Mark Halperin's website The Page (a wonderful site with minute-by-minute updates on the latest happenings in politics, particularly the general election) has section about McCain's increasingly dishonorable campaign, referencing stories from the New York Times and Politico.
I was particularly impressed with some of the quotes Politico got from McCain aides and staffers:
It adds up to a campaign that is now unapologetically aggressive and aimed almost entirely at keeping Obama off-message, even if it means hitting him below the belt in the process. “Clearly we intend to stay on offense,” Rogers said. “That’s what we need to do because the campaign is fundamentally about him. We feel comfortable about the ads we’re running and arguments we’re making.”
And what about the issues?
“Every day not talking about the economy, the war and how to fix a broken system is a victory for McCain,” said John Weaver, a former top strategist to the nominee who left the campaign last year. “They’re going to ride it as long as they can and as long as the mainstream media puts up every ridiculous charge.”
A top McCain adviser said they’re hoping to keep the still-flowing momentum from their convention going as long as they can.“But we've always been planning to get back on the economy, jobs and energy,” said this strategist.
So Lydia's been on me to post something that's not about politics. In deference to her request, here's something with no political relevance whatsoever.
So, what is the role of government? My buddy Ben and I discussed that very topic a couple of days ago on Gmail chat (during work hours, I might add - I'm such a rebel). Just to frame it, the more perceptive of you has probably ascertained that I'm an Obama supporter. Ben, on the other hand, is essentially a Libertarian (he was for Ron Paul during the Republican primaries).
11:41 AM Ben: i'm not saying to get rid of govt altogether
but that free markets are a better solution to aiding the poor than govt intervention
esp with a population that isn't stingy but actually the most generous in the history of humanity
11:42 AM me: on paper and in some cases (maybe many cases) that's true
11:43 AM but just like government jacks stuff up when it becomes about government, the free market is easily swayed by greed as well, no?
Ben: yes, but part of the beauty of free markets is that often one man's greed inadvertently aids many others
11:44 AM individuals acting in their own self interest often aid others without knowing
and i don't think greed is a civil offense until it leads to an actual crime
11:45 AM me: on the surface that doesn't sound very neighborly
Ben: for sure. i'm just talking about in the worst case scenario
11:46 AM so even the bottom feeders in a free market can accidentally do good. that's not taking into account the businessmen who actually give a crap about other humans
you don't get that in a socialistic or govt controlled economy
many of the policies that are intended to help just hurt
11:47 AM me: so what about some sort of balance
not a completely free market and not a socialist regime?
John McCain was on The View today*. Here's a clip:
What is simply mind-boggling is the commitment on McCain's part to continuing to justify the absurd claim his campaign made in this ad. I posted a video of Obama responding to McCain's ad already, but here's a direct quote of what he said at the actual campaign event:
Let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change, too. Except -- and so I guess his whole angle is, "Watch out, George Bush, except for economic policy, health-care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy, and Karl Rove-style politics. We're really gonna shake things up in Washington." That's not change. That's just calling some -- the same thing, something different. But you know, you can -- you know, you can put lipstick on a pig; it's still a pig. [emphasis added]
Hmm...I think I'd agree with Bill O'Reilly (you heard me right) when I say that the McCain camp has really crossed the line on this one. I don't blame them - they've been able to cow the media into thinking any criticism of Palin, or anything having to do with Palin, or anything not having to do with Palin, is motivated by sexism. And initially there were a lot of inappropriate comments made about her. But they went and got cocky, a little too bold, they played their hand a little too quickly and we're not buying it.
Here's the twist...they're still selling it. Hearing John McCain blatantly, unequivocally claim that the ads "are not lies" got me so fired up I had to step away for a minute. And don't even get my started on the second ad that claims Obama wanted schools to teach kindergardens about sex (when in fact the program was to warn small children about sexual predators - I mean, why would anyone want to do that?).
I used to think McCain was a stand up guy who had an honest disagreement on the issues with Obama. And the argument of the role of government is a good one that needs to be continually discussed because, frankly, I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all type of thing (more on that in another post). But the sudden willingness of the McCain campaign to distort incontrovertible facts in order to draw attention from issues that are actually worth discussing is, in my opinion, disgusting and disgraceful. And the claim that if Obama had done town-halls with him the tone of the campaign would be kinder - malarkey!
I'll admit that the Obama campaign's hands aren't clean either (they've been using McCain's claim of being "out of touch" from the CNN Service forum last night way out of context today), but nothing to such an extent as this. It's an absolute wonder that anyone would even buy this drivel.
Oh, and it's worth noting that McCain used the same phrase to refer to Hillary Clinton's health care proposals (watch here and here).
I think we've just witnessed the death of honor in the McCain campaign.
*For the record, I don't watch The View.I do regularly check The Page (thepage.time.com) for the latest in political news and they had a clip. Full post and comments here...
I will post more on the latest political "controversies" (with all the crocodile tears it's getting pretty soggy), but I wanted to post this YouTube clip of Obama speaking in VA today because I think those independents and others who are supposedly "flocking" to McCain now need to understand that this is a despicable game - nothing but puffed-up, manufactured controversy. McCain's top aide got it right: they want to make this campaign more about character and personality and less about the issues. Personally, I'm more interested than $3.50 per gallon gas than pigs.
Always at the End
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