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McCain on offensive
TweetThe Republican administered attacks that his Democratic foe countered methodically.
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — John McCain assailed Barack Obama’s character and his campaign positions on taxes, abortion and more Wednesday night, hoping to turn their final presidential debate into a launching pad for a political comeback. “You didn’t tell the American people the truth,” he said.
Unruffled, and ahead in the polls, Obama parried each charge, and leveled a few of his own.
“One hundred percent, John, of your ads, 100 percent of them have been negative,” Obama shot back in an uncommonly personal debate less than three weeks from Election Day.
“It’s not true,” McCain retorted.
“It is true,” said Obama, seeking the last word.
McCain is currently running all negative ads, according to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But he has run a number of positive ads during the campaign.
The 90-minute encounter, at a round table at Hofstra University, was their third debate, and marked the beginning of a 20-day sprint to Election Day. Obama leads in the national polls and in surveys in many battleground states, an advantage built in the weeks since the nation stumbled into the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression.
With few exceptions, the campaign is being waged in states that voted Republican in 2004 — Virginia, Colorado, Iowa — and in many of them, Obama holds a lead in the polls.
McCain played the aggressor from the opening moments of the debate, accusing Obama of waging class warfare by seeking tax increases that would “spread the wealth around.”
The Arizona senator also demanded to know the full extent of Obama’s relationship with William Ayers, a 1960s-era terrorist and the Democrat’s ties with ACORN, a liberal group accused of violating federal law as it seeks to register voters. And he insisted Obama disavow last week’s remarks by Rep. John Lewis, a Democrat, who accused the Republican ticket of playing racial politics along the same lines as segregationists of the past.
Struggling to escape the political drag of an unpopular Republican incumbent, McCain also said, “Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. ... You wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.”
Obama returned each volley, and brushed aside McCain’s claim to full political independence.
“If I’ve occasionally mistaken your policies for George Bush’s policies, it’s because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people — on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities — you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush,” he said.
McCain’s allegation that Obama had not leveled with the public involved the Illinois senator’s decision to forgo public financing for his campaign in favor of raising his own funds. As a result, he has far outraised McCain, although the difference has been somewhat neutralized by an advantage the Republican National Committee holds over the Democratic Party.
“He signed a piece of paper” earlier in the campaign pledging to accept federal financing, McCain said. He added that Obama’s campaign has spent more money than any since Watergate, a reference to President Nixon’s re-election, a campaign that later became synonymous with scandal.
Obama made no immediate response to McCain’s assertion about having signed a pledge to accept federal campaign funds.
Asked about running mates, both presidential candidates said Democrat Joseph Biden was qualified to become president, although McCain added this qualifier: “in many respects.”
McCain passed up a chance to say his own running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was qualified to sit in the Oval Office, though he praised her performance as governor and noted her work on behalf of special-needs children. The Palins have a son born earlier this year with Down syndrome.
Obama sidestepped when asked about Palin’s qualifications to serve as president, and he, too, praised her advocacy for special-needs children.
But he quickly sought to turn the issue to his advantage by noting McCain favors a spending freeze on government programs.
“I do want to just point out that autism, for example, or other special needs will require some additional funding if we’re going to get serious in terms of research. ... And if we have an across-the-board spending freeze, we’re not going to be able to do it,” he said.
Comments
I agree nothing new at all--same tired phrases from the first one--although I am starting to think McCain is a bit of a crazy man--he seems to be really pissed that he even has to RUN for this office and at times he was downright creepy.
As a parent of a child with vaccine induced autism I was happy to hear autism mentioned specifically. Obama and McCain both know there are thousands of parents like me who know their child developed autism from our aggressive mandatory vaccine schedule. They know there is scientific studies to back these claims up.
Now, which one of these guys will get out of bed with the pharmaceutical companies? My bet, would be McCain. He's old enough that he might just be the one to take on the pharmacuetical companies for what they are doing to our children.1 in 6 kids has some neurological impairment.
However, Sarah Palin is not an advocate for special needs children. Her record of Governor of Alaska shows nothing outstanding in this area. Besides, Downs Syndrome is a purely genetic disorder. Many believe autism has genetic roots but envrionmental triggers. Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger. Speaking of the environment Palin has an abysmal record there.
So, I would vote for McCain if Palin wasn't his VP. I thought it was pretty sad that he didn't have much to say in her areas of expertise and I feel she doesn't even qualify to be creditted as a Special Needs Advocate because she gave birth to a DS child all of six months ago. Truthfully, she has only dipped her big toe in the special needs pool. And for the record, her sister has a son with autism. Which still doesn't convince me she is qualified to address this issues.
And, John got caught in a major contradiction. You can't research causes and treatments of autism when you plan to put a freeze on spending across the board. Thanks Vindy for including that in your article.
Concerned, my prayers are with you and your child.
But, I do not believe that autism is caused by vaccines, but that they are caused by something in the environment. I have five children and all of them have been vaccinated and nothing is wrong with them. I also believe it has to do with where you may live. That being said, I agree with the fact that since she has only had a child with down syndrome for six months, it's hard to be an advocate for special needs, but what strikes me as odd is that although she knew she was having a child that would be born with down syndrome, she voted against a bill to provide more funding for special needs research when she was pregnant with the child.
The debate brought no more light, but it did get a bit ugly at times. I just want to know one thing: Why when Barack brought up the folks at McCain's rallies yelling out all of those racial and threatening comments, he basically defended them. He didn't say that they were wrong or that he disagreed with them. He just said he would not stand for his supporters to be disrespected. If you heard Barack supporters yelling out like that about McCain, this would have sunk Obama. We need to stop being blind and biased no matter who we support. Wrong is wrong and if it's your party that's doing the wrong, then point it out, be the bigger person to admit to it and move on.
LISTEN UP AND PAY ATTENTION! He clearly stated that small businesses will get a break, and that $250,000 a year salary does not apply to businesses, it applies to a family/individual making that much. There is no way you can compare a person making that much to a business that makes that little. I just wish everyone could be blind for a while and only hear the words being spoke by the candidates. If Barack was a white guy, these comments and the yells would be so much different and we all know this in our hearts.
If they weren't running for president of the USA and were coming in for an interview, you looked over their resume's, who would you pick. They guy who, yes, was with his company longer been but never really made any real significance in his career. The company lost a few dollars and gained them back but was really at a stand still. And when you look at his education, he has none, only what he's learned on the job, would you hire him.
Or would you hire the guy who, no, hasn't been there long, but has made great strides for his company and since being there the company has grown for the better and is even making more money than before. Looking at his education you see he went to the two top universities in the COUNTRY and even was the top graduate of, not only his class, but the school all together and never looses his cool. Who would you hire. Oh, yeah, you were blind so you didn't know what color they were and you weren't allowed to know their names until you made a decision. Yeah, sounds different when you say it like that. We all know that Barack is the better choice. Clearly.
"Concerned, my prayers are with you and your child.
But, I do not believe that autism is caused by vaccines, but that they are caused by something in the environment."
Thank you for your kind words. I am not saying vaccines cause all cases of autism. There is an unknown susceptibility. We need to research regressive autism. That is when a child is developing normally on track hitting milestones, is developing language and social issues. Then, suddenly after vaccines a child becomes withdrawn and ill. This a a story thousands upon thousands parents have told.
The research done into vaccines at this point a seriously flawed and should not be the final word on this issue. The candidates know all of this. They know what we want. That is why McCain brought autism up on his own. I swear I would vote for him - because I think he would honestly and openly pursue this. He has seen our children. He has seen the children who are in recovery from autism and who have recovered. I don't like, trust, or believe Palin.
I am happy for you that your 5 children do not have autism. Autism is a heartbreaking situation. May I ask if they have any other chronic health issues? Asthma, allergies, diabetes? Chronic diseases are on the rise. If they don't again I am happy for your good fortune. Environment is certainly a factor. A study done in 2005 showed babies at that time were being born with 287 different detectable poisons and toxins in their cord blood. Then, we vaccinate them day one of life for a sexually transmitted disease. And then load them up with more vaccines over the next 2 years of life. This is pure experimentation. The vaccine schedule has tripled over the last 25 years. The human immune system can't handle all of these vaccines. Vaccines are not a little bit of a disease and some lemon juice. They are loaded with multiple toxins, chemicals, heavy metals and more. They are poisonous. The flu vaccine if it contains Thimerosal- if not injected into someone's body is considered toxic waste. You can't throw it in the garbage can! Yet, people get, becuase they have been lied to and they are too uniformed to know better. The vaccine schedule has grown out of pure greed and government complicity.
This is a warning. We have an autism tsunami coming. And people are going to be angry when science is allowed to finally prove this disaster could have been avoided.
George Bush and his administration has stood back and allowed this to continue over the last 8 years. This is yet another area he has failed us miserably.
Come on, blame Bush again.....has anyone ever examined the gene pool? Could it be possible that drug use could have been a factor? We all got vaccinated over the years, why is this cropping up in such numbers now?
"The vaccine schedule has tripled over the last 25 years."
Clayor,
Voting for McCain? Are you concerned about Sarah Palin's gene pool? She has a child with Down Syndrome, a sister with a child with autism, and 2 cousins with children with autism and aspergers syndrome?
Does that concern you?
What An Obama Welfare State Would Look Like
I never really thought of what a community organizer really was until I listened to a podcast a few nights ago. The subject was that communist Saul Alinsky, who was also a community organizer like Obama. The speaker perfectly defined a community organizer as someone who hits up the local government and corporations for ever increasing benefits to welfare queens, drug addicts and criminals. So being that Obama’s main claim to fame, despite being a senator, was agitating for more handouts, it’s only natural that he would want to milk middle and upper class Americans like cows.
Obama tries to call it refundable tax credits, but it’s really just welfare. Here’s how he’ll raise taxes for his beloved welfare state.
* Obama would raise individual income taxes, increasing the top two income tax rates, with the top rate climbing by 13%, to almost 40%. This tax increase particularly hits small business, which creates the most new jobs in America.
* Obama would raise the top capital gains tax rate by 33%, to 20%.
* He would also raise the top dividends tax rate by 33%, to 20% as well.
* He would raise Social Security payroll taxes by 16% to 32% for families earning over $250,000 a year. He would consequently arbitrarily punish these families with an effective real return from Social Security of less than 0%, while making only a minor dent in the long term Social Security deficit.
* Obama would reinstate the death tax (estate tax) now being phased out under current law, with a top tax rate of 45%.
* The Obama health plan includes a new payroll tax on employers to pay for health insurance.
* Obama would impose several specified tax increases on corporations, including a new so-called windfall profits tax on oil companies.
* Obama’s protectionist trade policies would mean higher taxes and tariffs on trade.
* Obama tries to argue, crassly, that these tax increases would fall only on “the rich.” The tax increasers always start by saying that. But they always end up reaching down towards the middle class because that is where the big money is. The federal income tax was adopted almost 100 years ago with the promise it would only tax “the rich.”
Just say NO to Obamanation
You are SO right, Andersonathan.....with Obama this country will be in deep trouble, way worse than it is now. As for other people's comments, I can't speak for Sara's family, I assume she had a Down's child because of her age, I have no clue about the rest of her family. Nor is it my business, or yours.
Well I think somethings that Andersonathan wrote were more of McCain's plans. But McCain would just be four more years of Bush with a VP that would be worse then Chaney!
andersonathan, do you plagiarize all of your comments?
http://www.theurbangrind.net/?p=2846
I'm voting for McCain for the simple reason I'm tired of the constant recorded messages, and these idiots constantly knocking on my door telling me to vote for Obama
I find it funny that you would back McCain and republican party, because Obama's people are presist. Not only that our economy problems, the freddy mac and fannie mae problems all point back to the republican party. There was an article in vindy yesterday explaining it all. I just can't see how anyone can read it and not see that McCain is not the right choice at all!
Obama Biden 08 for a better FUTURE for America!!
Hello dmets!! Do you not realize that Youngstown is a one newspaper town with 1 opinion? What they write is not gospel. Do NOT believe everything you read. You need to branch out!
Doesn't anyone find it annoying that this country is supposedly heading for the biggest financial crisis this century and Obama is spending MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars on a campaign? How is our country doing that badly when apparently it's citizens can afford to donate millions of dollars to the Democratic campaign? How is this possible? Why isn't the media focusing on that?
MW, Have you ever heard of media bias?? There is your answer.
I also read it in the Wall Street Journal. So yes i do branch out. I look at many different things to come up with why I decided to back Obama. So if you want bury your head in the sand, go right ahead. But I for one can not back McCain who is so far off and out of touch with the American people!
Obama is using donations given by his supporters. So why what is wrong with that. He is using it exactly what it is intended for not misusing it.
All I can say is that if Obama wins, we will all live to regret it. This will be a travesty. The handwriting is on the wall. On the other hand , if he loses, there will be rioting in the streets, mark my words. Did anyone hear about the McCain volunteer in Pittspuke, who was accosted by an Obama person and had her face carved up? The media is not making much of that, wonder why?
clayor:
Why do you say that the media isn't covering the McSame volunteer. It's all over CNN. You must be watching Fix News.
Cambridge, if you noticed, it took them forever to start covering it, they were probably deciding if it was too controversial to cover. Fact is, Obama people are getting violent, at this point, for no reason.
clayor:
I heard there was an arrest in the McSame volunteer attack. What do you think should be done with this person?
Cambridge, I didn't hear or see that, but it is not for me to say. Throw him/her in jail have a trial and see what happens. If you are from Cambridge, you do not understand what this can lead to.
clayor:
I'm not sure what you mean when you say what this can lead to. A McSame volunteer said she was attacked by an Obama person and the Obama person carved up the McSame volunteer. There has been an arrest in the case. Please explain what this can lead to or are you just promoting bs.
Cambridge, here is my opinion in a nutshell. The incident with the Obama supporter has already caused trouble, today there was an incident with skinheads who were arrested.....can you not see what is happening on both sides? By Tuesday night or Wednesday next week, depending when the results are final, this country will be in total mayhem, probably from coast to coast. This election will end up in a way none of us has ever seen, the handwriting is on the wall. If I am wrong, and I hope I am, I will gladly be the first one to eat crow, but , in my opinion, I think there is trouble ahead. I will repeat again one thing I learned at YSU that stuck with me........the more things change, the more they stay the same. Read between the lines.
Are you people clueless? The arrest in the McCain campaginer attack was the McCain campaginer. She made it up. It was a total hoax!
Please show me where the Obama supporters are getting violent? Where?
Grandpa McNasty is leading the most negative campagin ever. Do you want someone who will stoop to such tactics to run our country?
concerned:
I have been stringing clayor along for three days. Thanks for ruining my fun.
Obama 08!
Stringing me along? Wait and see............read the World News Daily and see what is being prepared for all over this country......insult me next Thursday.......if you can.
clayor:
I'll be busy next Thursday. I'll still be at the party.
Obama 08!
Enjoy yourself Cambridge, the party will come back to bite you in the butt! If, in fact, it ever happens.
clayor:
No mayhem yet. When are the riots going to start. There is nothing but celebration in my neighborhood.