Candidate Who Voted with President Bush 9 out of 10 Times Assails Rival for Doing So a Whopping 4 out of 10 Times
EmailThis is one of the weirder attacks yet.
In a new TV ad, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, makes the curious case that Sen. John McCain, R-Illinois, by supporting the war in Iraq, is helping the Iraqis and the oil companies fleece the middle class.
The script: "Economics by John McCain: Support George Bush 95 percent of the time. Keep spending ten billion dollars a month for the war in Iraq, while the Iraqis sell oil for record prices giving Iraq a $79 billion oil surplus and hurting our economy. Barack Obama’s plan: End the war responsibly. Better schools. No more tax breaks for oil companies. Barack Obama — the Middle Class first."
There’s some pretty iffy stuff in there — Obama has voted to send tens of billions to Iraq, too, though quite obviously he has also voted against funding the war as well. And oil moneys aside, that’s a pretty remarkable suggestion, that the Iraqis are living high on the hog and screwing the very US taxpayers who are helping them.
The McCain campaign pushback, however, is even more bizarre.
Says McCain spox Tucker Bounds: "in the Senate, Barack Obama has voted in lockstep with President George W. Bush nearly half the time, including the Bush-Cheney Energy bill which gave close to 3 billion dollars in new giveaways to Big Oil – a terrible policy that John McCain opposed. The truth is Barack Obama’s plan is a job killing machine that ignores the struggling economy and raises taxes on family savings, social security and small businesses.”
Okay, first of all, if you vote with the president less than 50% of the time, it can hardly be called "lockstep."
Second, the senator who voted with Preident Bush 9 out of 10 times is faulting an opponent for voting with him 4 out of 10 times?
Bounds has a point on the 2005 energy bill, as we’ve covered before.
Strange days, indeed.
- jpt
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mccain stopped making sense in 2000. now he’s resorted to babbling.
Posted by: cturple | August 13, 2008, 2:16 pm 2:16 pm
Let’s elect someone already. I’m tired of the back and forth.
Posted by: Tyrone | August 13, 2008, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
It comes down to independence and Obama’s clueless ness and lying when it comes to politics. If the Bush energy plan was so bad as Obama now claims, why did he vote for it? Also McCain has voted at a rate in line with the republican party as low as 61% just as far back as 2001 and in 2005 he voted with Bush 77% of the time. This exposes Obama’s insinuation that McCain has voted with Bush 95% Bush has been in office Obama did in a June 3rd ad. Also if its wrong to vote with Bush 95% of the time (last year only) then how can it be right to vote with him 40% of the time?
Obama on the other hand has never in his senate career been below 95% voting with the democrat party. Not to mention Obama has either adopted many of Bush’s positions on foreign policy or has been completely wrong in regards to his own positions. Take for example the carrots to Iran. What Obama proposes was already offered by bush in 2005. Obama said the surge would increase the amount of violence in Iraq. obama now supports condition based withdrawal from Iraq. Obama said talks with north korea would fail if we didn’t go it alone, yet we’ve gotten further with North Korea then ever before. Obama takes Bush’s view with missile attacks into pakistan.
Posted by: Zaggs | August 13, 2008, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
4 out of 10 times seems to be a pretty clear bipartisan voting record. Obama could use this as a positive.
Posted by: clear | August 13, 2008, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm
Neocons=Hypocrisy Nothing new here.
Posted by: eyeonyou | August 13, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Now im confused mccain claims obama is the most liberal senator but now claims he has voted with bush alot so then he cant be so liberal right mccain you sure confuse me i know your a confused old man but some of us would like to know where you are coming from!!
Posted by: angie | August 13, 2008, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
The shooting in Little Rock is about to erupt into Spy vs Spy before the facts are in.
Take note:
Quit thinking two-dimensions. Think in terms of dynamic statistical distributions. For any large polytropic sample, there will be edge cases in every dimension or trope. As the stress is increases marginalizing some members of the population, they will exhibit ever more extreme behaviors in an attempt to reassert control. Both sides have been building with extremes, but it is the left that has the most diverse coalitions which are fragile.
That doesn’t mean the left is the source. It means it is contributing the most stress to the overall polytrope.
McVey was far right. Oswald was far left. There is no reliable predictor of where it comes from just that it will come.
Back to our regularly scheduled blabbing…
Posted by: len | August 13, 2008, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
Wow. I guess the McCain camp still doesn’t have a way to account for their candidate’s record. John McCain tied himself to George Bush in preparing for a second run at the White House.
He’s gonna have to get used to ads like this IMO.
Meanwhile: it seems to me Jake no where in that ad is it insinuated that Iraqis are living high of the hog. Rather, they have a huge surplus while we’re sitting on deficits and McCain wants to stay there while Obama wants to get out responsibly.
I know where my vote is going.
It seems a fair hit to me.
Posted by: Rhoda | August 13, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Since Obama only voted 4 times, then that is 100% of his votes.
Obama plays both sides here, ignores the people. Obama is a Marxist!!
The best Energy plan is coming from the Conservatives and the people of America – Drill Here, Drill Now – Will create jobs and cut oil prices -
Build Nuke plants – again will create jobs and cut energy costs,
Create efficent cars, windmills and solar -
All of therse the Libs like Obama and Pelosi are against, they want to create Socialism here!!
Jake you should do a blog on Pelosi’s relationship with Boone Pickens, since she is on the grounbd floor to make millions off of oil prices sky rocketing!!
Obama has been rates the most Communist member of the congress, even further left then the self described Communist member!!
You know why Obama keeps flipping it is because he is lying, he is not saying what he really believes in.
All this back and forth junk is a distraction.
Obama what is your energy plan, McCain gave his, Complaining about the other guys is not a plan!!
Posted by: spock | August 13, 2008, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
The dem party is such a mess. Now they’re shooting each other in Little Rock. How low can the dems go under the lack of leadership from Pelosi and Dean?
Posted by: Chris | August 13, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Da Der Te Der….Yes I did say that libs are against wind power and solar power and renewable energy…Da der te der….I am Wing Nut must repeat lies many times in order for my simple mind to absorb illogical fallacies and falsehoods. Yes us Right Wing nuts are for peace too…we do not believe in war any longer…we embrace the environmental policies that the Liberals do not. Liberals are bad evil people and Right Wing GOP are angels that do nothing wrong and are the second coming of Jesus Christ. God is behind GOP. God will make rain on liberals if we pray much. Da Der te der.
Posted by: Spock | August 13, 2008, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
Once our troops were in Iraq Obama had to vote to fund them! What was he to do vote against protecting them? McCain is counting on the uneducated voters- Too bad he doesn’t know how to work The Internets and use The Google to check facts like everyone else can. Thank god most Americans are smarter the McCain gives them credit for.
Posted by: Hippemom | August 13, 2008, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
Spock-
I’m curious on where you get your information as it is all wrong! Educate yourself before posting. The real flip flopper is McCain we all know that.
Posted by: Hippemom | August 13, 2008, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm
Whooo I’m dizzy
Posted by: Miki | August 13, 2008, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
I agree with Rhoda. Claiming that Senator Obama insinuated that Iraqi’s are living high on the hog is a Trappperism (a ludicrous exaggeration of what he actually said).
Posted by: George | August 13, 2008, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
Jake,
Your analysis cannot hold under heavy scrutiny. Obama voted for the troop not for the Iraqis, but McCain’s argument of staying in Iraq in perpetuity irregardless of the cost is what is troubling.
By the way, did i hear you mention McCain’s voting against tax break that gives alternative energy a chance? The answer is no. Continue to serves as political hack for the Republican machine.
When are you going to call McCain out on her B.S. of supporting alternative energy when he actually voted against all the investment that will jump start alternative energy?
Posted by: Bee, Manchester, NH | August 13, 2008, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
Like many bills, the 2003 Bush Cheney Energy bill had incentives attached to it for passage. Jindal stated he voted for it because of its wetland provisions and Obama supported it because of its ethanol provisions which would benefit Illinois, a corn growing state. McCain appears to have some retroactive opposition to Big Oil regarding his vote against it.
Posted by: kat | August 13, 2008, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
Typo again, I meant the 2005 energy bill, not 2003.
Posted by: kat | August 13, 2008, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
Obama said the surge would make things worse and then blamed it on our governemnet why he could not vist our wounded fighting men over in the middle east. When the real reason was he could not bring the PHOTO OP CREW in with him
Posted by: ragler | August 13, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
McCain says constantly he knows how to win wars, Which war has he won? He wasn’t in Vietnam very long before he was shot down, then he spent the remainder of the war as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton. Trying to correlate his POW expierience as Foreign policy is just asinine.
On foreign policy issue’s such as Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan President Bush & a reluctant McCain endorsed Obama’s Foreign policy strategy, as well as the Leaders from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Palestinians, Germany, France and England. None of these leaders have mentioned support for McCain Strategy. Yes, Obama never served in the Military, it is not a requirement to be POTUS. McCain served in the military, however I cannot see how being a POW brings usefull expierience & knowledge to the presidency.
I am going to vote for the smart choice, even if his name rhymes with Osama!!
Obama 08
Posted by: Elitist | August 13, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
what are you saying jake?
Posted by: bhrandon | August 13, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
This is more of the same tired nonsense from McCain. I wish he would cut it out.
He never tells us what he is gonna do. He only rags on Obama over stuff that he falsely claims Obama did.
Either McCain is a pathological liar or a senile idiot. In either case, unfit for president.
Posted by: craggy | August 13, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Obama is the real Bush 3rd term. Is there anything of consequence that he didn’t fall in line on?
Posted by: p0s3r | August 13, 2008, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
Jake
I don’t understand why you said: “And oil moneys aside, that’s a pretty remarkable suggestion…”
Since they WERE talking about oil monies, then how remarkable it would be if they were NOT is hardly relevant.
Posted by: jock59801 | August 13, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
McCain said he’s been on the phone with the president of Georgia and complained that the Russians used “some minor conflict” as an excuse to launch a well-planned military operation. (In a conversation with the Tribune, McCain said he has spoken to the Georgian president every day.)
oh when did the general election take place? i missed it!!! Mccain won.. curses!
You know, if obama said he was on the phone with georgias president all you republicans would be calling him presumptious, elite, acting like hes above everyone…
lol
so how do you feel about mccain doing this?
should you be attacking him or if obama had done this would you be on here praising obama?
Posted by: bhrandon | August 13, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
poser sooo what about mccains 95% voting record with bush?
Posted by: bhrandon | August 13, 2008, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
Obama voted for the energy bill, and McCain opposed it, not because of what it gave the oil companies, but because it strongly funded alternative energy strategies.
As usual–no shocker here–McCain and his people are lying.
Posted by: pedestrian | August 13, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
I guess Obama isn’t as liberal as you guys thought.
Posted by: Vanessa | August 13, 2008, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
Can someone ask what the presumptuous, arrogant McCain has been telling the Georgian president in his daily conversations? Because now the Georgian president is claiming the US is sending the military to his country. Is McCain confusing the situation? He should shut up and stop making the situation worse.
Posted by: Jim | August 13, 2008, 4:22 pm 4:22 pm
Jake, next time, count the times McCain has voted in favor of renewable energy, will you?
I can tell you: Senator McCain did not show up *ONCE* for crucial votes on the renewable energy bill. It was defeated for the *eighth* time on July 30.
Has McCain ever voted in favor of renewable energy? Evah?
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | August 13, 2008, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
I hate to say this but the fleece the middle class issue might have some traction.
The war seems never ending, we have a deficit, Iraq has tons of oil revenue, and I do not see any financial benefits coming from the Iraq surplus. We have invested 86 billion in reconstruction; soon George Bush needs to collect some money.
That said, anyone with half a brain can see through the disingenuous argument Obama is trying to make.
Posted by: smith | August 13, 2008, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
McSame just let go with another of his “gaffes.” This one is even riper than the Shia/Sunni or the Iraq/Pakistan border “confusion.”
Speaking on the Russian/Georgian situation, he said, “in the 21st Century, nation’s don’t invade other nations.” ‘Ya can’t make this stuff up.
Posted by: Brooklyn Democrat | August 13, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
“Because now the Georgian president is
>>> claiming the US is sending the military to his country. Is McCain confusing the situation? He should shut up and stop making the situation worse.
Posted by: Jim | Aug 13, 2008 4:22:47 PM
____________
Why blame McCain? On what basis?
Surely, if ANYONE sent forth such a grandious message it would have been the presumptuous Dem o candidate… what’s his name?
Posted by: just thinking,... | August 13, 2008, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
“And oil moneys aside, that’s a pretty remarkable suggestion, that the Iraqis are living high on the hog and screwing the very US taxpayers who are helping them.”
This is not what Obama is inferring. The US government is spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while Iraq is sitting on billions in oil revenue. It is the Bush administration that is screwing US taxpayers, not Iraq.
Posted by: cincyr | August 13, 2008, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm
Meanwhile, in the real world, outside of Disney, John McCain said today “In the 21st Century, nations don’t invade other nations.” I don’t have to make this stuff up. This is a direct quote. As my husband, a marine brat and former Young Republican says: “The mind explodes.” Did John-John forget Afghanistan and that little pre-emptive strike in Iraq?
And why isn’t the Disney News channel reporting this?
Posted by: mara | August 14, 2008, 1:11 am 1:11 am
McCain is Stupid: Thank you and keep it up. Somebody has to actually report on the news – and the PrepSchool Press sure isn’t going to do it.
Posted by: mara | August 14, 2008, 1:12 am 1:12 am
the far left Dems that sortof walked away with the Dem nomination dirt cheap!… are trying to force people with moderate views to like Obama when its not happening and there is a real chance that Obama sealed his on fate by jumping ahead in line dfor the presidency….what will make a difference is the VP pick and if he picks a Biden or a Bayh he will not be true to his proposed change agenda what says cahnge more than the first african american and first woman as pres/VP….the Obama people need to be more humble in order to win 100 percent of the dem party… ofcourse hes being cocky because Mccain hasnt won over 100 percent of repubs arent sure about mccain be careful it could be a wash… 2000 all over again… Lieberman as VP for Mccain would really stick it to Moveon.org cronies since they forced him out of the dem party.. this thing still isnt a lock for the obama-nation… hmm I think theres a book out by that title now!
Posted by: staniam | August 14, 2008, 2:11 am 2:11 am
Voting against funding the war
that is ongoing is no way to
show your opposition to it.
The war is on. The troops are
in Iraq. The war effort should
continue to be funded with the
utmost speed as needed.
Ending the war responsibly is
a separate issue. BO has already
put forth a 16-month withdrawal
plan. Until then he’s duty bound
to keep funding the war.
There is no inconsistency in
remaining committed to ending
the war started by Bush while
recognizing your responsibility
to keep financing it in the
meantime.
Posted by: anon | August 14, 2008, 2:17 am 2:17 am
US taxpayers are not helping the
Iraqis. They have supported a
mindless invasion that has
destroyed everything that was
good in Iraq.
Posted by: anon | August 14, 2008, 2:35 am 2:35 am
“No more tax breaks for oil companies. Barack Obama — the Middle Class first.”
Class warfare is pretty much Democrats ever offer. It’s awful, but the problem is that works on the feeble minded.
Posted by: drjohn | August 14, 2008, 8:06 am 8:06 am
clueness is when you rattle sabers against russia and don’t realize that you don’t have a saber.
we have been in stone age iraq for nearly seven years now. imagine NOW. the US in iraq STILL afgainstan STILL and now McWar is rattling sabers with RUSSIA.
oh by the way mcCLUEless has stuck his foot in his mouth because his lead foriegn is a lobbyist for georgia (ding ding ding another lobbyinst in bed with mccain) and the leader of georgia has called his bluff (heyyyyyy I thought mcKooky said we should have only one president at a time..
Obama gave the appropriate measured response and stayed within the limits by giving respect to the present administation.
McCain does not have experience… HE HAS LONGEVITY. He does not have JUDGEMENT.
I personally think that he is once again getting a free ride. I Obama would have made such bold statements you best believe that McCain would have pounced on it as being inexperienced. No McCain you are the inexperienced one. You are writing a check that America cant cash. This has to be a UN effort.
This man is beyond loony. He is Scary.
Posted by: Omentum | August 14, 2008, 8:37 am 8:37 am
The fact that your lead forieign advisor is a lobbyist for Georgia is from page news.
The fact that your overstep the administration and politicize this issue is a HUGE mistake.
The fact that you spend a whole day campaigning on the war in Georgia and when Obama says the the MCain camp is going over the top you say that Obama is trying to politicize the issue IS DOWN RIGHT BIZARRE.
How about the statement McBizarro made that in the 21st century countries dont invade other countries.
When did the 21 century start? Just after we invaded Iraq?
Go figure
OBAMA 08
Posted by: Omentum | August 14, 2008, 8:47 am 8:47 am
How many UN resolutions did Georgia breach?
I forget.
I guess I also forgot that regime change in Georgia was the official US policy since 1998.
Posted by: drjohn | August 14, 2008, 9:06 am 9:06 am
McCain’s campaign: The gang that couldn’t shoot straight.
Also, isn’t he being a little PRESUMPTUOUS, even UPPITY, sending his own delegation to Russia and taking a much more hawkish position than Bush? I mean, we only have one president at a time.
Posted by: SpaceCat | August 14, 2008, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
Make that sending a delegation to Georgia, not Russia.
Posted by: SpaceCat | August 14, 2008, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
Obama is in no position to mock McCain for supporting Bush. It is only natural that McCain would vote with his party on most issues. What explains Obama’s vote for the Bush Cheney energy bill though?? Obama supported this legislation that McCain bucked his own party to vote against! The answer is simple–Obama is bought and paid for by his buddies in the energy industry. The New York Times and Chicago Tribune did pieces on his ties to Excelon energy and others a long time ago. Obama is a hypocrite.
Posted by: NJH | August 14, 2008, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
How about this,
If you want to vote for McCain, vote for McCain and list a reason about something he has done or will do to support it or no reason at all and don’t even mention the other guy.
I will vote for Obama and let you vote for your guy. I will vote for Obama because I want LESS wars, more international cooperation, more help to the poor and working classes, more healthcare and education for a broader group of Americans (every American if possible) and YES, I WANT THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TO PAY TAXES AND SHARE THEIR WEALTH WITH ALL AMERICANS.
We all worked to make the America that has made them so rich and they have a duty to support the country AND ITS PEOPLE.
Posted by: shelgirl | August 15, 2008, 11:11 am 11:11 am
I will tell you why people will vote for McCain- Child tax credit. It’s absent from Obama’s tax plan. too many holes from an unfamilar canidate.
Posted by: Demsinthe USA | August 15, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm