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

[cjk002]

Wasn't this called the "kitchen sink strategy" when Hillary tried it?

And we all know how well that turned out.....

[Kalima]

If I were the GOP, I would invest in sturdy raincoats and thigh ,high rubber boots. The s@it
is about to hit the fan as they realize the redundancy of their two, three or more faced
candidate. Let the debates begin.

[Erdgeist]

McCain's hate-mongering is divisive and in times such as these uncalled for.

[harriscrl3]

The election is a referendum on Obama. Here I was thinking it was about coming up with the best policies that can get the country out of this economic mess. Silly Me.

Carry on Senator McCain. Of curse that explains why he has no fresh ideas he just needs to attack Obama to win. Now who is acting arrogant and overconfident.

Carol

[robodweeb]

Every time McClone tells another lie he gets another "mole" on his face.

Picture of Dorian McClone?

[elbzee]

So it's a Pinnocchio mole?

[trollsbwild]

Nah, just another garage door opener for one of his homes.

[holyhandgrenaid]

If there is a painting out there doing the aging for him, I'd really hate to see the thing, probably as much as McPTSD would

[robodweeb]

It seems that the painting stays young and McClone gets corrupted.

[CheneysACoward]

McCain still thinks he can run, and win on the fact he is a veteran, and he and only he holds all the answers. He can't and he has no answers. His respect from fellow veterans is far from what it was years ago. We know him to be a "no show" for veterans issues. A man who has backed down from bush, on issues, torture being one and the one he had knowledge of more than anyone in Congress.
Speaches filled with the thought of or working on ,fear. Pretty much ala bush.
McCain has nothing to offer...nothing!

[kay]

Washington Post has a good article today.

Shows The Maverick to be a liar.

[VOTER]

Which article?

It can't be the one written by HUBRIS DANA.

[ThunderclapNewman]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/29/AR2008072902286.html?hpid=topnews

[ThunderclapNewman]

Finally the major media is beginning to see the real McMaverick.

It sure took long enough.

[elbzee]

Say it aint so!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

[likeicare]

Keep fighting the last war, Rethuglicans. Keep underestimating Obama, just like the Clintons did.

Keep throwing away your money on crappy tv ads like the ones you've been running.

Don't change a thing! Please.

Obama Tsunami in November!

[gorgol]

test

[LanosIceland]

This was the statement through a McCain spokesperson:

"You know, it really speaks to the experience that Barack Obama lacks," Bounds told Fox News."He prioritizes throngs of fawning Germans over meeting with wounded combat troops in Germany," Bounds said.

To signal how deep this goes, and in an attempt to halt further insults towards Germany, Liberal Party Representative in The E.U Parliament Alexander Lambsdorf has lodged an official complaint with the McCain Campaign. Germany is deeply insulted.

To be more precise:

'FAWNING', from the german perspective:

grovelling - obeisant - submissive - cap in hand - servile - bowing and sraping...
the list goes on forever

Yet,

McCain released an ad yesterday in which he continues to insult the german people in his attempt to paint Obama as 'a danger to national security'. He portrays german accents and culture in a negative way: Germany, the enemy.

As McCain himself likes to say, "he just doesn't understand".

Maybe John McCain has seen too many 'Time Traxx' reruns.

[HermioneGranger]

No worries. if McSame becomes president, Germans will remember he insulted them.

If he asks for more troops, he'll find out Germans are not so fawning after all.

[holyhandgrenaid]

Well the last 'new' movie he probably saw was "The Great Escape" so it wouldn't surprise me if he still though Germany was the enemy of the world

[recruitgal]

McCain Staffer: “There are honest differences between them. They want to take the country in different directions, and we’ll talk about it.”

Then do that. Tell us what McC's positions are and why you think they are better. Don't demonise your opposition. It makes you look like your running scared. Which, apparently you are.

[VOTER]

Senator Lizzy Dole's Office has confirmed she will NOT be attending the
Republican Convention.

What good Republican would not want to be present for Bush's Final Moments of
Republican Glory or McCain's crowning as the GOP nominee?

Is Lizzy afraid of Bush's Final Speech or McCain's gaffes?

Has she started an elephant stampede of GOP CONVENTION NO SHOWS?

[VOTER]

Lizzy, also, returned "Uncle" Ted Steven's campaign donations. OUCH!

[markusmarkus]

She's in the DoleDrums.

[DRPike]

"pudidurum"

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

My comment to NYT.

The main stream media has already lowered the bar so much for Mc Cain in this campaign that he feels like he can say anything negative about O bama and the media will report it without any kind of fact check or the least bit of scrutiny. So Mc Cain will play by limbo rules, "how low can you go", throughout this campaign until the media calls him out for his lies and distortions. For the most part the media is already doing Mc Cain's job for him based on Center for Media and Politics' study, which showed that the three broadcast networks; ABC, CBS and NBC and Fox Special Report made more negative statements about O bama than about Mc Cain from June 8 through July 21. Of course Fox News and right wing media is pushing back hard on this study because they know Mc Cain would lose an election on an even playing field.

[DrDemon]

" until the media calls him out for his lies and distortions."

DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH; FOR IT WOULD BE A USELESS GESTURE!

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

My comment to NYT.

The main stream media has already lowered the bar so much for Mc Cain in this campaign that he feels like he can say anything negative about O bama and the media will report it without any kind of fact check or the least bit of scrutiny. So Mc Cain will play by limbo rules, "how low can you go", throughout this campaign until the media calls him out for his lies and distortions. For the most part the media is already doing Mc Cain's job for him based on Center for Media and Politics' study, which showed that the three broadcast networks; ABC, CBS and NBC and Fox Special Report made more negative statements about O bama than about McCain from June 8 through July 21. Of course Fox News and right wing media is pushing back hard on this study because they know Mc Cain would lose an election on an even playing field.

[Budokan]

I just don't see how the Republicons are going to stand by and watch McCain help bring down their party like this, Republicons have a lot of faults, but standing by and not fighting tooth and nail (or outright stealing an election) isn't their style.

I fully expect -- and pray for -- a floor fight at their little snout fest they call a convention.

[only1Demvoter]

Budokan : Well... There's the added possibility ' they're drimking their own Koolaid ' ! ... Probability !!

( I also am at a loss to 'splain their erratic comportment... )

... Your " stealing " assertment seems most logical, given their record.


More to follow. -ralph

[markusmarkus]

May the rethugs drown in their own Kool-Aide.

[elbzee]

..." (or outright stealing an election) isn't their style." WHAT WHAT WHAAAATTTT???????? Exactly what planet were you living on in 2000? Or, do you really believe Bush WON that election??? And you believe the Easter Bunny is real, don't you?

[Grunty1]

Why wouldn't they? They stood and watched as B'ush stuck a dagger in their sides, so why would Mc'Cain twisting the dagger be any different?