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Obama to Pre-emptively Attack McCain

October 05, 2008 7:40 AM

With the news that the McCain campaign is launching a full assault on Obama's associates, preparedness, and judgment in a TV ad campaign to start Wednesday -- as detailed in this morning's Washington Post -- the Obama campaign is planning a pre-emptive assault on the TV airwaves to start Monday.

Gov. Sarah Palin got the ball rolling this morning, going after Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for his association with Professor William Ayers, a former member of the radical group the Weather Underground, saying Obama "is someone who sees America it seems as being so imperfect, imperfect enough that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."

The McCain campaign said that its new TV ads would focus on Obama's associations with Ayers and real estate developer Tony Rezko, recently convicted on corruption charges.

"We are looking for a very aggressive last 30 days," McCain adviser Greg Strimple told the Post.  "We are looking forward to turning a page on this financial crisis and getting back to discussing Mr. Obama's aggressively liberal record and how he will be too risky for Americans."

The Obama campaign plans on taking Strimple's expressed desire to "turn...a page on this financial crisis" against McCain, to characterize all attacks on Obama as desperation to change the subject.

As first reported by Politico's Mike Allen Saturday evening, Obama has a new TV ad, too, that says: "Three quarters of a million jobs lost this year. Our financial system in turmoil. And John McCain? Erratic in a crisis. Out of touch on the economy. No wonder his campaign wants to change the subject. 'Turn the page on the financial crisis' by launching dishonorable, dishonest ‘assaults’ against Barack Obama. Struggling families can't turn the page on this economy, and we can't afford another president who is this out of touch."

-- jpt

October 5, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (373)

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Fact: Obama was born in Kenya not the US. Even his half sister said it in a Feb 18, 2008 article for the Star Bulletin...she said Barack was born in Kenya.
Fact: It was Jimmy Carter that created the CRA...Clinton that enhanced upon it. Obabma that worked with ACORN to pressure banks and the senate to lower the standards so poor people with no credit or income could get housing.
Fact: John McCain in 2005 tried to get a bill passed to impose stronger regulation on Fannie Mae and Freddie MAc and the house struck it down.
Fact: Our current Dem congress has the lowest approval rating ever. Do we want a Dem congress and a Dem president. God Help Us All!!!

Read and get the facts....don't listen to the candidates or the press...read about these people, do some research. This is too serious to make your decison based on the hollywood theatrics that are being thrown at us. Don't be so lazy!!!!! Research Research. You will be amazed what you will find.
FACT: Obama is a devil in sheeps clothing. That you can count on.

Posted by: Karen | Oct 10, 2008 1:51:18 PM

Obama is a liar, a tax monger and probably a criminal.

Posted by: fx | Oct 7, 2008 7:43:53 PM

McCain no longer has any control. The campaign is being run by the same guys who ran the Bush administration. They are using Palin as a puppet. Obama should be careful not to stoop too low while attacking just enough and pointing out the fact that Palin/McCain administration is Bush administration in a new bottle.

Posted by: jonathanw | Oct 6, 2008 6:24:58 PM

McCain can win on policies and taxes. The problem is that the Obama campaign is benefitting from the financial crisis merely because Bush is in the WH and Obama is very successful at blaming everything on him. The other problem is that the media bias is so pro-Obama it is difficult for McCain to get through to most Americans. I don't think McCain has much choice but to "sensationalize" Obama in order to get some traction. I'm surprised Obama hasn't said he is going to make another one of his "major" speeches so all the news media will give him free air time at the same moment. That usually works for Obama.

Posted by: Susan | Oct 6, 2008 6:07:05 PM

You haven't seen anything yet. Wait till the Dems start crying "Racism" for the attacks on Obama.

Posted by: David | Oct 6, 2008 6:03:40 PM

I am hoping Obama will not stoop to McCain's level of lies.

Posted by: mypeaches | Oct 6, 2008 5:46:24 PM

It isn't just Ayers - there is a history of radical associations. McCain needs to make the connection in very simplistic terms so Americans can get it.

Posted by: Susan | Oct 6, 2008 5:44:56 PM

McCain Fraud in Keatin-5 and Palin with husband on the run from the law! None of them know anything about financial matters so not surprisingly they use SCARE TACTICS & LIES! One could say it's their TRADEMARK(TM). It shows how they intend to run the Country should they (God forbid) get elected.

Posted by: Not Again | Oct 6, 2008 2:41:42 PM

Claudia - The Senate Ethics Committee lawyer who investigated McCain already had explained that scandal away -- repeatedly. It was celebrated lawyer Robert Bennett, most famous for defending a certain horny hick president a few years ago.

In February this year" Bennett said, for the eight billionth time:

"First, I should tell [you] I'm a registered Democrat, so I'm not on (McCain's) side of a lot of issues. But I investigated John McCain for a year and a half, at least, when I was special counsel to the Senate Ethics Committee in the Keating Five. ... And if there is one thing I am absolutely confident of, it is John McCain is an honest man. I recommended to the Senate Ethics Committee that he be cut out of the case, that there was no evidence against him."
But of course that won't matter to you and I apologize for confusing the issue with facts.

Posted by: BizBag | Oct 6, 2008 1:25:23 PM

My apologies for the typo in my previous post.

...
By being so DIVISIVE (not decisive).
...

Sorry 'bout that.

Posted by: Dave from Austin | Oct 6, 2008 1:14:00 PM

Okay - everyone on BOTH SIDES - please listen:

This is no time to bring up this mudslinging for McCain (e.g. Keating 5, etc), or for Obama (e.g. Ayers).

By being so decisive, you're BOTH embarrassing yourselves - and in our country's time of need. (That's you on the Left AND you on the Right).

This is a time to encourage BOTH candidates to talk about the issues facing our country, what they can do about these issues, and a meaningful discussion about why the opponent's plans are wrong.

THAT'S what needs to be debated - not some questionable thing that happened 20, 30, or 40 years ago - on EITHER side. BOTH candidates have some pretty ugly skeletons in their closets - most people do. Try to play "who's skeleton is scariest", and we ALL loose.
Both men have shown themselves to care about our country.

Posted by: Dave from Austin | Oct 6, 2008 1:11:32 PM

John McCain, who took money from Charles Keating shouldn't let his running mate throw stones.

Posted by: Claudia | Oct 6, 2008 1:01:02 PM

Personal character assaults just doesn't cut it anymore. We want solutions to the economic crisis and Obama seems to be the only one offering.

Posted by: Lucy | Oct 6, 2008 12:56:07 PM

It seems even the media is starting to second-guess themselves with their 'golden boy' they propped up early in the game...

Posted by: msa1234 | Oct 6, 2008 12:36:25 PM

The Dow Jones just went below 10,000. All the world markets are crashing, and McCain is offering the Bush economic plan to the American people. He has his "brilliant" running mate Sarah Palin recite her vicious attacks. If anybody knows how to read an article, you should read ahead the New York Times article on Obama and Ayers. They clearly do not have a relationship. Please do not rely on Sarah Palin to educate yourself politically. Sarah Palin was a journalism major that doesn’t read newspapers or magazines.

Posted by: twosunshine | Oct 6, 2008 12:27:45 PM

McCain-Palin is the ticket to the future.

Sarah Palin can help the country smooth out its slide down the toilet and into the sewers by calming everyone with Bible readings.

At the same time, McCain can encourage the populous by starting a war with Iran and lowering the financing cost of Harleys so everyone can rejoice in the sounds of freedom.

McCain-Palin give the American People an opportunity to demonstrate the unique strength of their critical thinking abilities and overall intelligence by once again electing to office a team as brilliant and as enlightened as Bush-Cheney.

Posted by: Domingo Tavella | Oct 6, 2008 11:58:49 AM

keating 5 mc cain cleared the dems charged the banking scandle now barney franks leader of the falure obamma advisors failed frennie mae and freddie mac pres obamms gets the 2 highest amount an other dem gets the highest amount

Posted by: david | Oct 6, 2008 11:32:42 AM

Maybe everyone in Washington NEEDS to start smoking weed. They're obviously inept while sober.

Posted by: Justin | Oct 6, 2008 10:51:37 AM

Vahagn Mkhikian wrote: "The fact is Ayers is a professor and met Obama as a university professor and doing charity contributions. that's a damn good thing i would say."

Bill Ayers is still a radical. He preaches the same 1960's radical anti-America, anti-capitalism dogma from his position as a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. And Chicago Mayor Daley employed him as a teachers trainer for the public schools in Chicago. He indoctrinates the teachers who are in turn expected to influence their students with Ayer's radical views.

Posted by: James Danley | Oct 6, 2008 9:43:36 AM

I think both candidates should concentrate on the issues of today, not mud-sling. The country needs help.

Posted by: rob | Oct 6, 2008 9:02:08 AM

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