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Obama Implies McCain Puts Other Countries First

September 12, 2008 4:05 PM

A pretty scathing charge from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., this morning as he spoke to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and assailed Sen. John McCain's, R-Ariz., position on free trade.

"Just ask the machinists in Pennsylvania who build Harley-Davidsons," Obama said of McCain's record. "Because John McCain didn’t just oppose the requirement that the government buy American-made motorcycles, he called Buy American provisions 'disgraceful.' Just ask the workers across this country who have seen their jobs outsourced.  The very companies that shipped their jobs overseas have been rewarded with billions of dollars in tax breaks that John McCain supports and plans to continue.

"So, when American workers hear John McCain talking about putting 'Country First,'" Obama said, "it’s fair to ask –- which country?"

Um ... isn't that pretty much the dictionary definition of questioning someone's patriotism?

- jpt

September 12, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (349)

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McCain's sleazy moves, as he tries to wriggle from the Keating Five disgrace, are the desperate actions of a man/campaign in deep trouble. McCain has lost all honor and dignity that he earned as a POW. His little barking dog, Sarah, follows her master with the drooling canned bark that turns off voters by the thousands.

Posted by: painter33 | Oct 7, 2008 2:59:32 AM

OBAMA = BETRAYAL
Obama supporters are foolish to think that he will never betray them.
Obama was a close friend of Pastor Wright for TWENTY YEARS.
Obama threw Wright under the bus for personal ambition.
McCain would not betray his country even after 5 years of torture.
You can put lipstick on a traitor, but he's still a traitor.

Posted by: Howard | Sep 19, 2008 9:32:19 AM

watchewtalkinaboot, Wolfie? McCain is firmly on the side of the racists. That would be, oh, a quarter of the Republican Party, give or take. You see, they are ashamed enough to deny it, but not ashamed enough to not indulge in it. By their actions do you know them.

Posted by: McLiar/Pantsonfire | Sep 15, 2008 9:25:40 PM

Why vote McCain? Well at least he isn't a racist like the other side. That is about all I can give any of them because none are what this country needs.

Posted by: Wolf | Sep 15, 2008 12:07:32 PM

megapotamus, could you remember that Boeing has lost a contract to Airbus and that McCain was a key decision maker in that competitition between the two giants of aviation? Once again he took lobbyists with him in bed and let America and Boeing down. Remember. God save America from McSame and the lobbyists. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAM/BIDEN08.

Posted by: BKMC | Sep 15, 2008 8:50:59 AM

Let Barry accuse a better man by far of his own sins. It is par for the course. Americans see the truth. Barry ALWAYS puts ambition above all. Would he have declined the early release offered McCain? That question is absurd of course because Barry would never be in such a predicament. Never. Like all Lefties he squanders and abuses the rights secured for him by bravery and honor, alien concepts that he scorns openly.

Posted by: megapotamus | Sep 15, 2008 8:25:15 AM

Navy vet, Jeremiah Wright was a Marine. Whatever his faults may be, his patriotism is not in question.

Now ask yourself this -- who are you serving, Sir? The Republican Party or the United States of America? John McCain has made it very clear that he cares more about the party than the country, slogans notwithstanding. Why would he put an inexperienced and corrupt ignoramus with secessionist tendencies one stopped heartbeat away from the Presidency?

On what grounds should anyone vote for McCain? "Pretty please, we haven't finished destroying the country in the 8 years we've had, and we want some more time to finish the job"?

Posted by: McLiar/Pantsonfire | Sep 15, 2008 12:49:13 AM

Obama has shown that he puts himself first. One example is OBAMA'S SCANDAL in which he personally benefited from a land transaction involving an indicted developer, Rezko. Rezko was indicted for seeking political kickbacks and for shaking someone down for a contribution for the Illinois Governor. Rezko bought a parcel of property that Obama wanted, but could not afford. Then Rezko sold the property on the same day he purchased it to Obama for well under the price he paid for it. I wonder what kind of political favors he got from Obama as a result of the deal and the over $60,000 he had donated to Obama over the years...

Posted by: Obama Scandal | Sep 14, 2008 11:08:19 PM

Obama is running scared. Mccain and Palin are unbeatable .the clintons new he could not win even his vp new it. face it dems you have a loser here, the ship is sinking fast Mccain will win in a landslide Penn, Ohio Mich, are going to go to Mccain .

Posted by: george searing | Sep 14, 2008 5:11:14 PM

Patriotism, Obama shouldn't go there. He has 20 years of being associated with Jeremiah Wright.

That's some HEAVY baggage.

Posted by: Navy Vet | Sep 14, 2008 4:47:18 PM

I see what Obama is doing. It's not panic. It's a shrewd, calculated move.

Obama is questioning McCain's patriotism. Just like McCain went after Obama's strength by stealing the "change" theme, Obama is going after McCain's flank. Obama knows full well the media is going to protect him.

Obama is trying to get McCain to flash that notorious McCain temper and reveal McCain to be "dangerous" and can't be trusted with his finger on the button. This is calculated. It's Obama's best shot. I hope he fails miserably.

Posted by: Rhodium Heart | Sep 14, 2008 3:37:30 PM

Hey neocons! Are you as stupid as McCain thinks you are?

Posted by: McLiar/Pantsonfire | Sep 14, 2008 2:18:10 PM

Obama has now torpedoed his main appeal beyond the antiwar base: That he would lead a post-partisan campaign (and administration) that would bring a different tone to politics.

Now the gutter politics of the Obama campaign has exceeded anything that Karl Rove ever did for the Republicans. Going after Sarah Palin's baby, Trig, was the absolute bottom--implying she should have had him aborted.

While Obama "netroots" supporters ADMIT that all Obama is doing with his own personal disclaimers of this filth is trying to maintain plausible deniability, rather than actually putting a stop to it. Ugliest stuff I've ever seen in any political campaign, ever.

Take away the Iraq War, take away the cool post-partisan appeal, and what you have left is an angry black partisan candidate. Obama isn't going to win this election by channeling Al Sharpton.

Posted by: sinz52 | Sep 14, 2008 12:13:57 PM

Because outsourcing all those jobs to foreign countries to pay 12 year old kids less than a dollar a day is GREAT for American economy! Who cares about the working class, we're all millionaires, right?...Right?

Posted by: VinceWI | Sep 14, 2008 11:26:17 AM

To Obama the word change is just a campaign slogan, whereas McCain and Palin have actually brought about substantive changes in government. Changes which have helped Americans, while Obama has spent his career just talking about it. Obama has spent most of his time in public office absent from his responsibilities, while ambitiously running for the next rung in the ladder, not to serve the people, but rather to further his own position. And, I'm sure most people could relate to McCain and Palin as fellow Americans, more than they can to the Obamas, who chose to spend TWENTY YEARS in the radical
anti-American racist church of Jeremiah Wright ... and chose unsavory associates, such as Farrakhan, Pfleger, Rezko, Ayers, etc.. As for Obama's phony indignation about being a community organizer ... Palin never criticized those efforts, she merely, and rightfully questioned it as being the sole experience and credentials for someone to use as qualifications to become President of the United States ... and, even then, it was in response to Obama's attacks at Palin for being the mayor of a small town, when he also neglected to mention that she was Governor as well.

Posted by: Howard | Sep 14, 2008 11:19:08 AM

n May 2006, after McCain had courted the Rev. Jerry Falwell in an effort to win conservative support, I asked him if he was bending his principles for the sake of winning. "I don't want it that badly," McCain answered. "I will continue to do what is right. . . . If that means I can't get the Republican nomination, fine. I've had a happy life. The worst thing I can do is sell my soul to the devil."

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 14, 2008 7:36:34 AM


Funny it is the libs that are pushing the jobs over seas because of the taxes they lay upon businesses along with the mandates.

If the liberal Congress allowed drilling the economy would be fine right now, but they will not because they want to destroy the economy for political gain!!
-------------------------------------


The only way Capitalism works is by finding cheaper labor somewhere.
Blame it on the democrats. I expect to hear how they were responsible for the excessive deregulation that has brought about the miracle of Bushonomics.

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 14, 2008 6:34:00 AM

Turnabout is fair play. McCain said it was unpatriotic thing for Obama to oppose the Iraq war, probably the most patriotic thing that Obama has ever done.

McCain has no lock on patriotism. Even though he is filthy rich, he has not given a dime to support ordinary Americans.

Posted by: Ni | Sep 14, 2008 4:32:22 AM

So what does Mr. America community organizer propose to make America more competitive in a global world facing top rising economies like China or India? Protectionism?? Socialism??

´Return to the past´: starring Obama.

Posted by: Stephen from Indiana | Sep 14, 2008 3:04:41 AM

This election is turning into a riot. The One is becoming The Losing One and he doesn't know how to cope. Putting country first does not mean buying overpriced and/or shoddy goods. If we create a monopolized 'buy local' type economy, we'll soon find that our purchasing power is minimal because the costs of production have been ridiculously elevated by unions which have demanded and got all manner of idiotic perks. Since businesses have been unable to keep on paying the fiscal costs of union idiocy, many have failed because of that and poor management.

If Obama doesn't understand the true meaning of putting country first (country before self, not overpriced union-products before self) what in Sam Hill does he understand?

Based on the powerful ignorance he displays on a frequent basis, I'd say not much.

Posted by: indga | Sep 14, 2008 2:45:48 AM

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