McCain Adviser May Have Struck A Nerve

Washington Post: Adviser's Comment Saying Attack Before The Election Would Help McCain May Have Struck A Nerve With Dems

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Jonathan Weisman and Anne E. Kornblut..

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Sen. Barack Obama and his surrogates continued to criticize Charles R. Black Jr., a top adviser to Sen. John McCain, on Tuesday for saying a terrorist attack before the November election would help the presumptive Republican nominee. But behind their protests lay a question that has dogged Democrats since Sept. 11, 2001: Was Black speaking the truth?

"I don't think anyone knows the answer to this question," said Tad Devine, a senior strategist on Sen. John F. Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, which confronted the same internal debate. "On the one hand, Republicans say they made America safe. That argument goes by the wayside if there's an attack. On the other hand, an attack would change the entire framework of this election."

Black's comment to Fortune magazine that a terrorist attack "certainly would be a big advantage" roiled the presidential campaign for a second straight day. Obama -- who has made a determined effort to shore up his credentials on national security since clinching the Democratic nomination, arguing that the United States is less safe now than before President Bush took office -- wasted no time in trying to counter Black's statement. Obama dispatched Richard Ben-Veniste, a member of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, to hold a conference call with reporters in which he called Black's comments "a candid and very disappointing glimpse into the thinking of one of McCain's closest advisers." He did not directly call for Black to step aside.

"I think the remarks were so out of place that they call for some recalibration in the thinking and perhaps a greater adherence to principle here in staying away from the politics of fear," Ben-Veniste said.

McCain has distanced himself from Black's comments, saying, "If he said that -- and I don't know the context -- I strenuously disagree."

But radio host Rush Limbaugh said aloud what other Republicans have been saying privately for months. Black's comments were "obvious," Limbaugh said yesterday on his program as he criticized McCain for distancing himself from them.

Limbaugh said in no uncertain terms that Obama would be weak in the face of terrorism. "We know damn well it's Obama who would seek to appease our enemies. We know damn well it's McCain who won't put up with another attack," Limbaugh said.

To this day, Kerry (D-Mass.) has blamed an Osama bin Laden videotape released on Oct. 29, 2004, for his defeat in the election the following week. And McCain, while campaigning in Connecticut for Rep. Christopher Shays that week in 2004, described the bin Laden video as a boost for Bush. "I think it's very helpful to President Bush," McCain said at the time. "It focuses America's attention on the war on terrorism. I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, but I think it does have an effect."

Devine said Kerry campaign officials always feared an "October surprise" -- the capture of bin Laden, a terrorist attack or some other maneuver that would thrust terrorism into the forefront of voters' minds.

"We certainly were concerned that an administration that had shown itself willing to do almost anything would do almost anything," he said. "We weren't planning around it. There were no meetings around an October surprise, but were there discussions? Certainly."

Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of the 2004 nominee, went so far as to tell a business group in Phoenix late in the campaign that she "wouldn't be surprised if [bin Laden] appeared in the next month."

In his first debate with President Bush that year, Kerry tried to confront the issue head-on, accusing the president of a "colossal error of judgment" in "taking his eye off" bin Laden with the invasion of Iraq.

But the fight against terrorism remained Bush's key strength, even with an electorate that had begun to sour on his stewardship of the economy and his conduct of the Iraq war.

Obama advisers insisted yesterday that the Democrats can win the terrorism argument this year, even if there is an attack.

"I think the American people have gotten sensitized to the politicization of the war on terror by the Republican Party," said Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.), an Obama adviser. "Republicans have gone to the well too often, and the American people are seeing through it."

Obama has already begun the process of building a profile on national security issues. Last week's appearance with former military officers came after he had talked tough about al-Qaeda and promised action against the group's sanctuaries in western Pakistan. He has also begun a shift to the political center, saying he would support a compromise bill to authorize warrantless wiretapping of terrorist suspects over the strenuous protests of civil libertarians and party liberals. The Senate will vote to break a Democratic filibuster of the measure today.

"If something like an October surprise would happen, it would remind people about many of the Bush administration failures, that Osama bin Laden is on the loose, that al-Qaeda is stronger, that we've not been successful in pursuing foreign policy objectives," said former congressman Timothy J. Roemer (D-Ind.), another former 9/11 Commission member and an Obama homeland security adviser. "And I think those are strikes in favor of our argument for change."

But the sensitivity is still there. Davis, saying he was speaking personally and not for the campaign, advised Obama to choose a seasoned foreign policy veteran with strong national security credentials as his running mate. He mentioned former senators Sam Nunn of Georgia and Bob Graham of Florida.

Staff researcher Madonna Lebling contributed to this report.

[bfjones666]

Like I said yesterday, this is the same administration that failed to connect the dots before 9/11 so how can they think the American people will react should there be another attack just before our election? This October surprise, like the attacks in Spain, will result in the politicians who are in the White House being thrown out on their a$$es and everyone associated with them will pay the price. Everyone knows that the bogus claims that this administration has "thwarted" various schemes and plots are all BS. If the Bush/Cheney administration fails us again, their surrogate McCain will not gain any political advantage.

[faith_in_w]

Just youi wait you liberals, we the holy good people are going to keep power! We dont care what we have to do to keep it either!

[texanforlogi]

bfjones666: I pray daily that you are correct in your assessment. But we are surrounded by some incredibly gullible people.

[beastof70]

Just youi wait you liberals, we the holy good people are going to keep power! We dont care what we have to do to keep it either!
Posted by faith_in_w at 09:04 AM : Jun 25, 2008
=========================

I told you....Keep up this blasphemy and we''ll likely read about some homeless guy found with a lightening bolt stuck up his keester, and we''ll all know it was you.

[mr2258]

Obama is the enemy.He has their support.This is a fact...

[chitown639]

Just youi wait you liberals, we the holy good people are going to keep power! We dont care what we have to do to keep it either!


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Posted by faith_in_w

Your remarks sound like comments from a Taliban or Al qaeda member. Its fun how all extremists all sound alike.

[beastof70]

Sent we are making such a big deal about someone mis-speaking, who has an explanation for why Sen. Obama claimed that closing down the "Enron" loophole alone would reduce gas prices 30-40%, yet we hear from Congress yesterday that there is nothing they can do to reduce the price of gas in the near term??

Did Sen. Obama speak out of inexperience?

Does Sen. Obama not really care to reduce the cost of crude based products, because he is in the pocket of giant bio-fuel manufacturing companies?

Did Sen. Obama merely pluck the above lie out of his butt??

What''s that you say Sen. Obama??

What do you mean we Americans can go drill ourselves??

[grumpas]

If it happens it''s the first one this bunch of clowns has thwarted. As I remember they sat on their hands and couldn''t connect the dots because no one told them in the intelligence chatter when and where the attack was going to take place. Not that this bunch would have done much about it if they had told them! So it''s amazing to me that so many people equate them with being strong on defense. When they clearly never have been.

[faith_in_w]

chitown639, I''m christian so I wouldnt sound like that.

[mr2258]

Drill Drill Drill...If we start today it will take several years to make it to the pumps.We will need it more by then.Common sense tells you to start now.FACT

[beastof70]

I got to thinking about this a day or so back.

Many of us Americans have African lineage in our family trees. Mine because my Indian grandpa married a free black woman. But, we are American first and it really sounds foolish to call ourselves, "African-Americans."

But, Sen. Obama actually is one of the few who have a legitimate right to call himself an African-American. Because his father was African who never spent much time, if any inside the US.

I then realized, unlike me, Sen. Obama''s lineage contains absolutely zero black American history.

IOW: When you think about it, Sen. Obama''s blackness merely reveals the fact he''s a half-A** American.

I personally prefer a real American to head the Executive Branch.

[inventagod2]

Run and hide, sheeple!
McSame pulled out the big red fear card and is waving it around!
Stampede, do not think for yourselves!

[faith_in_w]

mr2258, why? If the FED raises interest rates today, gas prices will go down tomorrow. Its a currency thang!

[beastof70]

Since we''re making such a big deal about someone making an error in speech....

Who can offer an explanation for why Sen. Obama claims that closing down the "Enron" loophole alone would reduce gas prices 30-40%....

Yet we hear from Congress yesterday there seems to be nothing they can do to reduce the price of gas in the near term??

Is Sen. Obama merely showing more of his inexperience?

Does Sen. Obama not really care to reduce the cost of crude based products, since he''s in the pocket of giant bio-fuel producers?

Did Sen. Obama merely pluck the above lie out of his butt??

Sen. Obama, what do you mean as far as you''re concerned we Americans can go drill ourselves??

[faith_in_w]

Beastof70, who says its an error? As a card carrying member of the GOP I think citizens are expendable if it means Gods party holds onto power.

[beastof70]

mr2258, why? If the FED raises interest rates today, gas prices will go down tomorrow. Its a currency thang!
Posted by faith_in_w at 09:42 AM : Jun 25, 2008
===========================

Is this more numbers Sen. Obama breech loaded you with and told you to go forth and excrete??

This sounds like when Sen. Obama said closing the "Enron" loophole would drop fuel prices between 30 and 40%??

[beastof70]

Beastof70, who says its an error? As a card carrying member of the GOP I think citizens are expendable if it means Gods party holds onto power.
Posted by faith_in_w at 09:51 AM : Jun 25, 2008
=======================

I wouldn''t know...I''m not a card carrying anything, unless you''re speaking of my passport, or birth certificates which both declare me to be 100% purebred American.

[beastof70]

Run and hide, sheeple!
McSame pulled out the big red fear card and is waving it around!
Stampede, do not think for yourselves!

Posted by Inventagod2

LOL sad but true!
Posted by fedupwithit1 at 09:56 AM : Jun 25, 2008
============================

Two seperate examples within the same post of Sen. Obama worshippers excretion of nothingness.

It reminds me of every stump speech I''ve ever seen Sen. Obama offer. He is the master of using so many words to say absolutely nothing.

The man can talk for hours, yet when you begin looking for the substance, it''s simply not there.

[faith_in_w]

Beastof70, oh youre one of those.

[ianlou]

Pisss off a majority of the voting public and you will lose the election; This has always been true.
The only strategy the Republicans have successfully used so far to overshadow the systematic screwwing of the middle class is to blur it with fear mongering and moral sanctification. Not this time.

[faith_in_w]

Beastof70, no but as one who deals with the stock market, I know the high price of oil is due to the low value of the dollar. Thats how inflation workes. It sort of like when air blows in your mullet making you look taller when you measure yourself by the door of the 7-11.

[ianlou]

faith_in_w,
Are you GOPSOCCERMOM aka Altoona Tina?

[aaabee-2009]

"Black''s comments were "obvious," Limbaugh said yesterday on his program as he criticized McCain for distancing himself from them."

Excuse me but what qualifications does Rush Limbaugh have, that qualifies him to add to the international terrorist discourse; to be quoted over others who have been educated and experienced in domestic and internation relations?

How often has Limbaugh been to Iraq?

What does the media gain by quoting a biased radio talkshow entertainer?

Rush Limbaugh''s 6 figure salary IS for entertainment, not political advisement. Has the media fallen to quoting entertainers now, on deadly serious political issues?

[king_quest]

100% purebred American.


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Posted by Beastof70 at 09:54 AM



Is this another one of your Obama is not American, since he is also Black?

[ianlou]

"a terrorist attack before the November election would help the presumptive Republican nominee"

This statement belongs in the same bag as Hillary''s
Staement about staying in the race in case Obama ends up like Robert Kennedy.

Examples of mouth engaged before mind is in gear.

[roger_inkart]

Of course he was speaking the truth. That''s why the Obamatards are having a hissy fit.

Posted by mike071067 at 10:13 AM : Jun 25, 2008

Hardly. I think it''s great. It clearly shows where the GOP mindset is: we hope for a terrorist attack because it will help us politically. This will probably drive another 2-3% of registered voters away from the McCain.

New polls are out and McSame is falling further and further behind. I hope more and more McCain advisors shoot off their fool months over the next few months. Nothing could be better for the Dems.

[superdem]

God''s Party ? God has a Party ? God needs a Party to get things done ? That''s the weakest, meanest, most corrupt God I''ve ever heard of. Jesus said his kingdom is not of this earth. Kingdoms are not democracies. America overthrew its King. God''s Party has had power for eight years now, and run this nation into the ground. So God either doesn''t know what He''s doing, or the Republicans aren''t hearing Him right. Or Maybe they ARE hearing Him right. Not sure which, but NONE of it''s good. Or, He doesn''t exist, which explains a LOT of things.

[kissamaarse]

It''s not so much what Charlie Black said, it is that McCain is such a pathological hypocrite for even having super-lobbyist Black as his top advisor. McCain has pretended that he does not associate with lobbyists. he is such a liar.

[irliberal]

I wouldn''''t know...I''''m not a card carrying anything, unless you''''re speaking of my passport, or birth certificates which both declare me to be 100% purebred American.


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Posted by Beastof70 at 09:54 AM

Nothing American about you except perhaps where you live. Takes more than a lapel pin, an I luv GWBush bumper sticker and a gun mounted in the rear window of your pick-up, you know.

You''re Nazi, through and through. Nuff said.

[realpatriot1]

mike71067,

There''s no reason for us to have a hissy fit because an attack would destroy the entire argument for the McCain Campaign. It would prove beyond any doubt that nothing we''ve done in Iraq or Guantanomo or Abu Graib or by spying on Americans ha made us safer.

An attack on America would help the Democrats, but we
aren''t hoping for it like the GOP.

If the Republicans weren''t in a hissy fit panic they wouldn''t even be talking about such a thing.

[aaabee-2009]

Limbaugh said in no uncertain terms that Obama would be weak in the face of terrorism. "We know *** well it''s Obama who would seek to appease our enemies. We know *** well it''s McCain who won''t put up with another attack," Limbaugh said.

Sounds like McCain ought to pick Rush as his VP.

Rush Limbaugh is a mic jockey who has no Washington experience and knows nothing about what Obama would do. He just works feverishly to ensure that this country stays divided, because he is Party First, Country second, or maybe third.

[rwassel]

Wow, what a shock - the Republicans playing the politics of fear. And of course, the right-wing whackjobs on this board just eating it up. Laughable.

[ianlou]

"Black''''s comments were "obvious," Limbaugh said yesterday on his program as he criticized McCain for distancing himself from them."
Posted by AaaBee

Have you heard about Rush Limpsticks new "Operation Chaos"?
Rush says %u201CVote for Obama to send a message to all Americans that McCain isn%u2019t Conservative enough.

Not sure what "safer" means but we do know the Republicans destroyed the country in order to "save" it.

[superdem]

Hillary NEVER said she was staying in the race in case Obama ended up like Robert Kennedy ! That is a filthy, scurrilous, hateful LIE ! She was ASKED if she was going to drop out, so she said why drop out when primaries often run into June, like in 1968 when Robert Kennedy was still winning primaries like California''s - then, having said his name, she paid a homage to what happened to Sen. Kennedy - THAT''S ALL SHE SAID. She NEVER wished it on Obama, she never incited anyone towards assassination - NONE of those charges are true, I don''t care WHAT Keith Olbermann says. It''s the haters who put a totally false meaning on what she said - soemthing they did over, and over, and over again.

[irliberal]

Rush Limbaugh is a mic jockey who has no Washington experience and knows nothing about what Obama would do. He just works feverishly to ensure that this country stays divided, because he is Party First, Country second, or maybe third.


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Posted by AaaBee at 10:27 AM

Actually it''s A) Oxycontin first, B) Partisanship second, C) Food third, D) Country fourth.

That''s Rush''s modus operandi.

[ianlou]

Hillary NEVER said she was staying in the race in case Obama ended up like Robert Kennedy
Posted by superdem

Sorry superdem, you are right.
Still, What she did say was not very smart.

[roger_inkart]

If the Republicans weren''t in a hissy fit panic they wouldn''t even be talking about such a thing.

Posted by realpatriot1 at 10:24 AM : Jun 25, 2008

The GOP in for a world of hurt this fall. I have little doubt they will hope for ANYTHING to keep power. But even if they get their sick wish of another terror attack I don''t think it will save them. People will be angry and disillusioned that we spent so much time, money and blood and we''re no better off.

[faith_in_w]

The forces of evil will try to harm us soon because they hate Bush and will try to smear his legacy.

[aaabee-2009]

I don''t mean to sound jaded but shall we review how many ways the GOP can win ''08?

a) Fixed electronic voting?
b) An engineered "terrorist attact" right before the elections?
c)President selected by the Supreme Court rather than by US citizens popular vote due to too-close-to-count margins?
d)Electoral college votes bought and sold?
e)Oh yes, and more people actually voting for McCain than Obama, but then can the GOP count on that?


The only thing that Dems have to counter the GOP machine of war, propoganda, and permanent majority with is free and fair elections by OVERWHELMING UNDENIABLE majority of voters voting for Obama across the entire nation.

Anyone who sits this election out is telling the GOP that we really don''t mind them taking over America for their own profits and power.

Have a great Bush day.

[aaabee-2009]

Actually it''''s A) Oxycontin first, B) Partisanship second, C) Food third, D) Country fourth.
Posted by IRLiberal at 10:34 AM : Jun 25, 2008

LOL. Good list.
Cigars....We forgot Rush''s cigars!
Thay have to sit somewhere between A) and B)

[clestes-2009]

This is really sad. The reps have descended to hoping for American deaths to ensure their candidate has a chance to win.

In fact, I don''t think it would. Why would people vote for the reps when they have been in power for 8 years and had 2 seperate attacks on American soil?

That is not a record to crow about!

[whitemale08]

How dare John McCain and Rush Limbaugh defend pictures of Wall Street chairman Richard Grasso embracing the FARC.

How dare John McCain and Sean Hannity defend harboring terrorists like Posada who claimed so many lives after he blew up a Venezuelan jetliner.

How dare Glenn Beck and John McCain lie us into war with a country that had nothing to with 911.

How dare Niel Bortz and John McCain say we should go after Saddam Hussein instead of Bin Laden.

How dare they!!!

[whitemale08]

How dare the Republicans vote for Bush who hired Donald Rumsfield after pictures were released showing him shaking hands with Saddam Hussein.

How dare they!!!

[penrod8]

Liberals, please don''t fret. There will not be an attack prior to the election. The terroists will not do anything to prevent Barrack and the Neverland crowd from being elected. Then the terroists can fire at will. When the Wal-marts and Schools and Churchs are being blown up and this group appeases the terrorists by saying this is free speech or let''s not offend 0r procecute the muslims, you will look back and say, : at least GW was fighting the terrorists on their soil!

[checkthepast]

Actually this could be a case of reverse logic. The terrorist want Reps out and Dems in. So this could waylay any planned attacks that might cause a higher turnout for the Reps because the terrorists know who will put up with their murderous ways and who will not. If Osama votes for Obama, I don''t think I will, I''m not on his side.

[broadwayphi]

"To this day, Kerry (D-Mass.) has blamed an Osama bin Laden videotape released on Oct. 29, 2004, for his defeat in the election the following week."

Hmmmm. Terrorists prefer Republican victories.

Ought that not teach us something?

[briannorwood]

I''m sorry, but anybody who hears this quote has got to be thinking that this guy is secretly wishing for a terrorist attack to help John McCain.

May or may not be what he meant, but that''s what is sounds like. And that is just creepy!

[ianlou]

Rush Limbaugh, Nov. 3, 1988:
"And now the liberals want to stop President Reagan from selling chemical warfare agents and military equipment to Saddam Hussein, and why? Because Saddam ''allegedly'' gassed a few Kurds in his own country. Mark my words. All of this talk of Saddam Hussein being a ''war criminal'' or ''committing crimes against humanity'' is the same old thing. LIBERAL HATE SPEECH! And speaking of poison gas ...I SAY WE ROUND UP ALL THE DRUG ADDICTS AND GAS THEM."


Question: What''s the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenberg?
Answer: One is a flaming Nazi gas bag and the other is a blimp.

Source: Urban Dictionary

[flreason]

The biggest danger in this election is that voters will feel so sure of a Democratic victory that they aren''t motivated to go to the polls. With the largest electronic voting machine company owned by a Republican loyalist, complacency can be dangerous. I would like to see more viable independent candidates, but Democrats are the best bet we currently have available to break the stranglehold that the multi-national corporate interests have on American political leadership. They will sell America down the river in a heartbeat if their personal payoff is large enough. Patriotism is, for them, a scam to divert attention while they pick the pockets of American workers.