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Biden: McCain Campaign "Launching A Low Blow A Day"

It looks like Joe Biden will be playing a lead role in the Obama campaign's ratcheted-up assault on McCain's decision to run a campaign dominated by non-stop lies and adver-sleazements.

"The campaign a person runs says everything about the way they'll govern," Biden will say today in Michigan, according to advance excerpts.

Biden will also compare the McCain of today to the now-enshrined St. McCain of yesteryear:

When Senator McCain was subjected to unconscionable, scurrilous attacks in his 2000 campaign, I called him on the phone to ask what I could do.

And now, some of the very same people and the tactics he once deplored his campaign now employs.

The same campaign that once called for a town hall a week is now launching a low blow a day.

The constant references to McCain-as-victim-in-2000 are meant partly to achieve separation between the one-time maverick and the current not-so-mavericky incarnation, and partly to push the meme that McCain, of all people, should know better than to stoop this low, having been targeted this way himself. More Biden excerpts after the jump.

If we forget this history, we're going to be doomed to repeat it -- with four more just like the last eight, or worse. If you're ready for four more years of George Bush, John McCain is your man. Just as George Herbert Walker Bush was nicknamed "Bush 41" and his son is known as "Bush 43," John McCain could easily become known as "Bush 44." The campaign a person runs says everything about the way they'll govern. John McCain has decided to bet the house on the politics perfected by Karl Rove. Those tactics may be good at squeaking by in an election but they are bad if you want to lead one nation, indivisible.

[...]

America needs more than a great solider, America needs a wise leader.

Take a hard look at the positions John has taken for the past 26 years, on the economy, on health care, on foreign policy... and you'll see why I say that John McCain is just four more years of George Bush.

On the issues that you talk about around the kitchen table, Mary's tuition, the cost of the MRI, heating the home this winter -- John McCain is profoundly out of touch.

[...]

John McCain stands with George Bush firmly in the corner of the wealthy and well-connected.

He stands with the oil company CEOs who swore to me, under penalty of perjury, that they didn't need tax breaks to explore for oil.

John McCain is so firmly in their corner he'd hand the Exxon-Mobils of the world another $4 billion dollars a year.

He stands in the corner of the wealthiest Americans by extending tax cuts for people making over a quarter million dollars a year, and then adding more than $300 billion on top of that for corporations and the wealthy.

There is simply no daylight - at least none I can see -- between John McCain and George Bush. On every major challenge we face, from the economy, to health care, to education and Iraq, you can barely tell them apart.

[...]

Whatever happened to the guy, who once denounced tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans in a time of war, as "immoral."

Whatever happened to the guy who wanted to do something about climate change. Not anymore. Senator McCain says he'd vote against a bill he helped to write.

When someone running for election changes his views to satisfy the base of the party, that's not change, that's just more of the same Washington game.

[...]

When Senator McCain was subjected to unconscionable, scurrilous attacks in his 2000 campaign, I called him on the phone to ask what I could do.

And now, some of the very same people and the tactics he once deplored his campaign now employs.

The same campaign that once called for a town hall a week is now launching a low blow a day.



49 Comments

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bush 44...nice

That's a good one. It will stick if is used over and over. The climate fits right.

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Good - Get em Biden. Don't let up - just keep whaling on em.


A low blow a day keeps important questions away!

Pufferfish

Indeed Danny. Indeed. Lest we forget about cosmetic products on pre-cooked ham...

http://thepajamapundit.com/

So: How am I suppose to be optimistic again with these numbers from 538?


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2857218541_f4914fc606_o.png

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I've explained what I think about the polls Amelie.

I can post it again - they polls do not reflect reality. We have registered over 11 million new voters. The GOP has lost registered voters.

The polls sampling never reflects that reality.

*sigh*

The numbers at fivethirtyeight.com are affected by regression - i.e., by an assumption that the current trend line will continue until election day. The past couple of weeks have seen Obama on a downward trend, so the fivethirtyeight numbers have a built-in assumption that he will sink further. Now that the national trend lines have flattened and are even starting to swing back toward Obama, I'd expect this to change. My guess is that unless McCain can change the media narrative back in his favor, Obama's win percentage will be back over 50 by the end of this week.

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Does anyone see here why I don't trust and don't like polls and numbers?

Numbers are not absolutes - they are more manipulable than words are.

They can mean any fucking thing that the "expert" says they mean.

I think someone was trying to "poll" me over the phone recently, but I routinely refuse to accept phone calls from people I don't know (e.g. telemarketers). I wonder how many other people do this as well?

Also note that the State polls tend to lag behind the national polls. If you've been tracking the Rasmussen and Gallup dailies, McCain's convention bounce (which was already smaller than Obama's) is quickly evaporating.

Patience. Obama will slowly pull ahead again.

But don't look for a big landslide. It will be close.

In the State polls, watch OH, NV, NM, CO, VA, and FL very carefully. Those States will determine who this ultimately plays out.

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Close, for Repubs, means stealable.

Yeah, that's not being discussed much. And did you hear about the big equipment failure in DC last week? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/09/12/ST2008091200149.html

A close race is going to bring a lot of headaches in many States.

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Well everyone I know was convinced they'd steal the '06 midterms.

They didn't.


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We're taking the narrative back this week -

McLame Palin have shown us enough now that Obama and Biden can go to town on em and I think they will -

Amen, sister.

Yes, Yes, and Yes. We have given them enough rope.

Why do you ask is Barry Oilbama, who voted fore the Bush Cheney Big Oil Energy Bill, tanking like a heavy turd in the polls?
Regular people are sick and tired of elite asses like Oilbama, who are out of touch with reality, running for President. Who are these many many MANY people who relate to Sarah Palin instead of Barack Obama?

These are people who wouldn’t agree that hanging out with a domestic terrorist who wants to infiltrate America’s schools with Communist and Socialist ideas is an Okay thing to do—even if he did do it all 40 years ago. These are people who would not invite Bill Ayers to dinner. These are people who struggle daily. The ones you ‘refer’ to all the time but can’t relate to. you can’t relate to them because you not only aren’t one of them, you never were one of them–in spite of your fictional novel that masquerades as an autobiography. When these people think, “Times are hard,” they aren’t thinking the way you and Michelle think. They aren’t thinking “Gee it’s getting rougher to come up with $20k for piano lessons for the kids“. And they didn’t, as Michelle suggested, buy some nice earrings with their tax stimulation rebate. These are people who can smell bullshit four blocks away, Barack. They are people who make their own way in America because they know they Can. When they fall down, they get up. They don’t ask other people for freebees. Most of them rarely have time to go to a rock concert like the Democratic convention. Their kids might go though. That’s because when all your living bills are paid for you by somebody else, you have time to do the Hopey Changey act, because you aren’t living in the real world where you take responsibility for your own life. Yet. These are the people who pay for their kids’ education through struggling, sacrificing, savings from the money they have earned. and loans. These are the people who would rather swallow a broom than have the government take care of them. Some of them even hunt for their own food, prefering to gather for themselves than take food stamps for life. They would shovel shit for a living if they had to, something nobody recalls you ever doing. They give a whole lot more than they take and they don’t brag about it like you do.


You know what's funny? Obama spent his first years out of law school (when he could have been 'elite' and made a ton of money...) going to areas full of the exact people you describe and HELPING THEM IMPROVE THEIR LIVES! That's why millions of Americans from across the political spectrum support him, because he put his money where his mouth was when it came to helping real people with real problems find real solutions.

Your candidate McCain has NO similar such experience. As for elitism, let's not forget which of the two was born and has lived with a silver spoon up his ass! Hint, it wasn't Obama.

As for communist ideas and such, if you take the words 'communist' and 'socialism' out of the descriptions of the policies and just give people the actual policies, not only do they support it, it's what's they've been asking for: HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT THEIR TAX DOLLARS FUND!
People aren't looking for handouts but they do want a return on the investment of their hard-earned tax dollars in the form of a government that is there to help those who need it. It is elitism to not think there are those who need help from time to time. It is elitism to say 'do for your damned self!' to them when they have and continue to and it's STILL NOT ENOUGH! Don't tell me that bullshit that my friends and family who are struggling to make ends meet, who are working two and three jobs, who are moving all over the country to find work, who are giving up on their life's dreams to pay for their healthcare or their child's education because some fatcat republican administration is gaming and bankrupting the system, that they aren't living in the real world when they talk about HOPE and CHANGE! No, that IS the real world! It's so fucked up that all they've got at this point IS Hope that things will Change because what is happening right now isn't working for them or millions of other Americans. McCain is talking the same bullshit that caused this mess and that's your solution? Give me a fucking break!

Wow, sounded exactly like McCain. Keep hitting McCain harder and harder with this type of stuff.

Weak! We don't need "low blow" kind of talk, that's just politics. We need "lies, deceit, and dishonor," THEN tell us how that campaign methods will roll over into governming style, then say we've seen enough of this in the last 8 years.

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My thoughts as well skydvr369. Not only do both Biden and Obama need to label this as lies, immoral and dishonor but they need to consistently say this is how they will govern as well.

The GOP is so extreme that they no longer need to win and then tell us lies but now they are going to outright lie to win so that no one will be able to say when they lie to us in office that they did not know they were liars.

Bush has already shown us the old adage:

Cheaters lie, liars steal and thieves go to jail.

Only thing is America's lack the will to impeach and send him to jail.

McCain is not more of the same...he is WORSE!

America no longer has the standing in the world Bush enjoyed, nor do we have the surpluses in the budget Bush enjoyed and America's banks and homes were not being foreclosed on and we definitely were not fighting two wars.

McCain is starting out in that pit...and with the same policies the nation's economy will collapse, we will have war inperpetuity because McCain will say that the economy expands post-war and he will be in the pockets of big oil.

Palin, unfortunately will beleive it is truly end times and she will have no qualms about doing 'god's will' and push the red button.

This is so right. They are striking a blow a day, another words. In a way it's worse than weak, it's bad imagery of getting a whupping.

Aiming straight below the belt ever day, maybe. UnAmerican. Dishonorable. Or the words you said.

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Nobody reads your spam, Dem Bill.

Nobody.

Trolls like that are why the page down button and the scroll wheel on the mouse were invented...

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Yup!

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Mitt Romeny calls McCain out for his lies!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY5Plqs5d98

When Mitt Romney and Karl Rove refuse to prop up McCain's smears and lies, it's pretty darn bad!

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I wondered about this. What is this about? Why are they engaging in this tactic? What is the upside? Are they just pissed about Palin? Are they the wing of the party that 'understands' that rallying the base of evangelicals is just a tactic but not to be catered to and that Palin as VP puts the entire party at risk of the 'social conservative fundies' ascending to power?

In short, they suspect McCain will not last even 2 years as President?

What is this about?

Did Palin renege on a devil's bargain that was struck at the onset? Perhaps, the bargain was that she was suppose to resign the VP post soon after she wins for 'family reasons' and the GOP gets to appoint Romney into the VP slot?

Romney and Rove probably read the article where after winning as mayor Palin's good girlfriend said 'just think in a few years you could be governor'...and Palin replied "I want to be President"

Rove and his wing of the party are learning that Palin is not going to go quietly or willingly and now they realize the HORROR of what they have wrought.

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In the first place (I think you are overthinking this) it's my understanding that it's pretty simple. Rove was pressuring McLame to choose Romney and McLame really hates Rove and didn't want Romney. So McLame chose Palin on an impulse.

And thereby pissed off a lot of people, including Romney and Rove.

I said all weekend and I believe that Rove has no intention of helping McLame win. I take any statements that he's working for McLame and nothing more than trying to psych us out - cause Rove knows how scared we are of him and I think it amuses him no end.

One more thing - everyone said in '06 that they'd steal the mid terms. Well they didn't.

Wow. I watched that twice and I still can't believe it.

Was this done during the primary, or are his comments more recent? (Not that it's useless if it's the former; you could still use that footage to say that "McCain's always been lying", for example. And I have no doubt that Romney still feels the same way now as he did then.)

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Mistake on my part. I think it's from the primary. Sorry to get you all so excited.

Not a problem; the "divisions within the Republican Party" narrative needs all the help it can get.

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In all honesty, Romney is and always has been a "moderate" even if he hid it in the closet to try for the nomination. He was my least scary Republican scenario because at the end of the day, the guy is pragmatic (which is not to say that he would pursue policies I favor). Also, I think he really does despise McCain.

Give 'em Hell, Joe. It's long past time the Obama campaign unleashed him.

Isn't this the meme that Kerry introduced at the convention (ie, McCain needs to finish the debate with himself, etc.)?

Too bad it took the campaign so long to pick it up as it does seem to be an effective way of separating the maverick from the mudslinger.

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Ok you think it's too bad that they waited.

I think that's in the past - they are attacking at the moment and there's no reason to think they won't keep it up - so whether or not it's really "too bad" is kind of beside the point since they can't go back and change the past.

These are people who would be horrified if they knew that Communists, Marxists, Leninists and Socialists in America are heavily re-energized and endorsing Oilbama, who voted for the Bush Cheney Energy Bill. These are people would would be horrifed if they knew that their candidate received campaign contributions from Hamas. They understand that this is a threat to Democracy.
These are people who would never hang out with an Iraqi prison escapee. They would be shocked if they knew Oilbama's career was overseen by a finally-convicted scumball who bilked taxpayers out of scores of millions of dollars with your help. They wouldn’t ever attend a church where the pastor says, GODDAMN AMERIKKA, not even once much less for twenty years. They are people who revere American Democracy and do not want it to go away in deference to Middle Eastern jihad radicals. They revere Democracy wherever it resides as well, even outside of their country, because they are smart enough to comprehend that a threat to one democracy is a threat to all democracies. Israel comes to mind. So does Georgia. Some of these folks are a bit overly religious for my tastes, but what they don’t do is worship a human who acts like a god, namely they don’t worship You. Maybe they “Cling To God” because it beats clinging to other people’s wallets via the government.

Let me tell you more about who these people are. These are people who don’t need the likes of you telling them to heed a call to Service. They not only already understand what that means, but they didn’t heed The Call as a stepping stone to political advancement as Oilbama has done. They not only Serve, but many of them do it for Life. They are the people who take care of arrogant you daily. They are the people who grow that arugula you find at Whole Foods. They are the servants who know Service in a way you never have. They are the First Responders to disaster, while guys like you are still flapping your lips on TV. And they are the people who even go to war for their country without being forced.

These are people who don’t care at all what Chris Matthews or Keith Olbermann have to say. In fact, they support Sarah Palin even more when she is attacked by you and the Press. Why? Because they empathize. That’s why. They know what it is to be derided for making their own way. They know what it is to be snorted at by arrogant elitist Oilbama who isn't going to do squat for them after their votes are cast. None of them ever got Affirmative Actioned into anything, much less Harvard, like Oilbama. Yet, they are exponentially more loving toward America and Democracy than you and your racist wife are.

These are people who have never been to Daily Kos or Moveon’s websites. They don’t read Huffington Post. They are people who are not like the sexist empty suit that is Oilbama. They are like Sarah Palin.

And they are in the majority in the USA.
Thank God.

Oooh, wow. Well, someone never had a lesson in logic with all these ad hominems and non sequiturs...

Thankfully such ignorant bigots are a dying breed. Good riddance!

More room for the rest of us REAL AMERICANS!

You know I read about a line and a half of this blithering idiocy and I knew it was you and quit it.

I still maintain that those who argue that you are our very stupidest troll are taking an elist attitude, though. Others are quite stupid as well.

Well koolaid drinking Atreideshawk writes "Obama spent his first years out of law school (when he could have been 'elite' and made a ton of money...) going to areas full of the exact people you describe and HELPING THEM IMPROVE THEIR LIVES!"

Dream on youy cultist ignorant fool.
Oilbama worked as an "organizer" so he could run for office and still lived the highlife thanks to his friend the slumlord Tony Rezco. If he wanted to serve this country instead of indoctrinating himself in sleazy chicago politics he could of joined the Army. Whats that you say? That he is to much a chickernshit to even debate John McCain?
Well he coiuld of joined the Peace Core then.

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Bill-
Since you're calling the people who criticize you "youy [sic] cultist ignorant fool" could you provide evidence for the following assertions?


:"Oilbama worked as an "organizer" so he could run for office and still lived the highlife thanks to his friend the slumlord Tony Rezco"

Specifically, that Obama knew Rezko when he just got out of college and was working as a community organizer. (Here's some help. You can't.)

"These are people who would be horrified if they knew that Communists, Marxists, Leninists and Socialists in America are heavily re-energized and endorsing Oilbama, who voted for the Bush Cheney Energy Bill."

Which bill, what vote? (Congressional Record, please--it's on the intertubes).

The rest of your post is a bunch of statements about "you people" that says a whole lot more about the person slinging the invective than the person reading it. So much anger,.

Oh, and it's "Peace -Corps-."


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Here's a very friendly tip, rumpole - you've read one of Dem Bill's spam screeds, you don't need to read another.

They are all the same.

Is that the same koolaid that ignorant fools like you have been drinking out of fear for decades only to find yourself still getting shafted by the ones claiming to represent you and your values???

Guess what Dumbass, there IS a better way!

You can look at the actual policies proposed by the candidates, the way they run their campaigns (free preview of how they'll run their administrations), listen to message and vision of the future the candidate proposes and decide which will be better for you and the country. You can do this based on love of your country being a better place rather than hate of whichever 'other' is currently in fashion at the moment. You can do it based on having the courage to change your country to what you want it to be rather than the fear of what it can become.

Just think, you KNOW the republicans don't have the answers. How could they? They created the problems and still couldn't figure out solutions. Pick a topic and look at the current state of things. The direction they're taking things. It's clearly not going well. Do you honestly think that continuing the same approach, the same policies, the same philosophy is going to somehow magically fix it? That's lunacy! If you keep doing something the same way and it doesn't work, TRY SOMETHING ELSE!

Core, did you say? "Core"?

On Intrade right now, McCain has surged to 53% on rumors about polls coming out later today, including a Siena poll apparently showing Obama only ahead by 5 in NY.

The Suffolk poll of OH now out shows McCain ahead by 4 with more voters in OH identifying with Sarah than the other 3 candidates.

Intrade shows a 7.5% chance Biden will be dumped and replaced by Hillary, with Biden rumored to be pressured into faking an illness, and Bill supposedly okaying the plan at Obama's meeting with him last Thursday.

[funky beat of "Rock Me Amadeus" starts playing]

Female Nurse Ape: Ooh, help me Dr. Zaius!
Apes: [in unison] Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius
Oh... Dr. Zaius
Ape: Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius.

Troy: What's wrong with me?
Zaius: I think you're crazy.
Troy: Want a second opinion.
Zaius: You're also lazy.

Apes: [in unison] Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius

[one ape starts breakdancing]

Oh... Dr. Zaius
Ape: Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius.

http://www.theforbidden-zone.com/tv/simpsons.shtml

What's also wrong with this attack is that you can deduce (or "induce") from it that McCain is just campaigning now and once he gets elected, he'll go back to being the good guy that Joe praises. It's not the right message, much as I wish that it were.

I'm no expert, and maybe somebody can do a lot better, but how about

"As he's grown into his twilight years, he has sold out so much to right-wing special interests that they will be the ones running the country, not a 72-year-old cancer patient." McCain admitted in 2000 that he'd likely be too old in 2008, he said he'd be in the Old Soldiers' home and await the cavalry charge from there. He said that. Or is he too old and enfeebled to remember that?

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