McCain blows it — defends Obama’s community organizer record
You know, I was going to call it a night. And then I saw the story about John McCain’s appearance at the 9/11 Columbia University forum earlier this evening.
Every time you grit your teeth and defend this guy, he pulls something like this. Hey, Maverick: Way to throw Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, and your strategists who had the sense to seize on Obama’s abysmal, ineffectual record as a Chicago rabble-rouser under the bus!
Barack Obama and John McCain attempted to set their differences aside Thursday night, if only for a moment, as they encouraged Americans to volunteer in their community and military at a forum on national service.
Few sparks flew at the Columbia University event, hosted by ServiceNation. The candidates — who were interviewed separately — were encouraged to keep campaign politics to a minimum, out of respect for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
In that spirit, McCain at one point softened the language used by his running mate last week at the Republican National Convention, where she mocked Obama’s early days as a community organizer.
“Governor Palin was responding to the criticism of her inexperience, her job as a mayor in a small town,” McCain explained. “Of course I respect community organizers. Of course I respect people who’ve served their communities, and Senator Obama’s record there is outstanding.”
“Outstanding?”
Are you kidding me? Does McCain need talking points on the government-subsidized fraud machine that is ACORN? Here are the ACORN Watch archives: Print and read.
Does McCain even know about the Annenberg Challenge disaster? Someone set up a briefing for him with Stanley Kurtz, stat! Is he even aware of Obama’s own disavowal of his failed community organizer efforts?
McCain has just taken one of his own campaign’s most effective lines of attack against his opponent’s feckless, far Left past and tossed it away — like the rose Obama flung in the water.
What’s next? Will McCain attack those who mock Obama’s “outstanding” community organizer record as racist, too?
Banging. Head. Against. Wall.
***
Hey, let’s put some salt in the wound: A cabinet position for Obama to boot!
Maybe he’ll be named Secretary of the Soros Slush Fund.
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- McCain blows it — defends Obama’s community organizer record — The 2008 Elections
- McCain campaigns for Obama. PLEASE SARAH, PUT HIM IN HIS PLACE! | The TIW Blog
- McCain Says Obama Was A Good Commuinty Organizer « Beltway Snark
- McCain blows it — defends Obama’s community organizer record | Tagroom :) Tagging The World
- McCain defends Obama « Take Your Cross
- Michelle Malkin » ACORN Watch: The community organizing fraud continues
- 0bama, ACORN, Voter Registration Irregularities, Oh my! - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!
- Michelle Malkin » Team Obama’s new best friend: Karl Rove
- Michelle Malkin » Finally: McCain jabs Obama in the Fannie; Palin pokes Biden on patriotism
- Michelle Malkin Says “McCain Blows It” About Obama’s Community Service « Community-Organizer.com
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I’m pretty sure that after McCain/Palin win the election that the O-Man will sink back into the cesspool that is Chicago politics. There he and his bitter half can kiss and make up with Jeremiah Wright and lament about how whitey kept the black man down. He will probably share office space with Jackson and Sharpton and continue to fleece the flock.
Why is McCain taking crap for being sportsmanlike? Does the guy have to drive nails through Obama’s head every second of the day? Last time McCain congratulated Obama and said something nice about him he dropped a Palin bomb on him the next day. Look for more bombardment and carnage from McCain.
This was a useless forum. I watched McCain’s part but skipped Obama’s. The two moderators seemed completely predisposed to some kind of mandatory national service requirement. What horses**t; go to Europe for that kind of thing. I want to see some of Obama’s rapper pals putting their bling-bling aside and volunteering in some way–without cameras.
God gave us free will, and it’s a shame that more people don’t volunteer. But if people don’t step up, that’s life. Put your faith in God, not Obama and the federal government. I think it’s absurd to create an entire bloated bureaucracy to monitor the volunteer efforts of every single young American. Obama needs to find another farm camp for community organizers.
I was disappointed that McCain let Obama off the hook on community organizing. That said, I thought this forum was supposed to be non-political, yet the moderators boxed him in. There is extraordinary disagreement about the “service” (let alone responsibilities and accomplishments) involved with Obama’s community organizing. He wasn’t volunteering–indeed, after the initial probation salary, he was making as much as $35,000 a year during that time. Anyway, there are serious doubts about the social utility of Obama’s community organizing. It shouldn’t go unchallenged.
Maybe an interviewer could ask McAmnesty, “You said the Obamasiah was an OUTSTANDING community organizer… just what did the Obamasiah do that was outstanding?”
This is a complete non-issue for me. I find nothing wrong with what Sen. McCain said. There are times to be diplomatic and times to be a hard@ss. Last night was not a time for division or hard knock politics. His words in no way demeaned or swept away the words of his running mate or supporters. I know people are watching McCain for any slip-up, but come on guys, this isn’t one of those times. Let’s just move on.
I think you are right on the mark on this. We’ve seen it play out just as you say more than once.
McCain was just taking the high road, which was completely appropriate considering the circumstances.
The best line of the night was his ROTC smack down of Columbia. I love it when liberal hypocrisy is shown the light of day.
For goodness sakes, Michelle, give him a break. This was a classy thing to say, and it elevates him above the fray. Let Palin and Guliani get in the mud… that’s their job. His job is to look classy, to look presidential.
I completely understand your frustration with him- he’s not conservative enough for me either. But please quit cutting his legs out from under him. We could lose this!
Great post lionheart!
I believe this shows wisdom. I didn’t always feel this way, but I think he believes the old adage – give them enough rope and they’ll hang their own selves and it appears to be playing out just that way.
I’m with lionheart here…not only do we have a chance at keeping The One out of the White House, but we also have a possible, slight, too good to believe but actual chance of getting Nancy Pelosi out of the Speakership!
and maybe, just maybe, dare I say it? Reverse Roe vs Wade. Ok, maybe I’m wishful thinking but I can be HOPEfull of CHANGE!
Obama could be Sec. of Agriculture – then he could do something the arugala – it’s pricey at Whole Foods.
I need to remember that. It is just soooo hard not to hate McAmnesty living in Southern California and knowing what this country will be like for my children.
Add to that his familiarity with pork production : )
This is typical of McAmnesty, in the Senate he spent more time on the other side of the aisle then he should have. Always in love with the liberals. These are the reasons I don’t trust him.Another scary thing is that the GOP foreign relations experts are teaching Palin about foreign relations.What can they teach , appeasement?
At least a cabinet position would spare Obama from all those scary Senate votes.
McCain is an idiot..plain and simple.
Mr Go along to get along does it again…Although I was excited about Palin , my anger about illegal immigration is once again boiling up into rage. Today the Boston Globe ran a story about domestic abuse and how Illegal immigrants are the predominant victims. How they fear reporting it, yada,yada,yada………..Bottom line MORE MONEY to fund the Invaders!!! Sick of this crap …my blood pressure can’t take much more!
I totally agree that McCain’s comment about BHO’s “outstanding” record in his community is merely polite false praise.
But I am getting really tired of the GOP party line that advocates trashing community service and community organizers. I’m glad McCain isn’t going along.
If Obama’s community organizing was so great where are all the people that he helped? Why haven’t we heard these people talking about how Obama made their lives better?
An outstanding social worker is still an outstanding…..social worker. It’s not a resume enhancer for the job of POTUS.
What we see here is McCain’s tendency toward Bidenism: offering praise, even insincere praise, when he should just STFU.
So, Mike: you wanna point us to the GOP party line that advocates trashes community service, or are you talking out your DU arse?
I know the pickings have been slim lately, MDS-wise, but this is really reaching, Michelle.
McCain would risk looking like a whiny, sniveling opportunist if he descended to Osama Obama’s level and took every opportunity to chip away at the Boy Wonder..
It’s called co-opting the message.
In a nutshell, “If you believe Obamas’ hope+change message, but don’t think he’s the right guy for the *top* of the ticket, then vote for McCain, He’ll give Obama a cabinet-level post where he can mature into the job”.
This may put some lifelong Dems who are now having buyers’ remorse into play.
I doubt it, but then, I don’t much like McCain….
McCain/Palin 2008
Mew
::: scratching head… :::
Uhh, guys, just what do you think the highlighting of “community organizer” is? The beauty of the underlining is manyfold:
- Der Furer himself, in his book (can’t be flushed like a webpage) admits inadiquacy. Even as he uses this experience as his “I really experienced,.. no I really am! ”
- As Acorn, etc, come to light, it is a bear trap around his ankle.
- All people need to do is look over where Obumbler did his “work”. And, the only people who made out were the slumlords!
Oh, I’m being paged. I’ll leave the other 3 things for you guys to point out.
In parting:
You just don’t throw away ammo! It is stupid, and no amount of “high road” horse-patties can account for it. It does contract[yes, I mean that word...] the differences between JM & OB: As my sainted Mom would say about these 2 men, niether would say ‘horsesh!t’ if he had a mouthful!
Amen, lionheart! I don’t understand Michelle’s line of thinking. She seems to want McCain to lose this election. She has demonstrated a real blindness to certain aspects of politics and this is one of them.
I guess being “right” is more important than what’s good for America. We’ve already got powerful enemies in Obama’s team, the Mainstream Media, and the Leftists funded by Soros. We don’t need a “nattering nabob of negativity” here.
It’s time to become part of “Team America”, Michelle.
And, here I thought 11-Sep-08 was supposed to be a day-long truce in the campaign, not a day to throw the whole campaign away.
I gotta come down on the side of those who think this was a good thing.
McCain was just being polite, and it didn’t cost him anything. So he says that Obama was a great community organizer. That in no way implies any fitness for the top office. It was masterful in that he gets to look magnanimous, while not really endorsing anything. Kind of the “For a fat guy, he doesn’t sweat much” kind of compliment.
McCain can make Obama Secretary of Miracles *eyeroll.*
Just repeat to yourself the liberal mantra: “Palin would be a heartbeat away from the presidency!” There, that’s better.
I don’t believe that McCain is naturally a nasty, hateful, dishonest politician. I know that disappoints many of you. Despite his well known temper, I think his general “nature” is respectful. He’s tried to become more Bush/Rove like the past 5 years, because after what happen to him in SC 2000, he decided that “if you can’t beat em, join em”.
He decided to kiss the ring of the “agents of intolerance”, and sell out to position himself for one last run. The selection of Palin further secured his rightwing base.
However, I think he’s been wearing “drag” to cover up his real bipartisan spirit. Sometimes it slips out. He let it out on full display during his acceptance speech. Hillary and Joe Biden are being very honest when they discuss their affection for John McCain. He’s been selling himself out, but he’s really a decent man deep down inside.
If he wins this election, it’s because moderates trust that he’ll revert back to his old self. They remember the old McCain, and realize that if the Far Right distrusts him so much, he is probably a good pick. If the independents(who will decide this election) thought his soul was anything like Bush and Cheney’s he’d be toast. They know better, and little things like the topic here validate that.
Politically, I know it’s important to turn McCain into Bush, but deep down inside I think I know better. I know he has more decency and integrity. Though I strongly disagree with his policies and ideas, I’ve always liked him. He has disappointed me the past 3-4 years, but I’ve always liked him.
Sarah Palin was a brilliant choice politically, but I anticipated that she’d be more prepared than she is. I also didn’t anticipate the constant “gender card”. If McCain wins, I hope he trusts his health. I hope he makes Palin a file clerk. I hope he takes off the drag. I hope he lives up to the heroic, party last, but country first image that so may have of him.
Just bumped by a 2star… oh well.. so much for returning early.
Mighty is Murphy,
WHoly are His Laws, and Finagle is His Profiet…/sarc off
Yesterday, I listened to Rush. He had the perfect response to your proposal. The Libs have turned the attack into a political brass-knuckles and use it on Conservatives repeatively. They can only do this through lies and subtrfuge. I see no gain, (or even the ability to hold our current ground) by using misplaced “gentlemanly behavior” to cede the terms of the argument.
You don’t win arguments or wars by suppling your opponent with ammo. You don’t win by allowing them to set the terms ofvthe battle. You don’t win by taking the enemy’s bad traits and emulating them. This sort of dishonest discourse makes JM into a shadow of Obumbler in the minds of the “5-minute voter”.
He could have stopped at ok-ing community organizer, he didnt need to praise Obumbler, it was an unnecessary sound-bite. Expect to see it repeated ad nausium by the news shows & Obumbler ads. “Even John MCain think Obama is perfect in our troubled times!”
Not really, I think McCain did the right thing here. Mature and sane…
I think Palin is the one who blew her interview last night…Not even being aware of “Bush doctrine”…? thats scary!
Opps Murphy was working overtime on my last post, it should be:
Pro
fiphetM-justice, I don’t thing JM is many of those thing you seemingly accuse us dissenters of.
However, that said, your comment abt JM changing post 2000 to become more like GWB isn’t supported by the evidence.
This is why I’ve tried to get people to look at JM’s voting record as far back as it goes. In another thread, I pointed out that JM’s voting rec. changed after the Conservative uprising in Congress.
When he was a member of a tiny group, he voted with that group. When the group ideology inverted, so did JM: his voting record went from a nominal 97% at CURating to an increasingly (downward trend to a) 65% CUR. If you project his course, eventually (and not as far away as many here try to sell,) his LCUR hits 78%.
The driving purpose of JM seems not to be America’s Best Interest, but JM’s best interest. Not that he’s unusual in that regard.
That’s why I get frustrated w/people claiming JM’s LCUR is 96%+, it is a phoney indicator. Like saying: a critter lived 100 days, 99days it breathed air, the last day it breathed water; but the water had nothing to do with its demise. (…the drownding was incidental, doncha kno… )
If a wishy-washy soft-socalist is ok with you, just say so. Don’t call him a Conservative. It’s as phoney as Obumbler’s “Hoppin’ Mange” slogan.
GoPALIN!/mccain
MistressJustice said:
A person who is an independent at this point is simply an indecisive person who just goes with whomever they perceive as the strongest candidate in perception only-the pop star/charismatic aspect. The debate over hard issues becomes an irrelevant consideration in the back of their mind (they won’t admit this of course). This is the truth of why Ronald Reagan won both times with independents-he made them feel at ease, Carter and Mondale did not.
At this point McCain has had all the people he was ever going to have on issues-he needed to sell himself to his own base by picking Palin..these are the true policy-motivated individuals left in this particular election year…this is why the left has been panicked by the choice of Palin. She is smart, sexy, and conservative-and has upstaged Obama’s media made-up rock star persona, MistressJustice
The only way McCain can lose is through his own means…at this point he just simply run the clock out with the left’s foolish and hypocritical attacks on Palin and win by a landslide. But if McCain does lose, we will have two good experienced conservative Governors for 2012 to clean up the mess
your Obama will create.
An idependent voter at this point is one who cannot decide between two or more candidates policies on paper and who must rely on how they feel about the candidate… that is who makes them feel better.
Besides, we know from Battleground that the UDs are a vanishingly small percentage.
Actually, w/abortion, the above is probably both figuaratively and literally true.
Last call to the flightline. I’m out.
Good to see you back Martin.musculus.jr
I kind of wondered what happened to you for a while…
He should have said “being a community organizer is fine, but it doesn’t give one enough experience to become POTUS.”
I’ve been president for two years of a local civic club so I can surely be governor of Indiana, right?
If you think he blew it here defending Obama Hussein wait until he is elected and he implements every Policy the Democrats want passed.
John McCain has not changed his stripes even though Palin was picked. JM is still the traitor to conservatives that he has always been.
He has already started talking about comprehensive immigration reform again flip flopping on the strong border he us ed to get you people to vote for him in the primaries.
Yes, I too was fooled – at first. Then I learned. How many times must you be hit in the head before you wake up? For more than fifty years, well-meaning young people have tried to “reform” the Republican Party
How is that going now that they conned you to vote for another liberal again?
atheling said:
Ding ding ding! We have a winnah!
I’m with Michelle on this one. At this point, poking fun at “community organizer” is no more. If Sarah’s line comes up again, Obama will simple come back and say McCain supports useless, good for nothing “community organizers”.