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Does McCain Agree Or Disagree With Surrogates Questioning Obama's American-Ness?
Okay, this is interesting. The McCain campaign just responded to our post below pointing out that top McCain surrogates are openly questioning Obama's American-ness, for lack of a better word.
I asked the McCain camp whether he agrees with those surrogates. In response, McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers referred me back to this exchange between McCain and reporters.
In that previous exchange, McCain had been asked whether Obama was patriotic, and didn't quite answer the question directly, though he did describe Obama as a "great American success story." McCain's spokesperson then added...
Sen. McCain's comments speak for themselves -- he respects Sen. Obama and considers him "a great American success story." The question in this campaign is about issues and whose vision can move us forward to security and prosperity.
Nothing about what those surrogates said, though.
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The answer to your question is obvious: of course they approve of moves like Guiliani's. This is their campaign strategy. I don't think it is worthwhile for TPM to dwell on it, as it just spreads it. The media need to get the focus on the economic stuff. They are so reluctant to talk about those fundamental issues that most voters are not hearing the truth about McCain in that area.
Theda S.
July 10, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd hardly call an occasional post about McSame's slimy maneuvers "dwelling" on the subject.
And I don't think Greg or Eric should self-censor their coverage according to what may harm or benefit one campaign or the other. They just take the news as it breaks and tell it like it is.
July 10, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great point. Having the argument means McCain's camp wins. This reminds me of a story best told by Hunter Thompson:
Back in 1948, during his first race for the U.S. Senate, Lyndon Johnson was running about ten points behind, with only nine days to go. He was sunk in despair. He was desperate. And it was just before noon on a Monday, they say, when he called his equally depressed campaign manager and instructed him to call a press conference for just before lunch on a slow news day and accuse his high-riding opponent, a pig farmer, of having routine carnal knowledge of his barnyard sows, despite the pleas of his wife and children.
His campaign manager was shocked. "We can't say that, Lyndon," he supposedly said. "You know it's not true."
"Of course it's not true!" Johnson barked at him. "But let's make the bastard deny it!"
This is all about getting Obama to deny what is obviously false.
July 10, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg,
Glad you were contacted and this shows that the McFuddle campaign can be reached and will respond to reports like yours! keep up the good work and I'd to see more of having McFuddle respond from a defensive mode.
July 10, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing about what those surrogates said, though.
Did you point that out to Brian Rogers?
July 10, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
McFuddle's campaign is the Great Mental Recession washing over America. Not commenting on his surrogates? Damn straight. He's too busy winking, baring his teeth and yelling "look, over there!"
July 10, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
The is all priming for when other Surragates refine the message that Obama isn't a natural born citizen.
July 10, 2008 1:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, if only there was some sort of certificate created upon one's birth to prove such citizenship.
July 10, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama anticipated all of this in that speech in Florida. The speech in which he said the "and he's black" that set the political commentators into a frenzy of "should he have brought race into the race?????!?@?#?$?"
I guess I'm not surprised that the McCain campaign is being disingenuous in its response. That's the way McCain operates.
What baffles me is how Mitt Romney is able to say something as fatuous as "He gets his inspiration from Europe" with a straight face.
July 10, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, yes (read in your best W.C. Fields voice) -- I seem to recall this tale from the Republican primaries...
"As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon "minister of religion" for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years."
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/
So -- Romney got out of Vietnam by going to France?? Was Mitt the Flip going all Euro on us?
July 10, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
we should be so lucky to have him as veep candidate. but really, this "unamerican" stuff isn't a juicy as "nation of whiners" and "social security is a disgrace." mcThuseleh is talking to a country that no longer exists. let him play that 78 one more time.
July 10, 2008 1:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Smooth talking is pretty much Romney's only talent. Coincidentally, it's one of McCain's weak points. They should show up to the presidential debate stacked up under a trenchcoat.
July 10, 2008 1:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
True, his pet gerbils Graham and Lieberman probably have McCain's poor old anus stretched to capacity.
July 10, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
baracks media team is too slow. it burns me up.
he MUST hit back NOW..HARD. be on top of all this shit man. come on!!
July 10, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
hold a damn press conference or media call!! come on barack!
July 10, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is just McCain's way of playing the race card. He's saying, "Obama is not one of us." Disgusting. Who would vote for such arrogant people?
July 10, 2008 1:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
It really is pathetic that the republicans and right-wing media have nothing better to argue about. This argument will go on until november and it's just ridiculous and borders on blatant racism. Fear 24/7 until november. Hopefully our country is better than this.
July 10, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
On July 7th, a McCain rep said the following of Obama:
“We don’t want to talk about his patriotism and character,” said McCain adviser Charlie Black. “We concede that he’s a patriot and person of good character. This is about big issues.”
All Obama needs to do is have a video of Romney and Guiliani saying those things, then show this statement made by McCain's advisor --
July 10, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the link to that comment by Black:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11550.html
July 10, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain admits he can't control the 527s either
I guess that's a kind of consistency.
July 10, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's consistency we can believe in!
He can't control 527s, and he can't control his surrogates. So we should elect him to the most powerful office in the world because.....?????
July 10, 2008 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
He was a POW. He is Mavericky.
What else do you need?
July 10, 2008 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, you're in CT, right? If you get WNPR, John Edwards is going to be on "Where we live" tomorrow (9AM). 90.5, on the dial.
July 10, 2008 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup, I think I heard a bit of it today on 89.9, talking about his poverty initiative...or maybe that was just a promo.
Thanks for the heads up. I recall you were an Edwards gal, no?
July 10, 2008 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
... because after eight years of a juvenile, wannabe flyboy with an unacknowledged drinking problem in the White House, it's important that we now have an over the hill real flyboy with an unacknowledged gambling problem.
July 10, 2008 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because he provides the kind of passive aggressive leadership that Americans yearn for.
Although I really like Dorn76's 'Mavericky' word.
July 10, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
But this didn't work for Hillary, so why will it work for McCain?
July 10, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well crying 911 didn't work.
Time to move on to the next section of the Republican Presidential Election Play Book.
July 10, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is Obama doing today?
July 10, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is old and way past his best years. He is clearly so last century. But the real reason to not vote for him in November is that he's a Republican. The GOP shoved Bush on us and we've suffered exponentially ever since with his lack of leadership, curiosity, and intellect. They rejected McCain in 2000 and the GOP establishment backed Bush. now look where we are. nowhere. the GOP should go off into the wilderness and discover itself again, or play with itself as who cares, but they don't deserve to keep the WH. and it is that simple.
July 10, 2008 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
The real reason not to vote for McCain is that he is a liar and an idiot.
July 10, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg,
I'm really suprised TPM hasn't written about Gail Collins's column today because it really captures the essence of Barack Obama's candidacy -- that Obama is a pragmatic progressive politician unwilling to wage quixotic fights, and prefers to save his political capital for the issues of the time.
July 10, 2008 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the nose, Jimbo, fellow Beantowner.
July 10, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
on health insurance coverage,
Q: why Viagra is in but women's birth control pill isn't?
McDuh:......I'll get back to you.
Q: are you in charge of your campaign?
McDuh:......I'll ask Karl Rove and get back to you.
July 10, 2008 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are so many things to go after McSame with.
Where are Obama's people? He needs to have them
out there commenting on all this stuff.
Maybe they think it is too soon. It is a long time till GE. People forget.
July 10, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink