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Obama Criticizes McCain on Flood Funding

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June 21, 2008 3:35 PM

Sen. Barack Obama pounced on Sen. John McCain’s vote against funding for levees and flood control programs as river waters continue to rise in the Midwest today.

"Now both Sen. McCain and I have traveled recently to the areas that have been devastated by floods," Obama said. "And I know that Sen. McCain felt as strongly as I did, feeling enormous sympathy for the victims of the recent flooding. And I'm sure they appreciated the sentiment, but they probably would have appreciated it even more if Sen. McCain hadn't opposed legislation to fund levees and flood control programs, which he considers pork."

The Water Resources Development Act, which McCain voted against last fall, was vetoed by President Bush for being "fiscally irresponsible" but the bill survived because Congress voted to override the president's veto -- the first presidential override in Bush's presidency.

Republicans were quick to point out that by grilling McCain on his vote, Obama in turn attacked his own national campaign co-chair Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who also voted against the act.

Obama said there are "profound differences" between himself and Sen. McCain on the gas tax holiday as well.

"Sen. McCain has proposed a gas tax holiday that would take $3 billion a month out of the Highway Trust Fund and hand it over effectively to our oil companies," Obama said, and he pointed out that the nation’s infrastructure received a "D" from the American Society of Civil Engineers. "At a time when the Highway Trust Fund is beginning to run a deficit for the first time in history, I think that's the last thing we can afford to do. That is the last thing we can afford to do," he said.

While telling mayors from around the country that he would be "a partner in the White House," Obama touted policies that he said would help on the state level.

"I’ll also launch a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank that will invest $60 billion over 10 years, and create nearly 2 million new jobs," Obama said to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. "Instead of building bridges to nowhere, let’s build communities that meet the needs and reflect the dreams of our families."

Obama also promised funding for teachers, police, housing and broadband Internet.

June 21, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (38)

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Obama A double talking Fool.

Obama can not run on his own merit. Because he has none

He can only blame others in hope to make himself look better.

He has rarely shown up for his job to vote on anything. Plus he does not want to vote on anything. He would be held accountable and does not want to get blamed for anything. Then he would not be able to change his mind.

Posted by: seah | Jun 22, 2008 10:30:44 AM

Obama EXERCISING AN OPTION cannot break a system, when the system allows a candidate to opt out!

Aim of public financing is to get INDIVIDUAL sums of big monies out of the campaign.
Obama forgoing lobbyist and PAC , and sticking with grassroots financing, accomplishes the objective.
.
Obama did not make a deal with anyone but himself. Signing a piece of paper that McCain't DID NOT sign is binding on no one!

McCain GAMED the public financing system, and use it as collateral to gain bank loan when his campaign was in trouble.

That IS a violation of the campaign financing law, which is now being investigated.

Obama EXERCISING OPTION is not illegal.
It is pragmatic. Good leaders ARE pragmatic!

Posted by: Patriot | Jun 22, 2008 12:53:07 PM

Senator Obama's campaign has stated time and again that he does not take money from lobbyist, special interest or foreign entities. It seems over half of his contributions are NOT from individuals contributing less then $200 but large corp. such as oil companies and finance/banks. He does not tell the truth, the whole truth and never has.
Obama backing out of public financing is just another flip-flop. I will not vote for the liar/socialist.

Posted by: Mary | Jun 22, 2008 1:07:47 PM

Obama always criticizes but never has a detailed and constructive answer to that which he criticizes. But he's a good BS'er -- some people just keep ignoring his emptiness.

Posted by: A | Jun 22, 2008 1:19:17 PM

I hate to break any bubbles. but if you look at the aol.com straw poll the latest is McCain 61% Obama 39% with over 92,000 votes cast. McCain is winning every state.

Posted by: mich mike | Jun 22, 2008 2:40:52 PM

The whole campaign season has just really lost energy and spark without Hillary. Blah, blah, blah -- two guys going at each other. So what? Like we never saw that before. The whole dizzying, fun process has become "Who cares?"

Posted by: LonghornMama | Jun 22, 2008 3:03:39 PM

ok, whether you agree or disagree wit hthis issue, anyone else think its a little funny how MUCH obama promises?! i mean, do his supporters actually believe he will be able to fulfil his promises when he gets in the white house? just look at the end of this article. that sums it all up.PROMISES, PROMISES, PROMISES.

Posted by: tim | Jun 22, 2008 4:09:49 PM

by the way, if mccain wins the election, with practically no TRUE supporters, compared to obama having a TON of mindless TRUE supporters, what will that say about our system? i mean, i dont have the answer really, but im just saying, i know the republicans are a joke right now. they have been for awhile, but to me, if mccain wins, its only because the average american still leans toward conservatism. god i hope he wins. im not a fan of him at all, but i hope americans have not lost their common sense.

Posted by: tim | Jun 22, 2008 4:14:19 PM

Davis: Bob Barr will have no effect
on the election!
No way Obama wins the election, Period!
Landslide? What are you smoking?
If anybody gets crushed in this election
it will be your Empty Suit Candidate!
He has no solutions to any of our problems! At least no intelligent
solutions! Obama has decided that we
have to tough it out and pay $4, $5 or
$6 dollar a gallon gas while making
vague references to renewable energy!
McCain has proposed a plan that includes
off-shore drilling now and conservation and wind, solar, nuclear power etc!
Your Empty Suit would bomb our ally,
Pakistan and talk to the leaders of Iran, Syria, Cuba, and Venezuela without
preconditions! Duh!
Your Empty Suit agrees with the
recent Supreme Court decision to give
rights to terrorists who cut off people's heads without batting an eye!
What a No Nothing Fool!
He'll be lucky if he does as well as Kerry did, but I doubt it!

Posted by: reaganfan | Jun 22, 2008 4:28:52 PM

“The economics of what Sen. Obama is proposing should be at least as troubling. A high-income entrepreneur would see his or her federal marginal tax rate rise to 53% from 37.7% under Sen. Obama's tax plan. He proposes a 4.6 percentage point hike in the personal income tax rate, a loss of some itemized deductions, and a 12.4 percentage point hike in the Social Security payroll tax. This would take a successful entrepreneur's effective marginal tax rate higher than what it was under Jimmy Carter or Richard Nixon, when the maximum tax on an entrepreneur was 50%.” --Economist Lawrence Lindsay.

Posted by: Dennis | Jun 22, 2008 5:55:35 PM

Sounds like Obama wasn't so helpful after all. I've removed the names of the person they were responding too. This is from a local newspaper post.

"I read with interest the June 18 letter from of Danville, who expounded on Barack Obama's trip to Quincy to "volunteer" as a sandbagger. Well, , being a 28-year member of the Illinois National Guard during the flood of 1993, I and lots of other folks spent all summer on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.

What I saw was a politician, with the TV cameras rolling, partially filling one sandbag with three partial shovelfuls of sand and immediately beginning to shake hands with onlookers.

You are right; not all country folk are stupid."

Posted by: win | Jun 22, 2008 6:05:48 PM

obama is gonna win by a land slide the people are sick of the last 8 years and they are ready to take their chances with obama than vote for a third term bush people are ready and want CHANGE and with mccain there will be none of that only the same so its simple obama will win mccain will lose!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: angie | Jun 22, 2008 6:14:21 PM

Obama is not going to win -- his 6 point lead is within 2-sided margin of error. Continue the wishful thinking.

Posted by: amy | Jun 22, 2008 6:35:15 PM

Just wait till the election ads come out and show Obama's relationship with a former terrorist named William Aires. Also this comment he made in his book.
Quote from the book, Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama: "I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

Posted by: C Taylor | Jun 22, 2008 8:31:06 PM

McCain is on the correct side of this issue, because we must have some priorities in spending on infrastructure. McCain has been on the side of trying to reduce wasteful and unneccessary spending on less important issues. Haven't the Democrats been pleading for the last several campaigns that we need massive rebuilding? Obama pretends he knows what is going on. His national campaign co-chair should explain to him why she voted with McCain against the bill.

While promising everything to everyone, Obama has no idea what is going on. He is just saying what his handlers tell him to say. They must have forgotten to check with the co-chair. As far as the gas problem, it is now when people are needing gas to get to work, to drive trucks. Obama promises no help to rescue them now. We remember New Orleans very well. Too little too late.

Posted by: georgia | Jun 22, 2008 9:18:54 PM

Obama is confused and really has nothing offer flood victims.

To attack McCain is kind of humorous.

Posted by: Kottaras | Jun 22, 2008 11:36:17 PM

We do not have a great pick on either side of the parties but to make a choice because he is black or if she is a woman with no experiences in the right area, you will be wishing for Bush again in four years when you can not find it safe to get on a plane or train.

Posted by: Phillip | Jun 23, 2008 8:49:47 PM

I vote NoBama !!!!

I vote McCain - Palin !!!!

Posted by: Abe Bird | Oct 7, 2008 2:14:48 AM

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