Obama: "We Don't Throw the First Punch, But We'll Throw the Last"

In Asheville, NC, this afternoon, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., made a statement about today's bleak economic news, hammered Sen. John McCain's campaign tactics, and refused to answer questions about McCain's role in the Keating 5 Scandal -- which his campaign is discussing quite a bit -- before getting into his car and speeding off to get some barbecue at 12 Bones Smokehouse.

...

Said Obama: "One of the things we've done during this campaign: we don't throw the first punch, but we'll throw the last. Because if the American people don't get the information that is relevant about these candidates and instead in the last four weeks all they are hearing about are smears and Swift Boat tactics that can have an impact on the election. We have seen it before, and this election is too important to be sitting on the sidelines. If Senator McCain wants to focus on the issues then that is what we focus on. But if Senator McCain wants to have a character debate that is one that we're willing to have."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[DWP]

Good I hate to see it all get so negative, but in the last few elections the Democrats have been slow to respond to negative ads. It did not work. Obama is a good basket ball player. He knows to keep in clean until the other player strats playing dirty. Watch out McCain. Those of us who support Obama are not going to take it. We will all get on the phones and start calling in person to counter man these negative ads. You don't have the organization or money we do.

[bfbenn]

Has anyone read the comments over at the ABC web site? Way scary - these people are absolutely frothing at the mouth! And of course, it's nothing more than the same old smear tactics - probably a preview of what's to come this month from the McCain campaign.
A big thanks to the moderators on this site - at least the trolls are somewhat controlled over here!

[jdmba]

I hope this shuts up all the pundits and so-called experts who told Obama to act like McSame and just get mad and yell. People stop listening when you're always yelling. Obama talks softly and carries a big stick.

Oh, and you KNOW he's from Chicago when he says, "Don't take the first punch but take the last." That is old school knowledge, right there.

[DonDavis]

Debates, Part III: Please Barack, Take Off the Gloves, and Throw These Five Knockout Punches
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=3782

[harriscrl3]

I LOVE this part

"But if Senator McCain wants to have a character debate that is one that we're willing to have."

John McCain doesnt want to have a character debate. He has his own TERRORIST ties and racism. If he is smart he focus on the economy. But alas either way John McCain is going to get Hammered. Its a matter of being hammered with honor or being hammered and being a souless dishonorable has been.

Carol

[jeffp26]

This is a little ditty David Axelrod learned in High School: (I know, I was there );

We're Stuyvesant High School,
We're the best,
We're better than the other,
If you don't believe it,
F-word your mothers!!!!

He who punches last winsQQQ

[blondieS]

With the substantial mess created during the last 8 years by the "culture of corruption and greed" forever identified with this administration, it's apparent that whoever is elected in November will spend most of the first term dealing with a mop-up operation. Agenda of both candidates will likely be preempted by the significant issues forced on the American people by the failed policies and practices of the Bush administration. The financial crisis on Wall Street and the credit and housing debacle affecting Main Street will force the President-elect to prioritize and likely shift a position or two that may be incapatable with the current status in the current economic dynamic. That being said, I believe that the election must hinge on the candidate who has exemplified character, creativity and temperment. The issues are complex and global, and our new leader must have the intelligence and direction to change the status quo.

[mutedphotos]

Completely agree, but McCain's promise of a complete spending freeze on everything but defense and veteran issues scares the life out of me. I know we need to cut spending, but with a sickening healthcare system, schools falling behind, and the environment choking, if there's anything we really can't afford, it's ignoring these problems.

[mutedphotos]

Finally a democrat with a backbone. But we need to be preemptive here! The ad about McCain wanting to "turn the page," and the recent common from a McCain aide about how "if we talk about the economy we lose" needs to be repeated everywhere 24/7 so that when McCain ramps up his negative attacks in the weeks to come people will see them for what they really are: the shameful acts of a desperate man!

[rich3324]

McBush is just a bully. Smack him and he'll cry and go away. I hope the MSM starts picking up on the story in the lastest Rolling Stone about him.

[JonStewart4President]

Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Obama's team clearly had this Keating 5 thing ready and in their back pocket. They had the website, the mini-movie all made and ready to use. And yet they didn't. When others around them were yelling about how Obama's team needed to bring it up to "get," McCain, they didn't. They let him hang himself with his own rope with bad decisions, erratic behaviour and Palin showing herself for the empty wind-up doll she is. And then when McCain inevitably went to the nuclear option in the playbook, they rolled out with this information the next day.

I'd read on a blog that Obama is playing chess when others are playing checkers, this really does seem like it.

Well done and well played. Check and hopefully by Nov. 4th, mate.

[rightbackatyou]

BRAVO, Obama is our new Commander and Chief of this great United States of America.

President and First Lady Obama

Obama/Biden 08

[planmeister]

I assume this Keating 5 mini-documentary will be running in rotation on "Obama" [DishNet Channel 73, all Obama all the time].

What! You didn't know Barack Obama has his own TeeVee channel now? If you subscribe to DishNet, check it out!

Obama/Biden '08!!!

[PitbullCatcher]

THAT OCTOBER SURPRISE IS HERE !!!!! .

BAMMM!!!

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[poco767c]

WOWZER!, is there any way to corroborate this? it is an interesting read.

[Rog49Thomas]

Not only throw the punch but beat their blooming brains in.

[sheridare]

Ohhhh how I hope McCain's swift-boat tactics don't get him anywhere; if they do, America may have passed the point of no return.

[barackobama4prez]

"Race is still a powerful force in this country. Any African American candidate, or any Latino candidate, or Asian candidate or woman candidate confronts a higher threshold in establishing himself to the voters ... Are some voters not going to vote for me because I'm African American? Those are the same voters who probably wouldn't vote for me because of my politics."

BARACK OBAMA, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 11, 2006

[robXdion]

That was until he met the PUMAs: white Democrats opposed to him even though they agree with his politics. They just don't want to see a black man leading them.

[bfbenn]

PUMAs?
Seems like they've pretty much faded into the woodwork (or, more accurately, sunk back into the slime from whence they came).
I don't think they ever existed in significant numbers - it was a media invention!

[harriscrl3]

THen they dont support his politics they are FAKE democrats real democrats know that Racism is how they divide us. So Obama is right. Being a democrat means respect for diversity. They belong with republicans and probably always were.

Carol

[sonoffestus]

Racism is "Party Blind".