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Obama Targets McCain and Palin on 'Change'
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ShareSeptember 06, 2008 1:59 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Senator Obama dusted off an argument from his primary days as he debuted an almost completely new stump speech against John McCain and Sarah Palin in Terra Haute, Indiana today.
"Everywhere I go we've been talking about change, that's been the theme of the campaign. And we must be on to something, because I notice now everyone's talking about change now," Obama said in reciting a line that he once used against Senator Clinton during the primaries.
This time the target was John McCain.
"John McCain has said that change is coming!" Obama laughed, "Now think about this coming from the party that's been in charge for 8 years, they've been running the show! Been up in the White House, John McCain brags, '90% of the time I have voted with George Bush. He and I we we're right there' and suddenly he's the change agent!"
A feisty and perplexed Obama continued on his tirade.
"He says I'm going to tell those lobbyists that their days in Washington are over. Who's he gonna tell? Is he gonna tell his campaign chairman who's one of the biggest corporate lobbyists in Washington? Is he going to tell all the folks who are running his campaign who are the biggest corporate lobbyist in Washington? Who is it that he's going to tell that change is coming?"
Obama then asked the voters in the town hall, "I mean come on, they must think you're stupid!"
Senator Obama then offered up his own definition of the what the Republican's version of change means.
"I mean maybe what they're saying is 'watch out George Bush' you know except for economic policies, and tax policies, and energy policies, and health care policies, and education policies, and Karl Rove style of politics – except for all that, we're really going to bring change to Washington! We're gonna shake things up! What are these guys talking about? Do you think we haven’t been paying attention over the past 8 years?"
Obama then went point by point through education, tax policy, energy policy and health care telling voters why McCain’s version of change is not change like the kind he will bring.
Obama then opened up rare criticism on VP nominee Sarah Palin, "I know the governor of Alaska has been, you know, saying she is change. And that is great. She is a skillful politician. But when you been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you are the champion anti-earmark person. That is not change, come on. I mean, words mean something. You can't just make stuff up. You can’t just make stuff up. We have a choice to make and the choice is clear."
The Illinois Senator continued on with one last warning, "Don't be fooled. These are the folks who have been in charge. John McCain's party, with the help of John McCain, has been in charge."
UPDATE: McCain-Palin campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds responds: "Barack Obama has requested the equivalent of one million dollars in new pork barrel spending for every working day he's been in the U.S Senate, while John McCain has never once asked for an earmark, and Governor Palin has vetoed hundreds of millions in government spending including killing the infamous 'bridge to nowhere'. Just like so many other issues Barack Obama is all talk, has no record to back it up and isn't ready to make change."
September 6, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (458)
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That will be CHANGE we can BELIEVE in !!!
Posted by: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 6, 2008 2:34:39 PM
Obama and Biden need to play "hardball" and go for the jugulars of McCain and Palin. The Democrats lost the last election (despite the fact it was stolen) because they campaigned too civily. The Republicans are ruthless in their campaign tactics and know no boundaries of decency. If Obama is to win, he needs to get dirty and cut to the artery for the hemorrhage!
Posted by: Patrick | Sep 6, 2008 2:35:00 PM
What a JOKE this Palin thing is!
McCain just trots his new "one trck pony" out on the stage and says look at her, isn't she smart, isn't she pretty!!
Don't look at me folks, just look at my new pony!!
McBush is still the same old tired guy with the same old tired ideas he had a little over a week ago. The only difference is now he has a new pony...
The sad thing is that the Republicans are ALL falling for it and falling all over themselves for Palin...
Vote for real leaders Obama/Biden '08!!
Posted by: Davis | Sep 6, 2008 2:35:19 PM
Obama has voted 99.99% time for Rev. Wright, for the last 20 years;
Obama has voted 99.99% time for Tony Rezco;
Obama is good friend of Detroit mayor.
What kind of change is he talking about?
Posted by: golfgirlusa | Sep 6, 2008 2:35:43 PM
How will Obama tell Washington to change? Send Biden?
Posted by: Obama-Yah-Wright | Sep 6, 2008 2:35:54 PM
Exactly!!!
McCain the "change" agent is a complete joke!
Posted by: Mark | Sep 6, 2008 2:36:08 PM
Sen. Obama continues to get the facts wrong as well as put up statistics that work against him. He says he is for change and Sen. McCain is not, quoteing Sen. McCains voting record. Yet he has voted with his party over 96% of the time according to congressional records. So that means Sen. McCain more for change than Sen Obama. Sen. Obama - find some facts that you can use!
Posted by: B.R. Cooper | Sep 6, 2008 2:36:09 PM
Mccain/Palin '08-
are you really Karl Rove? Shouldn't you be in jail right now?
Posted by: maureenO. | Sep 6, 2008 2:37:00 PM
HEY Poster: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 6, 2008 2:28:42 PM
Political Stunt Trick Pony!!! The flags were intercepted from a worker, they are lieing about what he was doing with them! They told the worker they would recycle them for him and now are using them to say the DNC threw them out!!!
Liers!!!!!
Posted by: Am | Sep 6, 2008 2:37:02 PM
JR...I AM WHO I AM.
For that article ... i just did a simple cut and paste so that I do not have to retype similar content. You can search this news in several mainstream news media.
I just did what Obama and Biden is good at all ... JUST WORDS !!!
Posted by: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 6, 2008 2:37:21 PM
Never under estimate a neo-con, they ALWAYS fall into the party line. Look at McCain, claims to be a "maverick" but votes party line 95% of the time. Republicans are go little nazis, always in lockstep.
Posted by: JR | Sep 6, 2008 2:37:38 PM
AM...you are good...in which case, the DNC folks are DUMB and DUMBER than I thought they were to fall for that.
Posted by: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 6, 2008 2:40:21 PM
Cut and Paste huh,
Right benvictor, now the flags being discarded are being blamed on Obama?
Your question what is wrong this guy? Why do you attribute all negatives to Senator Obama? Why is that so easy for you, especially after the eight, fruitful years in this country?
Can you find something concrete to discuss or just continue with lies and innuendo?
How about we talk about how qualified McCain's vp pick is, lets talk about that!
Lets talk about how it took her 6 yrs and 6 different schools to complete a 4 yr degree in journalism with a minor in sportscasting, and the republicans want to place her as #2 in this country. Let's talk about THAT.
Lets talk about how the republicans want to put someone in control that has no knowledge, no education, and no experience on foreign policy. Lets talk about something that truly matters. Not a piece of cloth.
bc46
Posted by: JR | Sep 6, 2008 2:40:41 PM
Obama adopted the "Change" theme because when the Democrats did their market research, "change" was what the country wanted. Of course, change for Obama means more bureauracy and more taxes and government playing a bigger role, which will create all kinds of opportunities for insiders to get on the band wagon (people like Jim Johnson). However, McCain will make changes by decreasing government's role.
By the way, Obama keeps saying McCain did not address any economic issues in his acceptance speech. What a numbnut! Energy is an economic issue and effects everything. A while back Obama blamed the economic squeeze of high gas prices not on the price itself but because the American people did not have time to absorb it. Meaning, he supported high gas prices as a means for conservation. Like I said, he's a numbnut.
Posted by: New Jersey Democrat | Sep 6, 2008 2:41:30 PM
Who is obama? What has he done for America or Americans?
Why is he friends with Terrorist Ayers and Dhorn?
Why is he friends with Convicted criminal Rezko?
Why is he friends with Fraud Mayor Kilpartick who is in jail now?
Why did he sit 20 year in racist church and with Radical pastor Wright?
Why is he friends with Islam Farrakhan?
Posted by: michael | Sep 6, 2008 2:41:34 PM
If any American flags were dumped in the garbage to be found by McCain/Palin 2008, they were planted by their Operation Chaos operatives who tried to destroy the Democratic Convention 'thing'.
Do you rotten people do anything but plan smears and dirty tricks?
We want Obama's CHANGE. We want decency for a change. Obama/Biden 2008
Posted by: susan | Sep 6, 2008 2:41:37 PM
This is what Howard Gutman said, during an interview with Laura Ingraham.
(He was questioning Gov. Palin's decision to thrust her daughter into the national spotlight)
- "This has nothing to do with gender, whether Todd Palin was the nominee or Sarah Palin was the nominee,” Gutman said. “If my daughter had just come home at 17 years old and said, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m pregnant, we have a family problem,’ I wouldn’t say, ‘You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to take this private family problem…and you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to go on the international stage and broadcast this to the world.’”
- Gutman continued, “this wasn’t a working mother issue, this was a parent issue…The proper attack is not that a woman shouldn’t run for vice president with five kids, it’s that a parent, when they have a family in need, a Down’s baby who needs them — mother or father.”
- “So you are judging her parenting skills,” Ingraham said. “You’re saying you don’t think she’s a good parent for doing this job.”
- “I’m saying the proper criticism is not that it’s a woman or man – it doesn’t matter whether it’s Todd or Sarah,” Gutman said.
========================================
Frankly, I think a lot of Americans have been having similar thoughts. Views like this have been expressed "around the kitchen table" across the country, in both Republican & Democratic families. Its NOT a partisan view.
You can disagree with what Gutman said, but there is nothing SHOCKING in it.
Posted by: Niccolò "M@chiavelli | Sep 6, 2008 2:42:03 PM
Karl Rove I AM NOT.
I AM WHO I AM.
Posted by: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 6, 2008 2:42:20 PM
is it not sexist that Palin has been relegated to chearleader because McCain cannot reise a croud?
Palin (the communications major)pulled from campaigning alone
If she is not ready to be a VP candidate on day 1
she is not ready to be VP on day 1
if McCain falls she is definately not ready to be President on day 1
Posted by: votor | Sep 6, 2008 2:42:43 PM
Dear Sarah Palin,
When are you going to give a press conference? I mean you do actually have your own thoughts right?
All I have seen you do is read the speeches that are being written for you!
Prove the you are not just a "one trick pony!!"
Posted by: Davis | Sep 6, 2008 2:43:11 PM
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