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Dems Pushing Conflicting Messages on McCain
September 16, 2008 12:14 PM
ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports from Capitol Hill: Democrats are straddling two, conflicting arguments in their criticism of Sen. John McCain on the economy. With one foot, they're kicking forward the notion that McCain is a new Herbert Hoover, deluded and talking about a strong economy even as the stock market crumbled. At the same time, they're telling Americans there's not depression in the offing and "Don't panic."
On the Senate floor this morning, the Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., launched into a lengthy analogy comparing McCain, who Democrats have pounced on for yesterday saying the fundamentals of the US economy are sound, to Herbert Hoover, the Republican President who oversaw the stock market crash in 1929 and the advent of the Great Depression.
"On the morning of October 30, 1929, President Herbert Hoover awoke the day after the biggest one-day stock market crash in American history, surveyed the state of the U.S. economy and declared, "The fundamental business of the country, that is production and distribution of commodities, is on a sound and prosperous basis," said Reid, quoting Hoover.
He went on: "In the coming weeks and months, President Hoover remained in an economic bubble, unaware of the extreme suffering of ordinary Americans -- even declaring that anyone who questioned the state of the economy was a "fool." For Herbert Hoover, ignorance was bliss. And it wasn't until the American people replaced this out of touch Republican president with a Democrat, Franklin Roosevelt, that our nation's economic recovery began."
Reid, ticked off the woes on Wall Street, "With our financial markets reeling, the American people are wondering whether they will lose their jobs, whether they will be able to pay their child's next tuition bill, whether their pension and retirement savings will be safe."
But this is a slippery slope. A Pandora's box. A cat in a bag. If the economy is truly unsound, what's a taxpaying voter with a 401k and a stock portfolio to do? Panic?
It may be fine to compare McCain (fairly or not… he did clarify his "fundamentals are sound" comment repeatedly over the past day) to Hoover, but Democrats don't want a run on the skittish market either.
So Reid dialed things back.
"There is no reason to think we are headed into an economic depression," Reid said. "There is no reason to panic. Yet one Senator -- John McCain -- woke up yesterday morning, surveyed the state of the U.S. economy, summoned the ghost of his fellow Republican, Herbert Hoover, and declared, "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
Question - if there is truly no reason to think we are headed into an economic depression and truly no reason to panic, aren't the fundamentals, on some level, strong?
September 16, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (606)
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I am more concerned about the conflicting messages John McCain is sending about himself. Economy sound -needs 911-Commission probe. Bush tax cuts immoral -Bush tax cuts good. Phil Gramm is my chief economic adviser - Phil Gramm doesn't speak for me.
Posted by: ricky | Sep 16, 2008 12:22:24 PM
Think Dem's have conflicting messages.
Read the previous blog post. McCain and Palin are denouncing "golden parachutes" and promising to end them while the goddess of Golden parachutes, Carly Fiorina, the layoff queen of Hewlett Packard, is their chief economic adviser and surrogate.
Posted by: ricky | Sep 16, 2008 12:26:06 PM
Bottom line is McCain admitted he doesn't know much about the economy, and says he thinks our economy is fundamentally strong... while the Republicans are trying to tell us he's the only one who can fix it.
There's a conflicting message for you.
Posted by: Paul | Sep 16, 2008 12:31:11 PM
No more terrorist attacks on our buildings as the enemy will be taking charge of them shortly. In December 2005, Georgetown University accepted a $20 million donation from Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud to expand its Islamic studies department. At the same time, Harvard accepted a similar $20 million donation. Barack Obama has received moneys from a man to whom Mansour serves as an adviser - HRH Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal. Dr. Khalid al Mansour is a virulent hater of Jews and Christians and whites generally. And, do you really believe that your associations are not important. Obama associations are important---check out the facts, be informed before you vote and America slips away.
Posted by: Mike | Sep 16, 2008 12:33:13 PM
Dems better dial things back, as pundits saying in shaky economic times, the newbie from the other side is less likely to be elected. People already feel insecure, so taking a risk with the top of their ticket would be less likely....DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ECONOMIC WOES WE'RE EXPERIENCING (and get a load of the 66 million haul BO campaign got in Aug)....NEVER VOTE OBAMA.
Americans are crying poverty and yet I cannot recall an election in History that is flushing hundreds of millions of dollary downn the political toilet like this election. C'mon, people, all you hear about is all those doners to the BO campaign.....can't be too dire can it?
McCAIN/PALIN
Posted by: Debra | Sep 16, 2008 12:33:54 PM
Poll shows Obama’s lead in NY at 5 points
By The Associated Press – 23 hours ago
THE POLL: The Siena Research Institute, presidential race in New York of likely voters.
THE NUMBERS: Barack Obama 46 percent, John McCain 41 percent.
OF INTEREST: The lead is down from 18 points in June, when Obama led 51-33 percent over McCain in a Siena poll. New York, home of Obama’s main primary opponent, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, is solidly Democratic, with 5.5 million registered Democrats and 2.9 million registered Republicans. The state has 31 electoral votes.
Posted by: HP Boston | Sep 16, 2008 12:34:25 PM
It seems that everytime McCain says something, he believes, from the heart, that gets a bad reaction,the next speech he tries to explain it away or changes what he says.
I really think he does believe there is nothing wrong with the economy. Plus, he agrees with the war and the way Bush handles things.
PRETTY SCARY....
Posted by: thetruth | Sep 16, 2008 12:34:30 PM
No conflict there, just an admonition to stay calm, but be aware that McCain like Hoover will wreck the economy. If ABC sees a conflict in those two points, its analysts have been drinking.
Posted by: Mike | Sep 16, 2008 12:34:42 PM
Mike is right....tell me who you are with and I'll tell you who you are.
AMERICA FIRST, NEVER OBAMA!
Posted by: Debra | Sep 16, 2008 12:35:28 PM
"On a day when Wall Street was melting down, Republican Sen. John McCain insisted Monday that the nation's economy was "fundamentally strong,"
Hey if the shoe fits. I'm sorry but McSame is so out of touch he's starting to remind me of a broken record.... "All is well Please remain calm"
And having a Palin one step away is just too much for me. I'm seriously thinking about moving to Canada should he win. How sad is that!
Posted by: Tucker | Sep 16, 2008 12:36:00 PM
You think Obama knows about the economy??? lol
The poor sap doesn't even know when capital gains rate is increased capital gains revenue actually DECLINES.
Posted by: JA | Sep 16, 2008 12:36:10 PM
It seems that everytime OBUMA says something, he believes, from the heart, that gets a bad reaction,the next speech he tries to explain it away or changes what he says.
I really think he does believe there is nothing wrong with the economy. Plus, he agrees with the war and the way Bush handles things.
PRETTY SCARY....
Posted by: thetruth | Sep 16, 2008 12:34:30 PM
Posted by: HP Boston | Sep 16, 2008 12:39:06 PM
Merrill Lynch & Co. (MER) Chief Executive John Thain could get up to $11 million (EUR7.7 million) from restricted stock following the merger of his investment bank with Bank of America Corp. (
John Thain another McCain advisor getting millions for failing
Posted by: Thinking | Sep 16, 2008 12:39:24 PM
Debra: "Mike is right....tell me who you are with and I'll tell you who you are."
Exactly, and because McCain is with Bush, he's the wrong choice.
Well, wait, McCain isn't with Bush, except when he's bragging he is, except when he's saying he isn't...
By the way, McCain supporters, anyone want to take a guess at how your candidate will stop golden parachutes, lol.
Posted by: Paul | Sep 16, 2008 12:39:32 PM
I'm John McCain and I approve this mental recession.
Now stop whining, and... hey you kids, get the hell of my lawn!
Posted by: Paul | Sep 16, 2008 12:41:06 PM
Hey, if you all want to pay $2,000 for my teen daughter (and millions of others) to go to college, and pick up my SS contributions too, by all means vote for Obama's socialism with more government telling you to hand over your money for someone else. The Victacrat pary is NOT for me. Get off your a--es and pull a Palin....humble beginnings, college grad, marry high school sweetheart, PTA mom, City Council, Mayor, Governor and now hopefully the 44th VP of the United States.
Try it the good old fashioned way and quit with the hand outs!
McCain/Palin all the way!
Posted by: Debra | Sep 16, 2008 12:41:10 PM
Why would anyone be suprised? This is what Democrats do. Report all the negative in the world to make it worse. A good economy is bad for democrats. Winning the war is bad for democrats. Sad to say, but anything that is good for the country is bad for democrats. They love high gas prices, food prices etc... They don't try to help the situation. They try and make it worse until they are in office. This congress is the worst we've seen in quite some time. Bush hasn't helped the situation with the war, but most of the blame should be at the feet of congress.
Posted by: Doug | Sep 16, 2008 12:41:50 PM
This article is a study in bias. When is ABC going to quit cheerleading for McCain and Palin? It is getting ridiculous!!!!!
No, the markets are not sound and yes, the Democrats should not create panic with dire predictions. Yes, McCain sounds like Hoover. Worse, he acts like him.
Posted by: Two-cats | Sep 16, 2008 12:42:04 PM
Mike...
Where did you get this crap?
Barack Obama has received moneys from a man to whom Mansour serves as an adviser - HRH Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal. Dr. Khalid al Mansour is a virulent hater of Jews and Christians and whites generally.
My God stop scaring people to death, and being racist...
Posted by: thetruth | Sep 16, 2008 12:42:09 PM
People!!!!! THINK!
Look where eight Republican years have left us. Do you really want more of this misery?
Don't believe a word out of John McCain's mouth. You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Posted by: Morton Redner | Sep 16, 2008 12:42:53 PM
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