McCain touts Democrats' praise
John McCain, trying to burnish his maverick credentials, has a new web video featuring Democrats -- including presidential rival Barack Obama -- saying nice things about him over the years.
"John McCain is a maverick. Just ask Democrats," it says on screen.
Obama is shown testifying in favor of about a bill championed by McCain on climate change.
Others vouching for McCain on tape include Senator John F. Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee and prominent Obama surrogate, calling him a "courageous, patriotic American who stands up for what he believes."
Also included are Howard Dean, now head of the Democratic National Committee; former Senator Tom Daschle, now Obama's campaign co-chairman; and Senator Joe Biden, believed to be on Obama's consider list for vice president.
The ad ends with Hillary Clinton, shown before the Ohio primary praising McCain's experience and belittling Obama's.
UPDATE: The Democratic National Committee responded this afternoon with a web video showing the very same Democrats more recently questioning his independence and saying he's tied to President Bush. It ends with Bush endorsing McCain at the White House.
McCain is trying to appeal to independents, while Democrats are arguing that he has turned his back on his independent streak and is now in cahoots with the Bush administration.
Dean responded to the ad in a statement this afternoon: "John McCain a maverick? The John McCain of 2000 wouldn't even consider voting for the John McCain of 2008. The American people are learning that the John McCain of 2008 represents more of the same failed policies we've gotten from George Bush for the past eight years. Senator McCain is clearly in the tank for Exxon and big oil, for keeping our troops stuck in Iraq for decades to come, and for an economic policy that puts tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations above relief for hardworking families. John McCain has changed: he's taken the low road, leveling false, negative and misleading attacks against Barack Obama. John McCain is no more a maverick within the Republican Party than Dick Cheney is. He's just more of the same."
UPDATE: Kerry also issued a statement in response today: "The McCain campaign is determined to give their Paris Hilton ad a run for its money in the desperation department, and they've succeeded only in shining a light on the fact that the John McCain of today is unrecognizable from the John McCain of just a couple years ago. The real question is what happened to the John McCain we used to know and why he changed overnight into a George Bush nominee with a Karl Rove campaign. The new John McCain supports the Bush tax giveaways for the wealthy he once denounced, opposes his own immigration bill, flip-flopped on torture, and runs negative ads after calling for an honorable campaign. Frankly, it tells you everything about this election that the McCain campaign spins its wheels recycling what we said about John McCain way back when while scrambling and sputtering to explain away Governor Pawlenty's praise of Barack Obama today."
McCain trumpeted his reputation in a town hall meeting today in Lima, Ohio.
"I have been called a maverick," he said. "Sometimes it is meant as a compliment and sometimes it is meant as a criticism. But what it really means is I understand who I work for. I don’t work for a party. I don’t work for a president. I don’t work for a special interest. I don’t work for myself. I work for you and for the country we love."
Then, McCain contrasted his political persona with what he described as Obama's profile
"For his part, Senator Obama is an impressive orator," McCain said. "I applaud his talent and success. All Americans should be proud of his accomplishment.… But Washington is full of talented talkers.
"The bottom line is that Senator Obama's words, for all their eloquence and passion, don’t mean all that much," McCain added. "And that’s the problem with Washington. It is not just the Bush Administration, and it’s not just the Democratic Congress. It's that everyone in Washington says whatever it takes to get elected or to score the political point of the day....We don't need another politician in Washington who puts self-interest and political expediency ahead of problem solving."
John McCain certainly would NEVER "say whatever it takes to get elected or to score the political point of the day."
I suppose running an ad that basically says "high gas prices are Obama's fault" doesn't qualify.
Nor proposing a "gas tax holiday" that would bankrupt our transportation program and destroy our roads and bridges all for the sake of a 4% drop in gas prices.
Nor accusing Obama of forgetting Latin Americans because he was too busy visiting the Middle East.
Nor trying to see the American people on the empty gimmick of offshore drilling that wouldn't change a thing unless he's planning on going out there and drilling the oil out himself.
I'm no wide-eyed Obama supporter. But the bulls**t that comes out of John McCain's mouth makes me sick. Maverick my ass.
what a jerk on the one hand Obama's words should be believed when it comes to saying something nice about an old goat but then the guy contradicts himself saying that Obama's words don't mean much.
Again a debate between McCain & McCain, legend in his own mind fool.
And people say Obama hasn't done anything constructive....
Maverick?
How can he be a maverick when he failed as a fighter pilot?
McShame is full of Bushism!
VOTE OBAMA!
Wow, I miss McCain v. 2000. Dean had it exactly right. John McCain of 2000 wouldn't be voting for John McCain 2008. What a dissapointment.
WOW how stupid can people be that they would actually buy that crap what retards!!
John McSlickwilly Going to make the wealthy fat cat fat and the poor well...there just terrorists.
This, of course, was before McCain became just another Rove-era sleazeball of late,
Where has Honest John gone? Where has the Straight Talk Express gone? McCain his shown his true colors (or lack there of) by these dopey and meatless ads that have no content in a time we need real answers about real serious issues from our leaders and leaders to be. It is very sad as he was once an honorable man. His actions this election season have been all about double speak, his low-road tactics, and his want to capture the 'dumb' vote of those who are not educated and do not read beyond the headlines. He WILL get the dumb vote... and it's what he deserves.
I hope he enjoys his time off next year. He will deserve that as well.
I am a Republican but John McCann’s campaign has been an embarrassment I will vote for Obama. This will be the 1st time in twenty years I will vote democrat.
i totally agree with comment #1,also i don't see that he was a war hero unless you call not doing your job as a pilot,what about all those pilots who made thier tours and came back home in one piece and saved the navy millions of dollars,also in what spot at annapolis did he graduate.
mccain drank the bush administration's kool-aid. there's no recovering from that.
Hey, if socialism is your thing, then go for Obama.
McCain will be the first democrat I vote for!
If anyone remembers the TV show "Maverick", he was a con man.
McCain is trying to get someone to drill for oil at the motorcycle rally. Last week he suggested that we should drill for oil here in PA at a label factory.
And by the way, Thanks Hillary for helping McCain.
McCain is running a campaign that is the equitant of a 6 years old pounding on his chest saying he is better than a 4 year old. The only point he is making is McCain is WAY older and is acting like a 6 year old. So Obama has only 4 years experience what about theses ads that tell nothing on how McCain is going to fix the problem with his 20! Years experience. Then they say “well Obama is the same as spoiled celebrity HELLO! Who married the rich trophy wife? Come on man are you trying to tell me a BLACK! MAN! That busted is backside to get in to politics and worked his way to the nomination is the same compared to an over privilege elite class incredibly rich airiest that had everything (until as of late) giver to her? The only think Obama has had handed to him is adversity and he took it and made something beautiful. McCain takes some thing beautiful like the USA and twisted it to become ugly like are nation right now thanks MCSame 4 more year with you and well be saluting a different flag cause you’ll bankrupt us.
Like many a lifetime GOP, I was uncomfortable with George W (hell, I thought GHW was Reagen's mistake) but accommodated myself when I saw what arrogant, patronizing Harvard a******s the Dems offered in Kerry & Gore. Now the Dems have proved once again they can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by nominating another of that ilk.
So there's a lot of us loyal GOP who are economically and politically conservative, but not fastened at the hip to the Fundamentalist's Right-To-Life and No-Immigrants ideology. We respect McCain, both past and present, recognizing his statements must follow the party line to keep those wings of the party in line. McCain has indicated strong support for a balanced approach to energy... nuclear, offshore drilling and clean coal (NOT an oxymoron). I'm willing to bet thjat's exactly what the prople want, and BHO can join the ranks of Kerry, Gore, Dukakis and their comrads Pelosi and reid. Good riddance!
I don't see why this is a surprise. He's worse than Kerry. He's for and against every issue known to mankind.
McCain for and against:
*Overturning Rowe v Wade
*Ethanol, famously quoted at Iowa (aka corn central) debate:“I’m going to tell you things you don’t want to hear.”
*Campaign Finance Reform
*Bush's tax cuts
.
.
.
Obama is a joke. What has he accomplished? What has he done? Like that great right wing conspirator (lol) Hillary Clinton said herself, all Obama has done is give a good speech. Well you know what, a good speech doesn't do a dang thing for the US of A.
If you want a great speaker and a horrible leader...then go ahead and vote Obama. If you want a great speaker and a return to the failed policies of the Carter administration then go ahead and vote for Obama.
I am not a huge fan of McCain. Wasn't a huge fan of Bush either, but when compared to the out-of-touch socialists they are running against, I had no choice but to vote for Bush the past two elections and McCain this go-round.
You might want to ask your State representative energy conservation? How much gas, oil and electricity we could save, if we sent illegal aliens packing.
We cannot keep up the demand for it right now! Oil! Diversity Alliance for Sustainable America.(earthtimes) stated in it's article that if the U.S. grants amnesty and gives citizenship to 12 to 30 million illegal migrants already here, as McCain, Obama and the majority of Democrats propose. That all those naturalized citizens could possibly add 120 million U.S. and foreign-born relatives to the U.S., in the next 20 years whom all will CONSUME MAJOR ENERGY. Does the American people need to escalate the 315 million plus population, the census estimates we have now? To a new total of 435 million?
The executive director of (DASA) admitted "Proposal to reduce energy costs in the U.S. will not work unless we also simultaneously curb U.S. population growth by reducing immigration and curbing teen pregnancies." Severing the illegal immigration occupation and deporting those already here is a good start, but not the complete solution to this serious energy problem that cannot be reversed. Unless another Nikola Tesla, an underrated genius of the 19th century invents a some new form of energy, we will be reliant on fossil fuels for years to come? Clean coal, geothermal, eco-fuel and of course wind power and solar. The latter is energy that is a perpetual source of unimaginable power that knows no bounds.
He said he was a maverick not a socialist democrat!!!
(By the way #4, have you looked up the definition of maverick...or is Top Gun the definition you are going by?)
He broke party lines, that's what he did. It could be proved!!! It isn't just a fancy speech, he has the proof of supporting ideas that republicans chided him for!!! What I don't get is, Obama has said a lot of stuff but has nothing to show for. Have you checked his history as a "community organizer"? The areas that he organized for are reported to be just as crummy as when he was there!!! What you have here is one heck of a politician!
I've read enough, POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
VOTE MCCAIN.
So McCain is proud of being disloyal to the Party which elected him, so disloyal that his enemies have praised him. So who will praise him when he's disloyal to the COUNTRY that elected him--the terrorists?
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