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Debating McCain Reference to "That One"

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October 07, 2008 11:15 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Arnab Datta Report: Part way through Tuesday's debate, Obama press secretary Bill Burton emailed reporters asking: "Did John McCain just refer to Obama as 'that one'?"

"Folks are going to remember that," Burton told ABC News in a separate email.

Showing the power of a well-timed email, McCain's reference to Obama as "that one" became a topic of discussion in the spin room following the debate.

Obama strategist David Axelrod called it "odd."

"Senator Obama has a name," said Axelrod. "You'd expect your opponent to use that name."

Asked about the Obama campaign's effort to draw attention to the reference, McCain adviser Steve Schmidt sought to brush it off.

"I think it is diversionary on their part," said Schmidt, referring to the Obama campaign.

McCain's "that one" reference came when the Arizona senator was contrasting his opposition to the 2005 Bush energy bill which was, in McCain's words, "loaded down with goodies, billions for the oil companies," with Obama's support for the measure.

"You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one," said McCain, gesticulating towards Obama. "You know who voted against it? Me."

Tuesday's town-hall style presidential debate took place on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.

It was moderated by NBC's Tom Brokaw.

October 7, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (1122)

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Posted by: tim | Oct 7, 2008 11:39:59 PM

What's your name boy? "Kuta Kenta". No your name is "That One". Now, what's your name? "Senator Barak Obama.

Wow! You can't sweep this one under the rug or say that it was just a "isolated incident". "That One"!

Posted by: Dr. Moses, F. | Oct 7, 2008 11:40:13 PM

very low! and show he is out of touch with the times , he is not presidential material... never was.

Posted by: kelly | Oct 7, 2008 11:40:37 PM

The reference of "That One" towards Senator Obama made by Senator McCain shows great disrespect towards Senator Obama from Senator McCain. The slanderous verbage used towards Senator Obama from Governor Palin these last few days is a desparate attempt to regain the faith of the American people. Slandor will not win votes....Our economy has worsened over the last 8 years...why not focus on more important issues-the truth and not bs. We want change and it will come from Senator Obama!!

Posted by: Basanthi | Oct 7, 2008 11:41:12 PM

I am a Yankee and I knew what "that one" meant for his 'uppity' opponent.
McCain is just plain nasty and believes he is entitled to the Presidency. After all, he sold his soul to get it.

Posted by: susan | Oct 7, 2008 11:41:58 PM

Obama's cult followers often refer to him as "The One."

Leave it to those Kool-Aid drinkers to find a problem with someone creating a slight variation on their term.

Posted by: Lee | Oct 7, 2008 11:42:49 PM

How do people know McCain meant 'that one'? He might have meant 'That One' - in reference to the self-proclaimed 'The One' of the Obama campaign.

Posted by: Obama-Yah-Wright | Oct 7, 2008 11:43:22 PM

OBAMA CALLED HIM "JOHN"... THEY ARE FRIENDS WHEN NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
YOU NEVER SAID, "THAT ONE OVER THERE JUST CANT .." TO PEOPLE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH..
I HOPE REPUBLICANS ARE REGISTERING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO OFFSET THE DEMO PARTY REGISTRATION IN PRIMARIES.... I DONT THINK WE SHOULD EVEN BE LISTENING TO THE MEDIA.
IF ITS NOPT THIS , IT WILL BE RACISM.
MCCAIN/PALIN AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET THE VOTES OUT AND SILENCE THESE FOOLS..

Posted by: TJ, THE CLINTONITE | Oct 7, 2008 11:44:17 PM

McCain also says he's going to buy all these mortgages from these morons who bough more house than they could afford at inflated values only a fool would believe. That's as bad or worse than bailing out the greedy thieves on Wall Street. What about those of us who DIDN'T buy those houses because we knew they were overpriced? If someone had told me that in 3 years the "gubment" would come and pay off part of my house, I would have purchased it! So our tax dollars are going to bail out these idiots? If my neighbor gets $80,000 knocked off his mortgage, I want $80,000 knocked off mine! JUST SAY NO to John McCain's crazy, reckless waste of tax dollars.

Posted by: Martin | Oct 7, 2008 11:45:03 PM

That my number reason why I don't want Obama in the white house. As a black person I think that he will set back race relations decades.

McCain said that one. If Obama had been white no one would have cared but since Obama is black anything you could say to a white person while talking to them have to be analyzed to death and found to be racists just because.

Yeah, of all the debate things that were discussed economy, war but that one is what the Obama campaign wants to focus one.

Posted by: coolrepublica | Oct 7, 2008 11:45:07 PM

That one, as in, the second debate. What did you think I meant?

(BTW: McCain uses "that one" frequently in his stump speeches; the set-up is usually clearer, as McCain refers to Obama's being one of the senators who supported it, not McCain -- as in, if you had to guess who supported the Bush-Cheney '05 energy bill, it's that senator, not this senator. But it came off awkwardly on stage tonight.)


McCain was referring to Obama as a senator and then said this one didn't vote for it.

The cameras cut away when McCain said this one.

McCain then referred to him as this one.


McCain has the worst luck the camera shots took him out of context.

Posted by: Jeff | Oct 7, 2008 11:45:09 PM

Hey let's talk about Tom Brokaw -- what a spoiler -- I think this should be his last moderation -- He was overly pushy...He only made references to time when Sen Obama was about to speak...he was to flexible with Sen McCain and he on numerous ocassions thanked Sen McCain for his anws but never did he thank Sen Obama...this was not my imagination...he also became too involve and stole the thunder of the Town Hall paticipants. where is Walter Conkite when u need him

Posted by: bellgirl | Oct 7, 2008 11:46:09 PM

It was to be expected. McCain and Palin seem to feed off hate and trash talk, Palin especially. McCain may be worth $100 million, but I won't vote for someone with no class.

Posted by: joesmom | Oct 7, 2008 11:46:49 PM

To Jake Tapper,

McCain was noting the ironic vote on a Bush Cheney sponsored bill. He (rhetorically) asked the audience to guess which one of the 2 candidates standing there at town hall voted FOR the bill? The answer - “that one” (i.e. meaning that candidate, the democrat) and the one who voted AGAINST the bill — “this one” (i.e. this candidate, the republican.) The vote is in fact ironic (and telling) and it was not disrespectful as stated.


McCain uses this all the time he said that senator didn't vote for it this one did.

McCain was using shorthand for that senator.

McCain said that one.

McCain says this all the time in his stump speeches.


McCain then referred to himself as this one didn't vote for it.


McCain said that senator that one didn't vote for it this one referring to himself did vote for it.


McCain has the worst luck. He is being taken out of context.


Posted by: Jeff | Oct 7, 2008 11:47:41 PM

Can any of you imagine if Obama shows such an arrogant towards McCain? Obama would never be this low. McCain's inside is ugly.

Posted by: leighg1 | Oct 7, 2008 11:49:26 PM

McCain says this all the time in his stump speeches on the bush energy vote.

McCain says that senator didn't vote for it this one did.


McCain was saying that senator did vote for it this one didn't.


The cameras cut away when McCain said this one did vote for it referring to himself.

McCain said that one didn't vote for it short hand for that senator didn't vote for it and this one did vote for it.

Posted by: Jeff | Oct 7, 2008 11:49:41 PM

Obama took advantage of McCain's war injuries in e-mail ad.

Obama blamed Clinton for Bhutto assasination.

Obama called Bill Clinton racist.

Obama blamed McCain for the floods in the midwest.

Posted by: Jeff | Oct 7, 2008 11:50:58 PM

That one was short hand for that senator.

The cameras cut away and McCain said this one didn't.

McCain referred to himself as this one.

The camermas cut away right when he said it.


All McCain said was that senator voted for the bush energy bill and he didn't vote for it.


That senator did this senator didn't.


That one did this one didn't.


McCain referred to himself as this one.


He says this all the time in his stump speeches.

Posted by: Jeff | Oct 7, 2008 11:52:42 PM

Obama clearly. McCain and Palin are showing their ture racist and "entitlement mentality" faces. We no longer have to speculate whether or not they think the poor, milddle class, minority, women (especially those who married up or inherited money, or those of us who earn under $200k (I only wish) aren't worth the toliet paper they use to wipe themselves with after a good crap!

Posted by: Lartha J. Downes | Oct 7, 2008 11:52:45 PM

Not sure how 40% of the country doesn't get it. McCain is NOT worthy of being president. He thinks he's entitled to something. I hope he loses his senate seat. He's entitled to go home at this point.

Posted by: J Diaz | Oct 7, 2008 11:53:36 PM

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