Kitchen Sink Joins Everything In Having Been Thrown At Obama

Sen. Barack Obama  is, Sen. McCain said in New Mexico just now, a mystery, a liar, complicit in the economic crisis and an unaccomplished naïf, at all the same time. Here are the toughest lines from McCain's toughest speech yet, a speech that will get a lot of network news coverage tonight:

 

In 21 months, during hundreds of speeches, town halls and debates, I have kept my promise to level with you about my plans to reform Washington and get this country moving again. As a senator, I've seen the corrupt ways of Washington in wasteful spending and other abuses of power, and as president I'm going to end them -- whatever it takes. ....

This is the agenda I have set before my fellow citizens. And the same standards of clarity and candor must now be applied to my opponent. Even at this late hour in the campaign, there are essential things we don't know about Senator Obama or the record that he brings to this campaign

We have all heard what he has said, but it is less clear what he has done or what he will do. What Senator Obama says today and what he has done in the past are often two different things. He has often changed his positions in this campaign, and the best way to determine where he would really take this country is to examine where he has tried to take it in the past. ....

Even after he refused to lift a finger to prevent this crisis, when the crisis hit, he was missing in action. He didn't start making calls to round up votes until after the rescue bill failed in the House and the markets crashed. We continue to see the price of delay today as the markets continue to fall. Today the DOW has fallen below 10,000. And yet, members of his own party said they felt no pressure to vote for the bill. Why didn't Senator Obama work to pass this bill from the start? Why did he let it fail and drag out this crisis for a full week before doing a thing to help pass it?

....

 

I have made every single donor to my campaign publicly available, while Senator Obama has taken in over 200 million dollars from undisclosed sources. We have already seen the potential for fraud because of his refusal to disclose his donors. His campaign had to return $33,000 in illegal foreign funds from Palestinian donors, and this weekend, we found out about another $28,000 in illegal donations. Why has Senator Obama refused to disclose the people who are funding his campaign? Again, the American people deserve answers.

Comments

It's sad that McCain has turned into this guy I don't know. He's like a caricature of SNL's "Angry Bob Dole." Where is the real Maverick, circa 2000 John McCain? He surely wouldn't vote for this jerk.

Steve Schmidt has gotten truly desperate.

Posted by Debbie | October 6, 2008 4:02 PM

In terms of lies included in this speech that should be debunked, this seems like the lowest hanging fruit to many interested observers of the news:

"Even after he refused to lift a finger to prevent this crisis"

versus...

"Obama Urges Bernanke, Paulson to Fight Foreclosures, Hold Homeownership Summit"

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070322-obama_urges_ber/

Posted by Ross | October 6, 2008 4:02 PM

John McCain of October meet Hillary Clinton of April.

Posted by Brian | October 6, 2008 4:09 PM

I respected this man. In 2000, I would have voted for this man. Scary, what you learn later on.

Maybe that's his point. "See how poorly you understood me? Now apply that to my opponent." Which is wisdom of a sort. Obama might actually end up as a bad president. But John, we know for certain now that *you* would end up as a bad president. What do you want us to do, vote for the devil we know?

So sad.

Posted by Grunthos | October 6, 2008 4:09 PM

Given what's happening on the markets, do you think anyone will notice--or care--what John McCain is saying today?

Posted by Jonathan Freedman | October 6, 2008 4:12 PM

I think that, in a campaign that follows generally accepted campaign practice, you try to define you're opponent as an unknown quantity before he cracks 50% in national polling.

How's everyone feel who was lauding the celeb ads when they appeared to be gaining traction, now?

Posted by Zach | October 6, 2008 4:15 PM

"I just have to rely on the good judgment of the voters not to buy into these negative attack ads. Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future or you're not ready to articulate it."

John McCain on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (2/21/2000)

Posted by Jimmy's Brother | October 6, 2008 4:16 PM

why is it that McCain seems to be living in backwards world; where the stuff he says about Obama really applies to McCain and the stuff he says about himself applies to Obama?

Posted by zic | October 6, 2008 4:19 PM

Good Lord, McCain has really lost it. He whines about small donors. Well, I'm one, John, come audit me. He insults me everyday lately. He so insulted my Republican family that they've all decided to vote for an intelligent, calm person... Barack Obama. John McCain has no one to blame but his own narcissism and intemperate, erratic behavior. There was no McCain of 2000; that was a myth. It was always the McCain we see today. It's just that in 2000 he got beat to the punch of nastiness by Bush. He made similar excuses for wanting out of debates, etc. when he ran against Bush.
All these new accusations just make many realize that he really doesn't know a thing about the economy and never has. Sad little man...go home.

Posted by Wyck | October 6, 2008 4:29 PM

This is just sad. It is so obviously desperate that such will be the coverage tonight, not the content of McCain's pretty ludicrous speech. These antics don't help McCain and if he follows them up in tomorrow night's debate, I don't see how he doesn't come across as even more onery and erratic than in the first one.

Posted by Monstertron | October 6, 2008 4:31 PM

McCain's attacks on Obama's fundraising made little sense until this story broke today:

FEC Queries McCain Campaign on 'Excessive Contributions'
By Matthew Mosk

While the Republican Party is pushing the Federal Election Commission to investigate the possibility that Democrat Barack Obama collected excessive contributions, its own candidate is facing scrutiny on the same subject.

The FEC sent a letter to Sen. John McCain's campaign treasurer Sept. 30 demanding the candidate turn over more information about "contributions that appear to exceed the limits."

The letter is accompanied by a nine-page list showing scores of overages from McCain's August campaign finance report, including nearly $13,000 from Texas rancher Ray R. Barrett Jr.; $9,200 from an Iraqi security consultant, H. Carter Andress; and $5,000 from Joseph F. Davolio, an executive at a major national liquor, beer, and wine distributor.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/10/06/fec_queries_mccain_campaign_on.html

Posted by AZ Prof | October 6, 2008 4:31 PM

The DOW is way down and McCain is talking about Obama. The news will focus on the market not McCain's angry old man rant.

Posted by Duh | October 6, 2008 4:32 PM

Like Debbie and Grunthos, I once respected this man. I voted for him in 2000.

McCain's statement on the economy: "Obama...Obama....Obama...Obama...Obama....Do we know the real Barack Obama?" It's just sad.

Posted by Deborah | October 6, 2008 4:36 PM

I am a single issue voter in the aftermath of George Bush: namely, I vote for the candidate who appears to be most closely connected to objective reality. I don't even care about their policies anymore: we are beyond policy considerations.

McCain has consistently proven that his only vision is of his inner world of subjective "fuzzy facts". Regardless of policies, we need to return the rational world to the office of the President.

VOTE RATIONAL in 2008.

Posted by John | October 6, 2008 4:37 PM

I'm one of those small donors too. Come and get me John!

Just when you think his campaign cannot go any lower or get any worse, he outdoes himself. Gosh, I can't wait for these last few weeks to end.

Posted by Tinare | October 6, 2008 4:38 PM

As an Arab-American, I'm going to hold McCain's Palestinian-fear tactics against him. We vote, McCain... I know you've already kissed Michigan goodbye, but kiss it goodbye even further now!

Posted by slaney black | October 6, 2008 4:50 PM

Debbie @ the first post:

"It's sad that McCain has turned into this guy I don't know. ... Steve Schmidt has gotten truly desperate."

Schmidt is the campaign manager, son of Rove - grandson of Atwater. But McCain is still the one responsible for his campaign. McCain countenanced the outrageous series of lies that have underpinned his rhetoric to date, and if there was a decision to get nasty and personal now, it was McCain who had to give the go ahead. It's all on him.

Speaking as a former Naval Officer, Sen. McCain has done no less than sacrifice his honor in an attempt to win an election. For those who know and follow the Navy Code, this is shocking. For those who read the Rolling Stone McCain profile, this is merely proof that John McCain is who we think he is. And it's up to us to not let him off the hook.

- - - - - - -

Responding to an earlier Marc item, doesn't it seems pretty obvious that Kristol put that item about Palin wondering why the campaign wasn't using Rev. Wright into his column, specifically to signal the 527's to get on it?

Posted by JS | October 6, 2008 4:51 PM

This man will say and do anything to get elected. The recent Rolling Stone article detailing his history at the Naval Academy, in Vietnam, and at other times in his career is truly frightening. See http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain/page/1

He can't be trusted, and these negative and inaccurate statements on the stump and in the ads simply demonstrate how true that is!

Posted by Eric in Ohio | October 6, 2008 5:03 PM

This is a sad commentary on a person I used to respect - John McCain. What happened to the honorable man of 2000? He will do and say anything to get elected. Country First - a slogan that does not fit. Erratic behavior, anger management issues, poor judgment in selecting Palin who is unqualified, lying, flip-flopping on the issues, first the king of deregulation and now a regulator, unpresidential conduct, Keating scandal and lack of knowledge or platform on the economic crisis that is gripping our country. Negativity and falsehoods will not work this year.

Obama/Biden 08

Posted by dana | October 6, 2008 5:05 PM

Keep it up, Mr. McCain. You just give SNL more and more material and make it clear that you lost whatever mind you were once supposed to have.

Posted by Ben | October 6, 2008 5:07 PM

"Toughest" speech yet? How about sleaziest, most low-down pack of lies yet? I thought McCain was much, much better than this. Of course, I used to think O.J. was a nice guy, too. It's amazing what a fawning press will do for an image.

Posted by Ed Szewczyk | October 6, 2008 5:17 PM

*sigh* McCain is going to point the finger at anyone, but himself. He is this"great" guy who has never contributed to the corruption of Washington. He has been in Washington for how long and he is soooo "speechless" that all of this has happened. He didn't even see it coming....and now instead of giving us a solution ...he wants to point fingers to whoever he can....

Posted by Lauren | October 6, 2008 5:21 PM

In a few weeks we will make a choice that will decide our future.
I follow an economist named Bob Proctor. He has called the top and bottom of every market crash since the 70s correctly.
Also, he perfectly predicted the current real estate market meltdown and the picture he paints about what will happen in the next couple years
is terrifying.He thinks it will be worse then the great depression.
The banks in the U.S. are going under one after the other. Countrywide the largest morgage bank in the world,Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch which are 3 out of the top 5 wall street firms. Also, Fanny and Freddy Mae which hold 50 percent of the home loans in the United States.
The government took them over because they are essentially bankrupt.If they didn't the entire financially system would virtually shut down, the stock market would crash and we would suffer beyond what any of us have seen before.

McCain just like Bush " doesn't understand the economy".
That not just my opinion its his own words. Not only does he not understand how to fix it but he does not understand exactly what is broken.
It is no surprise that he doesn't. The people that make up these securities use complex mathematical models very few people understand.
Bush and McCain both can take the credit for this mess since they helped deregulate the laws that were protecting us.

Bush's economic advisor Phil Graham wrote the deregulation bill that allowed banks to take huge risks with all of our future.
Now, Phil Graham is the head of McCain's economic policy.He is also McCain's choice for the next secretary of the treasury.
No one in this country can afford for that to happen. The last time Bush met with his economic advisors was in March. He either didn't care or didn't realize that anything was wrong. Phil Graham had the guts to say that we are in a mental recession after he helped create the worst economy meltdown in our lifetime.
It will take the best and brightest minds in the world to get us out of this nightmare. As bad as Bush has done, McCain would be
even more destructive because things are in much worse shape. The next president will not inherit a surplus like Bush did but a tanking economy and a 11,600,000,000,000 (trillion) dollars deficit. Most of it Bush created and it will take decades to pay it back.
If you do what you have always done then you will get what you have always got.
When it comes to policy Bush and McCain are the same 90 percent of the time.
So why are the polls even close then ?

Mccains team just said they no longer want to talk about the economy.Instead they would like to spend time
running the biggest smear campaign in history.

They think they can just tell you lies and you wont be smart enough to see through it
Let's teach him we are smarter than that .
Elect Obama Biden 2008

Check out this video of sarah palins interview it will blow you away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r36Xc0GG4iQ

Posted by justin | October 6, 2008 5:27 PM

Okay, I'm very depressed at how rational John's post is, and yes, I, too, will be largely influenced by which candidate appears to have a grasp of reality.

Posted by Deborah | October 6, 2008 5:31 PM

the angry old man is getting angrier

Posted by Raymond Micheals | October 6, 2008 5:36 PM

So McCain is all caught up with aliens (who is the real Barack Obama - alien??) while everyone else is concerned about the economy. McCain sounds petty, trivial and out of touch. And a despicable old man.

Posted by Rebecca | October 6, 2008 5:38 PM

This isn't a "tough" speech. This is a descent into self-parody, like the SNL skit of McCain thinking of the most outrageous ad he can come up with.

Posted by Elrod | October 6, 2008 5:39 PM

McCain seems to be projecting all the faults of his own campaign onto Obama's campaign. Rather than asking who the real Obama is, especially given that Obama has been reasonably consistent as to his policies and his persona throughout the campaign, we should be wondering who the real McCain is--the guy who said he'd run a respectable, issues-based campaign or this erratic, nasty old man who's losing whatever traces of integrity he once clung to. It's sad to see someone self-destruct in full public view, but that's exactly what McCain is now doing. Instead of losing with some honor intact, he's going to go down ugly, and ugly is how he'll be remembered.

Posted by mbtogut | October 6, 2008 5:51 PM

Check out the new survey by the Economist on who would do a better job with the economy...

http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12342127

Posted by Andy2 | October 6, 2008 5:53 PM

What McCain, Palin and the right wing extremist are doing will motivate the left and enhance turnout among new voters. Some on the left who where flirting with 3rd party candidates or abstaining will move back to Obama.
If the Republican party continues down this run they will be the minority party for a very long time.

Posted by msw | October 6, 2008 5:59 PM

"Who is the real Barack Obama" McCain asks his audience today." "Terrorist!" is the first answer.

No, Marc, I don't buy your defense of McCain's fearmongering association of Obama and terrorists. Why don't they ever mention the Weather Underground instead of terrorists? Because they want us to conflate what a group of upper class American hippies was doing 40 years ago into what Mohammad Atta and company were doing 7 years ago. If something bad happens to Obama, I hope McCain rots in hell.

Let's think clearly here: we have a mainstream American political figure and the Republican candidate for the Presidency insinuating that his opponent is a terrorist. Given the reality of where we are as a nation and given Obama's heritage, then to expect any other outcome besides blind rage or worse is dull thinking in parade.

Think. Again. Marc.

Posted by Reginald Avery Wilkins, Ph.D. | October 6, 2008 6:34 PM

Actually, the speech hardly got any coverage on NBC Nightly News tonight...

Posted by Carrie | October 6, 2008 6:49 PM

So McCain is now suggesting that Congress legislate the value of the DOW stock index? Doesn't McCain know how the stock market works?

McCain's accusations reminds me of the politician that accused his opponent of being a "known philanthropist". That's a joke, and so is McCain. Hopefully most voters aren't as stupid as McCain thinks they are.

Posted by Rodney | October 6, 2008 7:09 PM

If nothing else, at least we know how President Obama might respond to a terrorist attack.

Posted by JJ | October 6, 2008 7:18 PM

Actually, the scariest thing about McCain's speech was not what he said, but rather the crowd's reaction, and their general demeanor. That did not seem like a crowd at a political speech; that seemed like a bunch of angry people revving themselves up for a lynching.

And yes, you bet I'm using that word deliberately. Go back and look at the video and tell me I'm wrong.

Posted by Douglas Moran | October 6, 2008 8:31 PM

Another display if ignorance from the McCain campaign.

These kind of smear tactics may have worked in the age of the rotary telephone, but certainly not in the age of the internet. It's too easy to call your bluff, John.

The true John McCain would concede before trying further demean his fellow senator and countryman. That would be maverick.

Posted by Mike | October 6, 2008 8:47 PM

I notice he doesn't say, but I wonder if Marc thinks McCain is being scuzzy.

Posted by david | October 6, 2008 8:57 PM

McCain is doing the work for Obama by splitting his own party and driving the thinkers across the line, but the scary thing is that he and Palin could incite assassination, not just character assassination, but real-- so actually somewhere somebody ought to send the pair a warning. And Palin is as Pravda puts it, a worthless bag of hair. and to think that kids got arrested for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts. That's nonviolent, but what McCain and Palin are up to is creating a mob and lynching of Obama. I suppose that's about how red-white and blue a man can get. maybe he ought to don a white hood to cover the redneck... this is really despicable behavior.

Posted by pogo | October 6, 2008 8:57 PM

WOW!

I consider myself a conservative independent (temporarily living abroad). My proxy ballot will count toward Florida's total.

Had Sen. McCain NOT been down so far in the polls, and NOT had his back up against the wall regarding the economy, these comments wouldn't be nearly as transparent as they are now. My question is this: Why was Barack Obama not 'palling around' with terrorists when the polls were a dead heat?

Desperate
Sad
Pathetic

McCain's nonsensical behavior has just cost him a Florida vote.

Posted by Jason | October 6, 2008 9:11 PM

Between the terrorist remarks and the Keating Five piece, we've finally reached the "character assassination" part of the campaign.

However, the undeniable truth is that John McCain is going down in flames. All the "swing states" are swinging blue, including Missouri and North Carolina. The problem is the economy and John McCain can't change the subject.

Barack Obama doesn't have all the answers on the economy either and some of the answers he's given have been frighteningly wrong. Still, Obama has remained calm, while McCain has spent the past few weeks wildly flailing about trying to hide the fact that he has no clue what is going on.

The most remarkable thing about Obama isn't Obama himself, but Obama's tendency to surround himself with quality people. Obama picks the best and the brightest while McCain picks who he likes. We see this in the Vice Presidential candidates. Joe Biden was not picked for political reasons. Delaware is in the bag and he doesn't help much in Pennsylvania. Joe Biden was picked because Joe Biden knows his stuff. Sarah Palin, on the other hand was a clearly political pick. She isn't dumb, but she is not even remotely qualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Obama has a good economic team (which makes me hope some of Obama's dumber ideas are just "campaign talk" and not serious policy goals) while McCain's economic plan seems to be more tax cuts as usual.

Posted by JimBeam | October 6, 2008 9:35 PM

I wonder if McCain will still be able to walk on two legs after this disgraceful campaign is over, or if he'll be slithering on his belly like a maggot for the rest of his life.

Then again, who cares? He's going to lose, and Election Night will be one long celebration of the return of sanity and decency to American political life.

The burial of the Repiglicans is a month away and I can barely wait.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | October 7, 2008 1:48 AM

Thanks, Andy2, for the link to The Economist's survey of Economists. Kudo's to them for printing the graphics, which are a shocking turnaround from just 15 years ago, when I studied economics and most of professors were in thrall with (or in awe of) neoconservativism.

Shame on The Economist, however, for spending the rest of the article trying desparately and shamelessly to rescue its assumed theoretical high ground, rather than discussing WHY recent trends have finally convinced their more intellectually honest fellow eggheads that their theory was wrong all along. Theoretical economics has always had a very weak understanding of human nature and the tendency to overrate its own projections. That publication owes an overly trusting readership more than a little introspection in light of the disasterous politics it has supported and excused, and now would be a very good time for it to start.

Posted by Tim | October 7, 2008 4:37 AM

You people are pathetic...You cannot think for yourself and you are followers not leaders. How can you side with a man like Obama who will turn this country into socialism.

His pastor hates white people (If you dont belive that then look at his sermons). He has thick friendships with actual terrorist. If he does get elected all of you will wish after a year that you would have voted for mccain. An actual leader who truly cares about our country. Obama voted against giving congress the ability to prosecute people stepping or burning the american flag. that should tell you enough!

Posted by Brooks | October 7, 2008 10:06 AM

Well, maybe you'll get your wish Brooks and you get your guy in. Hope you'll have lots of kids, preferably boys who can then sign up for one of McCain's wars.

So, Obama's ex-pastor hates whites. Mmm, let's see Obama is half-white, so he only likes one half of him and loathes the other?

And if you're talking about guilt by association, what about that witch doctor that laid on hands on your beloved Sarah Palin?

'nuff said.

Posted by Ursula | October 7, 2008 11:08 AM

I am an American living in Norway. I have donated to Obama's campaign several times, and each time I have donated I have received a call from the campaign asking me to verify my citizenship and give my passport details. I think they have been absolutely resolute in the way they have worked to make sure their donations are beyond suspicion. Some may try to get around the rules, but when they find them out they refuse the donations. If Obama runs this country anything like he has run his campaign, we all stand to be impressed. If John McCain wins, we can expect to see a government run by his petty manipulation, angry outbursts and favors to cronies. No thanks.

Posted by Katharine | October 7, 2008 2:09 PM

So let's play this as "Blazing Saddles." It's pretty clear who Sheriff Bart and the Waco Kid are but what about the rest of the cast? McCain can be Governor LaPetamaine, Steve Schmidt can be Hedley LaMar and Sarah Palin can be Mr. Taggart. The question is, who will play Mongo?

Posted by cumaea | October 9, 2008 3:07 PM