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Biden Rips McCain for Saying Fundamentals of Economy are "Strong'

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September 15, 2008 5:49 PM

ABC News' Matt Jaffe reports: Barack Obama's vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden ripped into Republican candidate John McCain Monday for saying that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong."

Arguing that McCain is "divorced" from the economic realities of the country, Biden used McCain's own words earlier in the day Jacksonville against the GOP nominee.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that’s why John McCain could say with a straight face as recently as this morning and this is a quote, 'the fundamentals of the economy are strong.' That’s what John said. He says that 'We’ve made great progress economically in the Bush years",' Biden said in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

"Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, I could walk from here to Lansing, and I wouldn’t run into a single person who thought our economy was doing well, unless I ran into John McCain."
 
Biden frequently uses similar language on the stump, but Monday he blamed the current state of the nation's economy on American voters' faith eight years ago in a Republican candidate's promises, urging them not to make the same mistake again.

"Remember those promises. Remember what he said," Biden said about President George W. Bush. "Remember the promise to reach across the aisle? To change the way things were done in Washington, to change the tone? To restore honor and dignity to the White House? You know, we saw how that story ends. A number, a record number of home foreclosures. Home values tumbling. And the disturbing news that the crisis that you've been facing on Main Street is now hitting Wall Street, taking down Lehman Brothers and threatening other large financial institutions. We have seen eight straight months of job loss in America. Nearly 46 million Americans without any health insurance. Average incomes down, while the price of everything from gas to groceries is going up and up."

The Delaware senator also accused McCain of making American workers into "economic scapegoats."

"Don’t tell me those people, the people who played by the rules, who are the heart and soul of this country, don’t tell me they deserve to be treated as the economic scapegoats that the McCain campaign is treating them - these people worked hard, these people did everything they were supposed to do, these people are ready to work hard again, our job is to give them jobs so they can work hard again," Biden said. 

Biden noted that McCain had surrounded himself with advisers like his former Phil Gramm, who said months ago that America had become a "nation of whiners."

"They’re the people John McCain chose himself, chose to be surrounded with getting economic advice on the subject he says he doesn’t know much about. Well let me tell you, tell that to my friend, tell that to my friend Billy who flew jets in the Navy, worked 20 years for the major airlines, they went bankrupt, wiped out his pension. The CEO got a golden parachute. Don’t tell me he’s a whiner. And by the way, if you knew Billy, don’t dare tell him because he’ll knock you on your know what if you tell him he’s a whiner," Biden said. 

The McCain campaign hit back Monday, arguing the Democratic ticket is the "most partisan ticket" in presidential politics.

"This is the most partisan ticket in modern presidential politics attempting to repackage outdated and failed policies of the past," said McCain spokesman Ben Porritt. "Barack Obama and his running mate are insistent upon raising taxes which would kill jobs and continue to refuse responsible energy legislation that would reduce gas prices."

September 15, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (123)

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I want to see Obama supporter Barney Smith in a commercial.

They say that Wall Street is not an issue on Main Street. Take a look at my 401K balances and tell me again that we don't care.

Posted by: ohiogal | Sep 15, 2008 6:04:58 PM

If you actually heard McCain when he was saying this nonsense you'd think he had just gotten out of bed and was confused. He was almost (but not quite) incoherent. His speech pattern was just plain strange. Folks, he IS getting old. Remember Reagan? He had the beginnings of alzheimer's when he was still in the White House and it was only after the fact that the American public was notified. Generally speaking 72 is not OLD old, but I guess it depends on the individual. Given McCain's having been a pow and suffering tremendously, it's got to have had a deleterious effect on him, both physically and mentally. You folks out there who are voting the republican ticket are taking way more of a chance than those who are voting democratic. Way more...

Posted by: demthistimearound | Sep 15, 2008 6:07:06 PM

Way to go, Joe. You've just joined the Nation of Whiners. One of the things I liked about Obama way back when was how inspirational he seemed. This is a bummer listening to this.

Posted by: Kitty | Sep 15, 2008 6:08:43 PM

The fundamental of the economy are strong
The fundamental of the economy are strong
The fundamental of the economy are strong
The fundamental of the economy are strong
I can see Russia from my house!
The fundamental of the economy are strong
The fundamental of the economy are strong
The fundamental of the economy are strong

Posted by: Reggie | Sep 15, 2008 6:08:50 PM

I get a doom and gloom feeling from the Dems.

Posted by: Kitty | Sep 15, 2008 6:10:10 PM

From the NY Post today ... Obama playing politics with the lives of our soldiers:
WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview.

Posted by: Francisco Cardenas | Sep 15, 2008 6:10:45 PM

"The New York Post has been criticized since the beginning of Murdoch's ownership for what many consider its lurid headlines, sensationalism, blatant advocacy and conservative bias. In 1980, the Columbia Journalism Review asserted that "the New York Post is no longer merely a journalistic problem. It is a social problem - a force for evil."

(Wikipedia entry for the New York Post)

Posted by: YeahYeah | Sep 15, 2008 6:16:45 PM

I don't know why he would be stupid enough to say that today of all days. Then the way he tried to clear it up just insulted the intelligence of everyone he was talking to.

It's clear what he said.

Posted by: Mike J | Sep 15, 2008 6:18:19 PM

darn right its doom and gloom mccain is a dangerous choice for president, he must be stopped!

Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 15, 2008 6:21:18 PM

After that kind of remark can a republican honestly say that this guy is what's best for the country?

Posted by: KateCo | Sep 15, 2008 6:21:54 PM

Joe Biden is an idiot. He totally took McCain's words out of context. He was refering to the hardworking spirit of America's work force.
anyway who in their right mind would listen to a man who said that he wasn't qualified to be vice president?

Posted by: Gabrielle | Sep 15, 2008 6:22:49 PM

all you republican voters out there...you're f'd up if you're going to reward the republicans for this mess.

You're f'd up if you lost your home and your jobs and still want to vote this party in another 4 years.

WHO THE F CARES IF PALIN IS A WOMAN...she belongs to the party that f'd up our economy, took jobs away, bankrupted our country with a wreckless war and did nothing while we lost our homes!

SO AFTER THE STAR OF PALIN FADES...and if you voted for them into the white house...don't cry like babies if you see NO CHANGE!

THIS IS S F'D UP! HOW BAD DOES THIS ECONOMY HAVE TO GET BEFORE YOU PEOPLE FINALLY GET IT!!!!!!!

Posted by: tammy | Sep 15, 2008 6:22:50 PM

If McCain thinks so much of the hardworking spirit of the American worker then why doesn't he give them the bulk of his tax breaks instead of giving them to rich people and corporations?

Posted by: KateCo | Sep 15, 2008 6:26:19 PM

Wait a minute, team Obama has two (2) Fannie Mae executives as their economic advisors . . . Duh!

Posted by: van Jacobi | Sep 15, 2008 6:26:59 PM

The value of currency without precious metal to back it up like in the olden days is largely a matter of perception.

That is about the only thing the Republicans have gotten right so far.

The Democratic Party.
"Cleaning up Republican rug stains for decades."

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 15, 2008 6:28:16 PM

McCain thinks that the fundamentals of the economy is strong.

What an idiot!

Posted by: Samantha | Sep 15, 2008 6:28:29 PM

The Housing crisis is the fault of the Democrats.

They ran Fannie Mae and Feddie Mac.

They created the rules for approved mortgages which were bogus.

McCain and Palin will fix this mess.


Posted by: obetwo | Sep 15, 2008 6:28:47 PM

This subject is one that should wake the people up it is ok Economy is just fine will handle this>>>>> my gosh what the hey is it going to take if???? If I made 6 million a year had 7 houses I would say it it's ok too,But to us little people this sucks>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I don't know how much more we little guys can handle>>>>>>>>

Posted by: indp voter | Sep 15, 2008 6:31:48 PM

It's a bad day when people are unable to figure out that all of our polititions are unable to fix this mess. . . maybe it's time to roll our the Guillotines

Posted by: pipian | Sep 15, 2008 6:32:46 PM

Kate Asks:

If McCain thinks so much of the hardworking spirit of the American worker then why doesn't he give them the bulk of his tax breaks instead of giving them to rich people and corporations?

----------------------------------------

You have to understand Trickle Down / Supply Side economics.

First, you give the 1% of the people who own 90% of the assets in this country a 98% tax break on their income.

Then, they donate to the charity that is providing you housing after your mortgage defaulted.

In this way the prosperity "trickles down" to you. Got it?

Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 15, 2008 6:33:22 PM

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