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Crist echoes McCain on 'spread the wealth' attack

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor October 23, 2008 02:44 PM


John McCain is turning up the volume on his attacks on Democratic rival Barack Obama for saying it would be good for America to "spread the wealth."

McCain's campaign released a radio ad in the must-win state of Florida that features its popular governor, Charlie Crist, and that lumps Obama in with a supposedly big-spending Congress.

"Let me tell you why I support my friend John McCain," Crist says. "He will lower your taxes. He will stop wasteful government spending. And John McCain knows that people don't want to 'spread the wealth.' He knows that Congress should let you keep more of your money, and not take it away."

An announcer chimes in, "Your savings, your job and your financial security are under siege. Congressional liberals will make it worse. Congressional liberals plan nearly a trillion dollars in new government spending. To pay for it, Congressional liberals promise higher taxes on American families making over $42,000 a year. Barack Obama and Congressional liberals call it spreading the wealth around, we call it higher taxes, bigger government. Either way, it will cost you. Stop 'em before they make it worse."

The $42,000 assertion has been challenged by independent fact-checking groups, who say it would have applied to single people, not families. The proposal is also not part of Obama's tax plans.

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obama say he will help us more and i think we need the help and say we can make a change

Posted by Jackie Mendoza October 23, 08 03:30 PM
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I'm perplexed as to why McCain would keep harping on this Joe the Plumber line of attack. If youve seen the video exchange of Obama and "Joe", Obama was very cordial and polite (not the way McCain has characterized the exchange) and explained that his tax plan calls for cuts for the middle class (95% of us!) and, yes, a slight increase for those making more than $250K. Obamas plan is actually better for Joe, especially since he lied and is nowhere close to $250. Not to mention that he's a tax dodger and owes a couple grand in back taxes...I don't like taxes either, Joe, but I pay them as a responsible and law abiding citizen of the US. McCain supports a progressive tax, too. Unless McCain has suddenly become a Flat-tax advocate, then he must be a Socialist, too. Except his version of socialism benefits the wealthy and corporations at the expense of the poor and middle. Yet another head-scratcher in a long line of boners by the McCain camp.

Posted by Russ October 23, 08 05:19 PM
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McCain is losing control of his campaign. If you can't run a campaign, how is he going to run a country? He can attack all he wants, but the man has absolutely no answers when it comes to taxes and the economy.

Posted by Sam October 23, 08 06:00 PM
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McCain and Palin have a "spread-the-wealth" program: take money from campaign contributions and buy Palin and her family $150,000 in clothes. If elected, every voter will get a $150,000 gift certificate good at any Macy's or Sach's, the money simply drawn on the U.S. Treasury. Why not? He just signed off on the $700,000,000,000 gift certificate for Paulson to purchase any worthless pieces of paper they may have cluttering their shelves. McCain is really Santa Claus.

Posted by lorax October 23, 08 06:17 PM
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What???? Palin didn't wear clothes in wasilla??? She had to come to NYC for clothes??

Posted by tuggasma October 23, 08 07:15 PM
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