Candidates split on strength of economy

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Mike Allen, Politico

The candidates split Monday on the strength of the U.S. financial system, with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) declaring in Florida that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" and the Obama campaign mocking the remark as out of touch with reality.

Sen Joseph Biden (D-Del.), the Demcorats' vice-presidential nominee, said in St. Clair Shore, Mich: "I could walk from here to Lansing, and I wouldn't run into a single person who thought our economy was doing well, unless I ran into John McCain."

The remarks came as the campaigns struggled to calibrate their positions on the economy, the top issue with voters, following the "Black Sunday" collapse of the investment-banking giant Lehman Brothers and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America. The tectonic shift in the financial system looked sure to ripple down to consumers in the form of tighter credit, making it harder for people to buy cars and houses, or start or expand businesses.

The Obama campaign quickly posted the video of McCain's comment about the economy, and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) planned to call attention to the remark at an event later in the day.

McCain told a rally in Jacksonville, Fla.: "There's been tremendous turmoil in our financial markets and Wall Street. ... People are frightened by these events. Our economy, I think — still the fundamentals of our economy are strong. But these are very, very difficult times."

In a McCain television ad released shortly before, the announcer had begun: "The economy in crisis."

Obama national press secretary Bill Burton said in a statement: "Today of all days, John McCain's stubborn insistence that the 'fundamentals of the economy are strong' shows that he is disturbingly out of touch with what's going in the lives of ordinary Americans. Even as his own ads try to convince him that the economy is in crisis, apparently his 26 years in Washington have left him incapable of understanding that the policies he supports have created an historic economic crisis."

Another Obama aide added: "This says in one sentence what we've been trying to say about McCain for months."

The Obama campaign announced: "Senator Obama did a call this morning with some of his key economic advisors including Paul Volcker, Bob Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Laura Tyson about the state of the financial markets. They discussed what to expect from financial markets today and over the course of this week, how these events would impact the overall economy, and what steps should be taken to address the problems in our financial markets and economy more broadly."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/13448

Edited September 15, 2008 by Jabberwocky

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If you're a Lehman employee, your economy is in the sh1tter.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Florida is looking pretty bad right about now. Unemployment is high, prices are rising on just about anything and salaries are and have been flat. Not that McSame would know any of this. But Florida voters do and they won't have a guy that thinks that the economy is "fundamentally strong" when even a blind man can see that it is in serious trouble of historic proportions.

The whole point of McSame talking this ignorant ####### about the state of the economy being fundamentally strong is that he doesn't want the campaign to focus on this issue over the next few weeks. He knows that it's a losing battle for him which is why he has been trying to avoid it.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Florida is looking pretty bad right about now. Unemployment is high, prices are rising on just about anything and salaries are and have been flat. Not that McSame would know any of this. But Florida voters do and they won't have a guy that thinks that the economy is "fundamentally strong" when even a blind man can see that it is in serious trouble of historic proportions.

There is work to do. The fact of the bad economy is clearly not sufficient to prop up Obama's poll numbers.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Obama's family in your sig? Wow, talk about sheep.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Florida is looking pretty bad right about now. Unemployment is high, prices are rising on just about anything and salaries are and have been flat. Not that McSame would know any of this. But Florida voters do and they won't have a guy that thinks that the economy is "fundamentally strong" when even a blind man can see that it is in serious trouble of historic proportions.

There is work to do. The fact of the bad economy is clearly not sufficient to prop up Obama's poll numbers.

Yes, there's work to do. Focus on the issues. Forget Bush-Palin and take McSame head on on the economy. This is how FL can be won - and it can be won.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Obama's family in your sig? Wow, talk about sheep.

People like to paint Obama as someone he's not... that pic shows that he's just like everyone else. I'm helping dispel the myth.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Obama's family in your sig? Wow, talk about sheep.

People like to paint Obama as someone he's not... that pic shows that he's just like everyone else. I'm helping dispel the myth.

I thought this was the real Obama:

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Obama's family in your sig? Wow, talk about sheep.

People like to paint Obama as someone he's not... that pic shows that he's just like everyone else. I'm helping dispel the myth.

I thought this was the real Obama:

I hear he's raised McCain from the dead and turns water into whine.

[metta 0]

Florida is looking pretty bad right about now. Unemployment is high, prices are rising on just about anything and salaries are and have been flat. Not that McSame would know any of this. But Florida voters do and they won't have a guy that thinks that the economy is "fundamentally strong" when even a blind man can see that it is in serious trouble of historic proportions.

There is work to do. The fact of the bad economy is clearly not sufficient to prop up Obama's poll numbers.

I agree. Neither Obama nor McCain has a track record nor credentials germane to economics/economy.

Economic crisis further means there will be no money to pay for all the promises that Obama is making re: healthcare, social security.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I agree. Neither Obama nor McCain has a track record nor credentials germane to economics/economy.

Economic crisis further means there will be no money to pay for all the promises that Obama is making re: healthcare, social security.

Sub Obama for Hillary and you'd be saying the same thing? Hardly.

Hillary Clinton returned to Washington today addressing the Alliance for Retired Americans today.

....

She focused heavily on the issues of Medicare and Social Security, saying, "Now you don't have to worry –- when I'm president, privatization is off the table."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200.../04/344805.aspx

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Economic crisis further means there will be no money to pay for all the promises that Obama is making re: healthcare, social security.

This is true.

From a VJ post dated April 24 2008:

Congressional Democrats are backing away from healthcare reform promises made by their two presidential candidates, saying that even if their party controls the White House and Congress, sweeping change will be difficult.

...

The promises made by Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) outside of Washington may not match the political reality on Capitol Hill.

"We all know there is not enough money to do all this stuff,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), a Finance Committee member and an Obama supporter, referring to the presidential candidates’ healthcare plans. “What they are doing is … laying out their ambitions.”

...

Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), a member of Senate Democratic leadership and a key Hillary Clinton ally who also sits on the Finance Committee, said he is "not sure we have the big plan on healthcare."

"Healthcare I feel strongly about, but I am not sure that we’re ready for a major national healthcare plan," Schumer said.

...

The campaigns did not respond to inquiries seeking further comment.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Economic crisis further means there will be no money to pay for all the promises that Obama is making re: healthcare, social security.

This is true.

From a VJ post dated April 24 2008:

Congressional Democrats are backing away from healthcare reform promises made by their two presidential candidates, saying that even if their party controls the White House and Congress, sweeping change will be difficult.

...

The promises made by Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) outside of Washington may not match the political reality on Capitol Hill.

"We all know there is not enough money to do all this stuff," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), a Finance Committee member and an Obama supporter, referring to the presidential candidates' healthcare plans. "What they are doing is … laying out their ambitions."

...

Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), a member of Senate Democratic leadership and a key Hillary Clinton ally who also sits on the Finance Committee, said he is "not sure we have the big plan on healthcare."

"Healthcare I feel strongly about, but I am not sure that we're ready for a major national healthcare plan," Schumer said.

...

The campaigns did not respond to inquiries seeking further comment.

Yes, but that's not particular to Obama. The same would be said if it were Hillary, but I doubt metta would be singing the same tune. Whoever is elected has got a sh!tload of issues to address, number one being the economy. If Obama is our next President, he'll be inheriting the effects of Bush's failed policies and you can bet some will be all too happy to pin the blame on Obama.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yes, but that's not particular to Obama

No, it's not and the article specifically quotes a Hillary ally to make that very point.