Binside TV

JOHN MCCAIN CONCESSION SPEECH VIDEO

Barack Obama is the President-Elect of the United States of America. Democrat Barack Obama won with 349 electoral college votes compared to John McCain's 162.  Watch John McCain's concession speech. Click here to read the transcript.

The turn-out was record high. The voters: a rich palate of American diversity – women, blacks, Hispanics, whites – young people and old.

They made history – redrawing the nation’s electoral map, turning red states blue, and confounding the cynics as they elected the nation’s first African-American President.

An estimated 136 million Americans – as many as 66 percent, the most since 1908 – pulled a lever, touched a screen, or filled in ballot. They are part of a radical transformation of American politics – not just in terms of ideology and party identification. It goes much further than that.

President-elect Barack Obama, harnessing the lightening speed of digital technology, tapped a new generation of young people, inspiring them to work, knock on doors, make phone calls, convince their parents, friends, neighbors, and grandparents that there was something in America still worth fighting for. source

JOHN MCCAIN: "We have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly. "This campaign was and will remain the great honour of my life. My heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience, and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honour of leading us for the next four years." US PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH: "Mr President-elect, congratulations to you. What an awesome night for you, your family and your supporters. "I promise to make this a smooth transition. You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself." UK PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN: "This is a moment that will live in history as long as history books are written. "Barack Obama ran an inspirational campaign, energising politics with his progressive values and his vision for the future."

source

ASHLEY TODD HOAX JOHN MCCAIN VOLUNTEER LIES MAKES UP RACIST ATTACK STORY VIDEO

The twisted tale of John McCain volunteer Ashley Todd who claimed to be assaulted by a "big Black man" turns out to be a made up hoax which is not true.  The McCain campaign has now made attempts to distance themselves from the lying mentally unstable Ashley Todd.

Here is Jossip's take on the story.

So! Heard about this Ashley Todd, the young white Texas woman who says she was mugged, beaten and mutilated by an angry black criminal/Obama nut in Pittsburgh Wednesday night? Todd, a volunteer for the McCain campaign in Pennsylvania, says a six foot four, 200 pound black guy approached her at an ATM, put a knife to her throat and demanded $60. After giving the robber the money, Todd says he then became enraged over a pro-McCain bumper sticker on her car, prompting him to kick and punch her to the ground and carve a B (for black king Barack Obama) into her face.

Strangely, the wild assailant cut the B into Todd's cheek backwards, the same way she might have if she had cut it herself while looking in a mirror. And what a gentle knife mutilation! Not only does Todd not have to bandage the wound, she refused medical attention from police. source

Here is SFGATE comments on the Ashley Todd race baiting lie.

The tale of the McCain volunteer who made up an attack is sad -- both for what she personally is going through and for what it says about our culture and media.

First, to do what 20-year-old Ashley Todd allegedly did shows she is in a bleak, bleak place. Here's hoping she gets the help she needs and folks leave here alone so she can.

Second, what Todd, who is white, said --- and how it was played -- exposes the worst racial stereotypes that plague our culture. As the story goes, she approached an ATM in Pittsburgh, she was attacked by a 6-foot-4-inch African-American guy, who put a knife to her and promised to "teach her a lesson" for supporting McCain. He then scratched a backward letter "B" into her cheek. source

Todd was one of the members of a group called 50 College Republicans that has been publicizing its activities through a blog and Twitter feed on a website called Life in the Field. The volunteers' tweets carried the hashtag "#litf08."

On Friday, commenters started using the tag to broadcast their disgust, causing the sarcastic tweets to be automatically displayed on the Republican site.

"Anyone know which Rove protege is responsible for #litf08? Because they lack the execution skills of the man himself," tweeted Matt Browner-Hamlin, a former blogger for Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.'s presidential campaign.

"Hmm, it was an okay Obama frame-job, just a few inconsistencies snagged you," wrote another tweeter.  "Overall I'd give you a 'B'. source

McCain's camp insists that Ashley was a volunteer and not a paid member of the staff. The Talking Points Memo notes that John McCain's Pennsylvania communications director fed an incendiary version of the racial attack story to reporters before all the details were reported. Is it possible John McCain was trying to put a Willie Horton type of spin on the Ashley Todd story?  John McCain is trailing Barack Obama in the polls .

John McCain's campaign already suffered a setback in credibility and integrity when the true identity of "Joe The Plumber" was revealed.  Samuel "Joe" Wurzelbacher who was conveniently renamed "Joe the Plumber" during the presidential debate is connected to the Keating 5 scandal that Senator John McCain wished to go unmentioned during this presidential campaign. It must be noted that John McCain raised the issue of guilt by association during the debate when he mentioned Barack Obama's connection with William Ayers. source

Read the criminal's description and blog comments about the Ashley Todd attack.

The robber is described as a dark-skinned black man, 6 feet 4 inches tall, 200 pounds with a medium build, short black hair and brown eyes. The man was wearing dark colored jeans, a black undershirt and black shoes.

1. Right Field on 23 Oct 2008 at 4:43 pm #

   Real classy, Left. Your supporters shot up some Republican’s house, assaulted
   and mutilated a young woman…dare I ask what’s next? Good thing police will be
   on standby on election night preparing for riots by Obama voters…

Del on 24 Oct 2008 at 6:28 am
This is a disturbing, incendiary incident in a key state less than two weeks before a heated election with racial overtones. Many of us on both sides have partisan bias that will interfere with objectivity. According to the AP article a spokeswoman for Pittsburgh police said “We’re looking at all angles at this point.” If the police who were on the scene still have questions there is no way any of us can know for sure yet what happened.

The John McCain volunteer's story originated on the Drudge report. The mainstream media reported the story before it was revealed to be a lie. The Huffington Post commented on the tactics used to report the story on the Drudge website for the assault to appear politically motivated.

The problem with this crime, however, is not just that it happened, but the way that Matt Drudge has obviously tried to spin it into a political watershed for the 2008 Presidential campaign by rewriting the headline and carefully omitting several crucial elements.  The end result is that a mugging punctuated by an odd act of violence has been transformed at the hands of a right-wing media figure to appear like a targeted act of violence against the McCain campaign.

Not long after the original WTAE story, Drudge added the following incendiary headline on The Drudge Report:

SHOCK: MCCAIN VOLUNTEER ATTACKED AND MUTILATED IN PITTSBURGH...

'B' CARVED INTO 20-YEAR OLD WOMAN'S FACE... DEVELOPING...

Note two things that Drudge has strategically left out of this headline: (1) the actual details of the crime (e.g., an ATM robbery, followed by an assault) and (2) the fact that the robber brutalized the young woman after the initial crime had been completed, when the criminal noticed the bumber sticker on her car. The omissions are crucia because they repackage a story of theft and assault into a story of political violence. 

What Drudge has done, in other words, is reframe a report about a mugging to make it seem like the beginning of targeted political violence against the McCain campaign.  Hence, it seems from his headline that there are criminals in the U.S. currently out looking for McCain volunteers with the goal of brutally assaulting them--that someone was looking for McCain volunteers to attack, found one, and beat her.

Now, Matt Drudge's blog is one of the most visited websites on the internet and is well-known for its Republican Party leanings, it's deep connection to right-wing media outlets, and the phenomenal speed with which it can disseminate a story--whether that story is true or false.  It is important, therefore, to consider the grave danger carried Drudge's spinning of this story.

Given Drudge's choice of words, one could imagine the Drudge headline as the basis for right-wing media and the Republican base to conclude that political violence has begun against the McCain campaign--despite this being a false and misleading representation of the events. source

 

John McCain's Pennsylvania communications director told reporters in the state an incendiary version of the hoax story about the attack on a McCain volunteer well before the facts of the case were known or established -- and even told reporters outright that the "B" carved into the victim's cheek stood for "Barack," according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.

John Verrilli, the news director for KDKA in Pittsburgh, told TPM Election Central that McCain's Pennsylvania campaign communications director gave one of his reporters a detailed version of the attack that included a claim that the alleged attacker said, "You're with the McCain campaign? I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Verrilli also told TPM that the McCain spokesperson had claimed that the "B" stood for Barack. According to Verrilli, the spokesperson also told KDKA that Sarah Palin had called the victim of the alleged attack, who has since admitted the story was a hoax.

The KDKA reporter had called McCain's campaign office for details after seeing the story -- sans details -- teased on Drudge.

The McCain spokesperson's claims -- which came in the midst of extraordinary and heated conversations late yesterday between the McCain campaign, local TV stations, and the Obama camp, as the early version of the story rocketed around the political world -- is significant because it reveals a McCain official pushing a version of the story that was far more explosive than the available or confirmed facts permitted at the time. source

  A campaign worker who claimed she was the victim of a politically-motivated attack in which she was beaten, kicked and cut, now admits that she made the whole story up.

According to Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard, Ashley Todd, 20, told investigators today that she "was not robbed and there was no 6'4" black male attacker."

Todd initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield Wednesday night and that the suspect began beating her after seeing a John McCain bumper sticker on her car.

Todd claimed that the mugger even cut a backwards letter "B" in her cheek.

But today investigators say Todd confessed that the attack never happened.

At a news conference this afternoon, officials said they believe that Todd's injuries were self-inflicted.

Police investigating the report said Todd's story began to unravel early on and they administered a polygraph test.

Investigators asked Todd to return to the police station today for more questioning and to help them release a composite sketch of the suspect.

When she did, police say she admitted that she made the whole thing up and that it snowballed out of control.

Todd told investigators today that she "just wanted to tell the truth" – adding that she was neither robbed, nor attacked.

"She indicated that she has prior mental problems and that she does not remember how the backward letter B got on her face," Richard told reporters today.

Todd told police that while she did not remember how the backward "B" got on her face, she may have done it herself since she was the only one in the car. source

source

Related articles by Zemanta

• Big Black Man Attacks McCain Supporter!
• Ashley Todd For John McCain-I'm Not Sure Which is Worse Hollywood or Politics

John McCain's campaign already suffered a setback in credibility and integrity when the true identity of "Joe The Plumber" was revealed.  Samuel "Joe" Wurzelbacher who was conveniently renamed "Joe the Plumber" during the presidential debate is connected to the Keating 5 scandal that Senator John McCain wished to go unmentioned during this presidential campaign. It must be noted that John McCain raised the issue of guilt by association during the debate when he mentioned Barack Obama's connection with William Ayers. source

JOHN MCCAIN ON LETTERMAN " I SCREWED UP" MCCAIN PLAYS DUMB ABOUT TERROR PAL G.GORDON LIDDY TIES TO WATERGATE

David Letterman Reacts to John McCain Suspending Campaign

Late Show w/David Letterman - Sen John McCain

John McCain kept his promise to stop by for his interview with David Letterman. The Republican presidential candidate lied last month to the Late Show host and canceled his appearance on the show to do an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric. David Letterman has been bashing McCain on his program ever since the diss and even talked about his absent guest with MSNBC's  Keith Olbermann.  During Letterman's interview with John McCain he asked him why he lied about his reasons for canceling his interview last month.  David Letterman also grilled McCain about his decision to choose hockey mom  Sarah Palin for his running mate and his relationship with G. Gordon Liddy. McCain tried to play dumb and pretend he didn't know anything about Liddy or who he was. John McCain later admitted that G. Gordon Liddy was an "old friend" that he wasn't ashamed of who has donated to his campaign and served his time in jail. Read David Letterman's Top 10 List. Top 10 Messages Left On Joe The Plumber's Answering Machine

JOHN McCAIN, G. GORDON LIDDY & WATERGATE - video powered by Metacafe

Dave: Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy? McCain: Uh, I met him. I -- Dave: Did you attend a fundraiser at his house? McCain: Gordon Liddy's? Paul: I object, your honor. Dave: We will be right back here... (laughter)

G. Gordon Liddy was a former FBI agent who was a mastermind of the Watergate burglary.  President Nixon resigned from the presidency after the Watergate scandal while G. Gordon Liddy served 4 years in jail.

G. Gordon Liddy could also be described by many as a terrorist who plotted the firebombing of the Brookings Institute, planned the murder of journalist Jack Anderson, believed Adolf Hitler was a political hero and advocated  shooting federal agents in the head. John McCain has made the argument of guilt by association in his attempts to connect Barack Obama with the activites of William Ayers.

After weeks of hammering Barack Obama for having an association with a former Weather Undergound member, John McCain was asked Thursday afternoon about his own connections to a past felon: G. Gordon Liddy.

The question came, of all places, from late night comedian David Letterman, who pressed the Senator to explain why he was friendly with the man who was convicted in the Watergate scandal of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping. McCain - according to an advanced report of the show - initially said that he "met" Liddy before adding, "He paid his debt, he went to prison, he paid his debt." source

Here are examples of some of G. Gordon Liddy's beliefs and inflammatory statements.

Hitler as an early political hero

The Fuhrer was G Gordon Liddy's first political hero.

When he listened to Hitler on the radio, it "made me feel a strength inside I had never known before," he explains. "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced me]. He sent an electric current through my body."

G. Gordon Liddy admits at assemblies where the national anthem is played, I must suppress the urge to snap out my right arm." His beloved German nanny taught him that Hitler had -- through sheer will-power -- "dragged Germany from weakness to strength."

When he listened to Hitler on the radio, it "made me feel a strength inside I had never known before," he explains. "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced me]. He sent an electric current through my body." source

On September 15, 1994, for example, Liddy told his listeners: "If the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms insists upon a firefight, give them a firefight. Just remember, they're wearing flak jackets and you're better off shooting for the head." The theme was repeated so often that Liddy's callers began to exclaim "head shots!" to express their agreement with the host, the way Rush Limbaugh's callers say "megadittos."

After Liddy's talk of shooting federal agents received media attention, in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing (London Independent, 4/24/95), some stations dropped Liddy's program. In a press conference responding to the controversy (Associated Press, 4/25/95), Liddy clarified his advice by noting that shooting a federal agent in the head might not be the ideal plan: "So you shoot twice to the body, center of mass, and if that does not work, then shoot to the groin area." source

John McCain told David Letterman that "I screwed up" by canceling a "Late Show" appearance three weeks ago, then faced a sharp round of questioning about Sarah Palin and his campaign tactics.

Not willing to risk the wrath of Letterman again, the Republican presidential candidate rented a helicopter to fly to New York after a weather delay grounded his campaign airplane in Philadelphia. He had canceled a Sept. 24 appearance during the brief suspension of his campaign because of the economic crisis, and Letterman has been hammering him ever since.

The band played the Who's "I Can't Explain" as McCain walked onstage at the Ed Sullivan Theater. After he sat down, Letterman asked, "Can you stay?"

"Depends on how bad it gets," McCain answered.

Letterman had replaced McCain with the GOP hopeful's persistent critic, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, on Sept. 24. Olbermann was waiting in the wings Thursday — and McCain had a pained expression when he noticed that.

Although Letterman said he was "willing to put this behind us," he came after McCain hard with questions. He asked whether Palin was his first choice as vice president.

"Absolutely," McCain answered.

He said he didn't know her well before choosing her, but that he was impressed by her reputation as a reformer.

Letterman repeatedly pressed McCain on her qualifications, asking if he was confident she could lead the country in a time of crisis.

"In all due respect, one of the people I admired most was an obscure governor of a southern state called Arkansas and he turned out to be a fairly successful president," McCain said, complimenting Bill Clinton. "Ronald Reagan was a cowboy, no experience in international affairs. I think she has shown leadership."

As Letterman pressed on, McCain asked, "Have we pretty well exhausted this?"

"No, no," Letterman said. "I'm just getting started."

Letterman questioned him about Palin's claim that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "palled around with terrorists," and McCain backed her up, saying his opponent need to better explain his relationship with former Weather Underground activist William Ayers.

"Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?" Letterman asked about Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy.

McCain said he knew him. Then, after a commercial break, McCain said, "I know Gordon Liddy. He paid his debt, he went to prison ... I'm not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy."

"You understand the same case could be made of your relationship with him as is being made with William Ayers?" Letterman said.

McCain said he has been completely open about his relationship with Liddy.

Letterman appeared to ridicule McCain about the implication that Obama and Ayers had a relationship.

"Are they double-dating, are they going to dinner, what are they doing?" Letterman asked. "Are they driving across country?" source

Related articles by Zemanta

• Letterman Nails McCain On Terror Pal [Feuds]

JOE "THE PLUMBER" WURZELBACHER RELATED TO CHARLES KEATING FIVE SCANDAL CROOK

photo source

Joe the Plumber emerged from the final presidential debate as an undecided voter who became an overnight celebrity. It seems appropriate at this time to borrow an expression from Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Say it isn't so Joe... The true identity of John McCain's average "Joe" has been revealed and he is not your run of the mill "Joe Six Pack".  In fact Joe Wurzelbacher who was conveniently renamed "Joe the Plumber" during the presidential debate is connected to the Keating 5 scandal that Senator John McCain wished to go unmentioned during this presidential campaign. It must be noted that John McCain raised the issue of guilt by association during the debate when he mentioned Barack Obama's connection with William Ayers.

UPDATE: MSNBC confirms Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher doesn't have a plumbing license. Joe the Plumber has already made his debut in an online ad for the John McCain campaign. Questions have been raised about whether Joe was planted to put a partisan spin on the issues.  For instance, how was it that a newspaper was present when Joe was watching the debates (they took the picture above) if Joe didn't know his name would be mentioned? source

KEATING ECONOMICS: John McCain & The Making of a Financial Crisis

Joe the Plumber from Ohio made the rounds during the morning talk shows bashing Barack Obama. He just forgot to mention that he is related to Charles Keating who was the crook involved in the Keating Five scandal. Watch Joe call Barack Obama a Socialist who  wants to " spread the wealth". Joe Wurzelbacher made a comment on Fox about Obama having a  "Sammy Davis" tap dancing routine while conducting interviews including one with Katie Couric.

Joe the Plumber Calls Obama a Socialist for his "Spread the Wealth" Comment on Fox News

John McCain did great tonight in the debate. But every time John mentioned “Joe the Plumber,” some of us in the campaign banged our heads against the wall. If Steve Schmidt had any hair left, I hear he would have been pulling it out tonight. He reportedly screamed at John’s debate prep team tonight (out of earshot of reporters, of course). “You idiots - he’s related to Charles Keating… of the Keating Five scandal!” They thought they had a real live Joe Six-Pack who’s spurned Barack Obama’s tax plan. But what they forgot to do was check on Joe Wurzelbacher’s background.

Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.

Does any of this make Joe the Plumber a bad guy? Of course not. In fact, after that ill-fated night at the Watergate, he may finally be giving plumbers a good name. But at a debate where John goes full bore on Obama for guilt-by-association with William Ayers (and dodges a bullet by Obama not mentioning Keating Five), the press is going to bring it back front and center by midday tomorrow once they delve deeper into the most popular plumber in America. source

Obama Explains His Tax Cut Plans To Plumbing Business Owner

Just when you didn't think things could get worse for John McCain -- they go in the toilet.

Literally.

So, you remember Joe the Plumber, who John McCain kept relentlessly bringing up. And up. The apparently undecided plumber who had complained to Barack Obama that he couldn't buy his own plumbing company because he'd have to pay 3% more in taxes. The plumber who John McCain lauded as an Everyman while oddly proclaiming "Congratulations! You're rich!" in the midst of a disastrous recession. The fellow who said that Barack Obama "tap dances better than Sammy Davis Jr."

That guy.

Well, it turns out he's the one gliding around the dance floor so much, you should expect to see him soon on "Dancing with the Stars."

You see, Joe Wurzelbacher is apparently related to Robert Wurzelbacher. Who is the son-in-law of (are you ready...?) Charles Keating!

Yes, that Charles Keating. The Charles Keating of the Keating 5 Scandal. For which John McCain was reprimanded by the United States Senate, for his involvement in attempting to illegally influence government regulators. The Charles Keating who John McCain has been trying to avoid have mentioned. So, he basically mentioned it 24 times.

(By the way, lost in all the attention paid to John McCain not getting the same career-ending censure by the Senate, as did the other four defendants - the reason for that is because he'd been in the House of Representatives at the time of his transgression. The Senate decided that they didn't have jurisdiction over him to give the same penalty. So, his career was saved.)

Anyway, back to Robert Wurzelbacher, Joe the Plumber's father. You see, Robert Wurzelbacher was an executive of American Continental Corporation, the parent company of Charles Keating's Lincoln Savings. That's the bank which caused citizens to lose their life savings and cost U.S. taxpayers $3.4 billion. As part of that scandal, Robert Wurzelbacher pleaded guilty to three counts of misapplying $14 million and served 40 months in prison.

And now, Lincoln Savings, Robert Wurzelbacher and Joe the Plumber are back with John McCain.

"Congratulations!  You're rich!," indeed.

Never mind that Joe the Plumber has state tax liens files against him. As the court representative says, Joe the Plumber might not even be aware of the lien.

Never mind that Joe the Plumber says he wasn't convinced by Sen. Obama's argument.  Given his background, why should he be?

Never mind that Joe the Plumber is concerned about a tax increase if his business makes over $250,000. After all, since any business has an estimated value of five times its annual profit - that means Joe's hoped-for business is valued at $1.25 million. So, either he has that in the bank or can get a loan for its value. (Assuming he can get a loan today, of course...). Though, now you see why John McCain gave Joe the Plumber a shout out, "Congratulations! You're rich!"

But then, maybe John McCain gave Joe the Plumber a shout-out because he wanted to give a boost to a friend's relative. Nice touch.

So, apparently these are the people who John McCain seems to keep palling around with. 

Mind you, I thought it odd when John McCain first brought up Joe Wurzelbacher's but then never referred to his last name again. I thought perhaps he'd forgotten it. Or it was too hard to pronounce. Apparently though there was a better reason for him to quit saying the name "Wurzelbacher" 24 times. If only Sen. McCain (R-AZ) had remembered the pesky Tivo, where you can rewind. source

HAYDEN PANETTIERE PSA: VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN HE'S LIKE GEORGE W. BUSH

See more Hayden Panettiere videos at Funny or Die

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere stars in a parody PSA for Funny or Die.

Hayden Panettiere PSA: Vote for McCain He's just like George Bush, except older and with a worse temper.

JOHN MCCAIN VOWS TO WHIP BARACK OBAMA'S "YOU KNOW WHAT" AT DEBATE REPUBLICAN STRATEGISTS CALL MCCAIN CAMPAIGN "PATHETIC"

John McCain made a negative comment that he was going to "whip Barack Obama's you-know-what" in the debate on Wednesday. The Republican candidate is trailing Barack Obama by double digits in the polls. Barack Obama's lead has increased because people are not in favor of McCain's negative campaign attempt to call Barack Obama a terrorist associated with William Ayers.

Conservative pundits are now openly critcizing John McCain's negative unstructured campaign tactics and calling them "pathetic". Fox News Contributor  Bill Kristol  stated. "There is no strategy they're flailing around.They do things that don't work and keep on doing them. It's a stupid campaign. It's a pathetic campaign."

Fox News Correspondents Laugh at John McCain Saying He's Going to Whip Obama At Debate

Conservatives Blame McCain As Obama Landslide Approaches

After several weeks in which the McCain campaign unleashed a series of harsh political attacks on Mr. Obama, trying to tie him to a former 1960s radical, among other things, the poll found that voters see Mr. McCain as waging a more negative campaign than Mr. Obama. Six in 10 of those surveyed said that Mr. McCain had spent more time attacking Mr. Obama than explaining what he would do as president; by the same margin voters said Mr. Obama was spending more of his time explaining than attacking. source

Republican John McCain vowed Sunday to "whip" Democratic rival Barack Obama's "you-know-what" when the two presidential candidates meet Wednesday in their final televised debate.

McCain made that pledge as top advisers said he is weighing new economic proposals to help the nation weather the financial crisis. The Arizona senator refused to answer a reporter's question Sunday about what plans he might be considering.

Addressing several dozen volunteers at his campaign headquarters outside Washington, McCain promised some of his signature "straight talk" about the state of the race. National and many battleground state polls have shown him trailing Obama amid the deepening market crisis.

"We're a couple points down, OK, nationally, but we're right in this game," McCain said to cheers. "The economy has hurt us a little bit in the last week or two, but in the last few days we've seen it come back up because they want experience, they want knowledge and they want vision. We'll give that to America."

McCain said he and running mate Sarah Palin would continue campaigning hard in the three weeks left before Election Day, in places like Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado. The two planned a joint appearance Monday in Virginia, a Republican stronghold turned battleground this time.

"We're going to spend a lot of time and after I whip his you-know-what in this debate, we're going to be going out 24/7," McCain said.

The two men will debate Wednesday at Hofstra University on Long Island, N.Y. CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer will moderate the 90-minute forum.

Still, McCain promised to run a "respectful" campaign in the weeks to come.

"I respect Senator Obama, we will conduct a respectful race and be sure everyone else does too. But there are stark difference between us," McCain said. source

JOHN MCCAIN GOES AFTER MICHELLE OBAMA DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART WILLIAM AYERS INTERVIEW VIDEOS

October 8, 2008: Michelle Obama Pt. 1

October 8, 2008: Michelle Obama Pt. 2

Michelle Obama discusses the McCain-Palin Obama smears campaign and William Ayers on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. John McCain's latest attack is an attempt to label Michelle Obama a "terrorist". Roseanne Barr has called John McCain a "terrorist" in her latest website blog entry. Roseanne was a former Hillary Clinton supporter who now  is a fan of Barack Obama. Watch Roseanne talk about Sarah Palin and John McCain on Bill Maher's talk show.

The McCain campaign is now broadening their attack on Obama's past association with William Ayers to include Michelle Obama -- even though McCain has repeatedly said spouses should be off limits during the campaign.

The attack? Bernardine Dohrn, Ayers' wife and fellow former Weatherman, went to work in 1984 for the major Chicago-based national law firm of Sidley & Austin, and three years later, Michelle joined the mega-firm as well.

That's the entire attack. We wish we were joking. But we aren't.

In launching this latest, McCain is ditching yet another formerly-claimed principle as he faces the growing likelihood of defeat. In a statement back in June, the McCain campaign said: "Senator McCain agrees with Senator Obama that spouses should not be an issue in this campaign, and he has stated that position frequently."

The attack on Michelle came on a McCain conference call with reporters this afternoon featuring John Murtagh, who has been hitting Obama over the Weather Underground's attack on his family's home back in 1970. Murtagh noted that Dohrn and Michelle Obama had both worked at the firm starting in the late 1980s.

The firm's Chicago office currently employs more than 500 lawyers.

source

JOHN MCCAIN TRAILS IN POLLS WANTS TO DELAY BARACK OBAMA DEBATE TO WORK ON WALL STREET BAIL OUT PLAN

John McCain has called for a delay on his scheduled debate with Democratic opponent Barack Obama. McCain was scheduled to debate with Obama on Friday and now claims he wishes to suspend his campaign to work on the economy.  Does this have anything to do with the fact that the Barack Obama campaign has a lead in the polls? According to a Times poll Barack Obama holds a 49% -45% lead over John McCain.

John Mccain wimps out on Barack Obama's debate challenge

Amid turmoil in the nation's financial sector that threatens to harm the broader economy, more voters say they believe Obama is best equipped to handle domestic issues, such as the economy and healthcare, than his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain. source

Barack Obama has rejected McCain's call to delay the debate. Barack Obama has previously challenged his rival to debates. John McCain has been hailed as a war hero who is well known for having his battles with the teleprompter.  John McCain had requested to have town hall meetings instead of a formal structured  debate.

Republican John McCain said Wednesday that he wants to postpone Friday's debate to deal with the nation's financial problems, but Democrat Barack Obama said "it's more important than ever" that the country hear from its next president.

The White House rivals maneuvered to claim the leadership role on the financial crisis that has overshadowed their campaign, leaving the question of whether they will hold their first debate Friday in doubt. Obama said he would go ahead with his debate preparations, while McCain said he would stop all advertising, fundraising and other campaign events to return to Washington and work for a bipartisan solution.

"It's my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who in approximately 40 days will be responsible for dealing with this mess," Obama said in a news conference in Clearwater, Fla. "It's going to be part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once." source

JOHN MCCAIN ATTACK AD MAD ABOUT FAVORABLE COVERAGE CLAIMS MEDIA LOVE AFFAIR WITH BARACK OBAMA BLAMES OBAMA FOR HIGH GAS PRICES VIDEO

Republican presidential candidate John McCain seems to making campaign decisions based on the Hillary Clinton campaign handbook. McCain released new attack ads blaming the media for being "in love" with Barack Obama. John McCain was angry that major media outlets focused their coverage on Barack Obama's visit to the Middle East. John McCain's aide Tucker Bounds attacked Obama over his statement on genocide after his recent visit to the Holocaust Museum.

¨Pump¨ TV Ad

Republican presidential nominee John McCain launched a new television ad Monday throwing blame on Democratic rival Barack Obama for high gasoline prices.

The McCain ad points to Obama's opposition to domestic offshore drilling.

The Arizona Republican wants to make it easier for companies to drill offshore in the face of gasoline prices above the $4 per gallon mark.

Obama has voted against the lifting of offshore restrictions and wants to impose new taxes on oil company profits. That revenue would be given to consumers to help deal with the high prices.

Neither candidate favors drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The Sierra Club faulted McCain's energy stance Monday and his call for a 10 percent cut to the 35 percent federal corporate income tax rate. The environmental group, which backs Obama, said the cut will aid Big Oil companies.

McCain said the tax cut is needed to keep the U.S. competitive with other countries. source

JOHN MCCAIN BOOED AT MLK ASSASSINATION ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY VOTED AGAINST MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain were in Memphis to campaign for the African-American vote and attend ceremonies marking the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr by James Earl Ray. Republican candidate John McCain was booed when he admitted voting against the Martin Luther King holiday. The image of the black man holding the umbrella over John McCain's head doesn't help him deliver his message. A chant can be heard from the crowd. "We all make mistakes...we all make mistakes."  Watch Representative John Conyers explain how John McCain voted against the King Holiday Bill and his apology was more than 20 years too late.

Mr. McCain, the presumed Republican nominee, laid a wreath at the Lorraine Motel, the site of King's death on April 4, 1968, and now home to the National Civil Rights Museum.

"Martin Luther King today is honoured by the world, in such a way that it is easy to forget he once knew the scorn of the world," said Mr. McCain, who was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam when the civil rights leader was killed.

Mr. McCain earned the disdain of many African-American voters 25 years ago when, as a freshman member of Congress, he voted against making King's birthday a national holiday.

Addressing a crowd gathered outside the Lorraine Motel, Mr. McCain admitted his decision was a slight against King's memory and admitted he did not know enough about the civil rights leader's life and legacy.

"We can be slow to give greatness its due, a mistake I made myself, long ago," said Mr. McCain, whose remarks were met with boos and jeers from the crowd.

"I was wrong and eventually realized that . . . We can all be a little late sometimes in doing the right thing."

His remarks came as thousands huddled under umbrellas in heavy rain for daylong ceremonies honouring King, who led efforts by African-Americans to end racial segregation in the 1960s, and championed peaceful protest. source

Click here to watch presidential candidate John McCain's explanation for his vote against the Martin Luther King holiday.

Memphis, TN — Sen. John McCain may face questions about his civil rights record as he visits Memphis Friday to participate in a number of events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination.

Scheduled to address the Southern Christian Leadership Conference–which King headed up for more than a decade–as well as lay a wreath at the National Civil Rights Museum, McCain’s initial opposition to a holiday commemorating the slain civil rights leader could be among the issues that come up during his trip.

In his first year in the U.S. House, McCain voted with the minority and opposed the 1983 law creating the national holiday to honor King, but reversed his decision around 1990 after he says he “learned” more about King’s achievements. As he fought for an Arizona state ballot measure to recognize MLK Day in 1990, McCain successfully pushed former President Reagan to endorse the referendum.

McCain has said on a number of occasions that he regrets his original 1983 vote and told reporters this week that he is “very proud” of his record of support for King.

“I voted in my…first year in Congress against it and then I began to learn and I studied and people talked to me. And I not only supported it but I fought very hard in my home state of Arizona for recognition against a governor who was of my own party,” McCain said during a media availability aboard his plane Monday (video above). “I had not been involved in the issue. I had come from being in the military to running for Congress in a state that did not have a very large African American population and it had not been in issue. It just simply had not been.” source

Senator Clinton has also been criticized for comments she made about Martin Luther King's dream. Hillary Clinton's remarks are believed to have influenced her loss of the African-American vote in South Carolina.

Mrs Clinton, trying to make a point about presidential leadership and Mr Obama’s constant references to Dr King, the civil rights icon, said: “Dr King’s dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It took a president to get it done.”

Mrs Clinton has since tried to clarify the comment, but the damage was done. Mr Clyburn, who had previously said that he would stay neutral, told The New York Times that he had been “bothered a great deal” by the remarks and was rethinking his position. source