McCain Defends His Robo-Slime Campaign, Lies About It
John McCain defended his robo-slime campaign against Barack Obama today -- and as a special bonus, completely misrepresented what his robocalls actually say about Obama.
McCain's comments on robo-slime-gate came this morning on Fox News, after Chris Wallace pointed out that McCain had denounced robo-sliming back when he was the target of it in 2000.
Wallace asked him if he would stop his own robo-slime campaign against Obama, and McCain said "of course not." The Obama campaign was quick to highlight the exchange in a transcript emailed out to reporters.
McCain defended his robo-slime by saying that the calls directed at him were worse than anything his own calls said about Obama.
"These are legitimate and truthful and they are far different than the phone calls that were made about my family and about certain aspects that -- things that this is -- this is dramatically different and either you haven't -- didn't see those things in 2000," McCain said.
McCain said his robo-slime was highlighting "a legitimate issue," which is the question of whether Obama is "being truthful with the American people," a clear reference to his robo-call attacking Obama's association with William Ayers.
Actually, this is false. McCain's robo-call about Obama and Ayers says absolutely nothing about whether Obama is telling the truth about his relationship with the former Weatherman. If you don't believe me, you can listen to the full call right here.
McCain's Ayers robo-slime is not about Obama's honesty at all. Rather, it's all about Ayers' domestic terrorism, and it's all about the false insinuation that Obama just may have "worked closely" with Ayers in his capacity as a terrorist and killer of Americans.
We're now at the point where John McCain has been reduced to distorting his own distortions -- he's not only running a robo-slime campaign that is totally at odds with his previously claimed principles, but he's now lying about it, too.
Late Update: Here's the video:















Mccain must be living in his own echo chamber. Time for another suspension.
October 19, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe with those free cell towers that ATT and Verizon have installed at his Sedona ranch, McCain won't have to depend on echoes for communication. Can you hear us loud and clear now, John? Its over,my friend.
October 19, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is far from over for two reasons:
One, if you are tracking the daily polls Obama has dropped 3 points on average over the last 4 days. He peaked at 8.3 points on Realclearpolitics average and now is at 5.3 points. Granted state by state polls seem to be holding, but changes there tend to lag behind the national polling.
two, even if Obama wins the election this is not over. The Republicnas of the vein McCain is appealing to will try to split this country against each other in a way that is more disturbing than the even Bush years. Listening to the McCain rhetoric, looking at his tactics and hearing the tone of his supporters, 'The Real Virginiains', the patriotic parts of the country, the pro american parts will be turned against the rest of us. The only logical conclusion of their argument now is that Barack Obama should not be President because he is a terrorist that seeks to undermine our nation. With that premise in place McCain supporters won't go down queitly should he lose.
October 19, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pathetic. Small. Old. Hypocrite.
October 19, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wish Wallace had played one of the robocalls with McCain sitting right there, with the camera on McCain's face. Make the bastard squirm on camera.
October 19, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're right....why didn't he do that? Time and time again during interviews, John McCain has denied whatever he's accused of and outright lied about it and yet not ONCE have I seen a reporter have the evidence to call him on it. Why is that?
October 19, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Except for the ladies on The View!
October 19, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
No kidding. Though he would have likely given that nervous smile and said that it was all fair play.
He's backed his bad decision of Palin like that...
October 19, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Neil Young supported Reagan? Say it ain't so. That's way worse than Dylan finding Jesus.
October 20, 2008 1:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Neil Young supported Reagan? Say it ain't so. That's way worse than Dylan finding Jesus.
October 20, 2008 1:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Okay, I take it back. Wallace played it - didn't show McCain's face but the response is clear proof: John McCain is a lying, disgusting, putrid sack of decaying shit and vomit. That's his legacy.
October 19, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're talking about the entire Republican Party sans maybe Powell and Collins, rat bastards all.
October 19, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
How do I get rid of someone else' avatar?
October 19, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not actually someone else's avatar. It is a generic avatar. If you go to your profile and download something, it will disappear.
October 19, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
To get the new avatar in there, you need to have it on your computer. Then upload it in your profile. And be sure to 'save.'
October 19, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Surely you must be mistaken. McCain always tells the 100% absolute truth.
October 19, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
John McSlime, i like that...lol
October 19, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Professor Frink must be outraged at what McCain is making the AT-5000 Auto-Dialer do.
Aw, would you listen to the gibberish they've got you saying, it's sad and alarming. You were designed to alert schoolchildren about snow days and such. Well, let's get you home to Frinky. Hope your wheels still work, bw-hey!
October 19, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain is so deep in denial and so twisted in self-delusion that it is now time for him to be turned into a horror movie.
He is really psychologically sick.
When you watch W even, you think he knows he is full of BS but thinks his BS is part of politics. McCain cannot come to grips with the fact that he is peddling BS.
October 19, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign.
It's like a combined horror-porno flick.
October 19, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Of the S&M variety.
October 19, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign.
I have said this before, but it's still stunning to me that we didn't scrape the absolute bottom of the barrel when we got Commander CooCoo. McLame is worse. He and Palin are actually worse than Bush-Cheney. They scare me a lot more.
And what scares me the most is the thought that they might not be the bottom of the barrel. LOL!
But surely they are as low as we're going anytime again soon - McLame is getting nothing but criticism and negative PR for the tenor of his campaign. *somewhathappysigh* Thank the gods.
October 19, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Surely Michelle Bachmann will be the bottom, the absolute bottom? Palin/Bachmann '12.
That's as low as I can think. I have to go wash up now.
October 19, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hitler/Goebbels look liberal compared to those two.
October 19, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
But isn't Rove the absolute bottom already? And isn't he a "bottom" - or so we hear? I think the S&M aspect is already there in Rove. mcShame just puts it in a heterosexual way.
But we've reached disgust. We've reached sadism. It's the intertwining of the most base sexual and aggressive instincts.
October 19, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
I love this comment! Je t'adore, Thera.
October 19, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
My face is red. :)
October 19, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
IF these two the BEST ,what does it say about the REST of the Repubes?
October 19, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Remember back in 1974 when we thought we could never get a republican president worse than Nixon?
They gave us Reagan, and in 1988 we thought, can't believe he was worse than Nixon, but surely they can't get any worse than Reagan.
They gave us Bush, and until two months ago we thought hard to believe he was worse than Reagan, but even McCain couldn't possibly be worse than Bush.
By now it's obvious: The historical trajectory of republican presidential nominees is 90 degrees downhill, and the speed and angle is increasing with every administration.
October 19, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
They stopped believing in evolution. So it's all downhill for them!
October 19, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
You left out the first Bush.
October 19, 2008 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
The bottom of the barrel, loaded with sludge.
October 19, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mr. Wallace:
Senator McCain just defended his campaign robocalls one your show as 100 percent true. One call I received says Bill Ayers "killed Americans." That is not true at all, according to factcheck.org (see below). The next time you and other Fox newspersons interview the senator on this subject, please refer to these facts.
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/he_lied_about_bill_ayers.html
October 19, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, can we all agree that the Weathermen were some of the worst excuses for anarchists ever? I mean - bombing bathrooms, blowing themselves up, can't rob a Brinks truck -
Omar and his posse they weren't.
A bunch of middle class white kids playing anarchist. That's what it amounted to at the time. Honest to god - with everything else that was going on - real shit, like real honest to god riots, frequently - the Weathermen barely made a blip on our radar. They were just another group - there were at least a half a dozen such groups running around then.
The enviro-Nazis who burn people's houses down these days are much worse -
October 19, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sheeeeeeeeeetttt!
I love Wire references. And goddamn do I love Omar.
October 19, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Everybody loves Omar, baby. I adore Omar - and I have read that Omar was the entire cast's fave.
The Wire was the best goddamn thing I've ever seen. Ever!
And I loved the ending - everything went back to exactly the way it had been with different people - Michael was the new Omar - which just blew me away -
Goddamn that was good watching!
October 19, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
We'll need an entire thread to even get near my love for The Wire, Tena. What other show has ever managed to flesh out that many characters and give them all lives that you could feel for?
And the kids in Season 4. God that was so hard to watch, but impossible not to.
And a gay black guy who robs other gangsters? Are you shitting me?
It's all in the game, babies.
October 19, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Season 4 was the killer season.
And Namond was the last one I expected to make it out of the hood.
Unbelievable - I never wanted it to end. God I miss those people - I adore Lester - and it just almost killed me when they killed Brody.
October 19, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bode - not Brody.
October 19, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Best. Show. Ever.
October 19, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Word. Straight. Up!
October 19, 2008 12:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
This makes us a new and powerful demographic. Wire-loving progressives with at least one moose, one sassy lady from Texas, and a Mike from the New England region.
Break!
October 19, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well don't look now - Obama is on record saying The Wire was his favorite show.
We are a very elite demographic. LOL!
October 19, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had no idea! OK, now I'm absolutely (as if I weren't before) 100% confident that this is the person to lead our country out of the morass.
October 19, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What you just said.
October 19, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Count me in - Bf and I just went through Wire-watching juggernaut...We became obessive about our Netflix turnaround.
The show was written by a Baltimore Sun journalist.
October 19, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least Weather Underground had a coherent intent. Now, the Symbionese Liberation Army . . .
October 19, 2008 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain/Palin is the WORST campaign for US President in my lifetime. Base, Stupid, Unethical.
October 19, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Would you agree with this slight edit:
Base. Reckless. Unethical.
October 19, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is worth mentioning some info regarding MCains 2000 campaign and the rhetoric coming from McCain's OWN SC strategist,Richard Quinn. Even as McCain himself was being slimed,his camp had issues of their own.[ Remember,McCain voted AGAINST MLK Holiday BEFORE he was for it.]
JOHN MCCAIN: WRONG ON KING HOLIDAY
When he was a Congressman in 1983, McCain voted against creating a federal Martin Luther King Holiday and his home state rescinded recognition of the holiday in 1987. While he has claimed his position has โevolvedโ and that his original vote was โwrongโ his record of support for racist individuals, and his consistent votes against civil rights legislation belie that claim. And he has employed controversial individuals on his own campaign whose own nasty comments about Martin Luther King undermine McCainโs claims of inclusivity and evolution.
McCain Strategist Opposed King Holiday
McCain Defended Controversial Spokesman Richard Quinn, McCain's who called the MLK Holiday "Vitriolic and Profane." Richard Quinn, was a South Carolina "strategist" for McCain in the 2000 campaign. In a Partisan View column, Richard Quinn wrote, "King Day should have been rejected because its purpose is vitriolic and profane. By celebrating King as the incarnation of all they admire, they [black leaders] have chosen to glorify the histrionic rather than the heroic and by inference they spurned the brightest and the best among their own race. they have chosen a man whose role in history was to lead his people into a perpetual dependence on the welfare state, a terrible bondage of body and soul.โ Quinn has also advocated electing David Duke, and sold T-Shirts through his magazine celebrating Abraham Lincolnโs assassination. [Partisan View, Southern Partisan, Fall, 1983; Partisan View, Southern Partisan, Winter, 1989, PFAW Release, 2/17/00] [Spartanburg Herald-Journal, 12/23/05; Vanity Fair, 11/04]
McCain Defended Quinn as โRespectedโ and a โFine Man.โ Despite Mr. Quinnโs writings and history of racial insensitivity, McCain defended him as a โrespectedโ and โfine manโ and refused to fire him. [Associated Press, 2/18/00; New York Times, 2/8/00]
October 19, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
From the crowds I have seen heading into the Palin rallies, they probably agree with the McCain opinion on the MLK holiday. One woman said that Obama says that white people are "trash." Then there's the guy with the monkey made out to be Barack. The people wearing the buttons that say Obama wants to make it the "Black House."
Somehow I think that robocalls about MLK to these people will just solidify their support.
October 19, 2008 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's running on empty. There's nothing left for him to say but spout false attacks and then defend the smear. Loser.
http://www.pufferfish.typepad.com/
October 19, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
McSame is an OLD FEEBLE LYING neoCON bullcrap artist
oh and he is despicable
October 19, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
While McCain is lying about his lies, he justifies it by saying that it is all about getting Obama to quit lying. Delusional, alternate universe thinking at its best.
October 19, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, not even clever. What's up with that?
I miss the old politics.
October 19, 2008 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is it pandering to say that you are a dumbass and I want your vote?
October 19, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sadistic pandering.
October 19, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain/Palin is the WORST campaign for US President in my lifetime. Base, Stupid, Unethical.
Posted by MikeBoyScout
I agree, but find it disturbing that, apparently, poll numbers have tightened. If, god forbid, they end up squeaking this on out, I guess the lesson for Dems, in 2012, will be to go negative, don't talk about issues, and do everything you can to destroy your opponent's character. It's disgusting.
October 19, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
No. We can't go there. It's too horrible to contemplate. That is the utter end of civil society.
October 19, 2008 11:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's OWN campaign manager Rick Davis stated a month or so ago , that this campaign was NOT about issues,but about perception and personality.
October 19, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
And by changing perceptions you change reality. Isn't that a Rovian philosophy?
October 19, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's not going to happen.
It cannot happen.
Ok - I mean this - it simply cannot happen - our country would be over. The constitution may be idiot proof, as Commander Coocoo has shown us, but it isn't maniac-proof and these two are fucking maniacs!
October 19, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dems can't go negative -- that's the rub. The Thuglicans have cornered the "bitter" American market. Obama tried and got hammered for it. "who you callin' 'bitter'. . . boy?"
The republicans are able to appeal to unreason and the dems are insufferably reasonable, if not always right.
So, to go too negative on McCain will get you backlash from the very demographic that you're trying to persuade. They'll stand up for their own. They'll hate you.
October 19, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's not necessarily Rovian, but it IS a propaganda tool.The way to divide and conquer the Repubs is to get them to start infighting against and amongst themselves. We've already seen the cracks and fissures with Buckley,Powell and the Chicago Tribune endorsement(!) of Obama. One hundred thousand folks in St.Louis yesterday,home of Anheuser Busch brewery. One hundred thousands Buds, and not a one for you,McCain.
October 19, 2008 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
A bunch of middle class white kids playing anarchist. That's what it amounted to at the time. Honest to god - with everything else that was going on - real shit, like real honest to god riots, frequently - the Weathermen barely made a blip on our radar. They were just another group - there were at least a half a dozen such groups running around then
That is exactly how I remember it too, Tena. I was about 18 at the time, draft eligible, and paying close attention. Barely a blip.
Oh, how I would have liked to be at the meeting when the McCain campaign discussed attempting to tie Obama to the Panthers. That must have been a fun discussion.
October 19, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
I also remember it. But I remember the number of pacifists as well. I recall realizing that if you turn to violence, you become what you oppose.
October 19, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
That was the subject of endless discussion - that stretched all the way down to whether or not you preferred Street Fightin Man over John Lennon's Revolution -
As I recall, I devoted most of one acid trip to this discussion -
October 19, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
TenaX, you are a major hoot! I love all of your posts!
October 19, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
She's the master... er mistress... of the great one liners and longer commentary!
October 19, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
thanks - that new avatar of yours is bitchin. I love it! this is really a compliment coming from you -
October 19, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain's Campaign has stopped trying to win, they're out now to set-up deep divides in order to exploit them in 2010 midterms, and even in 2012 GE.
October 19, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Strongly agree, Jonze.
October 19, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is their raison d'etre after all.
October 19, 2008 12:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
They do that at the peril of the stability of the country. We're on very shaky ground.
October 19, 2008 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to agree, Jonze, but boy they are making the mistake of the century.
Unless everything goes completely sideways in Obama's first administration, I think this religious right extremist hawk cough*racist*cough wing of the Repug party will be abandoned by the conservative intelligentsia and I believe the intelligentsia will win the war for the Repug Party. If they don't - if the Palinites win it, then I cannot imagine that they would be able to win any election.
Provided everything doesn't go sideways after Obama is in office.
October 19, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
They already tried that tack - and it led to a dead end. Not once but twice. (mcCarthy. Goldwater) These repubs have a need to dead-end themselves. And try and take the rest of us with them.
I see mcShame as like a suicide bomber, trying to take down everybody as he Flames out.
October 19, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really think the Repugs need to be the opposition. They got the majority and the executive, and Thera - what did they do but continue to whine and exploit their nonexistent victimhood?
The Repugs just don't know how to be in charge. They do much better as the minority party, the opposition. From there their whining doesn't look nearly as absurd.
October 19, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
God, what babies they are!
October 19, 2008 1:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's the truth - and they were supposedly the party of grown-ups at one time.
So weird - I'm guessing it's the second generation problem - Bush and most of his peer group are second generation or even third generation away from the origin of their family's money and power. The further away you get, the more likely you are to get a bunch of spoiled trust fund and ivy league legacy idiots.
It's like democracy's answer to aristocracy.
October 19, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Lying" is an ageist term.
October 19, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
So here's the scenario: what did the sadist say to the masochist when the masochist pleaded with the sadist to kick him in the face?
He said, "no" of course.
Who then who is the sadist and who is the masochist?
Judging by the tightening race, I'd say that McCain is the sadist and those undecideds who have now decided to vote for him as panhandlers for pain.
Ask and ye shall receive.
October 19, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
"It's gettin' hot in here/So take off all your clothes"
October 19, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
panhandlers for pain
Now that is good!
October 19, 2008 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was, of course, meant for Roadkill.
October 19, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
;o
October 19, 2008 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
I find it absolutely despicable that after years, if not generations, of trying to dispell racism and bigotry, the painting of entire groups of people based on their appearance or religious persuation, that McCain/Palin have not only allowed but encouraged huge groups of people to express their hatred to the applause of a presidential ticket. And we're not talking about a fringe party, we're talking about the GOP.
McCain/Palin are the worst of the worst elements of our nation. They have poured gasoline over a sensative issue and thrown in a lit match. I find their tactics repulsive.
McCain/Palin are the true ticket of domestic terrorism and I hope that most Americans recognize that, after years of encouraging division over issues like abortion and gay rights, they are now being manipulated into being divided by race and religion.
I loathe McCain and there is no apology or rationalization that can come out of his mouth after this election that will ever change my mind. He sold his soul to win, and in the process, lost it all.
PEACE
October 19, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I co-sign 100%. What they did was take a boring campaign and do exactly as you describe.
October 19, 2008 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Time and again I've read that the Annenbergs, devoted friends of the Reagans are the people who APPOINTED Prof. Ayers and then Obama to their charitable org's committee. The Annenbergs are mega-wealthy GOP donors . . is that why they are mute on this issue they themselves choreographed?
Or are the Annenbergs the ones who opened the door to McCain's bile bonanza with conditions the truth to the "appointments" are theirs and theirs alone?
I find it ironic that as much as there are those in the press who are appalled at McCain's mantra on the issue, none are pointing to the roots of the reasons both Ayers and Obama were on the committee in the first place...if in fact that info is correct
October 19, 2008 12:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has contempt and jealousy written all over his wrinkled face.
October 19, 2008 12:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I so agree.
October 19, 2008 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's interesting to look at the McCain campaign's actions through a pavlovian lens. For years Republicans have been hitting the same buttons and they have worked pretty well. Alas, this year they aren't. And instead of finding a different way to win, the Republicans are instead pressing the same buttons ever harder. The overall quality is one of panic and emotional responses rather than careful strategizing.
It's easy to personalize the McCain campaign as largely reflecting his personality's weaknesses, but I don't think it is any accident that he became the Republican nominee at this particular point in time. He neatly fits the zeigeist of the party as it navigates the end of the Reagan era.
If McCain goes down to defeat -- particularly an electoral blow out with wide coattails-- it will be very interesting to see how the Republican Party tries to reconstitute itself for the 2010 and 2012 elections. Will moderates gain ground and the neocons fade into the background? Will the party fracture into warring factions, a la the Democrats in 1968 and 1972? Will the Rovian gang consolidate its control and hit the same old buttons even harder and more viciously?
October 19, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. Those are the interesting questions.
I enjoy seeing us trounce the other side. But over the long haul, we really need a better opposition party. It's not healthy to have the alternatives be
a) The Democratic Party, or
b) Irrational nativist smear-mongering.
October 19, 2008 12:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes. I wish we had two adult parties. Not Dems as adults and repubs as .... two-year old teenagers.
October 19, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Indeed, if you use the Pavlovian lens, you see that they are the ones "salivating" to the assumed "meat." Or pecking for the pellets, if you will.
The don't seem able to learn. Just to repeat.
October 19, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's. That. Suppressed. Rage. Again.
October 19, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
On Maher's Real Time, Ben Affleck said that he likes Palin because, after some goading, that she represents a demographic of America that democrats look down on. Coming from a celebrity that says something.
Although I do not like her as much as he does (gee, I hardly know her), I think he has a point. It's that ol' elitism thing, but it is not without some weight.
I think that Obama understands this too.
October 19, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I watched that too, and that's not what I got from Affleck's comments.
I thought he just said it unthinkingly, and then when Maher challenged him on it, he fumbled for a justification.
But I may be extra critical here because I don't have any appreciation for Affleck's acting skills (his accent, for example, in GW Hunting is ridiculous for a guy from this area), and I think he's not very clever and even a bit of a tool.
But let's go the tape. I had just finished watching the Sox and, frankly, was well into a second bottle of wine.
October 19, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Roadkill - that makes it sound as if the Democratic Party was nothing more than coastal liberal elitists and that's not true.
The Democratic Party is the party of the unions and if those are not working class Americans, who is?
That's whooey - Ben Affleck ain't all that bright, after all.
Have you seen his movies? Aston Kucher looks like Einstein next to Affleck.
October 19, 2008 12:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please, my dear, go back and reread my little blog. And you'll see I did in fact address "sex" as one of the passions. I just didn't use the word "sex." I used "arouse."
October 19, 2008 12:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
I will - I saw "aroused" and thought that might be your meaning.
Sorry I missed it! I go through things too fast sometimes. My bad.
October 19, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Believe me, I've done the same thing! But actually your having missed that same exact thing proves how right the hypothesis is, you see!
I just had to be sure I wasn't so vague that my point wouldn't get through.
You're a good person, Tena! For sure! Always! And two minds arrived at the same point.
October 19, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Word.
October 19, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
What demographic? Dumb people?
October 19, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Enough of Affleck this likely has a lot to do with the rural, suburban and city divides, than any deep seated animus or differences. Folks in Montana as compared to the folks in Delaware have lives on a day to day basis that is not the same. Remember Mike Mansfield and Frank Church.
Back to some slime! Wish McCain & Co. continue to strongly work with these moose pucks; if one is upwind of this madness it does not matter, if not likely not interested in Obama anyway. One should do all what one can( short of money & resources) to encourage Sarah and John to continue their moose work; unquestionable they are better suited for this and related tasks. The Obams'a campaign GOTV, events and more cash are the issues.
October 19, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
"That is absolutely true"? I don't think so, Senator.
From Wikipedia's entry on "lie":
"Lying by omission: One lies by omission by omitting an important fact, deliberately leaving another person with a misconception. Lying by omission includes failures to correct pre-existing misconceptions. A husband may tell his wife he was out at a store, which is true, but lie by omitting the fact that he also visited his mistress, although it is disputable whether or not this is actually a lie. In most cases, the person has not directly denied a truth, but merely omitted some part of what transpired."
"Misleading: A misleading statement is one where there is no outright lie, but there still remains the purpose of making someone believe in an untruth."
"Contextual lies: One can state part of the truth out of context, knowing that without complete information, it gives a false impression. Likewise, one can actually state accurate facts, yet deceive with them. To say "yeah, that's right, I slept with your best friend" utilizing a sarcastic, offended tone, may cause the listener to assume the speaker did not mean what he said, when in fact he did."
October 19, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are 2 kinds of lying:
1. Commission: Telling a known falsehood.
2. Omission: withholding a known truth.
As in:
Q. How can one tell a Republican is lying?
A1. His lips are moving.
A2. His lips are not moving.
There is "also" mixing of the two.
October 19, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain made a bucket list and being President is on it. He is absolutely horrified that he is going to be denied his heart's dream, especially that he is going to be denied by Obama.
October 19, 2008 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
In addition to the insinuation, aren't there parts of the lie that are lies as well?
October 19, 2008 2:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
With regard to John Lewis associating McCain/Palin with George Wallace, church bombings, etc. (which is a large part of the video) Obama explained in the 3rd debate that he'd publicly criticised Lewis for that. Lewis had also issued a revised statement admitting that that part of his statement was over the top (which is actually open to debate). McCain knew those things long before the 3rd debate but apparently refuses to recognize them unless Obama "repudiates" Lewis. With McCain, it's "my way or the highway," especially when his precious feelings are hurt. Don't know about the rest of the video not shown here, but if Chris Wallace didn't point this out to McCain, that would be yet another example of the lazy million-dollar media.
October 19, 2008 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Facts are terrible masters.
McCain starts to speak about what the 2000 robocalls said and cuts it off in mid-sentence, because he realizes he is lying.
The smear calls about his adopted daughter being a "black illegitimate baby" WERE false.
However, the S Carolina robocalls about cindy's DRUG ADDICTION and drug fraud in her foundation were TRUE.
So tell me again John, how is it different?
October 19, 2008 8:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Inundated a few months ago, Mary-Kay Gamel, literature professor at U.C. Santa Cruz disabused all inquirers as to her purported authorship of an account of one family's nightmare week-long vacation to Turtle Island in Fiji circa 2000 WITH THE McCAIN CLAN.
The same account can now be found on Neil Young's website, authored by Doctor Ana Dubey who is a practicing psychologist in San Francisco.
Given the amazing allegations made in the written account, it is not hard to understand why a mainstream media outlet or a political or current events website would touch it. Why suffer a storm of attack dogs, storm troopers (digital and otherwise) and Gordon Liddy wannabes?
Why would a major artist such as singer/songwriter Neil Young hazard the blowback from acting as an agent publicizing the allegations. He is known as having supported Ronald Reagan's re-election in 1984 and no one excepting a certifiable kook would suspect him of being a Rove operator of the left. He would not be so stupid as to feature the allegations in the way that he has without his lawyer and his record label's lawyers vetting Ms. Dubey and her allegations in equal measure.
Moreover, it is well known that Neil's father has had a career in journalism in Canada and has been quite well known and respected north of the border.
Artist Young has deep pockets. His label has deep pockets and the McCains can surely afford the finest lawyers in the nation.
Wake up people; there may likely be gold here:
http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/index.html
October 20, 2008 1:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
How do you define TOTAL FU*KING ASSHOLE?
John S. McCain III
October 20, 2008 2:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Want to send John McCain a vote of "No Confidence"?
If so, go here and sign this petition:
http://www.McCainPetition.com
Gregg
October 20, 2008 3:06 AM | Reply | Permalink