18 Days Out: "A More Hopeful and Compassionate World" vs. "Hate Calls"

Jesse Lee is the Online Rapid Response Manager for the DNC, this is a daily update on the day's messaging.

You've probably heard the jokes by now from last night's Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. Christy Hardin Smith pulls out the more serious closing remarks, however, along these lines: "So, no matter who we are or what we do -- and what I believe is each of us in this room asks for, and hopes for and prays for enough strength and wisdom to do good and to seek justice, and play our small part in building a more hopeful and compassionate world for the generations that will follow."

She has a longer transcript, watch the video below:

As Christy says, "Now this is presidential and inspiring... Remember when presidents called us to public service, to working for the greater good, to ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country? Get out there and vote..."

Today in Virginia Obama went back to talking about health care, the economy, and the real crises facing the country -- though he did include a joke or two: "Senator McCain's been eager to share some details of his health care plan -- but not all of them. It's like those ads for prescription drugs, you know they start off everybody's running in the field and everybody's happy, then there's the little fine print that says, you know, 'side effects may include...'"

Now McCain was gracious last night, but a glimpse at his campaign shows it diving in a very different direction, with despicable robocalls he once called "hate calls" as the spearhead...

Five Ohio Papers: John McCain's 'Ambition' ad offers little straight talk - Eye on Ohio
William Hershey, Dayton Daily News - October 17, 2008

McCain Tax Jab Overlooks His Own Proposal
Teddy Davis, Rigel Anderson, and Hope Ditto, ABC News - October 17, 2008

Voters Slam McCain Mailer, Robocalls Linking Obama to Terrorists
Fox News - October 17, 2008

GOP Pamphlet: Ayers Is "Terrorist, Radical, Friend of Obama"
Sam Stein, Huffington Post - October 17, 2008

Yet more 'terrorist' mail
Ben Smith, Politico - October 17, 2008

McCain Robocalls: Obama Is a Baby-Killing, America-ignoring, Hollywood-loving, Terrorist-Loving...
Jake Tapper, ABC News - October 17, 2008

Campaign Robocalls Anger Some Iowa Voters
KCCI - October 17, 2008

RNC launches negative robo calls campaign
Samara Kalk Derby, The Capital Times (WI) - October 17, 2008

McCain robocalls charge Obama 'putting Hollywood above America'
Ernent Luning, Colorado Independent - October 17, 2008

Republicans flood Minnesota with anti-Obama phone calls
Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune - October 17, 2008

Senator Honorable in the Sewer
Joe Kline, Swampland - October 17, 2008

Flashback: McCain Condemned Robo-Slime In 2000 As "Hate Calls"
Greg Sargent, TPM Election Central - October 17, 2008

Hate Politics Palin
Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo - October 17, 2008

Unchastened, NM Republicans Still Pushing Voter Fraud
Zachary Roth, TPM Muckraker - October 17, 2008

Voting dispute snares 'Joe the Plumber'
William Hershey, Dayton Daily News - October 17, 2008