McCain: Now Is Not The Time For Blame, But I Blame Obama

At 5:15 p.m Monday evening, Sen. John McCain addressed a pool of reporters in Ohio, declaring that it was not the appropriate time or place for people to cast blame on Congress' failure to pass an economic bailout package.

"Now is not the time to affix the blame. It's time to fix the problem. I would hope that all our leaders, all of them, can put aside short-term political goals and do what's in the best interests of the American people."

It was an utter farce of a call for political level-headedness. The very sentence before McCain uttered those words, he lambasted "Senator Obama and his allies in Congress" for infusing "unnecessary partisanship into the process."

Watch:

Ten minutes later, the Republican National Committee blasted out an email with the following subject header: "Obama Stood By, Did Nothing, And Showed No Leadership On The Bailout Negotiations."

Ten minutes after that, McCain's economic adviser, Douglas Holtz-Eakin blamed Democrats in the Congress for foiling the bill.

"Today that process broke down and it broke down quite frankly from partisan attacks from Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi on the floor," he said, "and quite frankly after a partisan attack, Republicans chose to fold their cards and rather than rise above those attacks they chose to walk away from the bill."

In fact, slightly more than an hour before McCain made his plea to cast political conflicts aside, his campaign -- through Holtz-Eakin -- was ripping Obama for a failure of leadership on the issue.

"Barack Obama failed to lead, phoned it in, attacked John McCain, and refused to even say if he supported the final bill," he said.

Asked to explain the seeming incongruity of it all, Holtz Eakin was evasive.

"I have sat in frustration and watched the tone of the attack over John McCain as he was accused of injecting presidential politics," he said, "when in fact he made every effort not to inject himself into the Senate and House negotiations... he has done in my estimation the finest of jobs in this, taking a process that was dead in the water and bring it to a vote today."

Now, attacking the opposition while simultaneously putting your hands up in innocence is nothing new in politics. But the actions of the McCain campaign late Monday indicate, at the very least, that they recognize a problematic narrative developing in political and media circles. The Senator wagered heavily on "suspending" his campaign, even taking credit for a bailout passage Sunday and Monday. In order to not seem political, he clung to the idea that he was forging a bipartisan compromise. When the proposal fell short of passage he didn't want the responsibility anymore, but the campaign still doesn't want to look like it's making electoral hay out of the crisis. And so, one gets these disjointed statements.

Comments

[PAtoNCDem]

09:53 PM on 09/30/2008

Obama and Dems are being set up for an Ambush Thursday

Obama and the Dems are being set up for a Political Ambush of historic proportion with respect to the “Bail Out” vote this week.

Here is how it will unfold:

McCain will act or indicate that he will be supporting the bill but won’t vote for it, nor will a 2/3 majority of the Republicans. His pattern is the “hail Mary” and this will be the October Surprise of this election.

Just heard on Countdown Dems looking forward to voting for the bail out.
I
The Dems are being set up to have this bill passed, while McCain and the R’s vote against it.
I have some understanding of economics, and the benefits of this bailout won’t be felt on Main Street for several more months. The pain will have already begun on Main Street and Obama and the Dems will ultimately get the blame and outrage of the American People.

I can hear it now over the next 30 days of the election. We voted against the greedy Wall Street Bankers and Special Interests so that your children may have a secure future tomorrow. This is an election changer.

I implore Dem leadership to stick to their requirement for at least 2/3 of the R’s to vote and jump off the cliff holding hands together. However I strongly believe McCain won’t vote for this and ultimately this willhand over the election to the Republicans.

[TUFUCK]

09:39 PM on 09/30/2008

Most of all,

WARMONGER.

[ladyvoter]

07:14 PM on 09/30/2008

Our financial markets are in distress. Our foreign policy is in dire need of reform. Our nation's infrastructure is in need of attention. We are in the midst of an energy crisis. We have serious concerns about our global climate. Health care in our nation is not up to our nation's long time reputation as a leader in the world. And so called serious television commentators want me to review our presidential candidates "Personal Stories," or "Life Stories.?" Give me a break, media. Tell me what they plan to do to address serious issues. I could not care less about their personal or life stories. I only wish the national media would focus on the issues. As American citizens we deserve better.

[RJII]

07:00 PM on 09/30/2008

Once again Obama drives his opponent insane, through sheer mental powers.

[GLT21]

05:43 PM on 09/30/2008

McCain will be the blame everbody but him president.

[XME]

04:19 PM on 09/30/2008

I think that for the good of the country, John McCain should suspend his campaign for another 36 days!

[picval]

12:47 PM on 09/30/2008

what a shame that a once great man is now just a cartoon.

[wm1066]

04:59 PM on 09/30/2008

He has become "Yosemite Sam" shootin off his six shooters at anything that moves.

[missjulz]

11:42 AM on 09/30/2008

It seemed that Obama was half-warning McCain about injecting himself and his campaign into these proceedings. He stated something to the effect that it's not wise to get involved in delicate negotiations to position oneself for credit OR BLAME.

He said both, almost like telegraphing a caustic statement made to McCain.

[Vern58]

11:35 AM on 09/30/2008

No surprise here.
This is about all the man has left to run on.
His erratic behavior has bankrupted every other possibility.
His choice of running mate is a scandal.
Outside the fact that this man is a lying sack o s#*t, what else has he got left.

[RI]

11:54 AM on 09/30/2008

An old saying describes the McCain campaign, "10 pounds of s#*t in a 5 pound bag." How sad that the campaign of a formerly honored senator has come to this.

[RJII]

12:13 PM on 09/30/2008

"In what respects, Charlie?" Bwaa haaahaaaa.

[liberalOrgonian]

11:34 AM on 09/30/2008

Way to go McBlame, I thought you had the reps in order being the LEADER of that party. And how you took charge to get back to Washington to lead on this crisis. Doesn't look good for the old guy. I am confused, I thought you were suspending your campaign till the bail out is finished. Yet yesterday you were hot on the trail, with more Obama bashing. Your credibility is more than in question. Then another stunt, blame it on Obama. I thought I heard you say this would be a clean campaign and may I add hopefully your last. You have become an embarrassment to your state and the entire United States. If by chance you do become pres, (god forbid) who will you blame them?

[ElBruce]

11:33 AM on 09/30/2008

What he meant to say was "now is not the time to cast blame - at me." Teleprompter error.

[dutt]

11:16 AM on 09/30/2008

John McCain is a man of high morals and ethics, when it comes to other people. The American people are getting sick of the hypocrisy. Don't tell us you're honorable McCain, show us.

[katlade]

11:09 AM on 09/30/2008

People are not stupid. John McCain can blame Obama all he wants. It sounds so desperate it is ridiculous. He is burying his campaign single handedly. The only people that are going to believe John McCain are the ones already voting for him. Those voting for Obama are not paying any attention to you, John. And those still deciding are going to be turned off by you blaming Obama.

[eshetudaba]

11:07 AM on 09/30/2008

Confused confusers: The foxes are already gone and the sheep are dead. It is not rational to argue that more sheep are put to get slaughter.ed. Is bailing out the solution yes in the case of producers of goods, like the Big Three Auto-Maker, that are to retool their production of gas guzzlers, to use of alternative fuel, that is good for national security and environmental salvation. Service is a necessary evil, not a life and death question. If Obama, is to build real things roads, schools, power infrastructure he needs money not insurance. The government should earn its revenues from taxes, out of new employment and production the most. The private individual investor should be free from the sharks of producers of nothing and raise investment the old fashion way from personal savings, family resources and paying direct interest to individual savers if necessary.

Thrust and faith is what the insurance industry sells. Only God and Uncle Sam are worth depending in bad times. Together they are called the FDIC no more no less. $!00,000 insured asset per individual saver is enough insurance if not, make it a billion.

OBAMA create REAL VALUE, no debt financing from China. My car is paid for with savings , my mortgage is paid with 40% down and no refinancing. no LOAN, no INSURANCE other than from Uncle Sam. I don't have to pay interest on CREDIT CARDs. Have Mercy ON ME save my job and creat for others.

[Paisano]

10:47 AM on 09/30/2008

This guy is weak! Kinda reminds me of the Clinton Campaign!