Final Debate: McCain Brings Up Ayers, ACORN

McCain goes where he hasn't before in a debate: Bill Ayers. "We need to know the full extent of that relationship," he declares. Then he accuses the community organizing group ACORN of committing, potentially, "one of the greatest frauds of voter history in this country, maybe destroying the fabric of democracy in this country."

It is a wild accusation, not grounded in any bit of reality. Just asked Florida Gov. and McCain surrogate Charlie Christ, who says the allegation is being overblown.

Obama responds by explaining his relationship with Ayers: "Bill Ayers is a professor of education in Chicago. 40 years ago when I was eight years old he engaged in despicable acts with a domestic group. I have roundly denounced those attacks. Ten years ago he and I served on a school board funded by one of Ronald Reagan's close friends ... The fact that this has become such an important part of your campaign," he concludes, "says more about your campaign than it does me."

McCain glared and smirked during the exchange.

Here's Maude Hurd, of ACORN, responding to McCain's accusations:

"We appreciate that Senator McCain's effort to stir up the Republican base by attacking a community group that is trying to increase public participation in our democratic processes. However, these attacks reflect an increasingly panicky candidate; unfortunately the Senator McCain we saw tonight is very different than the Senator McCain who stood shoulder to shoulder with ACORN at a February 20, 2006 immigration reform event.

It is clear for us to see that John McCain was for ACORN before he was against ACORN; he was for reform before he was against reform; and he was a maverick before he became erratic. What is really going here is that Senator McCain and his allies are part of a coordinated effort to engage in what appears to be an unprecedented effort to suppress voter turnout."

Comments

[TN]

It was printed that Palin was encouraging McCain to do the Ayers schtic, has the man no mind of his own. He listens to a bunch of losers, whose gig is up. From his lobbyists,to Rove, lieberman, Dobson of For the Family fame, to Palin. No sir, you are not acceptable for the position of the Pres. of the US of A. The people you chose to advise you are soo over.

[FACINGREALIT]

Obama called out McCain way before any republican could have because he wanted him to be stupid enough to say it on national tv so as to cease the Palin rhetoric. When Obama named their beloved Reagan and all the other republicans on that board it was game, set - match in front of the millions of viewers he would have never reached w/o a national ad. The republicans are trying to run a rovian election against someone who is not like them - the politics are different/the man is different/the same ole same ole won't work.

As a matter of fact, if you rewatch the debate - Obama brings up the palling around comment - McCain had tried to dodge the issue twice.

[cornagainstsorcery]

My campaign is really about that, but it is not really about that, it is about this (but when I say this I really mean that). Oh, did I say my campaign was about this or that? What this campaign is really about is the other thing. Yes, the other thing is what this campaign is really about. And by the way, let me just mention, that. Because that, this, and the other thing, one of these is really what all this is about, this campaign, really. Because I won't raise taxes.

Thud.

[WendyInCA]

I love this - that's exactly what it sounded like to me! Thank you for such an accurate representation.

[ELGRITO]

Obama forgot to mention the other "radical" things that come out of the Annenberg Foundation, like naming hospitals after RONALD REAGAN!

http://www.today.ucla.edu/news/070829_medical-center-gift/

[One Two Three]

http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=107&ArticleName=Final+Debate%3a+Live+Analysis

[lgg]

Why doesn't Obama just mention G. Gordon Liddy?

[CTtransplant]

Or Timmons - you know...the guy he hired as his transition adviser - who worked as a lobbyist for Saddam Hussein...­..

[FACINGREALIT]

Because the people he is trying to reach (Independents) don't like negative politics, they want to hear about the issues. Not going negative has gotten Obama this far - every other candidate that went negative is watching the debate - not participating. The politics of ole doesn't work this election cycle - it's a new day!

[noamjunior]

The fact that tat McCain spoke very positively about ACORN only two years ago basically shows he is willing to take any position if he thinks it will benefit him in the short term, a very dangerous and undesireable trait for a president
(if you have any doubts- see the last 8 years for reference)

[MarcoEsquandolas]

great moment when talking about school vouchers..­.mccain rattles off some story and says 'i'm frankly surprised you didn't pay more attention to that example.'
barack immediately responds wish his mouth in an 'ooh' - either, ok, i heard that and won't even dignify and/or i'm going to stand up and knock you out right now.

[Aurin]

McCain is the Kimbo Slice of the GOP

[lgg]

uhmmm....K­TFO in 14 seconds?

[Aurin]

Yes. Exactly...
All Hype, All Talk. No Substance

[GuyFawkes]

The whole Ayres and ACORN thing was a transparent distraction, but it showing up at the debate was the most anticlimactic fizzle of the night. It seemed like a waste of five minutes to me, since McCain had nothing further to offer that wasn't said before, going back to the primaries. I thought he was going to drop some bombshell, but it was a bunch of nothing.

[mcpalin]

I'm grateful for the "distraction". Thanks to Sarah Palin for convincing McCain it was a good idea, thanks to Bob Schieffer for giving him an opening, and a special shoutout to John McCain for being stupid/vain enough to take the bait after the Obama campaign goaded him into the trap.

With a huge audience, an attack honed in advance, the topic on a silver platter, McCain launched his entire arsenal at Obama, and it had all the resounding effect of an Iraqi scud attack. Dud after dud after dud. He was the least articulate enunciator of the "Obama is a secret terrorist" theory around, and only political junkies could have understood his attack. He gave Obama the perfect opportunity to logically pick apart his allegations, and threw in a gratuitous comment that he didn't really care about a washed up domestic terrorist. If its so unimportant, why should we get in a lather about it?

As for his outrage about Obama's negative attacks and failure to repudiate John Lewis' comments, he looked self absorbed, petty and petulant as he whined self-pityingly at length about the pinpricks and slights against him. And he gave Obama the perfect line to hit him with, the American people are not concerned with the candidates' hurt feelings, but with how they are hurting economically. Thanks, John McCain!

[Maschine]

MCCain,,,,,what a LOOOOSER.

[Oxfarm]

"Bill Ayers was my . . . . . . . . . . . . boyfriend!!"

Just kidding.

Spin from the McCain team about the Ayers relationship is amazing, someone demanding to know what Obama asked Bill Ayers when he found out that he was THE Bill Ayers. I would imagine one of his next questions was "Do you have the budget proposal for the XYZ grant?"

Just this week after listening to a local radio show I hit my state's Megans Law website, just wondering how it works. Lo and freaking behold, there is a registered sexual offender within the range of my block party invite list. I now know this bit of history about this person to whom I am not buddy buddy close, but rather civil. We have a relationship rooted in our neighborhood connection, not his crime. I sure as **** am not going to ask him about this. I'm aware of it and while I don't like it at all, I have to balance that against the neighbor that I was introduced to and who has functioned in my community for the 20 years I've been here.

That's how you also get an Obama and Ayers connection. Guess people who need to pound on the table will just never understand that.

[Formeralaskangal]

Poor poor John McCain. He just doesn't get it. Sadly, we're going to be hearing more of the ACORN stuff and Ayers, and Rev. Wright, and terrorist, because that's all he's got. So very out of touch!

[Hedonist88]

McCain has proev beyond the shadow of doubt that he simply can not handle pressure.
His strategy unravels, his face is a dead giveaway from a mile off, and his train of thought gets derailed and crashes right through the Straight Talk Express.

Who is left to back him up ? Sarah Palin? scary thought

[Jaradan]

McCain reminds me of the chick who uses the "windmill" fighting technique.­.a lot of arm flailing and energy exertion but landing no punches. He leveled about 4 attacks at Obama in the space of 1 minute. "He's buddies with Ayers, donates to ACORN...oh you don't care? Well, he will tax you, tax you, tax you!!! But hey, my campaign is about improving the economy."

Pathetic.

[mlaiuppa]

McCain says all of the "details" need to be known about Obama....y­et NONE of the details are to be released about himself or Palin? More Republican doublestandards.