McCain’s adviser sends a memo.
From: Mark Salter, Senior Advisor
Date: May 8, 2008
Re: Senator Obama’s Attack Today
First, let us be clear about the nature of Senator Obama’s attack today: He used the words ‘losing his bearings’ intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain’s age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning.
We have all become familiar with Senator Obama’s new brand of politics. First, you demand civility from your opponent, then you attack him, distort his record and send out surrogates to question his integrity. It is called hypocrisy, and it is the oldest kind of politics there is.
It is important to focus on what Senator Obama is attempting to do here: He is trying desperately to delegitimize the discussion of issues that raise legitimate questions about his judgment and preparedness to be President of the United States.
Through their actions and words, Senator Obama and his supporters have made clear that ANY criticism on ANY issue — from his desire to raise taxes on millions of small investors to his radical plans to sit down face-to-face with Iranian President Ahmadinejad – constitute negative, personal attacks.
Senator Obama is hopeful that the media will continue to form a protective barrier around him, declaring serious limits to the questions, discussion and debate in this race.
Senator Obama has good reason to think this plan will succeed, as serious journalists have written of the need for ‘de-tox’ to cure ’swooning’ over Senator Obama, and others have admitted to losing their objectivity while with him on the campaign trail.
Today, Senator Obama is complaining about comments John McCain made about a senior Hamas advisor stating that Hamas would welcome Senator Obama’s election as president. Indeed, on April 13th, senior Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef said, ‘We don’t mind – actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance.’
The McCain campaign has never suggested that Senator Obama supports Hamas’ agenda, but it is more than fair to raise this quote about Senator Obama because it speaks to the policy implications of his judgment.
Just today, the president of Iran, whom Senator Obama wants to meet with unconditionally, called the state of Israel a ’stinking corpse.’ Iran is the paymaster and state sponsor of Hamas.
In his victory speech this week, Senator Obama stated that ‘wisdom’ is meeting with our enemies, including Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, North Korea’s Kim Jong Il, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Cuba’s Raul Castro. John McCain couldn’t disagree more. Rather than giving tyrants and dictators the prestige of meeting with an American president, John McCain will instead meet with the champions of human freedom around the world and opposition leaders fighting for liberty.
We understand why Senator Obama doesn’t want to engage in a debate over leadership and judgment with John McCain, but the American people demand that debate take place.
These are serious times that call for a serious debate on the profound issues facing our future. John McCain is ready for that debate and we hope Senator Obama will one day get serious and join it.
Are you ready for this fight?
As I said on dKos, better have the “c—” get him a few cases of Depends. Poor wittle St Johnnykins.
I think you meant ‘trollop’.
That, too.
Isn’t a trollop an adulteress, by the way? Seems a very inconvenient word to use.
touchy, touchy.
Thinkprogress
Earlier this week it was reported McCain appeared confused, disorientated as to where he was….
Should Obama call out McCain for linking him to Hamas, Again – during MC’s gig on The Daily Show?
if McCain is NOT the nominee of the Republicans. If this sort of behavior becomes common, they could make him step down.
Frankly, the “old” McCain meme is more likely one Clinton was planning to use after she knocked that Obama “boy” out of the race (Clinton – not too young, not too old, just right).
The rest of the memo is dog whistle politics to try to woo back some of the Reagan coalition. On the 60th anniversary of Israel’s founding, McCain’s folks are hoping to taint Obama’s reputation with enough members of the Jewish community (by bringing up Hamas and Iran)to match the record levels of Jewish votes for a Republican president that Reagan got. Just because the dynamics in the Jewish community have changed a lot in 30 years, doesn’t deter the Republicans from trying.
if this is the best they’ve got, bring it on! they’re bringing a knife to a gunfight w/ this kind of obtuse stuff.
Politico
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash) endorses Obama after Hill meeting
l think his support is a lot deeper. this from greg sargent @ tpm:
it’s over, and times running out for the clintons’ to make a graceful exit…which appears highly unlikely.
Yay, Zogby said as many as 30 expected to go public.
At Obama’s web site – the Countdown
33 Pledged delegates needed for a majority
167 Total Delegates needed for nomination
l’m leaning on the ones in colo….emails and letters….and boo’s latest post gives me a new load of ammo.
let’s put this away! now!
zogby’s not doin’ so well in terms of accuracy lately….so take that particular prognostication with a
grainpillar of salt.he had the last two right. especially Indiana.
One wonders what color the sky might be on Planet McCain.
So, I guess Obama needs to consider eliminating “old” from his vocabulary as well as,
age-old, ancient, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, archaic, hoary, olden, old-time, timeworn, venerable
antiquated, antique, archaic, bygone, dated, dowdy, fusty, old-time, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, vintage
erstwhile, former, once, onetime, past, previous
Though I would enjoy hearing him use quondam and whilom.
This could be challenging considering Obama’s message is about changing the old ways of Washington.
I hope Obama creates some equivalent to Reagan’s, “There you go again…” And then directs the focus to what he really wants to say. Otherwise he could spend huge amounts of media time explaining what he meant, e.g., “bitter.”
Just In:
via Huffpost DESPERATE GASP
Clinton’s Open Letter To Obama on MI and FL demands he recognize the votes
Testicular. On a day when Clinton rejected the proposal from the Michigan delegates!
I’m sure we can find a KKK or Neo-Nazi or McVeigh type group endorsement for McCain.
Sorry to be off topic but I am concerned that Wright will again be an issue. They mentioned the church bulletins. I wonder what kind stategy to fight this stupid “issue”.
I heard them mention the church bulletin. It pissed me off.
One claim that they keep bringing up is that Israel was trying to try to develop an ethnic specific weapon. It happens to be true and I’m tired of people being afraid to tell the truth.
Israel’s Ethnic Weapon?
Wired News Report 11.16.98
Israel is reportedly developing a biological weapon that would harm Arabs while leaving Jews unaffected, according to a report in London’s Sunday Times.
The report, citing Israeli military and western intelligence sources, says that scientists are trying to identify distinctive genes carried by Arabs to create a genetically modified bacterium or virus.
The “ethno-bomb” program is based at Israel’s Nes Tziyona research facility. Scientists are trying to use viruses and bacteria to alter DNA inside living cells and attack only those cells bearing Arabic genes.
http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1998/11/16272
Here is some truth about Hamas. Too bad Obama won’t speak of this.
According to the International Herald Tribune 22nd April 2008, Jimmy Carter said that he had obtained a significant concession from the Palestinian group Hamas regarding Israeli-Palestinian peace and had found the Syrian leadership eager for a full peace treaty with Israel.
Israel must be more accommodating and show its readiness to negotiate with Hamas if the latter is prepared to negotiate even if it does not officially change its attitude towards Israel’s existence.
http://shimonzk.blogspot.com/