Stephanopoulos: McCain’s Seven Must-Win Battleground States

Gov. Sarah Palin met with a group of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s former supporters Tuesday evening at a special fund-raising reception organized for them on behalf of the Republican ticket.
The reception, which organizers said brought in more than $500,000, was part of an extended evening of fund-raising for Ms. Palin and Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign at the Grand Hyatt in New York that officials estimated raised more than $8 million.
Ms. Palin, along with her husband, Todd, mingled and posed for pictures with the group of about 20, before appearing at the larger finance event, which McCain campaign officials said was the last time Mr. McCain would personally appear at a fund-raiser before the election. It was also the first time the pair had appeared together for donors.
More than 1,000 people paid $1,000 each for tickets to the main fund-raiser. Nearly 250 people who contributed $25,000 got dinner beforehand with Mr. McCain.
The reception for former Clinton supporters, which also was attended by Rick Davis, the McCain campaign manager, was spearheaded by Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a former telecommunications entrepreneur and “Hillraiser” who brought in more than $100,000 for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign; Calvin Fayard, also a former Hillraiser and longtime Democratic donor from Louisiana, and Miguel Lausell, a former senior political adviser to the Clinton campaign from Puerto Rico.
Other prominent former Clinton supporters in attendance included John Coale, a former Hillraiser, Washington lawyer and husband of Fox News television host Greta Van Susteren.
Everyone at the reception contributed $28,500 to McCain-Palin Victory 2008, a joint fund-raising committee for the Republican National Committee and several state Republican parties.

McCain threw women’s “health” under that bus last night.

I was shocked that McCain didn’t defend his running mate more when given the opportunity.
PLus I notice one BIG gaff by McCain. He continually referred to Palins knowledge of Autism. Her new son is Down Syndrome not Autistic, two totally different dieases. I thought he would catch himself but he didn’t. I think that showed lack of focus on what he was really saying.

Well, McCain hit a new low. He threw his good friend Joe Biden under the bus, so he could be president.

Carol…these polls are from all over the US including the polls taken by ALL networks including FOX, which is the most far right.
Everyone coudl see who won and is going to win.

Obama is a liar….
You folks cannot handle the truth. It is over and we have a new president.
This president will work for the MIDDLE CLASS not the rich..

Who cares what Stephanopoulos has to say about anything ?
We remember your bias George.
——————————–

Other prominent former Clinton supporters in attendance included John Coale, a former Hillraiser, Washington lawyer and husband of Fox News television host Greta Van Susteren.
** They must have meant girlfriend because Greta looks like a man!

Joe the plumber: here you have one guy hoping to get rich vs. thousands struggling to put food on the table. How many of those thousands would Joe employ?

Obama is like the people’s champ aka the people’s President. He represents so much of America that some people can’t stand it. The bombing of Obama’s character which most Americans think is pretty good, is only bombing one person’s campaign= John McCains. He’s losing bad and he can’t seem to find a way to fix it. Maybe he should stop attacking the man’s character and start telling us how he’s really the people’s President, which he isn’t. The way McCain avoids questions about his plans for the future lets us know he’s not country first, he’s ME FIRST!

I hear McCain is using his shrinking funds to take out campaign ads on bottles of Liquid Plumber. Coz, just like Liquid Plumber, his campaign is going right down the toilet.

As a independent I chose the person that best shares my ideas. I have been on the fence leaning towards both canidates at certain times. Last nights debate really helped me come closer to making a decision. The Joe the plumber story really hit hime for me. I consider my family buisness to be small.
So when senator Obama sad he would not
raise income tax on anybody making less
then 250K a year I thought great thats
not me. Wrong!! Our small famly buisness is heating & air. We employee
anywhere from 9-18 employees. We have a net income of over 250k per year. Thats
not to say I see that much on my W-2. I
see less than 100k. I am supporting a family of 5. My in laws who co-own this buisness see less than 150K. Are we really considered the top 5%? I don’t think so! I do not get regular vacations or huge bonuses! I consider my buisness to be a small mom and pop buiness. If Obama is elected and our taxes go up how will I be able survive. WWhy should I have to spread the wealth. How dare Obama consider my buisness large! I do not make the millions like large corps. such as the ones we recently bailed out. Small buisnesses are the backbone of our country. I agree the past 8 years are not what I would have liked either. But twe must look at this tax plan and relize it effects more than just the rich.

McCain reached out to a fast-growing contituency. More and more children are being diagnosed with autism. That Sarah Palin has a child with Downs Syndrome speaks to all parents of special needs children. Also, the McCain’s adopted a daughter who had a physical handicap and spents tens of thousands of dollars to correct her disability shows that they have real compassion. Contrast this with Obama who referred to special-needs children as a “burden” in a speech pushing for more abortion.

I think Sen. McCain scored some legitimate hits. Even I was interested in how Sen. Obama responded to some of them and I know both of these campaigns’ talking points and policy positions inside and out. But whatever McCain gained by being constantly on the offensive was offset not only by Obama’s competent and Presidential responses, but even more so by his consistent and unpaletable disdain for his opponent and his condescension toward Americans in my opinion.
He basically invited us to go live in Canada or the UK if we disagree with him on healthcare. Thanks for the banishment there, John.
He said he was “proud of” Gov. Palin as if he were a Dad patting her on the head for gettin an “A”. Whatever I achieve in this world, my Dad doesn’t take me seriously and never will because he is an old-school man who considers women’s achievements “charming anomalies”. I have never been convinced of the sincerity of McCain’s respect for Palin. He and his campaign insulate her, are condescending to her, and then trot her out to perform like a side show attraction. I don’t think she’s VP material (much less presidential) but she deserves better than she gets from her own running mate and his campaign. She clearly doesn’t need him defending her honor like he tends to do. She’s a grown up for heaven’s sake, and a professional politician who chose to put herself in this position and has shown she is capable of taking hits and swinging back. If he wanted to show his support for Gov. Palin, about six less agitated and desperate sounding “I’m proud of her” comments would have helped his case.
I’m going to go ahead and give McCain the benefit of the doubt on the autism/down syndrome confusion. Autism is indeed a growing problem and should be a priority, but I assume he was stating that as a mother of a “special needs” child, Palin has a natural empathy for parents of other special needs children whatever their needs may be. He didn’t state it very well, though. I would also venture to say that having an infant with Down Syndrome certainly has palin thinking about the future of her child and may give her empathy, but she really has very little idea what she is in for (both joyful and painful) just yet. I wish her and her family well.
Distilling a man with legitimate concerns about his financial future, his business, and how the economic policies of the next President will effect his life as a whole down to “Joe the Plumber” is disrespectful. It wasn’t cute to call him “Joe the Plumber” any more than it would be cute to call so called “average” Americans “Joe Sixpack”. Joe is a plumber and he may even like beer, but he is a complex individual who is not defined by his career or his hypothetical beverage of choice. It would be the same as calling “Barack the Black Guy” or “McCain the Old Guy” as if that is all there is. Joe is, naturally, a McCain supporter or McCain wouldn’t have brought him up again and again. I’ll be interested to hear from Joe in four years, whatever the election brings.
And finally, if you are going to claim that an official agrees with your voucher plan, you might want to verify that in advance. Chancellor Michelle Rhee at one point expressed a preference for John McCain as a candidate and may still, but she has not yet taken any public stance at all on vouchers (though she is a supporter of Charter schools as Obama indicated). We’ll see if she backs McCain up on that voucher thing.

The only thing I learned from last night’s debate is that I went into the wrong line of work. If plumbers net more than $250k a year, I want to be one. I’m a CPA and Obama’s tax plan will mean a tax cut for me.

I actually disagree with Stephanopoulis who I like to agree with. I don’t think McCain had any zingers. The Bush comparison is too married to dispute. I thought Mr. McCain was actually difficult to watch but that may be a more male/female perspective in general. The news investigators should check into the legitimacy of the voting machine computer programming. The Bradley Effect articles … are they setting the public up for skewed votes by the machines flopping the results. I only say this because of courtroom testimony by a computer programmer from the last election asked to rig the programs and conceal the evidence. Apparently it’s npt surprisingly easy to do. How is this monitored?

Mr. McCains health plan should have a soap opera tiltle; For the Young and Healthy. It promotes more medical institutions bilking the insurance companies while insurance companies milk the public of their earnings, savings and retirement. Promotes and tempts more corruption and chrony-ism.

Hi
Everyone,
It was said earlier.. We are a capitalist country, The Dems consider anyone over 40k to be “rich”. We will get taxed, We can not go the way of Cuba or Venezuela. We must believe in this country, This is a correction of the market and we must have faith in ourselves as a nation

After watching the debate last night, there is no way the grumpy old man is going to win all of those states. The man only has one talking point, and he stuck to it.
The Whitehouse went from slipping away to driving away for John (Hey kid get off my lawn)McCain.
President Obama! Get used to it!

I have lost my retirement and my healthcare has become something I pay primiums for and when I get sick I pay 100% of the bill as well because it isnt covered. Thanks George Bush and all you Republicans who give to the rich. I have been trickled down on and I think it was in the form of more bills. PLEASE STOP TRICKLING DOWN ON US.
Im drowning.

Whom ever is brainless enough to vote for Mr. Dementia and Mrs fluff deserve what they get, neither one has any idea of what the American people want or need.

we must ease the pain of transition for the Republicans; I’m thinking– 90-95%
of net one million no loops. this should help them feel they are finally able to contribute to the rebuilding of all they have destroyed

Janefreedom: I smell a rat. I am a child of the American South. I was raised in the Mississipi Delta. I have seen racism and while growing up in that environment developed the ability to detect negative and decietful hidden agendas. Then and now I have found that many of the Black people who grew up during that era have that sort of six sense. In many cases it saved people from violence. When I read you response the sense engaged. You are no more an African American than George Bush. Plese stop trying fool voters on the site.

George needs to learn to count. The states he lists were all won by Bush in 2004. But without Iowa, New Mexico and Colorado (which Bush also won) the electoral college for Obama will mirror that of George Bush’s win. So add those to the must win category because McCain isn’t seriously competing in any of the states Kerry won to make up for those. P.S. Obama is solid in Iowa and New Mexico according to http://www.realclearpolitics.com and leading in Colorado. The cliff for McCain is very steep.

Lee I am a Naval Vet who nearly died for this country. What about You? We in Naval Aviation feels that if you got shot down for not following SOP you are no hero…you made a mistake, period. You need to read the history of Senator McCain’s time as a POW. He signed papers stating that the United Stated was an evil country.

Joe IS NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE:
Here’s the REAL Joe:
Joe the Plumber:
Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating”s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.
What a “coincidence”!
http://www.eisenstadtgroup.com/2008/10/15/joe-the-plumber-wurzelbacher-related-to-charles-keating-oop
And then there is this….Moreover, for someone worried about his taxes, Wurzelbacher doesn’t — it appears – always pay them. A filing with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas shows that he has had state tax liens filed against him, meaning he was either delinquent or didn’t fully cover taxes that he owed.
A representative at the court explained that Wurzelbacher had not paid $1,182.98 of personal income tax. The state filed a lien on January 26, 2007, and the payment remains outstanding.

American Vet as one of the ladies who waited,prayed and did what ever we could to support our men that is what I did. Kept the family at home and prayed for the return of those who were not home safe with us. Does that make my decision to vote for someone you seem not to approve of any less important? My question was about the contributions to Obama that were made at the big dinner in Hollywood a few weeks ago since everyone was ragging on McCain for the dinner given for him. By the way vet I have been around since WWII.

Woof,Woof…woof woof wooof
Means: Whats in it foe me? Who’s gonna give me the most money back…I’ve had my eye on this new bone?

This should help undecided voter
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/mccain-scrapping-to-change-course-of-election-962975.html?action=Popup&ino=1

Does it bother any of the Obama supporters how every time he is associated with a person of questionable nature, Obama immediately downplays the relationship and then we find out later that there is more to it than he first admitted? Does it bother any of you how much he has changed his views in such a short time? Does it bother any of you that he didn’t want MI and FL to count when it could have affected his nomination, but now he wants them to count? Does it bother any of you that he was in favor of campaign public finance until he realized he was going to raise and spend more money than any other candidate ever? Does it bother any of you that he referred to women he didn’t know as “sweetie”? Does it bother any of you that he says one thing to one group of people and says something to another group? Does it bother any of you that he is always talking about how bad America is, and then in the same conversation says we’re all great? I just don’t get the blind faith.

formerhillary: You don’t think a child with Down’s syndrome can also have autism? Do some research.

Susan – be careful with the path you tread on. There are many unsavory characters in McCain’s past and present – you are opening up a Pandora’s box.

“Joe the plumber: here you have one guy hoping to get rich vs. thousands struggling to put food on the table. How many of those thousands would Joe employ?”
The question to ask is how much money the government will hand out to support those that don’t have jobs by a large number of ‘Joe the Plumbers” out there. Which do you beleive is more efficient – money going directly to a worker or money going through the government and then through many distribution programs? The former.
It should be very apparent that the Obama plan will lower taxes on those that have jobs, but has a better chance to stagnate the economy, slow the recovery and increase unemployment.
There are a lot of things I dislike about the Rebublican ticket, but if your hotbutton is the economy, not sure how you can support rasising taxes on the folks that employee the people and those that funnel money back into the ecnonomy.

Well don’t forget Georgey boy, the
election isn’t being held today !!!!!!

American vet thank you for getting shot at in my behalf When I was growing up I did what the women in my generation did worked in a factory. If you think you will make me apologize for my opinion of Obama forget it. He is a poor choice and I would never vote for him. America did do a lot for the man and his wife and their friends (especially the ones who bombed buildings)who never did anything for it.

We’re all gonna be suffering if Obama gets in… you watch. Socialism at it’s finest! And that’s just ONE of his many problems.

You guys are just brainwashed by his “so-called” change philosophy. This guy has virtually no experience and has displayed character flaws with clarity. Yeah, I want someone who hangs out with terrorists as my next president… sigh. Open your eyes people. Pull your head out of the sand. I don’t agree with the way Bush has run our country either but it’s not all his fault.

See what I mean, fear mongering. How simpleminded can some one be to believe that Obama hangs out with terrorists? How can you buy into such a moronic statement.
We have nothing to fear …. but the truthless republican party.

Supporters of McCain always say that Obama is a socialist. We are ALL SOCIALIST now thanks to the $700 Rescue Plan (Wall Street Bailout). Socialism involves a shared risk. Even though very few people were sharing in the rewards of giving risky loans at high interest rates, we all share the risk of propping up the economy. John McCain squandered a lot of time focusing on topics that Americans do not care about: Celebrity Obama; Shifty Obama; Ayers Obama; Acorn Obama; Lipstick Obama; Unexperienced Obama. Now, he wants a start over, do over in this election…he calls it coming back from the “political dead”. I call it “oops I did it again!!” How many of us get to start over and get to do things over? If Obama is so inexperienced, then why has he managed to stay on message and keep his campaign running like a fine tuned machine, even with all the negativity the McCain camp and the Republicans have thrown at him? ;-)

He is still withthe ads keep up the ayer and terroist deal .This sob will not be happy till some one takes a pop shot at Obama.I would not vote for him if he was the only person on ths ballot.For pity sakes people look at the facts and think about what the republicans have done to this country….

It’s sad our country election controled by media and most people just don’t get the information they need. I’d like to see palin in the office

I am so confident that Obama will win that I won’t be going out to vote. How’s that???

you say “…Given the way electoral map is right now, McCain has to win every single one of those states to eek out a narrow electoral college victory..”
well, duh, isn’t that saying that obama has to win ALL of his assumed winning states PLUS one of these 7 prior bush states to eek out a narrow victory?
are you saying mccain’s big problem is his glass is half empty, while obama’s advantage is his glass is half full?

Saying that McCain and Obama are the same is like saying night and day are the same. If Obama had been in the same situation as McCain when he was a POW, he would have sold himself out quicker than a Fannie Mae bailout. Obama would have turned on his country so quick his head would have been spinning. Obama is just another in the long line of members of the leftist illuminati.

life201: Its not over until the fat lady sings and she hasn’t sung yet. Fox just reported that Obama’s gain in the polls is now under 50% and I believe it will drop more. Joe the plumber is going on the Huckabee show and he will tell it all about Obama’s tax. Joe is a smart man and Obama could learn from him.

To all you folks talking about how Joe the Plumber is gonna turn the tide and other nonsense, you should learn about the real Joe before you put embarrass yourselves. Because it turns out that Joe the Plumber is NOT a licensed plumber, may not even be registered to vote and would actually get a tax break under Obama’s plan. Looks like you’ve all been fooled by this scam artist.
Check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/nyregion/17plumber.html?em
And just so there’s no whining about the “liberal” NY Times, check out:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24511775-5013948,00.html
OR
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081017.CAMPAIGNJOE17/TPStory/International
There’s more, but I figure you can google it for yourself.

Mariann Pepitone – I bet you are no where to find come Nov 4th when McCain loses…

Why I am voting Democrat!
I’m voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending MY MONEY than I would. I think when you spread the wealth around it is good for everybody! It’s Patriotic!
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. All profits are evil and should be confiscated for Government Redistribution.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that MORE Government regulations and higher taxes on Business will stop Business from exporting their jobs to Countries with LESS Government regulations and lower taxes.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe terrorists should be allowed to have trials in American courts. And be able to subpoena top secret documents, soldiers, government officials, etc. to cross examine for their defense. They should have ACLU lawyers who can help intimidate Americans who serve on the juries!
I’m voting Democrat because I believe in a FREE government health care system. I believe doctors, nurses, hospitals, drug companies, etc. will gladly donate their time, products, services, facilities, etc. for FREE and that will be a better system.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe in and support trial lawyers, frivolous lawsuits and outrageous jury verdicts.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe 9/11 was an inside job to con the American people to go to war for oil.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe social security is solvent and that there is a social security lock box and I don’t believe social security is a Ponzi scheme.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe Gay Marriage should be the law of the land and will probably produce better children.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe English should not be the official language of the United States. I don’t mind pushing one for English when I use the phone.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe partial birth abortion is okay but water boarding a terrorist is disgusting.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe having a domestic terrorist like Bill Ayers as a close friend is a good thing. It allows for great relations with foreign terrorists.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe MOST AMERICANS are bitter and cling to their guns and religion. Let’s rid our country of guns and religion!
I’m voting Democrat because I believe illegal aliens deserve all the rights of ordinary Americans plus some additional rights Americans do not have.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe groups like ACORN who register felons, drug addicts, wino’s, homeless drifters, illegal aliens, dead people, children, fictional Disney characters, etc. makes my vote count more.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe celebrating the winter solstice shows compassion for the small minority of people that do not celebrate Christmas.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe hard core criminal murders and rapists deserve life and that the innocent unborn deserve death. It’s a choice I can live with.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe Bush caused Hurricane Katrina and he blew-up the levies in the ninth ward of New Orleans.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe our soldiers are AIR RAIDING villages and killing innocent people.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe sex in the Oval Office with an intern is a private matter and that everybody lies under oath about sex.
I’m votin Demokrat becuse I wus edumkated at a publick sckrool.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe that any one who is not partaking in one of the many wonderful government programs obviously has too much money and should pay higher taxes.
I’m voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq the terrorists will be happy and now think of us as good people.
I’m voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as it does not offend people. Can’t we all just get along?
I’m voting Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits are wrong. I believe higher taxes on oil companies will produce lower prices at the pump.
I’m voting Democrat because I believe we need to rid ourselves of dependency on foreign oil, BUT I AM AGAINST offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, drilling in Anwar, building nuclear power plants and clean coal technology.
And finally, I’m voting Democrat because I believe Reverend Wright when he said “GODDAMN AMERICA” and “OUR CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST”. Hey let’s make a comfortable nest for those chickens!
Why are you voting Democrat?

Every time a veteran says something along the lines of “Be thankful I gave you the right to protest”, they seem to forget to practice what they preach. Every veteran should be grateful not only to other veterans who fought before them, but to doctors, firefighters, police officers, teachers, mothers, and every other member of society that contributed toward their ability to stay alive, become educated, train to do what they felt was their calling, and speak their mind. Veterans do not have a monopoly on the rights of Americans, and they are not the only ones who have gone so far as to die (or be killed) for those rights. We all depend on each other, let’s not make it a competition or “bragging rights”.