This week has been a very big disappointment to me as a voter and a citizen of the United States of America.
It started last Sunday, a week ago, when Sarah Palin addressed a group of McCain/Palin supporters and brought up, yet again, the ties between Barack Obama and William Ayers. Ayers, of course, was the leader of the Weather Underground which protested the Vietnam War by bombing several buildings including the Pentagon, The House Of Representatives and several police stations. And while this is a terrible thing to do, in my opinion, what Palin failed to remind voters was the fact that Obama was 8 years old when this happened.
How old exactly was John McCain when he was one of the senators who were basically bought by Charles Keating, a real estate tycoon who ran the Lincoln S&L. The same S&L that shut down costing taxpayers billions of dollars? Not only was McCain one of the senators, he was the one the ethics committee dubbed as "closest to Keating." He was at least 30 something years old. McCain was given a slap on the wrist for his dealings with Keating when in reality, the man should have been ousted from office along with the other 4 senators.
How old was Sarah Palin when she used her position in public office to get rid of her ex-brother-in-law? Sarah has been found guilty of using her position in office for personal reasons. And while a lot of Palin supporters will point out that "Troopergate" was started in order to defame the Republican nominee for President that's not true. In fact, "Troopergate" was started before John McCain chose Palin to be his running mate.
McCain and Palin spent the better part of this week defaming Barack Obama by saying that he was "hanging out with terrorist". They stood by and watched as their supporters, so caught up in the mud-slinging yelled, "Terrorist!" "Muslim" and "Take his head off!" (in reference to Senator Obama). They knew they were inciting voters by bringing up one of their biggest fears. Terrorism.
But by doing so, McCain and Palin were putting a huge target on Obama's back. We all know that this kind of mob mentality can get ugly. It only takes one crazy person deciding to "do something about Obama" to prompt what could be an attack on Obama's life. A man whose only crime is trying to become President. A man with a wife. A father to two beautiful little girls. But did they care? No. That is, until McCain and Palin realized that their tactic wasn't winning over the undecided votes. If anything, their attacks were turning people off and making them decide to vote for Obama. They didn't stop their attacks until the press brought this into the spotlight.
Now, all of a sudden, McCain is trying to stop the rampage he and his running partner have helped to cause. Friday night, McCain was booed by supporters for saying, "Senator Obama is a decent, honest man and no one should be scared to have him as President of the United States." And while I feel this course of action is a little bit late, Senator Obama thanked John McCain for sticking up for him. A very classy thing to do, I might add, since this whole McCain campaign has been one attempt after another to not address the issues but instead, to smear Obama's reputation. Still, I guess McCain deserves a pat on the back for trying, however, then again, how do we know McCain is defending Obama's honor because he's truly sorry he incited the voters so much or because he realizes his attack campaign on Obama is making him look bad to the undecided voters? Or maybe, McCain and Palin are afraid that Obama will start bringing up the Keating Five and Troopergate, smearing their reputations much worse than they could smear Obama's.
Yes, Senator Obama fought back and put up a 13 minute video called KeatingEconomics.com that has been airing on the internet but this was only after several (and I do mean several) attacks on his reputation. No matter how cool and calm Obama may be, a person can only take so much before their backs are pushed against the wall and they have to come out swinging. Unless you are John Kerry who tried to ignore George Bush's tactics in 2004. A choice that I believe ended up costing him a chance to be President of the United States.
Whatever the reasons for McCain and Palin stopping their attacks on Obama's personal life, I am glad it's over (hopefully). I believe that rational and smart Americans want to hear what the candidates plan to do on every issue instead of all the mud-slinging, so that they can make a wise and educated vote on election day.
Showing posts with label obama and mccain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obama and mccain. Show all posts
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
It's the night before the next Presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. The debate will be held in Bowling Green, Kentucky, my state and on the border to Ohio, a key state in this election.
Most of the political analyzers are saying that if Barack Obama wins any of the "swing states", Ohio being one of them, then he will more than likely become President of the United States. So what are the undecided voters in Ohio looking for from either candidate? How each candidate proposes to handle fixing the economy. A huge task for either candidate to be sure.
Not let me tell you what the people in not only Ohio, but the United States do not want to listen to anymore. McCain and Palin doing Obama bashing all weekend long while barely focusing on the matters that are important to the voters.
Sunday, Sarah Palin began the attacks against Obama, saying that Obama "associates with terrorists." John McCain followed suit today, according to ABC news saying, "You deserve to know who you're putting into office. For a man whose written two autobiographies, Obama is not an open book." McCain went on to call his opponent dishonest, untrustworthy and many other names. ABC's George Stephanopaulos believes that the mud-slinging will continue on through the debate tomorrow night. All I have to say to that is....McCain, you're an idiot!
When is McCain and Company going to realize that all that mud they are slinging ends up coming back and hitting them in their own faces. When McCain's campaign put out the ad that Obama was more interested in being a celebrity than being the President of the United States, showing Obama waving to the crowds in between clips of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton did that make Obama's popularity plummet? No! All it managed to do was make a fool out of McCain. I mean, how embarrassing is it when Paris Hilton of all people, makes a better and more popular campaign video than McCain? Not only that, but McCain was proven to be a hypocrite. He appeared on as many shows as Obama did and even went on the "Rachel Ray" show to promote his special barbecue ribs. Not that I don't like Rachel because I do, but what the heck does barbecue ribs have to do with the problems the country is having today?
Not learning from that fiasco, McCain tried again with another ad saying, "He made time to go to the gym, but canceled the visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras." Several news people who were with Obama when this ad was made were appalled that McCain told such a blatant lie.
Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC reporter and a supporter of McCain who had made the trip with Obama denounced the ad. "There was never any intention of taking cameras to the hospital." Mitchell related the decision was made not to go see the soldiers at the hospital because Obama felt if he made that his last stop, McCain would lash out, seeing it as a publicity stunt. McCain lashed out all right, just the opposite direction. However, McCain made a big mistake when he approved the message.
Not only Mitchell but Keith Olberman as well, poked holes in the ad. Not only were the words lies, but the pictures as well. Mitchell and Olberman both said the pictures that were used in the viscious ad of Obama shooting basketball in a "gym" were actually taken in Kuwait, where Obama had stopped to visit soldiers. Andrea should definitely know.....she was with him on the trip. If I read her right, McCain lost at least one supporter by showing just how far he would go to win the Presidency.
And strike three. During a speech in which Obama had never mentioned Sarah Palin, he used the same words McCain had used in one of his speeches.....putting lipstick on a pig. What happened? McCain's campaign blew the words out of propertion, saying that Obama had used the term to describe Palin. WTF?
Now McCain is back to talking about Obama's "friend" William Ayers, a leader and member of the Weather Underground. This group bombed several buildings including the State Senate, the Capital and several police stations during the 60's and 70's while protesting the Vietnam War. And while I don't support fighting violence with violence or condone what this group did, Obama was 8 years old at the time. When McCain was friends with Charles Keating, a man who caused the biggest controlled fraud case in history, he was at least in his 40's.
Yes, that's right. Obama has decided he is tired of all the time spent on having to defend himself, not to mention all the time McCain is using doing the mud-slinging. Obama wants to get back to the basics of this election. So Obama and his campaign have come up with a web video of their own on youtube.com here, detailing McCain's involvement in "The Keating Five".
Who are the "Keating Five"? They are John McCain and 4 other senators who used their political influence to help Charles Keating, a real estate mogul who was trying to avoid regulations of a Savings and Loan he owned during the S& L crisis of the 80's. When Keating's savings and loan empire collapsed, taxpayers were left with a 3.4 million dollar bailout.
The Senate Ethic Committee investigated McCain and the 4 other senators and according to the chairman at the time, Senator Howard Heflin, "many of your fellow citizens believe that you were bought by Charles Keating, that you were bribed, that you sold your office, that you traded your honor and your good names for contributions and other benefits." How much of a contribution did McCain get? At least $120,000.00. And how much money did Ayers contribute to Obama's senatorial campaign? $200.00.
"Of the five senators before you, Senator McCain had the closest personal relationship with Charles Keating." How close were Ayers and Obama? They met at a meet and greet during Obama's campaign for re-election for senator of Illinois. They served on the Woods Fund for three years and Obama shared the stage with Ayers at two academic conferences. Big difference here. As the old saying goes, "People who live in glass houses should not cast stones."
McCain and Palin are slitting their own throats, so to speak, by starting this stuff again right before a debate in a key state like Ohio. When people are reminded of the Keating scandal in a state that is mostly worried about putting their trust and faith in a man who can get this country out of the troubled economy it is in now, they won't want to put that trust and faith in McCain. Once a puppet for money, always a puppet for money.
Yes, I predict if mud-slinging begins in the debate tonight, McCain is going to lose not only Ohio but the Presidential election as well. And while that will be a-okay with me, McCain supporters better hope and pray the man uses his brains and sticks to the issues instead of the past.
Most of the political analyzers are saying that if Barack Obama wins any of the "swing states", Ohio being one of them, then he will more than likely become President of the United States. So what are the undecided voters in Ohio looking for from either candidate? How each candidate proposes to handle fixing the economy. A huge task for either candidate to be sure.
Not let me tell you what the people in not only Ohio, but the United States do not want to listen to anymore. McCain and Palin doing Obama bashing all weekend long while barely focusing on the matters that are important to the voters.
Sunday, Sarah Palin began the attacks against Obama, saying that Obama "associates with terrorists." John McCain followed suit today, according to ABC news saying, "You deserve to know who you're putting into office. For a man whose written two autobiographies, Obama is not an open book." McCain went on to call his opponent dishonest, untrustworthy and many other names. ABC's George Stephanopaulos believes that the mud-slinging will continue on through the debate tomorrow night. All I have to say to that is....McCain, you're an idiot!
When is McCain and Company going to realize that all that mud they are slinging ends up coming back and hitting them in their own faces. When McCain's campaign put out the ad that Obama was more interested in being a celebrity than being the President of the United States, showing Obama waving to the crowds in between clips of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton did that make Obama's popularity plummet? No! All it managed to do was make a fool out of McCain. I mean, how embarrassing is it when Paris Hilton of all people, makes a better and more popular campaign video than McCain? Not only that, but McCain was proven to be a hypocrite. He appeared on as many shows as Obama did and even went on the "Rachel Ray" show to promote his special barbecue ribs. Not that I don't like Rachel because I do, but what the heck does barbecue ribs have to do with the problems the country is having today?
Not learning from that fiasco, McCain tried again with another ad saying, "He made time to go to the gym, but canceled the visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras." Several news people who were with Obama when this ad was made were appalled that McCain told such a blatant lie.
Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC reporter and a supporter of McCain who had made the trip with Obama denounced the ad. "There was never any intention of taking cameras to the hospital." Mitchell related the decision was made not to go see the soldiers at the hospital because Obama felt if he made that his last stop, McCain would lash out, seeing it as a publicity stunt. McCain lashed out all right, just the opposite direction. However, McCain made a big mistake when he approved the message.
Not only Mitchell but Keith Olberman as well, poked holes in the ad. Not only were the words lies, but the pictures as well. Mitchell and Olberman both said the pictures that were used in the viscious ad of Obama shooting basketball in a "gym" were actually taken in Kuwait, where Obama had stopped to visit soldiers. Andrea should definitely know.....she was with him on the trip. If I read her right, McCain lost at least one supporter by showing just how far he would go to win the Presidency.
And strike three. During a speech in which Obama had never mentioned Sarah Palin, he used the same words McCain had used in one of his speeches.....putting lipstick on a pig. What happened? McCain's campaign blew the words out of propertion, saying that Obama had used the term to describe Palin. WTF?
Now McCain is back to talking about Obama's "friend" William Ayers, a leader and member of the Weather Underground. This group bombed several buildings including the State Senate, the Capital and several police stations during the 60's and 70's while protesting the Vietnam War. And while I don't support fighting violence with violence or condone what this group did, Obama was 8 years old at the time. When McCain was friends with Charles Keating, a man who caused the biggest controlled fraud case in history, he was at least in his 40's.
Yes, that's right. Obama has decided he is tired of all the time spent on having to defend himself, not to mention all the time McCain is using doing the mud-slinging. Obama wants to get back to the basics of this election. So Obama and his campaign have come up with a web video of their own on youtube.com here, detailing McCain's involvement in "The Keating Five".
Who are the "Keating Five"? They are John McCain and 4 other senators who used their political influence to help Charles Keating, a real estate mogul who was trying to avoid regulations of a Savings and Loan he owned during the S& L crisis of the 80's. When Keating's savings and loan empire collapsed, taxpayers were left with a 3.4 million dollar bailout.
The Senate Ethic Committee investigated McCain and the 4 other senators and according to the chairman at the time, Senator Howard Heflin, "many of your fellow citizens believe that you were bought by Charles Keating, that you were bribed, that you sold your office, that you traded your honor and your good names for contributions and other benefits." How much of a contribution did McCain get? At least $120,000.00. And how much money did Ayers contribute to Obama's senatorial campaign? $200.00.
"Of the five senators before you, Senator McCain had the closest personal relationship with Charles Keating." How close were Ayers and Obama? They met at a meet and greet during Obama's campaign for re-election for senator of Illinois. They served on the Woods Fund for three years and Obama shared the stage with Ayers at two academic conferences. Big difference here. As the old saying goes, "People who live in glass houses should not cast stones."
McCain and Palin are slitting their own throats, so to speak, by starting this stuff again right before a debate in a key state like Ohio. When people are reminded of the Keating scandal in a state that is mostly worried about putting their trust and faith in a man who can get this country out of the troubled economy it is in now, they won't want to put that trust and faith in McCain. Once a puppet for money, always a puppet for money.
Yes, I predict if mud-slinging begins in the debate tonight, McCain is going to lose not only Ohio but the Presidential election as well. And while that will be a-okay with me, McCain supporters better hope and pray the man uses his brains and sticks to the issues instead of the past.
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