McCain Camp Blasts "Shameless" Obama in Post-Debate Spin

OXFORD, Miss -- "The Bullet" looked downright angry with Sen. Barack Obama after Friday night's debate. Standing here in The Spin Room next to the debate auditorium, McCain strategist Steve Schmidt drew a larger clutch of reporters than other surrogates -- a vaunted list that included a former Secretary of State, several governors and even "America's mayor" -- and unloaded a double barreled attack on a "biased" press and a "shameless" Obama campaign.

"Shame on them," he thundered, striving for the higher ground against the campaign of Hope. "Shame on them!" he repeated, ticking off attacks by the Obama camp that he decried as "absolutely untrue," and blasting Obama as the gutless loser of the first debate. Obama agreed with McCain "eleven times," Schmidt said, which revealed a defensive posture.

Greg Craig, an Obama adviser who played the role of McCain during the campaign's debate prep, countered Schmidt from another corner of the room. He said that while Obama was confident enough to note where the candidates agreed, such as in assessing the Russian conflict, the "fundamental" disagreements on Middle East policy and the economy will settle the election. "I'd stack those [issues] up against 11 agreements," he added. Madeleine Albright picked up that theme, telling me that she had personal conversations with Henry Kissinger about engaging Iran at the highest diplomatic levels, which supported Obama's account during the debate.

The scene was all a bit surreal. The surrogates stood, flanked by operatives hoisting bright oversized campaign signs (Schmidt! Craig!) to draw in reporters, who then transmited the barbs back and forth. As this ritual played out inside, Obama jovially boarded his campaign bus and fist-bumped an aide, according to a pool report. A TV inside the bus was tuned to pundits parsing the debate on CNN, so Obama watched the scene unfolding back inside The Spin Room as he headed for Memphis.

--
Ari Melber a correspondent for The Nation, is traveling with the Obama campaign for The Washington Independent, where this piece first appeared. Twittering from the trail here.

Follow Ari Melber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AriMelber

Comments

[Oldchef]

Hmmn...this from a lobbyist , who, as of last month was still getting thousands of dollars from the mortgage industries that are part of the economic meltdown.

[Insearchoftruth]

I find interesting that the McCain campaign talks in terms of the "meaning of the facts", without concern for the facts. Obama campaign is concerned with detailing the facts and allowing for voters to arrive at their own meanings or conclusions. This distinction reveals differences in the campaignss' perception of voters. The McCain campaign doesn't trust voters with information. Instead they view voting as an emotional decision and ask voter's to relinquish their judgement and trust McCain. The premise is that the electorate is intellectually lazy and cannot or should not be trusted to make good decisions.

In contrast, the Obama campaign wants an enlightened and activated electorate, believing that this leads to shared responsibility, shared sacrifice, and collective action. It reveals a trust in the electorate with a hope that the electorate will trust him as well. These are very different ways of leading and governing.

[confusia]

oui. that was well said.

[customgreen]

Doesn't McCain tout all the crap about reaching acroos the isle? If that were so true why did he not agree with Obama at all? Doesn't sound like a person who is interested in any ideas from the other side. Obama to his credit was confident enough in himself, and his positions to agree on some basics which all Americans agree on. That shows leadership, where McCain shows petulence. To me it was perfect, it shows McCain as the static, stuck, myopic candidate that he is.

[PulSamsara]

Just LOOK around YOU !

Piss-Poor State-Craft...
A Bungled Economy...

Is this the America you remember growing up?
So where does the Buck Stop NOW ?

Why would America REWARD complete Republican failure ?

We wont.

[desertbloom]

McCain was belligerent and clung to the Surge as his singular "accomplishment." He wouldn't look at or engage with Obama, which raised serious questions about his skills at diplomacy. At his core, McCain is a warrior.

In contrast, Obama appeared composed, confident, thoughtful, and well-informed. In short, presidential.

McCain's "he doesn't understand" refrain seemed canned and out-of-touch because Obama so obviously had command of the issues.

Obama does not employ the usual gimics. He neither pounds us over the head nor attempts to manipulate us in making his points. He trusts our intelligence to choose wisely. How refreshing!

[SimonNZ]

Hmmm. Uncle Fester throws a tantrum. Seems he gets hot under the collar when things don't go his way - just like his boss McBush..............

[Plowboy]

Some things smell -- a rose for instance.
Some things just stink -- like anything to do with McCain, his lobbyist run campaign, his numerous lies, his totally unqualified VP choice and Schmidt, among other McKeatingist things.