Obama: “That is not the subprime lender I knew..”
Another one bites the dust, under the bus.
Posted by: Nod | June 11, 2008, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
That was fast. Now if he can vette prior to appointments, that will be presidential.
Posted by: len | June 11, 2008, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
Boy, that little space under the bus is getting crowded.
Posted by: A reader in Georgia | June 11, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Aint life grand for Obama ?
Just simply chuck anyone under the bus if they get CAUGHT . Not before then however.
How many of Obama’s campaign has been CHUCKED UNDER THE BUS since he started.
A dozen at least.
And thats all thats required. The real story is Obama’s continued poor judgment .
His ‘ old school politics just wont do’ balony doesnt seem to apply to all those in his campaign.
Not until they get CAUGHT that is…..
And the media will now go and COVER IT UP for him.
You guys act like McCain hasn’t been throwing people under the “Straight Talk Express” over the last few weeks.
He has had to fire all 1,225 lobbyists that were running his campaign, so don’t act like this is just an Obama problem.
Mc Cain hasnt promised a ‘new politics’ and ‘Old school politics just wont do’
Remember? Obama has LIED to the american people, using that line to get votes.
And so he is being exposed as an outright LIAR .
He aint a new politician. His decisions are based on the same old school crap we have known for years.
All he has turned out to be is a freshman liberal senator using the same old school rules as everyone else.
Don’t we all wish we could get a deal on our mortgage.
Posted by: seah | June 11, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Nod writes:
Obama: “That is not the subprime lender I knew..”
Hahahaha.
‘Twas only yesterday the Anointed One was saying he didn’t “work” for him
– so how the heck could he “quit”?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Obama wants to bring in a more experienced VP vetter – Cheney
Now Eric Holder needs to go. Obama should start a new team with Caroline Kennedy. Hey dude you should vet everyone . . . folks love to see you get burned.
Focus all of your negative energy on McCain, now that Hillary is out of the race. There’s only two people left, and McCain is NOT the one we need to send to the White House.
Posted by: Jim | June 11, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
“I was for Jim Johnson before I was against him.”
- Barack Obama
And John “Flip Flop” Kerry must have not got the message that Obama would be throwing Johnson under the bus today. Kerry was defending Johnson this morning.
haha!!
Posted by: USVet | June 11, 2008, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
Mc Cain hasnt promised a ‘new politics’ and ‘Old school politics just wont do’
Remember? Obama has LIED to the american people, using that line to get votes.
And so he is being exposed as an outright LIAR .
He aint a new politician. His decisions are based on the same old school crap we have known for years.
All he has turned out to be is a freshman liberal senator using the same old school rules as everyone else
Johnson made thhe right decision in quitting the Obama corrupt group. Same ole Obama, just a different day, a different person, under the bus.
Obama is so so so so so so wrong for our country.
Posted by: Mary | June 11, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
USVet writes:
“The persons appointed to rig the votes, including those who contributed to Blagojevich and Obama, are cooperating in exchange for immunity or lighter prison sentences.”
That toddlin’ town!
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
look at yourselves…..THESE ARE ALL THE SAME PEOPLE THAT CRY OBAMA IS BELOVED BY THE PRESS – Vote for Mccain who has people lobbying for terrorist economy interest. Then dare not complain
I think the Al Queda’s are going into Iran for training so we must Bomb Iran now.
- Confused Warmonger John McCain
Posted by: True Blue Dem | June 11, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Obama, time for a smoke…not that both sides don’t have their back-door dealers, I just like the image of Obama puffing on a smoke, like, “man! not again!”
Posted by: Wade | June 11, 2008, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Nod: You took the words out of my mouth “Another one under the bus”…. and of course, “Jim Johnson is not the man I knew”. The great orator is just rockin us with his abilities…
Posted by: Irish Gal | June 11, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Obama can watch his entire campaign implode over the next 5 months. Then he can say none of them actually worked for him, and they arent the same campaign he used to know.
Obama’s getting ready to make a speech equating Jim Johnson to his Grandmother who he also happened to through under the bus. That bus ride is getting awful lumpy.
Mc Carter can simply chuck all his campaign people under the bus.
Then get back to bringing us 17% interest rates, appeasing Hamas and Bin Laden, and bringing us DISCO again.
That’s not the Jim Johnson BO knew! LOL!
“That’s not the Tony Rezko I knew.”
“That’s not the Rev. Wright I knew.”
“That’s not the William Ayers I knew.”
Sheesh people. Wake up! This BO guy is a liar and a fraud. He’s taking you all for a ride.
what about mccain when he threw all his lobbisist out of his campaign and if you morons can read it says he quit on his own so obama did not throw him under the bus learn how to read people!!
Posted by: angie | June 11, 2008, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
tomdavie writes:
“Obama can watch his entire campaign implode over the next 5 months.”
More like five days — or hours, depending on what-all’s NOT in the “news” yet.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
Obama said, “Countrywide Financial was one of the folks, one of the institutions that was pumping up the subprime lending market and inducing people to take out these subprime loans,” Obama said in Lancaster, Pa. “These are the folks who are responsible for infecting the economy and helping to create a home foreclosure crisis. Two million people may end up losing their homes.” Yet, I (OBAMA) have Jim Johnson working for me—-actually “not working for me” just doing labor for me—yes, Jim actually got several of those below market value loans from Countrywide…but it’s different as he got “special treatment” and that’s okay. Obama came down on Hillary Clinton for having one of her campaign advisers working for Countryside—well that was different then. It’s No Big Deal because Jim Johnson has quit now so he will not drag down my outstanding judgment in asking him to help with some manual labor —of course he gets no pay, well now, maybe after I am elected, he will be added to my administration.
Posted by: Anne | June 11, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
angie:
People don’t quit working on campaigns unless they’re told to by the people who hired them. Johnson can say he left on his own, but we all know the TRUTH. We’re not all naive.
You heard about the “Friends” drinking game – take a shot every time McCain says ‘Friends’ in a speech…
I started a new one. I stop and change my underwear everytime Obama flip-flops on an issue or throws someone from the campaign. It gets a little embarassing when I gotta change ‘em at work. But makes for good times for all.
I also started a drinking game to take a shot every time Obama stammers in front of the cameras (i.e. when he’s not using the teleprompters). During that last Wright implosion, I lost about 3 days somewhere that I couldn’t account for…so that had to end.
@tomdavie
I don’t if I would be that jumpy as you seem to be at this news. I am sure you are aware of the fact that the chief vetter for Sen. McCain is a former lobbyist… How long do you think before a story involving him surfaces?
And what do you think it will be about? lobbying for governements responsible for genocides? or former yugoslavia regime? or dictators in Asia?
REMEMBER NOVEMBER writes:
“It wont’ be the last time Obama is caught with his Johnson out!”
Isn’t it about time for the Anointed One’s most-serious surrogate — whoever THAT may be, possibly Kerry — to reveal his sudden diagnosis with some serious-but-survivable illness which, regrettably, will make it impossible for him to continue making history at the moment, inasmuch as he requires uh a long convalescence in the tropics, or some such?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
Vote for Barack Mc Carter
Bring back 17% interest rates and DISCO.
H P Boston writes:
“Hey BO save them the trouble you ain’t going anywhere!”
Sure he is: he’s going to Bimini or wherever, to convalesce from that uh rare strain of TB, or whatever.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
so johnson who wasn’t working for obama isn’t working for obama now that he resigned from the position that obama appointed him to (on the obama campaign)?
george bush= obama
they’re related , you can tell
He didn’t “throw him under the bus”. Jim Johnson was a qualified person to complete his assigned task of “vetting” vice presidential candidates – he did it for two other Presidential nominees prior to Obama. The man knows his stuff. Too bad he made the most “egregious mistake” of borrowing money from a mortage lender connected with the subprime mess. He’s not a mass murderer (like Bush who is responsible for the death of over 4,000 U.S. military). Even if Jim Johnson committed no crime, did nothing illegal, he just doesn’t want to be an added headache to Obama’s campaign, since you nitpicking jerks jump on everything and anything you can to make it look like Obama has poor judgment, when in fact you know that he is so much smarter than Bush or McCain ever was or ever could or would be. Get a life you idiots and get used to OBAMA – our next President.
I might actually donate to Obama’s campaign so he can afford more buses. This is funny watching him throw everyone and every thing under one.
Posted by: p0s3r | June 11, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
Obama promises ‘new politics’ but continually picks old school guys to work in his campaign.
He is a TOTAL LIAR.
His 2 main selling points :
-bringing people together
- ‘old school politics just wont do’
He hasnt brought anyone together except a bunch of left wing liberals and youth who believe he is the Wizard of Oz.
All of his staff are corrupt ‘old school ‘ politicians and when caught, he has to continually chuck them under the bus.
The guy is a total fraud, propped up by the media.
But sooner or later it will be TOO MUCH to bare.
How much longer before he has ZERO credibility left?
Cant wait for the Michelle Obama ‘ Whitie ‘ tape.
Senator Obama claims to be a post-partisan campaigner who will not play by the old rules. But he is playing by the old rules. He condemns Senator McCain for employing lobbyists in his campaign…yet Obama also makes use of lobbyists.
Senator Obama condemns the politics of personal destruction. It is great rhetoric…but he practices that form of politics. Obama and other Democrats intentionally misinterpret Senator McCain’s statements in order to launch attacks against him. First there was the “100 years” quote; now the “That’s not important” quote.
Senator Obama has never run in a general election against a competent Republican opponent. Let’s see what happens.
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
I will vote for Barack Obama over the confused and elderly warmonger Johm the same as Bush, McCain.
Can’t stand the thought of Obama being President huh? Yeah, I admit it will be quite a change from what we have now. Jim Johnson quit of his own accord – not because Obama “threw him under the bus”. You guys just love that phrase. How many guys left Bush’s administration? Did he throw them under the bus? I sure wish he had, literally. Brownie, Rummy, Gonzalez, Powell, etc. etc. How many SHOULD leave McCain’s campaign? A lot, I can assure you!! You just can’t STAND the thought of Obama being in the White House. And where’s this tape of Michelle saying “Whitie”. So what’s offensive about her calling white prejudiced people (like yourselves!) “Whitie”? Oh, gee, I am so-o-o-o offended. Again, grow up you bunch of babies.
BelleStar – I saw Obama’s primary victory speech on network t.v. and I would hardly call the affectin he showed his wife as being “grab ass”. He patted his wife on what I saw to be her waistline or just slightly below her waist. You are stretching here. Like I have said, you guys pick on “anything” to make him look bad. Keep it up, because you are just showing how totally petty and irritated you are at the prospect of this man and woman being in the President and First Lady.
Come November, Obama out, hate-filled Michelle out. Gloria!
Posted by: Steve | June 11, 2008, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
@JOHN GALT
What history will remember is that when President Bush took office in January 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. By June of 2008, gas was over $4 per gallon.
tomdavie writes:
“[Obama] just said today he is in favor of bringing back the draft.”
Did he REALLY?
That’d go well with yesterday’s “Obama veep vetters look at former Pentagon leaders” (NEDRA PICKLER and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press)
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
Gas averaged $1.37 when the GOP Bush and Cheney took office in January of 2001. Since the executive branch is the one responsible for determing and executing energy policy any moron knows who is responsible for $4 dollar Gas. If you want more of the same vote for MCCain
NEWSFLASH for GeeCee:
BO will NOT be the next President. Hillary supporters will see to it. You threw the wrong people under the bus. Now you’re going to get to see how the REAL DEMOCRATS control the party.
We’ve already hurt the DNC. They’re BROKE! Why do you think that is, GeeCee? It’s because we all canceled our memberships and stopped FUNDING THE CORRUPTION!
Get use to it. The BO campaign was finished before it ever stole the nomination.
You don’t throw :
Typical white people voters
Gun clinging voters
Religion clinging voters
Bitter voters
Working class voters
Rural voters
Catholic voters
Jewish voters
Blue collar workers
FDR DEMOCRATIC voters
Senior voters
under the bus and expect to win elections. It’s NOT going to happen and you will have a rude awakening come November…if BO even makes it to the convention in August before he’s indicted in the Rezko case.
The tide is turning on BO big time. Clinton supporters (now McCain supporters) sign up on justsaynodeal . com. The numbers are growing by leaps and bounds.
Posted by: Gene | June 11, 2008, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
Obama won’t fix gas price, won’t fix economic crisis, won’t fix war in Iraq, won’t fix healthcare and social security… because he doesn’t know how to and what to, has no experience to and is not quailifed to…
Posted by: True Truth | June 11, 2008, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Obama Man – I thought my comments were intelligent. I am not insulting anyone or using juvenile language.
I believe that there is a disconnect between Senator Obama’s message and his actions. I don’t know whether this will be commented on by most of the media; I don’t know if this will be noticed by the public. Even if it is noticed, I don’t think it will have an effect on Senator Obama’s most enthusiastic supporters. But it may have an effect on the independent voters.
Senator Obama insists that he will reach across the aisle to work with everyone. When has he ever done this? Senator McCain has reached across the aisle and has been quite willing to condemn members of his own party for bad behavior. When has Senator Obama condemned any Democrats (other than those who were opponents for the nomination)?
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
Opening paragraph:
“Barack Obama may have come up with a creative way to solve the housing recession: Let everyone buy property at a discount the way he did from Tony Rezko, and give everyone in America a discount mortgage the way Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide did for Fannie Mae’s Jim Johnson. Team Obama’s real estate and mortgage transactions are certainly a change from business as usual. They suggest old-fashioned back-scratching below even current Beltway standards.”
Posted by: bebe | June 11, 2008, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
LOL. This is the “change” we were waiting for. What a rank amateur.
Posted by: Marie | June 11, 2008, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Big chunk of CHANGE:
from “Obama’s Choice of Insider Draws Fire” (Washington Post)
“Johnson was supposed to reimburse the company for 50 percent of the chauffeur’s time, but that did not apply to time spent waiting for Johnson or driving his wife. Consequently, he reimbursed Fannie for about 15 percent of the cost.
On March 17, 2005, as Fannie Mae was engulfed in accounting scandal, Johnson contacted board chairman Stephen B. Ashley and said, “I should do my part to assist Fannie Mae’s efforts to reduce expenditures at this difficult time.”
[Johnson's] part was temporarily reducing his consulting fees, which had increased to $600,000 a year and an end to his support staff and driver.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
Independent_to_blue:
He and his cohorts have insulted EVERYONE who USE TO BE in the Democratic Party. He will pay dearly for that in November, if he gets that far, which is VERY doubtful.
from that Wall Street Journal piece cited by bebe:
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe also said in March that “If we’re really going to crack down on the practices that caused the credit and housing crises, we’re going to need a leader who doesn’t owe these industries any favors.”
So . . . will Plouffe — who, according to a puff piece in TIME, “can swear like a sailor” (tough, huh?) — be the next to go poof?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
@Hugh
One example, out of many, of Sen. Obama reaching accross the aisle:
Sen. Obama and Sen. Coburn worked together on a legislation to create a searchable database of government spending; the goal being an increase transperency in who gets how much federal money.
Carly Fiorina. Rebranded the Apple iPod as the Apple iPod by Hewlett Packard. Then lost the company millions of dollars and walked away rather rich.
Phil Gramm. UBS lobbyist, currently on McCain staff. Helped trigger the subprime mortgage meltdown.
Rick Davis. Well, wink wink he’s kinda not one of those really bad kinds of lobbyists…but he definetly does more than getting football stadiums for high schools like one of Obama’s guys tried to do. Wow, a high school football stadium. And Rick? Questionable foreign regimes? That don’t like our country?
Not so easy for Obama now that he can’t blame Hillary.
Obama’s “hope and change” is quickly fading to reality–he is just another dirty politician.
Posted by: cindy in nc | June 11, 2008, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
@Vickie
I can’t say that I share all of Sen. Obama’s views. There are many issues for which most democrats would probably qualify me as too conservative.
Are Sen. Obama and McCain the best men in country? probably not; but they are the choices we have for this election, and one of them will be leading the country over the next 4 years.
We had Republicans in power for about 8 years now, and I cannot say that I like the current situation. If a strategy hasn’t worked for 8 years, why should it produce different results now? The same actions will bring about the same effects. A change of direction is needed.
When you play “holier than thou” you’d better make sure that you can walk that talk. Don’t rumble with the RNC if you all you can do is talk tough. This isn’t Hillary Clinton where the media rolled over and played dead for him. These are the people who REALLY own the media … We shall enjoy watching it all come undone. Couldn’t have happened to a better candidate!
Ireland has recently cut the cooperate tax rate in half to around the mid teens. Businesses from all over are tripping over each other to set up shop there. Economy in Ireland is booming!! History has shown that when the US cuts the tax rates – economy expands which means more money coming in to the fed also. Same thing applies to capital gains taxes and income taxes. This is just basic Economics 101 and always has been. Obama wants to do the opposite and tax business more. Does that make any sense? I am not a business man – just a retired Catholic schoolteacher on a very fixed income. DON’T THEY TEACH ECON 101 AT HARVARD ANYMORE??
Posted by: Jimbo | June 11, 2008, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
Obama throws another crook under the bus.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
Jimbo
Well said about economy 101.
I will add one more thing. Obama want to convert US from Capitalist Economy into Socialist Economy. We all know what happened to Germany/France/Italy/Etc
Posted by: john | June 11, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
John.
I would go a step further and use the term Marxist. It implies that the average person cannot be trusted to make life’s major decisions. It dictates that the state is in a much better position to do all that. Capitalism may have its faults – BUT IT SURE CAN WORK WELL WHEN IT IS ALLOWED TO!! Obama’s Socialist/Marxist ideas haven’t worked anywhere else and won’t work here. With all the leftist baloney they teach in college these days, it’s amazing the we still have a capitalistic society – I wonder how much longer…….?
Posted by: Jimbo | June 11, 2008, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
Cutting tax rates and streamlining the internal revenue code would be excellent ideas. This is one area where I am an expert; I am an attorney with a masters degree in tax law. I am currently working as a hearing officer for a state tax agency.
It is generally known that federal tax revenues generally equal roughly 19% of GDP no matter what happens with the tax rates. They go up; they go down; deductions are increased; deductions are decreased…yet collections come to about 19%.
Another widely known fact: tax avoidance planning almost disappears when the top federal marginal rate drops to 33% or below.
I would like to see Senator Obama say that the purpose of our tax laws is to raise revenues. We need to raise the most revenues in the fairest way possible. We need to do away with most deductions. We need to do away with subsidies to corporations. We need to stop trying to encourage business activity through our tax laws.
Indeed, perhaps we should turn tax policy over to an entity similar to the federal reserve board. Allow tax laws to be fine tuned by professionals and exempt from political manipulation.
If Senator Obama came out with ideas like this, I would vote for him.
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm
Country first, party second!
McCain ’08/Hillary ’12
Posted by: VA Independent | June 11, 2008, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
Independent_to_blue |:
And anointing another, unqualified, inexperienced, corrupt person with questionable friends Rezko, Auchi, Ayers, Wright, Farrakhan, Said and Khalidi and questionable background is NOT going to fix our ills. It will only exacerbate them. This is not the time for someone like BO to be in power. He’s the WORST possible choice at this time.
He has NO CLUE what he’s doing. None. He’s just on a power trip.
One would think, after living the last 7+ years with the idiot-in-chief in power, we would know better than to put another one in power to follow him. My G-d. Do we NEVER learn from history? This is as recent history as you could ask for, so it’s not like people can say they didn’t remember what the Bush years were like. Now you want MORE of the same?
That’s so bizarre. BO is waaaaaaaaaaay out of his league here. Even Generals are worried about him being elected because he has no clue what he’s doing and this country cannot AFFORD ANOTHER INEXPERIENCED DOOFUS LIKE BUSH and that’s exactly what BO is…another DOOFUS….. with no experience and is completely unqualified.
vickie
read his policy proposals
then you may have a clue what you are saying
His proposals and priomises are correct on EVERY single issue.
McCain now…aside from the environkment (aside from the lobbyist for Exxon Mobil lobbyist choosing his vp) he is on the wrong side of every issue…
go read a little.
Posted by: dl | June 11, 2008, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm
Hugh, The DNC could pan for gold in California.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
This election is not about issues thanks to Obama…..
it is about who can be trusted between an “empty suit” hypocrite who did great job on copycat for every single issue or a true patriot who can defend this country…
Posted by: True Truth | June 11, 2008, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
The problem is, the DNC doesn’t believe in counting the votes of the people.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Boy, that little space under the bus is getting crowded.
I can’t quit laughing….
When is Obama going to take responsibility for all the mistakes that he is making? Instead of admitting his mistakes, Obama keeps chopping heads off of scape-goats. Instead of pointing the blame at others, Obama should admit that he is not as smart as his campaign is claiming.
Posted by: Regina | June 11, 2008, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
Where’s the change?? Somebody tell me where’s the change?
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 8:28 pm 8:28 pm
The last person he will throw out the bus is Michele…. The United States, she says, is “just downright mean.” Never, prior to her husband’s presidential run, had she had a reason to feel proud of it, she told a campaign throng. But by last November, with Barack’s pursuit of the brass ring catching momentum, she suddenly got plenty proud. And confident: so much so that she was moved to tell MSNBC, “Black America will wake up and get it” — unite and carry him over the finish line.
Posted by: See | June 11, 2008, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
Obama’s gonna have to buy a bigger bus if he becomes president… on ALL of us can fit under!
I have not heard McCain ever say that, when the war came to an end in Vietnam, he did not thank his stars for surviving and the prospect to being with his family again; instead, he is going around saying how he understands war better than anyone else, and how the Iraq war was the right thing, and how it would be “surrender” for our troops to come back home anytime soon. This guy has no feelings whatsoever–not for the war fatigue amongst our troops, not for the economy, and certainly, not for our reputation around the world. You may ask yourself: Whom might you trust not to lead this nation into another senseless war? Answer: Certainly not McCain! This, in my opinion, is what national security should be all about.
Posted by: TK | June 11, 2008, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
Obama said he is for the prices of gasoline going up on a gradual level.
This shows how elitist Obama is.
He said this on an interview on CNBC.
Posted by: david | June 11, 2008, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
Phil Gramm, McCain Co-Chair, Lobbied US On Mortgage Crisis While Advising Candidate On Economic Policy
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s national campaign general co-chair was being paid by a Swiss bank to lobby Congress about the U.S. mortgage crisis at the same time he was advising McCain about his economic policy, federal records show.
For his work, Gramm and two other lobbyists collected $750,000 in fees from UBS’s American subsidiary. In the past year, UBS has written down more than $18 billion in exposure to subprime loans and other risky securities and is considering cutting as many as 8,000 jobs
Another strong reason not to vote McCain.
John McCain’s primary defender in the Lady Lobbyist Scandal* is a man named Charlie Black.
Black, of course, is a lobbyist. In fact, as the head of the extremely influential lobby shop BKSH and Associates, he’s one of Washington’s most powerful influence-peddlers. In the Washington Post story today about the lobbyists that populate the upper ranks of McCain’s campaign (here’s another guy), Black is listed as working for AT&T, Alcoa, JPMorgan, and U.S. Airways. He works and has worked for far more companies than that, however.
Double Speak Express.
McCain: Fire Charlie Black
John McCain’s chief adviser, lobbyist Charlie Black, worked for some of the world’s worst dictators—mass murderers, terrorists, and tyrants. Our new video calls on McCain to fire Charlie Black.
Posted by: Owen | June 11, 2008, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
dl:
I’ve read all I need to read about BO. I know more about that corrupt, inexperienced, unqualified racist than I care to know. The one thing I know for certain is he’s the LAST person who should have access to the WH. In fact, I would be surprised if the man was able to get a security clearance because of all the unsavory DANGEROUS crooks he hangs with.
And just FYI, I live in Illinois. I campaigned for BO when he ran for the Senate. I donated to his campaign. I attended rallies. I met the man in person. I voted for him to go to the Senate (HUGE MISTAKE, NOT to be repeated), but all that was when the Chicago machine had all his questionable “friends” and past corrupt connections COVERED UP. THEY controled the message, much like MSNBO and CNN do now.
Now that he’s out of Illinois, they can’t control the info anymore. NOW the truth has come out. Thank G-d for the Internet.
Hopefully, he’ll be indicted before August. If not, the GOP will stop him in October. They aren’t intimidated by him playing the race card. They THRIVE on that kind of politics, in case you haven’t noticed.
BO will NOT be the next President. That’s a fact.
tomdavie writes:
“[Obama] is ok with [gas] going up to $5 or $6 bucks a gallon”
Yeah? Well, he and Michelle take in several hundred thousand dollars more than a million dollars a year. He might not be so sanguine if he were driving to a job at McDonald’s, instead of running over his friends and relatives with that great big bus full of campaign cash.
For MOST Americans with actual jobs (or with children in need of transport), the only way to “conserve” gas is to hitch-hike.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
Obama’s judgement!
this was his first major task and he blew it!
Obama brags about him having judgment, but so far most of his friends are wacky!! and not much judgment has been shown!
Posted by: frieda | June 12, 2008, 12:22 am 12:22 am
Ander Scooper,
DNC only believe “CHANGE”
They got it already. He changed his staffers many times.
His bus is overloaded.
Posted by: catleya | June 12, 2008, 12:53 am 12:53 am
Ok, so this guy who was not involved in making policy, was not being paid, was not a lobbyist, and did nothing illegal. Is somehow tainted. Am I getting this right? he was hired to find people with clean records that could help balance the ticket so that the candidate can pick a running mate. Unlike McCain Policy advisers that still do lobbying work from the bus. Unlike McCain’s less than legal campaign loans, that can’t be investigated because his buddy in the oval hasn’t gotten around to naming anyone to the post that would do such and investigation.
Your slip is showing McCain and Republicans. If you are this desperate, this early, what are you going to have come the fall? You’ve gone back to promoting the gas tax for cripes sake, you did see where that was the final nail in the coffin for HRC right? Equating withdrawal with defeat is also a weak argument, especially when you can provide specific terms that would entail declaring victory and don’t even acknowledge that the entire war and the 4100+ dead in it was based on blatant falsehoods. Your response is to gear up for a 3rd war front in the middle east.
You want to go after this guy because he got a sweetheart deal from a buddy he knew in the business? How about that sweetheart deal you got McCain, when one of your lobby buddies got his company to illegally write off a bunch of debt? glass houses and stones.
Posted by: Louis | June 12, 2008, 2:09 am 2:09 am
John McCain – Judgment that comes with AGE:
“There’s not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shiahs. So I think they can probably get along.” [MSNBC, 4/23/03]
“Because I believe that the success will be fairly easy,” [CNN, 9/24/02]
“We’re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad.” [CNN, 9/29/02]
“But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” [MSNBC, 1/22/03]
“But I believe that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators.” [NBC, 3/20/03]
“It’s clear that the end is very much in sight.” [ABC, 4/9/03]
“This is a mission accomplished.” [This Week, ABC, 12/14/03]
“I’m confident we’re on the right course.” [ABC News, 3/7/04]
Posted by: No McSame | June 12, 2008, 6:55 am 6:55 am
Following the logic of the republican attack machine here… People should not be allowed to vote if they have countrywide loans. Yes, having a low-interest loan is a shameful thing! [yeah right]
Posted by: Almonds | June 12, 2008, 7:57 am 7:57 am
Barack Obama – Judgment that comes with AGE:
….. WE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER!
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY!!!
How could he quit? I thought he didn’t work for Obama.
Was it a tangential resignation?
Posted by: drjohn | June 13, 2008, 8:07 am 8:07 am
Kudos to the two posters “No McSame” and “Almonds” for putting forth intelligent arguments that actually focus on the issues. I think, if more on this site would do the same, people would be inspired to learn the facts and concentrate more on relevant issues and less on soap opera-type nonsense.
Posted by: Casual Observer | June 13, 2008, 9:14 am 9:14 am
Correction: My statement should have read- Kudos to “No McSame” and “Hugh”. (“Almonds” is nuts!)
Kudos to the two posters “No McSame” and “Almonds” for putting forth intelligent arguments that actually focus on the issues. I think, if more on this site would do the same, people would be inspired to learn the facts and concentrate more on relevant issues and less on soap opera-type nonsense.
Posted by: Casual Observer | June 13, 2008, 9:20 am 9:20 am
Email
Newt Gingrich's Full Speech at CPAC 2012 
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage
Obama: “That is not the subprime lender I knew..”
Another one bites the dust, under the bus.
Posted by: Nod | June 11, 2008, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
That was fast. Now if he can vette prior to appointments, that will be presidential.
Posted by: len | June 11, 2008, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
Boy, that little space under the bus is getting crowded.
Posted by: A reader in Georgia | June 11, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
Aint life grand for Obama ?
Just simply chuck anyone under the bus if they get CAUGHT . Not before then however.
How many of Obama’s campaign has been CHUCKED UNDER THE BUS since he started.
A dozen at least.
And thats all thats required. The real story is Obama’s continued poor judgment .
His ‘ old school politics just wont do’ balony doesnt seem to apply to all those in his campaign.
Not until they get CAUGHT that is…..
And the media will now go and COVER IT UP for him.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
The media must be so proud of itself – another person forced to bow down to them – and for what? Nothing, that’s what.
Posted by: Nobodys fool | June 11, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
You guys act like McCain hasn’t been throwing people under the “Straight Talk Express” over the last few weeks.
He has had to fire all 1,225 lobbyists that were running his campaign, so don’t act like this is just an Obama problem.
Posted by: Politivine | June 11, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Unfortunately Obama is going to do the same thing to the middle class. Leave no innercity person behind screw the rest.
Posted by: Doomed | June 11, 2008, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
Mc Cain hasnt promised a ‘new politics’ and ‘Old school politics just wont do’
Remember? Obama has LIED to the american people, using that line to get votes.
And so he is being exposed as an outright LIAR .
He aint a new politician. His decisions are based on the same old school crap we have known for years.
All he has turned out to be is a freshman liberal senator using the same old school rules as everyone else.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
Don’t we all wish we could get a deal on our mortgage.
Posted by: seah | June 11, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Nod writes:
Obama: “That is not the subprime lender I knew..”
Hahahaha.
‘Twas only yesterday the Anointed One was saying he didn’t “work” for him
– so how the heck could he “quit”?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Obama wants to bring in a more experienced VP vetter – Cheney
Posted by: Doomed | June 11, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
Now Eric Holder needs to go. Obama should start a new team with Caroline Kennedy. Hey dude you should vet everyone . . . folks love to see you get burned.
Posted by: bill8dav | June 11, 2008, 3:49 pm 3:49 pm
Focus all of your negative energy on McCain, now that Hillary is out of the race. There’s only two people left, and McCain is NOT the one we need to send to the White House.
Posted by: Jim | June 11, 2008, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
“I was for Jim Johnson before I was against him.”
- Barack Obama
And John “Flip Flop” Kerry must have not got the message that Obama would be throwing Johnson under the bus today. Kerry was defending Johnson this morning.
haha!!
Posted by: USVet | June 11, 2008, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
Mc Cain hasnt promised a ‘new politics’ and ‘Old school politics just wont do’
Remember? Obama has LIED to the american people, using that line to get votes.
And so he is being exposed as an outright LIAR .
He aint a new politician. His decisions are based on the same old school crap we have known for years.
All he has turned out to be is a freshman liberal senator using the same old school rules as everyone else
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
Johnson made thhe right decision in quitting the Obama corrupt group. Same ole Obama, just a different day, a different person, under the bus.
Obama is so so so so so so wrong for our country.
Posted by: Mary | June 11, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
USVet writes:
“The persons appointed to rig the votes, including those who contributed to Blagojevich and Obama, are cooperating in exchange for immunity or lighter prison sentences.”
That toddlin’ town!
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
look at yourselves…..THESE ARE ALL THE SAME PEOPLE THAT CRY OBAMA IS BELOVED BY THE PRESS – Vote for Mccain who has people lobbying for terrorist economy interest. Then dare not complain
Posted by: phonies | June 11, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
I think the Al Queda’s are going into Iran for training so we must Bomb Iran now.
- Confused Warmonger John McCain
Posted by: True Blue Dem | June 11, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Obama, time for a smoke…not that both sides don’t have their back-door dealers, I just like the image of Obama puffing on a smoke, like, “man! not again!”
Posted by: Wade | June 11, 2008, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Nod: You took the words out of my mouth “Another one under the bus”…. and of course, “Jim Johnson is not the man I knew”. The great orator is just rockin us with his abilities…
Posted by: Irish Gal | June 11, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Obama can watch his entire campaign implode over the next 5 months. Then he can say none of them actually worked for him, and they arent the same campaign he used to know.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
Obama’s getting ready to make a speech equating Jim Johnson to his Grandmother who he also happened to through under the bus. That bus ride is getting awful lumpy.
Posted by: Doomed | June 11, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Mc Carter can simply chuck all his campaign people under the bus.
Then get back to bringing us 17% interest rates, appeasing Hamas and Bin Laden, and bringing us DISCO again.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
That’s not the Jim Johnson BO knew! LOL!
“That’s not the Tony Rezko I knew.”
“That’s not the Rev. Wright I knew.”
“That’s not the William Ayers I knew.”
Sheesh people. Wake up! This BO guy is a liar and a fraud. He’s taking you all for a ride.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
what about mccain when he threw all his lobbisist out of his campaign and if you morons can read it says he quit on his own so obama did not throw him under the bus learn how to read people!!
Posted by: angie | June 11, 2008, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
tomdavie writes:
“Obama can watch his entire campaign implode over the next 5 months.”
More like five days — or hours, depending on what-all’s NOT in the “news” yet.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
Obama said, “Countrywide Financial was one of the folks, one of the institutions that was pumping up the subprime lending market and inducing people to take out these subprime loans,” Obama said in Lancaster, Pa. “These are the folks who are responsible for infecting the economy and helping to create a home foreclosure crisis. Two million people may end up losing their homes.” Yet, I (OBAMA) have Jim Johnson working for me—-actually “not working for me” just doing labor for me—yes, Jim actually got several of those below market value loans from Countrywide…but it’s different as he got “special treatment” and that’s okay. Obama came down on Hillary Clinton for having one of her campaign advisers working for Countryside—well that was different then. It’s No Big Deal because Jim Johnson has quit now so he will not drag down my outstanding judgment in asking him to help with some manual labor —of course he gets no pay, well now, maybe after I am elected, he will be added to my administration.
Posted by: Anne | June 11, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
angie:
People don’t quit working on campaigns unless they’re told to by the people who hired them. Johnson can say he left on his own, but we all know the TRUTH. We’re not all naive.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
You heard about the “Friends” drinking game – take a shot every time McCain says ‘Friends’ in a speech…
I started a new one. I stop and change my underwear everytime Obama flip-flops on an issue or throws someone from the campaign. It gets a little embarassing when I gotta change ‘em at work. But makes for good times for all.
I also started a drinking game to take a shot every time Obama stammers in front of the cameras (i.e. when he’s not using the teleprompters). During that last Wright implosion, I lost about 3 days somewhere that I couldn’t account for…so that had to end.
Posted by: Commando | June 11, 2008, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
@tomdavie
I don’t if I would be that jumpy as you seem to be at this news. I am sure you are aware of the fact that the chief vetter for Sen. McCain is a former lobbyist… How long do you think before a story involving him surfaces?
And what do you think it will be about? lobbying for governements responsible for genocides? or former yugoslavia regime? or dictators in Asia?
Posted by: Independent_to_blue | June 11, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
If Jim Johnson was not being paid by Obama, but working for him, is Obama recommending revoking the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.
Posted by: Doomed | June 11, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
REMEMBER NOVEMBER writes:
“It wont’ be the last time Obama is caught with his Johnson out!”
Isn’t it about time for the Anointed One’s most-serious surrogate — whoever THAT may be, possibly Kerry — to reveal his sudden diagnosis with some serious-but-survivable illness which, regrettably, will make it impossible for him to continue making history at the moment, inasmuch as he requires uh a long convalescence in the tropics, or some such?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
Vote for Barack Mc Carter
Bring back 17% interest rates and DISCO.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
H P Boston writes:
“Hey BO save them the trouble you ain’t going anywhere!”
Sure he is: he’s going to Bimini or wherever, to convalesce from that uh rare strain of TB, or whatever.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
so johnson who wasn’t working for obama isn’t working for obama now that he resigned from the position that obama appointed him to (on the obama campaign)?
george bush= obama
they’re related , you can tell
Posted by: trettione | June 11, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
He didn’t “throw him under the bus”. Jim Johnson was a qualified person to complete his assigned task of “vetting” vice presidential candidates – he did it for two other Presidential nominees prior to Obama. The man knows his stuff. Too bad he made the most “egregious mistake” of borrowing money from a mortage lender connected with the subprime mess. He’s not a mass murderer (like Bush who is responsible for the death of over 4,000 U.S. military). Even if Jim Johnson committed no crime, did nothing illegal, he just doesn’t want to be an added headache to Obama’s campaign, since you nitpicking jerks jump on everything and anything you can to make it look like Obama has poor judgment, when in fact you know that he is so much smarter than Bush or McCain ever was or ever could or would be. Get a life you idiots and get used to OBAMA – our next President.
Posted by: GeeCee | June 11, 2008, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
I might actually donate to Obama’s campaign so he can afford more buses. This is funny watching him throw everyone and every thing under one.
Posted by: p0s3r | June 11, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
Obama promises ‘new politics’ but continually picks old school guys to work in his campaign.
He is a TOTAL LIAR.
His 2 main selling points :
-bringing people together
- ‘old school politics just wont do’
He hasnt brought anyone together except a bunch of left wing liberals and youth who believe he is the Wizard of Oz.
All of his staff are corrupt ‘old school ‘ politicians and when caught, he has to continually chuck them under the bus.
The guy is a total fraud, propped up by the media.
But sooner or later it will be TOO MUCH to bare.
How much longer before he has ZERO credibility left?
Cant wait for the Michelle Obama ‘ Whitie ‘ tape.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
Obama said yesterday he expects gas to be 5 or 6 bucks a gallon when he is president.
He says he cant do anything about it.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
I am a liar about OBAMA. It was actually John McCain who said that about the price of Gas.
Posted by: TomDavie | June 11, 2008, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
Saint Obama said
Johnson does not work for me. If he does not work for obama, Johnson quit from whose campaign, President Bush!!!!!!!.
Wake up America
Posted by: john | June 11, 2008, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
Barack Mc Carter has offered Bin Laden to pay back Al Qaeda for the Iraq and Afganistan wars if he PROMISES to leave us alone.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
Senator Obama claims to be a post-partisan campaigner who will not play by the old rules. But he is playing by the old rules. He condemns Senator McCain for employing lobbyists in his campaign…yet Obama also makes use of lobbyists.
Senator Obama condemns the politics of personal destruction. It is great rhetoric…but he practices that form of politics. Obama and other Democrats intentionally misinterpret Senator McCain’s statements in order to launch attacks against him. First there was the “100 years” quote; now the “That’s not important” quote.
Senator Obama has never run in a general election against a competent Republican opponent. Let’s see what happens.
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
I will vote for Barack Obama over the confused and elderly warmonger Johm the same as Bush, McCain.
Posted by: TomDavie | June 11, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
TomDavie
As for Obama?
He just said today he is in favor of bringing back the draft.
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
Can’t stand the thought of Obama being President huh? Yeah, I admit it will be quite a change from what we have now. Jim Johnson quit of his own accord – not because Obama “threw him under the bus”. You guys just love that phrase. How many guys left Bush’s administration? Did he throw them under the bus? I sure wish he had, literally. Brownie, Rummy, Gonzalez, Powell, etc. etc. How many SHOULD leave McCain’s campaign? A lot, I can assure you!! You just can’t STAND the thought of Obama being in the White House. And where’s this tape of Michelle saying “Whitie”. So what’s offensive about her calling white prejudiced people (like yourselves!) “Whitie”? Oh, gee, I am so-o-o-o offended. Again, grow up you bunch of babies.
Posted by: GeeCee | June 11, 2008, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
BelleStar – I saw Obama’s primary victory speech on network t.v. and I would hardly call the affectin he showed his wife as being “grab ass”. He patted his wife on what I saw to be her waistline or just slightly below her waist. You are stretching here. Like I have said, you guys pick on “anything” to make him look bad. Keep it up, because you are just showing how totally petty and irritated you are at the prospect of this man and woman being in the President and First Lady.
Posted by: GeeCee | June 11, 2008, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
Come November, Obama out, hate-filled Michelle out. Gloria!
Posted by: Steve | June 11, 2008, 4:57 pm 4:57 pm
@JOHN GALT
What history will remember is that when President Bush took office in January 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. By June of 2008, gas was over $4 per gallon.
Posted by: Independent_to_blue | June 11, 2008, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
tomdavie writes:
“[Obama] just said today he is in favor of bringing back the draft.”
Did he REALLY?
That’d go well with yesterday’s “Obama veep vetters look at former Pentagon leaders” (NEDRA PICKLER and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press)
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
Gas averaged $1.37 when the GOP Bush and Cheney took office in January of 2001. Since the executive branch is the one responsible for determing and executing energy policy any moron knows who is responsible for $4 dollar Gas. If you want more of the same vote for MCCain
Posted by: Atlas Shrugged | June 11, 2008, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
NEWSFLASH for GeeCee:
BO will NOT be the next President. Hillary supporters will see to it. You threw the wrong people under the bus. Now you’re going to get to see how the REAL DEMOCRATS control the party.
We’ve already hurt the DNC. They’re BROKE! Why do you think that is, GeeCee? It’s because we all canceled our memberships and stopped FUNDING THE CORRUPTION!
Get use to it. The BO campaign was finished before it ever stole the nomination.
You don’t throw :
Typical white people voters
Gun clinging voters
Religion clinging voters
Bitter voters
Working class voters
Rural voters
Catholic voters
Jewish voters
Blue collar workers
FDR DEMOCRATIC voters
Senior voters
under the bus and expect to win elections. It’s NOT going to happen and you will have a rude awakening come November…if BO even makes it to the convention in August before he’s indicted in the Rezko case.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
If you want more of the same vote for McCain. If you want things to get even worse vote for Obama.
Posted by: ChrisA | June 11, 2008, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
The tide is turning on BO big time. Clinton supporters (now McCain supporters) sign up on justsaynodeal . com. The numbers are growing by leaps and bounds.
Posted by: Gene | June 11, 2008, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
Obama won’t fix gas price, won’t fix economic crisis, won’t fix war in Iraq, won’t fix healthcare and social security… because he doesn’t know how to and what to, has no experience to and is not quailifed to…
Posted by: True Truth | June 11, 2008, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Obama Man – I thought my comments were intelligent. I am not insulting anyone or using juvenile language.
I believe that there is a disconnect between Senator Obama’s message and his actions. I don’t know whether this will be commented on by most of the media; I don’t know if this will be noticed by the public. Even if it is noticed, I don’t think it will have an effect on Senator Obama’s most enthusiastic supporters. But it may have an effect on the independent voters.
Senator Obama insists that he will reach across the aisle to work with everyone. When has he ever done this? Senator McCain has reached across the aisle and has been quite willing to condemn members of his own party for bad behavior. When has Senator Obama condemned any Democrats (other than those who were opponents for the nomination)?
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
Opening paragraph:
“Barack Obama may have come up with a creative way to solve the housing recession: Let everyone buy property at a discount the way he did from Tony Rezko, and give everyone in America a discount mortgage the way Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide did for Fannie Mae’s Jim Johnson. Team Obama’s real estate and mortgage transactions are certainly a change from business as usual. They suggest old-fashioned back-scratching below even current Beltway standards.”
Posted by: bebe | June 11, 2008, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
LOL. This is the “change” we were waiting for. What a rank amateur.
Posted by: Marie | June 11, 2008, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Big chunk of CHANGE:
from “Obama’s Choice of Insider Draws Fire” (Washington Post)
“Johnson was supposed to reimburse the company for 50 percent of the chauffeur’s time, but that did not apply to time spent waiting for Johnson or driving his wife. Consequently, he reimbursed Fannie for about 15 percent of the cost.
On March 17, 2005, as Fannie Mae was engulfed in accounting scandal, Johnson contacted board chairman Stephen B. Ashley and said, “I should do my part to assist Fannie Mae’s efforts to reduce expenditures at this difficult time.”
[Johnson's] part was temporarily reducing his consulting fees, which had increased to $600,000 a year and an end to his support staff and driver.”
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
Independent_to_blue:
He and his cohorts have insulted EVERYONE who USE TO BE in the Democratic Party. He will pay dearly for that in November, if he gets that far, which is VERY doubtful.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
from that Wall Street Journal piece cited by bebe:
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe also said in March that “If we’re really going to crack down on the practices that caused the credit and housing crises, we’re going to need a leader who doesn’t owe these industries any favors.”
So . . . will Plouffe — who, according to a puff piece in TIME, “can swear like a sailor” (tough, huh?) — be the next to go poof?
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
@Hugh
One example, out of many, of Sen. Obama reaching accross the aisle:
Sen. Obama and Sen. Coburn worked together on a legislation to create a searchable database of government spending; the goal being an increase transperency in who gets how much federal money.
Posted by: Independent_to_blue | June 11, 2008, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
Carly Fiorina. Rebranded the Apple iPod as the Apple iPod by Hewlett Packard. Then lost the company millions of dollars and walked away rather rich.
Phil Gramm. UBS lobbyist, currently on McCain staff. Helped trigger the subprime mortgage meltdown.
Rick Davis. Well, wink wink he’s kinda not one of those really bad kinds of lobbyists…but he definetly does more than getting football stadiums for high schools like one of Obama’s guys tried to do. Wow, a high school football stadium. And Rick? Questionable foreign regimes? That don’t like our country?
Posted by: kravitz | June 11, 2008, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
pretty soon obama is going to need to go dig up some of those bodies in chicago that voted for him.
nod you are correct,
another one under the bus.
Posted by: andjusticeforall | June 11, 2008, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
Not so easy for Obama now that he can’t blame Hillary.
Obama’s “hope and change” is quickly fading to reality–he is just another dirty politician.
Posted by: cindy in nc | June 11, 2008, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
@Vickie
I can’t say that I share all of Sen. Obama’s views. There are many issues for which most democrats would probably qualify me as too conservative.
Are Sen. Obama and McCain the best men in country? probably not; but they are the choices we have for this election, and one of them will be leading the country over the next 4 years.
We had Republicans in power for about 8 years now, and I cannot say that I like the current situation. If a strategy hasn’t worked for 8 years, why should it produce different results now? The same actions will bring about the same effects. A change of direction is needed.
Posted by: Independent_to_blue | June 11, 2008, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
When you play “holier than thou” you’d better make sure that you can walk that talk. Don’t rumble with the RNC if you all you can do is talk tough. This isn’t Hillary Clinton where the media rolled over and played dead for him. These are the people who REALLY own the media … We shall enjoy watching it all come undone. Couldn’t have happened to a better candidate!
Posted by: beebop | June 11, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
Ireland has recently cut the cooperate tax rate in half to around the mid teens. Businesses from all over are tripping over each other to set up shop there. Economy in Ireland is booming!! History has shown that when the US cuts the tax rates – economy expands which means more money coming in to the fed also. Same thing applies to capital gains taxes and income taxes. This is just basic Economics 101 and always has been. Obama wants to do the opposite and tax business more. Does that make any sense? I am not a business man – just a retired Catholic schoolteacher on a very fixed income. DON’T THEY TEACH ECON 101 AT HARVARD ANYMORE??
Posted by: Jimbo | June 11, 2008, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
Obama throws another crook under the bus.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
Jimbo
Well said about economy 101.
I will add one more thing. Obama want to convert US from Capitalist Economy into Socialist Economy. We all know what happened to Germany/France/Italy/Etc
Posted by: john | June 11, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
John.
I would go a step further and use the term Marxist. It implies that the average person cannot be trusted to make life’s major decisions. It dictates that the state is in a much better position to do all that. Capitalism may have its faults – BUT IT SURE CAN WORK WELL WHEN IT IS ALLOWED TO!! Obama’s Socialist/Marxist ideas haven’t worked anywhere else and won’t work here. With all the leftist baloney they teach in college these days, it’s amazing the we still have a capitalistic society – I wonder how much longer…….?
Posted by: Jimbo | June 11, 2008, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
Cutting tax rates and streamlining the internal revenue code would be excellent ideas. This is one area where I am an expert; I am an attorney with a masters degree in tax law. I am currently working as a hearing officer for a state tax agency.
It is generally known that federal tax revenues generally equal roughly 19% of GDP no matter what happens with the tax rates. They go up; they go down; deductions are increased; deductions are decreased…yet collections come to about 19%.
Another widely known fact: tax avoidance planning almost disappears when the top federal marginal rate drops to 33% or below.
I would like to see Senator Obama say that the purpose of our tax laws is to raise revenues. We need to raise the most revenues in the fairest way possible. We need to do away with most deductions. We need to do away with subsidies to corporations. We need to stop trying to encourage business activity through our tax laws.
Indeed, perhaps we should turn tax policy over to an entity similar to the federal reserve board. Allow tax laws to be fine tuned by professionals and exempt from political manipulation.
If Senator Obama came out with ideas like this, I would vote for him.
Posted by: Hugh | June 11, 2008, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm
Country first, party second!
McCain ’08/Hillary ’12
Posted by: VA Independent | June 11, 2008, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
Independent_to_blue |:
And anointing another, unqualified, inexperienced, corrupt person with questionable friends Rezko, Auchi, Ayers, Wright, Farrakhan, Said and Khalidi and questionable background is NOT going to fix our ills. It will only exacerbate them. This is not the time for someone like BO to be in power. He’s the WORST possible choice at this time.
He has NO CLUE what he’s doing. None. He’s just on a power trip.
One would think, after living the last 7+ years with the idiot-in-chief in power, we would know better than to put another one in power to follow him. My G-d. Do we NEVER learn from history? This is as recent history as you could ask for, so it’s not like people can say they didn’t remember what the Bush years were like. Now you want MORE of the same?
That’s so bizarre. BO is waaaaaaaaaaay out of his league here. Even Generals are worried about him being elected because he has no clue what he’s doing and this country cannot AFFORD ANOTHER INEXPERIENCED DOOFUS LIKE BUSH and that’s exactly what BO is…another DOOFUS….. with no experience and is completely unqualified.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 7:44 pm 7:44 pm
vickie
read his policy proposals
then you may have a clue what you are saying
His proposals and priomises are correct on EVERY single issue.
McCain now…aside from the environkment (aside from the lobbyist for Exxon Mobil lobbyist choosing his vp) he is on the wrong side of every issue…
go read a little.
Posted by: dl | June 11, 2008, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm
Hugh, The DNC could pan for gold in California.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
This election is not about issues thanks to Obama…..
it is about who can be trusted between an “empty suit” hypocrite who did great job on copycat for every single issue or a true patriot who can defend this country…
Posted by: True Truth | June 11, 2008, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
The problem is, the DNC doesn’t believe in counting the votes of the people.
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Boy, that little space under the bus is getting crowded.
I can’t quit laughing….
Posted by: mccarter2ndterm | June 11, 2008, 8:14 pm 8:14 pm
Tony, Louis, Jeramiah, William, now the Washington insider’s Insider, Jim. Another “bone headed” idea.
Obama’s running on his “judgement”?
Posted by: mccarter2ndterm | June 11, 2008, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
When is Obama going to take responsibility for all the mistakes that he is making? Instead of admitting his mistakes, Obama keeps chopping heads off of scape-goats. Instead of pointing the blame at others, Obama should admit that he is not as smart as his campaign is claiming.
Posted by: Regina | June 11, 2008, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
Where’s the change?? Somebody tell me where’s the change?
Posted by: Anders Scooper | June 11, 2008, 8:28 pm 8:28 pm
The last person he will throw out the bus is Michele…. The United States, she says, is “just downright mean.” Never, prior to her husband’s presidential run, had she had a reason to feel proud of it, she told a campaign throng. But by last November, with Barack’s pursuit of the brass ring catching momentum, she suddenly got plenty proud. And confident: so much so that she was moved to tell MSNBC, “Black America will wake up and get it” — unite and carry him over the finish line.
Posted by: See | June 11, 2008, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
Obama’s gonna have to buy a bigger bus if he becomes president… on ALL of us can fit under!
Posted by: obamasbeenlyin | June 11, 2008, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm
I have not heard McCain ever say that, when the war came to an end in Vietnam, he did not thank his stars for surviving and the prospect to being with his family again; instead, he is going around saying how he understands war better than anyone else, and how the Iraq war was the right thing, and how it would be “surrender” for our troops to come back home anytime soon. This guy has no feelings whatsoever–not for the war fatigue amongst our troops, not for the economy, and certainly, not for our reputation around the world. You may ask yourself: Whom might you trust not to lead this nation into another senseless war? Answer: Certainly not McCain! This, in my opinion, is what national security should be all about.
Posted by: TK | June 11, 2008, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
Obama said he is for the prices of gasoline going up on a gradual level.
This shows how elitist Obama is.
He said this on an interview on CNBC.
Posted by: david | June 11, 2008, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
Phil Gramm, McCain Co-Chair, Lobbied US On Mortgage Crisis While Advising Candidate On Economic Policy
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s national campaign general co-chair was being paid by a Swiss bank to lobby Congress about the U.S. mortgage crisis at the same time he was advising McCain about his economic policy, federal records show.
For his work, Gramm and two other lobbyists collected $750,000 in fees from UBS’s American subsidiary. In the past year, UBS has written down more than $18 billion in exposure to subprime loans and other risky securities and is considering cutting as many as 8,000 jobs
Another strong reason not to vote McCain.
Posted by: geevill | June 11, 2008, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm
John McCain’s primary defender in the Lady Lobbyist Scandal* is a man named Charlie Black.
Black, of course, is a lobbyist. In fact, as the head of the extremely influential lobby shop BKSH and Associates, he’s one of Washington’s most powerful influence-peddlers. In the Washington Post story today about the lobbyists that populate the upper ranks of McCain’s campaign (here’s another guy), Black is listed as working for AT&T, Alcoa, JPMorgan, and U.S. Airways. He works and has worked for far more companies than that, however.
Double Speak Express.
Posted by: Oretga | June 11, 2008, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
McCain: Fire Charlie Black
John McCain’s chief adviser, lobbyist Charlie Black, worked for some of the world’s worst dictators—mass murderers, terrorists, and tyrants. Our new video calls on McCain to fire Charlie Black.
Posted by: Owen | June 11, 2008, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
dl:
I’ve read all I need to read about BO. I know more about that corrupt, inexperienced, unqualified racist than I care to know. The one thing I know for certain is he’s the LAST person who should have access to the WH. In fact, I would be surprised if the man was able to get a security clearance because of all the unsavory DANGEROUS crooks he hangs with.
And just FYI, I live in Illinois. I campaigned for BO when he ran for the Senate. I donated to his campaign. I attended rallies. I met the man in person. I voted for him to go to the Senate (HUGE MISTAKE, NOT to be repeated), but all that was when the Chicago machine had all his questionable “friends” and past corrupt connections COVERED UP. THEY controled the message, much like MSNBO and CNN do now.
Now that he’s out of Illinois, they can’t control the info anymore. NOW the truth has come out. Thank G-d for the Internet.
Hopefully, he’ll be indicted before August. If not, the GOP will stop him in October. They aren’t intimidated by him playing the race card. They THRIVE on that kind of politics, in case you haven’t noticed.
BO will NOT be the next President. That’s a fact.
Posted by: Vickie | June 11, 2008, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm
Obama says he cant do anything about the gas prices and wants us to conserve instead. He is ok with it going up to $5 or $6 bucks a gallon
Posted by: tomdavie | June 11, 2008, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
tomdavie writes:
“[Obama] is ok with [gas] going up to $5 or $6 bucks a gallon”
Yeah? Well, he and Michelle take in several hundred thousand dollars more than a million dollars a year. He might not be so sanguine if he were driving to a job at McDonald’s, instead of running over his friends and relatives with that great big bus full of campaign cash.
For MOST Americans with actual jobs (or with children in need of transport), the only way to “conserve” gas is to hitch-hike.
Posted by: Belle Starr | June 11, 2008, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
Obama’s judgement!
this was his first major task and he blew it!
Obama brags about him having judgment, but so far most of his friends are wacky!! and not much judgment has been shown!
Posted by: frieda | June 12, 2008, 12:22 am 12:22 am
Ander Scooper,
DNC only believe “CHANGE”
They got it already. He changed his staffers many times.
His bus is overloaded.
Posted by: catleya | June 12, 2008, 12:53 am 12:53 am
Ok, so this guy who was not involved in making policy, was not being paid, was not a lobbyist, and did nothing illegal. Is somehow tainted. Am I getting this right? he was hired to find people with clean records that could help balance the ticket so that the candidate can pick a running mate. Unlike McCain Policy advisers that still do lobbying work from the bus. Unlike McCain’s less than legal campaign loans, that can’t be investigated because his buddy in the oval hasn’t gotten around to naming anyone to the post that would do such and investigation.
Your slip is showing McCain and Republicans. If you are this desperate, this early, what are you going to have come the fall? You’ve gone back to promoting the gas tax for cripes sake, you did see where that was the final nail in the coffin for HRC right? Equating withdrawal with defeat is also a weak argument, especially when you can provide specific terms that would entail declaring victory and don’t even acknowledge that the entire war and the 4100+ dead in it was based on blatant falsehoods. Your response is to gear up for a 3rd war front in the middle east.
You want to go after this guy because he got a sweetheart deal from a buddy he knew in the business? How about that sweetheart deal you got McCain, when one of your lobby buddies got his company to illegally write off a bunch of debt? glass houses and stones.
Posted by: Louis | June 12, 2008, 2:09 am 2:09 am
John McCain – Judgment that comes with AGE:
“There’s not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shiahs. So I think they can probably get along.” [MSNBC, 4/23/03]
“Because I believe that the success will be fairly easy,” [CNN, 9/24/02]
“We’re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad.” [CNN, 9/29/02]
“But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily.” [MSNBC, 1/22/03]
“But I believe that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators.” [NBC, 3/20/03]
“It’s clear that the end is very much in sight.” [ABC, 4/9/03]
“This is a mission accomplished.” [This Week, ABC, 12/14/03]
“I’m confident we’re on the right course.” [ABC News, 3/7/04]
Posted by: No McSame | June 12, 2008, 6:55 am 6:55 am
Following the logic of the republican attack machine here… People should not be allowed to vote if they have countrywide loans. Yes, having a low-interest loan is a shameful thing! [yeah right]
Posted by: Almonds | June 12, 2008, 7:57 am 7:57 am
Barack Obama – Judgment that comes with AGE:
….. WE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER!
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY!!!
Posted by: questioner | June 12, 2008, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
How could he quit? I thought he didn’t work for Obama.
Was it a tangential resignation?
Posted by: drjohn | June 13, 2008, 8:07 am 8:07 am
Kudos to the two posters “No McSame” and “Almonds” for putting forth intelligent arguments that actually focus on the issues. I think, if more on this site would do the same, people would be inspired to learn the facts and concentrate more on relevant issues and less on soap opera-type nonsense.
Posted by: Casual Observer | June 13, 2008, 9:14 am 9:14 am
Correction: My statement should have read- Kudos to “No McSame” and “Hugh”. (“Almonds” is nuts!)
Kudos to the two posters “No McSame” and “Almonds” for putting forth intelligent arguments that actually focus on the issues. I think, if more on this site would do the same, people would be inspired to learn the facts and concentrate more on relevant issues and less on soap opera-type nonsense.
Posted by: Casual Observer | June 13, 2008, 9:20 am 9:20 am