McCain calls Obama insensitive to poor people

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Sunday called Democratic rival Barack Obama insensitive to poor people and out of touch on economic issues.

The GOP nominee-in-waiting rapped his Democratic rival for opposing his idea to suspend the tax on fuel during the summer, a proposal that McCain believes will particularly help low-income people who usually have older cars that guzzle more gas.

"I noticed again today that Sen. Obama repeated his opposition to giving low-income Americans a tax break, a little bit of relief so they can travel a little further and a little longer, and maybe have a little bit of money left over to enjoy some other things in their lives," McCain said. "Obviously Sen. Obama does not understand that this would be a nice thing for Americans, and the special interests should not be dictating this policy."

The Arizona senator deflected questions about his record on the Bush administration's tax cuts _ he initially opposed them but now supports extending them _ by again criticizing Obama.

"Sen. Obama wants to raise the capital gains tax, which would have a direct effect on 100 million Americans," McCain said. "That means he has no understanding of the economy and that he is totally insensitive to the hopes and dreams and ambitions of 100 million Americans who will be affected by his almost doubling of the capital gains tax."

In an interview with "Fox News Sunday," Obama said McCain "not only wants to continue some of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations, he actually wants to extend them, and he hasn't told us really how he's going to pay for them. It is irresponsible. And the irony is he said it was irresponsible."

Obama also said he would not raise the capital gains tax higher than it was under President Reagan and added, "I'm mindful that we've got to keep our capital gains tax to a point where we can actually get more revenue."

Comments

[MadJeffersonian]

Funny coming from this rich hypocrite who is flying around in his wife's jet on the cheap, all the while hiding all of his assets in her name.

You old PRICK!

[Dave1955]

This accusation is typical Republican behavior in the style of Karl Rove - don't attack your opponent's weakness, attack his strength.

The thought of the richest of the candidates attacking the poorest (and the only one who has ever known real poverty) as being insensitive to poor people is ludicrous. But then, the thought of attacking the candidate who had won the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and three Purple Hearts as unpatriotic was also ludicrous, but it worked.

So Obama needs to fight back and expose this lie for what it is, or else he'll get swift-boated over this.

More importantly, he needs to start attacking McCain's perceived strengths. I'm not advocating that Obama start to make stuff up (like the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for truth did), but I am advocating that he hit McCain on his image as a maverick, by showing how he has toed the party line; and attacking his reputation as a straight-talker by exposing his flip-flops on tax cuts and long-term presence in Iraq,

[Rustomji84]

McCain, you and HRC are giving false hope. Neither of you can lower the gas tax ,without the legislation and Presidential approva.

Both are playing with smoke and mirror

ROY R

[NetProphet]

Insensitive to poor people???!!! Right....and I suppose we're going to hear MORE ABOUT the
"compassionate conservative" John McCain......OOOOPS, that was Bush that said that.

John McCain.....more of the same!

[PaigeInPhilly]

Obama...a man who just paid off his STUDENT LOANS!!!!..like what?..5-6yrs ago?

Oh yeh...hes soooo far removed from us common folks (like me...still paying student loans..)

screw McCain....his ivory tower will crumble.

[ginsburg]

I am sure Obama will win the battle for the nokination but he will lose the war. Mc Cain shows so much better judgment than B.O. McCain will get many of the Clinton supppoters and for the most part Republicans will stick by him. The young, elite and blacks will vote for B.O. Mc Cain will get the rest.

[JJaye]

Wow, since John McCain has been on his "Poor People's" tour, he now understands their plight. Dude, there is no way you can understand even agerage people's problem. When you have to decide which bill is more important to pay now or a little later because you have to buy your kids shoes or fill your gas tank or buy groceries, then you can talk. These people kill me with the things that come out of their mouths. He doesn't even have a clue - how could he - he lives in a bubble with his Beer Heiress wife and he has the audacity to accuse Barack Obama of not understanding. I think Barack & Michelle Obama has a firmer grip on "regular folk" than Grandpa ever will. Comical McCain.

[Rothgar]

Let's see trying to cut 18.4 cents off the price of gas qualifies has a great help. Let's see that would bring the price of Gas back down to around 3.41 per gallon (that used to be a record).
Then we can watch more dillapidated bridges falling apart because we cut the highway taxes revenues that pay to repair bridge. Not to mention how many highway construction jobs get cut.
There's a plan.
Wonder what ending the occupation of Iraq would do (can anyone say $1.47 gas)?
If this is GOP compassion, Please, we've had enough.

[Dansden]

Now, now,...let's put John McCain's dismissive comments regarding Sen. Obama in proper perspective......
INSENSITIVITY....as a quality for John McCain:
1. To his second wife whom he DISMISSED quickly so he could marry 'Hooter Cindy' whose
financial ASSets were even larger than her physical 'assets'
2. To our American TROOPS who he would leave to die in Iraq for 100 years or until some Republican
took over ALL THE OIL ASSETS THERE.....
3. To the crowd of 1,000 in New Orleans recently when JOHN MCBUSH had the ONLY TWO
AFRICAN-AMERICANS in the whole crowd stand behind Johnnie for the PHOTO OP
4. To the American MIDDLE-CLASS whom Johnnie BLAMED for the MORTGAGE MELTDOWN...!
5. To the REAL Christian community who genuinely seeks world peace and justice rather than the
religious/Republican ideologue, John Hagee, who disguises himself as a Christian as he foments
division and hatred between cultures and races in the name of religion.....


John McCain

[amber09]

I had respect for McCann until these last remarks. I'm a white women 65 and on medicare. I have read both of Obama's books and his life and how he thinks and feels. I suggest that McCann read his books and all people before they have a right to judge him. Obama is an honorable man. Hiss Mother at time on food stamps. I dare say he knows more than anyone how poor feels! He chose community work amoung the poor vs. a big shot law firm! The attacks on Obama are so un-fair! McCann said he would run an honorable campaign...Guess just another lieing politician!

[americanwomaninpa]

in the book I read he said that he grew up in his mothers middle class family.

[spyder03]

So McCain understands the poor now, he understands how to screw them , he voted against extending unemployment benefits to th displaced workers after Katrina hit, in March of this year when the senate was voting to increase food stamps, extend unemployment benefits for the workers whose unemployment ran out with the senate version of the stimulus package, only one Senator did not show up to vote out of the 100 and it was John McCain, actions speak louder then his words,McCain has done nothing to show he cares about the working class or the poor in this country and GOD knows he has had enough chances to do something about it and like his buddy BUSH he has failed.

[PaigeInPhilly]

here here!

I wish folks would take a CLOSER look at the voting records of the people running for Pres...

OH by the way he VOTED AGAINS reinstatement of CHIP (childrens health care insurance)...which are for poor kids..

oh yeh McCain is reeeely in touch!

voting records here:
http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270

Obama08!

[FortuneTeller]

"Sen. Obama wants to raise the capital gains tax, which would have a direct effect on 100 million Americans," McCain said. Like the ones who can't afford the basics?????
Won't these poor unsuspecting people be suprised when they sell their ASSETS and find that they made $50K less due to taxes. John your head is in the clouds and you got there on your wife's corporate jet.

[bobwalters]

I think his head is somewhere else besides the clouds...and it's dark in there.

[lthuedk_1]

Fascism and communism hybridized = Neo Con = McCain.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/McBush.html

Republicans need to make an effort to educate themselves. They're missing everything, mainly history from a balanced perspective. They need to research totalitarianism, Strauss (+ Hitler), Kristol (Irving), and modern Marxist Neo Cons.

We can't have reasoned discourse with the uneducated. Turn off FOX Propaganda, Kristol, and Rove, and turn on new regions of the mind. Start thinking for yourselves and come back home.

[Binx101]

Even McCain can't be comfortable with the new lines they're feeding him.

We pushed back based on this article this morning diagnosing the problem with a link back here.

http://binx101.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/john-mccain-diagnosis/

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[rmreddicks]

Someone below said this McCain crap won't float. It will float. The shills who do the news will make it float until people let them know otherwise. You've seen the "news" people do it. Does anyone think they look to you as opposed to looking at their obscene paychecks? Paycheck in one hand, civic responsibility in the other Which wins?.

[yoli647]

McCain said Obama is insentative to the poor people, he married Cindy who has ($100 million or more). I can't wait for this Democratic campaign to ber over and let the debates begin. OBAMA '08

[MissingAmerica]

All this coming from a man who uses his pretty little wife's corporate jet, refuses to reveal her income tax status, and claims that the economy is booming. All this coming from a former POW who condones torturing detainees in American, for lack of a better word, death camps. McCain is old and bitter, and we must work to give Obama a win in November.

[ohnonotagain]

You know America is do what I say not what I do Black people. Senator Mccain and Senator Clinton are both jokes. We are in for a very bad time in America. If you think it is bad now, just wait, the entire pac, Senator Mccain, Senator Clinton, MSM, 527's, the Republican machine, The Clinton Machine, is not going to let anything Black related go without ridicule, because that is what America is made of. Notice how Senator Mccain and Senator Clinton even though they are suppose to be on opposite sides of the political spectrum the cling together when it comes to Senator Obama and race.

Since the beginning of this race, all I have heard is will the White Americans vote for him. NO the majority will not. Also, with Senator Obama being honest about clingy Americans which they know they do, he has just about lost everything. Americans do not like the truth, that is why this lie and this war and this present Administration are holding their heads high and still in power to do more destruction to this once Beautiful, Powerful, Successful Country.

[rmreddicks]

Why would anyone with "values" vote for a man who snatched himself up a "trophy wife"? Didn't work for Kerry. But I can see this bum getting away with it. Ketchup or beer?

[urbanscorpio88]

Ketchup, everytime.

[rmreddicks]

Yeah. I need a few vegetables myself.

[Mattjoe]

Prior to GeorgeDick seizing control of energy policy, the notion that the automakers would start mass-producing 400+ cubic inch gasoline engines again was considered ludicrous.

Consume. Consume. Consume baby. Hook, line, sinker.

Now Republicans equate a meager suspension of fuel tax, a virtual "sprinkling of bird crumbs in the park" with relief for the poor, oppositely critizing Obama's stance on Capital Gains? How do these two things end up in the same conversation? Absurd, in its utter worthlessness" and baseless correlation.

Last time I checked for example, the point of contention with middle class steel or auto workers who have lost their jobs or houses, stuck driving eight year old Dodge HEMI's ...was not how much Capital Gains tax they were paying/ not paying. Declaring CG not typically on they"re "to do" list Johnny " we simply can"t afford to buy Regular "Republican Blend" anymore.

If McCain has his finger on the pulse....I'd hate to see what passes for "out of touch".

[dayindalife]

reminds me of when I was a kid.
"I can't go to the beach,I'm broke"
Tell ya what,son,here's two bucks for the subway.
THANKS DAD!

[mariemburns]

This is preposterous. McCain is stumping in one of the richest cities in America -- Coral Gables -- & he's offering a completely irresponsible, pandering gas tax break that will further deplete funds available for repair to our broken infrastructure & he says Obama doesn't understand poor people. This guy is not ready for prime time & if Americans elect him, we are doomed to mediocrity.

[PaigeInPhilly]

mediocrity?..thats putting it mildly.

[dawlishgal]

LOL. McCAIN is giving the wealthy citizens of Coral Gables a rationale for voting for him....that they are, in their fine Christian charity, helping the poor people by not voting for Obama. How very Barbara Bush of him!

Just the price the rest of us have to pay for keeping the social Darwinism thing going...the idea that the rich are rich because God loves them much MUCH more than he loves the rest of us. Same way that God sent a younger, richer, blonder, more God-loved woman into McCain's life right at the point his wife was supposed to be reaping the rewards for her Godly patience in having waited for McCain during all those years while he was in that prison camp. Yes, God, does INDEED work in mysterious ways. Unless one is a Republican and a direct recipient of God's favors.

[realpolitic]

The conservatives believe in a Darwinistic economy where the rich prey on the poor, but not in a scientific Darwinism of natural selection to explain our origins. Their ideas of Christianity has warped the gospels into believing that Jesus has favored certain people by giving them wealth and abundance, as you say. I guess then if one is poor God has overlooked him, despite the message of the gospels.

[ShiyinGuan]

McCain makes me so mad. His proclamations are like fast food- easy to digest, satisfying, but ultimately lethal and full of sh*t. My econ professor JUST mentioned today that Obama's interest here is the environment; in fact, Obama has a better understanding of basic economic principles that McCain, who cannot look beyond the first step. McSenile, who has probably never picked up an econ book in his life, only sees the obvious and direct effect of gas tax cuts-greater affordability for low-income consumers. There's so much more to it, though- we have to consider the elasticity of demand of consumers, the effects on gas substitutes, working towards sustainable resources, etc- that Obama (and hopefully Clinton) are looking at. Weening America off gas is going to be painful, but it has to be done at some point. Too bad McCain makes his judgments based on the 5-neuron brain he has on loan from Bush.

[Ariadne]

McCain came from money, married money, and has no understanding of anything other than a life of privilege, good schools, and a real place at the table of the elites. McCain truly is one of those elites we're suppossed to not like.

[RanTheMan]

Did he say this before or after he called his VERY wealthy wife, at one of their EIGHT homes, from the private jet, and told her, "I love you mon...er...honey"?

[SmellTheHorse]

John McCain needs to pause, sit back, watch and learn from the Official Hillary Clinton "How to Destroy a Democratic Frontrunner Using G.O.P. Tactics" Playbook....For example, first thing, McCain should have his spouse go around claiming Obama's playing the race card on her...

[realpolitic]

Very good!

[hibbiejibbies]

Says the man with the millionaire wife...

[brownrl]

See...

This is exactly the kind of statements that John McCain will make and it only makes him look like a 100% FOOL! Any one who flies around on lear jets, has 8 1 million dollar + homes, and is married to a beer - aness such as Cindy should never, ever, never be able to call someone an elitist and out of touch.

It simply doesn't matter which Obama or Clinton win for the Dems. McCain is sillier than my monkey's uncle. However, Obama would be better... less lies, less scandals, plan to take back government!

After 8 years of a chimp in the White House I truly hope that Americans are not so dumb to put another idiot in charge.