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McCain Campaign Attacks Obama For ... Taking His Shirt Off On A Beach

This, just blasted to reporters by the McCain campaign, has to be one of the oddest attacks ever:

You know you may just be a global celebrity when you get this headline in Reuters, "Obama Takes Shirt Off Again, Goes Body Surfing In Hawaii."

Hard to know what's more bizarre: The fact that this is indeed the Reuters headline, or the fact that the McCain campaign is flogging it.

Talk about a slow news day...


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McCain has a man crush on Obama. It's the only reasonable explanation.

I'm sure McCain heard this one at Sturgis: "Show us your tits, John!"

Maybe Obama should have taken a beach stroll ala Nixon at the Cotton Point Whitehouse -suit, tie and dress shoes in the surf. The way real Americans spend a day at the beach.

McCain 08 - He's not that senile; he's insane!

Does John McCain control anything in his campaign?

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He can't even control his bowels.

John McCain: A leader with Depends on!

Do Depends come in a swimming model like Pampers? If not, it may explain why we don't see more pictures of McCain in swimwear.

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Read the article!

HONOLULU - Look out, ladies. Barack Obama has taken his shirt off in public again.

The 47-year-old senator from Illinois, who created a minor sensation with a shirtless photo on his last trip to Hawaii, stripped down to his trunks on Thursday for an impromptu body surfing excursion.

Obama and a few friends waded into the water and sportily rode a few waves to the delight of other beach revelers. Earlier in the day he went snorkeling with his family.

Despite the hectic schedule of being the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Obama works out regularly and plays basketball to stay fit.

People magazine published a photo of the buff-looking senator emerging from the ocean in January 2007 on a page with other Hollywood stars.

I'm not sure why McCain would want to highlight something that only brings the contrast between the candidates in terms of health and vitality into sharp focus. Sure, it's superficial on the "attractiveness" level, but on a rather important "physical ability to serve as President" level, it's just bad for McCain.

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People are hard-wired to look for certain physical traits in leaders. It's why the vast majority of politicians are over six feet tall and are relatively nice-looking people with straight teeth. A photo of McCain lounging pool-side in a tank-top would effectively end his campaign.

Genetics ... can't live with them, can't live without them.

A photo of McCain lounging pool-side in a tank-top

{shiver}

It would end a lot of things.

At least Obama can remove his own shirt. McCain can't even change his own depends underwear.

SEX ON A BEACH!


I know all red blooded patriotic queer Americans will join with me in urging John McCain to keep his on


PLEASE GOD

Greg,

I agree. Its a slow news cycle indeed.


On the other hand, at least Obama can remove his own shirt. McCain can't even change his own depends underwear.

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I actually think that Obama looks better in 2008 than he did in 2006. It looks like he has been working out.

Obama looks great!!!

To be fair, Obama shirtless looked much better than it did last year.
I actually thought it served to underscore how healthy and in shape he was compared to McCain

I am watching to see if how ridiculous our media has become. No sensible journalist should report this except they are morons or political hack

To be fair, its not a new phenomonon. Similar reversions to "Tiger Beat" standards of reporting happened whenever JFK hit the beach.

Where are these topless photos?

Right here. I am having a hard time seeing how any of these photos look any different than any other set of family vacation pics.

Thanks! Nice to see Barack's campaign is finally taking my advice.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/08/we-need-a-sexy-president.php#comment-3017054

Can't say Barack's not using every weapon possible to reach the holdout Hillary supporters :)

DUDE-
WHERE CAN I FIND YOUR AVATAR ART?!?!?!?! I have been googling mercilessly. My wife and I want to make t-shirts on our t-shirt press!

And that one was at BaristaBarry, not mr. kilt wearing guy (no offense, kilt-wearer).

Don't worry, I understood that you were talking to Ms Berry. Her pic would make a much better t-shirt than would mine.

It's actually already a t-shirt:

http://www.hotnessfactory.com/store/damnkids

Thanks for sharing. I just LOVE your avatar. LOL every time.

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What?!!! Obama took his shirt off at the beach?!

What the hell was he thinking?!!!! For god's sake, think about the children!!!

Actually, he needed some sun. His tanline stops at his neck!

The Reuters headline simply brings into focus one of McCains attack points. So yes, on a slow Friday they add a twig to their celebrity/out of touch bonfire.
And of course every time McCain gets "Obama" and "celebrity" into the same media story it's a McCain win. Even Today'sPravdaMemo helps McCain out on this one.
So let's see:
Crisis in Georgia and McCain talks like Commander in Chief while Hussein plays Putin's ButtBoy in the Hawaiian surf.
Oh yeah, brilliant strategary on Hussein's part!

Hey JTHB, how'd the klan meeting go last night?

"And of course every time McCain gets "Obama" and "celebrity" into the same media story it's a McCain win."

If you are a desperate McCain supporter, hopped up on a lethal combination of Oxycontin and Crystal Meth - Its a win. Otherwise, not so much.

"Oh yeah, brilliant strategary on Hussein's part!"

Hey fucknuts, how many percentage points has McCain's "celebrity" attack moved in his favor? That's what I thought, talk about "brilliant" strategies..

Have you seen some of the guys at the beach with their tops off? Ewww. At least Obama looks good doing it, and that makes your garden-variety doughy Young Republican jealous as hell.

Hard to know what's more bizarre: The fact that this is indeed the Reuters headline, or the fact that the McCain campaign is flogging it.
Definitely the Reuters headline. I mean, what does "taking his shirt off" have to do with anything? He was at the beach. McCain can be expected to flog anything and everything that they consider to be a weakness, especially when it dovetails with their Obama = Paris Hilton message. But why the hell is Reuters twisting into knots to push that theme?

That last was just a rhetorical question. At this point, I think we all know why. It just never ceases to amaze me when it's this blatant.

It looks like an assistant to McCain.

"assist," rather

Reply to this one is easy - McCain would get a headline also if he took off his shirt and body surfed. Of course, the headline might be slightly different...

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You know, body surfing is such an elitist sport.

It's only practiced by... people with bodies.

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he's gone all walt whitman on us. what a maverick!

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it's clear obama doesn't have the manboobs to be president.

So millions of Americans must be celebraties.... or something.

I think that this shows bravery on Obama's part -- what with all of the skin-cancer causing UV rays that leak through the hole in the ozone layer.

Headline: Barack Obama Stands Up To Global Warming

http://thepajamapundit.com/

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You do actually understand that the hole in the ozone layer has no connection to the global warming problem, right?

Those are 2 separate atmospheric pollution issues.

We all thought the "Paris-Britney" ad was odd too, and laughed at it. Well, it worked.

Obama's campaign needs to turn this around and say, "So now it's an offense to take off your shirt to swim? John McCain clearly has lost his bearings. Does he speak for his campaign on this line of attack?"

I think it'll be pretty cool to have a buff young president who knows how to bodysurf.

Talk about a slow news day...

So I take it there were no sharks?


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They're waiting for later in the day 'til after the weekly news cycle ends.

Man alive, I thought that the McCain campaign was scraping the bottom of the barrel with the Paris/Brittney bit, but they really look desperate now. They got nothing...

This might very well work.

Gosh, I guess anything is possible, but I have a hard time believing that there is a substantial voting constituency out there that is opposed to men going shirtless at the beach.

McCain offered up his wife in a nude "beauty pageant"...

McCain's campaign is so catty and petty. I don't know how Republicans can't be embarrassed by it's antics.

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To quote Garrison Keilor; "Republicans made thier peace with hypocrisy long ago."

If there is one thing the R's have a patent on it is the ability to condemn others for things much less offensive than their own faults and foibles.

All this talk about Obama remiving his shirt at the beach, I wonder what Larry Craig removed in the Minneapolis airport bathroom. And what did Foley remove while in the company of some of those pages?

Hardly compares to a man with his family at the beach removing his shirt.

I agree with some of our other comentors, if Obama and McCain ever took their shirts off on the same stage, McCain's delusionary, manly, warmonger "strengths" would evaporate.

How about a beach volleyball match?

I would love to see McCain at the beach, in one of those old timey one piece body suits.

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The imagine of that made me spit my coffee all over the screen! LOL!

:)

McCain's obviously got nipple envy. His have been pointing southward since the first Gulf War.

"You know you may just be a global celebrity when you get this headline in Reuters, "Obama Takes Shirt Off Again, Goes Body Surfing In Hawaii.""

Who is this level of fluff an indictment of?

Reuters for dishing substance free crap, or McCain for dwelling on it?

So where's a picture of the emaciated Barack this week? He is the skinniest nominee for his height in the modern era. All that arugula eating, you know.

Holy sheets! He be havin three nipples! Yikes!

Oh, waits... He's from France. Dat be splainin evvything. Nemmermind.

You know you may just be a global celebrity when . . .

Good to know the McCain campaign has hired Jeff Foxworthy as a writer.

A man swimming without a shirt on as an issue, we really are a nation of prudes.

McCain. A president we can depends on. hehe - that's awesome.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see Barbara Walters interview Cindy McCain and ask her opinion about Barak's topless at the beach pictures?

How would Cindy respond?

He's hot!!

mjeffn, she would also say, not need to wait for viagra to kick in.

Jealous much?

Here's the funny response from Tommy Vietor:

From: Tommy Vietor Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 11:03 AM To: Tommy Vietor Subject: RNC ATTACKS: No hamburger, moviegoer or ice cream cone will be spared!

Breaking News Alert – RNC attacks hamburgers, moviegoers and ice cream cones! Puppies and kittens feared to be next!

Below are just a few examples of the RNC’s recent attacks on Obama. Apparently the folks at the RNC don’t like eating cheeseburgers or ice cream with their families, and are not among the millions of Americans who enjoyed Batman.

(PS guys – the article you used to attack Obama for liking Batman also notes that Batman is McCain’s favorite superhero: “JOHN McCAIN: Batman: ''He does justice sometimes against insurmountable odds. And he doesn't make his good works known to a lot of people, so a lot of people think he's just a rich playboy.''

Recent RNC Oppo Hits

Island Snow Hawaii (130 Kailua Road, Kailua, HI): The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports Obama stopped at Island Snow Hawaii yesterday and “asked for a cone with ‘guava orange, Lanikai lime and choo-choo cherry.’ … A crowd of about 50 people gathered behind him, snapping pictures with digital cameras and cell phones and giving him a round of applause as he exited.”

Ward 16 Theatre (1200 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, Hawaii): The Honolulu Star Bulletin reports Barack Obama ate popcorn and watched the 3:40 showing of the Dark Knight in theater 9 yesterday. Obama recently named Batman and Spider-man as his favorite superheroes, citing their “inner turmoil.”

Kua 'Aina Sandwich Shop (1200 Ala Moana Blvd # 665, Honolulu, Hawaii): The Honolulu Advertiser reports “Obama ordered six half-pound cheeseburgers, eight third-pound cheeseburgers, 10 kids' burgers and 20 orders of fries” for a total of “just over $116” at Kua 'Aina yesterday.

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I guess you have to swim with a shirt on when you're 71 fucking years old.

I've said before that we're not a serious country. Problem is, we are - but we have men like McCain who seek to gain control of it in less than serious ways. Anyone voting for this cat either likes to have their intelligence insulted or their faulty ego massaged by high-school-level criticism.

November 4 can't get here soon enough.

another reason for jealosy. NYT print version has a photo of Obama eating with daughters and friends...

and showing a bit too much package.

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Latest Reuters Headline:
"McCain wonders how smooth Obama's chest is after a dip in the pool"

Thos pix compare very favorably to the snapshots of Nixon taking a stroll near the waves in his wingtips. My only question: what's with the one arm body-surfing posture? Down the shore we always use two arms - the better to push our way through the New Yorkers. John McCain's just mad that without his shirt, he's a living endorsement for the "bro." Or is it the "mansierre"?

My, aren't we jealous?

It's all part of the subtle (or not so) play on fears of miscegenation that worked on Harold Ford. Hot chicks dig Obama, he's taking his shirt off, BEWARE HE'S GOING TO SLEEP WITH YOUR DAUGHTER!!!

Obama is hot! Poor McFuddle cannot stand it! Barack, please swim with a long-sleeved shirt and pants on at all times. We are all getting too oversexed by this exposure. And what, bye the bye, is Michelle wearing? I hope she is not showing her belly button in public, or her upper thighs.

Somehow is picture of Obama can only help. what and elritst to do to go shirtless at the beach and when you go body surfing. Its just as eltists as breathing

Just to be clear: this headline appeared in Reuters Blogs authored by Jeff Mason. It was NOT in their hard news headlines. Here's the link:
http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/08/15/obama-takes-shirt-off-again-goes-body-surfing-in-hawaii/

Obama actually has pretty good form. Having surfed for over 40 years and surfed in Hawaii many times I can say that he has some cred in the ocean. Was he at Sandy Beach? I've bodysurfed there in serious waves and it thumps pretty hard.

Score:
Obama: +5

You fuckers have no idea! Only gays work out fervently to keep in shape. People will start asking soon whether those two cute kids really Obama's? No sane human goes working out three times a day. Even GWB does only ones. This empty suit keeps his weight down because he keeps smoking while even my aunt of 89 years old has quitted recently. This man has no discipline but to keep his abodomin to attract gay men. If you think other Americans are as crazy as you, you are more fucked than people think!

HIDE THE CHILDREN! Aimey May is off her meds and on the loose!

Are you really even trying anymore?

abodomin

Why am I getting visions of John McCain with Kramer standing behind him, as he fits him for a BRO (the bra for men)?

What's next from the McCain campaign? T-shirts that good old all-american republican mom's can purchase for their pre-adolescent daughters to wear that say;


"Smart Happy Black Men in Good Health Running for President are Stupid - THROW ROCKS AT THEM!"

Being an American during a presidential season is a humbling experience.

McCain's bathing suit is one of those nifty Victorian, 1900's style all-in-one, woolen, striped, shoulder to knee suits... complete with his "union suit" BVD underwear with the rear "trap door."

Cue the carnival music...

Someone has a man crush.
Someone has a man crush.

Who body surfs while wearing a shirt?

The important thing to remember is that this story would still have been written if he'd left his shirt on, just with a few minor edits.

Clearly Obama doesn't get it that a real president wears a black-and-white striped one-piece bathing suit, with a straw hat on his head and an onion hanging from the belt. Elitist whippersnapper.

Obama really should know better than to show his nipples to the American public.

Here is a shot of John McCain hanging out on the beach with friends and family. Notice the appropriate and non-celebritous attire.

A better link since we can't edit our posts.

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"other Hollywood stars..."

Please, I really don't want to see McCain without his shirt on. Yuck

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What does McCain wear to the beach? A striped tank top?

i just took my pants off


The story should be "Why Won't McCain take off his shirt"?
What is he hiding and what doesn’t he want Americans to see?

Is he afraid they would then understand that his VP pick is actually who they're voting for to be their next President?

Now, let’s see McCain without his shirt on.

McCottage Cheese & Cauliflower in a Speedo.

A day late and a dollar short, perhaps, but 2 things:

1. The reader comments on the Reuters blog are priceless!

And

2. Obama is seriously hot.

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I know Karl Rove. And you, Steve Schmidt, are no Karl Rove.

The McCain campaign is just awful. Every attempt to employ the Rovian tactic of turning the opponent's strength against him backfires.

Let's compare McCain's "celebrity" attacks to the Swift Boating of John Kerry. Entering the 2004 election, Rove had a problem. John Kerry was a war hero and George Bush was a draft dodger, and this REALLY screwed up the narrative of George Bush being a "war president." So what did Rove do? He unleashed the Swift Boat attacks, which effectively smeared John Kerry as cheating liar who faked injuries for purple hearts, then capitalized on those purple hearts to become flip-flopping, effeminate wimp. It was brutal and sleazy and 100% negative. But it was pure Rove and it was effective.

Fast forward to 2008. Steve Schmidt looks at Barack Obama and sees a hugely popular, good looking opponent whose single biggest weaknesses is his strange, foreign roots. So what does he do? He engages in one of the silliest, LEAST negative "attack" campaigns in recent history. He doesn't undermine Obama's appeal by doing the tough, cruel, sleazy Rovian thing, which would involve accusing Obama of being a Hamas suicide bomber in disguise as a senator. Instead, Schmidt accuses of Obama of being "the biggest celebrity in the world."

WTF?

On what planet does it make sense to undermine your hugely popular, good looking opponent by emphasizing the fact that he is...hugely popular and good looking? Take Schmidt's brilliant attack at face value: Obama "the biggest celebrity in the world." Where exactly does that get you? Does it mean that Obama is bigger than JFK? Tiger Woods? Jesus Christ? It has no sting, no cruelty, no sleazy feel of disgusting Rovian effectiveness. It simply reinforces the notion that lots of people like Barack Obama.

More importantly, the "celebrity" theme totally undermines the far more effective and appropriately Rovian attack about Obama being a Hamas suicide bomber. Americans idolize, love and trust their celebrities. Celebrities are safe, known quantities. Celebrities are winners and superstars. They are NOT strange, foreign, exotic outsiders with mysterious connections to Islam.

So Obama is "the biggest celebrity in the world." You know, like Tiger Woods. That evil, foreign bastard, that everyone hates...Tiger Woods, what with his strange mixed heritage and uppity dominance over a lily white sport. Except for one small problem: everyone loves Tiger Woods.

Poor Karl. He put his protege' in charge of McCain's campaign and found out that Steve Schmidt has no balls, no nerve, and no evil in his soul.

OMG.. he is at the beach!!!!! what man keeps there shirt on at the beach while surfing... mc cain needs to get a life. he is just jealous that obama can do that and he cant.. who wants to see mc cain with his shirt off?????? not i said the cat. !!!!!! good job obama...

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