By Natalie Gewargis

Oct 17, 2008 9:16am

The Ground Games

ABC News’ David Wright with the McCain campaign and I take a look at where the candidates go from here.

From "World News," watch HERE.

- jpt

User Comments

Did david ask about the robocalls and the rasist attacks ??

Posted by: Mike NC | October 17, 2008, 9:36 am 9:36 am

Obama showed his vulunerability early in the campaign when he patted his opponent on the shoulder condescendingly for being the only ‘white guy’. It isn’t race. That is his cudgel and all the right can do is avoid it. He showed it in the debate with his smirking when McCain called him our for lieing about his past.
Obama is smugly intellectual and very thin skinned when challenged on it. When told he is wrong, you can see the blood rush to his head. This is the ObamaBot disease that infects his supporters and causes them to rage in the face of opposition.
They picked up on his cue of ‘smarter than thou’ and it is amplified by the notion that the only way George W. Bush could have been elected President twice was by the so-called “low information voters”, a code word for “stupid” ganging up on the smarter and more deserving to judge.
Instead, it is they who should be judged for infecting the country with its most virulent strain of elitism.
If you want to take them down, show them for what they are: insecure and inexperienced pretend intellectuals, or in short smart-bunny bigots.
Remember, their ranks are filled with intellectual pretenders trying to look and sound smart. Think about the kid in high school who wore fake glasses.

Posted by: len | October 17, 2008, 9:39 am 9:39 am

At a North Carolina fundraiser Sarah Palin says she and John McCain are tired of talking about “Joe” the Plumber…YEAH NOW HIS BEING EXPOSED!!!
AS A REPUBLICAN PLANT!!!

Posted by: Mike NC | October 17, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am

Perhaps I misunderstood Jake, Did you say neck and neck in NH? Obama up by 10.

Posted by: Thinking | October 17, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am

WHERES THE BEEF ???
BARACK OBAMA TAX PLAN GIVES A TAX CUT TO 95% OF AMERICANS
AND
FOR THE RICH THE TOP 5% HE KEEPS IT THE SAME OR PUTS IT UP TO WHERE IT WAS UNDER CLINTON!!!
DIDNT HEAR THE RICH COMPLAINING THEN DID YOU ?
THE GOVERNMENT WASNT BUYING BANKS THEN EITHER!!
SO WHERE IS THE BEEF ?

Posted by: Mike NC | October 17, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am

GALLUP SHOCK: 49 OBAMA, 47 MCCAIN WITH LIKELY VOTERS
GALLUP’s ‘traditional’ likely voter model shows Obama with a two-point advantage over McCain on Thursday, 49% to 47%, this is within poll’s margin of error…
DRUDGE REPORT

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 9:51 am 9:51 am

Bush tax cuts expire soon, but that’s not a tax increase right.

Posted by: geevill | October 17, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am

Officials: FBI investigates ACORN for voter fraud
Oct 16, 7:39 PM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) – The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation before the presidential election. A senior law enforcement official confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press on Thursday.
A second senior law enforcement official says the FBI was looking at results of recent raids on ACORN offices in several states for any evidence of a coordinated national scam.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Justice Department regulations forbid discussing ongoing investigations particularly so close to an election.
ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, says it has registered 1.3 million young people, minorities and poor and working-class voters – most of whom tend to be Democrats.
Republican accusations about the group were raised during Wednesday’s presidential debate between Democrat Barack Obama and GOP candidate John McCain.
Some ACORN employees have been accused of submitting false voter registration forms – including some signed ‘Mickey Mouse’ or other fictitious characters.
Those voter registration cards have become the focus of fraud investigations in Nevada, Connecticut, Missouri and at least five other states. Election officials in Ohio and North Carolina also recently questioned the group’s voter forms.
ACORN has said the “vast majority” of its workers are conscientious, but some might have turned in duplicate applications or provided fake information to pad their pay. Workers caught submitting false information have been fired, ACORN officials say.
ACORN says laws in a number of states require it to submit all registration cards it collects even dubious ones, so its workers segregate applications with missing, suspicious or false information and flag them so state election officials can quickly check them further.
RICO in the Air ?

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am

I think the Palin pick was meant to appeal to New Hampshire people and I don’t think it worked. Although they’re independent minded and like low taxes, they are not culturally uniform, because they are very close to cosmopolitain Massachusetts. Many of them are from the Bay State.
McCain should have done more homework before thinking they would all automatically cling to a pick because she was from a rural area.

Posted by: rob | October 17, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am

OBAMA TANKS– McCain Pulls Within 2 Points of Obama
Obama Tanks: GALLUP’s ‘traditional’ likely voter model shows Obama with a two-point advantage over McCain on Thursday, 49% to 47%, this is within poll’s margin of error, via Drudge Report.
Investor’s Business Daily- the most accurate poll in the last election says Karl Rove, also has Obama’s lead slipping to just 2 over John McCain with 13 percent still undecided.
It’s going to be a long 20 days for Obama.
He better pray the markets collapse- again.
Meanwhile… The Obamedia is running a headline on Yahoo that voters are souring on McCain as Obama stays steady(?)
It’s funny how things work out that way.

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 9:59 am 9:59 am

Please count my vote!

Posted by: Reason | October 17, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am

GALLUP’s ‘traditional’ LOL
FOX NEWS HAD TO FIND SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU HOPE!!
GALLUP’s ‘traditional’ DOSENT FIT AND HASNT BEEN USED THIS YEAR!!
GALLUP’S POLL THAT HAS BEEN USED ALL THIS YEAR STILL SHOWS OBAMA WITH A SIX POINT LEAD!
TRY SOMETHING ELSE WANNABE HERO!

Posted by: Mike NC | October 17, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am

GALLUP POLL:
OBAMA 49% MCCAIN 43%

Posted by: Mike NC | October 17, 2008, 10:05 am 10:05 am

Joe the Plumber: Obama’s Answer Was “Right Out of Karl Marx’s Mouth”
No wonder they want him fired, silenced, humiliated, jobless and gone.
How dare he question the Anointed One!
CBS even ran a “reality check” in their attempt to destroy the Ohio plumber.
In an interview yesterday Joe the Plumber, who does not like Obama’s socialist plans,
said that Barack Obama’s answer to him about “spreading the wealth” was “right out of Karl Marx’s mouth.”
I hope Joe has some cop friends and good smoke detectors.
The polls are starting to show that maybe Joe was right– that Americans are starting to look at the issues and not just the media glow surrounding Obama’s head.
The Obamedia proved yesterday that they still have the ability to do investigative work yesterday when they dug up that Joe, or Sam, was not licensed and owed back taxes.
They are yet to report that MARTIN NESBITT, THE TREASURER OF OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN, HAS TAX LIENS, too. So do his companies.
Their investigative work only goes so far.

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 10:06 am 10:06 am

The Los Angeles Times reports:
According to court records, creditors have secured at least two liens against [Joe the Plumber] Wurzelbacher, whose legal name is Samuel. Ohio has a $1,182 lien for owed taxes and St. Charles Mercy Hospital has filed a 2007 lien for $1,261.
I think we can all agree that this is critical information.
Not because it says anything about Joe the Plumber, mind you.
But it does serve a useful function: it warns any future citizen who might dare question Barack Obama that his life will be closely scrutinized for any irrelevant but embarrassing information.
So, you know. Critical in that sense.
Oh — I almost forgot to mention: MARTIN NESBITT, THE TREASURER OF OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN, HAS TAX LIENS. SO DO HIS COMPANIES.
You’d think that matters more than the tax liens of Joe the Plumber, wouldn’t you?
But good luck finding a Big Media story about Nesbitt’s liens.

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 10:09 am 10:09 am

Hero, you said something that really hits the nail on the head.
Since “Joe” came to be famous, all I have seen is the news and talk shows attempt to smear the man and discredit him.
So you are absolutely right. How dare anyone question Obama.

Posted by: They sure hate Joe | October 17, 2008, 10:18 am 10:18 am

BTW, if anyone is interested in what full-blown Democratic control does to a state’s business climate look no further than Rhode Island. For more than 25 years we’ve had a veto-proof majority in the State Legislature with an overwhelming majority of Democrats.
For three years running we have had the 50th business-friendly environment in the country. I don’t know how long it’s been since we’ve climbed out of the bottom 10, but it’s been years.
We’ve taxed our manufacturing base, jewelry, tool and dye and textiles, out of the state and down to the Carolinas. It’s completely gone, over 12,000 jobs in about 15 years.
Our unemployment rate is currently at 8.8%, second only to Michigan (another long-time Democratic stronghold).
Our main “industries” now are tourism and gambling. In this economy those are the first things people cut back on. Our tax revenues are evaporating.
We have an unfunded state worker pension liability of $2-3 Billion depending on market activity thanks to an obscene “buy-in” system lobbied for by the unions. State workers could double or triple their vested time simply by buying credits for a few hundred dollars.
Providence is openly a sanctuary city. Last September on the first day of school, 600+ kids over what was expected showed up in Providence and neighboring Central Falls.
RI has a negative population growth, particularly in the college graduate demographic. Our kids are getting degrees and finding no opportunities here and fleeing the state.
Properity and wealth generation start with a healthy business climate. It always has and always will. When will Democrats understand that?

Posted by: Woody | October 17, 2008, 10:25 am 10:25 am

Re: Polls – Nate Silver does an amazing job analyzing the polls and gets a kick out of Drudge pushing the story line Hero is so excited about. Nate sums it up this way:
A fairer way to analyze tracking polls, in any event, is something like this: McCain gained ground in three of the seven trackers today (Gallup, Rasmussen, Battleground). He lost ground in one (Zogby). Three others (Research 2000, Hotline, IBD/TIPP) were unchanged.
That could indicate a slight tightening toward McCain, who also had gained ground on average in the tracking polls yesterday. It could also indicate statistical noise. What it probably does not indicate is any dramatic shift in the momentum of the race.

Posted by: Paige | October 17, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am

GALLUP’s ‘traditional’ DOSENT FIT AND HASNT BEEN USED THIS YEAR!!
GALLUP’S POLL THAT HAS BEEN USED ALL THIS YEAR STILL SHOWS OBAMA WITH A SIX POINT LEAD!
TRY SOMETHING ELSE WANNABE HERO!
Posted by: Mike NC | Oct 17, 2008 10:01:40 AM

Posted by: Woody | October 17, 2008, 10:31 am 10:31 am

For the commenter that claimed Rhode Island is the most business unfriendly state in the union.
its also one of the richest states in the union, I wonder why? Perhaps regulation is GOOD for business?
Big business always whines about regulation regardless of how much money they make or not make.

Posted by: Rick Cain | October 17, 2008, 10:31 am 10:31 am

That could indicate a slight tightening toward McCain, who also had gained ground on average in the tracking polls yesterday. It could also indicate statistical noise. What it probably does not indicate is any dramatic shift in the momentum of the race.
Posted by: Paige | Oct 17, 2008 10:27:57 AM
—-
… and Kerry had a 2-4 point lead on Election Day, depending on the source. Polls have always slanted towards the Democratic candidate because there are more registered Democrats than Republicans. Traditionally, however, Republicans have had a better ground game and have gotten better turnout in the battleground states. Don’t get too wrapped up in the poll numbers.

Posted by: Woody | October 17, 2008, 10:35 am 10:35 am

its also one of the richest states in the union, I wonder why? Perhaps regulation is GOOD for business?
Big business always whines about regulation regardless of how much money they make or not make.
Posted by: Rick Cain | Oct 17, 2008 10:31:55 AM
—-
What the heck are you talking about, “richest states in the union”? By what measure? What’s your definition of “rich state”?
We have one of the highest percentages of immigrant population in the union. That’s a fact.
We also have one of the highest percentage of eldery people.
We have one of the highest costs of living in the union.
How is RI one of the “richest” states?

Posted by: Woody | October 17, 2008, 10:39 am 10:39 am

If that is true about making that man vote for Obama, they should make a public example out of this.
They should hang him/her.
The one thing and only thing we can do about the power in this nation, vote, and some dumb lib thinks they can mess with that.
That should be a federal offense with a death sentence.

Posted by: Dispicable Liberals | October 17, 2008, 10:45 am 10:45 am

I watched McCain on Letterman last night. What a out and out lier this man is. I have no respect for a person like him.

Posted by: beck | October 17, 2008, 10:50 am 10:50 am

beck
It has been a known fact for decades that Letterman is a known liar.
Where you been? In a cave?

Posted by: trudy | October 17, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am

A must read on the economy by Paul Krugman, “Let’s Get Fiscal” (10-16-08)

Posted by: cincyr | October 17, 2008, 11:22 am 11:22 am

CAPTION: “I am not President Bush, if you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run 4 years ago”
That simple and direct line completely debunked the Democrats’ entire campaign strategy, and I can assure you it will stay in the minds of most Americans, specially when they hear Obama making said case against McCain. Of course, John McCain could have also continued on this line of attack and point out the fact that the reason Obama only attacks him by using the “Bush’s Third Time” bid is because he is a sniveling COWARD.
Obama knows that he can only run effectively against a man who is not there to defend himself. Think about this for a moment. His entire strategy is aimed at campaigning against a person who is not present! They know that John McCain, on his part, is not going to spend much time defending Bush because he has NEVER LIKED HIM!
Unlike Obama, McCain HAS ACTUALLY RAN against President Bush in a major election.
If you really want to see the relationship among Bush and McCain, all you have to do is watch the debates and policy conflicts among these two men to realize that they are quite different.
So when it all goes down, and you wish to really grasp Obama’s sleaziness, simply consider the fact that he continuously attacks a man who is not there to respond. Consider the fact that he has consistently failed to give any reason why McCain should not be Commander in Chief and hasn’t even given a reason why HE should be one either.

Posted by: Hero | October 17, 2008, 11:28 am 11:28 am

“The Obamedia is running a headline on Yahoo that voters are souring on McCain as Obama stays steady”
yet AP/Yahoo poll shows it 44-42.

Posted by: geevill | October 17, 2008, 11:31 am 11:31 am

“Kerry had a 2-4 point lead on Election Day, depending on the source.”
Most polls had Kerry down 1 to 2 pts on Election day. The very few polls that had Kerry winning had him winning by 1 pt or less(tracking poll averages).
Kerry did not enjoy a 4 pt past August in any polling.

Posted by: Ryan C | October 17, 2008, 11:41 am 11:41 am

I trust McCain’s wounds and scars more than trusting Obama’s books (which were written in comfortable room).

Posted by: golfgirlusa | October 17, 2008, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm

It bears repeating:
The “joe the plumber” issue was not the question joe asked, or joe’s current employment status, his financial situation, or whatever else the media and Obamabots are trying to “discredit” him with these last two days.
The ISSUE was, is and will continue to be the ANSWER THAT OBAMA GAVE to Joe’s question…which was about SPREADING THE WEALTH.
Two Key Points:
1. Obama wants to take from the rich and give to the poor. (Socialism)
2. If you dare to question his plan, you will be investigated and destroyed. (Marxism).
And yet…people still are blindly willing to follow him to the end of the earth…quite literally.

Posted by: michelle | October 17, 2008, 12:47 pm 12:47 pm

So the pollsters are biased. Give me a break. The McCain fans should calm down, not all people like sixpack politics.
Anyway, as I thought, the debate wasn’t a game changer. Both candidates did OK.

Posted by: CLabs | October 17, 2008, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm

Beck
McCain a “liar”. Hmmmm, evidently you do not know much about Obama then. Let’s examine a few.
I did NOT vote against the Babies Born Alive Act. Fact: He did, as proven by an audio of HIMSELF saying WHY and casting his vote.
I did NOT hear Wright say any of these things while sitting in the pew for TWENTY years. Fact: He did, as reported by HIMSELF in his book.
I did NOT have a fundraiser kickoff in the home of William Ayers. Fact: He did, as proven by several Chicago newspapers and other political candidates attending the same event.
My children attended school with his children (Ayers). Fact, William Ayers children are grown adults, could NOT have possibly attended school with Obama’s.
I did not attend a Muslim school. Fact: as reported with records PROVING he did.
I did not vote to cut off funding for troops. FACT: He did as evidenced by the record of his vote.
“My parents had me as a result of attending Selma March.” Fact, Selma was FOUR years after your birth.
I will accept public funding. FACT: No sooner was the ink dry on primary results you delcared you WOULD NOT accept public funding.
I am NOT connected to the biggest fraud machine in the US History, ACORN. FACT: You are even more connected than most realize. Lawyer, Trainer, Sending funds their way via federal funds as Senator, and your own funds to the tune of nearly one million dollars this past June for get out the vote efforts.
Without ME no ethics bill. FACT: He did not write it, introduce it or peddle it.
Need more? Because there are a hundred!
So who just is the liar?

Posted by: Brenda | October 17, 2008, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm

Michelle,
“1. Obama wants to take from the rich and give to the poor. (Socialism)
2. If you dare to question his plan, you will be investigated and destroyed. (Marxism). ”
Bush take from all the people and give it to the few rich. Obama is restoring the situation back to the Clinton years.
And what do you mean with investigated and destroyed. It’s the same bs complaints we keep hearing when the media did some checking on Sam, the Not Licensed Plumber. C’mon, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
The fact that the McCain didn’t vetted this big-mouth can’t be blamed on the media.

Posted by: CLabs | October 17, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm

“I trust McCain’s wounds and scars more than trusting Obama’s books (which were written in comfortable room).”
Intelligence and wisdom is gonna keep this country from the depression, not the maverick erratic stunts.

Posted by: CLabs | October 17, 2008, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm

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