Now Who's Bitter? Is McCain Getting Frustrated?
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
July 24, 2008 7:30pm CST
There actually was a time not too long ago when I believed John McCain would be above running the kind of dirty campaign we've seen in recent years. I really believed that after what he went through at the hands of Karl Rove and George W. Bush in 2000 he'd keep it clean. I was wrong:
”Apparently Sen. Obama, who does not understand what’s happening in Iraq or fails to acknowledge the success in Iraq, would rather lose a war than lose a campaign.”
Those were McCain's words recently, words which he repeated, more or less, several times in one day. Strong words, very dirty, unkind and unfair words, in my opinion. Am I the only one who feels this is hitting below the belt and that McCain would be better served sticking to the issues without such personal attacks?
Annie
4 people like this
12 responses
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
25 Jul 08
He was on our local news this evening, when the news guy asked him why he wouldn't go into downtown Toledo, he started bashing Obama. See McCain has been in the rich out laying areas but never into the city. The news guy kept after him and so McCain finally invited Obama for a town hall meeting in downtown Toledo. McCain is here in Toledo because he is going to be on a local commentary this Sunday. It should be interesting, I think I might watch just to have some laughs.
3 people like this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Should make you think of wraps as in the mummy. Well I live in Lucas county and it's like the only Democratic county around this area. We have the auto plants so the UAW and the Teamsters are BIG here. He has been all over our Burbs but won't come into the city. I was surprised that the news channel was able to get him there. Want to hear the best part? The news guy said, So Senator McCain 44% of Obamas supporters are excited about him and only 14% of your supporters are excited about you, how do you feel about that? McCain said I'm pleasently surprised. That's what he said!! I was like WTF???? Well Bush has something to be excited about more people are excited about him then McCain. What an idiot!
3 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Taskr, of course you haven't heard anything about him that sounds genuine, you don't like him, let's face it...lol. I remember when the one debate was from You-Tube users and the Republicans thought that was a stupid forum; that's the same thing as this town-hall format, questions from ordinary people, right? I'm sure we'll have some of those kinds of debates. From what I've heard of the meeting McCain had here all the answers he gave were the same things he's been saying over and over again.
Annie
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
25 Jul 08
McCain has visited many small towns that are not rich. He's also visited a lot of middle class towns. Please tell me, has Obama visited your town? If so, did he taken questions from the citizens of your town, or did he just read a prepared speech and leave when he was done? I have yet to see anything about him that seems even minutely genuine.
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
25 Jul 08
I seen that. I think it was very distasteful. It seems all they can do is slam one another. I don't think that it will matter who we get in, if the houses will not pass anything, they cannot do what they want or say they will do anyway. I think they need to forget what party they are with and concentrate on getting this country back on its feet.
3 people like this
@Smith2028 (797)
• United States
26 Jul 08
This is one situation where we truly differ in opinions Annie. I believe this is sticking to the issues. It has been well documented that the Economy and the War in Iraq are going to be the two biggest issues in November. McCain, while maybe he could have chosen his words a little better, was merely pointing out that the Junior Senator from Illinois has not formally acknowledged any success in Iraq. In fact, his speeches hit on many of the talking points of media outlets. There have been successes in Iraq, but in order not to lose the campaign, Senator Obama has chosen not to recognize them, and therefore is "losing" the war in order to win a campaign.
"Senator Obama, who does not fully understand the situation in Iraq and has failed to acknowledge the successes we have had, would rather feed off the mentality that we are losing than lose his campaign" Not as catchy, but certainly more correct.
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
25 Jul 08
”Apparently Sen. Obama, who does not understand what’s happening in Iraq or fails to acknowledge the success in Iraq, would rather lose a war than lose a campaign.”
I honestly don't see this as hitting below the belt. He's referring to Obama's eagerness to remove troops from Iraq regardless of whether the job is done. Obama has said he would consult with the generals before making any decisions, but he announced his timetable long before going to Iraq and has reiterated it since then. That shows that what he's said is just rhetoric to win the campaign rather than a valid plan for finishing our work in Iraq.
His other issue is that Obama fails to acknowledge that the surge has led to better conditions in Iraq and that violence is at an all time low as a result of that surge. Obama just seems more interested in telling people what they want to hear than actually studying what's going on over there.
If he can't criticize Obama's foreign policy or lack thereof, than what exactly is he allowed to criticize?
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
25 Jul 08
It could be taken to mean he doesn't care about the loss of life, that politics is more important that the lives of our troops. Maybe a lot of us have gotten cynical since it's been clear these past seven years that that's been the case with the current Administration. The no-bid contracts to Haliburton, its subsidiaries and other companies with ties to Bush and his buddies, and soldiers that have been electrocuted taking a shower due to improper grounding because the Haliburton subsidiary subcontracted the work to locals with no training, that sort of thing. I think Obama's argument pertaining to the success of the surge is that it's possible the same decrease in violence may have come without it due to the Sunni Awakening that McCain got screwed up the other day. Whatever the case, had Obama said he now wished he'd have supported the surge he'd have been called a flip-flopper. I don't see Obama's plans for withdrawal as "eagerness", at least not in a negative way. He's maintained all along that he plans to be as "cautious getting out as we were careless going in".
Annie
1 person likes this
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Annie,
The way a real man would have handled that instead of flip-floping would to have admitted he was wrong! No shame in being wrong every once in a while but this man is like the "Fonz" on that "Happy Days" sit-com from years back, wrong just sticks in his throat, he can't say it!
1 person likes this
@Latrivia (2878)
• United States
25 Jul 08
I'm not surprised. Politics is a dirty game, and he's a politician - you can bet he eventually be at the front of the line with all other politicians slinging muck at each other. I'm sure every candidate who has taken place in this race has made a cheap shot or two. I usually just ignore it when they do.
3 people like this
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
25 Jul 08
McCain and Obama see differently on how to handle Iraq, while its an unfortunate argument style to just discredit Obama's understanding of the war, its not nearly as bad as we've seen in the past!! I'm encouraged that this is the worst we can point to so far!
2 people like this
@soooobored (1184)
• United States
25 Jul 08
That's a fair concern. I really only get razzed when the attacks move outside the topic at hand, i.e. "Kerry didn't earn his medal of honor". Untrue and completely irrelevant! I think its encouraging for me because both men are still at least discussing issues!
:-)
2 people like this
@academic2 (7000)
• Uganda
25 Jul 08
McCain is very charsimatic man, but i do realize that obama is increasingly wearing him down thin! Last night I watched Obama "The Man" in Berlin- upto 0.2million people turned up to see and hear him-he made an emotional speech that sounded like JFK's own speech-the two are really sorting out themselves at home and abroad in terms of popularity rating! But back to what you call dirty campaign, I think that is politics, Old Mccain is doing politics-he is pushing forward a political point and I dont see that as dirt-they both have different views on Iraq and what he said was merely an attempt to show that Obama's side is wrong and his is right-at the end of the day, it will be the people to decide-I still think, McCain is a real force Obama must contend with!
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
25 Jul 08
I saw what went on on the other campaigns, and McCain's words were mild compared with what was set in other campaigns. I heard some very ugly ones. And Obama does not understand what is happening in Iraq. I still remember the Vietnam war and how it was lost because of public opinion. McCain remembers the damage that was done to Vietnam when the American troops had to withdraw. Vietnam did not remain a democracy for long and if the American troops withdraw too soon, they will not remain a democracy that long either. Sometimes the adoration of the people is the worse that a campaigner can have.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Are you actually saying we left Vietnam too soon? Didn't we lose enough of our troops, we should have stayed and let 50,000 more die? Public opinion matters, contrary to what the D1ck Cheney would have you believe; we put these people in office and we pay their salaries, so our opinion should count for something.
Annie
1 person likes this
@RFMaster08 (29)
•
28 Jul 08
First Annie to correct you on Vietnam, Yes our withdrawal can be directly linked to one of the most horrific acts of genocide of the twentieth century in Cambodia. Under the regime of Pol Pot, the Khemer Ruge killed about two million Cambodians in the purge. This would never have happened with the American presence.
1 person likes this
@RFMaster08 (29)
•
28 Jul 08
Secondly Annie, you seem to come across like Obama "the dream weaver" is beyond critism. McCain spoke the truth. Obama is a light weight on foreign policy. Had it not been for the surge Barrack Hussein "the big pretender" Obama would not been able to visit Iraq in the safe way he was able to otherwise.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Tonight on the news as Obama was in Germany there were plenty of people there to hear what he had to say. Then they showed McCain at a resturant meeting and greeting people. I know that they have really been bashing this year in the run for president. There has been so much below the belt comments that it's not funny. No matter what they may say about one another on comments that they have made on issues. When the time of voting comes the people will be the ones that will determine who will and who will not be the president of the US.
2 people like this
@rodney850 (2145)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Annie,
Exactly how is this hitting below the belt? What it addresses is his inexperience and credibility! People are so blinded by this man's charisma they can't see the nose on their face! What McCain said was the truth, however much it may hurt!
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
25 Jul 08
Rodney, I guess this is yet another example of different people taking the same words in a different way. To me it sounded like he was implying that Obama doesn't care about people's lives and safety, given the fact that McCain likes to equate the war in Iraq with our security here. Thanks for your responses even though we do see it in different ways. That's what a discussion is for, right? If everyone posted in total agreement with what I said, that wouldn't really be a "discussion", that would be more like a pep rally of sorts.
Annie
1 person likes this
@cbreeze (1205)
• United States
25 Jul 08
To me Hillary, Obama, and John MCCain have disappointed me at some point by stooping to behavior I thought they were above. I definitely have already chosen my candidate unless he does something absolutely unforgivable. But I really just want to close my eyes and go to sleep until election day, wake up go vote. Go back to sleep and wake up to the decision and deal with whomever becomes president. I hate the whole process of the candidates dimeaning each other and the media fueling hatred and anger between the parties and voters. I just think it turns so many of us into barbarians. Why don't we just stick them in an arena and let them duel it out in front of jeering masses until one concedes. The process focuses so little on what the issues are and where the candidates stand anyway.
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