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Obama, McCain to Pull Attack Ads on Sept. 11th Anniversary

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August 19, 2008 11:59 PM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: A 9/11 victims' advocacy group is urging 2008 presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to observe a "campaign moratorium" on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

MyGoodDeed.org, a nonprofit group trying to establish Sept. 11 as a national day of voluntary service, wrote to both campaigns Tuesday asking them to halt partisan campaign activities, including negative ads.

"The campaign appears to be getting more negative and I think that we were concerned that that might begin to carry over right into 9/11," David Paine, MyGoodDeed.org co-founder and president told ABCNews.com.

"What we want the presidential candidates to do is put aside their differences of opinion for the day, dispense with their normal campaign activities and, instead, spend the day, along with their staffs, if possible, engaging in their own personal expressions of community service and just to reach out and speak to people about the importance of national service," said Paine, who created the group in 2002 to honor an emergency medical technician friend who died when the World Trade Center south tower collapsed.

The Obama campaign told ABCNews.com they will not be running any negative ads attacking McCain on Sept. 11. The McCain campaign said they will pull all of their campaign ads altogether.

"We won’t be running ads on 9/11," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers told ABCNews.com. "It’s a day for remembrance and unity, not political campaigning."

"We hope Sept. 11 is a day when Americans come together and reaffirm our resolve to address our common challenges together," Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan told ABCNews.com.

Both candidates have been invited to speak at Service Nation Summit in New York on Sept. 11, where political and business leaders will meet to discuss how to boost volunteerism in the US.

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger are also scheduled to attend the forum, which is co-chaired by Obama supporter Caroline Kennedy.

While McCain has agreed to speak at the summit, Obama hasn't confirmed whether or not he will attend.

"We feel, and have always felt, that 9/11 is really a sacred day," said Paine, whose group is helping to organize the Service Nation Summit.

"Our big concern is really how will 9/11 be remembered and will there ultimately be something good that comes out of it after all the tragedy that happened on that day?"

August 19, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (19)

User Comments

Barack Obama the Baby Killer

Posted by: scramer | Aug 20, 2008 12:21:00 AM

I thought that Obama's Rev said 3000 Americans deserved to die from terrorist on 9-11 but it only took his Rev saying Obama is a typical politician for him to finally denounce him. Just wait untill after the election then you will hear the American hating tripes mouth spouting out hatred again. You know the American hating tribe of Barack, his wife Michelle, his Rev Wright and the rest of the left wing kooks

Posted by: rev wrong | Aug 20, 2008 12:24:35 AM

Obama is just mad that he did not get a PHOTO OP during 9-11. Then Obama blames America while on his European adventure for all the worlds problems. Not only that he blamed America why he did not visit wounded fighting men and women.

Posted by: getty Photo | Aug 20, 2008 12:26:49 AM

Remember Gen Petraeus or the way Obama and his left wing comrades refered to another America hero as Gen Betrayed-us. Is that any way for a Presidential candidate refer to a General who is putting his life on the line for all Americans. Then Obama and his fly by of Iraq PHOTO OP sitting next to Gen Petraeus. I bet the General wanted to choke that freak show called Obama sitting next to him

Posted by: benounceer | Aug 20, 2008 12:32:56 AM

OH BUT YOU MUS TLISTEN TO THESE LITTLE LIBERAL CRY BABIES TALK THEY THINK NOBAMA IS THE ANSWER TO ALL OUR PROBLEMS AND WHEN YOU TELL THEM WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO THEY YELL PROPAGANDA

Posted by: luke poe | Aug 20, 2008 1:19:08 AM

Enough of Republican Corruption!

Democrats for 2008!

Posted by: voter | Aug 20, 2008 1:29:32 AM

Excellent posts.....of course McCain will do the right thing, but Obama hasn't agreed to show up yet...he has a basketball game scheduled at the same time.

Posted by: Debra | Aug 20, 2008 1:37:41 AM


of all the people i see in these blogs b*tching about the economy going to h*ll in a hand basket and all the anti-iraq and bush talk then they are going to scream rev wright is a anti-american for saying what failures he thinks the government has done! lol

pot meets kettle?

Posted by: melissa | Aug 20, 2008 1:48:22 AM

Why would obama attend?? This doesn't give him any leverage winning the presidency. The only thing this guy cares is the presidency. His millions of dollars will not be able to buy American votes.

Posted by: hannah | Aug 20, 2008 1:48:33 AM

oh yea and mccain doesnt want to win he just wants world PEACE and to save people from hunger! lol

Posted by: melissa | Aug 20, 2008 1:50:28 AM

Melissa, with the money being donated to obama, the economy cannot be doing that bad. oh, so it's true that the gov't create HIV to kill blacks?? It's patriotic to damn the nation?? 9/11 victims deserve it??

Posted by: hannah | Aug 20, 2008 1:53:25 AM

Whatever come up with something new Obama this is along the lines of Oh they will make you scared of me. Stop beign a whinner. You afraid people will have images of the planes going into the building as Rev Wright sermons play Goddam america and add Michelle for the first time I am really proud? I would be nervous to Obama.

Posted by: rachel | Aug 20, 2008 5:22:36 AM

How can you possibly vote for a man the Naval Brass wouldn't promote th the Navy's highest leadership position, "Admiral". Yet you want to elect him President(Commander in Chief), when he couldn't rise to the highest level of leadership in his chosen profession.

Posted by: depravedmaniac | Aug 20, 2008 8:00:23 AM

Let's talk about the real world and wake up america keep selling your people out and ask why. The rich get richer so the poor get poorer as for middle class the last 8 years got rid of that class. Bring Manufacturing jobs back and I mean all of them from toy manufacturing to pet food. What is acually made in the usa from scrsatch . Not even that homemade cake is because where did the ingredients come from? People are dying here from poor nutrition, no health care and if they are lucky enough to have health care there claims are more than likely to be turned down because it might lower the insurances companies profits. Thius is a country where the name comes first. MCBUSH said 5,000,000 dollaris rich most people don't earn that in a lifertime let alone yearly. wake up wake up. we are killing each other and are to stupid to realize it.

Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Aug 20, 2008 11:44:19 AM

It would be cool if both campaigns agreed to run a joint ad with some innocuous message from both on that day.

Just a thought about a little civility on a solemn day.

Posted by: Paul | Aug 20, 2008 1:25:30 PM

Enough of Republican Corruption!

Democrats for 2008!

Posted by: voter | Aug 20, 2008 1:29:32 AM
****************************************
Translation: Vote to continue corruption.

4 more years! 4 more years! Woo hoo!

Posted by: None of the Above 08 | Aug 20, 2008 4:36:19 PM

Rose,

Under federal law, anyone who goes to a hospital is entitled to care. Anyone.

As for poor nutrition: It's called poor personal choices. I am by no means rich. I am barely middle class. I eat a very healthy diet and exercise regularly. I do not require a government mandate/subsidy/tax credit or deduction to do have either. I choose to eat a healthy diet and exercise.

The manufacturing jobs: NOT COMING BACK (and even if they were how would that improve nutrition? The same junk would get made, it would just get made here).

I hope given all your complaints that you are doing everything you can given your time and resources to help those in this country who are less fortunate than yourself.

Posted by: No more Whining | Aug 20, 2008 4:41:41 PM

So, McCain is planning to appoint a "baby killer" as his VP. Which I think makes sense since he supports stem cells research and I'm sure you know you need baby's cells to do that.

It is the last chance the Old man has to be President, he lost many times before and he is already 72.

Posted by: Anna | Aug 20, 2008 4:46:03 PM

Now if only the right wing neo con extremists would shut up and listen to their own hate-spouting.

How about those Doctor killers like Eric Rudolph...let's hear it for the heros of the pro life movement! Take away choice, you take away free will . Here's a poser for all you picketers of clinics- who's going to take care of those unwanted if they do have the child? - There is no easy answer to this, and school yard name calling only leaves the impression that you have a pick-em up truck with a gun rack in the back... Pro Life/Pro Death penalty? Hypocritical much?

Which would you rather be PROgressive, PROfessional or CONservative, CONstipated, CONvicted...

There is latent wisdom in choice of labels. But that subtlety is lost on the Beckheads/Limbo/Savage and willfully ignorant.


Posted by: Remember November | Aug 21, 2008 10:19:25 AM

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