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 Stuck in the PrimaryPosted on Oct 17, 2008By E.J. Dionne The moment of truth in Wednesday evening’s debate came when Bob Schieffer asked the candidates if they would be willing to repeat, face to face, some of the personal charges they have made against each other in their ads and on the trail. At first, John McCain flinched. Instead of answering directly, he suggested, remarkably, that it was Barack Obama who was running the more negative campaign. Polls show that this is certainly not the impression of voters. They see McCain as the negative guy. But eventually McCain launched the attack everyone was waiting for, referring to Obama’s relationship with Bill Ayers, the ‘60s radical with whom Obama served on a Chicago education board that also included Republican members. Obama calmly noted that his relationship with Ayers was limited and that Ayers would play no role in an Obama administration. McCain was wound up, and before he was done, he made the astonishing claim that some fraudulent voter registrations obtained by ACORN—that’s the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now—constituted “one of the greatest frauds in voter history” and were “maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.” Gosh, I didn’t know our democratic fabric was so frail. Ayers, ACORN and Joe the Plumber were the stars of McCain’s desperate effort in the third and final presidential debate to revive a candidacy that has been on the skids ever since the economic crisis hit. (Joe, whose last name is Wurzelbacher and who runs a plumbing business in Ohio, confronted Obama recently at a campaign stop because he didn’t like the idea that Obama would raise his taxes. He’s become a hero on some conservative Web sites.) Advertisement Going into the debate, McCain was in a kind of strategic gridlock. To make the campaign a contest once again, he must arouse new doubts about Obama. But by hammering Obama, McCain seems only to be undercutting his own image. This Catch-22 renders his task Herculean. McCain must get voters to see him as steadier, more positive and more likable—even as he makes his assaults on Obama stick. This will not be easy in the coming weeks, as Wednesday’s performance suggested. A New York Times-CBS News poll released on the eve of the debate found that McCain’s favorable ratings had slipped badly since mid-September. Then, McCain was viewed favorably by 44 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 37 percent. Now, the balance is 36 percent positive and 41 percent negative. In the same period, Obama’s net positive ratings have only risen. The poll asked voters if their opinion of McCain had changed for the better or for the worse in “the past couple of weeks.” Only 7 percent said their view had changed in a positive direction; 21 percent said it had moved in a negative direction. Nearly a quarter of those who said their view of McCain had worsened cited his attacks on Obama as the reason for their change of heart; a fifth mentioned his selection of Sarah Palin as running mate. What’s striking about the past month is that the great American middle has shifted Obama’s way. Recent polls by The Post and ABC News, Gallup and Pew suggest that Obama’s gains since mid-September have been especially large among whites, particularly white men, and also among independents and moderates. At this crucial juncture, the contours of the 2008 contest are remarkably similar to those of the 2006 midterm elections that ended with a Democratic victory. Strikingly—and no doubt unintentionally—McCain echoed the Democrats’ 2006 campaign theme when he said that voters want the country to move in “a new direction.” That’s McCain’s problem. McCain tried hard Wednesday to paint Obama as a big-spending liberal who hangs around with radicals. But ideology may matter less to voters this year than temperament, and in this downturn, conservatism may be even more suspect than liberalism. In assailing Obama from the right, McCain may only have deepened the problems he already has. E.J. Dionne’s e-mail address is postchat(at)aol.com. © 2008, Washington Post Writers Group Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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Obama’s Thankless Thanksgiving
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By Frank Cajon, October 20, 2008 at 4:24 pm #
All the fascination is with ‘Joe the Plumber’. How about ‘Joe the Scab’? When you don’t have a required license, don’t pay your taxes, don’t belong to the union and thus take jobs away from union plumbers, and don’t have a family to support because of your personal shortcomings, it’s easy to talk big about ‘taking away from the well off’. At least the loudmouth was willing to take questions from the media, though he sounds like a typical Neocon radio show call-in. That is something Palin won’t do until McCain drops from brain cancer.
Report thisBy Big B, October 19, 2008 at 7:52 pm #
America’s lack of a single payer, nationwide, portable healthcare system is the single biggest killer of economic expansion. Let me explain…
Ask yourself if you would have changed jobs years ago if you could have taken your health benefits with you? People stay in jobs they despise because of the fear that they will not find a better package on the other side of the fence. This leads to unmotivated bosses, knowing that employees won’t leave. It leads to lackluster employees because they know they are stuck where they are, but their boss won’t do anything because they don’t want to hire and train your replacement(unless of course you’re over 50, than your benefits become expensive enough for your employer to “go in another direction.”
Think about how many businesses are out there that won’t expand because of the expense of added empolyees with benefits. Think about those who want to start a business, but can’t or won’t, because of the cost of healthcare alone.
Think about the fact that all of the nations in direct competition with the US already have universal healthcare(in leiu of massive military budgets. The newly oil rich Russia spent only 40 billion on national defence last year, yet we still fear them) Those same nations take ample care of their aged, and still provide a very good public school system, thus assuring their future prosperity.
We need to stop listening to the free market crowd when it comes to healthcare and education. The proof is in the pudding. The US has tried to apply free market principals to both of these institutions, and repeat after me, IT HAS NOT WORKED!
While our healthcare and educational systems flounder trying to do it on the cheap, the rest of the world has sprinted by us. Why? Maybe because they now posess more sense of nationalism and community responsiblity than we do. They refuse to die of a theory.(Jefferson Davis-1865)
Report thisBy PatrickHenry, October 19, 2008 at 9:52 am #
By elizabethe, October 18 at 11:33 pm #
While I am sympathetic with your push to see Nader elected (I have voted twice for him) I don’t see him in serious contention for the job.
He should have run a state campaign long ago for exposure and while he has great ideas, the proof is where the rubber meets the road. He must prove his ability to form consensus in an environment filled with corporate Rebublicans and Democrats, he would never get any backing on any of his own bills.
I would like to see Nader in the debates and believe he would do a great job in a cabinet position, much more likely in an Obama administration than McCain.
Report thisBy elizabethe, October 19, 2008 at 3:33 am #
My comment got garbled, what was attributed to Nader seems mixed with Obama, and the two are entirely different, so a remedial short fix is tendered here.
OBAMBA OFFERS CORPORATE CORRUPT RED INK MILITARY DEBT AND EXPECTS THE MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY. Some kinda socialism…it is not anything.
NADER OFFERS PUBLIC SERVICES FROM TAXES EARNED AND PAID BY EVERYONE AT A FAIR LEVEL, A DEFINITE REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH AT THE TAX LEVEL, AND USE OF TAXES FOR PEOPLE AS IS TRUE GOVERNMENT AND PROVIDED BY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. NADER WOULD HAVE PRIORITIES IN PLACE, BUDGET FOR THE NEW TERM, ON TRACK IN THE BLACK, NOT PROPOSING MORE MILITARY AND RED INK, PRIORITIES ON TRACK AWAY FROM WAR RACKETEERING, AND PROPER PEACE POLICY AND UPHOLD THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. The redistribution of wealth by Nader would be to end corporate “welfare” and make them pay their fair share, and also tax the bad pollution products to make taxes discourage what is bad and encourage what is good for people, and the environment, and society.
Nader also offers a credible achievement level of public interest results for governmental laws enacted, such as Clean Air, Clean Water, Environmental Protection Agency, Freedom of Information, Automobile Safety.
If he is elected, as a Harvard Law accomplished private attorney who has a career of legendary public interest track record, he can be expected to reverse the Bush offensives against the Constitution and people and restore peace with proper upholding of the Office of President and democracy that requires ONLY Congress, 535 people, to declare war. The President is supposed to have the wisdom to lead on track, and get the respect and support of Congress.
This is something Nader is clearly able to do.
Voters are able to see the truth of the majority to vote out the two party failure and vote for American proper upholding of majority rule.
This is not socialism, it is remedial action, some call him a reformist and capitalist, what I say he is is anti-corruption.
We are not supposed to spend red ink for unwanted military offensives against all proper sanity and policy. We are supposed to want safety, and Nader has the proper view of what safety and sanity are, and they do go with proper view of the U.S. Constitution. Two year limit of funding an army is in the Constitution. The President is Commander in Chief, not the declarer of war, which is not wanted, and only congress decides if there is cause. The Commander in chief would pull us out, wanting proper peace, diplomacy, and proper U.S. self-rule, respect for global order, and safety by abiding and upholding our Constitution.
Nader is a public interest servant his entire career, and it would be best capped as President to put America On Track. For everyone, yes. Justice against corporate crooks seeking monopoly against democracy, yes. Vote for a winner by the majority.
62% are not in the two parties, the majority is free to expect the majority rule, and hope that it will come from the other 38% also, FOR PRESIDENT NADER to be voted in with enthusiasm!
Report thisBy elizabethe, October 19, 2008 at 3:13 am #
We’ve come this far, for the OPPOSITION to the status quo unwanted, failure in office needs usurption by majority rule, and “We the PEOPLE” against the corrupt needs to take effect, by the majority against minority tyranny.
Certainly everyone can study all six and tell themselves the obvious truth, you owe the BEST as your one and only vote on November 4th, not some two boxed evil named a ‘system’ that cannot be undone, all it is is the lie tendered by both the media as if they are the only choices wanted, and the polls are obviously only offering those choices (yes, they have been extremely offensive in our faces against the public opinion and still claiming they represent the public opinion…no they represent THEIR opinion against the proper DEMOCRACY RULES AT THE BALLOT BOX ON NOVEMBER 4th.
Nader has been called a “socialist” to respond to this article, and to force the proper truth view, that voters shouldn’t say, “some kind of socialist” because Obama’s policies don’t make sense, what he is saying is he expects to get jobs and money from the middle class, and that sounds HOKEY! Yes, compared to Republicans, yes….ha ha ha….the middle class as a potential serious target yes, he is aiming for that, but not the true socialism, he wants PROFIT from corruption emphasis, and he has no clue as to what runs the government IN THE BLACK. Taxes spent in the black runs a government in the black. Why the writer said “some kind of socialist” is because he is not clear on what he expects to achieve, because he has no sound basis for what he is saying. A-he is not supposed to aim at your taxes with the present situation in view…unchecked unwanted military increases, and yes, he wants those, so where would he ask you to take jobs, and fund those jobs with red ink…do you see how corrupt he is…not the public benefit, no some kind of socialism, no it is not. It is heinous, not any kind of anything, not even close to government.
President Nader has my vote for America on track with the U.S. Constitution upheld with strong and able leadership. 2008. Over 100 million voters are registered “no party” or non-partisan. 36 million are registered Democrats and 26 million Republicans.
NADER CAN WIN & SHOULD!
There are SIX not TWO candidates. Vote the bums in the senate out, for a REMEDY.
Report thisUse MAJORITY power!
By Purple Girl, October 18, 2008 at 8:32 pm #
When you make the Concept of an American who is running fo rhighest office COULD be a Traitor or Terrorist, you allow it into peoples psyche’s.
Report thisWhen they hear those Terms over & Over they could lose impact..but they could just make it easier to Say.
Johnny Boys tactic could turn it’s ugly sights on Him.
I am Glad Obama has stayed above this, and Biden only wades in knee deep. However since they are unwilling,or more likely better advised, Does not Mean those Of US on the Selection Committee can not.
I support Sen Obama, But will Never give up my Right to Free Speech. I don’t need to yell my accusations about McCain & palin at a Rally, I Dream of hearing them said at their Sentencing Hearings.
John McCain has proven himself UNTRUSTABLE. Keating 5 to Phil Gramm over his right shoulderto Economic Meltdown of Banking.
Illegal invasion into Iraq to Iraq’s Lobbist Timmons,False Anthrax allegation and Big Oil favors. WTC ‘93, The Cole,9/11 Back to Gifts from Mac’s anti Communist Group to the fledgling group AQ and their Future leader in the ‘80’s (After he gainedt ‘street Cred’ running the Russians out).
How many Lobbists, total, are In His Campaign..WHY IS THE MSM,esp MSNBC Not reviewing his insiders ‘Experience’???
If There is a ‘Right’ to ask about a Ridiculous ‘connection’ why is it Not then as Much a right to ask about McCains Associations and WHO he ‘pals around with’?
And people still think the Media’s in the Tank for Obama…Please they help perpetuate and validify the most vile Lies, while Frantically burying McCains et al HIGH CRIMES!
‘Fair and Balance’ then every time ‘Ayers’ is mentioned so is Mac’s Keating 5.
‘Muslim’ brings Up ‘Anti Communist’ group providing support for Pre AQ.
Media either has to Truely be balanced, or say Nothing and make such tactics IRRELEVANT. If the media Does not report it, parrot it, analyize the shit out of it..No one will hear it but their rally goers- CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE TO “SOUND BITE” AND SOMETHING ELSE TO DISCUSS….Do you think this is ALL we have to CONCERN OURSELVES with at THIS TIME??
Could You ‘Pundits’ and media types mind talking about what is relevant and blow off What most of US would, if asked about it in a Bar!
Relevance & irrelevance please Try to focus on Informational Triage. Our ‘patient’ is dying,aka A Well Informed Electorate in a Free Democracy . and Frankly so is Our Patience.
By Gloria Picchetti, October 18, 2008 at 11:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
To Driving Bear;
Report thisUnder Land Value Tax systems the land owners pay land tax & the renters pay rent. So who is getting away free? Study it a little - henrygeorge.org
By Gloria Picchetti, October 18, 2008 at 11:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
So if we insure more people there will not be enough health care for all the people so let them die?
Report thisHow many of us are veterans?
Preventive care in school is universal health care for children at least. What is the children are really ill, let them die if they are not privately insured?
By gianfalco, October 18, 2008 at 11:40 am #
We are in deep water, and so a plumber can be useful:
Report thishttp://www.gianfalco.it/index.php/2008/10/18/mccain-obama-or-joe-the-plumber/
By Anarcissie, October 18, 2008 at 11:36 am #
One’s ideology is one’s system of value and beliefs. If you have no system of values and beliefs, how can you evaluate ideas as to their efficacy? Efficacy embodies a value judgement.
Report thisBy PatrickHenry, October 18, 2008 at 11:30 am #
If we insure 47 million more people we will surely need more doctors, nurses, triage personnel.
There are many under used VA and Military hospitals which can be geared up for the public benefit, after all they are owned by the public staffed by public paid doctors.
I would like to take a more preventive medicine approach in our school system including dental care.
Report thisBy Gloria Picchetti, October 18, 2008 at 10:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Patrick Henry:
Report thisUnder Land Value Taxes land owners pay land taxes & renters pay rent. When renters do not
pay income taxes, sales, taxes, right to breath taxes etc the renters can afford to pay rent to the land owner who pays land taxes. Not only that the land owner pays only land taxes not income taxes, sales taxes, right to breath taxes etc!
As for waiting in line for health care under universal health care, I had health insurance where the it was a PPO but you still had to use a network. None of the doctors in the network were taking new patients. Good thing I have enough good health or I would be dead.
By PatrickHenry, October 18, 2008 at 9:29 am #
By driving bear, October 17 at 2:35 pm #
“So what good is having Universal health care or insurance in you can’t get an appointment to see the Doctor.”
Try and see one without healthcare.
Report thisBy PatrickHenry, October 18, 2008 at 9:26 am #
By driving bear, October 17 at 6:46 pm #
When you get sick you go to a surgeon?
Report thisBy Tubalcain, October 18, 2008 at 12:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
First and foremost the USA has some of the lowest tax burdens in the world. The difference with higher taxed countries is that they get added social services:universal health care, secure pensions, free college, good infrastructure, etc. We spend it on a wasteful bloated defense budget that enriches even more the already rich crony contractors. To add to the injuries, we have deteriorating infrastructure, education and various other crumbling services. Class warfare is what the wealthy and powerful have been waging against the poor and middle class for a long time now. Income inequality in the USA is almost the highest in the world the facts and figures don’t lie-check the Congressional Budget office figures. I never understood that when looking at rising inequality why are they rushing to cut taxes for the rich? The magic fairy dust that the $ will trickle down somehow is a damn delusion. The Free Market Evangelists look real dumb now, their shitty system failed and now they’re all in line with their hat in hands begging for a bailout—but wait we’ve been bailing them out for some time now. I don’t even have to go into the specifics you can google them. The idea that Americans don’t want to admit that class warfare exists is a shame, I guess that those in power have completed the job of transferring guilt to the victims.
Report thisBy driving bear, October 17, 2008 at 10:46 pm #
To Patrick Henry
FYI to become a surgeon in the USA requires 4 years of college followed by 4 years of medical school, then for a surgeon 5 years of residency. A total of 13 years. So Patrick don’t get sick until 2022.
to Gloria Picchetti, October 17 at 4:33 pm #
Report thiswith any land tax system you would still have the same problem, a system where some pay ( land owners ) and where some don’t pay ( non land owners)
By PatrickHenry, October 17, 2008 at 9:59 pm #
By driving bear, October 17 at 2:35 pm #
Train and hire more doctors.
By Sue Cook, October 17 at 10:27 am #
Report thisI doubt our government will send non tax paying citizens checks. It will just not tax those making less than $250K as much.
By Gloria Picchetti, October 17, 2008 at 8:33 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Wow Driving Bear, flat taxes are pretty good compared to what we are doing. However the best taxes are taxes on nothing whatsoever except taxes on land. That does not mean the house, the ten car garage, the pool, nor any other improvement. It means taxes on land and nothing else. henrygeorge.org This type of tax which is also called LVT (Land Value Tax) is very successful in the handful of communities that have done it.
Report thisBy driving bear, October 17, 2008 at 6:35 pm #
like many Americans I am disturbed by the class war themes coming out in this election. Like Sue I am disturbed by the fact that 44% of Americans don’t pay taxes. This reminds me of the words of an English MP in the 17th century. I wish I could remember his name but his said and I am paraphraseing ” Democracy is the best form of government until the people realize that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure, after that point democracy is doomed “
So I purpose that American do the fair thing to every citizen and scrap the IRS and impose the flat tax where every citizen from Bill Gates/ Warren Buffett to the homeless man on the street pays 20% in taxes.
On Healthcare. There is something even more worrying that the cut backs in government funds and it relates to tax policy. As you have heard Obama has plans to raise taxes on families making more than $ 250K per year, and a lot of medical doctors make that or more. So some doctors are planing in Obama wins to cut back on the numbers of hours they work because they are not going to work and give it all to the fed government. My wife is an O.R nurse and said that some surgeons are planing to work about 1/4 less if Obama wins.
So what good is having Universal health care or insurance in you can’t get an appointment to see the Doctor
Report thisBy driving bear, October 17, 2008 at 5:39 pm #
After the debate a Zoby poll showed that Obama was down 1.0 points and McCain was up 0.8 , for a net gain of 1.8% for McCain.
Report thisBy MizShoes, October 17, 2008 at 4:30 pm #
You know what? Given a choice between what the neo-cons are calling socialism and the fascism that they are calling “making us safe from terrorists”, I’ll go with the socialism every time.
Report thisBy cyrena, October 17, 2008 at 3:23 pm #
Scary thought due to Obama wanting the same for his proposed “universal health care”, courtesy of the government, funding coming from more taxes imposed on the wealthy and trickling down to the non-wealthy.
Socialism at it’s best.
NoBama, no big government!
~~~~~
Ah but Sue Cook, you LOVED the ‘universal health care’ stuff when your girlfriend Hillary was proposing it, and planning to make it MANDATORY!!! There was absolutely NOTHING Hillary could do wrong in your eyes. In fact, she was the absolute BEST thing since sliced (white) bread for you. Same health plan.
Oh my! What happened? Now you’re panting after Sarah Palin. Go figure. (though I think we figured that you were a man hating racist long ago).
Report thisBy Hulk2008, October 17, 2008 at 2:47 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Finally a commenter who has a rational approach to life. Kudos to you, Charley B. - well said. Having spent most of life in a very conservative state, I have heard all the standard anti-liberal bashing. Having grown up in a socially liberal family, I have also heard the responding arguments. Those of us who work for a living are necessarily “conservative” financially - otherwise we would be broke .... maybe on welfare - we manage every penny. I’ve personally spent plenty of time digging up change for gas by going thru old coat pockets, couches, chairs, and kitchen drawers. But we have always worked hard to help others - worked in soup kitchens and fund drives and charity pantries and the like, plus donating cash and used belongings. We may have griped occasionally when reading a shocking story in the papers about welfare waste or Medicare swindle. But, for the most part, we have been glad that the less-fortunate have been helped by government programs - a hand up not a handout. We just hope that programs are as efficient as our family’s finance - that’s all we ask. But I am always amazed at conservatives who believe that we citizens have NO reason to give to others and that welfare of any kind is “outright thievery” (as one neo-con put it). Whatever happened to “promote the general welfare” ?
Report thisBy Sue Cook, October 17, 2008 at 2:27 pm #
Obama sure does seek a socialist agenda with his 95% tax cuts for working families.
Approx. 44% of those same working people don’t pay any taxes. There incomes don’t allow it. Obama’s “tax cuts” will give most of them a check every year from the IRS paid for by taxpayers to non-taxpers. Go figure?
Obama told Joe the Plumber that he wants to “spread the wealth around” using the Robin Hood approach. He takes from the rich and gives to the poor. Whether they deserve it or not!
I see an article on the Drudge Report that says the state of Hawaii is discontinuing their universal health care after only 7-months because it can’t afford to fund it any longer. They site concerns of people who have their children covered are quitting to pay for it so they can get it for “free” courtesy of the government.
Scary thought due to Obama wanting the same for his proposed “universal health care”, courtesy of the government, funding coming from more taxes imposed on the wealthy and trickling down to the non-wealthy.
Socialism at it’s best.
Report thisNoBama, no big government!
By Gloria Picchetti, October 17, 2008 at 1:04 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Joe needs new tools. One is a CPA. The other is a financial advisor. From whom does Joe expect to make more than a quarter million dollars? I know millionaires who are laying employees off left & right because they can’t sell property and their 401Ks won’t buy lunch. New constuctions are empty. Most people get things repaired instead of buying new improvements. Is Joes going to make a quarter million fixing old pipes 12 hours a day? Let us assume Joe finds new constructions and new home improvement jobs where none of the checks bounce. Doesn’t Joe know new equipment is partially deductable every year? Doesn’t Joe know he can deduct salaries and benefits? Doesn’t Joe know he can give his children each a tax free gift every year up to 11 or 12 thousand. Then he can tell the children to pay part of their own college costs! Why can’t Joe count?
Report thisBy John Harvey, October 17, 2008 at 12:36 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Joe “the Plumber” does not run the business. He is not even a licensed plumber. All indications are the man does not have the resources to buy the business he wants to own. Even if he could buy it he would have to hire someone with a license to do the work.
Report thisBy Charley Barcelo, October 17, 2008 at 11:32 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
In my 77 years of experience I have finally realized that we are neither liberal or conservative. We possess a continuum of philosophies and apply them in mostly pragmatic ways. I am conservative in my fiscal life and liberal in my social life although many times I employ conservative means to attain my objectives.
There are people who claim to be liberal or comservative completely and do contribute to the problematic situation in which we find ourselves.
In the political arena we had a cycle of largely liberal policies. This has been replaced by a “conservative” era. for nearly 40 years. What might have been sensible conservative ideas when sparingly appled hardened into “conservative” dogma which has supplantd the former common sense policies. An example: tax cuts always increase revenues. They don’t “always produce more revenue”
When used when necssary and when used judisciously they sometimes have that effect. Look at our pesent situation. Another faulty dogma: Raising taxes always reduces revenue.” Untrue. Under GHW Bush and Clinton we raised taxes which resulted in our government going from 100s of million of dollars of deficits to 100s of millions of dollars in surpluses. Which of these policies were liberal and which were conservative.
The point here is that ideas fall along a continuum and we must assess their efficacy with results not ideology. Sometimes a liberal idea will work best and sometimes a conservative idea will work best. As someone has said there are no atheists in foxholes and there is no room for idealogues in the economy and in Government.
Charley B
Report thisBy Anarcissie, October 17, 2008 at 10:32 am #
Obama is the conservative. McCain, by selecting Palin, caused people to see him as a cranky, temperamental, erratic person who actually does hang out with radicals and even selected one as his running mate. The financial crises only emphasized the need for a calm hand and steady mind at the helm.
Report this