McCain Back On Campaign Trail For Georgia Senator Chambliss

ATLANTA — Republican John McCain implored Georgia voters Thursday to back Sen. Saxby Chambliss in next month's runoff, warning that Democrats will increase taxes and cut defense spending and the GOP needs to strengthen its ranks.

"I didn't think I'd be back on the campaign trail quite this early," McCain told some 1,500 people in his first political appearance since losing the presidency to Barack Obama last week. "But there is a lot at stake here. ... I'm asking you to go into battle one more time."

Chambliss failed to cross the 50 percent threshold and faces a Dec. 2 rematch with Democrat Jim Martin. Georgia's election results were certified Thursday and the final tallies show Chambliss falling just short, with 49.8 percent of the vote. Martin earned 46.8 percent and Libertarian Allen Buckley, also in the race, pulled 3.4 percent.

His voice rising, McCain told the crowd that Chambliss, a first-term senator, "is doing what we Republicans should have done for eight years and that's restrain spending." And in a commentary on his Election Day loss, the Arizona senator added, "We let spending get out of control and it cost us a lot of our conservative base."

McCain cited recent comments by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., about possible cuts in military spending and alluded to Obama's plan to raise taxes on families making more than $250,000 a year.

"We're in two wars. We can't cut defense spending," McCain said.

After his brief remarks, the former Republican presidential nominee stepped into the crowd to shake hands with the GOP faithful at the Cobb Energy Center. After the rally, McCain planned to attend a private fundraiser for Chambliss.

In addition to Georgia, Senate races in Minnesota and Alaska remain unresolved. Sen. Norm Coleman leads in Minnesota in a race headed to a statewide recount. Democrat Mark Begich took an 814-vote lead against Sen. Ted Stevens as votes were still being counted in Alaska. Not matter what the outcome, Senate Democrats would have 55 seats with two independents who caucus with the party.

For McCain, the appearance marked return to the political arena after his lost. In his first postelection interview on the "Tonight Show" earlier this week, McCain praised his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and did little to pass the blame for his resounding loss.

Democrats greeted McCain's arrival in Georgia with an Internet spot reviving remarks the Arizona senator made in condemning a tough ad Chambliss used in his 2002 campaign against Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, a triple amputee wounded in Vietnam. The ad questioned Cleland's national security credentials and flashed a picture of Osama bin Laden.

"I've never seen anything like that ad," McCain, a Vietnam prisoner of war, said in 2003. "Putting pictures of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden next to a picture of a man who left three limbs on the battlefield, it's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible."

Martin suggested McCain's visit will have little impact.

"The issue is not between Jim Martin and John McCain, we're both Vietnam veterans that's not the issue," Martin told reporters. "The issue is Jim Martin vs Saxby Chambliss, Jim Martin's approach to the economy vs. Saxby economics that's got us in this terrible financial crisis."

Georgia's last Senate runoff was in 1992 when Democratic Sen. Wyche Fowler earned more votes on the general election but went on to lose to Republican Paul Coverdell in a runoff.

Comments

[Fotios]

Here's a video of the al gore/jim martin event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnyJj0SktT8

[freddie11]

I doubt Republicans have learned a lesson from the presidential campaign that vicious slam ads usually backfire.
McCain's attack ads received litle applause. An Elizabeth Dole's horrid ad against Kay Hagan attending "godless" fundraisers probably cost her that NC senate seat.
I, for one, am glad to see the demise of the Republican Party as is stands. The evangelicals who rally around hate mongers like Palin are no more Christian in their daily pursuits than say, my cat.
I hope Bush, Cheney, Palin, Gingrich, Phil Gramm, McCain, etal have destroyed their party for years to come.

[bluguy8]

please--=he is so out of it he doesn't remember from one minute to another

[klosskid]

"... it's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible." And John McCain is now a full-fledged member of the same club.

[mphalen]

"We're in two wars. We can't cut defense spending," McCain said."

Then why did we cut taxes? The defense spending they need to cut is the money they are wasting on private contractors.

McCain has no honor. And he is no hero.

[prog]

I don't care about his "gracious" concession speech. McCain is a tool. He has no soul and no conscious.

Thank all that is holy that he lost.

[thevealchop]

Isn't this the same Chambliss who McCain claimed was reprehensible for a 2002 campaign ad attacking Max Cleland? Yup. I've met Cleland and he is a GREAT man. Sorry I can't say the same about Chambliss, or -- for that matter -- McCain, right now. McCain has forgotten who he is and what he stands for.

[mnkors]

GOP"the party that loves men with multiple deferments¦Hence the GOP is loved back by the lower-back-cyst Limbaugh and likes
As for McCain, he simply exposes his true self. - Playboy.

[sak]

This is yet another example of how low McCain will stoop to garner support in the right wing Republican camp. He is now supporting the same man who trashed Max Cleland (triple amputee from Vietnam war) years ago and suggested he supported Hussein and bin Laden. Chambliss has no honor, nor has McCain. I can only hope that Chambliss gets beat badly.

[jqcitizen]

McCain certainly knows how to pick winners. First Palin and now Chambliss.

He no doubt hopes the convicted criminal, Ted Stevens, gets to join Coleman (MN) with him in the Senate.

These 4 deserve each other, but the country would be better off without any of them in Congress.

[hypocritesonallsides]

So McCain said back in 2003 "it's worse than disgraceful, it's reprehensible" of an ad that Sen. Chambliss ran against his opponent and now he is campaigning for him!!!
Four months ago the Obama"s called HRC a racist. Last week Mrs. Obama was calling her to ask for advice for her daughters!!!

[lj9283]

Mr. McCain has become an advocate for the re-election of Saxby Chambliss, a man who got elected by slandering a fellow Vietnam veteran, and practicing the politics of fear.

Saxby Chambliss' slander victim was a man who served his country with honor, and suffered great pain from injuries received from that honorable service.

Saxby Chambliss only recently stated that those vile adverts were "fair".

Where is your honor , Mr. McCain?

It is sad to see Mr. McCain turn into some old political hack.

[jmpurser]

Of course McCain's a maverick. You can't brand a snake.

[JerryTheAngel]

Using McCain and Palin logic, this means that McCain is a also a reprehensible and disgusting person. Be consistent here McCain. Guilt by Association.

[thaggas]

Dear Sen. McCain,
I always thought you were different and special. Whenever someone bad-mouthed politicians, I tried to make the point of saying, "except John McCain." I'm starting to think I was wrong. I thought that after the election we could see your old self, but instead I'm troubled by what I see. How can you, sir, a decorated war hero stand with someone as unpatriotic as Saxby Chambliss? What he did to Max Cleland was (in your words) reprehensible and unforgivable. But now I see that your ties to your political party are more important than those tied to your service. I keep hearing "Country First" but I haven't been seeing it. I expected more from you and to say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I doubt this letter will ever find its way to your hands, but in the off-chance it does I hope you can take a fresh look a John McCain as I have done.

Take care,
T. Haggas