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Unclear, Indecisive, Careening Wildly from One Idea to the Opposite Idea

Obama, in must-win New Mexico today, dog-whistles the notion that McCain is a doddering old man—but hides it all in an economic attack:

On Monday, [McCain] said the economy was fundamentally sound, and he was fundamentally wrong.

On Tuesday, he said the government should stand by and allow one of the nation’s largest insurers to collapse, putting the well-being of millions of Americans at risk. But by Wednesday, he changed his mind.

He said he would take on the ol’ boy network, but he seemed to forget that he took seven of the biggest lobbyists in Washington from that network and put them in charge of your campaign.

John McCain can’t decide whether he’s Barry Goldwater or Dennis Kucinich. Well, I have a message for Senator McCain:

You can’t just run away from your long-held views or your life-long record. You can’t erase twenty-six years of support for the very policies and people who helped bring on this disaster with one week of rants.

What we need is honest talk and real solutions. Senator McCain’s first answer to this economic crisis was – get ready for it – a commission. That’s Washington-speak for “we’ll get back to you later.” Folks, we don’t need a commission to spend a few years and a lot of taxpayer money to tell us what’s going on in our economy. We don’t need a commission to tell us gas prices are high or that you can’t pay your bills. We don’t need a commission to tell us you’re losing your jobs. We don’t need a commission to study this crisis, we need a President who will solve it – and that’s the kind of President I intend to be.

Now that this disaster has hit, John McCain is calling for the firing of the Security and Exchange Commissioner. Well here’s what I say: In 47 days, you can fire the whole Trickle-Down, On-Your-Own, Look-the-Other-Way crowd in Washington who have led us down this disastrous path.

P.S. McCain couldn’t fire the Security and Exchange Commissioner even if he were, hypothetically, president.

P.P.S. Attention-grabbing response from Dennis Kucinich in 5, 4, 3, 2, …

Comments (18)

1

Ooh, fiery last sentence. I like it.

Posted by leek | September 18, 2008 1:40 PM
2

thanks for the reminder: only 47 unbearable tension-filled days left.

Posted by max solomon | September 18, 2008 1:43 PM
3

*MAN,* I love this guy. You can't read one of his speeches without hearing his voice in your head, and that's presidential.

Posted by Matt Fuckin' Hickey | September 18, 2008 1:47 PM
4

If there is nothing I detest more than ambiguity dear political satterist... it's the incorrigible nature of felony performance artists disguised as the
road raged santorial biker bickerers that ride down the bike trails of national adventurers hell bent on pursuasion of innocence.

God ... if I only had a 10 mega ton war fluff, I'd disperse flowers of peace all over the Burke Gilman Trail near Freemont where I swear to God I just saw the ghost of Truman Capote' singing the national anthem in remembrance to all things pointy headed and anti safety minded...

I know this is a right wing leftists agenda to do nothing more than saddle up the sea scouts and do it again for all of it's own personal glory... and for what??

To sell sell sell sell more young Black hung juries and old White rodeo drive finaciers????

Do you know what the sattelite cameras of this state are allowing to happen right out on your own very streets while indoors secretly conspired counsultants move in and out of the halls of power to prevent legitimate forms of complaint to reach the beauty finalist of governmental elitists????

Someone please supoena the state immediately and find out why that mad man just wrecked the political party of the century flying over the handlebars of social security!!!!

Posted by danielbennettkieneker | September 18, 2008 1:51 PM
5

Not being in a position to fire someone didn't stop Sarah Palin from trying her damndest. That's why McCain picked her.

Posted by S-Lo | September 18, 2008 1:53 PM
6

For the rabid poll followers, good news out of NM this morning... Per the poll sponsored by the local NBC affiliate, Obama's up 52-44 (link to results from my name). The other poll from this morning has Tom Udall (D) up big (15) on the republican challenger for the open (retiring-R) Senate seat in what hasn't been a close race thus far.

I've been canvassing for the three dems (Obama/Senate/US House--also an open, formerly R, seat) the past couple weekends in Albuquerque and I'm optimistic, particularly on the Presidental and Senate races (and I think the US House race will be buoyed by strong Dems on the top of the ticket; the candidate suffers from less name recognition but he's a strong candidate)

Posted by md | September 18, 2008 1:56 PM
7

Dude, short selling is neccesary to trading! It doesnt mean that the uptick rule should have been canned or that naked shorting should have been allowed, but you take away shorting and you create a market that doesnt't have the ability to cope with losses.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | September 18, 2008 2:03 PM
8

Not sure this resonates with the undecided voter. Such as #4.

Posted by banjoboy | September 18, 2008 2:05 PM
9

Umm... In political parlance, a "dog whistle" is a statement slanted in such a way that a particular group or demographic understands the message, while it passes by other groups or demographics, unnoticed. So, in this statement by Senator Obama, what qualifies as a dog whistle? Because I certainly didn't hear it...

Posted by dafydd | September 18, 2008 2:06 PM
10

So many of McCain's lies -- I'd fire the SEC guy, I ordered the FBI to vet Sarah Palin -- are scary not just because these are things the President can't do, but because they're things he assumes the President can, because he believes the President can do anything he wants.

That's the one and only reason any sane person needs to not vote for insane John McCain.

Posted by whatevernevermind | September 18, 2008 2:07 PM
11

@9

Agreed. I think calling this a dog whistle is a stretch. Unless Kucinich is code for doddering old man ... wait a minute.

Posted by sw | September 18, 2008 2:22 PM
12

1st commercial that needs to happen from this speech:

[text and date on screen] Monday
[spoken] John McCain said the economy was fundamentally sound
[text stamped onto screen] He was fundamentally wrong.

-cut-
[text and date on screen] Tuesday
[spoken] he said we should allow one of our largest insurers to collapse, putting millions of Americans at risk.
[text stamped onto screen] by Wednesday, he changed his mind.

-cut-
[showing photos of the lobbiests]
[spoken] He said he would take on the ol’ boy network, but he seemed to forget that he took seven of the biggest lobbyists in Washington from that network and put them in charge of his campaign.

-cut-
[screen shows news papers of Keting scandel and the current crisis]
[spoken] He can’t erase twenty-six years of support for the policies and people who brought on this disaster.

What we need is honest talk and real solutions.

I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message.

Posted by nos | September 18, 2008 2:25 PM
13

next commercial that needs to be done form this speech:


[Barack Obama speaking to the camera]
Senator McCain’s answer to this economic crisis a commission. Folks, we don’t need a commission to spend a few years and a lot of taxpayer money to tell us what’s going on in our economy. We don’t need a commission to tell us gas prices are high or that you can’t pay your bills. We don’t need a commission to tell us you’re losing your jobs.

We don’t need a commission to study this crisis, we need a President who will solve it – and that’s the kind of President I intend to be.

I'm Barack Obama and I approved this message.

Posted by nos | September 18, 2008 2:27 PM
14

Great speech. He needs to give the same one every day until it sinks in with the voters.

Posted by Angus | September 18, 2008 2:34 PM
15

I think Obama taking on a near FDR rhetoric about bottom up, not top down economics is about the smartest political move he could make. We need some side by side footage. The New New Deal, BHO style.

Posted by Joh | September 18, 2008 2:46 PM
16

@12: Brilliant!

Posted by banjoboy | September 18, 2008 3:16 PM
17

Hey Eli... Nice link to your year-old anti-Kucinich screed. Who's the attention-grabber?

Posted by DOUG. | September 18, 2008 3:34 PM
18

Damn. Just when I was starting to get scared, it seems like Obama is really hitting his stride. Every day now, he makes me think, "Oh no he didn't!" and best of all, everything he's pulling out, in speeches and ads, is substantive. Sure, there are maybe some innuendoes about age or whatever, but it's mostly right on about the issues.

Posted by bookworm | September 18, 2008 5:04 PM

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