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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 public financing of his campaign if I did," McCain said. "Twice he looked the American people in the eye and said he would sit down with me before he abandoned public financing. He didn't mean a word of it."

"That is what concerns small business owners and people all over this country," McCain said. "Senator Obama's word doesn't appear to mean that much. When he tells America tonight that he's going to cut taxes for the middle class, people wonder if he'll keep his word because his record, his record is supporting higher taxes on working families."

-- Jake Tapper and Bret Hovell

October 29, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (403)

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John McCain was in number 416. The planes are parked next to each other, not in front of or behind each other.

Search for video titled "John McCain escapes Forrestal explosion"

(I think I figured out why post was rejected.)

Posted by: KyRock | Oct 30, 2008 12:23:33 AM

Posted by: Walker Evans | Oct 29, 2008 11:17:45 PM

I tried to post information refuting these accusations but it was blocked as "spam." I don't know why.

Posted by: KyRock | Oct 30, 2008 12:18:24 AM

Barack Obama is guilty of running a dirty campaign.

"Obama’s New Ad Attacks McCain with ‘Keating 5’ Ethics Scandal ... Barack Obama unveils 13-minute Keating Five ‘documentary’. Los Angeles Times - Oct. 6, 2008" -- Google search.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/10/keating-5-mccai.html

A better copy of the documentary is here:

http://www.keatingeconomics.com/

Posted by: KyRock | Oct 30, 2008 12:09:57 AM

For all you Obama Supporters! You are all brainwashed by the mainstream media! Get educated! He has stolen the election! ACORN ACORN & ACORN.... He also does not keep his word. If he wins this election and it's looking that way, this country is going to change, but in the wrong direction, a direction you REALLY may not want to go! For our children and grandchildren's sake vote McCain! Obama is an unknown with corruptive associations and no proof of accomplishing really anyting.

Posted by: J Alexander | Oct 30, 2008 12:07:13 AM

The real Obama is becoming painfully clear, "socialism".

President - Obama/socialist
Congress - democratic-socilaist
Supreme Court - socialist appointments

UNITED SOCIALIST STATES OF AMERICA
by Obama

No how, No way, NObama, Not now, Not Ever !!!

Posted by: John Linge | Oct 29, 2008 11:30:28 PM

John McCain's universal language -

Understood by people of every country on the planet, no translation required:

"Waa-aa-hh! WAAAaa-aaaHHH!!

Posted by: Aaron | Oct 29, 2008 11:30:27 PM

McCain's sour grapes attitude is not in the least bit obscurred by his claims that Obama was somehow dishonest with him. MSNBC FOX CNN all have been kicking in free coverage for McCain 2 to 1 over Obama. Weeks of this imbalance have produced the
"tightening" effect in the polls.
Now Clinton, and the Informercial will start the "loosening" leading right up to election day.

Posted by: seemstome | Oct 29, 2008 11:19:54 PM

I have changed my mind about Obama. I almost believed his tax cut deal, but all he has done is raise taxes. At least McCain has always been for lower taxes.

Now, almost everyday, a new criminal terrorist, socialist or marxist was/is in Obama's life.

Obama had his original birth certificate sealed - Why? Was he born in kenya?
Obama has his school records sealed - Why? Was he a foreign exchange student?
Obama has fought numerous law suits regarding his "natural-born" status - Why? Is he a citizen of Indonesia?

Too many questions, too few answers.

Posted by: jenny | Oct 29, 2008 11:19:12 PM

Electoral College Results:

Obama 355

McLame 156

My, scarcastic, condolences on your loss !

Posted by: La Vote | Oct 29, 2008 10:56:52 PM

I love when people recite the now WIDELY debunked explanation of the Forrestal. Remember - McCain's dad was a high ranking Admiral and intervened in the findings; MANY of the brave sailors have spoken out against McCain's 'screwing around' which led to his inadvertent drop of two missiles as the fire kicked up when he wet-started his plane (joking around with an F-4 pilot). Be intellectually honest and quit reciting the VERY debunked tale of the Forrestal. McCain was ABSOLUTELY responsible This is a FACT.

Posted by: Scott G. | Oct 29, 2008 10:51:59 PM

Some things to know about McCain: He has crashed more planes than any other living Naval pilot who wasn't flying experimental aircraft; He killed a man while driving recklessly in 1964; he was Rashid Khalidi's Sr. Director of his board from 1993-1996; He has had multiple affairs; He frequently refers to Vietnamese as 'Gooks', He was ACORN's guest speaker at their national summit in 2006; He was 5th from the bottom if his class at the Naval Academy. He set the USS Forrestal on fire when he 'wet-started' his plane while trying to startle an F-4 Phantom pilot on the deck behind him. These are FACTS and they are not in dispute.

Posted by: Scott G. | Oct 29, 2008 10:48:25 PM

Scott G,

Those are not facts and they certainly ARE disputed. Have you talked to anyone on that bird farm at the time of the fire? Better yet, have you seen the film of that event? John McCain was not in his plane when that fire started; in FACT if he HAD been in his plane he would have died that day. When that missile cooked off and went across the flight deck the plane that it hit, and obliterated, was one flown by John McCain!

The rest of your "facts" are no more substantial than your fairy tale about the start of the Forestall fire. If you want to be taken seriously you'd better start doing better research before you start to write. At present you have succeeded only in making yourself look the fool - especially to those of us who were in the sea services and know the truth of that tragic day.

Posted by: Walker Evans | Oct 29, 2008 10:45:21 PM

Senator McCain is very wise to point this out, as it is reflective of one the more blatant of Barack Obama's lies. And, had Senator Obama realized he could take in over $300 million from donors giving under $200 and choose not to reveal their names, including donations from fake names on credit cards because the campaign has foregone the standard verification procedure.

Another of Barack Obama's blatant lies about which John McCain could challenge him is his famous "anywhere, anytime" comment regarding debates and townhall meetings. And, what a horrible lie that proved to be. Had he been telling the truth, and if we actually had a mainstream media with a remaining soul, important questions could have been asked, so many of which, now less than a week before the election, remain unanswered. And, icing on the cake, though the mainstream media has excoriated Governor Palin since day one of her nomination about press access, neither Obama or Biden have given any sort of press conference in over a month!

Never in the history of our republic has a candidate received the free ride that has afforded the great Mirage of Bliss, Barack Obama.

Posted by: Thank God for Karma | Oct 29, 2008 10:44:46 PM

You can be pro-life and Christian, just as you can be gay and Christian...I happen to be gay, but nobody dies in my case.

Posted by: Chuck | Oct 29, 2008 10:42:41 PM

truth hunter - i was not in favor of it either, but what do you call it?

Posted by: jamarier | Oct 29, 2008 10:42:24 PM

If your an Obama/Biden supporter..QUIT LURKING & SPEAK UP ! SPEAK YOUR MIND !

McCain/Palin = Bush/Cheney

Obama '08 !!!

Posted by: Speak Up | Oct 29, 2008 10:40:56 PM

"truth hunter - what was the $700 billion - a non-soclialist program?"
Posted by: jamarier

I wasn't in favor of the bail out. Both McCain and Obama voted for it, and of the two it's only been Obama spouting rhetoric like "spread the wealth around." If you would like to spread your wealth around by all means, move to Sweden. As for me I'd like to keep the wealth I have earned.

Posted by: truth hunter | Oct 29, 2008 10:39:16 PM

Jake,

I thought you used simple, clear, to-the-point declarative sentences in your report. Perhaps you and I are the only two moderately erudite people around here, for it's quite obvious that a majority of posters didn't understand your clear verbiage (or didn't actually read your report).

John McCain is correct in his assessment: Along with statements about his relationships with Ayers, Resko, and Farrakhan, Obama lied when he promised in writing to use the public financing system. As soon as it was clear that it would be to his advantage, he simply turned his back on public financing and walked away rather than honor his written pledge.

If this is the kind of "stalwart character" we can expect if Obama is elevated to the highest post in the land (and a really good look at his past indicates it is) we're in for a rough four years. However, the real question is this: Why can't this man's supporters look at the actual record, compare what Obama was saying at this time last year to what he is saying now, and challenge him on the discrepancies? Separation of church and state apparently is out of vogue, as the only way I can explain any of this is to label it the way it looks: religious fervor. People don't question the tenants of their religion, any more than they question this new messianic figure.

In any case, I for one thought you did a good job of reporting this honestly, as it does fly in the face of the usual obsequious manner in which Obama's gaffs are reported by most of the media. It's nice to see a political report that simply reports, rather than editorializing. Good Job!!

Posted by: Walker Evans | Oct 29, 2008 10:32:10 PM

Obama lied period. We can't trust him period.

Posted by: Duane Z | Oct 29, 2008 10:28:12 PM

Some things to know about McCain: He has crashed more planes than any other living Naval pilot who wasn't flying experimental aircraft; He killed a man while driving recklessly in 1964; he was Rashid Khalidi's Sr. Director of his board from 1993-1996; He has had multiple affairs; He frequently refers to Vietnamese as 'Gooks', He was ACORN's guest speaker at their national summit in 2006; He was 5th from the bottom if his class at the Naval Academy. He set the USS Forrestal on fire when he 'wet-started' his plane while trying to startle an F-4 Phantom pilot on the deck behind him. These are FACTS and they are not in dispute.

Posted by: Scott G. | Oct 29, 2008 10:27:14 PM

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