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McCain's New Offensive -- Not Seen Here
October 08, 2008 6:36 AM
ABC's Ron Claiborne from Nashville:
McCain's new offensive is an effort to pose the question "who is Barack Obama really?" And provoke doubts about his experience, his character, his honesty, his trustworthiness ... He never got a good opening to pursue that argument or line of attack. Partly it was because so many questions were about the economy. Partly because the format didn't really afford him the chance to build that kind of prosecutorial case against his opponent. Maybe partly because the nature of such an attack comes across as personal and it hard to attack someone what harshly in front of "witnesses," other people who are not politicians or journalists accustomed to that kind of combat.
So the Debate was notable for what didn't come up: Bill Ayers. Sarah Palin and Republicans have been pounding Obama for his "association" with the former Weather Underground leftist radical who bombed government buildings in the 1960's. But it never came up in questions and McCain didn't bring it up or even allude to it during the debate.
October 8, 2008 in Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (6)
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Perhaps neither candidate was as specific as listeners wanted on issues and policies, but the format respected voters' preferences in discussing the issues which matter most to them like the economy.
It did not permit one candidate to DERAIL the debate by engaging in prosecutorial attacks on the other.
Most of us want respectful debates and deplore negative attacks.
McCain's condescending use of the perjorative "that one" has done him serious damage along with Palin's stoking hate on the campaign trail.
Posted by: susan | Oct 8, 2008 8:37:20 AM
McCain doesn't owe us an explanation for Ayers, Obama does! Obama is the one who has lied to us and changed his story 3 times. It was more fun to watch Obama sweat. Oh what a tangle web he has woven!
Posted by: ubu1991 | Oct 8, 2008 9:00:34 AM
It is interesting that Palin referred to her ex-brother-in-law as a "loose canon". After getting a look at her since she stepped into the arena, I think her accusation of her brother-in-law is a projection of her own personality. She scares me.
Posted by: Alitheia | Oct 8, 2008 3:01:37 PM
I think it's very important to know and understand the cast of characters that Obama has been associated with for the past 20 years of his life. You are the company you keep. It goes to show his judgment, which as President he will be making decisions for the country. So if he can't even make a good decision in his personal life, what's going to happen when he's in office? The fact of the matter is McCain is having to educate the masses about Obama, because the liberal media, this includes ABC News hasn't done their job in investigating who Obama has been associated with and how. Bill Ayers gave Obama millions of dollars for 'educational' purposes - that's executive experience, right? So why isn't Obama letting people know about it? Does he have something to hide? The President of the United States, has a job to make those tough executive decisions for us - and with Obama's track record, he can't even make good decisions when it comes to the company that he keeps...
Posted by: Teri | Oct 8, 2008 8:46:47 PM
Hey, ABC, I have been looking all over your website for news on the FBI raiding Acorn HQ. in Nevada and investigating in Missouri and Indiana for voter fraud, Cant find a word about it. You would think a credible news agency would be reporting on a federal investigation on voter fruad dealing with the election of the POTUS. It certanly wouldnt have anything to do with the close ties that Sen. Obama has to this organition, that he trained them how to go out and gather people to vote and served as there lawyer for several years. What I see is more prove positive that the MSM is in the tank for Sen. Obama and will not dare report the truth about his associations, with these people and organizations.
Posted by: retired verteran | Oct 8, 2008 8:48:47 PM
If McCain does not know who Obama is, then where has he been? Does he have Dementia or alzheimers (old timers disese)? Who does he think he is running against? Palin? His wife? He should have research this when he knew he was running against Obama. Someone should tell him who he is running against, here, when, and for what office before the election.
Posted by: mr | Oct 9, 2008 9:14:33 AM
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