McCain Planning 'Fiercely' Negative Campaign In Final Days

John McCain and his Republican allies are "readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations," several top Republicans told the Washington Post.

With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama. The Arizonan's campaign is also eager to move the conversation away from the economy, an issue that strongly favors Obama and has helped him to a lead in many recent polls.

"We're going to get a little tougher," a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. "We've got to question this guy's associations. Very soon. There's no question that we have to change the subject here," said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity. [...]

Moments after the House of Representatives approved a bailout package for Wall Street on Friday afternoon, the McCain campaign released a television ad that challenges Obama's honesty and asks, "Who is Barack Obama?" The ad alleges that "Senator Obama voted 94 times for higher taxes. Ninety-four times. He's not truthful on taxes." The charge that Obama voted 94 times for higher taxes has been called misleading by independent fact-checkers, who have noted that the majority of those votes were on nonbinding budget resolutions.

A senior campaign official called the ad "just the beginning" of commercials that will "strike the new tone" in the campaign's final days. The official said the "aggressive tone" will center on the question of "whether this guy is ready to be president."

The Obama campaign painted the Post story as evidence that the McCain campaign is trying to disregard the country's serious economic challenges in favor of personal attacks on Obama:

"On a day after we learned that America lost three-quarters of a million jobs this year and a week after our financial system teetered on the brink of collapse, John McCain and his campaign have announced that they want to 'turn the page' on the economic crisis facing working families and spend the last month of this election launching dishonest, dishonorable character attacks against Barack Obama. We understand that it's not easy for John McCain to defend the worst economic record of our lifetime, but he will have to explain to the people struggling to pay their bills and stay in their homes why he would rather spend his time tearing down Barack Obama than laying out a plan to build up our economy," said Obama-Biden Spokesman Bill Burton.

Obama's team also released this web ad hammering McCain over the new job loss numbers:

Comments

[Hawaii4Obama]

Love this quote:

“Desperation is like stealing from the Mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention.”



Let's go for a double-digit lead!!

[saun8934]

I can only hope the american people are not as dum as the rethugs are hoping you are!!! This is all a desperate attempt to assasinate O's character. KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5 KEATING 5. Don' t be fooled people!

[TongoRad]

I think this Newsweek article should be front page material in terms of Palin/McCain's loathsome smear tactics:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/162380

Palin: "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country," said told donors at a private airport in Englewood, Colo. Palin echoed the line later in Carson, Calif., and Costa Mesa, Calif."

[jteschke]

Hit him with Keating. Hit her with corruption, tax evasion, and support for secessionism. McCain's guy Scheunemann should also be attacked as a traitor who helped start a war by using his Georgian client to shore up McCain's failing campaign. We don't even need to lie. The reality is negative enough for these fascist bits of excrement. We should make it so it will be difficult for McCain to show his face in the Senate. We should also go after the regime for its entire record of criminality once we win the election.

[theseeker88]

For months Mccain has said he wanted to have a campaign that was positive, that spoke to the issues America cares about. It's apparent this is just one more thing McCain, the lead player of the Keating Five, has either flipped on or just plain lied about.

What a waste!

For the next 31 days our nation must endure the stench of McCain's desperation as we watch the last of his integrity circle the bowl.

Frankly, I would prefer to watch paint dry.

[RatgurlSD]

At 72, he doesn't have much to lose.

[whizkid]

These aren't lies and smears.
They're actual photos and videos of documented associates.
You've bravely ignored them for months.

[boymom]

Desperado. Why don't you come to your senses?

[seanseamour]

Running a vile negative campaign is the only way forward left to the ticket as they cannot honestly address the issues we all want to hear.
To all the Republicans out there, surely you cannot aspire to let this ticket reach the White House, it would be cause for reckless endangerment of your fellow citizens to facilitate such an outcome.
Surely those conservatives like me who are proud of our the values and traditions can be disgusted by the Rovian hijack of our societal perspective.
Surely conservatives of this badly Bush/Cheney battered party cannot further discredit their heritage with the mediocre spectacle offered.
If you agree with the above, if you agree that the democratic process allows for alternate party governance, allow the Republican party to regroup while discarding those that have corrupted its values.
If you are not yet quite sure I invite you to read the extensive article "Make-Believe Maverick" by Tim Dickinson. www.rollingstone.comm] http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain/page/1
Even if you only accept a small part of this investigative report, after this you will understand the duplicitous and mischievous often vile construct of John McCain's campaign.

[LeaderofMen]

Yawn. Digging up OLD debunked news, old man?

[boogygran]

Mc'ain's trolls are witless and worthless, and do not merit any response to their mindless blathering.

O'bama/B'iden for America!!

[freshnotbitter]

The negative attacks on Obama will all concern the effort to paint Obama as outside the mainstream

Obama had to appoint a dried up establishment empty suit like Biden to prove that he is mainstream, he voted for the Wall Street bail out to show that he loves rich people, and he needs to continue with this kind of appalling behavior so that the attacks that are coming will not have much effect.

Obama's campaign needs to have all these empty suits and plutocrats lined up to back up Obama's All-American cred when the time comes because he will not be able to withstand these attacks by himself.

No doubt they will oblige considering the alternative is McCain who is half nuts.

[JerryG1]

The Republican campaign message to America is:
Be afraid. Be very afraid.

But - we are AMERICANS.
And we are not afraid.

[Liberoservative]

This is news?

He's been campaigning on negativity for months.......

I can only hope that the "undecideds" are innoculated by now.......

His negative campaign tactics won't sway a single Obama/Biden supporter.... we have done our homework and we have found out that these slurs are meaningless

[coolkraft]

McCain has been nothing but negative running a nasty negative campaign and showing his lack of class, stature and intelligence during his rude debate appearance...I think Americans are smarter and less likely to pay attention to any new nasty negative garbage...I for one am sick of it and also these "supposed" debates...they are press discussions....nothing more...debating is an art with two people giving different opinions and reasons for those opinions...debating is now one big joke

[Siren]

The Nation has a great NEW article: McCains Ties to the Kremlin
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081020/ames_berman

Rick Davis and his firm and McCain are deeply involved in Russian control of Montenegro, if there is a buck to made you know, Control of Ukrain tha the silent Orange Revolution which Davis helped to undo much to the satisfaction of Putin. And remember Lady Rothschild? Well her wealthey hubby is a part of this Russian monopoly game involving McCain, Davis and a wealthy Russian Aluminum tycoon.

The day McCain was photographed in Montenegro getting on the yacht with a convicted felon, the yacht of said Russsian Aluminum tycoon was in the harbor, and he and McCain met as well.