McCain's Attacks Worrying Some In GOP

New York Times:

In recent days Senator John McCain has charged that Senator Barack Obama "would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign," tarred him as "Dr. No" on energy policy and run advertisements calling him responsible for high gas prices.

The old happy warrior side of Mr. McCain has been eclipsed a bit lately by a much more aggressive, and more negative, Mr. McCain who hammers Mr. Obama repeatedly on policy differences, experience and trustworthiness.

By doing so, Mr. McCain is clearly trying to sow doubts about his younger opponent, and bring him down a peg or two. But some Republicans worry that by going negative so early, and initiating so many of the attacks himself rather than leaving them to others, Mr. McCain risks coming across as angry or partisan in a way that could turn off some independents who have been attracted by his calls for respectful campaigning.

The drumbeat of attacks could also undermine his argument that he will champion a new brand of politics.

"The McCain campaign, I think, is being pulled in two directions," said Todd Harris, a Republican strategist who worked for Mr. McCain in 2000. "On the one hand, this race is largely a referendum on Obama, and whether or not he's going to pass the leadership threshold in the eyes of voters. So being aggressive against Obama on questions of leadership and trust and risk are important, but at the same time I think they need to be very careful because McCain is not at his best when he is being overly partisan and negative."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[okayigive]

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at moments of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I appreciate your article, but the damage is done. Unfortunately, MSM allows too many factless based articles to circulate, then once minds have been poisoned new information come to light that in essence has the same impact of retraction­s/correcti­ons placed on a back page in a little box. How many voters will see this and believe the truth, especially when the un-truth is still filling the air-waves and written press?

Mcc's lack of respect and dislike for Sen. Obama only fuel his virulent tongue with disregard for the truth. My question is who will answer the call in seeking the truth first?

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Martin Luther King, Jr.

[MaryanneAZ]

Well said and thoughtful post. Bravo. And, even more importantly, an accurate depiction of the current state of affairs between these two candidates and the cesspool that McCain seems to be intent on dragging them into. Civil campaign--NOT!

[houseofglass]

BRAVA! BRAVISIMO!!!

[moseyon]

Have a look at that video above this post. Called Commander in Chief
its really clever and funny

[Emmagoldmanbabe]

McCain continues to define himself by the ways that he is not like Obama. There is no defination of who he is. This leaves me to think that he is a petty, scared, boring, self absorbed ex-POW who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

[tlgeiger62]

I think that is EXACTLY who he is.

[oxford]

Always remember that the PNAC has taken over McC's campaign. Who would be surprised at the direction they are pushing him. "The Bush path must not be altered. We have plans". (Neocons)

[NYC07]

Why would this worry anyone in the GOP, hate , lying ads and negitivity are "Bread and Butter" to the GOP.

[jaschrod]

When a person has no way of elevating themselves, they try to tear everyone else down to their level.
He sounds, and acts like a small child who has been told he cannot have a toy. Oh yeah, that phony, goofy smile is another turn off.

[Grunty1]

"On the one hand, this race is largely a referendum on O'bama"

The GOP still doesn't get it. This race is a referendum on B'USH and Mc'Cain is running right at him.

[qdog112]

None of McCain's lies, gaffes or flip flop matter. That is simply Republican SOP along with the crass attack ads. They will continue and escalate - no surprise here.

McCain will defeat McCain while everyone is watching him implode on stage with Barack. He will not only lose the debates, there will be at least one definitive MELTDOWN that will seal the deal. (That way no spin from MSM or his campaign can save him.)

He will be fully exposed and damaged beyond recovery. Meanwhile, it's business as usual.

[oscartucker]

"The drumbeat of attacks could also undermine his argument that he will champion a new brand of politics." There is no "champion(ing) of a new brand of politics"; this is Karl Rove! McCain's campaign people are Karl Rove's people, and just because we don't have pictures of Rove going back and forth from Mc's headquarters doesn't mean that he's not in contact. It's the same ole stuff.

[Soulsurfer]

Why should they be worried? It's how the GOP wins elections (along with a little vote suppression in key districts). They don't talk about how they would change things, or get things done. Their record over the last 8 years is appalling, so they can't run on results. SO, just throw sh*t at the other guy and try to scare the blue hairs. Simple.

[k6007]

Their voter suppression, IMHO, is in real trouble this year. O is spending 20mil to organize the nation's latino vote. Hopefully measures like these will, more than make up for the purge that is taking place as we type.

Reminds me of Iowa, while the Cs were running negative ads O was organizing his ground game.

DONATE & GET OUT THE VOTE!

[MaryanneAZ]

Let's not overlook all of those people who were foreclosed out of their homes who will need to re-register in order to vote in November. Public Service Announcements anyone?

[MaryanneAZ]

Unfortunately for the Democrats, Republicans do win with this character assassination strategy. They also win because they understand that the most important element for any candidate is that every one of their spokesman, surrogates, pundits, campaigners, fellow republicans all stay on message and NEVER question or speak ill of the candidate. The republican candidate could literally murder his own mother in her bed, and the talking heads would still smile cheerfully into the camera, recite the talking points, bash the other candidate and completely ignore the murder (gaffe or blunder). That's how you win an election--total devotion to the candidate no matter what. If we Democrats could learn that lesson, then perhaps we'd win a few of these presidential elections. I cite all of the negative press and questioning, and bashing, from alleged "supporters" of Obama regarding FISA as a case in point. Supporters should contact campaign HQ or the senator's senate office with questions and demands instead of going public. I hope we learn. Obama '08

[k6007]

Lets see, they've insulted..­.blacks, hispanics, muslims, progressives, gais, the french, now the germans. And, it is only Aug.

[robodweeb]

Little girl: Will you raise our taxes?

McClone: No, I'll pass our debts on to YOUR children. Of course, I'll be long gone.

[qdog112]

How stupid was that?

When did 8 year olds start paying taxes? Maybe she should have asked if she and her one year brother would have to go fight in Iraq?

[NicholeWebb]

It was a perfect opportunity for him to answer "no" without being caught in a lie because 8 year olds do not pay taxes.

[Coinyer101]

THIS independent has had enough of this republican trash.i dont like it when dems do it ,either.th­is year the dems are campaigning better ,because of obama's lead.i'll be voting more democratic this time.enoug­h political trash!

[robodweeb]

Fla. Governor Crist: "I don't know" if O wants to lose the war.

Me: I don't know if Crist is sane.

[MsDoc]

When one has nothing proactive to offer, the airtime has to be filled with something. "I don't know" probably does as well as anything.

I wonder if the Repubs actually HAVE a plan for anything or if their platform is it just a bunch of blank pages stapled together with a pretty cover.

[Grunty1]

Their stated platform is always nothing more than a ruse to get people to vote for them.
Their ACTUAL platform is to steal everything they can for themselves.

[elbzee]

A bunch of pages all with the words "Pay to the Order of _(ME)___"

[k6007]

Where did his wife go on her honeymoon?

[Coinyer101]

to the carribean,­.....alone­......

[JackND]

They should be worried, but not just about independents.

[TNT2008]

Bingo! Well said!

[MsDoc]

Does Sen McC actually have a position on anything that is current and tangible?

He favors offshore drilling, but that wouldn't become a reality until he was well into his 80s...

He would be 112, according to his schedule, before we'd leave Iraq...

Beyond those two, does he really HAVE a position other than O'bama is a nasty little kid who is being really irksome.

All I have seen is an angry, confused, lying old man who thinks he deserves the WH and can't understand why he can't have it.

We have yet to hear anything about a "plan" for any of the issues facing our country and all we DO hear are either outright lies or befuddled reversals of things he has already said. This is truly scary, folks. If McC is just a puppet, then who's up there pulling the strings?

[trollsbwild]

JM can't run on his so called maverick record when you vote with GWB 95% of the time. We are now witnessing the unvarnished straight talk express.
After that, what does the man have left to base his campaign? NOTHING. Accordingly, go negative 24/7.

[elbzee]

I think building that missile defense system in Czechoslovakia will fix the economy perfectly. What a great idea!

[MsDoc]

Darn...why didn't I think of that. It would be so convenient in dealing with the Taliban hunkered down on the Iraq-Pakistan border.