie sure, the President no.

[nanc12]

Watch this right now !!
Posted by nanging3

Thanks, nanging - it was hilarious. Very professional website - with misspellings. Features a photo of Obama in swim trunks. Oh no - he swims!