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Oh, That Joe! (No. 40 in a Series) -- Oh, That Jill!

October 31, 2008 10:06 PM

Friday afternoon in Kettering, Ohio, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., took the stage on the heels of a Halloween prank sprung on him by his wife Jill.

"I tell ya what, some things never change," the Democratic vice-presidential nominee said to start off his rally in this battleground Buckeye State.

"I probably shouldn't let the press know this, but you know, Jill walked back up here a moment ago," he said.

"You know what she did?" he asked the crowd of 2,000.

"She put a little rat on the thing here," said Biden, referring to the lectern and holding up a small black plastic rat.

"Everything's Halloween with this lady," quipped the loquacious Blue Hen. "Happy Halloween," he told the audience.

And turning back to his spouse, the Delaware lawmaker scolded jokingly, "You are bad, you are bad!"

-- Matt Jaffe and Jake Tapper

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (38) | TrackBack (0)

Oh, That Joe! (No. 39 in a Series) -- Loquacious Blue Hen Comes Home

October 31, 2008 10:03 PM

Thomas Wolfe may have said you can't go home again, but Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Friday came home to his alma mater, the University of Delaware, where he told a crowd of 5,700 gathered on the Newark, Del., college quad what advice he gives to parents when they ask him where to send their kids to school.

“I say they ought to do what I do: pick a university they can get into today that they know 20 years from now they wouldn’t be admitted to,” the loquacious Blue Hen said with a laugh. “This place just keeps getting better and better and better and better and better and better and better.”

(Yes, seven "better"s.)

“I also have a special thanks to all those of you who chose to be here instead of going to the Phillies’ victory parade,” Biden continued, referring to the World Series champs’ strut just a half-hour drive’s north in Philadelphia. “I’m particularly thankful to my wife Jill for choosing to be here. She is such a rabid Phillies fan.”

"I am so delighted, Jill, that you’d choose to be here with another winning team today," added Biden. Jill attended the clinching Game 5 of the Series, which started Monday but was suspended until Wednesday due to rain.

When not attending ballgames in the City of Brotherly Love, Jill Biden has been on the campaign trail herself stumping for the Democratic ticket, as her husband noted today.

“Look, folks, you know, you know when Governor Palin is, is introduced on the trail,” said Biden, referring to his Republican counterpart Gov. Sarah Palin, prompting loud boos from the crowd. “No no, she’s alright, no, no, she’s a beautiful, she’s a fine person.”

“When she’s introduced on the trail, they start off and they go ‘Drill, baby, drill’,” said Biden. “Well I was, I was calling Jill, my Jill when I was in, uh, I guess I was in North Carolina and she was doing an event in Florida. And the, uh, staff with her said she just went on stage, Senator, but I want you to listen to this, and they held up the phone.”

“You know when she campaigns across the country, what they yell when she gets up?” Biden asked. “Jill, baby, Jill! Jill, Baby, Jill! Well Jill baby, I love ya kid, I tell ya what, man.”

Like the senator, Jill Biden is a fellow University of Delaware alum and, as Biden noted, two top campaign aides also attended the school, although neither graduated. .

“This may be the first time in presidential campaign history that our campaign manager, a Delawarean named David Plouffe, who was in the political science department, a proud Blue Hen, is managing one campaign,” Biden said to applause.

“And my friend John McCain’s campaign, his chief strategist, is a guy named Steve Schmidt who also attended the University of Delaware,” he continued, although the crowd wasn’t sure whether to cheer or boo at the mention of Schmidt’s name.

“Now let that be a cautionary tale,” Biden warned. “Blue Hens can go astray occasionally. But I’m proud, I’m proud that this great university has instilled that kind of, that kind of intensity in its graduates and its students that are here.”

-- Matt Jaffe and Jake Tapper

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

House GOP Leader Suggests Obama Is a "Chickens***" for Voting 'Present' in the Illinois Legislature

October 31, 2008 9:59 PM

The Miami of Ohio student newspaper reports House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, appeared at Brick Street Bar and Grill in Oxford, Ohio, where he took aim at the myriad "present" votes cast by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in the Illinois state senate.

"Now, listen," Boehner said, "I've voted 'present' two or three times in my entire 25-year political career, where there might have been a conflict of interest and I didn't feel like I should vote."

"In Congress, we have a red button, a green button and a yellow button, alright?" he said. "Green means 'yes,' red means 'no,' and yellow means you're a chickens***. And the last thing we need in the White House, in the oval office, behind that big desk, is some chicken who wants to push this yellow button."

As Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, was first to point out, Obama voted "present" almost 130 times during is eight years in the Illinois state senate, approximately three percent of the more than 4,000 votes he cast.

"A president can't vote 'present,'" Clinton said in Iowa last December. "A president can't pick and choose which challenges he or she will face."

But one wonders if the reaction to Boehner's strong language from the few independent voters in the audience means anything.

Sophomore Laura Heins said, "To hear this man call this man a chickens*** in front of an audience was absolutely appalling. I couldn't believe it, this man's supposed to be a respected politician who's supposed to have a positive public image...It angered me that he would go that low in order to promote his own candidate."

Oxford resident Steve Murdoch suggested Boehner's speech chased him into the arms of Obama.

"I thought he spent more time slamming his opponent than promoting himself," Murdoch said. "Just from what I saw tonight-I try to keep an open mind-but I was fairly disappointed. I definitely think that McCain is more concerned with demoting his rival than he is with promoting himself."

Hat tip, Ben Smith.

- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (30) | TrackBack (0)

Obama: McCain Every Halloween Dresses Up as George W. Bush

October 31, 2008 9:53 PM

HIGHLAND, INDIANA -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., tonight told a crowd of roughly 40,000 in this suburb of Gary, Ind., that he just finished trick-or-treating with his young daughters.

"My girls were doing some trick or treating and, you know, Malia and Sasha each year, every year they’ve got trouble deciding what they want to be for Halloween," he said.

"But John McCain didn’t have that problem," Obama said. "Just like every year, he’s going as George W. Bush."

Obama went on: "After 21 months, after three debates, John McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing that he would do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. I mean, you don’t know what John McCain is gonna do because he doesn’t talk about it, all he talks about is me."

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (98) | TrackBack (0)

Member of Senate GOP Leadership: Palin Isn't Experienced Enough to be President

October 31, 2008 7:31 PM

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, sat for an interview on Nevada One's “NewsONE at 9."

Reporter Jeff Gillan asked Ensign about the fact that "if you look at the polling, the people who are voting against John McCain say the primary reason they're voting against him is because of Sarah Palin. They don't believe that she's ready to be vice president.

"You've heard some grumblings within the Republican party," he continued, "that circular firing squad already kind of setting up, people blaming each other for John McCain's fortunes right now. Do you think in retrospect, she was the best choice, and do you think your party would have been better served had he gone with a Joe Lieberman or had he gone with a Tom Ridge..."

"Or a Mitt Romney?" Ensign interjected. "There were some very, very talented people that he was considering. You remember, at the time, the Republican party was not fired up at all and she fired up the Republican party; and look at the crowds..."

Ensign continued, saying, "she was an initial great start and the campaign just completely mishandled her. What they tried to do is in traditional campaigns before 24-hour cable news, you had a situation where they always told you, 'when you do your campaign speech, don't get tired of hearing it yourself. Keep giving it, because you're going to be in Pennsylvania one day, to Nevada the next, they've never heard your speech.'

"Well, they kept having Sarah Palin, for the first two weeks after the convention, give the same speech and people were saying, 'She's just an empty suit -- all she does is give this little scripted speech, we’ve heard it all before,'" Ensign said.

"What they should have been doing at that time is briefing her on some of the international issues which she was absolutely inexperienced on -- everybody knew that; she's the governor of a state -- a tremendous governor, a very popular governor, did a great job as the chief executive, but then they should have let her go a little bit, because she's a great speaker, she's great off the cuff, she’s doing a lot better this last week or so that they let her have a little more freedom, and she’s getting a little more comfortable with the issues..."

Pondered the member of GOP Senate Leadership, "Has she been a net negative? You could maybe make that argument, but I would blame some of the campaign handlers for her being that net negative because they did not handle her correctly."

Asked Gillan: "Do you think she's qualified to be president?"

Ensign said, "I do not think that Barack Obama or her are experienced enough to be president of the United States -- neither one of them, and Hillary Clinton was much more qualified to be president than Barack Obama was, but that's who the nominee is.

"John McCain is much more qualified than Barack Obama and certainly, Joe Biden is much more qualified than Sarah Palin is," Ensign said. "I'd rather have the most qualified person at the top of the ticket, not number two."

- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (119) | TrackBack (0)

McCain Camp: Duberstein Lobbied to Be Our Transition Chief; Duberstein Calls that ‘Bulls***’

October 31, 2008 6:03 PM

Reacting to the news that Ken Duberstein -- former White House chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan and an adviser to Sen. John McCain's, R-Ariz., campaign eight years ago -- today endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., four McCain campaign advisers tell ABC News that in July Duberstein unsuccessfully lobbied to head McCain's transition team should he win the presidency.

"Absolute, complete bulls***," Duberstein responded to the charge, when contacted by ABC News.

"Someone outside the McCain campaign approached me and said I'd be the ideal candidate to head the transition," Duberstein said. "I said, 'For what?'"

Four senior McCain advisers recall it a little differently. They say Duberstein reached out to someone affiliated with the campaign to throw his hat into the ring.

Either way, Duberstein's announcement -- he seems to have been most positively influenced by the Obama endorsement by his close friend Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.), most turned off by McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- is just the latest in a series of high-profile Republicans backing the front-running Democrat.

- jpt

UPDATE: A senior McCain adviser tells me that Duberstein in September also reached out directly to McCain after the Republican convention to ask for the job. Duberstein says that's not true.

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (73) | TrackBack (0)

Dubious-stein

October 31, 2008 3:25 PM

Ken Duberstein, a White House chief of staff for President Ronald Reagan and an adviser to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in 2000, tells CNN that he will vote for Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

"Well, let's put it this way," Duberstein says, "I think Colin Powell's decision is, in fact, the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."

On MSNBC, Duberstein also voiced skepticism about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Getting on his plane in Des Moines, Iowa, just now, Obama reacted to the news when I shouted out a question about it, saying, "I want everybody's vote.  And I'm grateful for Ken's vote."

-- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (101) | TrackBack (0)

Obama Says John McCain of 2000 Would Not Approve of 2008 Incarnation, Praises Iowans for Vindicating his Faith

October 31, 2008 2:36 PM

DES MOINES, IOWA -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., decried attacks coming from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., telling a crowd of 25,000 Iowans, "a couple of elections ago, there was a presidential candidate who decried this kind of politics and condemned these kind of tactics. And I admired him for it."

That candidate, Obama noted, "Said, 'I will not take the low road to the highest office in the land.' Those words were spoken eight years ago by my opponent, John McCain. But the high road didn't lead him to the White House then, so this time, he decided to take a different route. "

Obama told the crowd he would "respond swiftly and forcefully with the truth to whatever falsehoods they throw our way in these last four days" but his election, he pledged, means Americans have "the chance to do more than just beat back this kind of politics short term; we have the chance to end it once and for all. We have the chance to prove that the one thing more powerful than the politics of anything-goes."

Recalling the cold Iowa winters, Obama said, "now think about the journey that we made." After launching his campaign in Illinois, "our first stop was Cedar Rapids then we came to Des Moines and then we went to Waterloo. It was cold at every stop."

He wasn't given much of a chance, he said. But "the day of the Iowa Caucus my faith in the American people were vindicated. And what you started here in Iowa has swept the nation. We are seeing the same turnout – we are seeing the same people going and getting line volunteers. People participating. A whole new way of doing democracy started right here in Iowa and it is all across the country now that is how we have come so far, how we have come so close. Because of you.  And that is how we are going to change this country – with your help."

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (128) | TrackBack (0)

Obama Confused by McCain Ad

October 31, 2008 1:13 PM

DES MOINES, IOWA -- Speaking in the state that launched his presidential career, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told Iowans today that he was confused by the new TV ad of his opponent, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that features Obama praising a global warming bill introduced by McCain and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

"As if there's something wrong with acknowledging when an opponent has said or done something that makes sense," Obama said. "I think we need more of that attitude in Washington...We need more civility in Washington."

Obama noted that, "I don't disagree with John McCain on everything," and then pivoted to where he does.

"When it comes to the economy, when it comes to the central issue of this election, the plain truth is John McCain has stood with President Bush every step of the way," Obama said.

-- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (152) | TrackBack (0)

Citing Space Constraints, Obama Campaign Kicks Off the Plane Reporters from Newspapers Whose Coverage it Doesn't Like

October 31, 2008 12:27 PM

The Obama campaign has told three reporters they have to drop off the campaign plane this weekend. All three work for papers that endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.: the New York Post, the Washington Times, and the Dallas Morning News.

"Unfortunately, demand for seats on the plane during this final weekend has far exceeded supply," Obama campaign spox Anita Dunn said, "and because of logistical issues we made the decision not to add a second plane. This means we've had to make hard and unpleasant for all concerned decisions about limiting some news organizations and in some cases not being in a position to offer space to news organizations altogether."

The New York Post has the sixth largest circulation of any American newspaper, with almost 700,000 print readers a day.

The Washington Times website is one of the top 20 news websites in the country, and its largest readership resides in the battleground state of Virginia.

But the Obama campaign is not a fan of the coverage afforded it by the New York Post or the Washington Times.

Officials of the campaign insist that that has nothing to do with the decision. The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times wanted to have more reporters on board, they say.

Fox News and the Wall Street Journal still have folks on the plane, it has been pointed out.

One of the reasons there are fewer seats on "O Force One," of course, is because months ago they ripped out coach seats for the staffers up front replacing them with First Class barcalounger-esque accommodations.

-- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (442) | TrackBack (0)

Dancing in the End Zone

October 31, 2008 11:57 AM

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe today on a conference call announced that the campaign of the lanky Illinoisan is advertising in North Dakota, Georgia, and Arizona -- the home state of GOP Sen. John McCain, which he won in 2004 with 77% of the vote.

There are no plans for Obama to travel to any of those states, Plouffe said, but he insisted they are in the “realm of the possible," and added that Arizona would be a battleground state were McCain not the nominee.

A CNN/Time/ORC poll of Arizona voters found McCain leading in the state, 53% to Obama's 46%.   

"We did a lot of work in Georgia and we still have quite a bit of staff on the ground," Plouffe said. "So we obviously stopped advertising there for a period of time but you know early vote is going extremely well in Georgia. And one of the reasons is the organization on the ground that’s still there – as so we look at Georgia you know, if we win it, we win it narrowly.  But if you look at the early vote, and again, we’re kind of out of the land of theory here in a lot of these states – we’re beginning to see how this election is likely to unfold based on the early voting patterns."

Plouffe said the organizing never stopped in Georgia, "and obviously the African American turnout, the turnout among younger voters is quite high and there’s still a big pool left so we just wanted the last few days that reminder on the air. Now they’ve obviously been getting our national advertising in all these states, but we’re going to complement it with some local adverting to see if we can get as close as we can. The same thing goes for North Dakota and Arizona...Obviously we’ve got a big map and the most challenging part about it is travel.”

Obama today started the day in Missouri, just flew to Iowa, will tonight hold a rally in Indiana, and end the day in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We think a positive ad there can help make the case and we’ve got a lot of great organizing going on in Arizona," Plouffe said. "We think we’re doing very well with Hispanic voters in Arizona."

“If someone else had been the Republican nominee I think Arizona would be a core battleground like its Western neighbors," Plouffe said. "Obviously it's Sen. McCain’s home state, so he’s gonna overperform there a little bit, but we have, there’s obviously the public polls, all showing it close very close, our internal data suggested that this could be a very, very close race. It’s enough in the realm of the possible that you know, we want to put a little extra effort here in the end...we’re just gonna give it a go here in the last four days and see how close we can get it.”

“Nothing were doing is taking away efforts in the core battlegrounds," he said.

- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (245) | TrackBack (0)

Poll Cats: Four Days Out

October 31, 2008 11:47 AM

Latest quality battleground state polls of likely voters:

Iowa - 53-39 Obama, 10/29 Research 2000/KCCI-TV
New Hampshire - 54-36 Obama, 10/29 UNH/WMUR
Pennsylvania -  53-43 Obama, 10/30 Muhlenberg/Morning Call 

-- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (33) | TrackBack (0)

Vlogging From the Trail

October 31, 2008 11:06 AM

Check out our new video blog from the Obama press plane on the ground in Columbia, Missouri.

--jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (28) | TrackBack (0)

Obama's New Attack on Those Who Don't Want Higher Taxes: ‘Selfishness’

October 31, 2008 10:58 AM

On the stump this week, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has pushed back against Sen. John McCain's description of his tax policies.

"The reason that we want to do this, change our tax code, is not because I have anything against the rich," Obama said in Sarasota, Fla., yesterday. "I love rich people! I want all of you to be rich. Go for it. That’s the American dream, that’s the American way, that’s terrific.

"The point is, though, that -- and it’s not just charity, it’s not just that I want to help the middle class and working people who are trying to get in the middle class -- it’s that when we actually make sure that everybody’s got a shot – when young people can all go to college, when everybody’s got decent health care, when everybody’s got a little more money at the end of the month – then guess what? Everybody starts spending that money, they decide maybe I can afford a new car, maybe I can afford a computer for my child. They can buy the products and services that businesses are selling and everybody is better off. All boats rise. That’s what happened in the 1990s, that’s what we need to restore. And that’s what I’m gonna do as president of the United States of America.

"John McCain and Sarah Palin they call this socialistic," Obama continued. "You know I don’t know when, when they decided they wanted to make a virtue out of selfishness."

It's unclear if this was a nod to the Ayn Rand book "The Virtue of Selfishness," with all that the invocation of Rand implies. 

It would seem to be, given the themes of Rand's work, what happens when independent achievers are demonized.

Which would fit with this description of those who want to keep their hard-earned tax dollars as "selfish."

Atlas may not be shrugging, but Obama is.

-- jpt

October 31, 2008 in Obama, Barack | Permalink | User Comments (2024) | TrackBack (0)

Live From Virginia Beach

October 31, 2008 10:02 AM

Our "World News" report on the state of the race.

- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (27) | TrackBack (0)

McCain's New TV Ad Stars Obama...Praising McCain

October 31, 2008 9:53 AM

"Since coming to Washington, I've believed that the right approach begins with the proposal put forward by Senator Lieberman and Senator McCain," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said at a Committee On Environment and Public Works hearing on Jan. 30, 2007, "a proposal they've been pushing for years, and I thank them again for their leadership on this issue. The Lieberman-McCain Bill establishes limits for greenhouse gas emissions well into the 21st century. To remain below these limits, the bill encourages the market to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, rewarding cost effective approaches using a system of tradable allowances."

The McCain campaign is using this riff in a new TV ad:

There are two schools of thought on this ad. One is that this helps McCain to show his opponent praising him on an issue that appeals to moderates and independents, that it helps undo the demonizing Obama has done.

The other is that this mis-reads the electorate, that one of the aspects of Obama voters like is that he praises Republicans. You may recall the myriad times during the first presidential debate when Obama agreed with McCain. The McCain campaign seized upon this as a weakness and released a Web video. The Obama campaign said voters in their focus groups loved those "agreeable" moments of Obama's.

What do you think of the ad?

- jpt

October 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (78) | TrackBack (0)

Rove Cautions: Polls Can Be Wrong

October 30, 2008 11:08 PM

In the Wall Street Journal, former presidential aide Karl Rove walks us through some recent historical history about polls being wrong.

As for this election, Rove writes, "The last national poll that showed Mr. McCain ahead came out Sept. 25 and the 232 polls since then have all shown Mr. Obama leading. Only one time in the past 14 presidential elections has a candidate won the popular vote and the Electoral College after trailing in the Gallup Poll the week before the election: Ronald Reagan in 1980.

"But the question that matters is the margin. If Mr. McCain is down by 3%, his task is doable, if difficult. If he's down by 9%, his task is essentially impossible. In truth, however, no one knows for sure what kind of polling deficit is insurmountable or even which poll is correct. All of us should act with the proper understanding that nothing is yet decided."

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (135) | TrackBack (0)

Oh, That Joe! (No. 38 in a Series) -- Biden Loves the Mule

October 30, 2008 11:02 PM

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., believes this is a hugely important election. Literally. No hyperbole. He's not being facetious. He's deadly serious, folks.

And he attempted to hammer that point home Thursday night to Keystone State voters.

But with the loquacious Blue Hen, staying on message is easier said than done.

"This is the most important election any of you in this gymnasium have ever voted in," the Democratic vice-presidential nominee said Thursday night to supporters at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa. "This is the single most important election."

"And ladies and gentlemen, the question is--" he said, interrupting himself, "and the stakes, by the way, the stakes could not be higher."

"You all know, you students here -- and by the way, I love your mascot," said Biden, suddenly veering off script at the home of the Muhlenberg Mules.

"I call it a donkey. You call it a mule," said the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "I like the look of it, you know what I mean? It's a mule. I know a mule. And man, does it have a lot of kick."

-- Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

Obama Claus

October 30, 2008 11:00 PM

Once you get past the soaring oratory, to experience a speech by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is to be hit with an astoundingly lengthy list of promises.

"I don't know how any reasonable person" could think he'd really be able to accomplish everything he's pledging to do, said the mother-in-law of a colleague, a Missouri woman who intends to vote for Obama.

Just today in Sarasota, Fla., the Democratic presidential nominee said that he'd:

• "give a tax break to 95 percent of Americans who work every day and get taxes taken out of their paycheck every week";
• "eliminate income taxes on Social Security for seniors making under $50,000";
• "give homeowners and working parents additional tax breaks";
• not increase taxes on anyone if they "make under $250,000; you will not see your taxes increase by a single dime –- not your income taxes, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains tax";
• "end those breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas";
• "give tax breaks to companies that invest right here in the United States";
• "eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-up companies that are the engine of job creation in this country";
• "create two million new jobs by rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, and schools -- by laying broadband lines to reach every corner of the country";
• "invest $15 billion a year in renewable sources of energy to create five million new energy jobs over the next decade";
• "reopen old factories, old plants, to build solar panels, and wind turbines";
• build "a new electricity grid";
• "build the fuel efficient cars of tomorrow";
• "eliminate the oil we import from the Middle East in 10 years";
• "lower premiums" for those who already have health insurance;
• "if you don't have health insurance, you'll be able to get the same kind of health insurance that members of Congress give themselves";
• "end discrimination by insurance companies to the sick and those who need care the most";
• "invest in early childhood education";
• "recruit an army of new teachers";
• "pay our teachers higher salaries, give them more support. But ... also demand higher standards and more accountability";
• "make a deal with every young person who's here and every young person in America: If you are willing to commit yourself to national service, whether it's serving in our military or in the Peace Corps, working in a veterans home or a homeless shelter, then we will guarantee that you can afford to go to college no ifs ands or buts";
• "stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq whole the Iraqis have a huge surplus";
• "end this war in Iraq";
• "finish the fight and snuff out al Qaeda and bin Laden";
• "increase our ground troops and our investments in the finest fighting force in the world";
• "invest in 21st century technologies so that our men and women have the best training and equipment when they deploy into combat and the care and benefits they have earned when they come home";
• "No more homeless veterans"; and
• "no more fighting for disability payments."

This on top of his 30-minute infomercial last night, and the myriad other pledges and promises he's made throughout the last 21 months.

It's quite a list!

He does call for some sacrifices, though nothing that would equal the cost of these measures.

• "Washington is going to have to tighten its belt. It's going to have to put off spending on things we don't need. As president, I'm gonna go through the federal budget, line-by-line, and we're going to end programs that we don't need. We're gonna have to make the ones we do need work better and cost less."
• Of course, he'll soon be "asking folks who are making more than a quarter million dollars a year to go back to the tax rate they were paying in the 1990s before the Bush tax cuts."
• And in a way of attempting to head off at the pass any criticisms that there's no way the U.S. can afford all this, he says supporters should tell skeptics that ending the war will save the U.S. $10 billion a month.

The AP's Calvin Woodward took a look at Obama's assertion that he's "offered spending cuts above and beyond" what he's pledging to spend, and he concluded that's "accepted only by his partisans. His vow to save money by 'eliminating programs that don't work' masks his failure throughout the campaign to specify what those programs are -- beyond the withdrawal of troops from Iraq."

Even accepting the savings Obama pledges to bring, the bi-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says Obama will add a net $428 billion to the deficit over the course of his term.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., too is making unrealistic promises. As the Tax Policy Center says of both candidates, "Both John McCain and Barack Obama have proposed tax plans that would substantially increase the national debt over the next 10 years, according to a newly updated analysis by the non-partisan Tax Policy Center. Neither candidate's plan would significantly increase economic growth unless offset by spending cuts or tax increases that the campaigns have not specified."

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (146) | TrackBack (0)

Chief of Staff Rahmbo?

October 30, 2008 10:01 PM

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., seldom takes questions from his traveling press corps anymore, but we try to yell them as he gets on and off the plane.

A couple of us asked tonight if he asked Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., to be his chief of staff, as has been reported by the AP, though both the Obama campaign and Emanuel's office deny the story, kinda.

"I'm trying to win an election," Obama shouted back when we yelled him the question.

"Plouffe is my chief of staff," he added, referring to campaign manager David Plouffe.

Then he got in his motorcade and sped away.

-- jpt

October 30, 2008 in Obama, Barack | Permalink | User Comments (17) | TrackBack (0)

Oh, That Joe! (No. 37 in a Series) -- Joe 'Lights Out' Biden?

October 30, 2008 7:36 PM

Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Thursday came to Williamsport, Pa., home of the Little League World Series, just a day after his favorite baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies, won their first title since 1980.

He also came just hours before his Republican rival Gov. Sarah Palin addressed voters in the same town.

In Florida the past few days, home of the Phils' Fall Classic opponent the Tampa Bay Rays, Biden made no mention of the Series (unlike the man at the top of the ticket, who shaded his advocacy for the Whiz Kids when he was in Tampa), but back in Phils country, Biden sounded off on it.

While Biden missed the Fightin' Phils victory due to his late night flight from Ft. Lauderdale to St. Louis, he told the crowd at Lycoming College that his wife Jill was there at Citizens Bank Park to witness the Phils' triumph in person.

"My wife Jill is from suburban Philadelphia," said the Democratic vice presidential nominee. "She is the most rabid Philly fan, most rabid Flyer fan, most rabid -- any team in Philadelphia. I gotta tell ya, my wife, I'm on the campaign trail, she says, 'Joe, I'm going to the Series.'

"So, on Monday night, in the rain, hair matted down, sitting outside soaking wet, she sat through the whole deal," testified Biden. "And went back, she went back to, uh, to the game last night and was there."

Game 5 started on Monday evening but was suspended in the sixth inning due to torrential rain in the Philadelphia area, the first suspended game in Series history. It resumed last night with the Phils tied 2-2 with the Rays in the bottom of the sixth.

"And my, my wonderful wife, who has her doctorate in education, is a school teacher, is, looks like -- I mean, you wouldn't expect her to be a great fan," said Biden of his spouse, who teaches English at Delaware Technical and Community College.

"My wife was on -- if you know anything about Philadelphia radio, WIP radio in the morning, sports talk," Biden said of 610 WIP, Philly's well-known sports talk radio station, known for its opinionated hosts and call-in shows for the City of Brotherly Love's vocal fans. "Turn on, I hear today, my wife is on WIP this morning on sports talk.

"And she's talking about Brad Lidge," Biden said, noting Phillies closer Brad "Lights Out" Lidge, who was a perfect 48-for-48 this season in converting save opportunities, finishing off the Rays in the top of the ninth last night with a strikeout of Eric Hinske.

"Worries me a little, Sister," quipped Biden to Sister Anne, Biden's former grade-school teacher, who was at the rally. "That must have given her an idea, because when I called her to say, 'look,' she said, 'Joe, you have to do what this campaign needs, what Brad did that night. Lights out tonight. Lights out. Lights out Lidge.'

"Well, let me tell you something, I'm not going to be able to live up to that," Biden warned Keystone State supporters on a more serious note. "But I tell you what, here we are in Pennsylvania, in a battleground state. And let me tell you this -- the truth of the matter is this state is going to make the gigantic difference in who the next president of the United States of America is."

-- Matt Jaffe and Jake Tapper

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (30) | TrackBack (0)

Key Obama-Backer Flips to McCain

October 30, 2008 3:07 PM

The Alien changes his mind.

- jpt

(Hat tip, Glenn.)

Photo courtesy of Weekly World News

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (150) | TrackBack (0)

Oh, That Joe! (No. 36 in a Series) -- Muzzled Joe Biden Jokes About Getting Off-Message

October 30, 2008 2:26 PM

Obama campaign officials may publicly herald the candor of Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., they may say he's a net positive, but clearly, the aspiring VP has either been told to zip it or he's self-zipped.

Perhaps Sen. Barack Obama's disdainful reference to his running mate's "rhetorical flourishes" conveyed the message.

Biden has avoided talking to his traveling press corps for a long time, and he has been giving the same short 15-minute stump speech every day for the last week.

Today's, in Missouri, was his longest, clocking in at 28 minutes and including some new parts on news of the day, as Sen. Obama regularly does. (More on the "ripped-from-the-headlines" schtick of both Obama and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on "World News" this evening.)

Ever since the Ohio arrest remarks and Seattle fundraiser comments that the world would soon test a young President Obama and his reaction wouldn't obviously be the correct one (in some way responsible, perhaps, for Obama's loss in the polls in who Americans trust to handle an unexpected crisis), Biden seems much more toned down, much more under wraps. 

He stares straight at the teleprompter, rarely if ever deviating from script.

Just yesterday, Republicans and reporters alike noted that Biden seems to have been “muzzled” by Obama chieftains due to fears the verbose senator might drift off-message, as he has done a number of times -- say, HERE and HERE in recent weeks.

Today in Arnold, Mo., speaking at the Fox High School gym before a crowd of more than 1,000 Show-Me State supporters, Biden swayed off-script once again.

“Now look, folks...,” began Biden, about to tie McCain to President Bush.

But then, looking to his right, Biden suddenly spotted the Warriors’ band standing toward the side of the stage.

“Hey, I didn’t even see the band up there,” said the distracted Delaware lawmaker. “Hey, folks, how you guys doing? Thanks for being here. That’s really nice of you. Thank you.”

Then Biden paused, perhaps reining himself in before drifting too far off-script. 

“Um, that’s what you call getting off-message,” quipped the loquacious Blue Hen. “But I tell ya, you guys look good.”

Then he went back to what was in the script.

-- Jake Tapper and Matthew Jaffe

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (170) | TrackBack (0)

Poll Cats: 5 Days Out

October 30, 2008 1:36 PM

Quality polls of likely voters in battleground states, courtesy of our polling unit.

Arizona - 53-46 McCain, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Indiana - 47-47 tie, Research 2000/WISH-TV
Indiana - 46-45 Obama, 10/28 Selzer & Co./Indianapolis Star/WTHR

Minnesota - 56-37 Obama, 10/28 Minnesota Public Radio/Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota 

Nevada - 52-45 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC
Nevada - 50-45 Obama 10/28 Research 2000/The Reno Gazette-Journal/KTVN

New Hampshire - 58-34 Obama, 10/28 UNH/WMUR

North Carolina - 52-46 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Ohio - 51-47 Obama 10/28, CNN/Time/ORC

Pennsylvania - 54-41 Obama, 10/29 Muhlenberg/Morning Call
Pennsylvania - 55-43 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC
Pennsylvania - 47-43 Obama, 10/28 Mason-Dixon/NBC

Wisconsin - 53-42 Obama, 10/28 Research 2000/WISC-TV

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (68) | TrackBack (0)

An Apology

October 30, 2008 11:53 AM

On "Good Morning America" this a.m., I misspoke.

I meant to say that, after a bruising primary battle, President Bill Clinton finally hit the campaign trail WITH Senator Barack Obama.

What I said, mistakenly, was that he finally hit the campaign trail FOR Barack Obama, which is not accurate. The former president has been campaigning for Obama for weeks. Last night was the first joint campaign appearance they made.

My apologies to the former president, and to anyone whom I misinformed. It was an accident, and I regret the error.

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (59) | TrackBack (0)

Woman Claiming to Be Obama’s ‘Aunt Zeituni’ Lives in South Boston Public Housing

October 30, 2008 11:49 AM

The father of the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama Sr., sure tilled the proverbial fields, as we’ve covered before when looking at Sen. Barack Obama’s eight half-siblings and his branch-y family tree, including half-brother George Onyango, apparently living in some sort of shanty in Kenya.

Now, the Times of London and the Boston Globe find someone who appears to be Obama’s long-lost aunt living in public housing in South Boston.

Zeituni Onyango -– referred to as "Auntie Zeituni" in Obama's memoir “Dreams From My Father” –- told Boston Housing Authority officials this week that she’s Obama’s aunt, William McGonigle, deputy director of the BHA told the Globe.  A BHA official said her apartment is “adorned with photographs of the Democratic presidential nominee, including some that appeared to be more than two decades old.”

The Obama campaign had no comment.

Onyango told the Times that she is, indeed, Obama's aunt, the sister of Barack Obama Sr., one of the offspring of Obama’s paternal grandfather Hussein Onyango Obama.

“Just across town from where Mr. Obama made history as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review,” the Times writes, “some of his closest blood relatives have confronted the harshness of immigrant life in America.”

His long-lost “Uncle Omar,” for instance, was beaten by armed robbers and evicted from his apartment.

If Obama wins, I wonder how many of these relatives he barely knows, if at all, are going to start popping up.

They’re a fascinating part of his biography, though his campaign doesn’t seem to like to talk about them much.

It's pretty astounding that we've made it this far with so little known about them.

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (121) | TrackBack (0)

Livin' it Up While I'm Goin' Down

October 30, 2008 9:08 AM

Barack Obama may have Jimmy Smits, but John McCain snagged the endorsement of Aerosmith's Joe Perry.

“We pretty much stay out of it, but seeing so many people come out for Obama, I just felt like ‘What the hell, I might as well raise my hand for this side,” Perry told the Boston Herald. “I’m an optimist. It ain’t over till it's over. I think that he’s got a chance.”

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (63) | TrackBack (0)

Kissimmee, Kate! -- Bill Clinton Heralds Obama's 'Do' List; How Obama Called the Clintons to 'Understand' the Financial Crisis

October 30, 2008 7:28 AM

KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA -- “Look at this crowd -– it’s not only big, it is highly diverse," former President Bill Clinton told a crowd of 35,000 outside Orlando last night. "You even have a few white haired guys like me -– you haven't cut my demographic out!"

It was the first joint campaign appearance between Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and the former president ever since the former felled the latter's wife in the primaries. It was just August when the 42nd president hemmed and hawed when ABC News' Kate Snow asked him if Obama is qualified to be president.

That is no longer operative, apparently.

Clinton took on the GOP's economic arguments -- "They talk about redistributing the wealth? They just presided over the biggest redistribution of wealth upward since the 1920s and we all know how that ended!" -- and he heralded what Obama stands for.

"Let me tell you, folks, and this is again something I can say because I’m not running for anything -- the historical record shows that virtually every person ever elected president does his best to actually do what they say they’re gonna do in the campaign, and Barack Obama’s 'Do' list is the better 'Do' list."

Clinton's explanations of why Obama is qualified were interesting, to say the least.

"You know what he did?" Clinton said, heralding Obama's reaction to the financial crisis. "First, he took a little heat for not saying much. I knew what he was doing. He talked to his advisers -– he talked to my economic advisers, he called Hillary. He called me. He called Warren Buffet. He called all those people -- you know why? Because he knew it was complicated and before he said anything, he wanted to understand."

Got that?

"If we have not learned anything, we have learned that we need a president that wants to understand and who can understand," Clinton said.

Thank heaven the Clintons were there to help Obama understand!

"The second thing -- and this meant more to me than anything else, and I haven't cleared this with him and he may even be mad at me for saying this, so close to the election -- but I know what else he said to his economic advisers -- he said, 'Tell me what the right thing to do is. What's the right thing for America? Don't tell me what's popular, you tell me what's right, I'll figure it out and sell it.'

"That's what a president does in a crisis," Clinton said, "what is right for America."

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (89) | TrackBack (0)

The Goldberg Variation

October 30, 2008 7:12 AM

Our friend Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic calls for the Los Angeles Times to release the videotape of Rashid Khalidi's 2003 going away party in the name of transparency.

He writes: "there's a video out there of Obama saying kind things about Khalidi, and on the general principle that information in an open society shouldn't be kept secret and that the voters should make up their own minds about whether or not they trust certain candidates, this video should be set free...

"I understand that the tape was leaked to the Times by a source or sources unknown, and that an agreement was struck with that source to keep the tape hidden, but the tape has been described in a Times story already, and it quite obviously contains no state secrets. I also suspect that the tape could be posted in such a way as to obscure its origins...

"(T)o those of you who think I'm interested in seeing this innocent source burned: We're not dealing with a wallflower here. The source already leaked the video to the Los Angeles Times. One final thought: The L.A. Times could give us a hint why it agreed to the conditions set by the source. That would certainly help clear the air. And clearing the air is important here: I'm willing to bet that the video does not show Barack Obama wearing a keffiyah. But the anti-Obama conspiracists, who all seem to have my e-mail address, believe it shows something nefarious. Trying to serve the truth here would be a good thing."

What say you?

- jpt

October 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (75) | TrackBack (0)

Actor Who Played Obama-like Character on The West Wing to Rally With Obama Tonight in Florida

October 29, 2008 9:26 PM

Tonight, when actor Jimmy Smits joins Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., (not to mention former President Bill Clinton) on stage at a late night rally in Kissimmee, Florida, it will be a case of art meeting life imitating art imitating life.

Smits, you may recall, played Rep. Matt Santos, D-Texas, in the final two seasons of The West Wing -- a charming, inexperienced, young Democratic presidential candidate, a former community organizer with two young children who talked of breaching the partisan divide and was trying to become the first non-white U.S. President.

If Santos, whose election to the White House ended the seven-year run of the show, reminds you a bit of Obama you’re not alone. And it’s not an accident.

Santos in many ways was modeled on Obama, then just a candidate for U.S. Senate.

"I drew inspiration from him in drawing this character," West Wing writer and producer Eli Attie told the Guardian.  "When I had to write, Obama was just appearing on the national scene. He had done a great speech at the (2004) convention and people were beginning to talk about him." Attie called Obama senior strategist David Axelrod and said, "tell me about Barack Obama."

So Smits, who played Santos, will tonight be on stage with Obama, whose campaign in many ways already played out on TV, though in reality Santos was based on Obama not the other way around.

Santos on the show was challenging an older Republican from a Western state with a reputation for moderate positions, straight talk, and difficulties courting Christian conservatives. Alan Alda played the fictitious Sen. Arnie Vinick, R-Calif.

Lawrence O’Donnell, a producer and writer for the series told the New York Times that he used McCain as one of the templates for Vinick, though he said, "McCain’s resemblance to the Vinick character was much stronger in 2000 than in 2008."

Ultimately, Santos became president. We of course do not yet know how this show will end.

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (34) | TrackBack (0)

Poll Cats II: Six Days Out

October 29, 2008 8:18 PM

Colorado - 53-45 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Florida - 51-47 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Georgia - 52-47 McCain, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Ohio - 48-45 Obama, 10/26 Marist College

Maine - 52-33 Obama, 10/26 Market Decisions

Missouri - 50-48 McCain, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Pennsylvania - 55-41 Obama, 10/27 Marist College

Pennsylvania -53-40 Obama, 10/26 Franklin and Marshall College

Virginia - 53-44 Obama, 10/28 CNN/Time/ORC

Virginia - 48-39 Obama, 10/26 Roanoke College

-- jpt

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (31) | TrackBack (0)

Former Hillary (Now McCain) Supporters Say New Obama Ad Featuring Palin Winking Is Sexist

October 29, 2008 8:10 PM

They don't like the new Obama ad, these women.

Feminist quotes courtesy of the McCain campaign.

Shelly Mandell, president of Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women: "I am outraged by the new ad put out by Barack Obama. It is sexist and demeaning to women. These tactics started with Hillary Clinton and continue, growing even more disgusting with Gov. Palin. I was a Hillstar for Hillary and an avid supporter. Trashing two women clearly in a sexist manner in one election is an outrage and must be identified and stopped. There must be consequences. Let female Obama supporters take a good look at this and still believe their candidate supports women's rights and women's dignity."

Prameela Bartholomeusz, DNC Platform Committee Member: "I am once again stunned at the personal and sexist attacks by the Obama campaign against Gov. Palin. This latest ad is sexist and offensive. The Gov. of Alaska has been managing and balancing a budget of $10 billion; I think she knows a bit about economics. Sen. Obama never spoke up against sexism during the primary season, and is not speaking out against misogyny during this phase of the election season -- he is contributing to it. I have no confidence that Sen. Obama will fight for women's issues if elected. This sets women back decades."

Stephanie Bressler, Ph.D, Hillary Clinton supporter, University of Scranton women and politics professor: "It's a sexist example of reducing a woman to an object - a wink - and denying her a voice. Her lips are actually moving, but she's not allowed to be heard."

Amy Siskind, ambassador for Hillary: "When Senator Hillary Clinton was demeaned and degraded during the Presidential Primary, many of us of, myself included, vowed 'never again'. The treatment of Governor Palin by both the main stream media, and now the Obama Campaign, shows that the misogyny fest is alive and well in our country. There has been a complete and utter smear job of our fellow citizen, Sarah Palin, who is only trying to serve her country."

- jpt

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (254) | TrackBack (0)

On The Daily Show Tonight, Obama Jokes His White Half Will Be Confused of Who to Vote for

October 29, 2008 7:28 PM

On tonight's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. -- a guest via satellite from Sunrise, Florida -- was asked about the Bradley Effect.

"The Polls have you up," said Stewart, "but then they keep talking about the Bradley Effect, this idea that white voters when they go to the polls they will tell pollsters they will vote for an African American but they won't actually do it?"

"Yeah, they’ve been saying that for awhile but we’re still here," Obama said. "So I don’t know.  I don’t think white voters have gotten this memo about the Bradley Effect."

"Are you concerned in some respects," Stewart joked, "I don’t know how to bring this up, your mother is from Kansas, father African, are you concerned that you may go into the voting booth and --"

"I wont know what to do," Obama joked, finishing the comedian's thought.

" -- your white half will all of a sudden decide, 'I can't do this!'" Stewart said.

"Yeah," Obama said. "It’s a problem ... I’ve been going though therapy to make sure that I vote properly on the 4th."

-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (34) | TrackBack (0)

Not a Good Sign: McCain Robo-calling in Home State of Arizona

October 29, 2008 7:15 PM

There should be no reason for the RNC and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to be robo-calling Arizonans to attack Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

And yet, they are.

A Scottsdale, Ariz., couple received one of the calls today. You can listen to it HERE.

The full script, provided by Talking Points Memo, which first noted this troubling trend for the Arizonan:

"I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because Barack Obama is so dangerously inexperienced, his running mate Joe Biden just said,  he invites a major international crisis that he will be unprepared to handle alone.  If Democrats win full control of government, they will want to give civil rights to terrorists and talk unconditionally to dictators and state sponsors of terror. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the experience and judgment to lead America.

"This call was paid for by the Republican National Committee..." etc etc.

- jpt

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (27) | TrackBack (0)

McCain Continues Khalidi Attack on Larry King Live*

October 29, 2008 7:06 PM

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., continued to criticize the radical professors with whom Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has associations.

McCain attacked Obama for associating with both William Ayers and Rashid Khalidi on CNN's "Larry King Live" tonight:

MCCAIN:  Of course we have run ads that point out his record and also point out his associations.  And I still think, you know, we're watching now, a major newspaper has a tape that apparently has Mr. William Ayers in it.  I don't know if it does or not.  That's the allegation.  But that newspaper and their parent, the Tribune Company, and the Obama campaign refuse to release that.  Shouldn't the American people know about that?  At least they should have full information.

KING:  Speaking of newspapers, there is The L.A. Times.

MCCAIN:  Yes.

KING:  They apparently -- your campaign says that they're suppressing videotape of a 2003 banquet when Barack Obama praised Palestinian activist and scholar Rashid Khalidi.  What is this all -- what is this?

MCCAIN:  Why shouldn't they...

KING:  Why would the paper suppress this?

MCCAIN:  I have no idea.  If they have the tape, they ought to make the American people aware of it, let them see it and make their own judgment.  Frankly, I've been in a lot of political campaigns, a whole lot, I've never seen anything like this, where a major media outlet has information and a tape of some occasion -- maybe it means nothing, maybe it's just a social event, I don't know, but why should they not release it? And why shouldn't the Obama campaign want it released?

- jpt

* UPDATE: I'm told that the allegation is that Ayers was at this dinner for Khalidi as well. So my earlier post that McCain seemed to be confusing Ayers and Khalidi seems mistaken. I've corrected it.

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (101) | TrackBack (0)

McCain: Obama Ad "Paid For With Broken Promises"

October 29, 2008 6:32 PM

In Palm Beach, Florida, today Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., attacked Sen. Barack Obama's pending 30-minute prime-time address as a "gauzy, feel-good commercial," that was "paid for with broken promises."

McCain was referring to Obama's announcement in June that he would break his promise to enter into the public financing system.

In November 2007, Obama answered "Yes" to Common Cause when asked "If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?"

Obama wrote: "If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

He didn't.

"Senator Obama signed a piece of paper committing to