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It’s not Madonna, but McCain’s got Daddy Yankee

By Jimmy Orr | 08.25.08

Things aren’t that bad for Senator John McCain. After being dissed by Madonna last night in England, he’s got his own singer who’s endorsing him.

Latin American singer Daddy Yankee (aka Ramon Ayala), most famous for his song “Gasolina,” joined McCain in his home state of Arizona this morning. The duo appeared at Phoenix’s Central High School.

Truthfully, the audience at the school (from this vantage point, most appeared to be teenage girls) looked somewhat bored with the senator’s message. But they sprang to life - complete with squeals - when McCain introduced the reggaeton star. (See video below).

McCain acknowledged, in his remarks, that at least for this audience he had far less gusto than Mr. Yankee.

“I know why you are sitting here, and that is not to listen to me so much, but I brought a special friend along with me today, a great American success story,” the senator said. “One of his most famous songs, I know you’re very familiar with, ‘Gasolina.’ Well, here he is, Daddy Yankee.”

The singer offered a quick endorsement for McCain before hugging and kissing the squealing young women.

“I am here endorsing Senator McCain because I believe in his ideals and his proposals to lead this nation,” Ayala said. “And like I said before, he has been a fighter for the Hispanic community, and I know that for me personally, I chose him as the best candidate because he has been a fighter for the immigration issue.”

The sound bite of the day came when the star was asked what his song “Gasolina” was about. Without hesitation he said, “Energy independence.”

But this endorsement does beg the question - why are celebrities OK for McCain but not for Obama?

McCain spokesman Taylor Griffin said there’s a big difference.

“Daddy Yankee is a great American success story,” Griffin said. “There’s a difference between being a worldwide celebrity and being supported by one. Barack Obama has the celebrity thing down pat, but is he ready to lead? No.”

<< Shocker: Madonna not endorsing McCain | Main

Comments

1. Chris | 08.25.08

The sad part is that McCain doesn’t even know that “Gasolina” is about. Even worse, this all transpired in front of a crowd of high school girls. Way to go McCain!!!! Family values all the way!

2. ericmiami | 08.25.08

What an endorsement! McCain is on a roll. Oh, is Daddy Yankee approved by Rush?

3. liquidLuigi | 08.25.08

WOW what an endorsement!!!! From the looks of the video…Daddy Yankee has no idea who McCain is and McCain has NO IDEA who Daddy Yankee is! I think it went down like this…..some republicans in a board meeting said hey lets look young, flashy and hip like Obama….who do we get? Madonaa…nope…Diddy…nope…..Jay-z ….nope…just find anyone!!! Guess Ricky Martin was on vacation

4. Maria | 08.25.08

That’s right McCain…..take that endorsement and run with it, oops sorry walk fast and don’t forget your cain!

5. Daniel | 08.25.08

ericmiami: if you are representative of the intellect of McCain supporters….go Obama!

The only roll McCain is on is obfuscation and garbage. He has changed his position on over 30 essential issues and claims in order to pander to worthless “americans” like Rush “The Big Fat Drug-Addicted Hypocrite” Limbaugh.

You and your Bush-supporting republican cronies have screwed up our country and the rest of the world so badly in the last seven years we may never get out of it.

And maybe, just for once, you will actually provide facts and evidence to support your garbage opinions.

Haven’t seen any in the last seven years.

6. Miguel | 08.25.08

Hispanic voters will be key again this election, so I understand the move. I DO hope my fellow Latino voters aren’t cattle that will so easily be swayed by this endorsement, and will actually find out what McCain’s stance on immigration IS. . .

7. Carlos | 08.25.08

Here’s a link to the lyrics. I don’t think McCain bothered to check: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/505309.html

8. erik | 08.25.08

good to see a staple of the republican platform still alive and well.. Absolute hypocrisy..It will always be completely wrong almost unthinkable, that’s until it somehow becomes, even in the slightest positive for them.. That should be McCain’s Slogan for 2008.. “Wrong Until its Right for Me!”.
Hilarious, he needs some groupies in thongs getting champange poured all over them… living the dream baby

9. Elizabeth | 08.25.08

WOW!!! Daddy Yankee got big $$$ for this.

10. zakel | 08.25.08

I will never support Daddy Yankee again… He is a sell out!

11. calvin | 08.25.08

At the end of the day, IT COMES DOWN TO EXPERIENCE.

McCain has 30 years+, Obama has hardly any.

12. Kem | 08.25.08

Isn’t Obama a great American success story? His father is Kenyan and his mother is white and he is the first black person to become a Democratic Nominee. With many skeptics opposing him, he’s made it from a Junior Senator to a candidate for presidency. Isn’t that not success? McCain on the other hand, needed not to struggle for anything and has not been criticized over and over by his skin and financial situation, though we want to make a fuss over Obama who has never lived the upper class life and wants to help those become of it?

13. jaime | 08.25.08

mc cain is SUCH A MORON.

14. Sean | 08.25.08

Wow, you’d think he would have checked those lyrics for agreeing. How funny! Doesn’t he already have the male chauvinist vote locked up? As the kid on the Simpsons would say, ‘Ha Ha’.

15. Andrew | 08.25.08

I thought Gasolina referred to alcohol.

16. Jose | 08.25.08

Please don’t be swayed by machine politics. Here’s an anti-immigration candidate appearing side-by-side with a Latino, hoping other Latinos are not “smart” enough (in American terms) to realize what is happening. The girls may scream, yes, but they can’t vote because they’re underage. However, if your parents can read, as most of them probably can, they should know not to check the box next to either “McCain” or “Republican” in this election. If they are deluded by such displays, they won’t know what hit them in four years, that’s for sure. However, Daddy Yankee will be long forgotten. Think you’ll know who he is in five years?? I hadn’t heard of him until today.

17. Carmy | 08.25.08

Stop Hating on Mc Cain because of his age, Let the man do his thing. nobody said anything when Obama brought in Oprah. Personally I don’t care because not Oprah, Obama, or mcCain ever did a damn thing for me. They’re all rich and happy. I’m still working class, all candidates always tell you what you want to hear and then they do NOTHING!!!

18. Digg | 08.25.08

Damn, Liberals are so angry… Why?
Daniel, who are you arguing with?

19. Al | 08.25.08

Nice job monsieur ma canne(Mccain). With 20 millions illegals in this nation.
That’s a nice association and way to go!!!!

Al

20. Ces | 08.25.08

Good George W. McCain, now run fast with your cane to the nursing home…it is too late…America will elect Obama and will send a bouquet of flowers to the nursing home.

21. frank | 08.25.08

message clear [change] obama- biden, michell- jill this is what we have been waiting for in america.all true americans one nation.

22. Bud | 08.25.08

This is a very important issue! I’m glad that The Christian Science Monitor has taken a stand on this. Seems that you are becoming a gossip rag. My intuition tells me there is more to this story than what you decided to report - I mean opine.

You forgot to end your article with vote Obama ‘08!

23. david | 08.25.08

Hilarious. Obama gets endorsed by R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire, John Mellencamp, Ludacris, and Nas, and all McCain can come up with is some one-hit wonder rapper who everyone had forgotten and named himself after a bad baseball team. Way to go, Mr. McCain.

24. nelly | 08.25.08

as a latino, it would be a shame if my people would vote for McCain just because a celebrity endorses him. i think it is up to us to analyse what each candidate can do for us, and then cast our vote. if you vote based on a endorsement of a celebrity, i think it shows your lack of personality and education.

25. veggiedude | 08.25.08

“Damn, Liberals are so angry… Why?”

Why did Jesus start hitting the money changers when he was always on about turning the other cheek? Because sometimes, a liberal has to lash out at the hiprocracy!!

26. Celi | 08.25.08

Ok, first of all… Daddy Yankee is from Puerto Rico- he doesn’t have to immigrate, not sure why that would be an important issue for him. Second of all- no one believes you when you say Gasolina is for “energy independence.” Third- Puerto Ricans can’t vote for the president if they reside in PR… Unless DY is gonna vote in Miami?! Lastly- Daddy Yankee is not the role model for a bunch of teenage girls when all his songs talk about doing women… WHAT!? And why did Daddy Yankee totally sell out?! And who is helping McCain with his endorsement strategy? STick to what ya know McCain.. no one is buying it!

27. roberto | 08.25.08

I assume that all you McCain haters must be smarter than I am. You have reached the conclusion that Obama is a better candidate. So what you are saying is: you prefer a man who’s answer to the energy crisis is tire inflation (what else cars with sails on them, planes with windup propellers, trains powered by windmills), who thinks there are 57 states, who sat in a hate filled church for 20 years and never thought about condemming it untill forced by his own party handlers, who thinks that the begining of medical attention for a human being is beyond his pay grade, who said his most gut wrenching decision in the senate was voting against the Iraq war when in fact HE NEVER VOTED BECAUSE HE WASN’T EVEN IN THE SENATE! Please pardon my Latin logic but if we can’t have Hilary then there seems to be only one other person qualified and smart enough to lead our country. I will vote for John McCain…..not Obarack Hussein Obama. I respectfully ask you to weigh out both men’s service and credentials and I pray you come to the same decision!

28. Joe | 08.25.08

McCain with squealing high school girls? That’s one of the signs of the apocalypse, isn’t it?

29. steve | 08.25.08

It’s gonna be funny in a few days when Warren, Robertson, Limbaugh and all the other righties get their panties in a bunch over the lyric content. Of course, maybe they want the little girls fawning all over them….

30. steve | 08.25.08

Calvin–if McCain has the upper hand in experience, he would know better than to let his people roll out some bozo like this guy. Experience does not equal common sense, and I will take common sense any day.

31. Scott | 08.25.08

People here whining about McCain then run over and support Madonna bashing McCain and then have the nerve to talk about hypocrisy? No wonder no one takes noObama groupies serious on any level. You embarrass yourself and this country. Hopefully you people aren’t young because if you are than the future is in dire need of bleach.

Biden is a retard people the worse choice ever and most of you never heard of him before but because he was chosen he is a “SuperStar” also. Stupidity has no bounds.

32. Jeff | 08.25.08

Why are liberals so angry….. where to begin. A Record surplus turned into record deficits in large part due to a costly war we were led into through fear mongering, half truths and propoganda; Human rights abuses, innocent people locked up in Gitmo, illegally renditioned and tortured in Egypt; illegal warrantless (and ineffective) surveillance on Americans; millions of dollars wasted spying on peace protesters; the purposeful outing of an undercover CIA agent; Domestic terrorism from our own Department of Defense; the fact that our moral authority has been squandered; no-bid contracts to Haliburton, despite shoddy work and billions of unacounted tax dollars finding their way into the coffers of Cheneys cronies; cronyism as standard hiring practices; the politicization of Justice Dept; signing statements and the desecration of the Constitution; attacks on Habeus Corpus; Alberto Gonzales; Ignoring EPA emails; secrecy on criminal scale; the pardoning of Libby; the president making jokes about not being able to find weapons of mass destruction — basically showing this whole thing is a joke to them;
Rising cost of living, record corporate profits and still they fight raising our wages. The housing market speculations lead to market collapse, tough luck for average people losing their homes and big bailouts for the jerks who caused this mess… could go on and on.

The question is why arent YOU angry?!

33. steve | 08.25.08

Yes, liberals are angry Angry because the right has tried to make “liberal” a dirty word and yet stood by while their president has raped the Constitution and lied to his constituency. Yes, we are angry.

34. Cristina | 08.25.08

Oh,

You worry about High School girls! hahaha!!
they are not “Angels”. The’re all on contraceptives and using Plan B left to right!!

35. Danny | 08.25.08

why are you Liberals soo lame!? Do you even realize how stoopid you’re gonna look when Obama doesn’t when. after everyone realizes what a tool he is. give it up already, your just making my country look bad.

36. stitso | 08.25.08

Mc OLDman does not even care one damn bit about that whats his name singer.

37. Alex | 08.25.08

I guess most of the people that has watch this video did not like the fact that McCain had Daddy on the school. But they all watched it, not for McCain but for Daddy. The old me knows 5 times more than Obama will ever know, lets see how good is gets as the election wears down.

38. Lola | 08.25.08

I wonder how mutch did Mc Cain pay to this wanna be American.

39. Agamemnon | 08.25.08

Haha! Daddy Yankee is the Sausage Haus of popular music.

40. CARL | 08.25.08

to bad obamarama is about to be p.u.m.a.’d!
http://workingmannews.com/

18,000,000 votes and the winner is declared the loser!

only in amerikkka!

41. John | 08.25.08

OK - no McCain - vote for an inexperienced power grabbing idiot who will over tax, destroy our Nation’s defence, kill unborn babies, and destroy our economy. His wife was only proud of this country when her husband was nominated for President. No, on second thought, wisdom will prevail: McCain for President!

42. David | 08.25.08

McCain is about as connected to Daddy Yankee as compassion is connected to George Bush !
What a farce !! Why not get 50 Cent to lead off the Republican Convention ?
What a pathetic campaign this tragic , desperate , dirt-ball , stand for nothing guy is running.

43. Lola | 08.25.08

As a real Republican I think he shouldn’t beg everybody for votes. Let em go where they came from.

44. coffeedave | 08.25.08

who cares anyway? whether its an old man or a muslim in the white house? you cant do anything about it either way. you will vote and lose and serve under whoever buys this next election. either its mccain and ? or osama/bidenladen?

45. Angelia | 08.25.08

Wow, McCain will do anything he’s told to by the Carl Row slaughter house boys pulling his strings.
Next thing he’ll be rapping his speeches, because he’s so devoted to the hood.
This man has absolutely no integrity.

46. Tony | 08.25.08

Kem,

When you say that Obama “has never lived the upper class life”, are you sure you know what you are talking about?

The Obama household filed earnings of $4.2 Million dollars last year.

While there is nothing wrong with our presidents being millionaires, you should probably get the facts straight.

47. Gary | 08.25.08

I fill that McCain is the perfect person to run our country for us, NOT stupid Obama. He is out for his own self. He is not for the blacks or Mexicans, He is for the White people and just using the black people fro thier votes. I’ll bet anything that he has an affair with Hillary, That is why his wife don’t want her around. The smart person will vote for McCain even if they are black.I am!

48. nobodfy | 08.25.08

ive never heard of this singer, and i dont like mcain

49. Zen | 08.25.08

Hey Digg…Are you serious? With whom is Daniel fighting? Wake up Digg, my fellow citizen, while there is still time.

With all due respect, the fact that you are so quick to stick him with that tired-republican label “angry-liberal”, as apposed to what Daniel really is -(along with a few million others just like him); an “angry - American who, for seven years, watched helplessly as Alfred E. President has done his best to destroy the country - liberal”, tells me that Daniel and I are fighting YOU, and those LIKE YOU, who continue burying their head in the sand in efforts to avoid the painful, ego-busting reality that you have actually been supporting a mindless, twisted moron with no soul and vacuous smirk who believes that America’s clogged heart can be fixed with a chainsaw and steroids.

So Digg, with reverse logic, I kindly challenge you to explain to us all, the wonderful benefits and positive outcomes this country, and you, have enjoyed by being, and/or supporting, an “angry conservative?”

I’ll take my answer off the air…

50. Edgardo | 08.25.08

Latinos are NOT supporting McCain. I am latino and the republican party never did anything for us. GO OBAMA!!!!

51. Scorpion | 08.25.08

OBAMA is the voice of a generation. It is hilarious to see repugs try to compare him to Gore/Kerry, etc.

The baby-boomers who bankrupted this country are just throwing sour grapes that their generation only only had 16 years in the white house, from 1992-2008.

When November comes, We, the future of America, Generation X and Y “Millenials” are 120 million strong. Half of the population is under 40.

We will rise up and take back this country.

Your polls say the race is close only because we use different media (text, IM, etc.)

It’s time to put the baby boomers and the southern whites into the history books where they belong!

52. gwat | 08.25.08

Wow, the language Obama supporters used. I am glad I’m not one of them.

53. Louise | 08.25.08

He only solicits endorsements from celebrities that are shorter than he is, rare finds! His hardest decision is finding a VP candidate who will not tower over him. I hear that he wanted Hervé Villechaize, but his handlers overrode him because the VP candidate had to be born in the USA. I think that he might pick Joe Lieberman, a man who is shorter by one political party.

54. Zen | 08.25.08

Just a quick thought … while I will never vote for McCain, I respect his tenacity and perseverence. But for God’s sake, if he needed a hip-young singer supporting his efforts to become president, couldn’t he have picked one with better hair? Where’s Ricky Martin these days?

55. The Hindu | 08.25.08

Shut up Guys, seriously Look at Madonna she really is no better then Daddy Yankee

have you heard her music?

56. Sam | 08.25.08

“A ella le gusta la gasolina” is a Puerto Rican phrase that used to refer to a girl likes to ride in cars or who likes speed (not the drug). Now, gasolina is most frequently used to refer to rum.

I’m not very familiar with Daddy Yankee and don’t really like the song, but I read through his background on Wikipedia to understand what McCain’s camp saw in him. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy_Yankee) Good, Bad or Indifferent, I suggest that before judging someone based on one song or one comment, you take a look at their background.

57. Chris | 08.25.08

Look to me like McCain is getting desperate.
Who the hell is Daddy Yankee?

58. Zen | 08.25.08

Hey Joe…. | 08.25.08

Re: Your great comment - “McCain with squealing high school girls? That’s one of the signs of the apocalypse, isn’t it?”

OMG that was funny! Honestly, I laughed for a full minute. Thanks!

Zen

59. Bud | 08.25.08

Finally! I’ve been on pins and needles waiting to see who Daddy Yankee would endorse?

uhh … who the heck is “Daddy Yankee” ? ?

Who are Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson supporting?

60. IndependentRico | 08.25.08

You liberals are so narrow minded. Here we have on of the greatest leaders since Teddy Roosevelt and all you can do is chant “BUSH=MCCAIN”. That, if anything, displays your supreme lack of intelligence. All you want is rhetoric that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I assure you, Obama has never put his own interests aside for the interests of all Americans. He talks the talk, but has NEVER, NEVER EVER, NOT ONCE, walked the walked. McCain is NOT Bush and every single person that says that is ignorant and narrow minded in that all they would like is to win the White House (slander and all).

61. Matthew | 08.25.08

Tony,

You wrote:

The Obama household filed earnings of $4.2 Million dollars last year. While there is nothing wrong with our presidents being millionaires, you should probably get the facts straight.

You realize, of course, that McCain himself defined “rich” as $5 million per year… which would make Obama “poor” by McCain’s definition.

Check the facts.

62. Lib Hater | 08.25.08

When President McCain takes office and Osama Hussein O’bama and Joseph Liar (oops, I meant BIDEN, both words mean the same thing, though!), I will be laughing so hard, it will sound like this:

“Ha ha you liberal LOSERS!”

McCain rules O’bama drools!

Legally speaking, O’bama is not even eligible to become president of the USA, as he is not actually a legal citizen. Look into it, it is a fact that you will soon find out next week! Hillary ‘08! Hillary will be the next president, NOT Osama bin O’bama. Just ain’t gonna happen, ever!

63. Steve | 08.25.08

As I was rolling down the comments, I saw that “Chris”, at # 56, stole my thunder! Who the hell IS Daddy Yankee?!

64. Josue | 08.25.08

I am a rare republican who believes that the best way to control illegal immigration is to make legal immigration easier. I am glad that McCain is trying to reach out to the latino voters, but this is the wrong way to do it. I had never heard of Daddy Yankee until today, so I looked up one of his music videos and it was obscene. Between this and his comments at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, John McCain is completely abandoning the family values that have guided the Republican party for generations.

65. Nazis4Obama | 08.25.08

We of the American Nazi Party support Barrack Hussein Obama in his efforts to be the supreme allied commander and dictator of the not so free world.

Obama has the exact same principals and ideals as our membership, therefore, we are endorsing him to become our new world Furher.

Nazis4Obama.com

66. Gar | 08.25.08

“why are you Liberals soo lame!? Do you even realize how stoopid you’re gonna look when Obama doesn’t when. after everyone realizes what a tool he is. give it up already, your just making my country look bad.”

Seriously? If you want to criticize…learn how to spell.

67. Rod | 08.25.08

With all the comments made here, it is no wonder this country is fragmented and at odds with itself. It is a sad moment when a great nation finds itself unable to discuss issues and ahow respect for both Obama and McCain. We can disagree and still respect each other if not, can the end be far away?

68. Rubinio | 08.25.08

McCain has 30+ years of experience, but he’s so old he can only remember the last 2 !!!!

69. Wow | 08.25.08

McCain is obviously trying to corner the Latino votes.

Pretty weak attempt if you ask me.

History lesson for the day….War raises our taxes, just take a look at the income tax history for the United States.

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fact-sheets/taxes/ustax.shtml

Thank you for your time.

70. erik | 08.25.08

Yep that about sums it up… McCain and Gasolina!… Did his advisers even realize this? I know it seems like common sense to the younger public but Gasolina is in reference to Sex, Drugs, and Money… Thats right McCain more gasolina!… You’ll have Gen Y wrapped by Friday..

71. Scorpion | 08.25.08

After reading these comments,
I think the only solution is to NUKE THE RED STATES
and send any surviving Rush-Limbaugh types off to concentration camps.
The Republican party has destroyed America over the last 7 years, and these people are worried about OBAMA!?
LOL, vote for McCain and I’ll see you in 2012 after Al Qaeda has nuked us, the Chinese dump our dollar, OPEC has us begging and Russia punches our nose!
Only Americans could not see the OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR PREZ. Americans are stupid and will get what they deserve!!

72. rm | 08.25.08

TWO COMMENTS. ONE TO “VEGGIE DUDE AND ONE TO GARY”
Veggie Dude: Could you youtube Jesus live hitting money changers! Why don’t you find your other cheek? Try another analogy with out using Jesus in the wrong light. Maybe “veggiedude” means a Mr. Potato Head looking for a friend to put some body parts on him!

Gary: Read your “Sigmund” slip “The Black people –FRO–” their votes. The Mod Squad may be as old as McCain but “Link” may not throw his “Fro” vote to “Obama-Hitler-Saddam-Ladden”

73. Shelly | 08.25.08

18. Digg | 08.25.08

Damn, Liberals are so angry… Why?
Daniel, who are you arguing with?
—–

Daniel’s not angry but he should be. 8 yrs of Bush is making this country going down the tubes. So is McSame the right candidate? I sure don’t think so.

Daddy Yankee is a sell out.

74. Stud | 08.25.08

McCain sucks, Obama sucks. Both candidates are pawns in a much bigger game where our country’s way of life is at stake. Honestly, please tell me why the Hispanic community is so obsessed with immigration. Is it because they want to bring their whole damned country up here into our beloved U.S. of A? If I wanted to live in a dirty, crime ridden country I would move to Mexico, but now it looks like their moving Mexico here. Fellow Americans unite to light a fire under all our politicians. Throw the illegals out, get rid of anchor babies. Guard the border with our millitary. Execute drug dealers.

75. NewWorld@Newday @NewFuture | 08.25.08

How can Obama Laden lead America’s future? He’s unstable.

76. luvbug | 08.25.08

Wow! If that’s McCain’s brilliant way of getting some Hispanic votes, it’s a pretty pathetic reach!

77. Pablo | 08.25.08

Daddy Yankee raps obsceninities. Women are objectified. His gasolina song are about sex and drugs… I guess this is why McCain wanted that endorsement. Family man he is not and as for daddy “estas podrido papi y largate a Puerto Rico.

78. Richard | 08.25.08

Thank you Daddy Yankee. Obama just picked up a gazillion votes!

79. Randy in Dallas | 08.25.08

No offense but never heard of ‘Daddy Yankee’. Thus, I’m not sure what his endorsement means.

80. ME | 08.25.08

Smart move from Mccain … Watch for the HOT album Daddy YANKEE featuring Mccain … dissing obama

81. Scott | 08.25.08

God Bless John McCain, a real Man and a real American. It is easy to pick on a guy because he is older and not very good looking. What is really important is who has the real courage to keep another 911 from happening? I know it is NOT Obama!

82. Bill | 08.25.08

Daddy was a POW too if I remember right.

83. Keefe | 08.25.08

Wow. It appears that not many people know what they are talking about on this web page.

Well, with the current number of deligates that Senator John McCain has along side with the Hillary supporters(28 million voters) who were slapped down by Obama and are now voting against Obama(voting for McCain), the Obama camp is in hot water.

The polls show that even after the Biden VP pick, the race is still dead even. McCain hasn’t even announced his VP yet!

Does anyone on this webpage look at polls, if so people would see that with McCain having a dead even amount of suporters as Obama along with the 21% of the 28 million Hillary voters that said they will be voting McCain, well it seems that McCain has the lead up to now.

Joe Biden has a long reputation for sticking his foot in his mouth anyways, so he will make the Obama campaign look really foolish in the near future, you can count on that just look at his track record and one can see how foolish this pick was. How can Senator Obama have the audacity to say he’s against the Iraq war when he picks a running mate that voted for it.

Even better, Obama says that he did not vote for the war in Iraq, hmmmmm I wonder why, maybe because you weren’t in office and you did not get to cast a vote. Should we jsut go on your word as we did with your great preacher in which you attended his sermons for years and babtised your children? Oh yeeeaaah he’s prejudice isn’t he, but you had noooo clue about that, right????

GET TO KNOW THE FACTS PEOPLE!

84. scottm | 08.25.08

Is anyone else embarrassed beyond all measure by politics in this country and the media coverage of this event? And the majority of American voters who way and deliver on stories like this and Madonna’s, discuss and debate them and are actually influenced by them. Mindbogglingly depressing.

85. Nick Obrenovich | 08.25.08

Daddy Yankee. Way to go McCain. You’ll confuse the hell out of Madonna if she tried to figure out just who Daddy Yankee is. I haven’t seen anything so silly
in any campaign in my 68 years.

86. Bill | 08.25.08

McCain spokesman Taylor Griffin said there’s a big difference: “Daddy Yankee is a great American success story,” Griffin said. “There’s a difference between being a worldwide celebrity and being supported by one. Barack Obama has the celebrity thing down pat, but is he ready to lead? No.”

Why do reporters subject us to crap like the above? I read one the other from from a spokeswoman who took Obama to task for taking a “private” Hawaiian vacation.
How come he won’t go to Six Flags in a tour bus like us people with REAL family values?

87. Jenna | 08.25.08

Wow this is rediculous Bush=McCain, McSame and all this other really really wrong information. Did no one read how Obama said he would invade Pakistan and Afganistan with or without support (invading the wrong country without support… sound familar?)

And Obama is actually adopting someone’s fuel economy plan… guess what, he’s adopting the BUSH fuel economy plan. http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2007/05/obama-bush-plan.html

I do see how Bush has taken us through a downward spiral and I don’t want to see that happen again. If you ask me Obama=Bush especially since one got elected because everyone knew his daddy, and the other is only gaining popularity because all the celebrities endorse him.

Please, I would not want a brain surgeon with only 143 days of experience so why would I want arguably the most powerful leader in the world to have experience that can be counted in days? Seriously.

I would say Ron Paul ‘08 or man at this point even Nadar, but I do not want Obama to win sooooo badly I’m saying it… McCain ‘08

You have to choose the lesser of the two evils and for me I don’t want to see our country slip into dispair just because some idiot with no experience gets into office…. AGAIN

88. BJ | 08.25.08

McCain & Daddy Yankee reminds this correspondent of Bob Dole peddling erectile disfunction pills on national TV–For $$.

Needless to say there is but one party in this God forsaken land. The Republicrats, as usual, are biting and clawing each other over the scraps from the table.

The question is which of these occult monsters can steal more, butcher more babies or bugger more “men” as a matter of national “policy.”

89. Nick Sayers | 08.25.08

Rather have this support than from that pig, old hag called “Madonna”
What is she, 70 or something?

90. Ricardo | 08.25.08

Thank you Daddy Yankee. Obama just picked up a gazillion votes. “Gasolina” is Puertorican street-slang. Who allowed McCain to do this? Ricardo

91. Simon Hunt | 08.25.08

Wow, so many hateful comments about McCain…

doesn’t look like too much change

just more of the same

ditch that

92. Delilah | 08.25.08

McCain needs to check with his people before he does things lol. Does he not realize that in Puerto Rican the word Gasolina is slang? Why on earth would you put this guy along side yourself.

McCain is so out of touch with the under 70 crowd. Like it stated above DY can’t even vote in PR and what does he even know about immigrating??? McCain is just lost and if I hear him talk about the POW camp again…OMG

He graduated 894th out of 897 in his class to become a pilot no wonder he got taken prisoner. If McBush didn’t have a father in a position of power he would have never even gotten to fly a plane. Get a grip, another Bush comparison–got along in life because of daddy.

93. Jimmy | 08.25.08

I did a google on the song to get the translation, basicly it’s a guy telling a girl to get in his car’s back seat. I’m serious it’s very raunchy…

94. Raffi Aidiniantz | 08.25.08

I literally broke into several bouts of hearty laughter upon seeing this news article, and watching the clip on TV. “Daddy Yankee” supports McCaine! LOL. Is this a joke? Does the McCain campaign not see how this is hilarious, and that it does not help him? This is such a cheesy / pathetic way to try to garner the Latino vote - lol - what a joke! I can just see the South Park episode that will be based on this! Watch, McCaine will soon realize how pathetic this way, and he’ll try to explain it as all part of the “humor” of his campaign. An utter joke, that gave me a good chuckle!

95. Lena Conklin | 08.25.08

I may be mistaken but isn’t he from Puerto Rico? Can Puerto Rican’s even vote for the U.S. President? I thought they couldn’t (in exchange for being exempt from federal income taxes). Again, I could be totally wrong.

96. Disappointed | 08.26.08

What a major screw up! Poor McCain was taken on a ride by a Master hustler! HA! “Gasolina” about energy independance! That is rich! In the contextual sense, the song is about how some girls like guys with fast cars (think of illegal street racing parties.) In the local (puertorrican) sense, it slang for girls who are sexually active wild-childs.

Regardless of what I think of politics… McCain, you been OWNED!

97. dark helmet | 08.26.08

democrats are stupid. Boom.

98. Jon | 08.26.08

What a bunch of children. This is the reason our countries going downhill. Political events have degraded into high school-styled popularity contests, complete with he-said-she-said and slander.

Aren’t any of you tired of this bullshit? Republican this. Democrat that. Liberals versus Conservatives. Give me a fucking break! Neither “political party” supports the values of the real Americans. That’s the problem with our political system. It’s still all black and white. The rest of the world isn’t filled with yes or no questions. The answer isn’t always one sided.

Ever heard of a multiple choice question? So how come in politics, the answer can only be liberal or conservative? How about an answer that shuns all that phony political posturing and instead is INTELLIGENT?

Or have we, as Americans, forgotten about that space between our ears, and more importantly, how to use it?

McCain 2000 would have been a wonderful thing. This is not the same McCain. He has flipped on so many of his beliefs (like the bush tax cuts? Offshore drilling?) and yet, nobody seems to care… but oh no, Obama suddenly says, okay, we’ll talk offshore drilling… but only if it comes with a strategic plan to get off of oil… and suddenly Obama’s a flip-flopper. This double-standard of hypocrisy has been a staple to the ‘Conservative Republican Party’ for decades. How about family values? How many republicans have been caught cheating on their wives or with whores? What about less government? It seems someone forgot an adjective, as what I see is less effective government (coupled with more incompetent cronies).

Then we could start talking about our Do-Nothing congress. What a buncha whiners. They get 6 figure incomes to work 3 or 4 days a week, usually just bickering about things that don’t matter (cause whether or not some baseball player used steroids really matters to those Americans without health insurance).

All you people (I’m talking to every single American that reads this) need to shut the hell up and take a step back. Neither of your parties are supporting you. The rich keep getting richer, and the poor keep getting poorer. Then, when people point out all these issues that might solve the problem (like how here, in California, we could solve a lot of out budget woes- if you bought your Yacht or Private Jet out of state, you don’t have to pay state sales tax to bring it in, no matter that poor people that buy cars out of state have to pay taxes on them) those solutions can’t possibly work (because if they taxed all those rich people that can afford Yachts and Private Jets, they wouldn’t get their votes in the next election).

So, who’s really to blame here? The politicians that are pandering to get votes, or the sheep that think they need to vote on their political lines because those other people don’t represent what they believe (whether that’s true or not.. the commercial I saw on TV said so, so it must be true!)

Come off it people. You’re all to blame for the mess we’re in. I will be voting for a change. I am tired of seeing all this idiocy passed off as politics. Name-dropping and finger-pointing. It’s like our government is ran by preschoolers.

99. Katie | 08.26.08

Griffin, get a grip. Obama IS an American success story. And he’s proven that he can motivate and coalesce Americans from ALL walks of life - from the Hollywood celebs to Iraq veterans to me, than McCain, his grocery store gaffes and snide, side-issue ad campaigns can. Obama thinks toward the future. His actions and logic demonstrate his ability to think and act to create a better world. McCain is still operating on the same level of fear-mongering and bluster that has been dragging our country down for far too long.

100. PeterDS | 08.26.08

Obama was raised poor.
Biden was raised poor.
In summary, that’s two good reasons to vote Democrat, sheeple.

101. Tony | 08.26.08

How sad…

Not one of these comments (right or left) is factual with regard to matters of policy from the candidates’ stance.

We seem so ignorant (meaning ‘not informed,’ but certainly not stupid).

I’m sad for my country, not for the lack of good candidates, but for the lack of truly informed constituents who can make a legitimate difference based on information and understanding of policy matters.

How easily swayed we all are! We seem to parrot media bites, cliches, and every piece of nonsense fed to us by the media and spinners without CRITICAL thinking on our own.

Let’s think and make a real difference.

Humbly submitted by one more ignorant American.

102. Ghell | 08.26.08

McSame is running out of short straws… The signs of a desperate man…

I pitty the fooo

103. Ghell | 08.26.08

With the entire country falling apart, the economy in the toilet, millions out of work, millions loosing their homes, 4200 dead soldiers, 30,000 wounded soldiers, gasoline at $4+ a gallon, 9 TRILLION dollars in debt to China and the rest of world, $500 BILLION in debt to the next President on day one… All thanks to this MORON BUSH.. And what do we have here a stupid, senile, 80 year old, half baked COMEDIAN. who thinks he should be President because “IT IS HIS TURN”… He has not got brains enough to pour water out of a boot if the instructions are in LARGE print on the heel.

104. Ghell | 08.26.08

Hey Jenna…. you don’t have to be a brain surgeon to run this country. Just look at the village idiot that’s been in the office for the last 7 years. I bet he couldn’t spell brain surgeon.

105. McCain is a panderer | 08.26.08

Roberto showed his ignorance when he wrote:
“I assume that all you McCain haters must be smarter than I am. You have reached the conclusion that Obama is a better candidate. So what you are saying is: you prefer a man who’s answer to the energy crisis is tire inflation”

If you actually believe the right-wing blowhards and think that Senator Obama’s entire energy policy revolves around properly inflating tires (which the AAA, DoT, and just about every mechanic in the world will tell you saves gas), then yes pretty much all of the “McCain haters” on here are smarter than you are. Oh, and by the way, stop wasting everybody’s time by pretending that your an Hispanic Hillary Clinton supporter “roberto”.

106. Jeffrey Williams | 08.26.08

Daddy Who?

107. McCain is a panderer | 08.26.08

“I did a google on the song to get the translation, basicly it’s a guy telling a girl to get in his car’s back seat. I’m serious it’s very raunchy…”

No, no, no… it’s about energy independence! Honestly!

Thanks McCain for exposing young teenage girls to this kind of verbal porn. You’re a real “family values” kind of guy! If Cindy gets sick are you going to cheat on her while she’s in the hospital and leave her too, like you did to your first wife? Real family values there.

108. Mishelle | 08.26.08

I am convinced that no matter who wins this presidential election, we are all screwed.

109. Zen | 08.26.08

To those of you blindly and inaccurately criticizing Obama: If ever you are in the mood to read something other than your beer’s “born-on” date, pick up Obama’s incredibly well written and inciteful book “The Audacity of Hope.”

One warning, however; it has lots and lots of words that, to read, may require you to turn off Fox News, and recover the part of your brain that they have kidnapped and are holding captive in Dick Cheney’s Nevada bunker.

110. Simone | 08.26.08

Never heard of that guy. I think I’ll take 25 years strong Madonna, thank you very much. Hey, she has some Spanish-infused songs/videos- La Isla Bonita, Who’s That Girl, Evita, Spanish Lesson. That’s ethnic enough for me.

111. Sam | 08.26.08

Daddy who?? Seriously.

112. flinter | 08.26.08

It appears, according to many, that Bush has single-handedly created all of this countries latest problems- this is not a dictatorship and if you really
want to assign blame shouldn’t Pelosi’s Democratic Congress get most of it?
A president and federal government controlled by Pelosi, as Obama would be, would eventually emulate California’s failed polices on a national level. The last 7 years would be remembered quite fondly as the “good ole days”.

113. J | 08.26.08

The reason that Obama and McCain are even in the polls is that the do the polls according to the last Presidential election turnout, and to be fair Obama has a different base(I.E. 18-30 year olds). Quoting polls where they are even, is pointless.

114. Sean | 08.26.08

I support McCain, and have to agree this DY endorsement is rather lame, but it’s not going to hurt or help either campaign.

I’m far more intrigued by the misguided beliefs held by cerain members of the ObamaNation. Among them, and mentioned again in this thread, is the never-ending complaints about corporate profits.

Why is it so popular to bash corporate profits? The more the so-called greedy public corporations make, the more investments they can make, the more jobs they create, the higher the value of their stock rises and the more dividends they pay.

And guess what, these are jobs you would like to have and these are stocks owned by you in your union pension plans and in your 401Ks. Unless of course you don’t care for greater job selection because the jobs you have qualified yourself for you don’t want anyway.

And because you would prefer instead to have government give you handouts and a bevy of social programs because somehow you’ve come to think it’s not fair that others who have worked hard and sacrificed have accumulated more than you have. Taxes on income, which Obama has guaranteed to raise on higher earners, those people who have risked the most to get ahead in life, do not redistribute wealth. They redistribute earnings.

The wealthy will stay wealthy, and that’s a fact no matter who says they stand for change or how many times they say it. Do you want to be wealthy?

Then study hard, work hard, make an effort, become a lawyer like Mr. Obama, Mrs. Obama, Mr. Clinton, and Mrs. Clinton. Then you, too, can be a me-first liberal and pander to the people who wish they lived under socialism because our system of capitalism rewards those that make the effort.

You too can get paid at the high end of the salary scale until you have secured your future then play around in politics.

115. averagejoepolitico | 08.26.08

I gotta admit that most of these comments are pretty senseless, and obviously come from the educationally challenged, there were a few coherent opinions though. I used to question the purpose of the electoral college, but at times like these i’m greatful its there. One of those cognizant things an old dude would think. All in all, its gonna work out one way or the other, whats the worst that could happen . . . another civil war?

Anyway, I am rolling on the floor laughing my axe off at a few of these comments . . . hard to believe that there was once a political party called the democratic-republicans the way people are going at each other and the candidates.

88. BJ

” . . . The question is which of these occult monsters can steal more, butcher more babies or bugger more “men” as a matter of national “policy.”

89. Nick Sayers

“Rather have this support than from that pig, old hag called “Madonna”
What is she, 70 or something?”

116. M. Artillo | 08.26.08

1. Puerto Ricans are US Citizens, and CAN vote for the President as long as they are residents of one of the 50 states. Daddy Yankee lives in Florida. *Any* US Citizen, not just Puerto Ricans, who moves to a US territory (such as Puerto Rico) and becomes a resident, cannot vote in US elections (Presidential, Congressional), but only while living in the territory.

2. Regardless of the BS some people have written on the Web, originally in Puerto Rico the phrase “le gusta la gasolina” meant someone who likes to be riding in cars all the time, instead of staying home. Decades ago, older people used to tell us “a esta juventud lo que le gusta es la gasolina” (these young kids, how they like gasoline) when a bunch of us left together in someone’s car and stayed out until late. It wasn’t until AFTER the song came out that people in Puerto Rico started using “gasolina” as slang for alcohol, sex, or drugs. Now that the song’s a few years old, the original meaning of the phrase is back.

117. Hugo | 08.26.08

Is McCain planning to grant voting rights to Puerto Rico he should say as soon as possible, otherwise, Puerto Ricans are not allowed to vote in the presidential elections and are not viewed as the “Latino vote” to get, rather the latino group to avoid. The Republicans keep bringing this old farts that are so out of touch with reality, and us the voting peple, with real problems, housing issues, weak dollar, jobs moving to other continents,education, etc, are left to figure it out. I guess that at list the Welfare system in the isla works petry well. Uncle Sam pays for the Gasolina to ir a cojer en la playa. a lttle rum, a little rumba con sexo. Just great

118. willie | 08.26.08

interesting commentary here… from everything i’ve read here, the most hateful, ignorant, and immature comments seem to come from Obama supporters… nothing like hanging one’s laundry out in public, eh?

btw, i’ve never heard of the music artist in question, but he must believe in what McCain stands for - so why can’t he voice his support and opinion just as others in the entertainment industry?

119. Juan | 08.26.08

Hello everyone! For those people confused about Daddy Yankee song “gasolina”, that song is a old song by Yankee. The song is inspired in a party, in other words, the song is for a party. Daddy Yankee have new songs that are better with differents themes, like socials ie. Right now he have a movie called “Talento De Barrio”. The movie is about social problems inthe streets in PR. Also he is right now in a campaing in PR about voting. He is taking the massage to the oyung people in PR and here in the US. The theme is “vota o quedate callao” ( vote or don’t say anything).He is everywhere, Spain, Latinoamerica, The Carribiean, UK, Japan. Another thing peopple, DY and all puertorricans are americans. We born with the american citizenship. We are like americans who born in the states. So’ if you think that we are ilegals or something like that you are wrong! cheers! And sorry if you don’t understand my bad english! LOL! HAve a good one!

120. Juan | 08.26.08

Please people read what M. Artillo write! He explained better than me! Thanks M. Artillo!

121. Pablo | 08.26.08

FYI people not involved in Latin culture. Daddy Yankee, who I respected until today, is extremely popular with the younger Hispanic community, and no doubt respected by the more mature crowd as well, as he is well known for all his philanthropic activities. He helps a lot of people from his island (Puerto Rico) with their needs, and has helped and is helping fellow Puerto Ricans in many ways, especially with education of needy youth. No doubt his endorsement will boost mccain in the Hispanic community, very sad.

Therefore, I am extremely puzzled that a person that has cared for so many people, would endorse a candidate that stands for everything that harms poor people both here and abroad. Perhaps daddy is just rabidly against abortion, or isn’t very bright and just votes on the immigration issue, or he got some big bucks, who knows. So basically daddy is telling us he wants permanent tax cuts for the rich, less entitlement programs and aid for the poor, no health care for the poor, and more war in which thousands upon thousands of innocents will die, wars in which disproportionate numbers of Hispanics die. Oh, and are people aware that 2-faced mccain, after all his anti-torture rhetoric, turned around and voted to allow the CIA to NOT follow the military handbook on interrogation, which prohibits torture? I guess torture is only okay if the god-blessed CIA does it. McCain lies through his teeth. Also, do people know our country recruits non-citizens to go die in Iraq with the promise of potential citizenry later? Talk about exploitation of the poor.

Daddy Yankee is a damned hypocrite and I have lost all respect for him.

122. JOSE PENA | 08.26.08

I know Yankee personally. He is making big money right now especially with the release of his movie in Puerto Rico. He did this because he wants more money and power and McCain is Republican and white.

123. Marcos | 08.26.08

Obviously McCain is just playing the game trying to get some celebrity wattage behind him, but as some of the other comments have stated, McCain has a long way to go to catch up with Obama. As a reference point, check out Obama’s endorsements on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama_endorsements) compared to McCain’s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_John_McCain_presidential_campaign_endorsements). If you use this as a basis, then it stands to reason that McCain will and should grab anyone he can get to endorse him and offset the staggering amount of backing that Obama has.

124. juantovar | 08.27.08

Beyond stupid, who the **** is Daddy Yankee?

Latinos against McCain!

125. Withfeeling | 08.27.08

It’s always nice to see John McCain supporting abstinence based education in the high schools.

Oh, by the way, his appearance seems illegal under Arizona Revised Statute 15-511, “A. A person acting on behalf of a school district or a person who aids another person acting on behalf of a school district shall not use school district or charter school personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or other resources for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections.”

126. Rafael | 08.28.08

good thing none of those kids in there can vote…

127. Vanessa frm los angeles | 08.29.08

My name is Vanessa and I support Daddy Yankee 24/7 and I would give my life for him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look Daddy Yankee is the best and yall better stop pretending you don’t know who he is because he is the best!!!! Here comes a biography of Daddy YAnkee so yall can get educated becauese if you don’t know who he is yor are just haters and racist!!!!”Raymond Ayala (born on February 3, 1976 in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico), known publicly as Daddy Yankee and sometimes El Cangri (Puerto Rican slang for a handsome, in-charge, and/or strong man), is a reggaeton singer.

Ayala’s current fame comes from the hit song “Gasolina”, from his 2004 album, “Barrio Fino”. The album has sold over 1,000,000 copies in Puerto Rico alone and has also sold well in the United States and Europe. He has appeared on over 50 albums other than his own, including “Más Flow” and “Blin Blin Vol. 1″.

Ayala is famous for recording songs in both English and Spanish, although the latter is more prominently used.

Ayala was first involved in music in the early 1990s alongside Playero DJ, a pioneer of reggaeton music. Ayala has performed with Nicky Jam, Luny Tunes, DJ Blass, DJ Eric, Eliel and with Nas at Madison Square Garden. He has also recorded with DJ Tony Touch and many others.

Ayala started his first American and Latin America reggaeton music tour on August 27th, 2005.

Daddy Yankee also sang on the 2005 MTV Music awards show together with other reggaeton artists from Puerto Rico including Don Omar and Tego Calderon.

Also in 2005, Ayala signed a contract with the American company Paramount Pictures for his first movie, which will be called “Talento de Barrio” (Barrio talent). Ayala says that although the movie is not autobiographical, it does represent the difficult lives of himself and others living on the streets of Latin America. Also, he mentioned that it is a pioneering work since there isn’t any other Spanish-language movie that accurately presents life in the barrio. According to Ayala, the movie is going to be “real good”. The movie is expected to première in theatres in February of 2006.”
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Daddy-Yankee-Biography

128. Gilbert RHS | 09.02.08

i like daddy yankee

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