McCain Ad Uses President Clinton To Bash Democrats

Mr. President, it's your turn.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has already starred in ads produced by the McCain campaign and the Republican National Committee this year, which used her primary-season barbs against Barack Obama for general election purposes.

Now McCain is using President Bill Clinton in an ad that not only draws a contrast with Barack Obama, but with Democrats overall. At issue is the former president's appearance last Thursday on ABC's Good Morning America. In the ad, which will "air nationally," McCain's camp isolates a soundbite in which Clinton says: "I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress, or by me when I was President, to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

In the context of McCain's ad, the selected clip of Clinton's interview bolsters the charge that Democrats sold out homeowners: "Democrats blocked the reforms. Loans soared. Then, the bubble burst. And, taxpayers are on the hook for billions. Bill Clinton knows who is responsible."

Except, of course, in the full interview with Chris Cuomo (viewable here), the former president distributes blame a little more evenly -- and, interestingly, even references the pointlessness of trying assign blame for the crisis at this particular point in time. When asked if Democrats were "playing politics" with the issue, Clinton said "well, maybe everybody does that a little bit."

Later, he said it was "important" that the country have "two candidates for president saying 'let's try to minimize the partisan differences.' We'll have plenty of time later to look at who caused this and what mistakes were made. Let's figure out what to do now and go forward." Clearly, though, McCain's latest ad is targeted for expressly that purpose.

Regardless, the use of Clinton in a McCain spot is likely to further rile observers who feel that the former president has been a less-than-enthusiastic surrogate for Obama this season.

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Full script:

ANNCR: John McCain fought to rein in Fannie and Freddie.

The Post says: McCain "pushed for stronger regulation"..."while Mr. Obama was notably silent."

But, Democrats blocked the reforms.

Loans soared.

Then, the bubble burst.

And, taxpayers are on the hook for billions.

Bill Clinton knows who is responsible.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: "I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."

ANNCR: You're right, Mr. President. It didn't have to happen.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

Comments

[duze]

Bill was glad to do it. He fumed more over Hillary's loss than she did. It made me ill to see him act and react as if he cared whether or not she actually won. Everyone knows full well that Hillary's worst enemy is Bill. He's cost her all her life and the Presidency was only one of the situations where Bill tried to make up for his many infidelities. Believe me he's the last one who wants to see her succeed.
He just doesn't like this woman.

[jannike]

?@?

[gallonjug]

HUH?!!
that ad is almost as incoherent as Mccain's behavior on the issue.

tip to mccain campaign: americans don't give a @#^#^@ who says who may have not done what to who where Ten years ago!!

People are broke! Help them! Stop living in the @#*(^ past-- or keep doing it, who cares really, because the future has already passed you buy: his name is Barack Obama, 44th President of the US.

[mamamay]

Wow what poor judgement. JMcBush and McBill are putting c... first. and its not Country. This appears to be a political gamble.Even for McBil. It appears that JMcShame will do or say anything to attack Obama. This is the beginning of the JMcBush and McBill drama. Both appear to need attention and some way to be a photohog. Now, that he missed out on grandstanding for Bailout, Mcblame is reacting to a McBill speech and this pitiful ad in a preschool attitude as if to say ," Look who is my friend. He's in my ad." Yea right... Bilcissus is seeking fortunes. He's still hoping to get that free ride with Bush 41 for free travel features as Bil proposed he would do for Hil if she had won. We older folks are not fooled by these shanannigans. 1st it was this seductive speech both,melting over McSara
Then it is attacking Obama. The bottom line appears to lure older folks over to the McBush camp from Obama.. This will not work. They probably weren't for Hil either. Nov 4 will soon be here, and JMcbush is going to wish that he had not tangled into the negative web. Vote after vote for Obama will stop this 8 year crisis and we will be able to turn the page to the change we can believe will save our homes, bring our troops home, save SS payments and our healthcare in the reach out to restoration of USA.

[rose london]

The Clitons lived in a bubble. What they don't realiased or failed to accept is that Mccain is using them, Mccain will lose the election and the Clitons will have no respect from the people. And those 18millions they bragged about have had the oppourtunity to see the worst side of the clitons (most of them are republicans anyway, thanks to rush limburg).

WE ARE NOT STUPID!!!!!! THERE IS NO WAY MCCAIN WILL ALLOW ANYONE IN HIS CAMPAING TO USE THE CLIUTONS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE CLITONS. THE SECREAT MEETING BETWEEN HILLARY'S BROTHER AND MCCAINS HIGH LEVEL SURROGATE WAY BACK AROUND JULY AUGUST SUGGESTTED THIS WAS WHAT WAS BEEN PLANNED. AND NOW EXECUTED..FIRST HILLARY WAS USED IN ADS BY THE MCCAIN AGAINST OBAMA, THEN BILL.
IT WON'T WORK...WE ARE NOT STUPID!!!!!!.
OBAMA WILL WIN...AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE THE CLITONS GO TO THERE PRIVATE LIBRARY ...2012 FORGET IT HILLARY..YOU'VE BLOWN IT...NO WONDER WHY OBAMA CHOOSE BIDDEN..THANK GOD FOR THAT...GOOD JUDGEMENT...GOOD LEADERSHIP ..THANK GOD..WE WILL SOON BE FREE FROM LYING, GREEDY, SELF ABSORBED POLITICIANS.

[frenchie25]

ENOUGH

Bill Clinton left office with the longest boom in US history still intact.

During the eight years of his presidency, the economy expanded by 50% in real terms, and by the end of his tenure the US had a gross national product of $10,000B - one quarter of the entire world economic output!

The unemployment rate dropped by half, to 4%, a 40-year-low, while the economy created some 15 million jobs.

And then came Dubbya and the rest of the Repubs - including McCain - who insisted we invade a sovereign nation under completely false pretenses leaving us in as bad an economic situation as the Great Depression.

IMPEACH BUSH
OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[delsys]

That was the dot com bubble. Most of the companies went under.

Thousands of people were exterminated in Iraq. Obama said he would invade a country if it committed genocide. I hope Obama is right and you are wrong.

[Grace0727]

oooohhh I'm scared. This ad won't make a dent. Luckly, tomorrow I get to see Obama and president Clinton rally together in UCF ( Orlando) It's going to be great. I look forward to the Ad the Obama camp will use on Clinton for his support.

[unite4change]

This is a movie about voter fraud everyone should see. Watch it and pass it along to everyone you know.

http://www.freeforall.tv/

[foxbat]

That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

To some extent, I think this is likely to strengthen Obama's position should he win the presidency. He will be able to have made a clean break of the Clintons and will have ushered in his own age of Democratic leadership. It's not that he needs to, but without a Clinton shadow hanging on him, whatever path he blazes will be his own. History won't be able to say that he only won the election because of the Clintons. It will instead show that he won OVER the Clintons and in spite of the Clintons. It will show that he was able to withstand the Rovian onslaught. It will show that he had one of the most disciplined campaigns ever run. It will show that he caused a senior politician who had been a stalwart of of the Senate and a previous presidential candidate to self-destroy an image that he spent years trying to hone. It will show that at a very young age, he could be the quintessential 21st century politician. And all of that will be BEFORE the inauguration, if he is elected.

[truth2008]

Mcsame voted GUILTY in Clinton's impeachment hearing!

[wdw101]

glad to hear that.....one more reason to vote McCain

[Nonpartay]

So, the last 8 years have been good for you then? Well, even if that's the case, you might consider the rest of us who have been struggling. Just because it's been good for you doesn't mean it's been good for a whole lot of other people. You might consider that when you vote for more of this mess.
BTW, you might also consider the over 4,000 families of those killed in Iraq when you vote and ask yourself if you want more people to die, because your buddy seems to be champing at the bit for a war and amazingly, so does his running mate. The candidate who has a strategy for peace, the candidate the rest of the world loves and respects, is much more likely not to involve us in dishonorable, deceitful, and immoral wars and just might restore our standing in the world. You might just consider this, if you wouldn't mind.

[duze]

Lie unless your filthy rich, living on your own island, don't need health insurance,
security, food, clothing or gas. Live crime free and will never have to worry about facist governments taking everything you have, the last 8 years have been just as much hell for you as it has been for the rest of us.

[grrrfren]

I think Bill is working with Mc Cain to defeat Obama

[sposton]

Bush is the worst person who ever lived in the White House! Second place goes to Bill Clinton. If McCain wins he will beat them both. ;-)

[GingersPawPaws]

Anyone with any intelligence can see why that was made..McCain backed bush 90% of the time we are now in this Mess
Clinton is Backing Obama so now the blame will be placed on him to make Obama look bad
if they believe that they need to go work on the bridge to NO WHERE
they are trying to get the negative focus off Bush and McCain
PIGS

[wdw101]

good and it is working

[rock2casbah]

It is not working. Obama has 330 electoral votes to McCain's 220 probable electoral votes.
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/

We are getting in landslide territory here with 375+ considered a landslide. Yet you say McCain's tactics are working?

He's on average ahead in the double digits now at around 51-41
We will keep working for an Obama win like he was 10 points behind though until November 5th.
http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

[JackLivigni]

Pathetic. So, the fault is the Democrats... that is before the Republicans took over half way through Clinton's 8 years in the White House... So, republican control of Congress for over a decade had nothing to do with it...

[wdw101]

both are to blame.......

[Americanium]

Good ad...I hope they run it a lot in upstate New York.

I also hope that whoever decides to run in the New York Senate Primary uses it and the many others against you know who.

[kellygrrrl]

Sweet Jeebus! Make it STOP!!!!!!!!