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“McCain has his priorities straight”

By NewHampster on September 26, 2008 at 5:35 PM in Barack Obama, CNN, Current Affairs, Debates, John McCain

Wow!  A sane opinion on CNN

This is another post from my home blog at Partizane.com

By Ruben Navarrette Jr.
Special to CNN

Navarrette lays a few good ones on the One. Do go read the Op-Ed. CNN has a big disclaimer on this one to let us know they may not agree.

Despite having decried the economic crisis in near-apocalyptic terms in an attempt to lay blame on President Bush and, by association, McCain, the junior senator from Illinois didn’t feel the urgency to show up for work and try to do what he could to address it. Obama certainly has standing and more than his share of influence. This is, after all, the de-facto leader of the Democratic Party.  Unfortunately, he also looks like someone who is so focused on what he hopes will be his next job that he has lost interest in his current one.

Talk about a last-minute reprieve. Tonight’s presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi was nearly a casualty of the financial crisis. It’s back on schedule.

But hopefully, not back on script. Given all that took place this week, it’s obvious that the format of the debate should be immediately revamped to focus not on foreign affairs and national security as planned but on the one subject every American is talking about: the economic crisis.

It would be surreal to watch Barack Obama and John McCain debate what to do in Baghdad or Kabul when the country’s attention is fixed on Wall Street.

At some point, the candidates will have to make plain what they would do to fix the crisis, restore Americans’ confidence and rally their respective parties in support of a common vision.

Emphasis is mine. So does anyone think this is new behavior for Obama? Isn’t he always working on his resume for the next job interview?

  • Zorro Astor

    Brilliant! ;)

  • Ben
    • JAY in Los Angeles

      This video does not address why this happened, now.

      At all. It is not the dems or repubs — it’s both.

      • vinnie

        I have to agree. Although one can say that Fannie & Freddie started the dominoes rolling and here we are.

      • lark

        I disagree. It was the Dems and the Bush Administration. More to the point, President Bush himself wanted his administration to always show GDP increases.

      • Linda OKC

        absolutely BOTH

        and now we have the 2 biggest recepients of contributions from the industry…PROPOSING the bailout

  • Cooney

    The backlash by democrats against McCain is evidence of just how powerful a move it was on the part of McCain.

    • Hillary2012

      Yes, he can only win.
      After the “deal” turned out to be stuffed with earmarks.
      (This 20% Acorn thing I still cannot believe)
      McCain is the hero.

      • stodghie

        my neighbor, obama supporter, will now be voting for mccain. way to go barry!

        • beebop

          Hopefully your friend Barr isn’t the only one who was paying attention! Once you move beyond the hall of mirrors, you see the horror that is “bi-partisan.”

          • beebop

            sorry meant “barry.” That’s my ex-husband’s name and I guess my fingers just couldn’t do it …

        • bethtopaz

          Right on!!

        • LookingForwardTo2012

          Hurray!!! I think all of the pollsters are going to be surprised on election day!

      • mcpalin hill

        hillary2012 — McCain is my hero because he called the Democrats out on their pork. With all the Pork going to La Razza and Acorn Obama could have used this to buy himself the Presidency. WTG McCain. You are the man of the people.

    • Hillary2012

      Yes, he can only win.
      After the “deal” turned out to be stuffed with earmarks.
      (This 20% Acorn thing I still cannot believe)
      McCain is the hero.

    • Newly Independent

      The backlash by democrats against McCain is evidence of just how powerful a move it was on the part of McCain.

      Yep!

      That – and the butt-kicking Obama’s going to get in the foreign policy debate tonight will be more fatal blows to Obama’s chances for the Presidency.

  • http://www.deathofthedemocraticparty.com xax

    Exactly how I feel.

  • athena

    Read this earlier today and had to make a double take – CNN? WTF! Has the world turned inside out yet again!

  • Loveharriet

    Country before Party!

    McCain/Palin 2008!

  • jwrjr

    So has CNN fired Navarrette yet? Dissing the Selected One like that unemployment can’t be far off.

    • NewHampster

      A opinion person not an employee, I think

      • beebop

        He used to write in Dallas for the “Moaning Snooze” a/k/a Morning News ….

    • Ani

      And how tacky that CNN feels the need to put a BIG disclaimer on it. We know it is an opinion piece. Since when does any news service put a giant disclaimer on opinion pieces? Who’s footing the bill at CNN? Makes you wonder why they are so in the tank for Obama.

      Let’s have more Lou and less Campbell.

  • bert

    No matter what the topic of the debate is tonight, foreign policy or the economy, one thing is certain. Obama’s prep for the debate was interrupted when Bush asked him to come to D.C. He did not have has much time to prep as he had planned for and so I bet he will be worse in this debate than usual. Way to go McCain.

    • doctorate

      I agree.

    • lark

      So then he concentrated in memorizing just the most offensive of the zingers. He might just copy McCain and don’t even bother contradicting himself.

    • Clara Barton

      Even if BO didn’t pick up and physically go to Washington, this really should have messed with his head. McCain knows psychological tactics and this played as much on Obama’s (and others close to him) psyche as anything else.

  • http://www.share-international.org a nancy in name only

    20% to Acorn??? Those guys are nothing but hustlers.
    They get a few unemployed people to sort of do something like ask people walking down the street to take part in a survey and simply make up the rest. Unbelieveable!!!

    • lark

      Kind of the problem Chavez is having now with his hordes of loyalist thugs. But he keeps them busy anyway.

    • stodghie

      if you think this is bad, just elect barry.

  • acorn hater

    SLAUGHTER THE PIGS FATTENED WITH ACORNs!!!!!

    Why, oh why, are people and the MSM not talking about this sickening twist?

    THE ECONOMY IS IN A CRISIS AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE PORKING UP A RESCUE BILL WITH EARMARKS TO A-C-O-R-N (THE VOTER FRAUD OUTFIT).

    NO WONDER THE GOP IS HOLDING FIRM. PASS this to every media outfit you know so that maybe the truth will leak out about why McCain can not agree to such a mess!!!

    http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/26/the-democratic-acorn-bailout/

    (excerpt:)

    House Republicans refused to support the Henry Paulson/Chris Dodd compromise bailout plan yesterday afternoon, even after the New York Times reported that Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson got down on one knee to beg Nancy Pelosi to compromise. One of the sticking points, as Senator Lindsey Graham explained later, wasn’t a lack of begging but a poison pill that would push 20% of all profits from the bailout into the Housing Trust Fund — a boondoggle that Democrats in Congress has used to fund political-action groups like ACORN and the National Council of La Raza.

    • mcpalin hill

      acorn hater — Its a damn shame that most of the American people will not be aware of what an unselfish thing the Republicans and McCain did today. I hope that Rush with his 22 Million listeners and Hannity with his 12 Million listeners will spread the word. Because people need to know that the Democrats instead of bailing out Wall Street wanted to create a slush fund.

  • NewHampster

    I wonder if Barry will be allowed to use his teleprompter. Axelrod passing the answers.

    by the way. I’ve installed a live chat to try during tonight’s debate. Over at my place
    http://www.partizane.com

  • mimi

    I posted this on the Open Thread, but I want people to see this. I LMAO when I stumbled upon a blog about the low tv ratings last night of network premieres. There’s a whole bunch of people bitching about celebrities mouthing off about their political views and how people are tired arguing with 0bama supporters.

    Here’s a goodie:

    “you wanna see a funny new sitcom?

    just add a laugh track

    to a harry reid press conference.”

    Check the site out for yourself and have some fun:

    http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/09/greys-ratings.html?cid=132395238#comment-132395238

    • wodiej

      I just heard on the local radio station that the premiere of Gray’s Anatomy had a 18% drop in their ratings. Maybe people are just plain pissed about Hollywood and their support of Obama. They don’t give a rats ass what is going on. They’ve got their bank accounts stuffed and a yacht on a private island. The only way they may wake up if they don’t have the viewers and people aren’t watching all of the stupid advertising…well you do the math…money talks and bullshit walks.

      • Seattle Moss

        I’m done with Hollywood the MSM and my local newspaper.
        They disgust me!!
        I have never been this angry!!

        I honestly feel that we are being taken over by foreign powers!

        • lisa in va

          Ditto! I can’t believe that Fox seems to be the most unbiased newsource. And I’m sick of the Hollywood celebs & don’t give a flying f$%* about their political opinions.

          This year has been a real eye opener for me.

        • tampagurl

          My feelings exactly, Seattle. I can barely sleep at night for worrying about our economy, ACORN, Soros, and the Chicago machine. I pray there are enough of us to stop this take over of our country.

          • lark

            I know that feeling.

        • bethtopaz

          Most of today’s MSM/T.V. is targetting those who don’t think.

          As one infamous person said:

          “Fortunately for rulers, people don’t think.”
          — Adolph Hitler

        • mcpalin hill

          seattle moss — I am angry and depressed that the God Damn Media has decided no matter what a crook or liar Obama is — he is going to be our president. We have already lost Hillary to this fraud — I pray we don’t lose McCain too.

          • bethtopaz

            Maybe America is waking up to the lies that the Far Left/Mainstream Media (Communist Party – read their manifesto for America) has been blinding America with.

            Please check out this link for a document listing 45 goals/steps towards a Communist Takeover of America (Congressional Records – 1963).

            It’s a long list, but please take the time to read 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, and 25.

            http://www.rense.com/general32/americ.htm

            McCain/Palin 2008

    • LookingForwardTo2012

      People are tuning Hollywood out. Honestly…who cares what Matt Damon has to say? Let them put their money where their mouth is. Just like David Letterman. He, with his multi_million dollar television contracts, should probably not make such a big deal of McCain cancelling out last night and make veiled threats to help defeat him. People might begin to wonder what he actually does to contribute and help others.

      • mcpalin hill

        LookingForwardto2012 — Who do people like Letterman think they are? What McCain had to do yesterday is far more important then Dave and his Damn top 10 list. If Mr. Letterman was a good American he might have noticed that there were far more important things going on then his TV Show. Screw him, Matt Damon and the other Hollywierd idiots. None of them give a damn about this country.

  • wodiej

    Fox news said the economic crisis will be asked about and I agree…it should be. But we already know how they will both answer. McCain will lay out details about what needs to be done and Obama will either just say “yea, what he said” or stutter and dance around the question wo really answering. And the moderator will look at Obama like he’s Einstein and at McCain like he’s Dumbo. Except the moderator is ass backwards so just turn that around and that’s reality folks.

    • Ferd McBerfle

      Oblahblah is just an overbearing windbag who expels a lot of hot gas that, in the final analysis means absolutely zip. The words he strings together may sound good are bereft of any meaningful information. I can’t wait to see McCain say in about three words what takes 10 minutes for Oblockhead to stutter and stammer through. Hahaha

      • Karma

        Fox reported earlier that Obama has a bunch of ‘zingers’ ready for him.

        And that they wanted to rile him up while trying to hand this economy thing around his neck.

        It is such a bad plan.

        McCain is used to getting zingers and dishing them right back, with a better ability to laugh at himself and still answer the question. Obama lacks self-deprecating humor of any depth.

        Trying to hang this economy/bailout on McCain will open the door to his 2005 attempts to bring Freddie and Fannie under control.

        • Karma

          edit…hang this economy

        • Ferd McBerfle

          Oblockhead does not think fast on his feet. That is his true achilles heel. McCain may be a bit dry but his wit is caustic. Oblahblah doesn’t even play in McCain’s league, unless he has his alter ego, Mr. Teleprompter to his front.

        • mcpalin hill

          Karma — maybe thats why Obama was so anxious to debate, because he had some good zingers. For him that would be more important then a 700 Bill bail out of Wall Street.

      • bethtopaz

        You’re absolutely right.

        “He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.”

        - Abraham Lincoln (unknowingly talking about Barack Obama)

        • LAMusing

          Does “uh” count as a word?

  • texaslatina

    i pray everynight obama and his thugs will be sent back to the hell hole they slithered out of and we are able to protect our country from these snakes.

    • wodiej

      Amen to that

      • Hillary2012

        *praying in california*

        • bethtopaz

          I am praying in California, too.

          Maybe America is waking up to the lies that the Far Left/Mainstream Media (Communist Party – read their manifesto for America) has been blinding America with.

          Please check out this link for a document listing 45 goals/steps towards a Communist Takeover of America (Congressional Records – 1963).

          It’s a long list, but please take the time to read 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, and 25.

          http://www.rense.com/general32/americ.htm

          McCain/Palin 2008

  • MMI

    The only person I can watch on CNN is Lou Dobbs. I am waiting to hear from two top economists who disagree with the bailout plan.

    • wodiej

      I really respect Lou Dobbs…he is getting ready to talk about the close ties of those getting money from the bailout and those wanting it to go through Congress.

      • MMI

        Dobbs is reporting that Dodd has received more than 13 million dollars from financial institutions. Frank got 2 million, Gregg received 1 million, and Blunt received 2 million dollars. These are the four people negotiating the bailout deal in Congress

        The source for the information is opensecrets.org

        I can’t believe Dodd has gotten 13 million dollars of contributions from the financial industry and no one is asking him about it or about his Countrywide loan each time he steps in front of the microphone to say he is working for “main street”. I never knew there is a street named Main in Connecticut.

        • Sharon

          Hillary got more…

      • mcpalin hill

        wodiej — Bless Dobbs for this. What really gets me is that the entire media worried about the Debate and not the bail out bill. On Dec 7, 1941 this country was attacked by Japan and the entire country mobilized for war. Now Obama and his selfish bastards make fun of anyone who cares what happens to the American people and our way of life.

    • doctorate

      Me, too.

  • Sharen

    Check this out everyone. Looks like Obama is helping give CNN some ratings..what a SHOCK

    OXFORD, MS.–I just got this text message on my cell phone–the Obama campaign is urging people to watch the first presidential debate tonight on CNN. Why did the Obama campaign want to endorse one outlet when so many are showing the debate here at the University of Mississippi?

    “Watch Barack Obama debate John McCain tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on CNN,” the message said. Also, remind friends to register to vote at VoteforChange.com. Please forward this message.

    The Obama campaign has a giant list of text message numbers, gleaned in part from the run-up to the announcement of Barack Obama’s running mate; Obama’s team bolstered their lists by saying they would break the vice presidential pick news first via text message.

  • texaslatina

    i agree with yall mimi and wodiej. the only person to watch on cnn is lou dobbs. and the only person i watch on msnbc is joe scarborough.

  • wodiej

    Sen Dodd has received a total of $13 million from banking, finance and mortgage industry

    • vinnie

      well well well. I’m getting really pissed off today watching the news and seeing these politicians spin.

  • NewHampster

    Lou Dobbs just showed the banks that donate to Chris Dodd and Barney Frank. UFR Millions and they are writing the bailout.

  • The New Hope

    Yes McCain has his priorities straight. That is why he’s picked a nonsensical, nobody from Alaska for his running mate.

    • Ferd McBerfle

      Your alliteration is sophomoric, which matches your age. She is abetter candidate for VP than Oblockhead is for POTUS. Your candidate is unfit and unqualified and that’s all anyone needs to know, half-wit.

      • Sharon

        My you sound intelligent…but soooooo bitter!! what’s the matter, your candidate not on the slate?

        • Ferd McBerfle

          The poster to whom I was responding sounded like a pre-adolescent dweeb. No one here has time for half-baked, half-wits who post off-topic. As for you, the question you asked is one that I would expect from a dullard obamabot.

          Try taking on someone more like yourself..you know…someone with an IQ that matches your age.

    • Midlife Mama

      Just like the DNC chose a ‘nonsensical nobody’ as their nominee? Yes, I agree.

    • wodiej

      LMAO!!!

    • Dan

      Far better than running a nonsensical nobody for president like the Democrats are doing.

  • lark

    I stopped even watching Fox. They are so bias now against McCain. The have to be fair and balanced and since they spent the best of the last 10 years pro Republican they will spend the next two month against McCain.

    CNN is just doing that to blast McCain tonight and feel they have at least given him one chance in 100.

    3000 journalist came down to Oxford. That means 3000 propagandists plus 10 thousand pundits clobbering McCain tonight saying he looked sick and totally deranged.

    • NewHampster

      And all those students who I’m sure will be cheering for McCain, Not.

      Live Debate Chat Tonight in the Hampster Cage http://www.partizane.com

    • doctorate

      All that effort and none of us falls for any of it.

  • blog force one

    I wonder if mcain will pull out the “hand grenade” ie heavy dirt on obama and pull the pin ! daring obambi to catch it as he tosses it!!!

    • Ivory Bill Woodpecker

      “Bring forth the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch!” :)

    • LAMusing

      What a lovely idea to toss an “October Surprise” live on tv :)

  • kcfromtx

    Not sure which is more surprising – CNN running it or Ruben Navarrette writing it.

  • doctorate

    The Dems are aligned with George Bush on the bailout. Why?

    Three reasons:

    1) They want to give Obama some glory;

    2) So many were in bed with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac execs;

    3) They want to rush something through, go home, and get on with their next vacation.

    • Ferd McBerfle

      4) Rush back to their constituency after their vacation bragging about how hard they worked during this session. Uh, yeah.

    • VMorris

      Nice summary of the way it is. Spot on!

    • anon

      The dems are aligned with Bush for one reason…cold, hard cash.

  • Mr. X

    POST DEBATE NQ RADIO SHOW

    Is there going to be one? I wanna know!

  • Sassy

    I am so disgusted with the Democratic Party, they will never convince me to vote for them again!
    The media in this country now act like gawkers at a four car pile-up!
    When Bo gets trounced in November, his resume, or lack of one, will go worldwide.
    Hopefully, we will be rid of him for good!

    • wodiej

      and the media whores will be right there for the ratings. Anyone ever wonder if that is why they are doing this? Ratings for a landslide loss on Obama??

  • MaggiefromMichigan

    Me thinks that these representatives who have received massive donations from mortgage and financial industry are acting unethical. Many of us corporate employees are forced to watch ethics compliance presentations and take quizes thanks to Sarbanes Oxley. Our elected representatives in charge of our money and our future have lower ethical standards. What a crock.

  • just me

    Well nothing like keeping it in the family the snakes taking money are the one trying to fix the mess.

    What a scam….

    There needs to be an independent board formed from regular tax payers to over look this kind of thing.
    I know it is a little late for this fiasco but something needs to be put in place and anyone having a handout needs to be taken off and discussion of reforming or bailing out….

    This is tax payers money so we should have an independent body over looking things for the man on the street.

    These people cannot be trusted….

  • Faye

    New Hampster,
    Thanks for Navarrette’s srticle. Navarrette made some very intelligent observations. It would be great if the economy was the topic of this debate instead of foreign affairs/ nat’l security. But would the debate mediators do that? Would they be so”mean” and cruel to Obama as to ask different questions than the original ones THEY GAVE him
    and he has practiced so hard to polish them?
    Ben
    Great video, thanks. So Carter is the one who got this ball rolling? And this country just might get Clueless to complete Peanut’s second term. Great, just fan dandy GREAT!NOT!

  • just me

    and if I see the one’s face anymore sat at the end of the table at the whitehouse I will scream…

    Looks like he lost a dollar and found a dime!

  • Faye

    Oops, ARTICLE not Srticle. sorry.

  • John Smith

    I am extremely disappointed with the media. They repeat lies over and over again with out even checking if what people say is true. I just don’t see how people who don’t get online and start looking for them self could ever get the real information behind anything these days.

    No matter what happens during the debate the MSM will declare it a draw by it implying Obama won or going to call it for Obama no matter what really happened. This does

    • bethtopaz

      I listed this above, but want to copy this as a reply to your good comment:

      Maybe America is waking up to the lies that the Far Left/Mainstream Media (Communist Party – read their manifesto for America) has been blinding America with.

      Please check out this link for a document listing 45 goals/steps towards a Communist Takeover of America (Congressional Records – 1963).

      It’s a long list, but please take the time to read 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, and 25.

      http://www.rense.com/general32/americ.htm

      McCain/Palin 2008

  • wodiej

    did you all know that Franklin Raines, the ex CEO of Fannie Mae was Bill Clintons Finance/Budget Advisor? Now Obama’s…..

    • ziggy

      Now Obama’s what?

      Raines isn’t Obama’s anything.

      • Firefly

        Raines, by his own words, has advised 0bama – 0bama, when caught, lied about it (what else is new!) and the 0bama media backed up the lie (what else is new!).

        Now you and all 0bama’s other lying liar’s can lie about it too – but it just means you and 0bama are the ones who keep on trying to put lipstick on that same old stinking pig.

  • wodiej

    Gingrich says he’s embarrassed by Bush and Paulson…

    • Seattle Moss

      What a twist..
      The democrats are with Bush
      McCain is with the people(taxpayers)

      • mcpalin hill

        seattle moss — McCain is a man of the people like Harry Truman.

    • Dan

      As a Republican, I will give Bush credit for keeping us safe here at home in the wake of 9/11 and for royally kicking Al-Qaeda’s ass around the globe. But in practically every other respect, his presidency has been a disaster, both for the US as well as for the Republican Party.

      He and his crew have set the Republican brand back 30 years. Never since Nixon and Watergate has the party been held is such low esteem by the voting public. Now his final parting gift to us could well be this economic crisis that could give Obama the boost he needs to win the White House. Had he showed some forsight and some balls years ago, this bailout might have possibly been averted. But as usual, he was asleep at the wheel.

      His departure can’t come soon enough for me. Whoever his successor is, he’s going to have one hell of a mess to clean up.

      • Ivory Bill Woodpecker

        Bush made us safer? I call BULLSHIT!!! The Cheney, oh excuse me, Dubya Assministration ignored warning after warning that Al-Qaida was planning something big because they were obsessed with the notion that only rogue state support could make terrorism possible. [I will be generous here and assume that they ignored the warnings out of incompetence rather than to have an excuse to try to seize Middle Eastern oil.] Then, when it happened, their responses did not do jack shit to make us safer, especially not their invasion of Iraq, a country which had NOT ONE DAMN THING to do with the 9/11 attacks.

        Just because I refuse to drink Plastic Jesus’s Kool-Aid doesn’t mean I’ll drink the Neocon flavor.

  • Mike

    McCain will kick Bambi’s butt in the debate tonight but the media will spin that Bambi won.

  • cal

    Don’t forget the Hampster’s hosting a real-time (live) debate chat at his place @ 9p ET.

    http://www.partizane.com You must be logged in to “chat.”

  • IODINE

    YES . it does seem like he is always working hard to get to the next job. I think he has only spent no more than 3 years in any job until he began making preparations to move to the next one.