Pa. Gov. Rendell Holds Press Conference To Fight McCain-Palin Smears

PHILADELPHIA -- "John McCain promised a decent and honest campaign," said Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell at a press conference in Philadelphia this morning, "but his campaign has been anything but honest; it is desperate and dishonorable."

Rendell called the press conference, held at the Obama campaign headquarters in Center City Philadelphia, to challenge lies being spread by Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin in rallies across the Commonwealth.

With Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter standing next to him, Rendell challenged three issues specifically: the Republicans' claim that Obama will raise taxes on the middle class, the accusation that Obama is a socialist, and misinformation about Obama's health care policy. While the polls continue to give Obama a lead, most recently a nine-point lead, McCain and Palin are waging an all out assault on Pennsylvania, small towns in particular, in an attempt to stage a last minute upset.

"Senator McCain and Governor Palin have been practically living in Pennsylvania," Rendell said, "They should start paying taxes."

For the past few days, Rendell has been on a bus tour across the state on Obama's behalf, correcting misconceptions about the Democratic presidential nominee along the way. "It's important to set the record straight," Rendell told the spacious, but packed room of volunteers, staff and media. He explained that he'd sent a letter to McCain requesting that McCain stop lying about Barack Obama, but that the letter had gone unanswered. Rendell didn't pull any punches in confronting the McCain campaign's mendacity, "They are trying to scare the people of Pennsylvania," the governor said, "Because they have nothing else."

He began by debunking the GOP claim that Obama's will raise taxes. "It is not true that Obama will raise taxes for middle class Americans," he said. Rendell went on to explain that according to a nonpartisan think tank [The Tax Policy Center], Barack Obama and Joe Biden will cut taxes for middle class families at least three times as much as McCain would. He emphasized that Obama will, in fact, cut taxes for 95 percent of all working families and that no family making under $250,000 will see their taxes increase. Rather, they will receive a $1,000 tax cut. Under Obama's plan, senior citizens earning under $50,000, including 430,000 Pennsylvanians, will not pay taxes; and the average family will pay tax rates that are 20 percent lower than they were when Reagan was President.

In contrast, Rendell said, "Under McCain's plan, 101 million Americans--including 4.7 million Pennsylvania households and 97 percent of Pennsylvania's seniors--will receive no tax relief."

Rendell talked about Exxon-Mobil's record profits, reported yesterday, "the largest profits of any corporation in the history of the world," and how McCain wants to give Exxon-Mobil a 1.2 billion tax cut at the expense of working, middle class families.

The audience robustly applauded the governor several times during his remarks. Addressing the cost of higher education, Rendell reminded Pennsylvanians that Obama will provide a refundable tuition tax cut for families with children in college, which will allow all middle class families to send their kids to college. For families with small children, Obama will extend the child care credit to $6,000.

Rendell tackled head-on McCain and Palin's bizarre accusation that Obama is a socialist. The governor, offering a brief history lesson, explained that the graduated income tax in which those who are in the highest income bracket pay more has been in effect for one hundred years--and started under a Republican, President Teddy Roosevelt, whom McCain has referred to as his hero. The governor explained that the earned income tax credit, which offers relief to poor families so that they can continue working, started under another Republican, Ronald Reagan who was hardly a socialist.

Further, Rendell pointed out that as governor, Sarah Palin in her own words has "spread the wealth" in Alaska to reduce taxes for Alaska residents. The governor pointed out, also, that in 2000, McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts saying it was okay for people of wealth to pay a bit more in taxes; but that ironically since he's become a presidential candidate, McCain has fully embraced the very tax policies he once denounced.

In a strong, resonant voice, Rendell said, "Obama wants to give tax cuts to the people who need them most. Remember, Republicans called FDR a socialist, too." Indeed, Franklin Roosevelt's administration gave the nation social security and unemployment benefits, programs we take for granted today. Yet, when he proposed those programs, which offered much needed relief to millions of Americans during the Great Depression, Roosevelt too was accused of being a socialist.

To illustrate how ridiculous McCain and Palin's claims are, Rendell reiterated that under Obama's health care plan, "You can keep the health care you have" if you're satisfied with it, at a lower cost. "This," he said, "is not socialism."

Mayor Nutter spoke after Governor Rendell and directly addressed the falsehoods the GOP ticket has been spreading, as well, "Senator McCain and Governor Palin have been lying," he said, "but Philadelphians, Pennsylvanians, Americans--are not stupid. The lies will not work, not this time." Nutter said that the Republican candidates are in a place that is long gone, using tactics that no longer work.

"As they try to scare people," he said, "They are becoming scary themselves."

Feeding on the energy and excitement across Philadelphia from the Phillies' World Series victory, Nutter said, "Senator Obama is trying to move the country forward in a new direction. This is our World Series; this is about us and our interests." He encouraged everyone to defeat the lies being spread by the Republican ticket by working hard over the final eighty-one hours of the campaign. "We're going to elect Barack Obama President and Joe Biden Vice President and there's nothing John McCain and Sarah Palin can do about it," Nutter said to hearty cheers and applause.

Comments

[sammdphd]

Awesome! I wish GA would go blue! But too many simple-minded people.

[fromero]

Given Sarah Palin’s harping on the evils of higher taxes and government spending—i­.e. socialism-- I had assumed that her proposed $45 billion funding for special-needs children would be provided by the private sector or by donations from Christian charities. But no, if elected VP, she would pressure Congress into footing the bill. Either Governor Palin, like her equally uneducated hero, Joe the Plumber, is ignorant of the meaning of socialism, or else she’s a bald-faced hypocrite.

[Kiabell04]

McCain and Palin are the biggest politically flip-floppers in history.

[BeltwayBette]

God bless honest politicans like Rendl.

My vacations as a child were at Harvey's Lake in PA. When Pa folks, who are hard working, decent people hear the truth, they will vote for their own best interests which lie with Obama for President.

Please, anyone who doesn't understand the issues about taxes. Go to www.barackobama.com and check out the page that has all the issues (listed at the top) Barack has taxes and any issue you can name right there for easy reading. Don;t let tough spin masters who make a bundle to fool Americans send us back to the last eight years. This vote is for our democracy.

Here is the truth. If you earn less than $250,00 annually, your taxes will NOT be raised a penny. Any of them.
If you make more, your taxes will be raised slightly -- back to the same amounts you paid during the Clinton administration -- the one that left our nation with a huge surplus. That made us safe economical­ly...

Now vote in YOUR BEST INTERESTS. Vote for Obama for president.

Another Navy veteran for Obama/Biden

[CindyinAtl]

Awesome, Governor Rendell!! I sure wish our governor here in Georgia would speak out like that. But, wait, he's a Republican. So, I won't hold my breath.

I'm an early voter for Obama in an historically red state that actually has a chance of turning blue!

[Icantbelieveher]

Colorado is going blue too!!!

God bless us everyone!!!!!

[HateLieCheatKillRepubWay]

Where is the link to the presser?

[Just Joe]

Well done Rendell.
I frankly press the mute button now whenever Palin/McCain are on TV in whatever form.
And just a note... my wife, a republican leaning independent voted early for Obama. The deciding factor - she said that the dirty campaign tactics of McCain/Palin decided it for her in the end.

[Softnsweet]

I love you Ed!!

[rabprevent]

come on PA, send mccain and his cronies back to the dungeon where they came from. do not allow yourself to be distracted.

Obama needs an add to say his tax policy particularly the one for senior citizen making less than 50k would not see any federal taxes, considering the number of seniors in PA and OH, it should go well for dems.

make it hapeen, get rid of all republican racist cronies, in essence get rid of all republicans.

VOTE NO TO MCCAIN AND ALL HIS CRONIES, THE RACIST REPUBLICAN PARTY!

[ecksman]

though i was upset about his attacks on obama when ed was campaigning for hillary, i do recognize that he is now working his butt off for obama

[Francis Parker Yockey]

Rendell: It's time to get out of PA. and leave the state to the REAL Americans!

[Tom Payned]

Another patriot for America Love it or Leave it are you.

If you love America, it's change it or lose it Arsewipe.

[OCanadian]

Real Americans? That type of thinking is what causes Civil Wars and keeps progress, any kind of progress, from happening. The Pennsylvania I know is wayyyy past this.

[Softnsweet]

Rendell if the heart of PA! You need to leave!

[truesteam]

This man is working his @ ss off to deliver PA.
Thank you Gov.!

[Oregon Ivy]

It's truly a sad day in American democracy when a governor has to call a press conference to refute the lies one candidate is spreading about the other.

[justobserve]

Exactly! The man who said he won't use the low road to the highest office now bahaves as a pathological liar, the same as his soul mate Palin. McCain-2008 and Palin: a double fraudulent act that even McCain-2000 would NOT approve of. Many thanks to Rendell for calling those liars by name.

[lola85]

Thank you Governor Rendell!!!

Goooo Obbbaaammmaaa!!!!

Obama/Biden '08
Keep HOPE alive

[Earthian4Barack]

We love you, Governor Rendell.