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McCain's New Plan — Attack Obama's Character. Will it Work?
You knew John McCain's promise that he was going to "reject the type of politics that degrade our civics" and emphasize respect in his campaign against Barack Obama was kind of window dressing when McCain and his top surrogates claimed Obama was the candidate of Hamas.
But now the claim has officially been put to bed. Today's Washington Post:
McCain typically leaves the sharpened criticism to others, in the hope of being able to claim the high ground of conducting a "respectful" campaign. But the abrupt shift in tone among his paid staff members, volunteer surrogates and other Republican staples of the cable news circuit is unmistakable...
It also reflects a growing belief among McCain's strategists that the campaign for the White House will be won or lost based on voters' view of Obama's character. In a strategy memo released Thursday, McCain's top political adviser accused Obama of "self-serving partisanship."
...The new Republican theme moves the campaign argument away from policy disagreements — of which there are many — to the realm of character, where McCain aides think their candidate is untouchable. But the tactic has potential risks for McCain, who has said repeatedly over the past several months that he will run a "respectful" campaign that does not engage in the politics of personal destruction.
For a taste of what the attacks on Obama are going to look like, here's McCain strategist Steve Schmidt: "It's a statement of fact that [Obama] discards people, and he discards positions when they become inconvenient for him. When politicians say one thing and then do another, like Senator Obama has done, voters wonder about the steadfastness of the character of the person sitting in the Oval Office."
And here's Senator Lindsey Graham. "[Obama's] a calculating politician. The bottom line about Barack Obama, whatever the position — whether it be Iraq, campaign finance reform, public financing — he's going to take a tack that allows him to win. He wants to win beyond anything else, even more than keeping his word."
This is a two-pronged attack, of course. On the one hand, you say outright that Obama is not a man of integrity who cannot be trusted with the responsibilities of the Oval Office. On the other hand, you say (without mentioning Obama at all) that McCain is the "the American president Americans have been waiting for." Add a dash of internet-based misinformation, and voters get the message.
The fundamental flaw in this strategy is that it doesn't acknowledge that John McCain has reversed himself on as many positions as Obama, if not more. The Carpetbagger Report has cataloged dozens. Just recently, we tracked flip-flops on the estate tax and off-shore drilling. Other big ones include immigration, the Bush tax cuts, torture, abortion, and the religious right.
But if you were to ask voters which candidate has flip-flopped more frequently, I'm sure they'd say Obama. McCain's identity has been established for years — everyone has known since his last presidential campaign, and possibly before, that he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam and has taken dangerous but principled political positions. The McCain campaign is betting that nothing he has done in the last two years, and nothing he says on the campaign trail now, can undercut the reputation built on those foundations.
Comments
Dear American Voters, reporters, media. professionals, political parties, and presidential Nominees,
Subject: Presidential Temperament
Please talk about and "Compare And Contrast" the " Presidential Temperament" of our Presidential presumptive nominees. I will also request and plead to the nominees themselves [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama ].
Our nation has been applying this yard and stick tor the appointments and confirmation process of our Supreme Court Justices nominees.
Our Greatgrand Nation Foundations are as under:
Family, friends, fellows, faith, funds, fun, with fairness & freedom And without fear, favor, and failure.
It will be disgrace and shameful if the nominees and media will not look into this critical and crucial aspect under current challenging times and circumstances within our country and all around the Globe.
America wake up and the discuss the " Presidential Temperament" of our presumptive presidential nominee's [ Hon. Senator McCain and Obama].
Yours sincerely,
COL. A.M.Khajawall [Ret].
Disabled American Veteran
Forensic psychiatrist, Las Vegas, Nevada.
If Senator McCain's supporters think his character is unassailable - they can think again. Yes, he was a prisoner of war, and for that, deserves our sympathies. His wife (at the time) -- Carol McCain -- was just as much a prisoner of war as he was. She "kept the home fires burning," faithfully, raised his kids, and sent him frequent letters from home (most of which he did not get). She also endured torture of a kind - while he was a POW, she was in a SEVERE auto accident causing such horrendous injuries, that she required over 20 operations on her legs and pelvis - all of which left her with a limp. But she remained faithful. And yet, within 5 years of her husband's release, he had left her for the blond bimbo with big bucks (Cindy McCain) - after having extramarital affairs with other women!! Yes - this man reall has CHARACTER. And that doesn't even begin to touch Cindy McCain's character (check out her drug habit and theft from her own non-profit charity!) These are NOT the kind of characters we want in the White House -- a druggie and ANOTHER philanderer!!!
Posted by: knarahs on 06/30/08 at 9:18 AM Respond
I will take and trust my future with Sen. Obama's character after being mislead by the characters who lead us for the past eight years. Obama is a patriot too just like McCain. It's time for us to embrace a future that is hope filled rather than one that leads us as a nation to further demise and decay.
Posted by: DDave on 06/30/08 at 9:59 AM Respond
John McCain’s tragic ordeal, as a POW in Hanoi, proved the man’s mettle. But that was forty years ago.
The question remains, has two terms in the US House and three terms in the US Senate corrupted the product? Has John McCain shown signs of mettle fatigue?
The Keating-5 scandal revealed some disturbing character flaws in Senator McCain. If he was a willing and fully cognizant co-conspirator, then we must conclude that he has a corrupt streak. If John McCain was an unwitting dupe in the conspiracy, then we must conclude that he was and perhaps remains dangerously inept.
McCain-Feingold turned out to be a golden motherlode for the major political parties and their affiliates. Again, corrupt or inept?
John McCain is revealing the effects that years of strain have had on his personal mettle - professional, special-interest lobbyists are running his presidential campaign. Again we must ask, “Corrupt or inept?”
Senator McCain is a legitimate war hero, an American who deserves our everlasting respect for his personal sacrifice, but mettle fatigue has made him an unfit candidate for the stressful job he is seeking.
Posted by: new_york_loner on 06/30/08 at 10:11 AM Respond
When I think of war heroes I think of General Patton, McArthur, even George Custard
I think of the real deal like Audie Murphy, believe me I've known real deal war heroes and they are gentlemen still, and believe me the last they do is try to exploit death and war for their own advantage, so unlike the moody cowardly bullying tactics that McCain demonstrates, the same John McCain who wanted to be president so bad he did not even have the courage to standard up to that towering example of incompetency named George Bush.
Curtis
.
Posted by: Curtis Johnson on 06/30/08 at 10:23 AM Respond
When I think of war heroes I think of General Patton, McArthur, even George Custard
I think of the real deal like Audie Murphy, believe me I've known real deal war heroes and they are gentlemen still, and believe me the last they do is try to exploit death and war for their own advantage, so unlike the moody cowardly bullying tactics that McCain demonstrates, the same John McCain who wanted to be president so bad he did not even have the courage to standard up to that towering example of incompetency named George Bush.
Curtis
.
Posted by: Curtis Johnson on 06/30/08 at 10:23 AM Respond
The whole world is watching this election and America has the opportunity to return to pre 9/11 levels of levels of international respect and beyond, I guarantee you if Obama is elected president America's opportunity to lead the free world will never be more brighter and laced with overtures and gifts and cooperation, even from some our present enemies.
Curtis
Posted by: Curtis Johnson on 06/30/08 at 10:33 AM Respond
...America has the opportunity to return to pre 9/11 levels of international respect.."
Couldn't have been THAT much respect for the US, or nina leven wouldn't have occurred. You're going to have to go WAY farther back than September 10, 2001 in order to find any significant international respect for the USofA. Like back to a time BEFORE we started building a defacto empire and wound up with military personnel stationed in 130 foreign nations.
I guarantee you if Obama is elected president America's opportunity to lead the free world will never be more brighter and laced with overtures and gifts and cooperation, even from some our present enemies.
And if Obama is elected and none of that comes to pass, how does one collect on your guarantee, and exactly how will you pay off on it?
Posted by: Say WHAT?? on 06/30/08 at 10:54 AM Respond
"McCain-Feingold turned out to be a golden motherlode for the major political parties and their affiliates. Again, corrupt or inept?"
Libertarians were telling anyone who'd listen that McCain-Feingold "Campaign Finance Reform" should more properly be called McCain-Feingold "Incumbent Protection Plan".
But very few wanted to listen, and Liberals assured us it was JUST the kind of thing we needed to "clean up" politics... and it got passed (naturally) by the incumbents.
So here we are today...
Posted by: Say WHAT?? on 06/30/08 at 11:03 AM Respond
MC-CAIN’S EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTER AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
Considering his:
• Sacrifice of American Wealth and Blood for the Sole Benefit of Israel
• Amnesty for Illegal Mexicans Aliens Usurping Jobs and Services
• Outsourcing of Jobs and Technology to China
• Early Release from Captivity for Military Secrets
• McCain-Feingold Legislation Suppressing Freedom of Speech
• McCain-Leiberman Control Gun Legislation
• Slander and Ridicule of Huckabee, Romney, and Ron Paul
• Roberts and Falwell, “agents of intolerance”
• Roe vs. Wade Sacrificial Killing of Children
• To “occupy Iraq for 100 years”, “bomb Iran”, and “just keep Afghanistan”.
• Veto of Bush Tax Cuts
• Keating Five Crooks
• Unsolved Recession and Inflation Problem
• Unsolved Heath Care Problem
• Unsolved Social Security Problem
• Long Scandalous, Contentious, and Non-Productive Political Career
Can such an incompetent and dishonest politician; and such a pretentious Christian and patriot, insanely dishonoring Christian culture and Constitution rule, ever be trusted to cherish and honor the American People?
With Leiberman Neo-Liberal Princess Hillary burnt at the stake by the victorious Kennedy Liberals, shall the Reagan Conservatives give this notorious Podhoretz Neo-Conservative puppet, Insane McCain, a date with presidency, or a date with the Republican firing squad?
Google: Mearsheimer Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy; Stricherz “Why the Democrats are Blue”; Wall Street Journal “McCain-Feingold”; “Keating Five Fraud”; Human Events “Ron Paul Interview”; Who Would the World Elect; McClelland "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception”; McCain Keating Five; Abramoff Israel McCain.
Posted by: Jeugenen on 06/30/08 at 11:57 AM Respond
It pays off with the ending of preemptive violence continually set off against the west; it pays off with the expectation that there will be a brighter tomorrow, especially for your children. Don't be naïve enough to believe that a black man could have possibly gotten this far unless it had been well calculated by those in power who make the Bushes look like paupers, well calculated by those who have maintained the great Masonic wisdom of our founding fathers, who know that the time has come to turn the tide of history back toward inclusivity, and a spirituality that is light years ahead of theological dogma which now corrupts our political process, well calculated by those who build nations, who know that often history turns on a dime, on a single hope that challenges the often dreadful certainty of the seen with the limitless hope of the unseen, to rest then on a hope that is even yet unfulfilled. It would do us all well to keep an eye on international news and take note of the enthusiastic anticipation with which much of the world waits, who do you collect from, not from me my friend but from the knowledge that the many of the best minds from all walks of life will be allowed to express and exercise their best judgment and will not be stymied as the Bush administration and many of the democrats have done to those presently and in the past. These are the things which build nations and not the pathetic might of militaries which dwarf in the face of nature’s wrath. What remains when that nation turns its back on that principle which is truly the measure of humanity, which not lastly of course, is objection!!
Curtis
Posted by: Curtis Johnson on 06/30/08 at 12:28 PM Respond
Obama supporters respect McCain's honorable service to our country. I come from a proud Alaska Native Democrat family that served in all major wars. My niece's husband was a Black Hawk Crew Chief with two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. Considering what happened to Alaska Natives and American Indians we are still fighting for this country. The largest demographic group serving in Iraq are Alaska Natives, American Indians and Native Hawaiians in the ratio of their percentage of the population to the percentage of the armed services So yes John McCain will always have our respect.
But when John McCain says that he sees victory in Iraq in 5 years if he is President by continuing the Bush/Cheney policy on Iraq that is anther story. We already have over 29,978 US wounded, anther over 2000 UK wounded. Over 4178 US Military deaths, over 176 UK. You never see it in the media but their is anther 40,000 of our veterans and troops with Post Traumatic Stress.
Now McCain says its all about the US causalities. Because of modern medical advancements more of our troops are surviving and returning home wounded.
Obama will work with our allies and listen to the people that count so this mess is cleaned up and our troops can come home safely and a war like this can't happen again in our lifetime perhaps our grand kids lifetime.
This is going to be anther very close election. We all have hopes for Obama in Nov. But hes going to need all the help he can get. That Republican attack machine is getting really nasty.
Come Nov We can wake up to a beautiful morning with Barack Obama in the White House and the McCain/Bush/Cheney nightmare over. America deserves this.
U2 - Beautiful Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omFdpnSu57U
Obama '08
Posted by: Cooday on 06/30/08 at 4:05 PM Respond
You guy's think 9/11 is a sign of disrespect? That's perception based on what fits for your agenda. pure jealousy is what the reality is, but that would be way to difficult for you to deal with. I give you this little tidbit of history. A vehicle is place in front of a very well populated building on Wall St. The bomb inside is set to go off at high noon to effect the most casualties during lunch time. The bomb is detonated and over 35 people are killed and some 400 injured. A note is left which states roughly "free the politcal prisoners or you will all die". Was Bush responsible for this? How about disrespect? The date was 9/16 1920! So I doubt our "defacto empire" had anything to do with this either. Check your history next time guy's, you might be amazed. America is the greatest nation on earth and what other countries either emulate or are sorely jealous. I am proud to be an american. Not Irish american, but an AMERICAN! Is this election about character, I sure hope so. If it's about race, that's awful. I submit to you, anyone who votes for Obama solely because of his race is just as racist as anyone who would not vote for him based on the same thing.
Posted by: gman on 07/03/08 at 2:55 PM Respond
It is clear that the Washington Post and NY Times beat to their own liberal drums.
Teflon Barack is articulate and political pundits are in awe of his orator skills.
When I see Obama I see an actor who is well rehearsed in the art of deception.
Politicians are all actors and at the moment Obama has the nomination for an oscar however he has yet to seal the deal.
Somehow I believe that the insulated turf that surrounds Obama will finally be his undoing and it will be with little effort from McCain.
The internet is now viewed to have the same legitimacy as the Washington Post or NY Times simply because the insulation and protection that the liberal media offers is as transparent as the color white is to snow.
27 days can be an eternity and the reluctance of the main stream media to question Obamas character is what will be Obama's undoing.
The US is still a polarized nation especially when you consider this years highly contested Democractic Primary and one could say the election was stolen by a smooth talking politician who played the race card to perfection.
When I was a young boy my father would always provide me with some profound expressions of which have stayed with me today and have special meaning.
The two of which I was preached are; " Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are" and " You can't have the cake and eat it too."
Obama is now in a very difficult position for many Americans want to know about Obama's past associations with characters who have clearly shown that they have no love for the US.
In the end it will be Obama's lack of honesty and integrity that will lose him the presidency.
Most Americans love their country, imperfections and all and when one aspires to be president one must have conviction and being an elected official it simply means that we can not sleep in someone elses bed that does not have Americas best interest.
In the end this lack of character and poor judgement will be the defining reason why Obama will not be the next president of the US because character does matter and it is a crying shame that our main stream media are unwilling to attack this issue for the sole purpose of being politically correct which IMHO is an act of cowardice.
Posted by: rudy iacono on 10/09/08 at 12:55 AM Respond
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Posted by: COL. A.M.Khajawall [Rte] on 06/30/08 at 7:29 AM Respond