Top McCain Surrogate Refuses To Endorse McCain Attack On Obama

Talking Points Memo:

This is pretty great. John McCain's claim that Barack Obama would rather lose the war than lose the presidential race is so repugnant that one of his most prominent surrogates -- Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who's also talked about as a potential Veep -- refused to endorse it.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, to his credit, pressed Crist at least three times on whether he agrees with the notion that Obama wants to lose the war, and each time, Crist ducked, finally saying: "I have no idea. I would hope not."

Read the whole story: Talking Points Memo

Comments

[SethBLiNK]

He didn't endorse it, but he didn't denounce it either. Anybody who is celebrating this as some kind of victory is getting lost in the minutae of the campaign.

[Actionmac]

I get the feeling that redumblicans want the democrats to impeach bush so they all can throw him under the train so they could be seen in a favorable light...

Just a thought because no matter how bad they went after Kerry the would not back down but the seem to go against mcsad every now and then the reason for my thought about bush.

[kinnycut]

Our Gov. Charlie is a master of misdirect and avoiding straight answers to direct questions. This is why he has never lost an electon in Florida. Just what McCain needs someone who is more full of crap than he is on his ticket.

[walkthewalk]

I heard no refusal by Crist. What I heard was a version of Hillary's "Not as far as I know," when asked if Obama was a Muslim. In response to whether he believes that Obama wants to lose a war Crist said, "I don't know. I would hope not." That puts nothing to rest. Scarborough knew full well that Crist would never denounce McCain's statement. He was just enjoying repeating the fabrication.

[neenj]

I was thinking the same thing when I watched the tape. this was no refusal!!!

[drzoon]

Mc Cain is what he is... a mean OLD man.

we knew that going in... and he is proving it every day.

(and that temper of his is boiling JUST below the surface)

[njm50]

I felt like he was saying Obama doesn't care about the troops or America. That how i took his statement about " i don't know how he feels". Cop out to me. You may not agree with Obama, but you can't believe he doesn't love this country.

[RatgurlSD]

I find it interesting that McCain didn't specify which "war" Obama supposedly wants to lose, but seeing as how Iraq is an occupation and NOT a war, one can only conclude he was referring to Afghanistan.

But wait, didn't Obama suggest sending MORE troops to Afghanistan to shore up our defense? That doesn't sound like someone who wants to lose the war.

Gee, I'm more confused than ever!

[mamacat]

You are making the mistake of thinking. The McCain ad doesn't want you to think, it wants you to emote to a false statement, without thinking.

It worked in the last two elections, and it worked well enough to get permission for Bush to invade Iraq, so maybe it will work again. The advertisements coming from the McCain camp are only going to get dirtier. It is what they do, the Grand Oil Party, get dirtier and dirtier, until finally they are swimming in mud, money, and power.

The MSM is handling things slightly better this time around, calling the lies for what they are. Let's hope its enough.

[Middleclassvotingbloc]

Good for Gov. Crist. There goes his chance to be McCain's VP

[VOTER]

But, but, but.......he is getting married just so he can be McCain's VP!

[belief08]

He didn't fo anything. He took the cowards way out, the media had to keep asking him the same question before he responded. If he had answered the very first time with a credible answer then I would have given him his props.

Any time you have to be cornered to give a response of "I have no idea, I would hope not" it's not worthy of anypne's acculades.

[Egalitare]

We all know what's going to happen now. During the Olympics, Cheney will publically volunteer to take over McCain's Veep search, and guess who he'll pick?

[ZsaZsa]

Not only should every right-minded person refuse to endorse this attack, 0bama should be able to sue Mc Cain for slander. I'm not kidding.

[nclayla]

Agreed! What McCain is doing will, in the end, only hurt his cause. But, until then, a lawsuit would work.

[Actionmac]

remember who is controlling the courts and the case would not be heard until the election is over. Besides the redumblicans would replay 2000 over with the courts.

[TNT2008]

In the infamous words of M1tch Mc conne11....."save yourselves"! I don't trust any of em!

[liseworks]

Think about the actual charge : "Obama would like to lose the war".
And what possible, perverted reason would he have for that ?
And what paranoid fool is crazy enough to believe it ?
The insanity that belies some these statements still eludes the consciousness of many people ....
"It's a Mad world" ....
Obama, the fierce urgency of NOW - we need you '08

[emmaspeaks]

Joe S is a pain in the butt. I wish MSNBC would find a better person for the job.

[Bluejay00234]

Agreed. I wish they would bring Rachel Maddow on and get rid of David Gregory, and JS.

[Puddin]

I agree...I send him emails at least once a week. I can't stand him!

[TheRealMacDaddy]

Truly, when I read the headline I thought, well maybe my Governor actually did have some spine. After watching the clip...if he does (Crist having a spine) it's made of jello.

Like someone below wrote..."Well, not that I know of."

[BethStuart]

Perhaps Crist could redeem himself by endorsing Obama.

[PAposter]

I saw the interview, and it didn't sound like a refusal to endorse McCain's accusation, it sounded like a refusal to denounce such an outrageous claim. This is just as disgusting as the lyrics to Ludacris' song, but at least Luda's getting paid to be controversial.