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Biden on Debate: I'll Be 'Disappointed' If McCain Brings Up Ayers
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ShareOctober 14, 2008 4:24 PM
ABC News' Matt Jaffe Reports: For the first time in five weeks, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., Tuesday fielded questions from his traveling press corps, applauding Republican candidate John McCain for standing up to some of the "attitude" expressed by GOP supporters at rallies and denouncing the Republicans for "over the top" ads.
"I was proud that John decided to take on some of the attitude that was expressed at one of his campaign rallies and I hope he keeps it up," Biden said, referencing McCain's attempt to temper the fervor of his supporters at a Minnesota rally last week.
Continued Biden, "In my view, the ads that are being run picturing Barack Obama and people saying 'known terrorist' -- I think that's over the top."
As he continued his two-day bus tour across the Buckeye State stopping at Lisbon's Steel Trolley Diner for lunch, Biden said "Barack Obama was eight years old when this guy Ayers was doing bad things."
Biden says he knows about Ayers but has never met him and pushed back on the notion that the former sixties radical could be classified under the general perception of terrorist. I think the average person looks out there and sees this guy who they say is a known terrorist, and I think they - the vast majority of the American people associate terrorism with, you know, radical Islamic groups and al Qaeda. I just think it's - I think it's over the top."
The Democratic vice-presidential nominee frequently notes that he considers Republican candidate Sen. John McCain a good friend, even while criticizing GOP ads that attack Sen. Barack Obama’s character and background.
McCain is aware that Biden disapproves of the GOP's campaign tactics, the Delaware lawmaker said, even though the two senators have not seen each other since a September 11 service forum in New York City.
"I know John knows my views," Biden said, indicating his believe that voters will look past political attacks to focus on the issues at hand.
"They want to know what is John McCain, what is Barack Obama going to do to change their circumstance? What is it gonna do?," Biden said. "All through Ohio here, people are losing jobs. Their homes are being foreclosed on. The people who aren't having their homes foreclosed on, they're looking at the nest egg they had and the equity in their home drying up. And they want to know what we're going to do."
Crediting former president Bill Clinton, Biden paraphrased "all campaigns are about tomorrow, not yesterday."
Continued Biden, "I think that's what people want to know. And I think when you don't talk about those things, when you don't lay out, when you spend more time talking about your opponent than you do what you're going to do, then I think it's fairly transparent."
Biden said he felt "good" about tomorrow's debate, expressing "total confidence" in Obama.
Biden warned that he would be "disappointed" to see McCain bring up Ayers in Wednesday's third and final debate, though McCain has threatened to do so in response to Obama's suggestion that the Republican candidate doesn't have the guts to raise the issue to his face.
All Obama has to do, Biden says, is "repeat the performance he's had the last two times out."
Biden said the debates have contrasted "a guy who’s confident and steady and a guy who's not quite sure of where he wants to take the country."
The traveling press corps was satiated by Biden's Q&A, but the senator was still hungry for his lunch, ending the brief session with "I'm looking for my cheeseburger here."
October 14, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (202)
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Does McCain have the guts to tell Americans what his proposal of "A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction." really means?
No Funds For:
Breast Cancer Research
Hurricane Forecasting
Biomedical Research
National Parks
6 Million students receiving Pell Grants for College
Infrastructure investment and repairs
Early Childhood Education
Unemployment Benefits
Food Stamps
Energy Assistance
and on and on and on......
Posted by: Paige | Oct 14, 2008 4:31:55 PM
The media has still not asked Joe about Wabmu yet?
Posted by: geevill | Oct 14, 2008 4:33:36 PM
Be prepared to be disappointed them Sen. Biden. Because your old friend is more concerned with himself than with issues.
He'll bring up Ayers alright. He'll keep slinging mud and telling lies.
That is what people from the other side of that aisle do when they are out on the trail. He's gone so far down that the light of honor and respect can't be seen anymore.
I'm sorry to say this, but your friend John McCain is gone. All that's left is Candidate McCain. And gone to is any respect for anyone else but himself.
Posted by: Greg in MN | Oct 14, 2008 4:43:29 PM
I'll be disappointed if he doesn't.
Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs | Oct 14, 2008 4:43:51 PM
Biden is stupid.
Posted by: Walter | Oct 14, 2008 4:45:25 PM
Obama's people will do anything to suppress discussion about Obama's past. Obama's dirty laundry needs to be 'Ayer'-ed out!
Posted by: tina | Oct 14, 2008 4:49:50 PM
If he does, it will most likely be the final nail in his campaign. Given the fact that McCain in his past has had his hands in so many dirty pies, his rather long laundry list of questionable associations would be fair game as a rebuttal. I doubt McCain wants a lot of those past actions and associations brought which pale in comparison, particularly this close to election day and as far behind as he is. And I'm sure Obama has the list ready, just in case.
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 14, 2008 4:50:33 PM
John McCain is a shell of his former self. He has sold his soul to the Republican "extremists" who will lie, cheat, and spread hatred to stay in power. Poor McCain has gone to the "Dark Side". Very sad ending to an American hero. I hope history will remember him for all the positive contributions he has made before this election campaign.
Posted by: Joe | Oct 14, 2008 4:52:43 PM
The lefties are praying that McCain won't bring up William Ayers on National TV. It will be wonderful to watch Osama Obama try and lie his way out without que cards. I can't wait!
Posted by: Steve | Oct 14, 2008 4:52:53 PM
Maybe he can bring up Jessie Jackson's recent interview while in France, which was posted in todays NY Post! Wonder how many people in Florida would be interested in the below? According to Mr. Jackson..
The most important change would occur in the Middle East, where "decades of putting Israel's interests first" would end.
Jackson believes that, although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong, they'll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House.
"Barack is determined to repair our relations with the world of Islam and Muslims," Jackson says.
Posted by: chuck | Oct 14, 2008 4:56:54 PM
Yes please bring it up Senator McCain!!! Do what the base wants you to do please!! You can expose Obama, and this is your last chance...
Well, on the other hand, it is the third debate; and I doubt that anyone watching hasn't already heard about Ayers. So in reality, this will look desperate. And it wont have an effect anyway, as Obama is going to brush it off and McCain will be visually pissed.
This is a political trick that Obama, Biden, and us as supporters call the "Bait and Bury". We don't throw the first punch, but we will throw the last.
Posted by: PoliticsAsUsual | Oct 14, 2008 4:57:39 PM
Posted by: scott | Oct 14, 2008 4:57:52 PM
Oh yea, and Chuck;
funny how now all of a sudden you all actually give a d@mn about what Jesse Jackson has to say. When Obama wasn't on the scene, you all hated Jesse...Now you give him credibility. Your comment, disregarded!
Posted by: PoliticsAsUsual | Oct 14, 2008 4:59:54 PM
Casper MCchicken doesn't have the big enough marbles down low to challenge that one, especially on Ayers.
However, both Obama and Biden are sort of egging McChicken on to do so as Obama must have a can of whoop a** so big that McCain is going to wish he never ran against "THAT ONE" at all.
Obama knows exactly what he's doing and after McCain talked a little smack about what he's going to do in the debates, HE'S NOW s******* his pants worrying about if he does, what will "THAT ONE" do?
That alone McChicken will not take a chance on.
POTUS OBAMA - b**** SLAPPING THE GOP
Posted by: Nat Turner | Oct 14, 2008 4:59:58 PM
Well I hope that Barack is determined to repair our relations with the world of Islam and Muslims. We've certainly ruined our reputation and created ourselves as something of a monster who hates the arab world.
They're part of it, too, people.
Posted by: Leighann | Oct 14, 2008 5:01:03 PM
JACKSON ON OBAMA'S AMERICA
PREPARE for a new America: That's the message that the Rev. Jesse Jackson conveyed to participants in the first World Policy Forum, held at this French lakeside resort last week.
He promised "fundamental changes" in US foreign policy - saying America must "heal wounds" it has caused to other nations, revive its alliances and apologize for the "arrogance of the Bush administration."
The most important change would occur in the Middle East, where "decades of putting Israel's interests first" would end.
Jackson believes that, although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong, they'll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House.
"Obama is about change," Jackson told me in a wide-ranging conversation. "And the change that Obama promises is not limited to what we do in America itself. It is a change of the way America looks at the world and its place in it."
Jackson warns that he isn't an Obama confidant or adviser, "just a supporter." But he adds that Obama has been "a neighbor or, better still, a member of the family." Jackson's son has been a close friend of Obama for years, and Jackson's daughter went to school with Obama's wife Michelle.
READ FULL STORY
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10142008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_o_jesse_knows_133450.htm?page=0
Posted by: Real Story | Oct 14, 2008 5:01:11 PM
Paige - Freezing govt spending means keeping it at the same level, no increase for inflation, etc. It doesn't mean a cut.
Posted by: Spd | Oct 14, 2008 5:02:04 PM
Obama has set a trap for McCain... I hate you Repiglican pieces of garbage, I really do. I am having a good time watching you pieces of crap head right into history's dustbin.
Posted by: Gerald Clough | Oct 14, 2008 5:02:41 PM
No I actually liked it when Jessie said he wanted to "cut Obama's Nu*s off" remember that a few months back? Poor Jessie had to come out and say he was sorry he was caught on mic saying it! Fact is Jessie does not like Obama, but maybe this was Jessie's way of trying to cut his "Nu*s" off without actually doing it!
Posted by: chuck | Oct 14, 2008 5:04:20 PM
Posted by: John Drew | Oct 14, 2008 5:07:04 PM
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