“Let me give you the state of the race today. We have 22 days to go. We’re 6 points down. The national media has written us off… My friends, we’ve got them just where we want them.”
John McCain, Virginia Beach, 13 October 2008
Time for a little reality check, Senator. After a week of desperate-looking mud slinging that made even your own people gag, your opponent is further ahead than at any point in the campaign (at 50% to 42.6% in the RealClearPolitics poll average and by 304 to 158 electoral votes on the RealClearPolitics map; and peaking at 8.3% ahead on Pollster.com yesterday). Some of us have noticed that you’re now spending an awful lot of time in Virginia and North Carolina, states you wouldn’t even dream of losing in a tight race. (Update: And Indiana!)
More reality… You’ve just been compelled to downplay your attempts to whip up hate and hysteria, either because they clearly aren’t working or because you are uncomfortable with the ugly stain on the body politic that will be your lasting legacy. Or both.
Over the last month, your negative advertising has been at 100% and your no-nothing disgrace of a running mate has been plunging ever deeper into the sewer in pursuit of votes. But your opponent has pulled ahead on practically every measure of confidence and favourability. Your own net favourability has been falling over the entire month. You still lead on security, but that’s it.
You’ve managed to screw your own brand, without so much as smudging your opponent’s. You were supposed to be the straight-talking, independent-minded, tough, honourable one, remember? The war hero who could keep a cool head in times of crisis. When people are losing their jobs, homes and pension savings, they expect a little more than vague fear mongering about rather tenuous associations with a couple who never actually harmed anyone, a long time ago. The voters think that you’re more interested in personality attacks than policies. And they’re right.
(Hey, it’s not as though you and your running mate don’t have some very unsavoury associations yourselves.)
There are just three more weeks to go. Keep this up, Senator.
Update: I should make it clear that the presidential race will likely tighten over the next few weeks. Despite recent gains Obama hasn’t by any means dispelled all the doubts many people retain, and the RNC is still poisoning the well with nasty ads. It is clear that McCain is trying to launch a “comeback narrative” with this speech. Drudge and Faux News have, for some days now, been highlighting any poll that shows the gap narrowing, despite all the other polls showing no such thing. It will be interesting to see, when the polls do eventually show the gap narrowing, whether the non-Republican media run with this “story”.
Tags: John McCain
Jafapete's Weblog 
October 14, 2008 at 1:52 pm |
Why do you believe polling data? I guess you would have no reason for a blog post if you didn’t…the polling data is WRONG. That’s really all you need to know. Real Americans aren’t voting for Obama — maybe because of William Ayers, maybe because of gas prices, maybe because of gun ownership rights, maybe because of the Constitution, maybe because of Communism, but ALWAYS with good reason.
McCain has been told to cut back his attacks because you bone-heads are too sensitive to handle the truth. You would much rather immerse yourself in lies and then pretend the American public at large — who, for the most part, is educated and does their research.
‘rather tenuous associations with someone who never actually harmed anyone, a long time ago.’ Liar. Are you a liar too, whoever the hell you are? William Ayers killed 2 cops and a security guard in the bombings of his organization — The Weathermen Underground, in case you are unfamiliar.
If Barack Obama’s associations with William Ayers hurt Senator McCain, then you can be sure that there is something VERY WRONG with the country that you are living in.
mariestacey.wordpress.com <– but please, only if you’re not afraid of the truth.
Mariestacey, I’m always interested at the responses I get from the States on my US-related posts. Your convenient merging of Ayers and the Weathermen a.k.a. Weather Underground (note the correct names) when assigning responsibility for the bombings, and use of terms like “communism” when they have absolutely nothing to do with the subject under discussion, leads me to suspect that I wouldn’t find much in the way of “truth” on your blog. Just misrepresentation, smears and delusion.
October 14, 2008 at 2:25 pm |
I’m unsure what you define as ‘truth.’ But let me give you a clue, it’s not a subjective term. William Ayers’ association with Barack Obama and more than a dozen bombings of United States facilities and organizations only leaves a lasting impression of a lack of character and ethical obligations to United States citizens. Did you know that 2 policemen and a security guard were killed by the Weather Underground in their fruitless and futile attempts to overthrow the American government? That is what Americans define as terrorism. The spin you, whatever country you hail from, matters very little to Americans. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but we think on our own and we do not support terrorists or terrorist-sympathizers. Therefore, VERY MANY AMERICANS do not support Barack Obama.
Secondly, Communism is a by-product of Marxism, which Barack Obama adheres to very firmly. I wrote a book on this very topic. If you would like me to explain the way I believe that Barack Obama exhibits and displays Marxist and Communist tendencies, I would be more than happy to do so.
However, noting that you are not an American citizen, remember one very important thing: Americans do not accept Communism as a valid form of government for our country. We reject Communism and anyone who purports to control the people via government-sponsored programs and income. We reject those who propose to revoke individual liberty for the sake of power-hungry Communist ideological platforms.
I say this because I am not sure if you view Communism as negatively as many Americans do. If you don’t, then you would not understand why I make a reference about Communism when I speak about Barack Obama’s unqualified nature to be President of the United States.
ALSO, have you read our Constitution? Our Constitution outlines 3 criteria necessary to even be CONSIDERED for the Presidency. 1) One must be at least 35 years old. 2) One must be a resident of the United States for at least 14 years. 3) One must be a natural-born citizen.
Barack Obama will not produce a valid birth certificate. Therefore, as it stands, he does not even meet the base qualifications to be President of the United States of America.
October 14, 2008 at 3:46 pm |
Marie Stacey,
Of course there are many Americans who don’t support Obama. Probably around 50%. And if you go somewhere like Oklahoma or Kansas, you’ll find most people there don’t support Obama. You’ll also find that they believe in nutty things like “creation science”. The problem for you is that at this point there are even fewer American’s who support McCain. Which puts Obama well ahead on EVs, as even Karl Rove acknowledges.
The fact that you think that Obama, “exhibits and displays Marxist and Communist tendencies” tells me a great deal more about you than it does Obama. Even right-wing nut-bars like Sean Hannity don’t go around accusing Obama of being marxist. That’s in the same category as the poor deluded woman who was insisting to McCain last week that Obama’s an “Arab”.
Oh, and if you want to see a copy of Obama’s birth certificate, try the LA Times website: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/obama-birth.html But I guess you just won’t accept that it’s a copy of the real thing, because Obama’s a terrorist-lovin’, marxist, elitist, country club, etc, etc.
October 14, 2008 at 4:10 pm |
I found this great cartoon on the Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3 blog: dead on!
October 14, 2008 at 4:13 pm |
Oh Jafapete,
Where are you getting your information? Are you listening to the polls? Because as a student of political science and economics, that’s a very bad idea.
It’s more than 50% that do not support Barack Obama. I believe you have a skewed perception of John McCain’s support, as does everyone else. I live in a Southern state that VERY MUCH supports John McCain. For Americans, this election is Big City vs. Rural Suburb. It is not locale. Even New Yorkers are wary of Barack Obama. It is much more ideological than you believe.
I’m not sure why you cannot embrace that Barack Obama is a Marxist. Actually, he’s also a Saul Alinsky creation. http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/8925/alinsky.htm
Michelle Obama has even cited Saul Alinsky publicly.
Marxism and Communism, as ideologies, do not appeal to the American public. Massive ‘redistribution of wealth’ for the sake of leveling society is thought to be an unnecessary exercise because individuals have the ability and incentive to produce wealth for themselves without the government handing them anything. Dependence on the government is what Marxism/Communism supports. So does Barack Obama. His spending proposals equal more than a trillion dollars, just in his first term. Yet he is always critical of George W. Bush economic policies (which, coincidentally, are known for massive spending as well).
Listen to Mark Levin. Not Sean Hannity. The fact that you referenced Sean Hannity in some capacity to insult me tells me quite a bit about you.
I looked at the birth certificate from the LA Times, and I am, of course, still skeptical. He produced 2 similar documents. And his grandmother claims to have been there during his birth in Kenya. So I must determine if the LA Times is a liar or if his grandmother is a liar. You should really visit my blog and read about the October Surprise. Anyone can photoshop a document. Verification of the document is what the American public is interested in. Also, I believe that Barack Obama and his mother cited 2 different hospitals for his birth in Honolulu, but I’m sure that’s just coincidence, right? Most people forget the hospital they were born in…
If you need more proof of his Marxist tendencies, I’ll scrounge it out of my book. I wrote a full 20 some odd pages on the ideology of Barack Obama.
If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?
October 14, 2008 at 4:33 pm |
Marie Stacey,
For Obama’s birth certificate, try factcheck.org, a completely non-partisan group who identify factcheck rumours and innuendo impartially finding evidence of distortion and misrepresentation on both sides): http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html
They’ve handled the document and provide high definition images of the raised seal, etc.
Fair point about Hannity. And I’m from NZ. But I have spent some time in the US, and once worked for the Republican National Committee on Capitol Hill.
October 14, 2008 at 4:53 pm |
I’ve heard about factcheck.org. It’s really not non-partisan. Obama paid them off, I heard. Don’t take my word for it, watch the video and read my article.
There’s a video about this that I really think you should watch
http://mariestacey.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/open-your-eyes-for-the-october-surprise/
I’m not big on Republicans or Democrats. In fact, I don’t like the government in general. I want the government to be as small as possible and get the hell out of my personal life. I’m ideologically aligned with the Constitution and would be considered a Libertarian. Trust me, I’m not a partisan hack. But we’re less than 30 days from an Election, and I have chosen who I support based on the facts that I have gathered.
I support McCain/Palin whether or not Barack Obama has a birth certificate. However, if he doesn’t have a valid birth certificate (I’m sure the phonies will at least allow him to continue through the Election), he should not be elected President simply on those grounds. But there are many more issues that should deter any American voter from casting a ballot for Barack Obama.
I’m sorry that we disagree, but I appreciate the debate nonetheless.
New Zealand? Pretty country, I’ve heard. (If that’s not the NZ you’re referring to I’m sorry, I’m not very worldly.)
October 14, 2008 at 5:54 pm |
Marie Stacey, Yes, I appreciate the debate, and the civilised tone. We have a group of people who share your views in NZ (there is only one NZ, and it is mostly very pretty). They can be found at http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz or at http://www.solopassion.com, although the ones who hang out at kiwiblog aren’t always as courteous as yourself.
October 15, 2008 at 8:31 am |
There is a prominent Dem who is fighting Obama about this birth certificate, I haven’t heard what is going on but I was always a little bit suspcious that this wasn’t handed over right away like any regular and organised public official.
I was a little concerned about organised Labor in the US spending upwards of a trillion to back Obama. He has apparently promised some rewards to them for this… but I get very nervous when any organisation gives such a disproportionate amount to any PM/President.
October 15, 2008 at 9:52 am |
Clint, this birth certificate nonsense is in the same category as the chain e-mails that paint Obama as a secret Muslim, speculate that his full name includes Mohammed, say he is not an American citizen, took the oath of office on a Koran, refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance and so on.
So is the BS about organised labour spending upwards of a trillion dollars. They don’t have that much in readies. It was, if you think about it, a huge deal for the US Government to come up with less than that to save their whole financial system from collapse. And Obama’s policy proposal to replace the corrupted (by Reagan and the employers) 70-year old system of voting on union membership with something like the Canadian system (which I’d be happy to see adopted here) is quite clear and out in the open. Americans can decide if it’s a good thing and vote accordingly. That’s democracy.
October 15, 2008 at 9:53 am |
Clint Heine:
Go to my blog post about the October Surprise and watch the video. The Democrat himself explains his lawsuit against Barack Obama about the birth certificate and what is going on.
http://mariestacey.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/open-your-eyes-for-the-october-surprise/
October 15, 2008 at 10:01 am |
You think Reagan was corrupt, Jafapete??
No, Mariestacey, I said that the “70-year old system of voting on union membership” was corrupted by Reagan and the employers. Which is not the same thing.
By corrupted, I mean that the system no longer does what it was intended to do, as a result of actions by Reagan and many employers, such as stacking the National Labor Relations Board with anti-Labor zealots. Union-busting is now a major industry, and they even teach courses in it in places like Texas. You probably think that this is all good stuff. My point is that Obama is promising to fix the system so that workers get to decide for themselves whether they want to unionize, without being intimidated. We’ll see in a few weeks whether Americans think this is a good idea, although I note that Faux News and others are already laying the foundations to challenge the legitimacy of the election, so you’ll probably think otherwise.
October 15, 2008 at 10:29 am |
What about the Union workers that said they were threatened by members associated with Obama if they did not vote for him? Obama has to control the system to fix it, apparently.
Just an interesting article…
October 15, 2008 at 10:57 am |
You know, it is the de-coupling of language from reality and the debasement of meaning of the language that really scares me when I read the sincerely held but delusional writings of the likes of your most recent correspondent. I mean honestly, what sort of paranoia feed the imagination of someone who can seriously believe all the warped conspiracy theories about Obama? I suppose it is just the internet giving oxygen to people who previously wouldn’t have got past the editor of the letters page in their local rag, but still…
October 15, 2008 at 11:36 am |
I actual already published a book. But that was cute. Very thoughtful.
October 15, 2008 at 11:50 am |
‘Libertarian’ would explain why you consider Obama ‘Communist’ (has this word started to lose all meaning or what ? To me it seems like all libertarians consider…pretty much everyone communist) Off to nationalise the means of production is he?
Well, Stephen, Dubya will have nationalized the means of exchange by the time he takes over, so he’ll just have to make do with the means of production.
October 15, 2008 at 11:56 am |
No of course not, just buying up all the financial industries. No big deal, right?
I actually call him a Marxist, but Marxism leads to Communism so distort it how you like.
You do realize America is Capitalist and, as of right now, not in favor of socialism? Yes?
We call people who desire control over the government Communists. Tell me why that definition is skewed.
October 15, 2008 at 12:37 pm |
“I actual already published a book”
Proof read first, one would hope.
October 15, 2008 at 12:47 pm |
Admittedly I thought Marxism and Communism were essentially the same, with Marxism just being Marx’s version of Communism as opposed to Marxism-Leninism, Maoism and any others.
You do realize America is Capitalist and, as of right now, not in favor of socialism? Yes?
Yes it’s capitalist, but if the vast majority of its elected representatives are in favour of this type of socialism, doesn’t that effectively mean that America is in favour of socialism?
We call people who desire control over the government Communists. Tell me why that definition is skewed.
I think you meant ‘people who desire control over the people Communists’, as ‘control over government’ is what every party – including the Libertarians – wants. I don’t think Marx would have agreed that the democrats are communists, therefore they are not.
October 15, 2008 at 12:50 pm |
Guess so – maybe stripping the overlords of their ill-gotten gains if he’s feeling really bolshy.
October 15, 2008 at 1:07 pm |
Peter:
Your patience in indulging the willfully ignorant is admirable, but it also helps lower the tone of the conversation on your otherwise erudite blog. On the point of the posting, there is apparently a growing concern within the secret service and FBI that as the prospects of a McCain/Palin victory diminish, desperation on the part of racists and right-wing extremists will turn murderous. Visceral hatred against Obama is being stoked by the likes of Fox News nearly 24/7, and whereas you or I might see the Ayers/Wright/ACORN/birth certificate nonsense as the diversions they are intended to be, there are seemingly many ignorant dupes who truly believe that the end of the USA is nigh and that drastic measures must be taken to prevent a communist takeover (such as your correspondent above describes). Apparently even McCain himself has been alerted to this fact, although Palin–the tail that is wagging the campaign dog–appears to relish jacking the emotional tension up.
Bottom line: even though McCain is trying to temper the fear and hate amongst his supporters, the genie is already out of the bottle and he cannot control the darker impulses of people who see even in him an appeaser of pro-Muslim communists (recall the angry ranters at his rally in Wisconsin). Not to be alarmist, but things could get very ugly soon, either to prevent or reverse an Obama victory. One hopes that the appropriate precautions (such as they are) have been put in place to forestall that possibility.
At least in NZ (wherever that is) the hate-mongerers are all smoke and no fire.
October 15, 2008 at 1:40 pm |
You don’t think that Marx would label the Democratic Party Communists so they must not be? What a terrible argument. I’m serious. That is just terrible. Marx for some unconceivable reason to me is thought by the liberal progressives to hold some unknown truth. What truth is this? What did Karl Marx teach you? Did he inspire you in any way? And if not, then why the hell do you cite him as though you can speak for him and he’s some sort of moral authority to me.
I really dislike Karl Marx.
And secondly, NO just because our elected representatives support socialism does not necessarily mean that the American people do too. They represent US, and we are not socialist.
I’m going to go out on a limb and bring up the war. Let me just say now that I don’t want to hear the liberal talking points on the war, it wastes both of our time. My question is this: what are the troops fighting for? Why are they overseas fighting to free a nation when their own country cannot even shake off the stranglehold of Communism and socialism? WHAT are they fighting for? And what the hell are they coming home to?
Another question: Should we uphold the Constitution?
Toms: This is a blog. Get over yourself.
October 15, 2008 at 1:51 pm |
Yes, Paul, Obama’s security detail have very good cause to worry.
Having spent weeks spreading innuendo and smear about Obama’s putative terrorist associations and not “being like us” — while the wing-nut viral email campaigns that feed off this stuff continue unabated — McCain now tells his base, “The hour is late, the troubles are getting worse; we have to change direction now … we have to fight.”
We shouldn’t forget that the partial drawback from the vile smear campaign this week has come not because it is sowing the seeds of hate and division in the American body politic, but because it’s demonstrably hurting McCain rather than its intended target.
Yes, they’re already laying the foundations for an attempt to turn-back an Obama victory. I saw Greta on Faux News yesterday — who now has no claim whatsoever to any integrity (did you see her “interview” with Palin? Just a series of cues for Palin’s talking points) — ignoring the points that (a) there has been no voter fraud yet (b) ACCORN and everybody else are legally obliged to hand over any completed voter registration forms and (c) ACCORN alerted the quthorities to the bogus forms. She was clearly under strict instructions to plant the seeds amongst the most credulous part of the right-wing base (a.k.a. Fox News watchers) that there is massive voter fraud going on. If Obama wins, we will see them trying to reap the harvest in a month.
October 15, 2008 at 1:54 pm |
“You don’t think that Marx would label the Democratic Party Communists so they must not be?”
Who invented communism again?
October 15, 2008 at 1:55 pm |
“I really dislike Karl Marx”
Don’t be like that! I had a beer with him once. He’s a lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he’s pissed.
October 15, 2008 at 1:59 pm |
Perhaps the ancient Greeks. I can’t give you a definitive answer on who formed Communism, but I can tell you that it certainly was not Karl Marx. He didn’t have a revolutionary thought pattern — except for the overthrow of the middle class. His thought pattern leads to Communism, which of course during the formation of Marxism, was not an uncommon line of thought at all.
Marxism is a seven step process that transforms a Capitalist government into a Communist government. It has absolutely no part in the ‘creation’ of Communism.
Marx thought too much and did too little.
October 15, 2008 at 2:07 pm |
So much for the “Communist Manifesto” then.
October 15, 2008 at 2:13 pm |
Kind of a knock off from past governments, don’t you think?
October 20, 2008 at 2:41 am |
[…] Jafapete’s Weblog Time for a little reality check, Senator. After a week of desperate-looking mud slinging that made even your own people gag, your opponent is further ahead than at any point in the campaign. More reality… You’ve just been compelled to downplay your attempts to whip up hate and hysteria, either because they clearly aren’t working or because you are uncomfortable with the ugly stain on the body politic that will be your lasting legacy. Or both. […]
October 20, 2008 at 8:55 am |
Sandwiched between ‘DailyKos’ and ‘The Observer’…’Jafapete’s weblog’!
September 17, 2009 at 5:39 am |
[…] Palin’s accusations that the Democratic nominee has been “palling around with terrorists”.Jafapete summed it up earlier this week when he invited the embattled Republican nominee to take a reality […]