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GOP Senator Slams McCain Robo Call
October 17, 2008 8:17 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Rigel Anderson report: Embattled Republican Sen. Susan Collins is calling on Sen. John McCain to stop paying for automated phone calls which describe Sen. Barack Obama as having "worked closely" with "domestic terrorist Bill Ayers."
"These kind of tactics have no place in Maine politics," said Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley. "Sen. Collins urges the McCain campaign to stop these calls immediately."
Contacted on Friday by ABC News, the McCain campaign would not say if it was going to heed the request of Collins who serves as his campaign's co-chair in Maine.
"Obviously, Sen. McCain has great respect for Sen. Collins. But beyond that," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers, "we don't have any comment."
Ayers is the former leader of the Weather Underground. To protest the Vietnam War, his organization ran a domestic bombing campaign which resulted in fatalities.
Obama, who was 8 years old at the time, has repudiated those acts as "despicable." Friday's statement from the Collins campaign came after Maine's Democratic Party issued a press release earlier in the day challenging the Republican incumbent to denounce what it called "blatantly false phone calls personally attacking" Obama.
Collins' Democratic opponent was not satisfied.
"If she truly feels that strongly about it," said Carol Andrews, communications director to Democratic Rep. Tom Allen, "she should resign as co-chair of McCain's campaign in Maine."
Here is the script of the McCain-RNC robo call about Bill Ayers, which Collins criticized on Friday:
"Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge's home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee at 202-863-8500."
Politico has the audio HERE.
The Collins criticism of McCain's robo call was first reported by Jessica Alaimo of Politicker-Maine and later confirmed by ABC News.
October 17, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (291)
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"jerilyn" -- The issue is McSlimers robocalls -- not Obama's "negative ads".
_____
Robocalls are probably illegal in ME, exactly as they are in one or more New England states, including MA.
Not that Republicans are concerned with rule of law -- torture is a war crime that can't be made legal. Plumbing without a license is illegal.
But "jerilyn" isn't sufficiently moral to deal with those realities, so she dishonestly and irrationally changes the subject based upon the lie that she's not only moral, but morally superior to those who aren't liars and lawless.
Posted by: JNagarya | Oct 17, 2008 9:22:45 PM
McCain is garbage. Period.
Posted by: bubba | Oct 17, 2008 9:22:47 PM
Do not confuse the negativity of the two campaigns' ads. McCain's are personal attacks on Obama as a person and his loyalty to America. Obama's ads attack McCain's record and policies.
Kudos to Collins.
Posted by: Bill | Oct 17, 2008 9:23:12 PM
For those that want to change their party. Go. Don't want you. Let me know when you get your handouts. I hope, for your sakes, he delivers. BHO is going to say look folks I thought I could give you guys a break but man I have all these great ideas and I need to pay for them somehow. So be patriotic!
Posted by: johnny | Oct 17, 2008 9:23:49 PM
With all the brouhaha about the polls, I decided to start on of my own. I started a blog and ask these questions:
Does everyone realize there are four choices in this election?
You can vote:
For McCain – McCain is the best candidate in this election and deserves to be elected.
Against Obama – Where this might seem as a vote for McCain; its really not, it is a vote to keep Obama from being elected; no matter who the other candidate is.
For Obama – Obama is the best candidate in this election and deserves to be elected.
Against McCain – again this might seem like for Obama but it really isn’t.
Go to my blog and vote: http://nebraskavoice.blogspot.com
The results so for are interesting…
McCain – 56%
Obama – 44%
Posted by: NebraskaVoice | Oct 17, 2008 9:23:50 PM
America has been kept blind by the “media”.
World Net Daily, Aaron Klein
“Sen. Barack Obama is a Muslim of Kenyan origin who studied in Islamic schools and whose campaign may have been financed by people in the Islamic and African worlds, Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi said during a recent televised national rally” (watch the rally).
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78309
"There are elections in America now. Along came a black citizen of Kenyan African origins, a Muslim, who had studied in an Islamic school in Indonesia. His name is Obama," said Gadhafi in little-noticed remarks he made at a rally marking the anniversary of the 1986 U.S. air raid on his country.
Posted by: Ann | Oct 17, 2008 9:26:56 PM
I love this constant reference to how Obama is spending more money on negative advertising. That is because HE HAS MORE MONEY! That is because people like me would rather give him our money then the vilest republican since, well, W.
McCain spends ALL of his money on negative ads and it is still not as much money as Obama is spending because he just doesn't have as much. Period.
Posted by: Chad | Oct 17, 2008 9:27:56 PM
Here's another republican, the female Mccarthy ....after this stunt, her opponent has received $40,000 in one site alone in donations, he had $2,500 donated as of 6pm tonight
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/17/gop-rep-channels-mccarthy_n_135735.html
Posted by: ann | Oct 17, 2008 9:30:12 PM
JNagarya - Obama has to hide a little with the negatives. Because if he doesn't alot more unpleasant relationships could be brought out. I think McCain is being generous. Be thankful. He is not the Messiah you think he is.
Posted by: jonesy | Oct 17, 2008 9:31:54 PM
Ann (at 9:26:56 PM), Barack Obama was born in Hawaii. My mother-in-law, a retired obstetrics nurse, was present at his birth, having worked for the OB-GYN who tended to his 18-year-old mother during her pregnancy.
I fully realize, since you quote World Net Daily, that you are perhaps unaware that Hawaii has been part of the United States since 1898. However, now that you've been enlightened, please stop spreading patently false information.
Posted by: Donald from Hawaii | Oct 17, 2008 9:37:47 PM
when news organizations report the bombs 'resulted in fatalities' does anyone wonder why ayers is not in jail? you should. you're not getting the whole story. the MSM is completely comprimised by corporations.
the only people who died were a few of the bomb-makers themselves...surprise!
Posted by: lucky | Oct 17, 2008 9:39:00 PM
Donald from Hawaii - is Hawaii the 57th state??
Posted by: arial | Oct 17, 2008 9:39:50 PM
"If she truly feels that strongly about it," said Carol Andrews, communications director to Democratic Rep. Tom Allen, "she should resign as co-chair of McCain's campaign in Maine."
-=-=-
Rep. Tom Allen is a hypocrite for calling on Sen. Collins to resign as Sen. McCain's campaign co-chair in Maine for running robocalls while not calling for Sen. Obama to withdraw his candidacy for President of the United States for running tv ads beyond public finance limits.
Posted by: Obamacrat for McCain | Oct 17, 2008 9:40:54 PM
McCain will lie, cheat and steal if he has to in order to get to the White House. These "Robo" calls are disgusting. Wake up people this is how he will lead and it's scary.
Obama/Biden 08
Posted by: Sarah | Oct 17, 2008 9:41:12 PM
lucky - well that kind of sucks for Obama that Ayers wasn't one of them.
Posted by: jonesy | Oct 17, 2008 9:41:42 PM
Obama and his democratic allies? I thought McCain was going to reach accross the isle too? So much for the independent"Allies". So all those democratic voters out their are incompetent too. So McCain is saying over half of the voters in America are misguided? And his campaign not only disrespects the democrats, he disrespects a co-chair of his own campaign. Wow. Could it be possible this bunch is worse than Bush?
Posted by: Miki | Oct 17, 2008 9:42:11 PM
>> I think McCain is being generous
Then you don't know John McCain or his long history of involvement in some of the more shady times in history that have cost many others their careers.
Posted by: GBA | Oct 17, 2008 9:42:20 PM
Is Sen Collins' protest genuine or does it just try to reduce her association with McCain in the minds of undecided voters? If the ads continue, I'd think she's engaging in a bit of theatre.
Posted by: Jim | Oct 17, 2008 9:43:26 PM
Go after him Susan you and Snow and as close to M>C> Smith as they come in fact either of you ladies would have been better as a running mate then Palin.Tell Cindy baby that she is a liar and puke.She slams ever chance she gets and did it again today but Her Hubby champaign is clean.HA-HA
Posted by: indp voter | Oct 17, 2008 9:43:28 PM
lol typical liberal responses, smear the messenger instead of the message.
Posted by: john | Oct 17, 2008 9:44:09 PM
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