CLEVELAND, June 30, 2008
GOP Sharpens Attacks On Obama
Washington Post: Allies Of McCain Casting Democratic Candidate As Unprincipled, Opportunistic
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Lieberman Praises McCain's Policy
Sen. Joe Lieberman talks to Bob Schieffer about his support for John McCain, saying that McCain's foreign policy will make the United States' enemies weak and allies strong.
-
Video
Where Do Obama, McCain Stand?
Katie Couric speaks with CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield about the latest developments in the campaigns of presumptive presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.
-
Video
Retired General Backs Obama
Retired general Wesley Clark tells Bob Schieffer that although John McCain has experience in the military, he lacks the diplomacy and strategy of Barack Obama.
-
Photo
There has been an abrupt shift in tone among John McCain's paid staff members, volunteer surrogates and others, reports the Washington Post. (AP/LM Otero, Alex Brandon)
-
Photo Essay
John McCain
Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
-
Photo Essay
Barack Obama
A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
From Our Partner:
Sen. John McCain's allies have seized on a new and aggressive line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama, casting the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as an opportunistic and self-obsessed politician who will do and say anything to get elected.
McCain typically leaves the sharpened criticism to others, in the hope of being able to claim the high ground of conducting a "respectful" campaign. But the abrupt shift in tone among his paid staff members, volunteer surrogates and other Republican staples of the cable news circuit is unmistakable, and it resembles the unified message the GOP used to paint the 2004 Democratic candidate, Sen. John F. Kerry, as a flip-flopper.
It also reflects a growing belief among McCain's strategists that the campaign for the White House will be won or lost based on voters' view of Obama's character. In a strategy memo released Thursday, McCain's top political adviser accused Obama of "self-serving partisanship."
"In his time on the national stage, he has consistently put his party and his self-interest first," McCain strategist Steve Schmidt said in the memo. "We have seen Barack Obama forced to choose between principle and the interests of himself and his party. He has always chosen the latter."
Schmidt said in an interview that the campaign intends to point out "every day" that Obama broke his promise to accept public financing for his campaign, and that he has not made good on his pledge to debate his Republican opponent anytime and anywhere.
"It's a statement of fact that he discards people, and he discards positions when they become inconvenient for him," Schmidt said Friday. "When politicians say one thing and then do another, like Senator Obama has done, voters wonder about the steadfastness of the character of the person sitting in the Oval Office."
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said he is not surprised by the sharp attacks from McCain's surrogates: "It's our view that's exactly the politics that the American people are sick and tired of. The only ideas they have to promote are the failed ones for the last eight years."
Targeting a politician's character flaws is a time-tested strategy, but it is a complicated argument for McCain, who has also shifted his positions in the course of the campaign. This month, with gasoline prices soaring, the Republican reversed his position on offshore oil drilling.
The aggressive rhetoric aimed at Obama began to emerge June 22, when Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, a national co-chairman of the McCain campaign, appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." The normally collegial senator from South Carolina took direct aim at Obama's integrity.
"He's a calculating politician," Graham said. "The bottom line about Barack Obama, whatever the position -- whether it be Iraq, campaign finance reform, public financing -- he's going to take a tack that allows him to win. He wants to win beyond anything else, even more than keeping his word."
That theme was repeated Thursday in a conference call with reporters about the Supreme Court's decision to affirm the Second Amendment right to own a gun. McCain adviser Randy Scheunemann complained about hat he called Obama's constantly changing positions.
"What's becoming clear in this campaign," he said, is that Obama "has demonstrated that there is no position he holds that isn't negotiable. He will say or do anything if it furthers his political purposes."
And Karl Rove, the former political adviser to President Bush who is quietly consulting with McCain's top strategists, offered this piece of advice in his column in the Wall Street Journal.
Quote
"Mr. McCain will be helped if he uses Mr. Obama's actions to paint his opponent as someone driven by an all-powerful instinct to look out only for himself," Rove wrote Thursday. "In a contest over who is willing to put principle above personal ambition and self-interest, John McCain, a war hero and a former POW, wins hands down."If these things were simply about character, then the two war heroes the GOP nominated in 1992 and 1996 would have beaten the draft-dodging, pot-smoking womanizer.
GOP consultant Craig ShirleyMark Rozell, a professor of political science at George Mason University, said the similarity of the attacks suggests a concerted effort to "build a picture" about Obama's character before the political newcomer has a chance to convince people of the truth of his rhetoric.
"These things are always orchestrated," Rozell said. "I have no doubt there has been a running conversation within Republican circles about what the theme should be in going after Obama and how that theme could be reinforced."
The new Republican theme moves the campaign argument away from policy disagreements -- of which there are many -- to the realm of character, where McCain aides think their candidate is untouchable. But the tactic has potential risks for McCain, who has said repeatedly over the past several months that he will run a "respectful" campaign that does not engage in the politics of personal destruction.
Two days ago, McCain repeated that promise as he rode his Straight Talk Express bus across Ohio.
"Look, I respect and admire Senator Obama, and if I have ever treated him in a disrespectful way I don't know of it," he said. "Americans want a respectful debate. They don't want us to finger-point and question each other's character and integrity."
In a news conference with reporters Friday, McCain decried "gotcha" politics and said, "The lesson I have from traveling around this state and around this nation is they say, why don't you guys stop fighting with each other?"
But on Saturday he told a group of donors, "You know, this election is about trust and trusting people's word. And unfortunately, apparently on several items Senator Obama's word cannot be trusted."
Obama supporters have offered questions of their own about McCain's integrity, adding to the sniping on both sides of the political aisle. Schmidt said McCain has been "maligned and insulted and called names" by Obama supporters.
A radio talk show host called McCain a "warmonger," an accusation with which McCain's camp took particular umbrage, given his history as a prisoner of war and his oft-repeated statement that he "hates" war.
Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), an Obama surrogate, even cited McCain's service as a fighter pilot as evidence that he does not care about people.
McCain "dropped laser-guided missiles from 35,000 feet," he said earlier this year. "He was long gone when they hit. What happened when [the missiles] get to the ground? He doesn't know. You have to care about the lives of people. McCain never gets into those issues." Rockefeller later apologized for the comments.
Republican strategists said it is not as clear that attacks on Obama's chracter will work this year, when voters have said in surveys that they are tired of political vitriol.
Craig Shirley, a GOP consultant and biographer based in Virginia, said substantive issues are sometimes more powerful during a campaign than a focus on character.
"Bush tried the same thing in 1992 and Dole tried the same thing in 1996 -- trying to make the election a character issue -- both failing, of course," Shirley said of George H.W. Bush and Robert J. Dole. "If these things were simply about character, then the two war heroes the GOP nominated in 1992 and 1996 would have beaten the draft-dodging, pot-smoking womanizer."
By Michael D. Shear
|
|
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 103 CommentsDEMONIC-RAT HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SOLUTION,,,
BLAME THE DEMONIC-RATS,,,
THE DEMONIC-RAT DOCTRINE,,,
On February 16, 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said the "the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defense of the United States." On February 14, 1945, while returning from the Yalta Conference, Roosevelt met with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia on the Great Bitter Lake in the Suez Canal, the first time a U.S. president had visited the Persian Gulf region.
The Carter Doctrine was a policy proclaimed by President of the United States Jimmy Carter in his State of the Union Address on 23 January 1980, which stated that the United States would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region. The doctrine was a response to the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, and was intended to deter the Soviet Union%u2014the Cold War adversary of the United States%u2014from seeking hegemony in the Persian Gulf. After stating that Soviet troops in Afghanistan posed "a grave threat to the free movement of Middle East oil," Carter proclaimed:
Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force. (full speech)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Doctrine
Subject: Presidential Temperament
Please talk about and "Compare And Contrast" the " Presidential Temperament" of our Presidential presumptive nominees. I will also request and plead to the nominees themselves [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama ].
Our nation has been applying this yard and stick tor the appointments and confirmation process of our Supreme Court Justices nominees.
Our Greatgrand Nation Foundations are as under:
Family, friends, fellows, faith, funds, fun, with fairness & freedom And without fear, favor, and failure.
It will be disgrace and shameful if the nominees and media will not look into this critical and crucial aspect under current challenging times and circumstances within our country and all around the Globe.
America wake up and the discuss the " Presidential Temperament" of our presumptive presidential nominee''s [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama].
Yours sincerely,
COL. A.M.Khajawall [Ret].
Disabled American Veteran
Forensic psychiatrist, Las Vegas, Nevada.
As Louis Nizer once said,"When you point the finger at someone else, you leave 4 pointing back at yourself."
It''s well known that McCain is a virtual flip-flop machine, so I don''t think this attack line ha much traction with undecided voters. Of course, the GOP has to try something since they don''t have an agenda that appeals to the voters.
McCain should be more focused on paying his back taxes to california for his beach house.
Senator and Mrs'' Deadbeat are in no position to sling arrows.
As Louis Nizer once said,"When you point the finger at someone else, you leave 4 pointing back at yourself."
It''''s well known that McCain is a virtual flip-flop machine, so I don''''t think this attack line ha much traction with undecided voters. Of course, the GOP has to try something since they don''''t have an agenda that appeals to the voters.
McCain should be more focused on paying his back taxes to california for his beach house.
Senator and Mrs'''' Deadbeat are in no position to sling arrows.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 01:01 PM : Jun 30, 2008
+ repor
NO ARGUMENT HERE
Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.
The old rancher said, %u201CWell, ya know, Obama is a post turtle.%u201D
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a ''post turtle'' was. The old rancher said, When you''re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that''s a ''post turtle.
The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor''s face, so he continued to explain. You know he didn''t get up there by himself, he doesn''t belong up there, he doesn''t know what to do while he is up there, and you just wonder what kind of an idiot put him up there to begin with.
Posted by paris1969 at 01:06 PM : Jun 30, 2008
+ report abuse
No I''d say it appears to me that Democrats have decided to play just a rough as the Nazi''s! SIEG HEIL BUSH
Any evidence of this? What we know is that Republicans still think it was a good move, based on an honest assessment of facts, to invade Iraq. Democrats and the rest of the world have already decided the contrary. This lockstep mindset with authority figures is a telling Republican tendency. Party politics above country.
.... maybe Obama is an adulterer too??? ... we don''t know .. do we?
HE WON''T DO THAT- BECAUSE IF HE DOES HE WILL NOT BEEN SEEN AS A TRUE DEMOCRAT. THOSE WHO ONLY SEE LIFE THROUGH THEIR OWN SELF INTERESTS.
.........PERFECT............but really................why in hell would I vote for the tragedians? .......................
The way I see it, the GOP lost all concept of justice.
Democrats on the other hand, are still pro-choice, pro-consumer, pro-education, pro-civil liberties, pro-net-neutrality!!!, pro-healthcare, pro-gay rights, pro-environment, anti poverty, anti Iraq war, anti trying to teach our kids ID in science class rooms.............
The way the world looks to me right now.........and believe me...I''ve been paying close attention to our leaders these last 15 years................. I can tell you in no uncertain terms.......that ONLY Democrats will get my vote....and the Democrats win in 08.....there is no debate.
They''re collectively soiling their undies over the prospect of an overhelming majority Democrat congress and a half black democratic president. They know that their number is up and that they''ve screwed up REALLY bad over the past eight years. And they know that the American people know.
What''s not to be afraid of? Of course they''re on the attack. They don''t know how to come up with solutions on their own, so they last out at everything and everyone else.
Typical GOP.
Posted by mjvw2 at 01:13 PM : Jun 30, 2008
The rancher is painting the wrong person. It''s Bush who is the post turtle and the Republicans the idiots that put him in the White House. Didn''t you say this story came out of Texas? There you go.
Posted by jack3213 at 02:18 PM : Jun 30, 2008
Many scientists lean more Democrats than Republicans and many religious nuts lean more Republicans than Democrats. The Iraq war is a strategic mistake made by a Republican president. Bush is the most reviled leader in the Western world. I''m not sure you can crow about the level of intelligence of Republicans.
McBush has changed to the opportunistic stance on more issues than successful missions in Viet Nam. He voted in lockstep with bush 95% last year and 100% this year.
His service record appears honorable, but more mediocre than outstanding. Since parts of his service records aren''t released, we don''t know. The spin in his writings is self-serving and not evidence. We do know that he graduated near the bottom of his class at Annapolis and he was a below average pilot.
It''s time we had a president smarter than most people, for a change.
Posted by jon2012
YES
What a bunch of right wing nut losers. Start supporting America and the troops. Bring them home. Now.
Posted by jack3213 at 02:18 PM : Jun 30, 2008
What part of over $250,000.00 / per year Taxable income - do you not understand ? .... Besides, i haven''t seen anyone (not a Repug) who makes over $250k/yr have a problem with paying an additional $300.00/yr in taxes if it improves OUR standard of living in this country and helps offset our debts - NONE. Except for Repugs, who''re about dying just becaiuse of a possible $200-$425 increase in taxes yearly for those making over $250k as Obama had proposed. Most Repugs want their party to win without asking them to fix anything RIGHT NOW - seeing as they''re still in Charge (Veto POS).
I fully support Obama''s change in not accepting public financing. At the time he made the pledge to accept, he, and no one else, had any way to guage the support he had among the American public in branding himself as the agent of "Change". Once he did, he changed course and declined public financing with its many restrictions as McCain has to do.
I much rather have a President who is convinced he is making the right decision when he makes a committment not be reluctant to change his decision once it becomes plain that his first decision was wrong. Had Bush, once he saw that he had made the wrong decision on Iraq, done the same, we would have avoided a very large part of the terrible price we paid and continue to pay. The problem was that he could never bring himself to acknowledge his mistake.
ROTFLMAO!!!!! Okay, Karl Rove comes out with an op-ed a week ago saying that of the GOPigs can paint Barack as an ''opportunistic and self-obsessed politician, etc'' then they can win. A week later, the GOPigs all come out and suddenly declare that Barack is an ''opportunistic and self-obsessed politician'' and since like eight different people all say the same thing in tandem, the media prints it.
KKKarl Rove, the guy who used a the race of a guy''s death-bed cleft-palated orphan daughter to fear-monger a LIE for political gain, who gets embraced by that same guy out of desperation eight years later, is attacking the integrity of another guy for political gain, and this story gets printed alongside another story that''s attacking the same nice guy by the media.
Why on earth does the media let guys like Karl Rove get away with this kind of chit? Unbelievable!!!!!
Posted by stevex47
No, they nominate Chimps like RamaLamaObama and play the smear blame game.
What a bunch of right wing nut losers. Start supporting America and the troops. Bring them home. Now.
Posted by noloyalisti
Dimnowits always pimping victimization and poverty. Troops don''t need your pandering *********.
Posted by ramos937
If so that''s because Americans favor no one party in office at the same time. It''s a real omen for the lefties.
Posted by ramos937
Wrong. It is to be expected from the Republicans and their backers in the media - Faux News, in particular.
Kerry took the high road four years ago and lost - because he was too slow and too timid in his responses. Obama is still taking the high road and will loose if he allows himself to be framed by the Republicans.
For the righties you mean. Bye bye birdies!
I listened for a few minutes today. He was spewing his propoganda at like 90 miles per hour.
Likewise, I''ve also noticed there are no reports of any other country coming to help or sending aid.
And where is Reverends Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton
Shocking contrast isn''t it???!!!!
Posted by love234ameri at 05:24 PM : Jun 30, 2008
*** Obama doesn''t want to do town hall mtgs because Mccain would fill the crowd with people that support him. And mccain can''t draw big crowds like Obama, so Mccain would look horrible in big speak crowds. Taxes will only go up if you make more than 250 thousand bucks per year. How many people out there make more than 250 bucks per year??? This will only affect rich people. If Bush made the rich people alteast pay their fair share, the economy would be great right now. But know, he had to give tax cuts to his rich friends. If the wealthy spent that money, sure it would create jobs, but no, the put it in savings accounts. I could go along with tax cuts for the wealthy as long as they were attached to legislation that said they HAD to spend it and could NOT put it in the banks!
Posted by stevex47 at 05:06 PM : Jun 30, 2008
*** Because the nutjobs paid bin laden to pull off 9-11, why else was the bin laden family flown out of the country the next day????
Posted by stevex47 at 05:10 PM : Jun 30, 2008
** So he could give pay back to his rich buddies for paying for his campaigns! Bush doesn''t care about anyone but the wealthy, same as Amnesty mccain! Atleast Bush pretended to care about the border and kicking out illegals, but Mccain is for total open boarders as per his co-sponsored bill to give amnesty to over 12 million illegals, without forcing them to learn English, or return home and get in line behind people trying to come in the legal way!
Likewise, I''''ve also noticed there are no reports of any other country coming to help or sending aid.
And where is Reverends Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton
Posted by hungrymama at 05:30 PM : Jun 30, 2008
*** Why should foreigners help us??? If I was a foriegner I wouldn''t want to help USA under this administration of the corporations, not the goverment of the people. The famers aren''t stealing tvs because there are no tvs in the midwest!..LOL! Just joking. But seriously... why isn''t Bush doing more to help those people out there? Why? Because He DOES NOT CARE about poor white americans. If this weather problem was happening near his ranch in tx and/or near his rich buddies, watch how fast he would have them out of danger!
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 103 Comments