On Monday, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin criticized Obama’s ties to ’60s radical William Ayers in Clearwater, Fla. (CHRIS O’MEARA/AP)
McCain and Obama campaigns go negative in home stretch
With a month to Election Day, the presidential candidates go after unsavory connections in each other’s past.
By Linda Feldmann | Staff writer/ October 6, 2008 edition
Pat Murphy talks with Monitor staff writer Linda Feldmann about a shift in McCain campaign strategy and Tuesday night's second debate.
Now it’s getting ugly.
As the campaign heads into the home stretch with Democrat Barack Obama pulling ahead into a solid lead, the candidates are going after each other’s character with attacks over unsavory figures in each man’s past.
Republican John McCain is attacking Senator Obama on his connection to former anti-Vietnam War radical William Ayers and convicted influence-peddler Antoin “Tony” Rezko. But Obama isn’t responding by just explaining (again) his relationship with both men – which he has long played down. He is going after the GOP nominee on an episode that Senator McCain has called worse than his 5-1/2 years in a Hanoi prison: the Keating Five banking scandal.
Out of this food fight, one point is clear. Politics as usual, which both candidates once swore off, is back.
In the short run, McCain might gain from the tactic. He has shifted the issue terrain from the toxic economy – unquestionably bad for McCain, whose party controls the White House and who has seen his presidential hopes slip badly in the last three weeks – to one of character.
The question is, how long can McCain play this card? And can he really keep the economy from killing his electoral chances? On Monday morning, as the credit crisis rippled globally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank below 10000 for the first time since 2004.
“I do think the Democrats want the election to be completely about the economy, but I think they learned a lesson over the past few presidential elections, and that is, if they ignore attacks, those attacks will be believed,” says Stuart Rothenberg, editor of a nonpartisan political newsletter. “So I think they have to respond to get it back to the economy.”
Obama responds in kind
But Obama is responding not with a full-throated defense of his past connections to Mr. Ayers and Mr. Rezko, but by bringing up Charles Keating, the savings-and-loan operator whom McCain was accused of helping inappropriately back in the late 1980s.
What Obama is trying to do, says Mr. Rothenberg, is neutralize the character issue, so that voters will conclude that neither candidate is perfect and vote on the economy.
In the process, the Obama campaign appears to be hoping that swing voters – many of whom pay casual attention to politics – know little about Mr. Keating and will be disturbed by the story.
The Obama campaign has set up a website dedicated to the Keating scandal, www.keatingeconomics.com, and at noon Eastern time on Monday was to release a 13-minute documentary on the subject.
The McCain campaign, for its part, has made clear that vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will play the traditional running mate role of attack dog. Over the weekend, in campaign appearances, she accused Obama of “palling around with terrorists” – a reference to his connection to Ayers, a founder of the radical Weather Underground group in the 1960s.
Numerous newspaper articles have noted that Obama’s connection to Ayers is small, and that he has denounced Ayers’s radical acts. Ayers, too, has renounced his past, and is now a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He did hold a fundraiser for Obama in the 1990s, early in the senator’s political career, and the two served on a charity board together, but by all appearances, the men are not close.
The McCain campaign also plans to use Obama’s connection to convicted felon Rezko in another character attack. Rezko was involved in helping Obama purchase his Chicago home, a move that Obama has since called “boneheaded.”
Rezko’s conviction for corruption is not related to the Obama home purchase, but the McCain campaign can look forward to Rezko’s sentencing on Oct. 28 – just days before the Nov. 4 election – as a hook to go after Obama’s character again.
Then there’s the issue of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former pastor, who was renounced by the Illinois senator for his outrageous comments. McCain has said he won’t use the Wright issue against Obama, but Ms. Palin spoke about Wright in an interview with The New York Times published Monday.
“I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country,” Palin said.
McCain camp signaled shift
Late last week, the McCain campaign had telegraphed that the mud was about to fly, allowing the Obama campaign to prepare and respond in kind.
On Sunday, Obama released an ad on the economic crisis that attacked McCain as “erratic” in his approach.
Speaking Sunday in Asheville, N.C., Obama blamed McCain for going negative. McCain’s strategists “are gambling that he can distract you with smears rather than talk to you about substance,” Obama said, according to the Associated Press.
Over the weekend and into Monday, the McCain campaign faced criticism by fellow Republicans over its strategy. Karl Rove, the architect of President Bush’s two electoral victories, wondered out loud why the McCain team had announced in advance that it was going to unload with attacks on Obama’s character.
“Some of the best strategies are the strategies you don’t call attention to,” said Mr. Rove. He added that, as of Sunday, Obama had leads in enough states to win the election.
On his map, Obama has 273 electoral votes, three more than needed to win. The seven tossup states he listed – Nevada, Florida, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina – were all won by Bush four years ago, which is bad news for McCain.
Speaking Monday morning on MSNBC, former McCain adviser Mike Murphy was also blunt about McCain’s prospects. “I think he’s losing, which is why he needs a big change-up in his strategy,” Mr. Murphy said.
Comments
2. Jeff | 10.06.08
“Country first”? Support confederate symbols on the South Carolina flag if it might help win. Support Keating if it might help campaign coffers. Endorse bogus attacks against Obama if it might help win.
But the biggest treason: Putting the totally unqualified Palin on the ticket to be one 72-year-old heartbeat from haivng her finger on the nuclear trigger. Who will run the country if McCain wins? The same people who have been advising the current Republican Administration.
3. T | 10.06.08
Ok it’s time to fight fire with fire. Obama you have to take the gloves off and get down and dirty like Palin and McCain. Playing the good guy will not work. Let’s start with McCain and the Keating five followed by his affinity for gambling, Lets add Palin and her witchdoctor pastor in Alaska followed by her association with her husband’s wish to have Alaska cede from the USA. As they say in my hometown of Chicago “Politics ain’t bean bag”. Its on!!!!!!
4. Kelly Lee | 10.06.08
why so negative? I mean really.. we have enough problems and negative aura going on with the market and housing crisis. Can’t we just elect the best candidate without the negative nonsense…
Found a funny article - obama posing… HA
http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/election-08/obama-nude/#more-3193
5. erik | 10.06.08
Palin is the saddest excuse for a VP in US history.. I feel sorry for her children.
6. DCX2 | 10.06.08
“go negative in home stretch” - say what? So we haven’t been hearing about Wright and Rezko and Ayers for months on end now?
News flash. Everyone has been negative for months. Most of these played out during the primary!
7. Robert in Phoenix, AZ | 10.06.08
Politics as usual indeed. Who was naive enough to think anything would ever change in this country?
8. lucy2008 | 10.06.08
I’m so disappointed with Mr. McCain. He will end his life with dishonor.
The lies that he tells are dispicable and yes, we all know that he knows these are lies. Everyone that I know around me knows that these are lies. These lies are more than character bashing. These lies hint of calling Senator Obama a muslim and black and reek of racism. Mr. McCain’s lies call out the worst in voters character. It is not about Senator Obama at all. Mr. McCain and Mrs. Palin are conjuring the dark, and scaly spirits of man’s worse nature. You can hear the her audience’s internal chantings and hate, just watching them. The sadness is that these are born again Christians espousing hate and venom. At one of Mrs. Palin’s rallys, a man screamed out, “Kill him!!” (about Senator Obama). Yes, the media should do more about this.
9. John | 10.06.08
Unfortunately, the Bush Presidency’s failed policies and McCains historic support of President Bush has set the fight to over turn roe vs wade back 35 years. In other words,,, any progress that had been made has been totally evaporated, just like our economy.
McCains ties to known mob figures and his role in the Savings and Loan bailout of 20 years ago and his ties to the current crisis is frightening. John McCains son Andrew McCain was at the helm of failed Silver State Bank in Nevada which was seized by the government on September 5, 2008.
11. Marcus | 10.06.08
After all the talk, McCain succeeded in dragging us into the dirt. I have no respect for the man anymore. And Palin??? What a slime. The country is in turmoil and all the Republicans can do is degrade and detroy. Obama has tried from the beginning to keep this on the issues. If McCain ever had anything to contribute he’ll never get the chance now. If we want anything done to clean up the Bush mess we’re going to have to get the Republicans out of the way. They’ll do nothing but stonewall and obfiscate. Some of them are good politicians too. What a shame. Vote em out of every position in Washington. Maybe that’ll get the message across to the Democrats that they’re next if the play games like the Republicans have been.
12. L.B.E.G. | 10.06.08
“Kill him!” was apparently called out by an audience member to Gov. Palin’s energetic diatribe about Obama’s association with Ayers at a rally in Florida this morning. Although it’s not clear whether the speaker meant Ayers or Obama, I wish Gov. Palin had stopped then and there and said, “Whoa there!” to make it clear that such suggestions are unacceptable and unwelcome on the campaign trail or anywhere else. However, she didn’t.
I’m disappointed Obama chose to respond to the new ultra-negative McCain/Palin strategy with references today to McCain’s past mistakes as one of the Keating 5. But working folks up to a fever pitch against an opponent causing calls of “Kill him” to emerge without reprimand makes this negative approach by McCain/Palin not just unfunny but potentially dangerous.
13. Andrew | 10.06.08
This is all this woman is good for - throwing insults and attacks! When interviewed, she’s proven to be clueless! Who in their right mind really listens to this twit!
14. Maximumken | 10.06.08
What about Sarah Palin’s connections to the Alaska secessionist movement?
This movement denounces the United States at every turn and some members have advocated violence. Sarah Palin’s husband is a member and she spoke at their annual convention a few years ago.
15. Bill Williams | 10.06.08
It’s no surprise that McCain it moving further into the gutter. What choice does he have… Without Palin, he’d wouldn’t have the support he needs within his own conservative base. And with Palin’s “frontier” charm and evasive presence, getting really old, really quick, smear is the only hope he has left! Fortunately, these Rovian tactics won’t fly this time because we are all, both right and left, witness to the buffoonery Rove left us with the last time he manipulated the voters! I have to say though… It’s fun to watch!
16. plunge protection team joke | 10.06.08
Remember,
you MUST take one of the candidates who forced you to pay for the Wall Street bailout.
Understand?
“The two parties should be
almost identical, so that
the American people can
‘throw the rascals out’
at any election without
leading to any profound or
extensive shifts in policy.”
-Carol Quigley
17. Margot | 10.06.08
I wish the candidates would stick to the issues. Normally I am turned off by negative ads. In this instance I understand that the less cerebral of us need to be neutralized so I am all for showing that McCain’s past associations are just as if not more so unsavory than Obama’s. McCain was an active and willing supporter of advanced age when assisting in getting the feds to back off while Keating was doing his misdeeds. Obama was in grade school when Ayers was doing his dirt. I am embarassed as an American if we show the world that we are really willing to race to the bottom to put Palin in a position where she may be asked to help fix the current economic situation that has stumped greater minds.
18. joe6pack | 10.06.08
McCain said he wants to be a dictator when he was speaking to the Des Moines Register (do a search for the video). Palin wants to expand the powers of the Vice President, even though she’s not qualified for the position. These 2 think that trickle-down economics is good and that redistributing the wealth from the poor to the rich is great.
Let me spell it out for you. They are F-A-S-C-I-S-T. That’s right.
19. Tod | 10.06.08
Palin = troopergate
McCain = he cheated on his ex-wife (6 years), collaborated with Vietnamese and Russian. (POW), participated to the keating financial scandal
Palin, McCain they are ready to cheat on American people four more years..
http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/alaska-women-reject-palin-rally-is-huge/
http://www.keatingeconomics.com/
20. Stephanie | 10.06.08
I think and hope that the people who are voting on November 4th will look past BOTH parties dumb smear campaigns. Though I support Obama, I do not support this part of the campaign even if it is a normal part of the political game. I hope that people will vote based on the economy and who is going to reverse the awful chain of events that George Bush and the history of DEREGULATION has unleashed upon us. The Dow Jones dropped 800 points today! This isn’t about Rev Wright or Keating 5. It’s about our future. And I’m 23 years old. This is going to be my future. When I want to buy a home and start a family, this is going to affect me. So I’m voting Democratic. Because I have faith that they’ll turn things around.
21. John Forrest Tomlinson | 10.06.08
Obama isn’t “responding in kind” to the Palin/McCain attacks claiming he is “pals” with Ayers. Responding in kind to those attacks would be pointing out connections Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin have to various right-wing nuts.
Connecting McCain to the Keating Five is something that McCain himself has admitted. He stated on the Senate floor that he was involved with this, so Obama is speaking a truth that McCain wants to hide, whereas the “Ayers as a pal” story is something that McCain and Palin are making up. Big difference.
Both can be considered “negative” campaigning insofar as they are about the opponents problems, but only one of these approaches is true.
22. Arasmus | 10.06.08
Today the Dow dropped 800 points, the largest point drop in the history of the market.
McCain and Palin respond by “taking the gloves off” by which they mean, calling a fellow US Senator a pal of terrorists.
This then is clearly what the McCain administration will be like; the incompetent will be lifted high (e.g. Palin), leadership will be scatter-brained and impotent (canceling election campaign to go to Congress to achieve nothing) and the childish theatrics that first breached the boundaries of common sense during the Bush Administration will overflow (Senator Obama is a pal of terrorists). That’s the quality of leadership we can expect from these people. This is their true character, when ambition grips them in its grasp - this is what their honor is worth.
23. stanton braverman | 10.06.08
He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones. Apparently Palin does not understand this simple message in life. It was her husband that attended meetings calling for the removal of Alaska from the union and Sarah has not repudiated this issue. Some of the major ministers who support McCain such as Pat Robinson have said dumb things such as that 9/11 was Gods retribution to America for supporting homosexuality. McCain is a friend of the Keeting five. The McCain campaign has been looking long and hard for dirt to throw at Obama and now all they find is a terrorist claim when Obama was eight years old and attending church with a pastor who was off balance as any of the many members of the clergy who support McCain. They must be desperate.
24. Brock | 10.06.08
At least McCain coming out in advance that he was on the attack is in line with his “straight talk express”. This is straighter than any other part of his campaign, which at the moment is complete BULL!
25. Arye Michael Bender | 10.06.08
Correction: McCain’s campaign has been nothing but negative, from the beginning. With so many blatant lies hurled at Obama, they finally had to respond. Otherwise Obama would be perceived as weak, which he certainly is not.
- Arye Michael Bender -
26. Jeremy Wilson | 10.06.08
I find it frustrating the way the media often equated Obama’s and McCain’s tactics, implying that neither has the higher ground. On the one hand we have McCain essentially calling Obama a terrorist-lover because of an acquaintance with a neighbor who 30+ years ago was a 60’s radical. Then we have the Keating/S&L crisis where McCain’s own actions on deregulation and blocking the investigation of his buddy led to a huge mess for the government. Guilt by association, vs the actual actions of McCain, one is clearly worse than the other.
27. Christina | 10.06.08
Wow, this is one of the most slanted articles I’ve ever read. What ever happened to the news being facts and not the writers opinion on the situation. There’s no question after reading this who she’s voting for. I don’t need to be fed your opinions on politics. I can make a choice on my own without news media shoving their ideas down my throat. Thanks, but no thanks.
28. Yvonne | 10.06.08
My fear is background…I am a Democrat, but I would rather vote for a man with a history of fighting for his country rather than a man who befriended a homeland terrorist!
29. Joe | 10.06.08
Don’t forget that Palin’s ethics probe is coming due. Assuming the Republicans (who helped start the probe in the first place) don’t kill it now that it’s about to embarrass them.
30. tom | 10.06.08
What about Keating and Abramoff? What about Palin’s investigation and her (and her husband) refusing to testify?
And what happened to the issues? McCain wants to go gutter now because thats all he has left. Which means are our concerns about the issues have to take second seat to his agenda of winning at all costs.
Liars, self serving liars is what the GOP has become.
31. Justin McCarthy | 10.06.08
This is very UNHEROIC of John McCain- to drag this country through the mud because of his own political ambitions. It’s downright COWARDLY. Please don’t tell me anymore about how he was such a hero for being captured, tortured and signing a confession that he was a “Black Criminal”. This is just another erratic move by McCain. His erratic behavior is a direct result of being held in a cage, tortured and broken by the VC for 6 years.
Unfortunately, Obama has to respond in kind, otherwise people will believe McCain’s desperate lies. Well, the Savings and Loan Scandal, of which McCain had involvement in, should provide Obama a useful segue to talk about the economy, which is really what people care about.
Thanks for ruining the fabric of our country, McCain. Go back to your cage.
32. Andy2 | 10.06.08
Check out the new survey on the Economist about who would handle the economy better - this must be among the reasons McCain has decided to go negative. I am sorry to see Obama respond, but actually the Keating Five scandal is relevant to the economy, since some of the same players are still involved with McCain’s campaign today, and some of the same mistakes are likely to be made in a McCain administration…
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12342127
33. Anonymous Undergrad Student | 10.06.08
I am an independant, too young to vote, yet I think that this whole “negative ad” campaign is not a bad thing. Throughout this campaign, the presidential candidates have both fudged the facts a bit. I am not too crazy about either candidate in this election, for sheer fact that neither is really in my favor or my family’s favor. However, I do find fault with the McCain campaign, in that they use lies to attack their opponent, Barrack Obama. On the other hand, to gain support, they use Palin to stir up the Republican voters and sway women voters and Hillary Clinton supporters. However, rather unfortunately, Palin has become the weapon of favor for the Republicans. As much as I admire Palin as a strong woman, I feel she that the Republican Committee is using her as a defense. As you may have noticed, you simply can’t attack Palin, otherwise it is automatically considered “sexist.” The fact that she is a woman should not give her rights to be shielded from fair questions. Men are equal to women, and so they should be held to the same expectations. Doubtless, Palin and McCain form a strong ticket. It is just unfortunate that their campaign is based off of lies and lobbyists, (not to mention economic plans and other plans that work in the short-run, but not in the long-run). In addition, I think it should also be considered that with the new economic turn of events, the candidates’ plans will certainly have to be revamped if they are to remain anywhere near feasible. If you are in question of the fact, I highly recommend a visit to Politifact.com. It is true, it is accurate, and nonpartisan. I am a student, an independant, and a supporter of Barrack Obama.
35. Paul Veazey | 10.06.08
When and where exactly did Ayers renounce his past? I’ve been paying attention and the last public statement on the subject I’ve seen from Mr. Ayers is his statement to the New York Times in 2001, perhaps fittingly published on 9/11, that he does not regret the bombings and wishes he and his comrades had done more. That Obama willingly associates himself with such people is highly relevant to his fitness to be president and there is nothing dirty about accurately describing his associtions.
Nothing wrong with Obama bringing up the Keating Five either, except he has done it in a dishonest way, at least implying that McCain was found guilty of some legal or ethical violation, when he was not, just chided, in order to distract attention from the fact that those found guilty of wrongdoing were all Democrats, for having supposedly shown “bad judgment.” In fact, Democratic power attorney Bob Bennett, the Senate committee’s investigator during the K5 episode, has repeatedly pointed out that he urged the committee to cut McCain loose from the investigation altogether, because he had done nothing wrong. McCain has admitted having exercised bad judgment and has performed his pennance; many would say he’s gone too far. Obama has not acknowledged his association with Ayers–or even his 20 year fawning friendship with his mentor, pseudo-Rev. Wright– was even poor judgment, and trying to kill people with bombs is a little worse than trying to get political help for one’s banking operations.
36. RobinL | 10.06.08
“In the process, the Obama campaign appears to be hoping that swing voters – many of whom pay casual attention to politics – know little about Mr. Keating and will be disturbed by the story.”
This is the one truly incorrect statement in your article. To the contrary, Obama supporters are thrilled that, once again, their candidate has made an excellent call and is bringing up a past association of McCain’s that has EVERYTHING to do with his judgment in the current economic crisis. We are sure than, once the details of McCain’s role in the Keating Five are known, voters will be much more concerned than they are at present.
This isn’t some manufactured connection. I am an Arizona resident and was in my 30’s when this scandal broke in the 80’s. It effected untold thousands of innocent people, robbing them of their life savings. John McCain’s association with Charles Keating was a very intimate and long one and his role in the scandal very real. In the opinion of many Arizonans, McCain should’ve been stripped of his office and thrown in jail.
For those who are interested in understanding the depth of the problem regarding McCain’s past and present role in deregulation, please go to http://www.keatingeconomics.com
37. SteveMD2 | 10.06.08
This election is about the future of the middle class in America - whether we will become the poor class, while a small group of the super-wealthy whose God is named Greed continue to destroy the economy for their own benefits. And their leader is George Bush, with McCain waiting in the wings.
If you don’t want to see our economy destroyed by greed, it is time to remember what happened in 1929, when rampant speculation in an unregulated market cause a 10 year collapse that ended only with the WWII war economy.
We have endless examples of what the super-wealthy have done this time. The Bush families connections with the Enron fiasco, McCains son who is director of a bank that failed out west, costing hundreds of millions. And of course the mortgage scam, where people with variable rate mortgages discovered that missing any small bill, eg your phone bill, for any reason, and it gave the banks the right to raise and even double your mortgage interest rate. Nice people. Same thing btw for credit cards. All brought to us by the uncontrolled super-wealthy, mostly republicans, playing a darwinian economic game of monopoly. And when you have all the money, you have all the power, just another variant of money, or control conferred by money.
Someone said that the wealthist 400 Americans are worth 13 trillion $$, or about 3.3 Billion $$ each on average3. The lower level 150 MILLION people half our population, are together worth the same, or about $22000 each. Is this fair, equitable
The Bush administration, and the total corruption of the GOP by wall street and the superwealthy remind me of history lessons. For most of human history since Jesus time, the struggle has been between the super-wealthy who kept the poor in virtual, if not physical slavery, and the poor who wanted out of slavery. That was part of the founding of this country, the Magna carta, the French Revolution, our Civil war against the economic as well as moral crime of slavery etc.
If we do not break the back -it is that simple - of the current republican party and what George Bush and McCAin (worth hundreds of millions thanks to his wife, and his moral values of divorcing the wife who waited faithfully for him for 6 years whiled he was in Vietnam, We will be headed back to a nation of poverty, run by a few whose only God is that of Greed.
It is that simple. Except what happens to the US affects the whole world. There may not be any place to move to, unlike when my grandparents came from the old world to what they then saw as a nation of opportunity, our USA, and freedom from kings who spent their time in their “counting houses” (old nursery fable, and dictators.
George Bush’s reign, and the republican party as it is now constituted, will be seen as perhaps one of the darkest chapters of American history.
38. Mark | 10.06.08
I think McCain is lugging on performance and wisdom, he is supposed to be a mature man, full of integrity with good principles as well as Sarah Palin, both of them say they are Christians, Are they? most of the time we can sense anger and unsureness on themselves to offer solutions to our economy problems.
As Citizens, we our priority is our economy….we want to know who will help our beautiful nation, and establish a good economy, we want to get back in our feet. Most of the countries in Europe are losing confidence on us, if you ask the people in Europe most of them think that USA, is a taker, a country that is more concern in imposing that listening and sharing with other nations what is good for everybody.
In the other hand, Obama, might not be an expert on every single topic that we need, but remember, his adviser, ministers, ambassadors and all his crew will be an elite time. We don’t need people with war traumas full of remorse and multiple personalities.
Sarah Palin, can not even pay attention and educate her own family, her husband is constantly interfering with her job (like a jellos husband always inspecting his wife) he was part of a group that want Alaska to become another nation…She used her political power so get even solving personal matters… Her own daughter is pregnant and she is under edge, in California her boyfriend should be in jail by now because he is 18 years old.
This is not my own point of view this is a fact!!!
I hope McCain, had notice that the fundamentals of our economy sucks!!!
for once lets forget about being republican or democrat, be American, and pay attention to our financial situation, we have only one country the United States of America….
39. Sir Manicuz | 10.06.08
In this age of Ethics and internet instant communication, it is be impossible to hide the truth about anything. Nothing can be hidden from anyone, we are all exposed to our own deceptions, flaws of actions and character.
More and more I’m afraid to admit as things spinout of control that we have lost the ability to control our destiny
as a nation and the best we can hope for is to find some one that will bring back the New Deal policies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
I hope that common sense and honesty could still be the currency that saves this country, bring back the happy days!
40. looking4transparency | 10.06.08
The difference in this guilt by association character assassination is the degree to which Obama was connected to his “unsavory” characters as compared to McCain, and how their connection influenced or had an impact on things the respective candidates did in their public lives.
In the case of Obama he served on the board of an honorable organization (The Woods Foundation) that is dedicated to empowering people living in a state of poverty. Ayers also happened to be a member of that board. Obama’s contact with Ayers was almost entirely through the foundation. There was also a “coffee klatch” fundraiser that Ayers put on for one of Obama’s early campaign, but there was no deep relationship there. Obama was only 8 years old when Ayers was involved in the planning of violent acts. Ayers has long since abandoned violence and has a history as a college professor. Clearly Ayers influence on Obama was somewhere between minimal and nothing at all.
The Rezco story is a bit stickier - There was a house purchase involved that had the appearance of a price reduction due to involvement of Rezco’s wife because Obama’s winning bid for the house was 15% below asking price. But it turned out that it was the highest of 2 bids so that doesn’t seem particularly bad. Rezco was involved in fundraising as much as $250,000 for several of Obama’s campaigns. Obama later realizing where the money came from, and the appearance of impropriety, donated 2/3 of the money to various charities.
McCain did no such thing with Charles Keating, and there were other big differences as well. For example, at least 9 times Keating flew McCain on his private jet to an expense paid resort in Bahamas. McCain and Keating were close personal friends. Keating contributed around $150,000 to McCain and was quoted at one point saying that he “certainly hope so” meaning that his “contribution” he expected to give him influence with the Senator. McCain lived up to his end of the bargain repeatedly writing letters to delay or stop federal attempts at regulation that would affect the savings and loan industry. In the end The S&L failures as a result of the corrupt, unethical practices and outright fraud of keating and his colleagues cost $500 billion.
The expression “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” comes to mind. McCain unquestionable bowed to pressure from keating and there are letters from McCain to regulators that prove it. When it comes to questions of judgement on the basis of these examples McCain clearly caved in while there are virtually no equivalent examples with Obama. It’s fair to ask if McCain learned from this mistake, which he considers among the worst events of his life. Unfortunately if you consider that his campaign is being run by a former Fannie Mae lobbyist, **** Davis, who until last month, was receiving $15,000 /month for doing “nothing”, it becomes clear that this wasn’t a one-time thing in McCain’s life but a life-long pattern.
The fact that between 70 and 150 of McCain’s campaign staff are current or former corporate lobbyists should also raise some eyebrows. If Rick Davis was not providing any service for the 3 years he received that money, what were the Fannie Mae execs expecting for their investment? One answer only comes to mind: Access to John McCain.
The final point to make here is
41. CollectsWelfare | 10.06.08
It is unfortunate to see the campaign turning over an old leaf and returning to the mudslinging of old. Up to now both candidates had done a commendable job, in my opinion, of speaking more about what they were planning rather than what the other person had done wrong. Unlike previous election seasons, this year I am not yet sick and tired of hearing about this scandal or that one, watching two leaders of our nation race to transform themselves into bickering children–largely because they have refrained. I hope they don’t delve too deeply back to childhood.
42. SL Council | 10.06.08
I am so tired of John McCain and the RNC prostituting Sarah Palin and her children for votes.I am even more tired of her prostituting herself for the RNC. If her qualifications are questions the RNC says she is being attacked because she is a woman, but they hesitate to let “Soccer Mom Barbie” and that worn out recording appear on any program that might question her ability to be Vice President or President.
The problems facing America today are a direct result of the way we voted or did’t vote in past elections. It may seem that way but we are not voting for the next American Idol.
43. DG | 10.06.08
The real issue here is that Barack Obama has never been a leader.He’s a follower in search of a bigger mansion.A political opprtunist,just like Bush.
Obama’s record in the Illinois Senate is horrible.Then his winning the US
Senate seat was a joke (go research that one if you want a good cry or laugh).He has done NOTHING to be Presdident,unlike Clinton.Clinton has actually DONE the things Obama thinks and says he has.
Then you’ve got Rezko,who owned slum buildings in OBAMA’s DISTRICT.The slums heat went off for over 5 weeks,and where was Obama?He’s writing letters to get more money for the slumlord to buy more buldings,and let more poor people freeze!
Then he says he’ll pick the best and brightest,and chooses Biden,who just made a blip in the Primaries,and who’s name on the ticket just happens to be
4 small letters away from Osama Binladen? I am worried about a Country who supports a man they know nothing about.That was Bush,now it’s Obama.
44. mtnmahogany | 10.06.08
Yes, it is a shame that the media must act in the name of “fairness,” dividing the blame for negative campaigning evenly between the candidates. Clearly, and by their own statement, the McCain camp has launching this negativism to divert attention away from the economy. Obama and supporters have little choice but to respond in kind, no matter how much they may prefer to stick to the issues. I am quite insulted by the idea that I should not question what the McCain/Palin people say, just because they wave the flag in my face and try to make me feel unpatriotic when I question them. True American patriotism involves questioning our leadership and candidates, in order to vote intelligently.
45. JJ | 10.06.08
If nothing else, we’re seeing how President Obama might respond to a terrorist attack.
46. Vir | 10.06.08
It is the economy but all its woes can be solved by attaining energy independence and reform. Those who can deliver these must be judged not by their promises but by their track record. McCain and Palin undertook reform and Palin negotiated a 40 billion pipeline.
47. pat embleton | 10.06.08
I hope with all my heart that Obama wins.
…a formerly fervent Hillary supporter.
48. nobama | 10.06.08
No one will have to worry about the economy if Barack Hussein Obama gets elected as President because every Muslim and Terrorist in the world will have an open door to our country. You want change then just sit back and wait because Obama will bring it for sure and not in a good way. America will no longer be “America” anymore.
49. William | 10.06.08
Presidential candidates are avoiding economic issues, it is considered political suicide. We need a president that is going to step up to the plate and help Americans deal with losing their homes http://www.buymyhousebeforethebanktakesit.com and feeding their families.
50. Spruce | 10.06.08
I just watched a 7 minute excerpt of John McCain’s speech today. During that time, he did not once give a specific plan to address a serious issue. He acted like a 7th grader running for president of his class, leading cheers for himself, promising he would bring down food prices, give more aid to college students (right…hasn’t he continually voted to reduce funding for student loans?), etc…pure empty campaign rhetoric.
His supporters ate it up, and then really let loose when he began attacking Obama. Since his ship is going down, he is desperately attempting to plant seeds of doubt. By the way, that is pretty easy with the uniformed, critical thinking-challenged voters he is targeting who probably think Obama is a Muslim (look at “Nobama”s moronic comments in these posts). It is the “fear” tactic all over again, the winning play in the GOP playbook.
For me, this is an easy decision. One candidate has vainly tried to bring a serious discussion of real issues to the voters, has given specifics on how he wants to address the issues, and wants to change this country from the bottom up. The other candidate, calling himself the “Maverick”, says he wants change. But, consider that he wants change from the same platforms he has blindly supported for the last how-ever-many years. He flies off in 7 different directions at the drop of a hat, he gambled on an unqualified VP, his support of lobbyists and deregulation has helped produce our economic crisis, and he has led one of the most fact-challenged, smearing campaigns, prompting the king himself, K. Rove, to question the assertions in his ads.
My impression of McCain has changed considerably from favorable to negative. What poisoned me on McCain 4 years ago was his support of Bush/Cheney in the 2004 campaign. THAT was a nonredeemable error in judgment which was also an eye opener into his character. During this campaign it has become apparent that he will do anything to become POTUS.
Republicans, come on…look what your leadership has done to this country over the last 8 years. Don’t be swayed by the fear tactics. Be open to the real change this country needs.
51. Charles | 10.06.08
If Palin is not qualified to be Vice-president, based on her own admitted experience, then, why is Obama qualified to be President based on his equally limited experience? If Obama is innocent in the Wright and Ayers matters, then why not admit to the relationships? Why bring up the the “Keating Five” as it was an especially bad time for–not Republicans–but Democrats? Remember, McCain was completely exonerated and, actually, apologized for his limited role. There were, however, four Democrats part of the Keating affair.
I believe America needs to understand one basic ideas: there are liberals and there are conservatives. To the conservatives, Obama is not a change in the right direction, but a change against the fundamentals of the beliefs of a large number of Americas. To the liberals, McCain is viewed as another “wall” towards a liberal America. The problem with conservatives and liberals is that neither is going away anytime soon. I supported Obama, at one time, and have voted for Democrats in every election until this one. However, Obama, to me, is articulate, attractive, and an avid spokesman. His message of change, however, tends to well–change.
The truth of one matter is simple. Despite promises of tax cuts, promises of massive spending for projects, and regulating business we can all be sure none of these promises will come to pass. $700,000,000,000 was just spent to bail out the economy. Who believes Obama can cut taxes, increase spending, and give everyone $1000 from “big oil” profits. (The BIG OIL REBATE to 100,000,000 households equals $1,000,000,000,000–the BIG OIL companies did make a great deal of money but not a trillion dollars). So, where is Obama going to come up with this money. The truth is we are in for very difficult times. I want 26-years experience as a statesman and not 26-months as a politician.
52. PulSamsara | 10.07.08
John McCain has denigrated into a DISHONORABLE ‘has-been’ who carries the old cynical flag of a dying ideology.
Good riddance to the backward Republican party.
You’re about to get ground under the American heel.
———————–
Why would America REWARD complete Republican failure ?
We wont.
53. Paul G. Overend | 10.07.08
Jeff wrote:
“But the biggest treason: Putting the totally unqualified Palin on the ticket…”
Then surely the Dems are guilty of similar treason putting the totally unqualified Obama at the top of theirs?
54. rohit | 10.07.08
Democrats have been bashing Palin without any mercy - and without fairness, for a long time now. Now they ask for civilized behavior, but only on the part of McCain!
Personally, I would prefer both sides to tone down their attacks. But it is not going to happen.
And given the bad state of the economy, Obama is (quite rightly) likely to win. But THAT is the reason Obama should win, and not because he convinces some stupid voters that McCain acted dishonestly in the Keating affair. He did not.
55. Rohit | 10.07.08
John said: “Unfortunately, the Bush Presidency’s failed policies and McCains historic support of President Bush has set the fight to over turn roe vs wade back 35 years. In other words,,, any progress that had been made has been totally evaporated, just like our economy.”
I quite agree. While Republicans have been endorsing selfish behavior in the marketplace and in our international policy, the Democrats have been endorsing selfishness in private life. Cheating on your husband or wife is tolerated, and so is killing the being whom your own pursuit of sexual pleasure brought into existence.
The consequence is that we are now badly off in the personal sphere, in our reputation abroad, and in our economy. Obama - who seems likely to win - will fix the last two, but I fear that he will make the first one worse.
56. JAB | 10.07.08
We do understand, don’t we, that when McCain-Palin audiences boo and shout, “Obama is terrorist,” and when McCain doesn’t challenge that, it means that McCain-Palin are promulgating hate speech? They are encouraging people in racial hatred. Let’s just be blunt. McCain-Palin either speak out strongly against racial hatred or they are trying to use it for their own political advantage.
57. Paul | 10.07.08
There really isn’t much of a relationship between Obama and Ayers. Obama has already answered the questions about this and about Rev. Wright. And true enough, McCain has already answered the questions about the Keating 5. But that has very direct implications for McCain’s decision making skills for the economy and for his sense of ethics.
58. Paul | 10.07.08
Where do some of you keep getting this thing about Obama’s experience being on par with Palin’s? Not even counting his years as a community organizer (because some of you refuse to believe that is relevant) he graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, became president of the Harvard Law Review, continued to work for community improvements, spent eight years in state government and has since spent four years in the U.S. Senate. (Two years ago, Palin was still a small town mayor.) He has successfully sponsored bills on ethics reform, global nuclear nonproliferation and a searchable database of federal funds including total transparency of every federal earmark. Palin’s resume doesn’t even come close.
59. Scotty | 10.07.08
JJ said: “If nothing else, we’re seeing how President Obama might respond to a terrorist attack.”
Really JJ?
Like that Springer-esque Sarah gal positively wallowing in low-class name-calling is somehow equivalent to 9/11?
Come on.
60. Tammie | 10.07.08
This is nothing new! McCain has been negative all along. Why would anyone support him? McCain can’t even see that the negativity is hurting him! Sounds DESPERATE to me! Maverick my ***!!!
OBAMA 08
62. Jack | 10.07.08
Given McCain/Palin’s platform taking a turn for the racial … I respectfully submit we elect a president who was born AFTER Brown vs. Board of Education.
Most of us think of America’s segregationist history as ancient, as being part of a different time, as being long over. McCain was 18 when school segregation ended.
Ask yourself: Do you, or do you not, believe that learning which occurs in someone’s formative years effect who they are as a person for the rest of their life?
I say no experience is better than wrong experience.
63. Kevin | 10.07.08
Mudslinging is the last refuge of the truly hapless, helpless and hopeless. It is a tactic favored by scoundrels and weasels. Sadly, it also invites retaliation in kind and any such retaliation will invariably be unkind. To wit:
· McCain’s entry into political life as a member of The Keating Five;
· his marital infidelity and spousal abandonment in favor of a younger, uncrippled, decidedly richer heiress;
· Cindy’s father’s business association (and the founding of the McCain fortune) with a Mafia-linked business partner;
· Cindy’s drug addiction and drug conviction resulting in the court-ordered dismantling of a medical charity misused as a front for her phony, illegal prescriptions;
· McCain’s health issues and four bouts with melanoma (was it stage 2A or 3B?);
· increasingly bizarre and erratic behavior by a septuagenarian candidate (incipient Alzheimer’s or merely senior moments?);
· medical cover-up?;
· McCain a compulsive gambler accepting perks and favors from that lobby?;
· tax issues w/ Palin failure to report per diem income;
· Palin Trooper-gate issue;
· Palin “witchcraft” prayer protection service at Wasilla Assembly of God;
· Palin children’s behavior in general (lots of allegations and rumors, none of which should be anybody’s d**n business);
· Palin’s taking a per diem and charging the taxpayers of Alaska for every night spent in her own home, as if it were a Motel 6;
· Palin’s book banning/burning activities as mayor;
· Palin’s intellectual fitness to serve and be a sick, 72 year old heartbeat removed from the presidency.
· etc., etc., etcetera.
It’s ugly folks anyway you look at it! It’s always wrong and NEVER appropriate. It’s tawdry, unseemly, unwarranted and unwonted in the political process. It besmirches the target and the mudslinger himself/herself. And… it cuts both ways. Both parties CAN do it. Up and until now only one has been so desperate as to see this low road as his last, best hope of election. Let us not open this can of worms lest we soon find them crawling all over us! (Besides, on a practical note “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” even IF they don’t know how many glass houses they own!)
64. jimb | 10.07.08
The McCain camp going back to Rezko/Ayers/Wright might work slightly better than that tactic worked for Hillary Clinton, but it is lame.
Obama should shift away from the Keating 5 to McCain’s friendship with G. Gordon Liddy. Watergate did a lot more damage to our country than the Weather Underground ever imagined.
65. Passerby | 10.07.08
Mushy minds are easily swayed to regurgitate some talking point. Politics counts on shallow reasoning which is why negative attacks/headlines work so well.
Investigate and think for yourself, you deserve what you get if you’re to lazy to do otherwise.
66. Hector | 10.07.08
Republicans get all crossed up about taxes.
LOWER TAXES LOWER TAXES LOWER TAXES!!!
Well, I hope that you guys realize that means borrowing more from China and against our children!
Obama wants Americans to start balancing the budget and pay off their debt.
McCain wants to borrow money from China on your children’s credit!!!
Republicans clamor for smaller government but cutting taxes is not the answer. Cut more taxes = Borrow more money from China = Bigger Debt= Bigger Government.
Bush 1 said read my lips no new taxes and then raised taxes!! how can you still trust republicans??
Clinton had a surplus significantly reformed and reduced welfare and was reducing the US Debt. A democrat making the government smaller!!
Bush cut taxes and spent more. result was largest debt ever.
The bigger the debt is the bigger the government is.
McCain = borrow more money from china!!!
67. Alaskan Perspective | 10.07.08
I don’t know about you, but troopergate and Keating 5 were resolved long before this election cycle began and then revived by left-wing distortion experts.
On the other hand if you believe the Ayer, Rezko and Wright associations with Obama have been resolved and just came up as part of a new McCain smear campagin then your truely dumber than what you have accused Sarah Palin of being.
Ayer, Rezko and Wright have unquestionable connections with Obama’s past. They were brought up during the primaries and to date other than distancing himself with these people has done little to answer the tough questions. Obama lastest smoke-screen is to claim the other side has went negative and has done everything to distort old news stories about McCain & Palin.
Wake up people! Is this the kind of actions we want of our next President?
68. TexasLover | 10.07.08
Finally the world is seeing that Obama is a muslim terrorist, his middle name is Hussein for Pete sake, isn’t that proof enough for people. His whole name is weird and different from every other name I’ve heard of so I just don’t like him. Also his dad is from Africa, which is too close to the middle east for my comfort.
Also, I believe that you are responsible for everyone that you have had a conversation with, or that has had you over for a party, etc. Anything that person has ever done in the past or will do in the future is on your hands. Be careful who you talk to, the checker at the grocery store - terrorist. That guy you met Saturday at the game - terrorist. Do you really know your spouse that well? Point Made!
69. Seven8Nine | 10.07.08
Alaskan Perspective:
McCain/Palin started this and have even advertised the fact that they are launching a smear campaign, on purpose. So yes, is this the kind of actions we want of our next President?
Also, not stepping in and squashing assassination threats made at their rally is simply dishonorable and despicable. It literally turns my stomach. God forbid, if something happened to Mr. Obama, McCain/Palin would have culpability. Who is really supporting terrorism here?
70. Elaine | 10.07.08
There was not a fundraiser for Obama at the Chicago home as written in this story. It was a neighborhood gathering of people supporting a woman for Illinois legislature. She brought Obama to the gathering to introduce him because she wanted him to succeed her when her term was up. The source for this information is a former news editor for a Chicago radio station who knew about the event.
71. Tammie | 10.07.08
To TexasLover #69
What does Obama’s name have to do with his religion?
Obama is a Christian!
Obama only knew his father for (1) month when he was ten years old.
Also, NO ONE can be responsible for EVERYONE you have a conversation with.
I know my next door neighbors, but I am certainly not responsible for their actions. If this were true we’d all be locked up!
You sound desperate like McCain!
Racism is fear and you really sound SCARED!!
72. Peggy B | 10.07.08
The past issues are not important.
We ae going to need a president who will start programs
such as we had in the Great Depression, WPA CCC to employ
people just to keep people alive.
The kind of programs we need are bottom up, and so we need
a president who can help the people. We only have two choices.
73. Jo Ann | 10.08.08
Obama was very clear, he would always take the high road and keep on point, however, if someone is going to lie go negative, he was going to make sure that they didn’t get away with it. The high road…, that’s what Gore did, look what happened. I often dream of what the world would be like today if the election was not stolen from Al Gore. In my dream, there is no Iraq war, our economy is flourishing because of the investments by the government in green technology, so our economy is busy making the cars instead of trying to sell cars from other countries, our education system improves, because if we are once again going to excel in new technology, we have to put effort back into the children with science and math instead of arguing over how old the earth is and did man battle dinosaur. Then I wake up and look around, watch as my pension balance goes lower and lower, my cost of living goes higher and higher, watch closely to make sure that no one talks about a draft to increase our army because I have three children, watch as vacations become a past memory, watch as the work force around me shrinks due to lay offs and yet the job demands don’t so we are all working longer hours for less pay, and I say, Take off the gloves Obama and knock his down. We have taken the high road too often, the republicans run amazing campaigns it’s the governing that I haven’t quite figured out.
74. Hersey | 10.08.08
Its scary that I used to think the Monitor was about the only fair national newspaper. But the fact is that the reason the Repubs have to ‘go negative’ is that you and the other MSM have NOT done your job in clearly and fairly reporting all the negatives about Obama. If McCain or ANY dem had a Resko, Ayers, Acorn in their background, they wouldn;t have made it into the primaries, mush less winning their party !!
Interesting #38. SteveMD2 mentions McCain children but fails to mention Biden’s son who as a lobbyist was recipient of govt largese.
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1. KIMBER | 10.06.08
I think it’s misleading to say “McCain and Obama Campaigns Go Negative In Home Stretch.” There’s an implication there that they are both equally guilty. To quote Barack Obama today, “we won’t throw the first punch, but we’ll throw the last one.”
Obama has tried for months to keep the campaign about the issues. Today the McCain camp has admitted that if they don’t “turn the page” on the discussion of the economy, they will lose, and they’ve admitted that they’ve signaled that they are going to be escalating swift boat attacks on Obama.
McCain is going negative because he has nothing worthwhile to say, while Obama is having to defend himself against McCain.
McCain is insulting the intelligence of every American who is concerned about the problems facing our country, and he’s shouting from the rooftops that he has nothing of substance to offer whatsoever.