McCain and the Worst Week in Presidential Politics Ever

[kurtboss]

What was it 4, 5 ads? From the lies about visiting the troops--to Britney and Paris--and finally, "The One" aka Moses. Be honest. Can you ever recall a more negative, deceitful and outright stupid week in the history of political campaigning?

We're all a little dumber for having lived through this week. Often you call someone pathetic when they've hit you good...but this has been the definition of PATHETIC. It's not Presidential.

I feel like McCain has personally insulted my intelligence. Insulted Obama. Hell insulted the country. This is what you don't want in politics. Worse than any Willie Horton ad...at least had some degree of factual legitimacy behind it. This makes Willie Horton almost look classy.

No substance. Nor care for truth. A real cynical contempt for the process. ...McCain doesn't fucking deserve to be on stage with Obama.

In fact, Obama ought to think hard about whether he does want to validate this sort of campaigning by sharing the stage with him even in a debate. McCain ought to have to fire his PR staff and apologize. Fucking rude, dick (to paraphrase John Stewart).

[FrenchieCat]

1. But can McCain fire the entire Corporate Media = his PR team

They did him no favors, although he doesn't yet have a clue about that.

[kurtboss]

3. It has to backfire

I mean if this doesn't set in and backfire...what the hell good is the press??? He's insulting them as well. I think McCain may just torn a new one...as he deserves.

[blondeatlast]

8. I think you've hit on a good point--he's insulted the REAL journalists--and

they are not giving him a pass on it. they couldn't care less about how he's insulted the rest of us, but he's pissed them off big time.

Maybe some good will come of all this.

But yes, I think this may have been the Dumbest Week Ever in American politics, and I've been a political wonk for almost 30 years.

[kurtboss]

10. What would even compare???

I mean maybe could think of the Dukakis tank week...but that was one ad. I don't remember 4 or 5 of them...

[AlinPA]

12. Beside KO and Rachael Maddow who are the real "journalists"?

[kurtboss]

20. I think we'll find out...

This is a real test. McCain just made politics an ad game. I mean this was like a professional wrestling fight. Just say some stuff bad about the other guy. So, the test is this: real reporters should be insulted and show it. I know I would be insulted...what's McCain think the job of a reporter is? I would guess he thinks of them like press agents--that would piss the shit out of me. If someone took me that for granted. So, I imagine real reporters will be angry. The rest are just actors playing reporters on TV. That's where we are. Sad.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

23. Not good for Grampy when Andrea Mitchell, of all people

basically calls him a liar and shudders when describing his antichrist ad. Not good at all.

I wonder if Grampy or his goons understand how desperate and stupid these ads make him look. Obama looks terrific in all of them. Is Obama speaking to a huge cheering crowd waving American flags really a good image for the Repigs? I think not.

[madaboutharry]

2. On Hardball

tonight Andrea Mitchell said the McCaim campaign feels "they had a good week."

[kurtboss]

4. Have we sunk so fucking low???

I mean seriously kids are watching this shit and thinking this is politics.

[AlinPA]

5. I have never seen it this well organized by media. It's like a big orchestra playing

really loud. This is where McCain gets the "Independents" on his side. The media will not let up and will get more vicious as November nears. Democrats should ignore Fox "News", CNN, MSNBC - we know whose side they are on now. As I have said elsewhere on DU, we have to win it door-to-door and on the streets.

[kurtboss]

7. Disappointing If You're Right

The media elites seem be feeling a little of what we're feeling though. I mean they have to. They don't want to be hosting E! or Entertainment tonight, you know they see themselves as reporters...above that. I hope you're wrong and McCain royally fucked himself. He deserves it.

[AndyTiedye]

13. That's Why I Call It the

Mighty Slime Machine!

[kurtboss]

18. Yep

I would LOVE for a real reporter to ask McCain why he deserves a single fucking vote after this week. What sort of judgment allows to run this sort of campaign??? It's the audacity of it...not even an attempt to convince us he should be President, just make up some negative crap about the other guy.

[mwb970]

6. The Little Jerk is the worst yet. Frackin' unbelievable!

What a filthy, disgusting campaign. I feel like I have to take a shower after hearing about the latest mccain news.

America is cursed. We have way too many idiots here to allow us to survive these constant Republican attacks on our nation, our freedom, and our sense of decency. It's over, folks. Curtain!

[kurtboss]

9. I'm with you

I'm mean I'm smiling in disbelief. The Moses shit is what hit me. I was thinking this is bad, negative and all that, but the Moses ad just pushed me over. This is as low as you can get. Even if he were to pull out Jeremiah Wright shit and drug using shit...those would have a tiny bit of factual legitimacy to them y'know??? I'm sure he'll still use them and distort everything, but there its not just fucking made up nonsense like this week.

[Clear Blue Sky]

11. These ads will back fire on McCain.

Way too much. Over the top. Way too negative.

Will the media challenge him though? Or will they give him free air time by constantly running the ads?

[AlinPA]

15. They love it and play the ads continously as "news".

[kurtboss]

16. I don't know, I guess they'll probably let keep going

I did notice Olbermann didn't much touch on it, so just maybe there will be some circumspection on the part of the press. As you rightly point out, they facilitated this crap.

[cliffordu]

14. I read it someplace else on DU - McCains internal polling must be absolutely

horrifying to have become this desperate this early.

I'm thinking that might be closer to the truth than anything.

[kurtboss]

17. Let's Hope So

But when you think about it, this is the direction Rove's style eventually leads to. No need for ANY facts. Open mockery of the other campaign? I mean why???? Not even an attempt to argue policy. NONE. Think about that!

[cliffordu]

19. Obama keeps bringing up the fact that McCain has no real plan for anything,

framing the attacks as desperation.

THAT will work and McCain knows it...He actually offered today to return to talking about the issues......

[AndyTiedye]

24. This isn't Desperation on McCain's Part, It is SOP for the Repiglicikins

They do it because it works every time.

[rockymountaindem]

26. I don't think that's the story

I think that all these ads are just indicative of the complete lack of respect they have for us and our ideas. I don't know about you but I've lived among far-right conservatives all my life and I can tell you that many of them just think we are beneath contempt. These are the kinds of people who will use the terms "baby-murderers" and "libtards" right out in ordinary conversation. I think this series of stupefying advertisements against Obama is just a part of that mindset, not necessarily desperation.

[creeksneakers2]

21. Will it work?

I'm not certain McCain's ads, as disgusting as they are, won't work. McCain gained ground on Obama in the polls this week. I think back to 2006 when the public was outraged by a deplorable ad run against Harold Ford Jr. Ford was polling OK but ended up losing. The ad worked.

McCain obviously made a calculated decision to jettison the respect he undeservedly has in order to win.

[kurtboss]

22. I Just Don't know...What do you think?

I'd like to think it can't work. Have we really fallen so far? This can't pass for a real campaign. Even the talking heads have to got to say uncle at some point and just tear McCain a new one for being so dumb and insulting and fucking unfit.

[AndyTiedye]

25. Sure Looks Like It

[Number23]

27. "We're all a little dumber for having lived through this week."

Truest words said ALL DAMN DAY. (It's 7:30 at night where I am now.) :)

:applause: