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McCain, Obama go at it on radio

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor August 9, 2008 07:00 AM

Barack Obama is vacationing in Hawaii, but he and Republican rival John McCain will be jockeying today on the airwaves.

Obama, giving the weekly Democratic radio address, says that this week there have been "two stark examples of exactly what's wrong with Washington."

"First, we learned that the federal budget deficit could reach nearly half a trillion dollars next year. Eight years after we had a record surplus, we’re now faced with record deficits. This mortgaging of our children’s future is a direct result of the Bush Administration’s dangerously failed fiscal policies," Obama says, asserting that McCain would continue Bush's unfair tax policies by extending tax cuts for the wealthy.

"The second thing we learned this week was that the Iraqi government now has a $79 billion budget surplus thanks to their windfall oil profits," Obama continues. "And while this Iraqi money sits in American banks, American taxpayers continue to spend $10 billion a month to defend and rebuild Iraq.

"That’s right. America faces a huge budget deficit. Iraq has a surplus. Now, Senator McCain promises to continue President Bush’s open-ended commitment to the war in Iraq, while refusing to pressure Iraqis to take responsibility for their own country."

Obama then says that "the choice in this election could not be clearer."

"Senator McCain talks about putting our country first, but he is running for a third term of the very same policies that have set our country back....I believe that we need to move in a new direction."

McCain, in his own weekly radio address he has started, again pokes fun at Obama's reputation as a sterling orator -- and suggests he lacks substance.

"As you may know, the Democratic National Convention is just a couple of weeks away. It was four years ago, at the same gathering, that America heard a fine speech from an Illinois state senator named Barack Obama. He's done pretty well for himself since then. And the smart money in Denver is on another celebrated performance," McCain says. "But even the most stirring speeches are easily forgotten when they're short on content. Taking in my opponent's performances is a little like watching a big summer blockbuster, and an hour in realizing that all the best scenes were in the trailer you saw last fall. In the way of running mates, Senator Obama should consider someone with a knack for brevity and directness, to balance the ticket."

"In the meantime, let me take a stab at a plot summary of the Obama campaign: America is finally winning in Iraq, and he wants to forfeit. Government is too big, and he wants to grow it. Taxes are too high, and he wants to raise them. Congress spends too much, and he proposes more. We need more energy, and he's against producing it."

McCain then goes on to accuse Obama of flip-flopping on dipping into the nation's strategic oil reserve, of sort-of reversing course on offshore drilling, and of not supporting any serious solutions.

"First there was his call for Americans to check their tires -- which is commonsense advice, but hardly has the makings of a national energy strategy. If we can't drill our way out of the problem, it seems even more unlikely that we can inflate our way out of it."

"A serious energy plan involves a lot more yes's than no's," McCain argues, plugging his proposals for more offshore drilling, nuclear power, clean coal, and renewable sources.


23 comments so far...
  1. McBush is a idiot

    Posted by James Beckman August 9, 08 07:31 AM
  1. Iraq has a $79 billion dollar surplus and America has a huge deficit from Halliburton charging American tax payers for meals they never served to the soldiers, services they never provided the military and for empty supply trucks running back and forth across Iraq. What a world! Maybe it has to be time for an Obama, because what could we expect from another Republican government maybe the channeling of tax payers money to tax free havens in Bermuda?

    Posted by Andrew August 9, 08 07:35 AM
  1. Why would Americans not see the clear difference/choice between, McCain and Obama.One is a grumpy old man who can't remember his own name, bungles facts, is a dimwit/finish 894 out of 899, looks like a corpse, and has nowhere to go go but downhill.Worst of all, the guy is the riskiest candidate ever, based on his health records.The choice could not be clearer.

    Posted by joseph pierre August 9, 08 07:36 AM
  1. The bottom line: 'maverick' is synonymous with 'cowboy'. We have a cowboy president and are looking to change from that mentality. America literally can't afford the deficits that come with hot-head, fickle, maverick, cowboys. We (and the world) need diplomatic foreign policy to improve our economy and personal safety. America does not have the money to police the entire planet with our military. We need a foreign policy that reduces military confrontation and assault. By definition, cowboys and mavericks don't deliver what America needs.

    Posted by Dave Champlin August 9, 08 07:43 AM
  1. McSame is at it again. He can not stand up to the pressure Obama is putting on him and his fellow repukes. He is great at saying what Obama will or will not do, but what about him. He knows what he is proposing is a longer involvement in a civil war, more debt for our children's children, destroy the environment and make sure we take care of the big contributors to the rnp.

    This may be our last chance to bring America back! If we waste another 4 years with the same policies, America will take giant leaps to becoming a third world country. Millions of homeless people starving without proper shelter, food and medical services. This is the policies of mcsame....is that what you want - WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!! The future is NOW!

    Posted by Woody Davis August 9, 08 07:48 AM
  1. Obama makes a very good and fair point, McCain now agrees (sometimes even changing his own position to do so) with every policy Bush has advocated.
    On the other hand McCain continues to attach Obama's personality and his ability to inspire people (jealosy perhaps?).
    The choice keeps getting clearer.

    Posted by Rudy Salas August 9, 08 07:53 AM
  1. McCain is a typical clonning of the Bush administration & campaign style.
    If you listen to WMD speeches a picture of lies covered to deceive the voters.Blame the other side flavored with so much smear making the public to believe their that the other side is a "wolf wearing a sheep coat" BEWARE my dear
    voters. Another deceptive campaign is being bombarded to the ear of voters..

    Posted by bert torres August 9, 08 07:56 AM
  1. McCain proves the old axiom: you don't want a short white guy for a boss.

    Posted by ericmiami August 9, 08 07:58 AM
  1. Why does John McCain always have to talk down Obama? Why doesn't he tells us what his ideas are?

    Posted by A. Perry August 9, 08 08:12 AM
  1. Congress should be impeached- if they fell that caribu is more important than children

    Posted by s rintel August 9, 08 08:16 AM
  1. Im so tired of McCain twisting and distorting the facts to fit his own tired agenda. When is he going to talk about himself instead of Obama?

    Posted by katharine August 9, 08 08:24 AM
  1. “We can use the military to help the poor.” Sam Nunn, Georgia’s favorite Man, envisioned this far reaching method for improving the human condition.
    When the “Cold War” was concluding and the big question of what to do with our huge military/industrial complex came to Senator Nunn, He said: “We can use the military to help the poor.” Well the Empire Builders went nuts and stopped any such effort. Then, after all seemed lost, the "Obama Phenomena," so it may not be over after all. With Sam Nunn as President Obama’s Vice President, our country can find our way to peace while utilizing the military/industrialist for sustaining life. Rather than: spending such massive effort and treasure on killing our fellow human beings. Vote Obama/Nunn. And, at long last, give peace a chance.

    Posted by Steve Swimmer August 9, 08 08:27 AM
  1. Still nothing to say but ridicule his oponent. McCain has the gual to accuse Mr. Obama of a lack of substance. Does he hold himself in such high asteem as to feel that we are all so stupid. If he can`t handle Obama, who he calls a political lightweight, without using smear tactics then pray tell what kind of thinking on your feet wisdom can we expect from him on the world stage? McCain is an intellectual idiot. If you can`t think you can`t speak. Out of the mouth flows the wisdom of your thinking. I`m not hearing anything from McCain but the stupid blather his writers keep pumping into him like a player piano!

    Posted by G LEE August 9, 08 08:40 AM
  1. Yep, someone is old and delusional. Let's check on who is telling the truth about the money and the other side should suddenly feel impotent and delusional. I am tired of being lied to by Republicans, I am voting for Obama.

    Posted by Chris August 9, 08 08:53 AM
  1. Oh really, McSame the flip flopper now has the nerve to call Obama a flip flopper, McSame should worry about himself and all the B.S. and position changes he has made in the last six months.

    Posted by Joe August 9, 08 08:55 AM
  1. "In the meantime, let me take a stab at a plot summary of the Obama campaign: America is finally winning in Iraq, and he wants to forfeit. Government is too big, and he wants to grow it. Taxes are too high, and he wants to raise them. Congress spends too much, and he proposes more. We need more energy, and he's against producing it."

    John McCain said it right. This one paragraph of his sums it up.

    Posted by Bob Galvin August 9, 08 09:53 AM
  1. We cannot afford a McCain presidency.

    McCain pretends to have a comprehensive energy policy, but what is he advocating really? More drilling for oil (read--more profits for oil companies at the expense of environmental health), more nuclear power plants (read--more profits for power conglomerates at the expense of public and environmental safety), investment in clean coal technology (so guys like Mr. Murray of the mine collapse last year can increase their profits at workers' expense and safety)--oh and a little dab of investment in alternative technologies.

    Sen. Obama offers a truly comprehensive plan combining investment in alternative technologies at a reasonable level, corporate taxes to help fund capital expenses, and most importantly--he will get us out of the quagmire of Iraq.

    Posted by Debra Schrishuhn August 9, 08 10:24 AM
  1. Hey MC Cain...Inflating your tires is better idea then using plastic and duct tape to protect myself from the boogie man and his chemical weapons. What about lowering the speed limit?

    Posted by KingKrabby August 9, 08 12:11 PM
  1. If either McCain or Obama convinces me with attacks to vote against the other I should be able to honestly and directly. I could if the ballot included a NO column, which it should, and the highest net yes wins. Why do I have to vote for A, the trasher, to vote against B, the trashee? It falsely indicates support giving the trashee the wrong message. And it could reduce considerably negative campaigning when it is discovered that it doesn't necessarily result in gaining votes.

    Posted by Valjean August 9, 08 12:25 PM
  1. There are many ways to tax people. Money, of course, but also, labor, time and products as well as removing services that have been provided, some individual and some general. One politician's waste, of course, is another person's necessity and when the former claims they will reduce waste they need to be specific about what they consider waste and who it will take something away from. Removing someone from a public health care program is a tax every bit as much as taking money from their purse...and many of those purses are still full after the tax is paid whereas the former may not have anything left, including their life.

    Posted by Valjean August 9, 08 12:36 PM
  1. Soooooo tired of hearing McCain complain about Obama's oratory skills, ability to draw huge crowds, and flat out lies. I thought McCain was going to run an honorable campaign - no negative ads etc...bla bla bla. Sen. McCain all you have is your honor - and you blew that! What's left? From what I can see you don't know much about the economy, you claim to be an expert in foreign affairs yet your basic geographic understanding of the world is weak. You're looking for any excuse to get into a conflict with Iran and want to stay in Iraq forever.
    Personally, I think you are shell shocked from the Vietnam war. My advice....stop whining, focus on issues, and stop the lies you advertise in your ads! Maybe an independent like myself would take you more seriously.

    Posted by Joe D'Orsi August 9, 08 12:48 PM
  1. John McCain is a dodo head. He has no platform to run on. He can only attempt to tear down Barack Obama.

    America should and is smarter than this. America will be making the smart choice this November. Barack Obama is the smart choice. John McCain is not.

    Posted by BillForObama August 10, 08 12:12 PM
  1. McCain is backed by Club for Growth who do not care a twit about deficits. McCain used to have a responsible attitude towards deficits but apparently to get the nomination he had to forget about deficits and is following in the footsteps of Bush. Deficits have lead to a week dollar and although it is in a better position now than a month ago, it is still weak compared to 2004.

    There is only one candidate who talks about balancing expenditures to government income and that is Obama. Oil prices are determined by supply relative to demand but the oil price is also determined by the value of the dollar. There are ways that the government can lower gas prices and that is by raising the dollar.

    We have been irresponsible about allowing the dollar to fall in the last 4-6 years and we need to take a more responsible attitude. Unfortunately McCain needs the Bush supporters to get elected and has changed to Bush's irresponsible Club for Growth ways.

    McCain was a maverick but he changed his ways during 2004-2005 but he advertises like he is the same old guy. I wish that were the case.

    Posted by Ron M August 10, 08 08:23 PM
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About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

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