John McCain Campaigns At Biker Rally

(AP)  Thousands of motorcyclists greeted Republican presidential candidate John McCain with an approving roar Monday as he sought blue-collar and heartland support by visiting a giant motorcycle rally.

"As you may know, not long ago a couple hundred thousand Berliners made a lot of noise for my opponent. I'll take the roar of 50,000 Harleys any day," McCain said, referring to Democrat Barack Obama's recent visit to the German capital.

Billed as the largest event of its kind in the world, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has become something of an annual bikers' Woodstock during the past 70 years. It features nine nights of entertainment, with bands including Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd and REO Speedwagon.

McCain played to a crowd that paused for a veterans salute. He criticized Obama for supporting a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq while opposing efforts to reduce record-high energy prices.

"My opponent wants to set a date to come home. I want us to come home with victory and honor so we will never go back again," the Arizona senator said.

McCain also criticized Congress for adjourning for a five-week recess without approving a new energy plan.

"Tell em' to come back and get to work," McCain said, yelling into the microphone. "When I'm president of the United States, I'm not going to let them go on vacation. They're gonna become energy independent."

McCain was accompanied by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., who has been mentioned as a potential running mate. He had warned the McCain campaign that a politician might receive an unfriendly welcome, but McCain relished the warm embrace.

His wife, Cindy, also paid tribute to the crowd, saying: "I'd like to thank all of you for your support of our troops, and here's why: I'm many things in my life, and one thing I'd like to be is your first lady. But more importantly, I'm Jack McCain's mother and Jimmy McCain's mother, one in the U.S. Navy and another one in the Marine Corps, an Iraqi vet."

Taking back the microphone, McCain joked that he wanted her to enter the beauty contest held at the site, the Buffalo Chip campground on the edge of town.

"I told her with a little luck, she could be the only woman ever to serve as both the first lady and Miss Buffalo Chip," McCain quipped.

Before landing in South Dakota, McCain visited the National Label Co. in Lafayette Hill, Pa. The 97-year-old, family owned business makes labels for products from medicines such as Tylenol to shampoos in the Suave family.

There, McCain focused on energy policy, telling reporters he has outlined an "all-of-the-above" strategy and mocking Obama's suggestion last week for improving automobile mileage, saying: "We're not going to achieve energy independence by inflating our tires."

On Tuesday, McCain aims to underscore his call for expanded nuclear power in the U.S. by touring a nuclear power plant in the battleground state of Michigan. That trip comes a day after Obama laid out his energy vision in a speech, also in Michigan.

[actornaught]

Was that Cindy competing at the wet tee shirt contest? No, just somebody''s granny with a silicone leak...

[mitch5511]

McCain is really grasping at straws now! LOL Sturgis is party time where the booze is flowing strong. Do you honestly think bikers give a rip when it''s their time to party to even care about McCain''s rhetoric. Please...I know...I was there. LOLOLOLOL

[actornaught]

Posted by meanbiker at 10:08 AM : Aug 06, 2008

Gee, an elitist biker. I''m sure the people of Sturgis are doing fine without you.

I''ve slept in so many strange places on cross-country rides, golf courses, restrooms, girl''s dorms. It''s just me, i wouldn''t recommend it to anybody.

[actornaught]

...Obama WANTS us to continue to suffer at the pump
Posted by Minuteman-5 at 10:36 AM : Aug 06, 2008

Another lying fan of Lying John, who has nothing that will affect pump prices for about 10 years, and then it''s only by a few cents. Unless you want to cross your fingers and get all gramm-mental.

BO''s list of areas to address are all, except for limited drilling, much faster acting than ANY drilling.

You Drill Wonks are just full of CR@P.

[minuteman-5]

Posted by meanbiker at 10:08 AM

I hear you about the changes in the biking culture, but I for one am happy to see McCain talking in the front of bikers, while Obama gives speaches for European socialist non-voters......I still love his quote....

"a couple hundred thousand Berliners made a lot of noise for my opponent. I''ll take the roar of 50,000 Harleys any day,"

[minuteman-5]

Posted by starleo14672 at 10:15 AM

Big problem though, Paris made it very clear that Obama was against energy independence, against drilling.....that will hurt him big time, Obama WANTS us to continue to suffer at the pump

[starleo146]

Mccain is such a moron. He looked totally pathetic. Like always Mccain stumbled on delivering his speech and mispronounced words. He sounded like a complete amature. Again Drilling and Iraq.

Posted by madkeyra2 at 02:12 AM : Aug 06, 2008
+ r

It was the same look and smirk he had while walking down the street of Baghdad saying see it is safe I am shopping just like the Iraq''s and a he had a batallion of our troops on the ground and in the air protecting him. Now I ask you can you believe a man that would do this, all we heard from him in this campaign was Iraq, 100yrs, to achieve victory, if that is what it takes, and Barack goes there, and convinced Maliki 16 months is all he is going to get, now Mc Same says we can leave, and Bush says it too . A vote for Mc Same is a vote for the Bush policies

[starleo146]

I just wish these anti Barack books coming out to make a buck off Barack (republican authors by the way) I wish Barack would sue them, and stop this stuff I hate this part of politics whereby you have to destroy a persons character to win a campaign. Let Rove and all his henchmen go to prison for not appearing in a judiciary hearing, and he better worry about himself instead of trying to destroy an American that wants to change politics as it is today.

[starleo146]

Anyone see Paris Hilton''''s rebuttal to mccain''''s ad about Obama being a celebrity. It is awesome.

Posted by armydog2 at 08:10 AM : Aug 06, 2008


Yes she showed she isn''t the ditsey blonde he hoped it would play into Barack''s campaign, good for her to come up with an add that shoves it back in the white haired crinkly mans face.

[meanbiker]

Barack Hussein Obama can''t go to Sturgis.. Someone would mistake him for a primary belt..


Sad thing is that Sturgis use to be a good place to go.. but now days it is packed with want to be bikes.. people who trailer their bikes because they don''t know what a motorcycle was made for.. RIDING.. The journey is the best part of the trip.. I''ve had more fun meeting people while I''m broke down then I did after I got there.. (old days back when Harley rattled apart, Thankfully that has changed) Another down side about Sturgis it has become all about $$$$ so I can see where the campaign trail might lead to Sturgis..