McCain Ad Distorts Obama, Day After Decrying Gotcha Journalism

John McCain is out with a new ad that accuses Barack Obama of making the same claim - "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" - that McCain himself was viciously criticized for just a week ago.

But the quote plucked by the McCain campaign is taken entirely out of context, just a day after the Arizona Republican himself decried "gotcha journalism" when it came to his running mate.

Here is the Obama quote McCain highlights: "We've got the long term fundamentals that will really make sure this economy grows."

And here is Obama's actual statement, which suggests exactly the opposite of what McCain alleges: mainly, that he believes the country must repair the economy's long-term structure.

[We need] a plan that would extend expiring unemployment benefits. For those Americans who have lost their jobs and have been working hard to find a new one, but haven't found one yet. That's part of the change we need. And then after this immediate problem, we've got the long-term fundamentals that will really make sure this economy grows. Change means tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses that deserve it. As President I am going to eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-ups.

Here is the full script of the ad, which the campaign says will be for the web.

ANNCR: Who's Barack Obama? First, Obama attacked McCain. Then said: BARACK OBAMA: "We've got the long term fundamentals that will really make sure this economy grows." ANNCR: Strong fundamentals? Is Obama saying McCain's right? Or is Obama saying his own attacks are shameless? Either way, Obama's a hypocrite.

Comments

[grantlingel]

McCain = Palin = Bush = Rove = Hypocrites, liars and scum of the earth.

http://grantlingel.blogspot.com

[jessieo]

OMG. The Vice Presidential Questions w/ Couric were just on with the Supreme Court Questions. That woman is soooooooo toast. Joe was AMAZING, succinct, knowledgeable, gentlemanly. What a contrast. As long as he does the same thing tomorrow and she too. It will be a knockout for Obama/Biden.

[Old time Dem]

Mccain has lost all his credibility and now when he needs it most, it's been squandered on Palin and all the foolish and unthruthful ads.......(trading his legacy to prop up Palin is a very foolish act/and I don't think he'll get any thanks from her, either....­..........­)

[zabbadu]

Duh!

Oh Huffington.. McCain was decrying gotcha JOURNALISM.

NOT:

Gotcha CAMPAIGNISM,

- or -

Gotcha DEBATISM.

Seriously, if you're going to promote your liberal-leaning ideals & demand non-double­-standards­, then at least get the -ISMs correct!!!!

[mykalimba]

Gotcha OUTRIGHT-LYING-ISM?

[MY WORLD]

BODY COUNT IN IRAG221 - BODY COUNT (MURDERED)IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS IN CHICAGO292 MAYBE THE US SHOULD PULL OUT OF CHICAGO
SENATORS BARAK OBAMA & DICK DURBIN
REP. JESSE JACKSON
GOV. ROD BLOGOJINICH
ATT. GEN. LISA BLOGOJINICH DAUGHTER OF GOV.
MAYOR RICHARD DALEY

OUR ESTEEMED LEADERS -- ALL DEMOCRATS
STATE PENSION FUND-44 BILLION $ IN DEBT -WORST IN THE COUNTRY
COOK COUNTY SALES TAX 10.25 PERCENT HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY
CHICAGO SCHOOL SYSTEM RATED ONE OF THE WORST IN THE COUNTRY
CAN'T BLAME REPUBLICANS , THERE AREN'T ANY
THIS IS THE POLITAL CULTURE THAT OBAMA HAS BEEN "INVOLVED " IN FOR YRS
AND HE'S GOING TO FIX WASHINGTON?
AND I'LL BET DOLLARS TO DOUGHNUTS THAT YOU WON'T PRINT THIS

[michelle63]

Enough Republican­s...Liars, Deceivers, Masters of Manipulation and wrong for America.

Enough of Bush/McCai­n/Cheney/P­alin all of whom support the "Bush Doctrine".

John McCain is another four years of Bush Policies. No McCain/No Palin

John McCain is devious, angry, jealous and desperate.

Sarah Palin is not ready for anything in the Political arena.

Sarah Palin is against women's rights.

Sarah Palin is under investigation for "Abuse of Power". Palin is a hypocrite just like McCain.

We need Change...vote for "Barack Obama".

[jusion]

Michael Hughes - Huffpost Blogger
There should be a "viewer beware" manual for voters. Whenever I watch an ad, I conduct research on the quotes in the ad to see how far they've been taken out of context. This one is such a stretch, that most voters will see right through it. Obama still needs to be careful when he speaks. The statement is still a bit confusing. This day and age it's impossible not to have words take out of context. Obama is one of the most thoughtful and eloquent candidates I've seen in a very long term - yet they are able to parse even his words to find issues with it. The most effective ads that use context usually use a few sentences, not just a single sound byte. The longer the sound byte the more damning. Voters should always beware short sound bytes - the shorter - the more likely out of context.
----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­-


Sort of like McCain's "100 years in Iraq" was taken out of context.

[jjoshaugh]

Yeah the original was even worse for McCain

Q: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years — (cut off by McCain)

McCAIN: Make it a hundred.

Q: Is that … (cut off)

McCAIN: We’ve been in South Korea … we’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea 50 years or so. That would be fine with me. As long as Americans …

Q: [tries to say something]

McCAIN: As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That’s fine with me, I hope that would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Queada is training and equipping and recruiting and motivating people every single day.

On meet the press:

t’s not American presence that bothers the American people, it’s American casualties, and if Americans are safe wherever they are in the world, American people don’t mind that. So, what I believe we can achieve is a reduction in casualties to the point where the Iraqis are doing the fighting and dying, we’re supporting them, and over time then there will be the relation between the two countries.”

[grantlingel]

how is mccain getting away with being such a hypocrite!? it is insanity.

http://grantlingel.blogspot.com

[Michael Hughes - Huffpost Blogger]

There should be a "viewer beware" manual for voters. Whenever I watch an ad, I conduct research on the quotes in the ad to see how far they've been taken out of context. This one is such a stretch, that most voters will see right through it. Obama still needs to be careful when he speaks. The statement is still a bit confusing. This day and age it's impossible not to have words take out of context. Obama is one of the most thoughtful and eloquent candidates I've seen in a very long term - yet they are able to parse even his words to find issues with it. The most effective ads that use context usually use a few sentences, not just a single sound byte. The longer the sound byte the more damning. Voters should always beware short sound bytes - the shorter - the more likely out of context.

Mike Hughes
www.crosspolemics.com

[jusion]

Sort of like McCain's "100 years in Iraq" was taken out of context.

[jjoshaugh]

Only because the original statement was even worse.

Jan 3rd in Derry, new hampshire

Q: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years — (cut off by McCain)

McCAIN: Make it a hundred.

Q: Is that … (cut off)

McCAIN: We’ve been in South Korea … we’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea 50 years or so. That would be fine with me. As long as Americans …

Q: [tries to say something]

McCAIN: As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That’s fine with me, I hope that would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Queada is training and equipping and recruiting and motivating people every single day.

Later, on face the nation, he attempted to clarify....

The point is it’s American casualties. We’ve go to get American’s off the frontlines, have the Iraqis as part of the strategy, take over more and more of the responsibilities, and then I don’t think Americans are concerned if we’re there for one hundred years or a thousand years or ten thousand years.

[MourningDude]

Would any lib out there that actually believes this HuffPo spin please explain how extending unemployment benefits magically makes the long term fundamentals of the economy strong?

-crickets-

[milo h minderbinder]

He didn't say that. This was a quote from a longer speech in which he listed many ways that he would fix the economy.

Is it really so hard to grasp that he was saying the fundamentals would be there AFTER his fixes, and not what Mac said, the fundamentals are strong NOW?

[jjoshaugh]

-crickets- ?

"We don’t just need a plan for bankers and investors, we need a plan for autoworkers and teachers and small business owners," Obama said. "I have said it before and I’ll say it again: we need to pass, after this immediate crisis is over, an economic stimulus plan. Right now. For working families – a plan that will help folks cope with rising food and gas prices, that can save one million jobs by rebuilding our schools and our roads, and help states and cities avoid budget cuts and tax increases. A plan that would extend expiring unemployment benefits. For those Americans who have lost their jobs and have been working hard to find a new one, but haven’t found one yet. That’s part of the change we need.

"And then after this immediate problem, we’ve got the long-term fundamentals that will really make sure this economy grows. Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses that deserve it. As President I am going to eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-ups. That’s how we’ll grow our economy and create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow. I will cut taxes – cut taxes – but not the way John McCain does things. I’ll cut taxes for 95% of all working families."

Remember that?

[jusion]

Here is another Obama quote from yesterday:
"I don't think me calling House Republican members would have been that helpful. I tend not to be that persuasive on that side of the aisle."

Barack Obama is admitting he doesn't do bipartisanship. However, he does do hope and change!

[MourningDude]

According to the AP, the 94 Dems that voted against this bailout felt NO PRESSURE from their own party leadership to vote yes.

So apparently Obama isn't very persuasive with his own party, either. He and Pelosi never even bothered to try.

[Ziggy Stardust]

That's because many of them are running for cover before the driveby media finally reveals to Mr. and Mrs. front porch how we really got into this mess and who is ultimately getting bailed out...it's them, Chis Dodd, Barney Franks, and yes, the ultimate Marxist Barack Houssain.

A few qoutes to follow from some of the Nero's who fiddled while Fannie and Freddie then the credit market burned.

Even Bill Clinton himself questioned what went on with these GSE's.

[Ziggy Stardust]

REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.: There were nearly a dozen hearings where frankly we were trying to fix something that wasn't broke. Mr. Chairman, we do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac and in particular at Fannie Mae under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Frank Raines. note: Frank Raines is Barack Houssain's chief economic advisor. I'm sure if he was a republican, he'd be headed for jail to join Ken Lay who committed the same kind of fraud.

REP. GREGORY MEEKS, D-N.Y.: There's been nothing that was indicated that's wrong with Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac has come up on its own, and the question that questions the competence that your agency has with reference to deciding and regulating these GSEs, and so I wish I could sit here and say that I'm not upset with you, but I am very upset because what you do is you may be giving a reason to as Mr. Gonzales said, to give someone a heart surgery when they don't need it.

REP. BARNEY FRANK, D-MASS.: But I have seen nothing in here that suggests the safety and soundness as an issue, and it serves us badly to use safety and soundness as kind of a general shibboleth when it does not seem to be an issue.

[milo h minderbinder]

Before the vote, republican leadership promised that they had enough votes, so there was no reason to pressure that 94.

But republican leadership dropped the ball.

[milo h minderbinder]

No, I think he's saying that if MCCAIN couldn't convince republicans to vote for it, it's not likely he'd have an easier time.

[exPatPatti]

He is stating the obvious. Replicants....err Republicans won't listen to reason.

[jusion]

So, how is Obama going to be bi-partisan then?

[gop4obama]

Take a quick look:

http://www.palinbycomparison.net

http://www.gop4obama.org

Thanks

[Tommygun264]

"I'm John McSame, and I'm a steaming, scheming, sack of liquid crap, desperate enough to say anything to get what I want."

[findingmuse]

McCain and his ad makers are just completely grossing me out. At this point, I immediately turn the channel every time a McCain ad airs, because I know it's just going to be nothing but lies and hypocrisy.

I really liked him...as far as Republicans go. But now I can't even stand to look at him. He has no morals. I know the Obama campaign does things like this, too...but I think it's the EXTENT to which McCain's campaign does it that it's just gotten freaky. And a little creepy, too.

[Old time Dem]

I woke up this morning to a McCain ad on television here in Massachusetts! One about veterans and how barack didn't support them.

Hmmmmm....­.......see­ms like it was McCain who voted against the new GI bill and had an Iraq war veteran forcibly removed from the RNC convention referring to the vet as static and ground noise.

Not too many viewers found it funny.

it's the first thing I thought of when I saw his crappy ad........­..........­.......

[jaden1444]

Damn I feel the need to shower after watching that. It's just another example of how far McCain has fallen and how little he thinks of the average American's intelligence.

[mesmerize]

McCain is still looking to find his worth through Senator Obama. I bet everytime Senator Obama agrees with him about something he wears it as a badge of honor. He is so sad.