John McCain forced to defend Obama against his own supporters

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I think McCain did the right thing by trying to calm things down, but he did open the can of worms himself to begin with. He made a mistake linking Obama to terrorists and it isn't making him look good.

He did the right thing? Since when is he concerned about doing the right thing? Try this approach: McCain and his campaign labor for a week to drag Obama down by going all nasty and negative - this has always worked in the past. He was the victim of that strategy back in 2000 when Bush did him ugly. However, this time, the polls don't turn in his favor as he expected but - if anything at all - rather do the opposite. His campaign knows that this is strategy ain't working. It's backfiring and so they change course - again. They're running around like a bunch of chicken without heads. They're running out of options and have no clue how to turn this thing around. Decency isn't the motivating factor here. If he had any, he wouldn't have gone this ugly to begin with. I mean his ads 100% negative? Nothing to offer the American people but attacks on his opponent? Nothing?

It's quite enjoyable to watch.

Did you read what I wrote? It was right for him to try to stop it. It was wrong for him to it in the first place. I thought I was fairly clear in my post.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think McCain did the right thing by trying to calm things down, but he did open the can of worms himself to begin with. He made a mistake linking Obama to terrorists and it isn't making him look good.

He did the right thing? Since when is he concerned about doing the right thing? Try this approach: McCain and his campaign labor for a week to drag Obama down by going all nasty and negative - this has always worked in the past. He was the victim of that strategy back in 2000 when Bush did him ugly. However, this time, the polls don't turn in his favor as he expected but - if anything at all - rather do the opposite. His campaign knows that this is strategy ain't working. It's backfiring and so they change course - again. They're running around like a bunch of chicken without heads. They're running out of options and have no clue how to turn this thing around. Decency isn't the motivating factor here. If he had any, he wouldn't have gone this ugly to begin with. I mean his ads 100% negative? Nothing to offer the American people but attacks on his opponent? Nothing?

It's quite enjoyable to watch.

Did you read what I wrote? It was right for him to try to stop it. It was wrong for him to it in the first place. I thought I was fairly clear in my post.

His motivation is not to "do the right thing". His motivation is to save what's left of his #######. That's all I'm saying.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

His motivation is not to "do the right thing". His motivation is to save what's left of his #######. That's all I'm saying.

I wasn't commenting on motivation, just the situation at hand. He effed up and he knows it.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

His motivation is not to "do the right thing". His motivation is to save what's left of his #######. That's all I'm saying.

I wasn't commenting on motivation, just the situation at hand. He effed up and he knows it.

I suppose I misread your statement then. We can agree on the fact that he fcuked up and that he or someone around him recognized it.

[IAMX 3,055]

I saw 2 questions that John McCain had to respond directly to. The first was a man with a child on the way that said he would be scared for the child to come in to the world with Obama as president. The second was a woman that said that she couldn't trust Obama and thought he was an arab. McCain shook his head 'No ma'am, he is not'.

These are the uneducated type of people in the south I deal with. Sadly, these types are also like one half of my family. They have zero degrees, pretty much zero education (about half graduated high school), and rely entirely on stereotypes to run their life, completely devoid of experiencing things. The true case of xenophobia. Hence why I hang around my dad's side. Degrees, own businesses, open-minded, successful, listening, learning, easier to get along with.

Edited October 11, 2008 by SRVT

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

the words they used could be argued to be harmless enough, but if you watch the video's, you'll see the woman reaching for something else, and instead using the word arab. She keeps saying, he isn't, ahhh he isn't... And the hate and fear is really palpable.

While I do believe that the McCain campaign was probably surprised to find that their recent strategy was not making any impact in the polls, I don't think that was McCain's main motivation in putting right the misconceptions of his supporters. You can really see on his face that he can not carry on and ignore this kind of ignorance. That people have bypassed he 'this is a case of judgement' and gone straight to 'he's a terrorist, his face reads as appalled at the pitch this has come to.

While I think that this was not a prescripted response or turnaround for McCain, and I am glad that he decided to do the right thing, and defend Obama, I think that it really shows how little contol he has over his own campaign. How little leadership he is showing even within his own paid employees. How much he was willing to do, and go against his own morals to win this election, so long as he didn't come face to face with it. I hope he withdraws the irresponsible ad's that he's running and finishes the rest of the campaign on the actual issues.

[EZgoing378 0]

The only reason McCain defended Obama is that after a week of negative ads it was clear they were not working. McCain wants to get off of the economy subject. They tried the negative ads, they didn't work. The negative ads were starting to work against him. I believe this plus the fact that saying something THAT BAD about your opponent personally is looked upon as off the political subject added up to McCain realizing he needed to change his approach.

[Teacher Mark 53]

I saw 2 questions that John McCain had to respond directly to. The first was a man with a child on the way that said he would be scared for the child to come in to the world with Obama as president. The second was a woman that said that she couldn't trust Obama and thought he was an arab. McCain shook his head 'No ma'am, he is not'.

There is footage of some of the people on the way in to a rally saying explicitly that Obama is a muslim and a terrorist. And at some point there were people chanting 'Bomb, Obama'.

Shocking stuff. I'm glad that McCain has recognised that the insinuations have gotten out of hand, however he has not pulled any of the Ayers ads, and in fact there is a new one airing today nationwide.

God, I hope he pulls the ads and stops the nonsense. I watched two Conservative political pundits on Larry King Live last night that both condemned the McCain Campaign for trying to smear Obama this way. One of the women said if he wants to win this thing, win it fair and scare and not be resorting to such slimy tactics. I'll see if I can find the video. It was good to hear some people from the Right criticizing this.

I think this is it. I listened to it on Sirius:

[Teacher Mark 53]

Woman: "He's an Arab"

McCain "No, he's a decent family man, a citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues".

Arabs aren't decent family men and citizens?

[rebeccajo 14]

I saw 2 questions that John McCain had to respond directly to. The first was a man with a child on the way that said he would be scared for the child to come in to the world with Obama as president. The second was a woman that said that she couldn't trust Obama and thought he was an arab. McCain shook his head 'No ma'am, he is not'.

There is footage of some of the people on the way in to a rally saying explicitly that Obama is a muslim and a terrorist. And at some point there were people chanting 'Bomb, Obama'.

Shocking stuff. I'm glad that McCain has recognised that the insinuations have gotten out of hand, however he has not pulled any of the Ayers ads, and in fact there is a new one airing today nationwide.

God, I hope he pulls the ads and stops the nonsense. I watched two Conservative political pundits on Larry King Live last night that both condemned the McCain Campaign for trying to smear Obama this way. One of the women said if he wants to win this thing, win it fair and scare and not be resorting to such slimy tactics. I'll see if I can find the video. It was good to hear some people from the Right criticizing this.

I think this is it. I listened to it on Sirius:

I'm pretty sure that's the interview Steven is referring to. I saw it when originally broadcast and it came to my mind also when I read his post.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Woman: "He's an Arab"

McCain "No, he's a decent family man, a citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues".

Arabs aren't decent family men and citizens?

X'actly!!!!

Scary people will still be of that mindset though...

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

the words they used could be argued to be harmless enough, but if you watch the video's, you'll see the woman reaching for something else, and instead using the word arab. She keeps saying, he isn't, ahhh he isn't... And the hate and fear is really palpable.

While I do believe that the McCain campaign was probably surprised to find that their recent strategy was not making any impact in the polls, I don't think that was McCain's main motivation in putting right the misconceptions of his supporters. You can really see on his face that he can not carry on and ignore this kind of ignorance. That people have bypassed he 'this is a case of judgement' and gone straight to 'he's a terrorist, his face reads as appalled at the pitch this has come to.

While I think that this was not a prescripted response or turnaround for McCain, and I am glad that he decided to do the right thing, and defend Obama, I think that it really shows how little control he has over his own campaign. How little leadership he is showing even within his own paid employees. How much he was willing to do, and go against his own morals to win this election, so long as he didn't come face to face with it. I hope he withdraws the irresponsible ad's that he's running and finishes the rest of the campaign on the actual issues.

He looked to me like he realizes he probably won't win.

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

I saw 2 questions that John McCain had to respond directly to. The first was a man with a child on the way that said he would be scared for the child to come in to the world with Obama as president. The second was a woman that said that she couldn't trust Obama and thought he was an arab. McCain shook his head 'No ma'am, he is not'.

There is footage of some of the people on the way in to a rally saying explicitly that Obama is a muslim and a terrorist. And at some point there were people chanting 'Bomb, Obama'.

Shocking stuff. I'm glad that McCain has recognised that the insinuations have gotten out of hand, however he has not pulled any of the Ayers ads, and in fact there is a new one airing today nationwide.

God, I hope he pulls the ads and stops the nonsense. I watched two Conservative political pundits on Larry King Live last night that both condemned the McCain Campaign for trying to smear Obama this way. One of the women said if he wants to win this thing, win it fair and scare and not be resorting to such slimy tactics. I'll see if I can find the video. It was good to hear some people from the Right criticizing this.

I think this is it. I listened to it on Sirius:

.

I'm pretty sure that's the interview Steven is referring to. I saw it when originally broadcast and it came to my mind also when I read his post.

Yes! That's the one. I really admired what the woman in the middle said.

[IAMX 3,055]

I saw 2 questions that John McCain had to respond directly to. The first was a man with a child on the way that said he would be scared for the child to come in to the world with Obama as president. The second was a woman that said that she couldn't trust Obama and thought he was an arab. McCain shook his head 'No ma'am, he is not'.

There is footage of some of the people on the way in to a rally saying explicitly that Obama is a muslim and a terrorist. And at some point there were people chanting 'Bomb, Obama'.

Shocking stuff. I'm glad that McCain has recognised that the insinuations have gotten out of hand, however he has not pulled any of the Ayers ads, and in fact there is a new one airing today nationwide.

God, I hope he pulls the ads and stops the nonsense. I watched two Conservative political pundits on Larry King Live last night that both condemned the McCain Campaign for trying to smear Obama this way. One of the women said if he wants to win this thing, win it fair and scare and not be resorting to such slimy tactics. I'll see if I can find the video. It was good to hear some people from the Right criticizing this.

I think this is it. I listened to it on Sirius:

Good lawd did they ever hit Palin hard.

Even conservative women realize that Palin is a ###### nutcase and McCain doesn't have the balls to call Obama a terrorist like Palin has been trying to make him out to be.

Edited October 11, 2008 by SRVT

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Woman: "He's an Arab"

McCain "No, he's a decent family man, a citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues".

Arabs aren't decent family men and citizens?

No, they have too many wives.