Obama Hits McCain Adviser On "Whiners" Dig
Democrat Barack Obama ridiculed an economic adviser to Republican rival John McCain on Thursday for dubbing the United States "a nation of whiners" and suggesting the country is in a "mental recession."
Phil Gramm, a former Texas senator who is a vice chairman of the Swiss bank UBS, made the remarks in an interview with The Washington Times. Gramm has a doctorate in economics.
CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante said Gramm's remarks played perfectly into the hands of the Obama campaign's argument that the GOP leaders are out of touch with regular American voters.
"America already has one Dr. Phil. We don't need another one when it comes to the economy," Obama said during a town-hall event focused on helping women advance economically.
Obama drew cheers and laughter with that comment and boos and hisses when he read Gramm's quotes to the crowd. He contrasted them with rising gas and food prices, home foreclosures and job layoffs.
"It's not just a figment of your imagination," Obama said. "Let's be clear. This economic downturn is not in your head."
"It isn't whining to ask government to step in and give families some relief," he said, drawing a standing ovation from the nearly 3,000 people in a high school gymnasium. "And I think it's time we had a president who doesn't deny our problems or blame the American people for them but takes responsibility and provides the leadership to solve them."
The economy is the top issue of voters, and, thus, has become the No. 1 issue in the presidential campaign as each candidate seeks to portray the other as out of touch with the country's struggles and himself as the leader able to pull the nation out of tenuous times.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield said the comments couldn't have come at a worse time for McCain.
"You're in the suburb of Detroit - an area with 10 percent unemployment. You're trying to show that you're a Republican but you're not a conventional stereotype Republican, you feel the pain, to coin the phrase of the workers - and your top economic adviser is calling the country a nation of whiners, saying it's all in your head... Not helpful," said Greenfield.
As he sought to differentiate himself from McCain, Obama seized on quotes attributed to Gramm by the Washington newspaper.
"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Gramm told the Times. He noted that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," Gramm said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
McCain disavowed Gramm's comments at a campaign event in Belleville, Michigan, reports CBS News' John Bentley.
"Phil Gramm does not speak for me," McCain said. "I strongly disagree."
Gramm has often been mentioned as a possible treasury secretary should McCain win the White House. Plante reports that when the McCain was asked about that possibility on Thursday, he joked that Gramm may still get a political appointment - as ambassador to a former Soviet republic.
"I think Sen. Gramm would be in serious consideration for ambassador to Belarus, although I'm not sure the citizens of Minsk would welcome that," he said.
Later on Thursday, Gramm said in an interview that he meant the nation's leaders were whiners, not its citizens, The Washington Post reported, but he declined to retract his comments.
"I'm not going to retract any of it. Every word I said was true," Gramm said.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Phil Gramm, a former Texas senator who is a vice chairman of the Swiss bank UBS, made the remarks in an interview with The Washington Times. Gramm has a doctorate in economics.
CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante said Gramm's remarks played perfectly into the hands of the Obama campaign's argument that the GOP leaders are out of touch with regular American voters.
"America already has one Dr. Phil. We don't need another one when it comes to the economy," Obama said during a town-hall event focused on helping women advance economically.
Obama drew cheers and laughter with that comment and boos and hisses when he read Gramm's quotes to the crowd. He contrasted them with rising gas and food prices, home foreclosures and job layoffs.
"It's not just a figment of your imagination," Obama said. "Let's be clear. This economic downturn is not in your head."
"It isn't whining to ask government to step in and give families some relief," he said, drawing a standing ovation from the nearly 3,000 people in a high school gymnasium. "And I think it's time we had a president who doesn't deny our problems or blame the American people for them but takes responsibility and provides the leadership to solve them."
The economy is the top issue of voters, and, thus, has become the No. 1 issue in the presidential campaign as each candidate seeks to portray the other as out of touch with the country's struggles and himself as the leader able to pull the nation out of tenuous times.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield said the comments couldn't have come at a worse time for McCain.
"You're in the suburb of Detroit - an area with 10 percent unemployment. You're trying to show that you're a Republican but you're not a conventional stereotype Republican, you feel the pain, to coin the phrase of the workers - and your top economic adviser is calling the country a nation of whiners, saying it's all in your head... Not helpful," said Greenfield.
As he sought to differentiate himself from McCain, Obama seized on quotes attributed to Gramm by the Washington newspaper.
"You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Gramm told the Times. He noted that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," Gramm said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
McCain disavowed Gramm's comments at a campaign event in Belleville, Michigan, reports CBS News' John Bentley.
"Phil Gramm does not speak for me," McCain said. "I strongly disagree."
Gramm has often been mentioned as a possible treasury secretary should McCain win the White House. Plante reports that when the McCain was asked about that possibility on Thursday, he joked that Gramm may still get a political appointment - as ambassador to a former Soviet republic.
"I think Sen. Gramm would be in serious consideration for ambassador to Belarus, although I'm not sure the citizens of Minsk would welcome that," he said.
Later on Thursday, Gramm said in an interview that he meant the nation's leaders were whiners, not its citizens, The Washington Post reported, but he declined to retract his comments.
"I'm not going to retract any of it. Every word I said was true," Gramm said.
Popular in Politics
- For GOP, scandals could be an electoral plus - or minus 298 Comments
- IRS targeting overlooked biggest soft money groups
- Officials on Benghazi: "We made mistakes, but without malice" 316 Comments
- Republicans use IRS scandal to tar Obamacare
- Where is the Benghazi cover-up Republicans promised? 400 Comments
- Ousted IRS chief: "I did not mislead" the American people 261 Comments
- Why Obama should worry that current scandals might impact 2016 236 Comments
- FBI seeks anonymous source behind Menendez allegations
Meaning: The Screwwing of the American Middle Class will continue until Moral Improves. Posted by ianlou at 04:08 PM : Jul 11, 2008
LOL. Or like the old saying goes--"that woman was not raped--she was just made to have sexxxx forcibly." the rape was all in her mind......ie., if you are going to get raped anyway--might as well lie back and enjoy it?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by koko98 at 01:43 PM : Jul 11, 2008
----------------------------------------
Bitter. Bitter about this dumb asss administration. McSame and Gramm are both too old and out of touch. Sidney looks lost most of the time.
Thank goodness he is gone. Still there are many more like him in Washington and, hopefully, one day soon we will be rid of them also.
Washington pols are far removed from the problems of the average Americans. They sit in their ivory towers wondering how they can get more power and hobnob with the rich and famous.
Such is the life of a politician, a long way away from reality.
July 10, 2008 John McCain announces in Michigan that "Phil Gramm does not speak for me." Phil Gramm appears at the Wall Street Journal in New York to speak on behalf of the John McCain campaign economic plan. Networks cover McCain statement. Networks ignore Gramm appearance. Press, by silence, says it is now OK for Republican candidate to lie.
yeah, ok, defendisrael
1.) He dares to disagree with our agenda here at CBS
2.) He dared to utilize his free speech and expression
3.) He dared to mention free enterprise
4.) He is not an Obama supporter
5.) He did not cuss anyone out like we expect from our daily liberal family.
6.) Did we mention he utilized his freedom of speech and choice?
Any further instances and/or sign on names will be handled accordingly. Meanwhile, the rest of you can continue to post whatever you want. We understand your need to cuss people out and make childish insults towards those who are Conservatives. We here at CBS encourage you to keep up the fight for national socialism. Yes we can!
You can take the idiot out of college, but you can''t take the fratboy out of the idiot.