Political Punch

WARNING - Democrats are tryng to insidously convert USA to a Socialist/Communist state. America is a land of Equal Opportunity, where the poor, minorities & immigrants all have the chance to make it big. All the billionaires including Bill Gates started off poor & made it rich thru hard work. America is NOT a country whereby money & assets are seized from Taxpayers & rich in the guise of distibuting to the "poor & minorities" for gaining power by any Political Party. LET EVERYONE AWARE - USA WILL NEVER BE ALLOWED TO BECOME SOCIALST/COMMUNIST.

AMAZINGLY PROPHETIC NY TIMES 1999 ARTICLES SHOWS CLINTON-DEMOCRATS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRISIS: "In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders."

I...I'm, sorry, but did one commenter just imply that Americans only speaking one language is a good thing?

Sen. Obama himself is second on the list of campaign contributions from Fannie Mae since 1989. Regardless of what he may have stated at the debate- the Washington Post editorialized on September 19 2008- “In 2006 [McCain] pushed for stronger regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while Mr. Obama was strangely silent.” Perhaps his $126K in contributions kept him that way

John Mccain is a Deregulator now, and always has been, and always will be.......

He has a very conservative record and that will not change and this "maverick" business is baloney....

As with most republican ads, statements are cherry picked and taken out of context, but we now all know this, or at least we should... If we don't get it, we will end up with more right wing trickle down economic failure and with more of us looking for work....

McCain continues to be vile and unpresidential.

I bet Obama is the MOST researched and investigated of ANY presidential candidate ever - there is a HUGE bounty on his head - yet they come up with nothing but lies disproved swiftly.

McCain plans on taking the "Who is Obama?" attack route - problem is they know all there is to know and in finding nothing believe they must not know something!

Desperate - pitiful... NOT presidential.
(Actually, it sounds like the way we went into Iraq!)

And how dare McCain talk down Obama's experience after putting Palin SO close to the presidency. Madness.

John Mc cAin is the only guy who has shown over the years to have the courage and ability to bring about bi-partisan change that will truly benefit the country , yet , he is painted otherwise by the lying Obama crowd , what a sad story . If Obama has talents like the Dems claim their savor has , why has he done anything of magnitude in his 3 years in congress ??? HE mostly voted for "safe" , non-confrontational issue like pictures of heroes on our stamps.... , he voted "present" over 130 times , why ?? he did not have the courage nor talent to take a stand , he rather be SAFE ! if Obama is a uniter , why didn't he have a record of voting across the asles?? why is Obama the most liberal member in congress??? IF Obama has good judgement , why he chose to launch his career from a party at the home of a known and unrepentant terrorists ? why he got in the land deal with the then-under-investigation Tony Retzko ? IF Obama is not racist , why he sat in the black theology church for 20 years and listened to theory on how white men invented AIDS and injected them to blacks , while scientist study has recently set the date of origin for AIDS to be around 1908 , 100 years ago ! Claims about Obama are false and voters need to know , WHO IS THE REAL BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA ????

Not only that, but Obama and Ayers breathed the same Chicago air, drank the same Chicago water, worked to better the same Chicago educational system, and worked for implementation of federally granted minority rights.

At war the first casualty is the truth. At this electoral race the truth has been killed by McCain/Palin and the Republicans

You all do know that one of Obama's economic advisers is Franklin Raines (former CEO of Fannie Mae) and that Jim Johnson (former CEO of FAnnie Mae) was on Obama's campaign up until June of this year once he came under fire?

I am surprised it has taken this long for the media to even touch it but, then you realize who most media pundits are pulling for.

Breaking news. Obama charges McCain once described Pick of Palin for VP as "good idea."

reaganfan:

I invite you to watch yesterday's Meet the Press. You'll find that you are one of the LAST Reagan Fans who isn't for Obama. Peggy Noonan is solidly in his corner now, James Baker, David Gergen, and all the rest of the old Reagan staff. Better get on board before the ship sails...

I, as an American, have the right to hear Senator Obama’s response to all of the, as he calls them, “guilt by association tactics from the McCain party”. Anyone can find this information by researching. I did and was unbelievably disappointed that the media had not touched more on his associations and had not held Senator Obama accountable.
It would be different if there were just one questionable association or comment. There are so many; like “you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish, I’m embarrassed that Americans don’t speak more languages”; ties to Ayers and Ayers ties to Chavez; the Obama song; the Obama youth-junior fraternity regiment; the ties to the housing meltdown and Acorn; lack of honoring the American flag and the National Anthem; Edward and Mariam Sail; Allison S. Davis; Tony Rezko; Rashid and Mona Khalidi (Arab American Action Network) and Senator Obama’s home; Pastor Jeremiah Wright and Lewis Farrakhan; last but not least Senator Obama’s wife stating ” for the first time she is proud to be an American”.
When you are running for the highest elected office you know that your background, association and values will be scrutinized. Senator Obama cannot continue to excuse his actions as “they were taken out of context” or “I was friendly with them but they do not advise me”. If Senator Obama cannot clearly convey his message to the American people how can the American people expect him to communicate our best interest to the rest of the world?
As far as the Economy, both parties have admitted that it was caused primarily by the sub-prime mtg. crisis. Let the American people know what party was in control and what party continuously attempted to stop the crisis.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW

Good work, Jake.

And another simple proof that McCain is cheating on the voters, that he is lying, and that he apparently has no valuable and solid attack lines against Obama at this stage.

What a lousy campaign, and what a lousy candidate McCain is.

Steve Benen:

MCCAIN INEXPLICABLY BLAMES OBAMA FOR MARKET FALL.... I knew McCain was desperate, but I didn't expect him to get this ridiculous. From McCain's speech in New Mexico this afternoon:

"Even after [Obama] refused to lift a finger to prevent this crisis, when the crisis hit, he was missing in action. He didn't start making calls to round up votes until after the rescue bill failed in the House and the markets crashed. We continue to see the price of delay today as the markets continue to fall. Today the Dow has fallen below 10,000. And yet, members of his own party said they felt no pressure to vote for the bill."

Oh my. The markets suffered another steep decline today, and to hear the unhinged candidate tell it, the market drop is due to the delay in passing the bailout bill last week. That really is dumb.

It's hard not to wonder if there's something genuinely wrong with this guy. Does he not remember last week? It was a fairly big deal; one would like to think it would be fresh in his mind.

Before the initial House vote, Obama and McCain endorsed the bill. Democrats responded (most of them supported the package) and Republicans completely ignored McCain's "leadership" (the GOP rejected the measure by a 2-to-1 margin). Based on McCain's arguments today, the majority of the House Republican caucus is to blame for the latest market collapse.

What's more, when the House approved the bailout package on Friday, it was Obama who was successfully lobbied House Dems to support the bill, while a majority of House Republicans continued to oppose the legislation, despite McCain "phoning in," urging them to follow his lead.

The "price of delay" was today's dramatic drop on Wall Street? So, if I'm following McCain's logic, the reason investors lost billions today is that House Republicans blew off McCain's financial advice.

Who's coming up with these arguments? Did McCain hire clowns to write his speeches?

What Barack was doing if he did work with ACORN was make sure that people with low-income not perfect credit have the same opportunities of purchasing a home. It was not always easy for people to purchase a home. If you didn't have atleast 20% down you could not get a home loan. By making sure that there are programs out there to ensure that everyone can take part in homeownership does not mean he told loan officers, borrowers, banks, lenders, and builders to tell people they can afford more of a home then what their income allows.

"What did Obama say when he was providing ACORN Housing with legal representation so that ACORN could strong-arm lending institutions and force them to award mortgages that were a bad investment? Please, tell us all about Obama's ACORN investments."

Obama's ACRNN investments?

In his capacity as an attorney, Barack represented ACORN in a successful lawsuit alongside the U.S. Department of Justice against the state of Illinois to force state compliance with a federal voting access law. For his work helping enforce the law, called “Motor Voter,” Barack received the IVI-IPO Legal Eagle Award in 1995

Republicans hate it when black people register to vote hence the relentless attacks on ACORN.

Thanks, ABC, for presenting the entirety of Obama's remarks on the subject, which clearly sounded the alarm about the risks of subprime mortgages (and did NOT laud them as a "good idea," as McCain stated).

Is there any more proof needed that John McCain, the old "straight-talker," is just a serial liar?

Or maybe it's just that McCain's attention span has dropped to such an alarming degree that he can no longer be bothered to read an entire paragraph.

Either way, McCain has once again demonstrated his unfitness for high office. Any high office.

Especially one require judgment.

You know what? Those so-called minority householders "people" keep talking about were paying their loans - until the shady practices of their bankers and the effects of Bush's war on terror (that didn't catch the terrorists) bit them in the butt. It's sad to see people denigrate others without really knowing all the facts. People just jump at whatever "comforts" them and makes them feel they are somehow "better" than others. It's sad.

Liberalprogressive, how convenient to ignore that McCain cosponsored a bill that would have imposed stricter regulations on FM/FM, isn't it? Typical.

What did Obama say when he was providing ACORN Housing with legal representation so that ACORN could strong-arm lending institutions and force them to award mortgages that were a bad investment? Please, tell us all about Obama's ACORN investments. Fact check that one.

Poor McCain and his supporters. They still don't get it.

Subprime mortgages was not the problem, it worked wonders for more than 2 decades.

Securitizing the risks was the problem: mortgage lenders didn't have to take risks with their own money. They gambled with the money from shareholders.

Nothing spells disaster more pronounced than gambling with someone else's money

The concept of sub-prime lending works fine, AS LONG AS the regulation of loan granting and reselling protected borrowers and investors from unscrupulous bank practitioners. With little or no regulation, as McCain so consistently fought for, abuse of the system was inevitable. Like telling school kids they could take a test without any adult in the room.

Once again Obama has been exposed
as having Bad Judgement!
He Did say it was a Good Idea!
Now when the house of cards He,
Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, and Franklin
Raines helped create has fallen apart,
resulting in our greatest domestic
crisis since the "great depression",
Obama says in effect that it was a
Bad Idea!
Obama and Bad Judgement Perfect Together!
Rezco, Wright, Ayers, Flegar, Jim Johnson, Franklin Raines, opposing
the troop surge in Iraq and calling for
immediate withdrawal, Opposing
off-shore oil drilling and nuclear power
as short-term bridges to our energy
future of wind, solar, and bio-fuels!
Stating that he would sit down without
pre-conditions and negotiate with
Ahmadinejad, Castro, Chavez, Kim Jung Il
etc! The above are some of the many
examples of Bad Judgement shown by
the Media Creation, Barack Obama!
We cannot afford to elect this
disaster in the making on November 4th!

Mavericks getting Mavericky

"consider that a fashion model with a teleprompter does not make a good president."

Really? Coming from the party that nominated Sarah Palin? C'mon, Obama saw this coming and warned last year in March. Whatever you say, there is no excuse for letting these very unmavericky mavericks take a stab at our economy now.

lies of OBAMA;

1) broke HIS OWN pledge to finance campaign ethically
2) playing race card filled with race-baiting lies in spanish-speaking ads (100 times worse than anything seen before)
3) pretending palin did no reforming in Alaska
4) lying about demoCRITES being true cause of housing crisis (he took SO much money from fannie/freddie)
5) lying about his record with Israel
6) Lying about his prior positions on late-term abortions
7) lying about john mccain's record - an honorable American hero
8) lying about his tax reform plan - how can you decrease taxes for 95% of Americans when 30% are not even paying income tax ???
9) lying about the 250,000 dollars threshold to increase taxes - that's not individual income - it is family income (see the fine print)
10) lying about his own prior positions on the surge in Iraq

Obama fans get this:

The louder and more intense your protestations, the more that McCan-Palin is making a direct hit on target.

Go ahead, whine and scream. It brings glee to those of us who will vote for McCain-Palin.

And thanks!

And, of course, not mentioned but perhaps should be foremost:

Obama trainng ACORN surrougates to pressure bankers into affirmative action lending.

Obama's friend and Chicago head of ACORN instructed their minions to stand in bank lobbies in protest so as to demand mortgages for which they were not qualified.

So, Obama is guilty in both word and deeds as charged.

So Obama saw what was wrong over a year ago.

And in March 2007, Obama wrote to Paulson and Bernanke urging them "to crack down on predatory lending practices, or to style new restrictions on subprime lending".

I don't trust McCain to get us out of this financial mess. He will just lie to us like he's lying now about Obama.

To: All you right wing bloggers referring to ACORN

McCain is stepping up attacks on Obama to change the subject. Why don't we wait and see if McCain uses ACORN to bash Obama? There is a reason we haven't heard of it in the national media, and that's because it's been hyped up by people like Kurtz. Even McCain, who adheres to the flimsiest standards of truth, isn't mentioning a word of it...

"Do American know that Democrats have controled Congress the last two years?"

I think they do, because it's cited by the GOP as the #1 reason why dems are to blame for the mess we're in.

Do YOU know that we've had a republican president with VETO power for the past 8 years? Do YOU know that while having a majority, the dems have not enough in congress to override a GOP filibuster?

Obama helped create this mess with ACORN pressuring banks to give bad loans to minority applicants.

Obama then defended raines and Jim Johnson of Fannie Mae.

But the media has made Obama out to be a saint.

"subprime lending started off as a good idea - helping Americans buy homes who couldn't previously afford to"

that's ridiculous politically correct pandering talk. If you borrow money, you should repay it, that's how you become a prime customer. If you're not a prime customer, you shouldn't be treated like a prime customer. this ACORN didn't fall far from the tree...

Come on...some lenders may have gotten greedy but most of them were forced by Fannie-Freddie to lower lending standards....Oh yes and Acorn who Obama used to represent and train employees how to hassle the lenders to make them keep up the low income loans. And McCain was the one who tried to get congress to regulate Fannie-Freddie. A lot of experts have stated that if regulation had started when McCain presetned legislation, the economy would not have nose dived.

mccain always does this

In other words, what Obama said in thaty speech is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what McCain is trying to turn it into. McCain is sick.

"If you repeat a lie often enough, it begins to sound like the truth."
Joseph Goebels

The only legislation he talks about he authored is on Ethics reform. Wow that appears it solved a lot of problems.

Do American know that Democrats have controled Congress the last two years?

Denise: "Project Vote is part of ACORN."

Yes - now. But it wasn't in 1992. They only started working closely together in 1994.

BackStageLeftist: "He then worked with a partner group of ACORN, Project Vote."

Actually, Project Vote wasn't even directly associated with ACORN until 1994. Obama worked with Project Vote in 1992.

There's not really any connection to ACORN at all there.

Nuance is too much. Let's just say sound bites that Joe Six Pack understands.

Obama has no economic background, and this is further evidence. He has a whole lotta people fooled. Fooling people is his area of expertise: He looks legit in a white shirt, but please consider that a fashion model with a teleprompter does not make a good president.

"Author Legislation Barack!!!!!!!!!!'

He has.

The STOP FRAUD Act, which is aimed at stopping mortgage transactions that promote fraud, risk, abuse and underdevelopment, will provide the first federal definition of mortgage fraud and authorize stiff criminal penalties against fraudsters. STOP FRAUD requires a wide range of mortgage professionals to report suspected fraudulent activity, and gives these same professionals safe harbor from liability when they report suspicious incidents. It also authorizes several grant programs to help state and local law enforcement fight fraud, provide the mortgage industry with updates on fraud trends, and further support the Departments of Treasury, Justice and Housing and Urban Development's fraud-fighting efforts.

We need solutions and all McCain does is go further into the gutter.

Jeff, OBama didn't work for ACORN. He worked for the Developing Communities Project which was funded by Chicagos Catholic churches. He then worked with a partner group of ACORN, Project Vote. He was registering people to vote, not forcing banks to do anything. Get your facts straight.

In fairness, McCain's statements about the war in Iraq being easy must be viewed in the more complex context that he was not referring to the 100 year occupation he thought was OK after the easy war.

Has McCain learned NOTHING?!!?! Does anyone in his camp understand that everything he says will be "fact checked"???

In fact, it's been fact checked even before he uses it! HA!

When you look at the whole thing McCain...you'll see that Obama has a much better grasp on this issue than you could ever hope to have.

Why is this race even as close as it is? Can't everyone see how McCain is not in touch with the real world? What color is the sky in McCain's world?

I followed Jake's link to Obama's speech where McCain found the quote to twist Obama's words on subprime loans.
If McCain were to charge Obama with falsely locating America "somewhere between Bulgaria and Costa Rica" I am sure Jake could say "The actual quote from Obama from last September has a slightly more complex context." Of course Obama would be referring to rank in college degrees not location on a map, but that is only slightly different in context.

Mccain quote "I BELIVE DEREGULATION WILL MAKE THE ECONOMY STRONG" really mcidiot HAVE YOU SEEN THE MARKET TODAY? DID YOU SEE THE JOB REPORT OUT ON FRIDAY I knew mccain graduated at the bottom of his class but man that man is an Idiot!

How very Mavericky!

This makes my brain hurt. Too much complexity. Main Street, Wall Street, Yada, Yada, Yada.

You didn't expect McCain to tell the truth did you?

McSleaze is what he is.

Obama and the other CBC were defending Raines at Fannie Mae.

Obama helped create this mess with the bad loans acorn forced to minority households.

Obama hired jim johnson who ran off with 25 million.

Author Legislation Barack!!!!!!!!!!

You forgot to show up to be a Senator.

Obama worked for ACORN forcing banks to give bad loans to minority applicants.

Obama and the dems defended fannie mae.

Obama hired Jim Johnson who stole 25 million from fannie mae.

ERATIC!!!! = McCain............

What about the Community Re-investment Act signed by Jimmy Carter, the hamas-loving socialist?

Weird, Obama commented on stronger oversight and negative lobbyist influence.

Is McCain still talking?

HE DOES'NT UNDERSTAND ECONOMY OR THE WORD SUBPRIME.....

Mavericks getting Mavericky: Were you speaking to me? Were you speaking to me?

Obama said that "subprime lending started off as a good idea -- helping Americans buy homes who couldn't previously afford to"

and then suddenly could afford to?

They both knew about this and REFUSED to act. And now they both want your vote. Disgusting.

Obama actually tried to explain a complex problem, shame on him.

HP Boston writes "Since Ayers is in the forefront now" Is that because Palin is accusing Obama of "pallin around with terrorists?" Since Todd Palin was a member of the Alaska Independence Party, does that mean Palin is "sleeping with secessionists?"

McCain is LYING as always.

You can't say it's a lie when Obama was working as a lawyer suing banks to force them to give out subprime loans. Obama knows precisely how this went out of control but he goes into generalities to avoid explaining how it happened and worse, who's names should be on the list of the guilty.

What is right is the oversight failed, but unfortunately for Obama, his party and Barney Frank in particular are up their hips in that and trying to cover it up: The Other SNL Skit.

too complex for mavericks ...

Regarding Mr. McCain's mischaracterization of Obama on subprime loans Jake writes: "The actual quote from Obama from last September has a slightly more complex context."

Since Ayers is in the forefront now, I thought I’d post some of the info I gathered on his relationship with Obama. Here it is:

In 1985 the Woods foundation gave a $25,000 grant to the Developing Communities Project (aka the “DCP”), which hired Obama, at 24, as an organizer on Chicago’s economically depressed South Side.” The Woods Fund was founded by the Woods family which owned the Illinois-based Sahara Coal Company, a major supplier of coal from its mines to major Illinois power companies. Commonwealth Edison, the giant Chicago-based electric power company was headed by Thomas Ayers, father of Bill Ayers.

Ayers’ wife, Bernadette Dorn in the late 80s worked in the law firm Sidley & Austin at the same time as Michelle Obama (then Robinson). In 1989 Obama interned at Sidley&Austen as an associate. (Sidley&Austin was also the law firm used by Tom Ayers, Bill’s father).

So, in 1995 Ayers hires Obama , supposedly unknown to him, 3 years out of law school, to Chair the $50 Million Annenberg Challenge, an education non-profit. The Challenge was an arm of Ayers Chicago School Reform Collaborative. The money was to be used by Ayers and co. to bolster the radical Local School Councils reform project that Ayers and Obama had championed back in 1988 through the ABCs.

The Annenberg Challenge was a failure. Obama stepped down as chair in 1999, but remained on the board. However, during the time with the Challenge, Ayers and Obama sat on panels together , attended speaking engagements, etc.

Obama and Ayers also at that time sat together on the Woods Fund. A non-profit which awarded building grants. One of the grants awarded was to Alison Davis of Davis/Miner lawfirm where Obama worked. Instead of abstaining, Obama voted to approve a $1 million grant to Davis. Davis was also in building ventures with Rezko (convicted felon) at that time.

Grants from the Woods Fund were also provided to the Arab American Action Network(AAAN). The AAAN was headed by Rashid Khalidi . Khalidi previously worked for the PLO and hosted a fund raiser for Obama’s US Senate bid. They went out to dinner , with their wives, together and Michelle Obama attended a party some months ago in honor of the wedding of Khalidi’s daughter. The Bill Ayers’ were also in attendance.

Khalidi said he supports Obama for President “ because he is the only candidate who has expressed sympathy for the Palestinian cause.” Khalidi also lauded Obama for “saying he supports talks with Iran.”

Obama was exactly right. If every one of these folks defaulted, the banks would hardly even notice (and not everyone did default).

The problems are all upstream in securitization and derivatives. Anyone who doesn't get this probably knows as little about economics as John McCain.

Obama and ACORN - birds of a feather flocking together!

*The actual quote from Obama from last September has a slightly more complex context.*

Um, no. Try this: "The actual quote from Obama was taken misleadingly out of context." Its a lie! You can say it! You might feel better!

How can it be a "good idea" to make loans when the likelihood of being able to repay them is thin? More handing out of taxpayer money as a free lunch.