« Previous | Main | Next »

Obama: 'Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Weeks Ago?'

Share

October 08, 2008 2:07 PM

ABC News' John Berman, Sunlen Miller, and Ursula Fahy report: Barack Obama today invoked the memory of Ronald Reagan and told an Indiana crowd to ask, "if you are better off than you were 4 weeks ago."

Tapping–in to the overwhelming economic concerns facing the country, Obama spoke before some 20,000 thousand people at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. "The money you've been putting away for your retirement or your kids' college education is disappearing faster than you can count," he said, "The dream that so many generations have fought for feels like it's slowly slipping away."

Obama remembered the famous line that Ronald Reagan used  to attack Jimmy Carter, suggesting Americans ask, "are you better off than you were four years ago?"  Obama said, "At the pace we are going, you are going to have to ask if you are better off than you were 4 weeks ago."

Then, after spending a good deal of time essentially saying people should be worried, Obama told them not to worry.

In a speech that seems one-part political event, and one-part economic pep-rally, Obama said, "I'm here today to tell you that there are better days ahead. I know these are tough times. I know that many of you are anxious about the future. But this isn't a time for fear or panic."  He said what the country needs is "steady leadership," and he clearly thinks he is the man to provide it.

The event in Indiana today is interesting in its very existence.  The Hoosier state not been won by a Democrat since 1964.  Yet Obama is outspending John McCain 3 to 1 here on political commercials.  And if even if he can't win, it seems clear he will force McCain to fight in a state that has been safe Republican territory for more than 40 years.

Obama tried to reinforce some themes from Tuesday's debate in Nashville lampooning John McCain's health care plan which would give families a $5000 tax credit for health care, but for the first time, tax their employer-provided health care benefits. 

"It's an old Washington game, they call it bait and switch," said Obama,  "He gives you a tax credit with one hand, he raises your taxes with the other."

Of course another old Washington game is to release campaign commercials that dovetail with your speeches, which is just what Obama did.  He released an ad attacking McCain's health care policy that says, "so what one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away."  While Obama's statement is true, it is somewhat misleading.  Independent analysts suggest that the tax-credit most Americans would receive would be greater than the impact of the new tax, at least for a few years.  And Obama’s assertion that 20 million people would lose their health care ignores analysis that suggests 21 million would have greater access to care.

Obama also seemed to test out a line he might have used from last night's debate had it the tone turned more negative, or more personal. Commenting on days of statements from McCain aides, and his running mate Sarah Palin that question Obama's character, the Illinois Senator said, "I can take four more weeks of John McCain's attacks, but America can't take four more years of John McCain's Bush policies."

Obama was introduced by popular Indiana Senator Even Bayh fueling a flurry of VP speculation.  (That's a joke.  Bayh was on Obama's short list as a possible VP choice, before he ultimately chose Joe Biden)

October 8, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah | Permalink | User Comments (99)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I mean a sleze is a sleze in every color…and what moves sleze is money and power. And, Obama is a sleze, and he is in fact moved and being moved by money and power and he is using his own people to help. ..like sheep to the slaughter.
And many of the so called white liberals would not know what to say to a regular black working person if they , if they happen to run into them on the street, and in many cases they would not run into them because they live apart from them. I have witnessed over and over this hypocrisy everywhere I have lived.

Posted by: HP Boston | Oct 8, 2008 2:09:30 PM

HP Boston: say hello to president Obama.

Posted by: samurai | Oct 8, 2008 2:15:08 PM

Obama has played this race issue to perfection. He is not of a common heritage with American descendents of slaves. He is a new, more sophisticated mix of parentage. These people seem to have moved at will, around the world, being a part of every radical and subversive culture out there. He adopts the ‘downtroden AA’ persona when it serves his needs. He has harnessed the will and the efforts of millions of true black Americans to his cause, not because he is one of their true brothers, but because it serves his needs.

Posted by: HP Boston | Oct 8, 2008 2:16:37 PM

when have we had the luxury to live in hawaii…go to harvard and sip tea with rich terrorists? when have we ever thrown granny under the bus…where i come from u better never say anything about granny those r fighting words.

Posted by: HP Boston | Oct 8, 2008 2:18:51 PM

HP Boston: I read this article...it says nothing about race or color or anything like that. But that is where you jump to at the get go.

How does it feel to hate a group so much because of skin color? Does it keep you warm inside burning with all that hatred?

Posted by: G in Mpls | Oct 8, 2008 2:21:38 PM

Mccain/Palin: Klan First!

Posted by: Joe | Oct 8, 2008 2:23:41 PM

ACORN Nevada Office Raided RE: Voter Fraud
/

Nevada state authorities seized records and computers Tuesday from the Las Vegas office of ACORN after fielding complaints of voter fraud.

Bob Walsh, spokesman for the Nevada secretary of state’s office, told FOXNews.com the raid was prompted by ongoing complaints about “erroneous” registration information being submitted by ACORN.

“Some of them used nonexistent names, some of them used false addresses and some of them were duplicates of previously filed applications,” Walsh said, describing the complaints, which largely came from the registrar in Clark County, Nev.

———————-

Numerous Invalid Registrations Reported in Indiana
(ACORN again!)

In Lake County….. a federal investigation into hundreds of voter registrations bearing fictitious signatures or the names of dead and underage people.

“Fraudulent applications are the workings of ACORN groups operating from Milwaukee and Chicago who are getting out the vote for Obama…”

“…it appears some ACORN vote canvassers pulled names and addresses from telephone books and forged their signatures.”

NOTE: Henrietta reports that when ACORN got caught in IN, they scrammed… ‘cos illegal registration is a felony there!
—————

BO-folks STEALING THE ELECTION IN OHIO

BO folks are transporting people, including the homeless, to register &/or vote early…

Posted by: HP Boston | Oct 8, 2008 2:25:29 PM

so McCain's health care plane will have a net of 1 million people additionally insured? He calls that reform?

Posted by: Louis | Oct 8, 2008 2:26:47 PM

HP BOSTON:
Look at McCain's money. He has 8 houses, 12 cars, etc. He's the well off elitist who cares about taking care of his rich friends only. I suppose you have $5m and therefore support McCain. That is the standard that he set when defiing someone as being rich. Per his definition, Obama is poor.

Posted by: TexGal51 | Oct 8, 2008 2:27:23 PM

It may take a few days for it to sink in but the distinctions drawn in the debate last night were clear. We MUST get off oil and 10 years is a generous time to get that job done. Utilizing just 10% of our oil purchases to mass produce cars that run on electricity will have a significant impact within 2 years. The technology already exists to do that. Further investment, call it an additional 10% into the mass production and implementation of solar, wind and tidal farms across the US, again using currently proven technology, will have a massive impact in energy production and an increase of nearly 8 million new jobs directly related and indirectly related to that industry. Energy costs will come down, jobs and economy will go up, environment will be positively impacted. Plus ripples into education, healthcare and global trade. All for money we are already committed to spending. John McCain wants to do what we've always done, talk about it and explain how we can't afford it.

Posted by: Louis | Oct 8, 2008 2:27:52 PM

Amazing. We're in October and the Democrat is holding a rally in Indiana.

Posted by: Paul | Oct 8, 2008 2:28:19 PM

Here we have a man who was a lobbyist during his community oraganizing days, a man whose policies have helped fannie and freddie (and other programs like it) bring havoc to the economy and a man who says he is the one to fix it.

Rubbish.

Posted by: david | Oct 8, 2008 2:28:35 PM

Nothing changed in my world from 4 weeks ago, cept maybe my undies....please the people who lost the money had the money.

Speaking of voter fraud, they are having a problem with it here where I live, haven't heard anything on the national news, just our local news. They told us not to worry, if someone votes with your identity, you can still vote with a provisional ballot. Whoopie, and what about the fake vote that was cast? (Of course we have ACORN here)

Posted by: samhiguchi | Oct 8, 2008 2:30:16 PM

Aparently Hp in Boston has started his own Yankee bramch of the KKK. Great. Ya'll enjoy wearing your bedsheets and don't forget to put them back on the bed after you ride around in them all day.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 8, 2008 2:31:04 PM

Why do they call McCain erratic? Uh, maybe because last night he tried tacking to the left of his Democratic opponent. And most likely today he'll go back to the right.

I can guess Bob Barr last night went above the 1 percent threshold - which would be about three times what his LP predecessor got. I'm hearing from more than a couple Republicans who are getting tired of McCain's positions being all over the place. Some of them will still vote, but not for McCain.

Posted by: Paul | Oct 8, 2008 2:31:46 PM

"Are you better off than you were 2 years ago?"... 2years ago we had 4.5% unemployment, gas was $2.25 a gallon. interest rates low, virtually no inflation, Stock market climbing.. Then the Democrats came into power, especially taking over trhe banking committees and overseeing freddie mac and fannie mae, Look where we are now.... Democrats have destroyed America in just 2 years. This was thier plan to win the election, make people suffer.

Posted by: Arrest ANYONE thats disagrees with Obama | Oct 8, 2008 2:32:58 PM

sam - Glad to hear you are one of those rich guys. More power to ya. What about the people who have lost their jobs because of this mess. I am not talking the brokers etc, I am talking the receptionists, secretaries, runners mail clerks the lower minions and the like. What about the small business who may not be able to make payroll or get a nneded loan?

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 8, 2008 2:34:23 PM

McCain is getting Wip Lash!

Posted by: Thinking | Oct 8, 2008 2:35:20 PM

As I said 6 months ago, this race is not even going to be close. mccain will be lucky if he manages to get 150 electoral votes. Obama/Biden 2008!!!

Posted by: pt | Oct 8, 2008 2:35:49 PM

HP,

Paranoia! Mayhem! Whining! Greed! If hate this country and all it's downtrodden people so much, then move to Iraq. After all, the surge is working! You and your racist, greedy, warmongers will be greeted like liberators. Enjoy!

Goodbye McCain/Palin '08

Posted by: HP Los Angeles | Oct 8, 2008 2:36:17 PM

Post a comment