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McCain goes after Obama on ACORN

Email|Link|Comments (27) Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor October 10, 2008 05:17 PM

After days of trying to tie Barack Obama to a 1970s radical, John McCain's campaign is now aggressively trying to link him to a community organizing group accused of submitting fake voter registration cards.

ACORN is under scrutiny for possible irregularities in at least eight states. In 1995, Obama and two other lawyers from his firm represented the group in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois to make voter registration easier.

Obama's campaign says McCain is trying to spin "outlandish conspiracy theories" as he sinks in the polls.

This afternoon, McCain's camp launched a 90-second web ad and an accompanying website that seeks to tie together the allegations, Obama's ambitiousness, and the housing crisis.

"Who is Barack Obama? A man with 'a political baptism performed at warp speed, vast ambition," the announcer says in a foreboding tone. "After college, he moved to Chicago. Became a community organizer. There, Obama met Madeleine Talbot, part of the Chicago branch of ACORN. He was so impressive that he was asked to train the ACORN staff.

"What did ACORN in Chicago engage in? Bullying banks, intimidation tactics, disruption of business. ACORN forced banks to issue risky home loans. The same types of loans that caused the financial crisis we're in today. No wonder Obama's campaign is trying to distance him from the group, saying, 'Barack Obama never organized with ACORN.'

"But Obama's ties to ACORN run long and deep. He taught classes for ACORN. They even endorsed him for president. But now ACORN is in trouble."

The web ad then has audio of a reporter saying, "There are at least 11 investigations across the country involving thousands of potentially fraudulent ACORN forms."

"Massive voter fraud," the announcer continues. "And the Obama campaign paid more than $800,000 to an ACORN front for get out the vote efforts. Pressuring banks to issue risky loans. Nationwide voter fraud.

"Barack Obama. Bad judgment. Blind ambition. Too risky for America," the ad concludes, using the same language as a TV ad launched earlier today about radical William Ayers.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor called the ACORN attacks “another effort by the McCain campaign to throw out false charges to ‘turn the page’ from the issues that matter to American families. Barack Obama strongly condemns voter registration fraud or any other breach of election law by any party or group. The McCain campaign’s allegations about Sen. Obama are completely transparent and false. He believes that the registration of voters at record levels is good for our democracy, and the McCain-Palin campaign’s false claims are nothing more than another dishonorable, shameful attempt to divert voters’ attention from the unprecedented challenges facing their families and our nation.”

This afternoon, ACORN, which bills itself as the nation's largest grassroots community organization of low- and moderate-income people, defended itself.

The group said that along with Project Vote, it has signed up 1.3 million new voters and said it is under "partisan attack."

"The two organizations undertook an aggressive voter registration campaign in 16 states including Ohio, Florida, Michigan, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania, to help close the historic gaps in the American electorate that have misrepresented the true demographic breakdown of the American population," ACORN said. "Now their powerful new voices will be heard in the voting booths, not just this year but for many years to come."

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LOVE IT!!! ABOUT TIME THE TRUTH COMES OUT, GOOGLE IT AND YOU WILL SEE IT IS THE TRUTH!!!! ACORN HAD A BIG ROLE IN THE FAILURE OF FANNIE AND FREDDIE AND THE CORRUPTION WITH THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS..(.Barney Frank and Senator Dodd who both rejected regulation on the goofy loans and practices pushed by ACORN) FOLLOW THE MONEY THEY BOTH RECEIVED LARGE DONATIONS FROM ACORN AS WELL AS OBAMA

Posted by p.t. howe October 10, 08 05:54 PM

This ACORN issue has 100x the importance of the Ayers Issue. Ayers conspired and attempted to destroy the symbols of our freedom. ACORN has diligently worked to eradicate our freedom entirely. I'm not voting for a sponsor of groups and individuals who disregards the very essence of my liberty.
Not this time. Not this one. Not Ever.

Posted by Cajun Blue Dog Dem October 10, 08 05:59 PM

about time the light shines on this socialist fraud obama. keep turning rocks over and he will scurry under them. ACORN is just the tip of the ice-"berg".
Type your comment here...

Posted by ted kemper October 10, 08 06:13 PM

Just to balance this out a little bit, in a report released October 2008 the US Department of Justice Inspector General found that former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was wrongfully fired by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales after Iglesias declined to indict over alleged voter fraud at an ACORN affiliate in New Mexico, citing insufficient evidence.

So, just how much of this is nothing more than a GOP vendetta?

Posted by Randy Keller October 10, 08 07:06 PM

right on Randy. When we have so many serious issues in the country right now I can't imagine we are talking about an organization that most people don't really care a wit about.

Posted by Sick of the lies October 10, 08 07:49 PM

Nobody cares about this tired, overhyped ACORN/Ayers B.S. the McCain campaign is spending 100% of their focus on because they are unable to run on the real issues. There's actually far more dirt out there on McCain than Obama, like his involvement in the Keating and Iran Contra scandals, his association with the fascist AIP organization, his voting record over the past 8 years, and his own affiliation with the Annenburgs. Too bad Obama is putting the COUNTRY FIRST by addressing valid concerns like healthcare, the economic crises, the war etc, I'd love to hear him smack down that lying hate monger. McCain should hang his head in shame over the despicable spectacle of hate his campaign has become. It has ruined Republican dignity and credibility.

Posted by Mary October 10, 08 08:09 PM

Posted by Mary October 10, 08 08:22 PM

ACORN? It's greed. Sub-prime mortgages were sold at twice the interest rate of prime mortagages. That's why they were sold. I'm in the business. I know why sub-prime's were so popular. It was about money. ACORN, indeed.

Posted by Mark Stephens October 10, 08 08:35 PM

Isn't it interesting that the big money groups are so freakin scared of the low income community organizers that help people take on the mega corporations in their community. It's time to have a government for the people and by the people, not corporate lobbyists. ACORN is the group that raised concern about some posssible improper voter registration forms -that's the ethical thing to do. This is a coordinated smear campaign by a ticket that can't seem to talk about issues. Great job, Bush/Cheney political appointees, trying to keep your roosts. Better start apartment hunting somewhere outside the DC metro area.

Posted by spinbuster October 10, 08 09:21 PM

"Great job, Bush/Cheney political appointees, trying to keep your roosts. Better start apartment hunting somewhere outside the DC metro area."

BEAUTIFUL!

OBAMA 08!

Posted by melissa October 10, 08 11:38 PM

How can you not care about this stuff? Blinded by the prophet?

The list of shady suspicions is growing - ACORN lost OBAMA the election and it's justifiable. Ugly way to run a campaign and the media are still helping. When the stink gets too bad they'll jump ship.

Posted by jane October 11, 08 12:18 AM

Barry Obama = ACORN = criminal organization. This man gets in office and we are in serious trouble, socialism is a coming.

Posted by jwbe October 11, 08 12:34 AM

Give me a fricken break! WAKE UP Obama supporters! This has nothing to do with partisan politics as usual. It is not just William Ayers or ACORN, although ACORN alone is enough to disquality him You have to look at the sum total of his associations and what you find is nothing less than an attempt for a radical takeover of our country. Come on - who were his mentors - he admits it - socialists and communists. There is so much dirt on him it boggles the mind.!One has to have suspended disbelief to not see the truth - its like a page out of an Alinsky handbook. I am an independent, not a McCain supporter - at least I wasn't until it became obvious what will happen to our country if Obama wins. . He is dangerous.

Posted by ggriffiths October 11, 08 02:12 AM

Dude, I love that new single by ACORN, don't you guys? I just really like his flow, ya know?

Posted by MattDuffy October 11, 08 04:32 AM

Oohh! Acorn! This cabal of community organizers forced the poor little banks to give usurious loans to poor people!
Glad to see the media still jumps when the GOP says to. Acorn's been doing good works since 1977. The GOP has been ruining the country since Reagan. And if they'd had their way in 1933, they's have killed the New Deal as well.
Massive voter fraud? I believe you'll find that on page 2 of the GOP talking points guide. Nice stenography!
Why can't we have a better media? Keep writing your own epitaphs with lapdog coverage like this, mainstream media.

Posted by JamesJr October 11, 08 08:45 AM

The video is no longer available. Did McCain-Palin pull it?

Posted by Stephanie October 11, 08 11:24 AM

I am a lifelong democrat. The democratic congress: Instituted virtually none of its 100 day goals not even after over two years in power. Lip service is not even paid to these goals now. I do not expect that Barack Obama together with both houses of congress will accomplish much more. Both parties exist for their own purposes and agendas which quite often do nothing for the citizens or the country as a whole. Politicians nor political parties bring CHANGE. Change only happens involuntarily due to forces beyond political control....

Posted by Manford Lawrence October 11, 08 12:34 PM

I HAPPEN TO THINK THAT MCCAIN HAS REAL ISSUES TO TALK ABOUT AND OBAMA. BUT WHAT MCCAIN HAS TO OFFER AND WHAT HE STANDS FOR WILL PULL OUR FUCKIN STUPID ASSES OUT OF THE HOLE WERE IN NOW!! AND I THINK ITS GOOD THAT MCCAIN BRINGS UP THESE ISSUES ABOUT OBAMA, IF HE DIDN'T BRING THEM UP THEN WHO WOULD?? NO BODY AND WE WOULD ALL BE VOTING FOR A "LOVELY" PRESIDENT THAT WOULD SOON LEAD US INTO OUR OWN PERSONAL HELL HERE IN THE UNITED STATES! I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I WANNA LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE I STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE HOW I WANT TO LIVE!

Posted by BRITT October 11, 08 12:44 PM

Voter registration fraud ??? What the heck was 2004 ? Bush and Cheney did not have a chance until the Republican voting machines took over.
I am thrilled to see so many more people coming out to vote and too bad for McinSane.
He has been runnig one of the dirtiest smear campaigns that I have ever seen and then he turns around and tries to sound as though it was not him.
What a joke he has become and I sure hope that Obama wins with a landslide victory so that the Repiglicans can not have room to wiggle or cheat this time.
Voting in a swing state and proud of it !!

Posted by little red October 11, 08 04:35 PM

Wow. If I were McCain, I would be mad at ACORN too if my campaign was losing. No one is pointing to the fact that many news articles state that these are "allegations". These are "allegations" of voter registration fraud, not voter fraud itself. Even if you fraudulently registered Obama's dead mother, she still wouldn't come out to the poles and vote. The Republicans should accuse ACORN of using VooDoo to raise the dead and is turning them out to the poles because that closer to trying to "steal" the election. And how did failure of banks become the fault of ACORN? Come on. Developers were building houses and banks were putting out loans. If I were uber wealthy, I would do the same thing.

Posted by EverydayCynic October 11, 08 04:58 PM

If you have never encoubtered an ACORN Activist--then keep your mouth shut. These people are nothing more than Bully's with an agenda--On the verge of Stalkers..

Folks--think this way--would you let your children be friends with the people that are Obamas Friends...You are who your friends are...

this is a bad man.

Posted by Dave October 12, 08 07:35 AM

I am making a donation to ACORN right now. They were helping victims of Katrina when the Bush run federal government was AWOL. They were fighting for stronger regulations on these sub-prime mortgages while Wall Street was getting rich and poor folks were getting screwed.

ACORN, indeed.

Posted by Angelo October 12, 08 04:21 PM

I am not surprised by this news. I have previously received fraudulent solicitations for donation to the Obama campaign as early as the days of the Democratic primaries when an Asian association suggested that age of the donor doesn't matter. So babies or the dead can donate to Obama too. That's how they came up with millions of donors to their campaign. Obama and his campaign cannot be trusted. Don't vote for him!!!!

Posted by mk October 12, 08 07:29 PM

are you people for real?? Accorn is a bully racist organization. Groups like that are taking our country down and down fast. Now we as tax payers are expected to bail the people out that got loans they could not afford. I am a white single parent and I have 3 jobs, I did not buy a house I couldn't afford, I've been waiting for the house market to go bust, now that it has we want to bail them out with my tax dollars. So no house for me, I will cont. to work 3 job and pay my RENT not a mortgage. I am being punished for being responsible...what a country...for the record both canidates suck.

Posted by mad October 13, 08 11:33 AM

Don't forget, you are a Racist if you oppose Barrack Obama, his policies, his associates and his advisors.

Posted by db October 13, 08 12:58 PM

#25, you and your idol Barack Obama can play the race card as much as you like, but I won't be threatened by you. I dislike glib, vacuous, dishonest, ignorant, self-absorbed, ego-maniacal, inexperienced, fraudulent Barack Obama. I oppose his (actually his advisers') policies, his associates and his advisors. I will not vote for him. I will vote AGAINST him.

Posted by mk October 13, 08 08:26 PM

I find it sad and ironic that many of my fellow Republicans are offended by terrorism and yet they wave a Confederate Flag. A flag that represents terrorism against the U-N-I-T-E-D States of America. How can we accept a flag on our soil that DECLARED WAR AGAINST OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, KILLED AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND A SITTING PRESIDENT (who was a Republican). With all the hate-speech you'd think Republicans were Sunni’s and Democrats were Shiites! I'm one Republican who does not HATE Democrats! What sense does it make for GM employees to hate Chrysler employees when Toyota and Honda are steadily taking over the market?

Posted by Jason October 14, 08 09:17 AM

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