McCain's Very Bad Day

McCain's campaign has been all over the place today - from the economy, to his criticism of morning show anchors, to whether he invented the BlackBerry and on Sarah Palin's inability to run a company. And to make matters worse, conservative pundits are turning against McCain.

The biggest flub came this morning when McCain slammed Wall Street "fat cats" even though his single biggest donor is Merrill Lynch. After denouncing the very people that help pay for his campaign, McCain suggested the government set up a commission to look into what went wrong. Barack Obama criticized McCain for "passing the buck" on the economy:

Democratic candidate Barack Obama says he will take regulatory oversight seriously as president and accuses his Republican opponent, John McCain, of wanting to "pass the buck."

McCain proposed Tuesday to create a commission to study how the economic crisis came about. McCain compared it to the Sept. 11 commission established to investigate the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Katharine Zaleski is the Senior News Editor of HuffingtonPost.com. She can be reached at [e-mail]

Comments

[LisaO8]

Can anyone say KEATING 5?! McCain was the king of deregulation, along with his buddy Phil Gramm, where is the media on that - lipstick was so important last week - this week our economy is in ruins and McCain still gets a free pass. Our media is a disgrace..­.

[bigfated]

Okay all you "older" folks who may still be undecided----or leaning toward McCain: The Social Security you rely on would be gone in this "financial crisis" if the Bush - Cheney-McSame- Palin ---group of ignorant assh%$&S had their way and "privatized" social security. Watch out for those sticky fingers!
FDR would be turning over in his grave----B­UT---littl­e johnny mcsame was a POW-----so he can do no wrong! Did i mention he was a POW? It's been almost twenty minutes since the little old white haired, confused dude mentioned the fact that HE WAS A POW! Jesus! If that doesn't qualify him.....
What a bunch of neo-con turds.....­stinking in the noon day sun!

[Bubba Gump]

Those already on or approaching Social Security: are you ready to bet your economic future on a McCain gamble with your hard-earned money? Do you see any fat-cat CEO's worried about you or me as they jump ship with their multi-million dollar sweet deals as they plunge major American banks into oblivion?

[mamala4]

New AOL headline, which usually favors McCain....­.Obama Leads McCain in New Poll...wat­ch the lead grow and grow...

[LAThinker]

Economy, Economy, Economy...­.

http://www.ucubd.com/Index.aspx?id=711&cid=3140

[BobOnThis]

We already know why this 'mortgage meltdown' happened: FRAUD

So now the simple question is who committed the fraud and send them to prison and seize their assets.

Irresponsible behaviour, greed, and fraud within every level of the monetary system is what got us here.

[Bubba Gump]

That's absolutely right! If you or I wrote a hot check, wouldn't we have a warrant issued for our arrest? Why are corporate CEO's raking millions in perks to sink their own ships, which mandates WE THE PEOPLE to lose our ass-ets by funding tax-payer bail-outs that even a lick of common sense would have alerted impending disaster? Why are we rewarding the thieves?

[liberaldemdave]

welfare that helps people = bad
welfare for corporations = good

iokiyar (it's ok if you're a repuke)

the hypocrisy boggles the mind.

[mamala4]

If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in
> a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city
> community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values
> don't represent America's.
> * If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI
> conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote
> until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the
> secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.
>
> OK, much clearer now.

[mamala4]

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight..­...

If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track: you're a maverick.

Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating: you're well
grounded.

If you spend 3 years as a community organizer, become the
first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create voter
registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years
as Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as State Senator
representing district over 750,000 people, become chairman of
state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years
in the US Senate representing a state of 13 million people
while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you
don't have any real leadership experience.

If your total resume is: local weather girl (sports caster), 4
years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of town with
fewer than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of state with
650,000 people, you're qualified to become the country's second
highest ranking executive.

If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including
the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with
no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're very responsible.

[mike42nola]

Didn't President Bush graduate from Harvard?

[LAyogamom]

Bush graduated with a "Gentleman's C" which means Daddy paid for it.

Great post from mamala4, by the way. Bloody Feckin' Spot On!

[mercuryguy]

Good post!

[Icantbelieveher]

He's going to have another bad day today!!! The dow is down by 348.32 right now .

[mike42nola]

Oh Joy. How wonderful all of the horrible things are that happen in this country. Maybe while the dow tanks oil can hit $200 a barrel. Maybe we can even have our mass transit systems attacked like Spains was. Wouldn't that be something to shout with joy about.
You and all of your ilk should be ashamed of being happy that things are not going well and only trying to blame it on one person or one party.

[harriettubman]

We can start by taking some of the billions in oil revenue from Iraq. They can help pay for their own war.

I hope the neurologist who proved Reagan had early signs of Alzheimers has been watching McCain. Something is not right about him. I don't wish him any ill will but the public is noticing his lapses.

[addie24]

and according to Palin's friends, she suffers from depression due to the long Alaska nights.
Great team. Just what we need

[Bubba Gump]

Is a trip to Washington, D.C. likely to cheer up Palin?

[afwifey00]

So, where are your facts on this one? While everyone is entitled to their opinion~you are making a claim that is not supported by any facts. You are no better then the National Enquirer..­. NICE!

[Bubba Gump]

John McCain needs to put COUNTRY FIRST. If he is suffering from a medical condition, he needs treatment (if possible) and the American public has a right to know about it. Not because we need to know his personal business; we need to know the straight truth because our President of the United States of America MUST be of sound mind and body. McCain needs to come clean on his medical and military records.

[mike42nola]

I agree that we should start making Iraq pay us back for our expenses in this war.

[sharonh]

What about their expenses? Ruined infrastructure and murdered families, just like yours and mine.

[EileenMac]

In 1981, a few months after Reagan was inaugurated, I had dinner with a retired US Army psychiatrist (a friend's father) who stated to me that President Reagan had Alzheimers. This MD stated that it had been evident to him for a few years.

And this is why I was NOT surprised when the Republican Party, in their desperation, picked McCain. They needed a puppet, an old puppet, a puppet who reminded them of Ronald Reagan.

I am not a doctor, but too, KNOW that there is something very very very off-balance with John McCain.

I believe that THIS is the reason Barak Obama did not want to have "town hall" meetings with John McCain. I think Obama couldnt stomach the idea of letting this hero of a former era embarass himself in front of the entire nation.

Obama, unlike McCain, is not that desperate.

Res Ipsa Loquitor..­...the "thing speaks for itself"

[afwifey00]

And picking the least experienced BEST speaking Democratic Senator isn't a PUPPET?? OMG, you are hilarious.­. You should write for Hollywood

[mike42nola]

I actually have read articles from prominent Democratic people such as Dick Morris that believe it is Obama that is the puppet that is mindless and can be controlled by higher ups. I am not saying that I agree with this article but it just goes to show that there are two points of view on this.

[CactusTom]

For McCain it is just a minor setback. In reality, Barack Obama is facing a most formidable kind of opponent: a pack of liars. Liars have usually made a career out of turning back into white, often working in such fields as sales and public relations. They instinctively know how to make truth ugly and lies beautiful. Moreover, it has be said that cons are the easiest folks to con, because they con themselves along with everyone else day in and day out. It should be added that because cons are so good at deceiving themselves and putting out story lines that enhance whatever is required to suit their purpose, liars have the added power of conviction on their side.

John McCain, if anything, has begun to prove that at heart he is no straight shooter but rather a very good snake oil salesman. That knack alone of John and his backers is going to be very hard for Obama to overcome.

[Icantbelieveher]

Their lies are unimportant now that they have no choice but to talk about the issues facing us right now. And he and Palin are having to backpedal rather than use their record to push themselves forward. The polls are sliding the other way!

[Bubba Gump]

The Republican lies are important! What do you think got us into Iraq, also making America incapable of fixing the Katrina devastation zone, and pushing an out-of-control Republican spend-spend Congress and President (who never used his veto to reign in the GOP majority) for six years? Time to put their feet to the fire!

[jaslyn]

This guy is gonna be famous for passing the buck everytime he's asked a question. It's, 'let's create a commission, check my website, I'll have to get back to you'. Way to be fast on your feet old man.

[mamala4]

it's all in the script....­same script...e­very single time...to every single question..­..

[Icantbelieveher]

By the time his commission finds out what happened, we will all be living through another depression. His commission is a joke. They were told over and over again this was going to happen and he scoffed about it. Now he's going to reform.

Please tell me where? Please start giving us your plan. They never answer a question. They don't have a plan. I take that plan. Their plan is to say whatever they have to in order to get elected, even if they have to borrow it from Obama!

[Bubba Gump]

"I'll get back to you" is another way of saying "I don't care about you."

[mamala4]

If your total resume is: local weather girl (sports caster), 4
years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with
fewer than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with
650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while
raising 2 daughters, within Protestant churches, you're
not a real Christian.
If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left
your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a
Christian.
If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including
the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
If , while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with
no other option in sex education in school system while
your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant , you're responsible.

[mamala4]

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight. -
If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
Name your kids Willow, Trig, and Track: you're a maverick.
Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.
Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating: you're well
grounded.
you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the
first black President of Harvard Law Review, create voter
registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years
as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as State Senator
representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of
the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years
in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million
sponsoring 131 bills,serving on Foreign Affairs,
Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you
don't have any real leadership experience.

[AndrewInToronto]

Was McCain paraphrasing Chancey, the gardiner, from "Being There" when he spoke about the fundamentals of the economy?

[Icantbelieveher]

My fundamental husband is having his hours cut at his job, as well as everyone else who works there (big company), and 2 of my fundamental friends have lost their jobs.

The fundamentals of the economy are strong!

I guess my husband might be able to lift alot of weight -- that must be what he's talking about!

[Sadie1976]

Why was so little made of McCain's rude comments to Mika B. on "AM Joe"?! If O had spoken to a woman journalist in that manner it would have been front page news!

[Icantbelieveher]

Because it's only sexist when Obama does it!

[Bubba Gump]

And why is that? Could it be that the media is SCARED of McCain's anger and know they have nothing to fear from Obama? Hey, MSM, time to do your job! A double-standard is the DEFINITION of discrimination!

[WaterRat]

McCain's bad day was a great one for Barack Obama.
The Illinois senator tackled the crisis. McCain's only response was to mimic what Obama insisted on.
Just like"Chang­e." It was Obama's battle cry. McCain now uses it as though he and his cohorts thought up something new.
It's a lot like watching a replay. At first, McCain's opposed to all of the Obama strategy. Then
his campaigners hand him their version of "Change."
After standing on abolition of federal regulations for years, now McCain suddenly switches tracks and decides if Obama is advocating enforcement of federal regulations, he might as well get on board.
After Obama speaks, McCain starts a tack on a new course chartered by Obama.

[Icantbelieveher]

Obama tells us what exactly he's going to do to change Washington. What is McCain going to change? More commissions?

[afwifey00]

Who is going to pay for all of Obama's Changes?? Ohh yea..... We are...