Posted on 08/23/2008 7:04:54 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
John McCain largely has avoided hot button social issues to the consternation of some in the conservative base. He has ignored the brewing controversy over Barack Obamas Born Alive Infants legislative voting record and he hasnt made much comment on the highly successful (for him) Rick Warren forum. That all seemed to end with Saturdays radio address.
First, he went straight at Obamas above my pay grade response to Warrens question about when life begins/babies get rights. He zeroed in on this particular answer, but he also broadened it to make a larger point about Obamas candor and character. McCain explained:
"Here was a candidate for the presidency of the United States, asked for his position on one of the central moral and legal questions of our time, and this was the best he could offer: Its above his pay grade. He went on to assure his interviewer that there is a, quote, moral and ethical element to this issue. Americans expect more of their leaders. There seems to be a pattern here in my opponents approach to many hard issues. Whether its the surge in Iraq that has brought us near to victory, or the issue of campaign reform, or the question of offshore drilling, Senator Obamas speeches can be impressive. But when its time for straight answers, clear conviction, and decisive action, suddenly all of these responsibilities are well, as he puts it, above my pay grade. As mottos of leadership go, it doesnt exactly have the ring of the buck stops here.
But McCain didnt stop there. He explained (to those who may have been deprived of any meaningful MSM coverage) the Born Alive Infants legislative history and then argued:
"At Saddleback, he assured a reporter that hed have voted yes on that bill if it had contained language similar to the federal version of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Even though the language of both the state and federal bills was identical, Senator Obama said people were, quote, lying about his record. When that record was later produced, he dropped the subject but didnt withdraw the slander. And now even Senator Obamas campaign has conceded that his claims and accusations were false."
Why has McCain decided to go after Obama on these points, and why now? Several reasons, I think. First, he is forcing the MSM to cover issues they dont want to and havent covered except in passing. The combination of Edwards-itis (the disinclination to cover bad stories about Democrats) and VP-mania has resulted in practically no public discussion and coverage outside the blogosphere and conservative media on the Born Alive Infants issue. McCain is upping the ante and putting a spotlight on it. Second, McCain has figured out that these are issues of moral character which go beyond pro-choice and pro-life divisons. How forthright is Obama when it comes to tough issues? How honest has he been about his past record? He thinks voters may conclude not very. Third, he believes that Obamas positions are so extreme that even generally pro-choice voters will recoil if presented with some basic facts about his opponent. (His extreme advocacy in favor of partial birth abortion and his refusal to provide medical care for babies surviving abortion should be of grave concern to reasonable people of goodwill on both sides of this issue.) And finally, the McCain camp has every intention of doing whatever they can to rain on the Democrats Convention. This is one of many salvos I expect to see this upcoming week. They dont intend to give Obama a free pass.
Will this work? Time will tell, but when the MSM is avoiding issues that shed doubt on the character, veracity and purported moderation of a Democrat, chances are that his Republican opponent would be wise to pursue them.
Great list of links! Thanks, Salvation!!
My only fear is that McCain himself is attacking on abortion because he is about to pick a pro-abort as VP.
My only fear is that McCain himself is attacking on abortion because he is about to pick a pro-abort as VP.
RNC: McCain Wont Choose Abortion-Supporting Running Mate
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2064442/posts
Harry S. Trunan (Democrat): "The buck stops here."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now try to convince America that BHO is Presidential material...
Truman...
I’m feeling good about McCain, as well, Tony. :)
Off to the Black Hills tomorrow...will try to keep up.
What those people heard was something equally disturbing: here was a guy running for, in political terms, the top "pay grade" office in the country and he didn't have an answer.
Americans want their president to "have all the answers." No, they really don't think anyone does, can, or will have all the answers, but they like to see someone with confidence that in a moment of crisis, he will have AN answer.
I think this one remark damaged Obama far, far more than just alienating a lot of social-issue people: it think it cost him badly with middle-of-the-road people who just want a competent leader.
Don't you mean Warren Buffett? Or are you conflating him with his junior acolyte, Baby-Killer Bill Gates, into one giant moral monster? (If so, that's clever!)
I'm afraid I'm not that clever. It was just a late-night mistake. ;-)
Remember when George W. Bush was denigrated by the press for choosing Dick Cheney as Veep, because they claimed he only did so to bring some gravitas to his campaign? Doesn't seem they think the same way about Biden and Obama, but it applies even MORE so for this duo, even though Biden is kinda puny in the gravitas department. ;o)
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