Gloves Coming Off: McCain To Go After Obama On Associations, Honesty And Judgment

Via The Washington Post - new ads being made, McCain said to be getting ready to turn up the heat on Obama. It certainly isn't too late given the way information flows today. There are still plenty of undecideds, suggesting Obama has not been able to close the deal.

A strong, consistent attack plan carried out over the remaining weeks certainly has the potential to change the race in enough key states for McCain to win.

Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations, several top Republicans said.

With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.

"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Being so aggressive has risks for McCain if it angers swing voters, who often say they are looking for candidates who offer a positive message about what they will do. That could be especially true this year, when frustration with Washington politics is acute and a desire for specifics on how to fix the economy and fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is strong.

Comments

[joeb]

Well good Sunday morning to all. Seems to me the bad economy will cost McCain the election. That and the MSM attacks on Sarah Palin. Katie Couric who was close to being fired now will be the darling of the Democratic Party for her interview with Palin. Rush Limbaugh may tell his 33 million listeners that McCain can still win but I doubt it. In 1992 the economy went bad and Clinton and the Democrats used it("It's the Economy Stupid")to win. Since money is the only value that counts in our society people will vote their pocketbooks every time. And right now they are scared and believe it is the Republicans fault. I firmly believe this housing bubble started with Clinton and the Democrats changing rules set in place after the great depression so that every American could own a house whether they could afford it or not. Also they(along with the Republicans)let the predatory lenders loose on everyone. Banks became investment firms instead of just banks.
Limbaugh kept telling his listeners in 1992 that George Bush Sr. was going to win despite polls showing the opposite was going to happen. Rush will try this tactic again but it will not work. McCain has been knocked out by the bad economy and Sarah Palin got snookered by Katie Couric. Those two things spell defeat for the Republicans this time out. At least Hillary Clinton will not be President. That is something to be thankful for. I will vote for John McCain because I believe he is the best man for the job. I believe he is a real leader and has the experience to be President and Obama does not.
And I think it is highly possible that this economic crisis was engineered by the Democarts to win this election.

[BobinStamford]

Such pessimism from the party of Lincoln and Larry Craig! All is not lost, patriots! The surge worked, the fundamentals of the economy are STRONG and you guys have Sarah Palin. I admit that it's baffling that a known Muslim like B. Hussein is looking at victory and a proven hero like Ted Stevens is looking at prison sex!

Remember heroes, we're all in the tank for the Lord and teh troops together! Chief Justice Clinton will provide for you all!!

[joeb]

Boob after the Democrats win and control the White House and both houses of Congress we will then see what the geniuses and Nancy Pelosi can do. Truman said being President is like riding a tiger. Boob I can't wait to see how you like riding the tiger. Meanwhile support our troops.

[Fred Beloit]

May I be allowed to correct an NYT headline in their politics section? I hope so because they certainly wouldn't let me do it.

"Palin, on Offensive, Attacks Obama’s Ties to ’60s Radical"

CORRECTION: Ayers isn't a 60s radical. He is a current radical who feels he didn't do enough radicalizing in the 60s.
Thank you. FB

[Fred Beloit]

Dr Ethiopia is well-informed: "Nothing is appealing about a man [McCain not Kerry]who acts like he was the only soldier in Vietnm."

He thinks McCain was a "soldier". The good Dr.'s grasp of military matters is impeccable. Or perhaps the doc just doesn't have English as a native language.

[HOWARD]

TALK IS CHEAP ... CHECK OBAMA'S RECORD !!!
A candidate's track record, and associations are always a legitimate issue when running for President. Let's take a look at the qualifications, judgement, and experience of Obama, who is running for President. Obama had 25 years to fulfill the potential he displayed as a rising start at Harvard Law School ... and, how did he live up to that potential? ... He chose to align himself with anti-American racist, Jeremiah Wright for TWENTY YEARS ... along with Ferrahkan, Rezko, Ayers, and others. As a community organizer, he registered thousands of voters in Chicago ... then, when he ran for the state legislature, he took away their votes, by disqualifying his opponent (a black woman) on a technicality. As a U.S. Senator, he voted present 160 times ... he never called a meeting on the Afghanistan committee he chaired (although he NOW says we must shift all our military from Iraq to Afghanistan). He claimed Foreign Policy experience from a 9 day whirlwind photo op to 6 countries. And, he spent almost half of his tenure neglecting his responsibilities as a U.S. Senator, so he could run for President. Senator McCain served America honorably for 22 years in the military. He proved his love for America, as well as his honor, integrity and character, by refusing early release as a P.O.W., even while being tortured. He served America as a 'contributing' U.S. Senator, working across the aisle, for 20 years. If Obama's Twentyfive year track record shows he lacks judgement, and can't be trusted, who cares what he says about Health Care and the Economy! What Obama never learned is Character. He simply can't be trusted ... ask Jeremiah Wright, a friend of 20 years, who Obama betrayed for personal ambition ... and, you Obama supporters really think he won't betray you If he gets elected??? If he gets elected, you Obama supporters will be facing a HUGE disillusionment !!!

[Susan]

I am not giving up HOPE just yet. I am still wondering if all those people that voted for Obama instead of Hillary before the Rev. Wright BS came to light are out there watching and waiting to cast their vote for McCain.
If the Rev. Wright thing had come to light before the first of all the primaries were done I think Hillary would have won the nomination. Obama would not have won those states. Hillary would have been the nominee instead of Obama. She would have been the lesser of the two evils to run against John McCain.
I am sorry that President Bush has gotten blame for everything during his presidency. The economy mess goes way back leading up to now. Many people in the republican congress tried and failed for more oversight. The facts of the matter are out there if people really cared to look it up and read about it.
There is so many things that have happened that the main steam media will not report on. They do a good con job on misleading folks as most folks are not capable of researching for themselves. They chose to believe everything they hear.
The fat cats on Capital Hill or just that...Fat Cats. They do not care about anyone but themselves. Term limits for the seante and the house would really help but do you think they woudl ever pass something like that ?
This country is going to hell fast and it seems no one cares. If more people that do CARE would get out there and bring all the corruptness going on in this country I do believe things would look better for McCain. I just do not see many people trying to help him. He needs our help. Has everyone just thrown in the towel or what. It is never too late. It ain't over til its over.
Hope all good republicans get out and vote November 4th, whether you think your vote will count or not. I am voting for McCain. At the very least if Obama wins I want be one that helped him distroy this country !
If Obama wins on November 4th, fasten your seat belts as you will be in for the ride of a lifetime. GOD BLESS AMERICA !

[seekerons]

Wow... seeing even Joeb, who has been one of the most stalwart voices here on RWV commenting for McCain concede a likely defeat is sort of a bellwether of the reality on the ground: the facts are that this "election" has been the most massively coordinated takedown of the system ever.

The Dems learned all too well from Rove's 2000 playbook, and have moved their chess pieces on the boards of political stratagy with flawless precision: truly, the student has outdone the master.

The question will now become, "who can do the most and worst possible amount of damage to the Republic while their party has a majority in all branches of gov't?" (SCOTUS soon to some, though they are effectively centrist by all accounts... some good ol'fashioned court packing FDR style will take care of that)...

And while Bush and the GOP Congress certainly did their fair share of evil, I have a double eagle that says that it won't be a patch on the horrors we shall see done in the Obama regime.

All hail the new Fuehrer...

[Fred Beloit]

Interesting vid, but they should lose the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-45A6I-N5I

[Howard]

Thank goodness McCain and Palin are finally taking off the gloves. Like millions of Americans I've awaited the truth, while feeling frustration watching Obama get a free ride. Subjects like Wright, Farrakhan, Pfleger, Rezko, Ayers, and others, seem to have been off limits for discussion, when they go to the core of who Obama is. In defense of Obama, the media treats him like a sacred cow, and implies that since these subjects were visited at one time, they're not fair game to revisit ... but, why not? Like millions of Americans I've never been comfortable with Obama attending Jeremiah Wright's church for TWENTY YEARS ... suddenly quitting for political expediency, and then claiming that he never heard the racist, anti-American sermons going on there. Also, the Trintity church website has since sanitized it's previous links on the 'Black Values System' ... and, the 'Black Liberation Theology' which Obama sworn an oath to for TWENTY YEARS.