McCain On Negative Turn: "I'm Very Sorry About It"

The Washington Post's David Broder talks to both candidates about the campaign tone:

The first question I asked John McCain and then Barack Obama was: How do you feel about the tone and direction of the campaign so far?

No surprise. Both men pronounced themselves thoroughly frustrated by the personal bitterness and negativism they have seen in the two months since they learned they would be running against each other.

"I'm very sorry about it," McCain said in a Saturday interview at his Arlington headquarters. "I think we could have avoided at least some of this if we had agreed to do the town hall meetings" together, as he had suggested, during the summer months.

TNR's Chris Orr is impressed that Broder managed to write about negative campaigning without mentioning any of McCain's, well, negative campaigning:

Broder manages the remarkable feat of writing on negativity in the campaign without once mentioning McCain's "troops" smear (which his own paper led the way in declaring untrue), any of his ads deriding Obama as a Paris-Hilton-like celebrity or self-imagined Messiah, or the GOP's hilarious tire-gauge antics. (Apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln....) The only actual attacks Broder cites are the charge that Obama was "playing the race card," and McCain's suggestion that Obama would be willing to lose a war in order to win an election. (Moreover, he backs into this latter attack, citing Obama's complaint about it rather than the smear itself.)

But none of that will happen again if Obama agrees to a town hall.

Comments

[soundfury]

So because he didn't do things mc's way, and do the townhalls, so he could cash in on O's popularity, he throws a fit and goes negative. This is the man some people want for prez? Sounds like a GWB mindset to me.

[MizLiz]

Thank God O didn't fall for the town hall trick. It would have been a major Gotcha Attack with all the pre-screened people in the aufience, throwing softballs to McSame and nasty stuff to O. Don't think for a minute McCain and his people wouldn't stack the deck.

[gazissax]

Obama is going to face McCain here in Lake Forest at the infamous Saddleback Church. I suppose Rick Warren has promised fair play but we'll see.

[olivia]

That will be interesting, after Daddy'O and his skeezy as* trick at Sturgis.

[FaceYourFears]

And on MTP when Tom Brokak ask MC if he was really sorry about the negative ad, MC will say I NEVER SAID THAT, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT FROM.

[Cookie100]

BRODER IS A RETHUG WEENIE!

[ChescoMom]

" 'I think we could have avoided at least some of this if we had agreed to do the town hall meetings' together, as (McCain) had suggested, during the summer months."

I'd say something about this being akin to organized crime with a baseball bat, but i never know what'll get through here anymore...

[okayigive]

Sorry is as sorry does. Are people paying attention to this childlike mindset of Mcc and his campaign? The future of America is not a game . What kind of behavior ill he exhibit when foreign leaders fail to respond to his demands or anytime he doesn't get his way. Way to go Mcc of setting leadership standards and governing.

[nonconformist2]

I agree with you that the way that a candidate runs his campaign provides insight into how he will run his presidency. It makes the thought of a Mc.Cain presidency that much more disturbing.

[WhiteHat]

McCain should watch what he wishes for. Onstage, Obama always comes across as thoughtful, well-prepared, concise and likable. He's a great public speaker.

McCain, on the other hand, is surprisingly bad at public speaking, especially for a politician. He makes "mis-statements," he has said all sorts of things he'd like to have back ("100 years," for one example), he's been blindsided numerous times by unexpected questions, and he sounds and looks, well, mousy.

If McCain really believes he would "win" town-hall meetings with Obama, it's only more evidence against poor old John's mental capacity. If he doesn't actually believe it, then he's simply trying to excuse his shabby campaign activity with a cheap lie. In either case, advantage Obama.

[nonconformist2]

My guess is that Mc.Cain's camp planned to stack the deck at the town hall meetings. And then, act surprised when the media discovered the deception. That is what happened at the last town meeting that Mc.Cain invited O.bama to attend. Never trust a republican to play fair, they don't know the meaning of the word.

[olivia]

I would check McCain's back for, uh, bad tailoring.

[clearthinker2008]

JMac is one creepy looking guy, I just had to get that in. He's not sorry about anything, well he might be sorry if going negative doesn't get him into the white house.

[StillweRise]

he is not sorry. what did he think would happen when he brought in Bush's campaign team. and what makes him think that the townhall meetings would have avoided ANY of it? (never misses an opportunity to take a cheap shot)

AND WHY WON'T THE MEDIA CALL HIM OUT ON 'ANY' OF HIS BULLSHIT COMMENTS LIKE THAT?

[mrmetoo]

I'll hate to do business with this guy. What he's saying in short is, if he tries to get into a business with someone and this other person doesn't agree to his terms he reserves the right to ruin the person's reputation

[WolfLarsen]

Forget the negative ads....I want to know how Cindy did in the banana contest in Sturgis. Something tells me if McCain thought lap dances with Cindy would get him some votes they would have a VIP room in the back of the bus.

[WaspStings]

What makes you think they didn't?

[dumboldfarmer]

So, McCain thinks all the negativity is because Obama didn't follow his cue and do the town hall meetings with him. What a dumb excuse. Says a lot about his personality, and not good things.

[AFPISCES]

In case you are not aware McLoser, you're just sorry in general!

[highlyamused]

yup.......­.he's sorry alright...­..........­.......sor­ry excuse

[gladys46]

McCain is no leader ... he's a follower & a copyKat ... he still has no creative logo of his own! Although he & Hill attempted to borrow O's "Change" message! Nothing but a SORRY person would misuse, without permission two young female celebs in a National election campaign ad.

Mc has failed each & every qualifying requirement necessary to be POTUS!

[uhappytoo]

David Broder? Why does anyone care what he says or writes? Or any of several dozen other pundits who haven't anything to say either? They can speculate with hyperbole and innuendo all day long, but what does that accomplish other than continue the word games they play with each other?

[gladys46]

It's amazing ... pundits continue to ask why O is not further ahead of Mc, over & over again ... geez, aren't they the investigative reporters supposedly the deliverers of "INFORMation" ... Are we supposed to tell them why! If we do tell them WHY ... they get spooky, as if they're from MARS!

[Dramaticlookcat]

I don't understand why McCain is so deadset on these town hall meetings with Obama. Obama would wipe the floor with him.

[WaspStings]

Because just once he would like to see a crowd of more than a 100 people. Don't use Sturgis, repugs, they came to see Cindy.

[BabsfromKansas]

He is in a delusion state - he thinks just cause he gets warm fuzzies from the folks hand picked to be at his town halls that O being an elitist and wink-wink and all wouldn't stand a chance.

[LiberTLover]

He waned to keep O from campaigning in those large forums that got the polls moving in his direction in the Primaries when he came into a state. And they couldn't get people to show up to hear JM , (well ones with a pulse anyway) so they were hoping to make it look like people were coming to see him. When the O camp offered 2 debates they turned it down, so clearly they had an agenda.