McCain Goes Negative, Worrying Some in G.O.P.

[Pirate Smile]

Source: New York Times


Senator John McCain criticized Senator Barack Obama in a campaign appearance on Tuesday at a high school in Sparks, Nev.

SPARKS, Nev. — In recent days Senator John McCain has charged that Senator Barack Obama “would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign,” tarred him as “Dr. No” on energy policy and run advertisements calling him responsible for high gas prices.

The old happy warrior side of Mr. McCain has been eclipsed a bit lately by a much more aggressive, and more negative, Mr. McCain who hammers Mr. Obama repeatedly on policy differences, experience and trustworthiness.

By doing so, Mr. McCain is clearly trying to sow doubts about his younger opponent, and bring him down a peg or two. But some Republicans worry that by going negative so early, and initiating so many of the attacks himself rather than leaving them to others, Mr. McCain risks coming across as angry or partisan in a way that could turn off some independents who have been attracted by his calls for respectful campaigning.

The drumbeat of attacks could also undermine his argument that he will champion a new brand of politics.
“The McCain campaign, I think, is being pulled in two directions,” said Todd Harris, a Republican strategist who worked for Mr. McCain in 2000. “On the one hand, this race is largely a referendum on Obama, and whether or not he’s going to pass the leadership threshold in the eyes of voters. So being aggressive against Obama on questions of leadership and trust and risk are important, but at the same time I think they need to be very careful because McCain is not at his best when he is being overly partisan and negative.”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/us/politics/30mccain.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. I disagree with this: "...McCain is not at his best when he is being overly partisan and negative.”

I believe the real truth stops after the 6th word. "McCain is not at his best."

In fact, soon he won't even be in the running.

[Cha]

2. Aritcle doesn't mention that mccain is a fucking LIAR

in his attacks.

[Tesha]

29. Today's lead editorial in the NYTimes comes pretty close, though.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/opinion/30wed1.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

Low-Road Express

<snip>

In recent weeks, Mr. McCain has been waving the flag of
fear (Senator Barack Obama wants to “lose” in Iraq),
and issuing attacks that are sophomoric (suggesting
that Mr. Obama is a socialist) and false (the presumptive
Democratic nominee turned his back on wounded soldiers).

<snip>

Many voters are wondering whether a McCain presidency
would be an extension of Mr. Bush’s two disastrous terms.
If the way Mr. McCain is running his campaign these days
is an indication, Americans don’t have to wait until next
January for the answer to that one.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. How about "McCain lies desperately worrying some in GOP"

[sofa king]

4. A Republican using negative campaign tactics?

Why, I've never heard of such a thing... since the Republican primaries.

You have to love this little gem of a paragraph right here:

But some Republicans worry that by going negative so early, and initiating so many of the attacks himself rather than leaving them to others, Mr. McCain risks coming across as angry or partisan in a way that could turn off some independents who have been attracted by his calls for respectful campaigning.

Psst, hey there Gray Lady, your slip is showing. The point is that negative, dishonest campaigning is a moral and ethical affront to our democratic process. It doesn't matter when it happens or if it's hidden behind a cloud of Rovian flying monkeys, it's still and always will be fucking wrong.

[KittyWampus]

12. thanks for getting to the heart of the matter. And exposing the NYTimes.

[Jim Lane]

23. Considering that the Times endorsed McCain for the nomination....

this is actually better than I expected from them.

When it comes to The New York Times, these days I'm just grateful for small favors. Their decline has been sad to watch.

[scarface2004]

5. who are these people?!?!?

how can anybody possibly vote repukelikan considering what they have done??? it blows my mind!!!

[hisownpetard]

7. Me, too. I just cannot fathom the depth of idiocy that still exists.

[PSPS]

10. There they are, in the picture

Take a look. They're the 17-percenters who have wet dreams about bush.

McCain can't win legitimately, negative ads or not. His only chance is to play the role and let the media feed us rigged polls pretending this is a horse race. Will they be able to disenfranchise enough democrats in a few select swing states to steal another one? We'll see. If they do, the corrupt media will use their fake polls to prop up the fraud. "It was a close race and McCain eeked out a win." Yeah, sure.

[gratuitous]

14. Whoa, look at that crowd indeed

Covering the entire color wheel that is America. There's white, pale, beige, off-white, transparent, translucent . . .

[Buns_of_Fire]

26. Those people in the front row aren't even LOOKING at him while they're applauding!

They're looking off to their right. I figure someone must've rolled in the Kool-Aid Wagon, and THAT'S what they're applauding for. Oh, yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

[Danascot]

30. They're looking at the sign that says

Clap if you want a free pony.

[Cha]

11. Precisely my first thought..

how are there people like this willing to suck up mccain LIES after 8 years of fucking bush or should I say getting fucked by him?

[madeline_con]

21. One can't hear truth with one's head in one's ass. n/t

[Jimbo S]

31. The few who have actually benefited from Republican policies.

[whistle]

6. McCain going negative will erode and rot his vote base leading me to believe

...he really wants to be defeated or perhaps just drop out by convention time

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. Republicans worrying about going negative?

Hmmmmmm......................................:eyes:

[sutz12]

19. No...Republicans are worried about HOW and WHEN he went negative..

They always knew that he would, it's just that he bungled the tactics.

The Republicans can't win on the issues. They have to go negative, because they lose on the issues.

Going from Bush to McCain is like going from your drunk uncle to your senile grandfather. Not a pretty thought.

[saltpoint]

9. The more McCain goes negative, the fatter the blue landslide in November.

Give 'em hell, John!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. Are there that many people still on the fence?

Is there still a substantial number of independents who might vote for McCain if he plays nice or not vote for him if he goes negative? The man is embued with the strong stench of chimpanzee that radiates from his arm pits for miles. Virtually every policy of his matches those of the most unpopular President in American history. I find it hard to believe that any more than the most committed psychopaths would vote for the man, no matter what does. I guess I'll never understand America.

[DallasNE]

15. This Is Not A Recent Turn Of Events

McCain from the get-go has outlined what is wrong with Obama rather than how he would lead. By definition, that is a negative campaign. When you attack the trustworthiness you are not just being negative. You are attacking the personal character of that person. That is a Rove speciality.

What galls me is that people like Tom Brokaw takes McCain's personal attack and carries it forward. For an elitist like Brokaw, the McCain comments may make sense in some twisted sort of way. Before going national, Brokaw did the local news in Omaha. In his book where he covered his period in Omaha it is crystal clear that he only had contact with the elite power structure. Had he been an actual reporter down on the street he would have seen a whole different Omaha. The Omaha that I saw.

[Hissyspit]

16. He didn't go negative - he went sleazy.

[bleever]

20. Ding!

:thumbsup:

Right again! Man, the times, they are a'changing.

And we helped!

[Frisbee]

17. Just so they don't give the nomination to...

someone else who actually has a clue. (do the republicans have anyone with a clue?)

[opihimoimoi]

18. McCanes Best is Obamas Worst.....The man is a grumpy Bully...and its shows...

The Classic Bully::: vindictive, angry, impulsive, Temper, under informed, self interest/self serving, the "ME" guy.....

"Its all about Me"

Obama is all about WE..."Yes, we CAN".......

He suprised Hillary, McCane's challenge to go travel....he got Suprised,

and he will no doubt suprise America with his style of Leadership....dazzle is the term used in Europe...

[Puzzler]

22. Note the usual small high school gym, filled to capacity

.

[radfringe]

24. Obama needs to draw the contrast in how the campaigns are run

use the recent trip as an example - while Obama was abroad the mccain/Gopers:

- Whined about the press
- tried to paint the trip as a political stunt
- twisted facts to give a negative image
- blamed Obama for everything from high gas prices to Noah's flood
- tried to scare people by equating obama's economic policy with a depression

Why fear and smear? mccain has nothing else to offer

Old school politics uses fear and smear to tear down and destroy. NEW politics addresses the issues and offers solutions to change, innovate and improve the lives of americans.

[depakid]

25. Sure they're worried

about a proven strategy that works- and works especially well against candidates who won't fight back and hold Republicans accountable for their own public statements and policies.

[auburngrad82]

27. The GOP has been going negative for decades and now they don't like it?

I call bullshit. If they had a candidate and weren't about to lose their asses in the House and Senate they wouldn't have to worry about playing nice, and believe me, they wouldn't play nice.

[DCKit]

28. How does Cindy get her legs so shiny?

You know it's got to be killing her, sitting amongst the rabble. Eeeewwwwwwwwwwww.