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In the Senate, Obama Yaks, McCain Is Divorced From Reality

September 12, 2008 1:57 PM

In Dover, N.H., this morning, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., continued to argue that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is out of touch.

“The good news is that, in 53 days, the name George W. Bush won’t be on the ballot," Obama said. "But make no mistake: his policies will. You know, because a few weeks ago, John McCain said that the economy was making great progress under George Bush, that it was 'fundamentally strong,' and that, in fact, we were better off as a consequence of the Bush presidency. And here’s the thing. I think John McCain actually believes it. After all, John McCain, just last night, he said, and I’m quoting here, 'It's easy for me to go to Washington and frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have.' So, maybe from where he and George Bush sit, maybe things do look fundamentally sound. Maybe they don’t see what’s taking place. Maybe they’re that out of touch. But I do see what’s going on and so do you.”

Here's what McCain actually said last night.

At a CNN/Time forum on national service, moderator Judy Woodruff noted that "at the Republican convention, a couple of speakers, most notably your running mate, vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, made somewhat derisive comments about Sen. Obama's experience as a community organizer." She asked if McCain was asking his supporters to avoid belittling service.

"I think the tone of this whole campaign would have been very different if Sen. Obama had accepted my request for us to appear in town hall meetings all over America, the same way Jack Kennedy and Barry Goldwater had agreed to do so," McCain said. "Gov. Palin was responding to the criticism of her inexperience and her job as a mayor in a small town.  That's what she was responding to.  Of course, I respect community organizers.  Of course, I respect people who serve their community.  And Sen. Obama's record there is outstanding.  I praise anyone who serves this nation in capacities that, frankly we all know, that could have been far more financially rewarding to individuals rather than doing what they did."

Woodruff asked if a community organizer's job is "less significant than the work of a small town mayor?"

"A small town mayor has very great responsibilities," McCain said. "Have responsibility for the budget.  They have hiring and firing of people.  They have great responsibilities.  They have to stand for election.  I admire mayors.  Listen, mayors have the toughest job ... in America.  It's easy for me to go to Washington and, frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have.  So, I admire mayors. I admire anyone who is willing to serve their community and their country."

Later, during Obama's period on stage, Time editor Richard Stengel asked him if Democrats belittled small town mayors.

"We've had an awful lot of small town mayors at the Democratic Convention, I assure you," Obama said. "I meet them all the time.  The mayors have some of the toughest jobs in the country because that's where the rubber hits the road.  You know, we yak in the Senate.  They actually have to fill potholes and trim trees and make sure the garbage is taken away."

Do you think Obama's "yak" remark is essentially the same point McCain was making about it being easy for senators to be "divorced from reality"?

- jpt

September 12, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (167)

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The Democratic, Socialist party has played every dirty trick there is including morfing and calling President Bush Hitler and scraming how he lied to information they all had and voted for the war until it was time for the 2004 elections. Then they all lied and emboldened our enemies prolonging the war and causing Military and civilians casualities just like Vit Nam forcing us out after destoying 2/3 of thier equipement and military a win in any definition of war. When the US pulled out the killing fields began and millions of civilians were tortued and Killed under the po Pot regiem and thats when all the Liberals shrunk into obscurity, Jane Fonda for example. And now safe and protected by the Miitary and our Brave soldiers who they dispise are at it again. Wake Up America and do not put the socialistic Democrats in charge of our security and economy they put us in this position with the coverups of Fanny May and Freddy Mac who gave entitlements a whole new meaning and enriching thier chronies like Frank Rains, Johnson for money to thier campaines by leading Democrats like Obama, Chriss Dodd, Barney Franks, Charley Wrangle, Palosi, Reed , and Obiiden

Posted by: Anthony | Oct 22, 2008 1:07:52 PM

Oh wait.

I get it.

You are saying that McCain is not Bush.

That's fair. There is plenty of blame for both of them and I think you will hear Mr. Obama addressing your concerns more and more in the coming days.

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 14, 2008 7:26:23 AM

Al MacLeod,

Ummm,

What are you talking about??????
Has Bush started dissing McCain on your planet?

Can you tell me how to get there?

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 14, 2008 7:24:10 AM

When is Senator Obama going to be man enough to go Mano O Mano with Senator McCain and accuse him directly instead of the cowardly way he uses Bush to make attacks that are actually directed at Senator McCain?

Al MacLeod

Posted by: Al MacLeod | Sep 13, 2008 3:51:23 PM

Biden was the one that said "Obama would be a President in training"

Hillary said he could not answer the phone at 3AM and make executive decisions.

There is a reason they said this! because they believe it is true!!!

Posted by: abe | Sep 13, 2008 1:33:45 PM

DEMS,

A lot of difference.

Cindy McCain helped the needy and underpriviledged,regardles of race,of this world as a way of making sure its a better place than when she came in.

Michelle Obama, for the first time in her life is starting to love America. If Obama loses, I don't know if she will revert to not liking America.

Posted by: zoilodel | Sep 13, 2008 10:24:40 AM


The double standards and sexism of the american left is criminal.

OBAMA HAS NO EXPERIENCE!

Obama should not even be taken seriously. The guy is an empty suit who has lied repeatedly throughout the campaign.

The discusting display of Obama love by the liberal media is a travesty.

Posted by: reason | Sep 13, 2008 10:15:05 AM

MLK dreamt for that day when America will judge a person for his character and not for the color of his skin. With 96% support Obama has from African-Americans, I guess he's being judged more for his character.

Posted by: zoilodel | Sep 12, 2008 10:00:08 PM

"Hypocrisy as usual from the democrats."

Uh huh.

1, (AP) John McCain's campaign keeps telling voters that Sarah Palin opposed a federally funded Bridge to Nowhere that, in fact, she originally supported. It accuses Democrat Barack Obama of calling Palin a pig, which did not happen.

2, Factcheck.org - A McCain-Palin TV ad accuses Obama of being "disrespectful" of Palin, but it distorts quotes to make the case.

3. Factcheck.org - McCain-Palin Distorts Our Finding - Those attacks on Palin that we debunked didn't come from Obama.

4. Factcheck.org - A McCain campaign ad claims Obama's "one accomplishment" was a bill to teach sex ed to kindergarten kids. Don't believe it.

5. Los Angeles times - New election low: distorting the fact-checking - News outlets and independent truth squads seem to agree that the McCain camp's distortions on Barack Obama have gone too far.


And that's just this morning's wrap up.

Posted by: mkoch | Sep 12, 2008 9:53:07 PM

No. What McCain was saying is that he doesn't get his hands dirty in day-to-day grunt-work -- he's got people for that. What Obama was saying is the Senate needs to get to action instead of being all talk.

Obama 08!

Posted by: Common Sense | Sep 12, 2008 9:52:36 PM

Hypocrisy as usual from the democrats.

Posted by: Submarine Vet | Sep 12, 2008 9:43:12 PM

Black mother at 7:20.....Obama has not an original thought...he is a sock puppet with an ego that will always come before our country!
McCain = experience = judgement = patriot = COUNTRY FIRST!!!!!

Posted by: Debra | Sep 12, 2008 9:19:41 PM

Obama's remarks are also a nice endorsement for Palin regarding her mayoral background as being relevant executive experience.

Posted by: cappamore | Sep 12, 2008 8:55:12 PM

"For the guy who said noone has proven a "lie" in Moore's F-9.11, maybe that is because most of the movie was conspiracy theory and voice-over musing on the thoughts of Bush admin officials."

Could be. But then it's not "lie-filled", is it?
Have you seen it?

"War for oil, Moore? Why are the dems the ones upset that we're not taking Iraq's oil surplus? Hm?"

"The man once regarded as the world's most powerful banker has bluntly declared that the Iraq war was 'largely' about oil.
Appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987 and retired last year after serving four presidents, Alan Greenspan has been the leading Republican economist for a generation and his utterings instantly moved world markets."
The Guardian

Posted by: mkoch | Sep 12, 2008 7:26:56 PM

YES BUSH IS RESPONSIBLE OF THE 9\11 OF HIS STYLE LIKE MACHO,BIG MOUTH,DO WE THINK MCSAME WILL PROTECT US? NO I DON'T THINK SO, MCSAME IS THE SAME AS GEORGE BUSH JUST WAITING FOR AN OTHER GREAT WAR. THOSE GUYS THEY JUST LIKE IT, THEY ARE EVIL THEY LIKE TO SEE BLOOD.BELIEVE IT OR NOT THEY DON'T THINK FOR YOU PEOPLE,THEY ARE THINKING FOR THE WORLD TO SEE HOW GREAT THEY ARE...

Posted by: ANAKARONA | Sep 12, 2008 7:23:35 PM

ohiogirl, that is text from the memo given to Bush in August of 2001. It summarizes the investigation into Bin Laden.

I don't know what Clinton knew, and it doesn't matter, because I'm not claiming Clinton didn't have some responsibility. I'm saying Bush had plenty as well.

I don't believe the Clintons have the power to stop Disney from publishing a DVD, particularly one that already broadcast. More likely, they just didn't see much of a profit in it.

Myself, I don't have the temerity to criticize or characterize things I've never seen. There's a whole world out there, I'd suggest experiencing it and judging for yourself.

There's such a thing as censoring yourself from the world.

Posted by: mkoch | Sep 12, 2008 7:20:53 PM

As a mother of two young children, school ages, it is important that the right man for the job be elected.  After following this polical process daily, I have listened and evaluated the messages that both candidates are presenting, and there is no way that anyone that has any intellegence would not elect Barack Obama to lead this country.  He is clear on where this country needs to go, and what his plans are to get us there.  NOW!  for those who for some reason see McCain as their savior,  God help you.  This man is obviously totally out of touch with REALITY.  If you just observe him, you see that he is senile, aged (72 years old) to old to take on the responsibility of leading a nation that is in the condition that Bush has put us in.  If you watch his interviews, when he is confronted with questions or situations that he is oblivious to,  what does he do?  HE CRACKS JOKES AND GIVES THAT WICKED SMILE!  This is no joking situation we are in.  Now he goes and chooses a woman that is under investigation for corrupt behavior as well as not returning funds that were allocatted for the "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE". A mother of 5 not 2 children (1 with special needs, that's needs his mom because of his special needs).  She has no senate experience what so ever. I think this woman needs to stay in Alaska and take care of her young son and deal with the situations that she is being investigated on. And deal with the pregnacy out of wed lock her daughter faaces. I know she is not planning on having her daughter get married at 17 without an education.  And this is what you John McCain supporters are rallying behind.  Come on and face reality.  McCain is not the man.

Posted by: BlackMother | Sep 12, 2008 7:20:20 PM

For the guy who said noone has proven a "lie" in Moore's F-9.11, maybe that is because most of the movie was conspiracy theory and voice-over musing on the thoughts of Bush admin officials.

By their very nature, wild speculation and conspiracy theory are not provable/disprovable. 9.11 truthers, moon landing truthers and assorted dingbats are duped by these things all the time.

War for oil, Moore? Why are the dems the ones upset that we're not taking Iraq's oil surplus? Hm?

Posted by: peter | Sep 12, 2008 7:18:58 PM

THAT OLD RATON MUST GO TO RETREAT,HE IS NOT SATISFY ENOUGH TO THE VIETNAM WAR;HE WANT AN OTHER GREAT WAR SO,HIS NAME WILL WRITE IN THE GREAT BOOK OF HISTORY.HELP SAVE THAT GREAT NATION! ONCE UPON A TIME...UNITED STATES WAS A GREAT NATION.BY THE WAY I'M LIVING IN THE NETHERLAND.VIVE OBAMA!!!

Posted by: ANAKARONA | Sep 12, 2008 7:07:39 PM

mkoch: "Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate bin Laden since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Laden implied in U.S. television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."

Ok, President Bush did not take office until 2001. Are you saying that Clinton did not know anything about this brief? If so, I find that hard to believe. As for Michael Moore's movie, I know there are just as many people who dispute many of the so-called facts in this movie, but they didn't know the right people (I guess) to stop or censor it. To be fair, I never and will never watch that movie.

So they "cut" part of Blocking The Path to 9/11, that is still censorship. I know the movie aired, but the UN-CENSORED DVD WAS blocked.

Posted by: ohiogirl | Sep 12, 2008 7:02:32 PM

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