The Note: McCain Caught in Old Pull Between Center, Right
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports in Friday’s Note:
So as October is set to pass without a surprise . . .
Sen. Barack Obama wants us to be scared of something in the rearview mirror . . .
While Sen. John McCain wants us to be scared of something coming into view through the front windshield . . .
Both candidates are a little bit scared when their running mates get behind the wheel. . .
Republicans are mildly haunted by a ghost whose name cannot be mentioned . . .
Democrats are counting on certain ghosts in Florida . . .
And McCain is dealing with a set of familiar demons.
Read the rest of The Note — and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day — from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
As he and his running mate tax the tax issue, and hope for a boost from an action hero Friday, McCain is caught in the same sort of push-pull that has defined his political career.
Call it the Palin Paradox: McCain seems unable to effectively fire up the GOP base without turning off independents. He can’t win without both, not this year, not in this climate. And Palin, for all the energy she’s inspired, has pretty much literally caused more trouble than she’s worth to the ticket.
Does this sound like total confidence? "The enthusiasm level is incredibly high," McCain told ABC’s Robin Roberts in Ohio, on "Good Morning America" Friday. "It’s higher than I’ve ever seen it in any campaign I’ve ever been in. I’m not predicting — well, I think, I’m confident that we’ll win, but this intensity level in the last several days has really been remarkable. And I’m enthusiastic."
"We’re going to fight it out on the economic grounds," McCain said.
If McCain really isn’t concerned about his running mate’s impact, well, he’s the one. "59 percent of voters surveyed said Ms. Palin was not prepared for the job, up nine percentage points since the beginning of the month," Michael Cooper and Dalia Sussman write in The New York Times. "And in a possible indication that the choice of Ms. Palin has hurt Mr. McCain’s image, voters said they had much more confidence in Mr. Obama to pick qualified people for his administration than they did in Mr. McCain."
(It’s Obama 51, McCain 40 in the latest NYT/CBS poll.)
Said ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, on "Nightline" Thursday: "When you look at the bottom line, Joe Biden helped Barack Obama with all voters. He made people feel better about Barack Obama. Sarah Palin has hurt John McCain with the broader electorate. It’s shown in poll after poll after poll."
Continue reading today’s Note by clicking HERE.
ABC News’ Hope Ditto contributed to this report.
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Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
Stock facts 1901 to 2005:
Republicans = 6.9% gain over 56 years
Democrats = 13.3% gain over 48 years
401K bounce ONLY if Obama is elected!
Obama/Biden 08!
Posted by: Common Sense | October 31, 2008, 9:01 am 9:01 am
“When you look at the bottom line, Joe Biden helped Barack Obama with all voters. He made people feel better about Barack Obama”
Joe “Mark my words” Biden?
George needs to see a doctor.
What’s up Georgie? Angling for a job with obama? Afriad you will get kicked off the plane to make rrom for another black magazine?
The Obama campaign has decided to heave out three newspapers from its plane for the final days of its blitz across battleground states — and all three endorsed Sen. John McCain for president!
The NY POST, WASHINGTON TIMES and DALLAS MORNING NEWS have all been told to vamoose by Sunday to make room for network bigwigs — and possibly for the inclusion of reporters from two black magazines, ESSENCE and JET, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
Posted by: geevill | October 31, 2008, 9:06 am 9:06 am
Whatever shift McCain is making has worked in the last week. Most battlegrounds are back to a dead heat and there is a very good possibility that McCain will pull off the upset. Days to go, not hours…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | October 31, 2008, 9:06 am 9:06 am
Stephanopoulos is history as a journalist. Watch his ratings plummet. Six to nine months and he’ll be back in government or making a run at it. As for the rest, it ain’t worth the time to offer an opinion.
Posted by: jcarob | October 31, 2008, 9:13 am 9:13 am
McCain made his own bed. Whatever he was he didn’t acknowledge, it is what he has become that counts. Perhaps it explains his campaign’s lack of direction , message, and focus.
Posted by: Thinking | October 31, 2008, 9:17 am 9:17 am
Matt if Mc Bush and his stupid running mate get in office this nation might as well hang it up.We will go back years the market will not rebound no one will ever retire.SS put into markets will never pay the retires what is due them ,the only good thing about this is the freaken government can not use it for some thing else but knowing the republicans they will get at it.
Posted by: NH voter | October 31, 2008, 9:18 am 9:18 am
What Is Mccain Proposals as President he never talks about the Issuses like The Economy,Healthcare,Education,The Wars I dont hear anything the only thing Mccain talks about is Obama!
Posted by: Angie | October 31, 2008, 9:23 am 9:23 am
now dont b woorrn dem papars aunt neber bin foor ol barrack sew we git dem away we dont be nneedn no bad pub rit now an we dont reed no posts times ore mornn news sew y shood them bee thar enyways its all gonna bee good foor all inn jus 5 mooor deys thin we all bee tha same
Posted by: cribsonite | October 31, 2008, 9:23 am 9:23 am
I find it hard to believe that the media is now saying ‘oh, this race is too close to call’. When 59% of Americans polled said Palin wasn’t qualified to be VP – how in the hell can they vote for McCain then?? He obviously has one foot on a banana peel and the other in the grave. Our Country is totally screwed up… no wonder we are the laughing stock of the planet!
Posted by: Sandi | October 31, 2008, 9:26 am 9:26 am
Best reason to vote Mccain
Seal and Heidi Klum promise to leave the country! (yet they will stay like all the other lying celebritites)
Posted by: geevill | October 31, 2008, 9:26 am 9:26 am
I find it hard to believe that the media is now saying ‘oh, this race is too close to call’. When 59% of Americans polled said Palin wasn’t qualified to be VP – how in the hell can they vote for McCain then?? He obviously has one foot on a banana peel and the other in the grave. Our Country is totally screwed up… no wonder we are the laughing stock of the planet!
Posted by: Sandi | Oct 31, 2008 9:26:15 AM
I know we are the laughing stock I guess thats why we have to limit the amount of people who come here I guess it so much better everywhere else
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 9:29 am 9:29 am
A question of perspective
Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin
What if things were switched around? Think about it. Would the country’s collective point of view be different?
What if the Obama’s had paraded five children across the stage, including a three-month-old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?•
What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?•
What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?•
What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married? •
What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to painkillers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?•
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?•
What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were 5 US Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)•
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?•
What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?•
What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?•
What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?•
What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer distribution?•
What if the Obama’s had adopted a white child?•
If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?
This is racism and fanaticism pure and simple. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another.
EDUCATION BACKGROUND:•
Barack Obama: Columbia University – B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations. * Harvard – Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
Joseph Biden: *University of Delaware – B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science. *Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J.D.) vs. •
John McCain: *United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin: * Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester *North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study * University of Idaho – 2 semesters – journalism *Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester *University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism.
Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world. Intelligence should matter.
Posted by: deb in Iowa | October 31, 2008, 9:36 am 9:36 am
Im in Ohio. Chuck Baldwin has my vote. And why do I feel like I’m not wasting my vote? Because here in Ohio, they throw away your votes anyway. Our Election offical allowed ACORN to register Mickey Mouse, so HE could vote for Obama; So I figure I might as well vote my intentions and do my duty. If they don’t count it, then I did all I was supposed to do. You think that Democracy (mob rule) had ANYTHING to do with justice??? Boy, you’ve got some learning to do about the history of THIS country!!! All they have to do is go into the computers, switch the memory card and flip the election to 51-49, with NO PAPER RECORD!!! SO it doesn’t matter WHO YOU want!!! The establishment will get their guy, no matter what you vote! Watch “Hacking Democracy” on Google, if you don’t already know this by now!!!
Posted by: hmn | October 31, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
deb in Iowa: Good and thought-provoking post, far beyond anything the McCain supporters are capable of.
Posted by: samurai | October 31, 2008, 9:41 am 9:41 am
If Michelle Obama paraded around 5 kids and an pregnant, un-wed daughter most Americans would have been saying things that are to nasty to print. Everyone knows that! Republicans are for the rich – so they can get richer, and pis- on the rest of us lower class. King George W is a prime example – of course, he can say ‘middle class’ unlike McCain and his Botox Barbie wife!
Posted by: Sandi | October 31, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
If Michelle Obama paraded around 5 kids and an pregnant, un-wed daughter most Americans would have been saying things that are to nasty to print. Everyone knows that! Republicans are for the rich – so they can get richer, and pis- on the rest of us lower class. King George W is a prime example – of course, he can say ‘middle class’ unlike McCain and his Botox Barbie wife!
Posted by: Sandi | Oct 31, 2008 9:44:46 AM
You mean kinda like saying her 5th child is not hers.Republicans are not for the rich they are for opportunity .Why should some person who chooses not to save money not to work full time not to work overtime leech of someone who does????
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 9:51 am 9:51 am
Question: Is the earth really only 6000 years old?
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-palinreligion28-2008sep28,0,3643718.story
Posted by: samurai | October 31, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
I love how most of you feel so entiltled to someonelses money I fall into a better tax bracket under obamas plan today and do not want someonelses money I would much rather earn my own
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Whatever shift McCain is making has worked in the last week. Most battlegrounds are back to a dead heat and there is a very good possibility that McCain will pull off the upset. Days to go, not hours…
———————–
Hey Matt,
The link you gave has the article “Obama’s Lead Still Comfortable”
Is that the one you wanted us to see?
Posted by: Odd Choice | October 31, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am
Next Wednesday morning, you will see TV footage from Obama’s coronation event in Chicago’s Grant Park showing hysterical, weeping, cavorting, fighting, swearing Obama Kool-Aid kids who are angry and confused that The Marxist One and his merry band of America-haters, terrorists, racists and felons lost the election.
Beginning next week, when Americans talk about colossal failures they will mention the movies Ishtar and Heaven’s Gate — and they will mention Obama.
Obama is a bad, bad news for America. Be sure to vote.
Posted by: Kerri Washington | October 31, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am
Kerri Washington: OK, I’ll vote for Obama.
Posted by: samurai | October 31, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Weak.
Naive.
Vague.
Marxist.
Arrogant.
Deceitful.
Confused.
Narcissitic.
Dishonest.
Incompetent.
Inexperienced.
Will raise taxes.
Married to Michelle.
Will punish success.
Will expand government.
No record of reform. None.
Will weaken national security.
Disses small town Americans.
No record of bipartisianship. Ever.
Longtime supporter of hard-left hate.
More popular in France than in America.
Clapping in Jeremiah’s pews for 20+ years.
No record of standing up to corruption. Ever
Likes to play race games to paint himself a victim.
Takes both sides of every issue, stands for nothing.
Loved by terrorists and America-haters around the world.
Uhh, can barely form a coherent sentence w/o teleprompter.
Tries to pass off running for office as “executive experience.”
Cancels visit with wounded soldiers for hoops at Ritz Carlton.
Full of socialist ideas for change and ready to roll on day one.
Nobama ’08
Posted by: Julie in PA | October 31, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Julie in PA: It’s too bad your state is solidly in the Obama column.
Posted by: samurai | October 31, 2008, 10:08 am 10:08 am
The NY POST, WASHINGTON TIMES and DALLAS MORNING NEWS have all been told to vamoose
—————————
Uh, so what? Is that your version of a scandal that Obama took certain right wing newspaper off his plane?
One of your candidates couldn’t even name a single paper.
Isn’t it ironic that geevil just happens to parrot the latest FOX headline?
Posted by: Whatever | October 31, 2008, 10:09 am 10:09 am
I guess if John McCain was squeaky clean, I wouldn’t have a problem with him spending all of his time calling Obama names & criticizing everything he does. But since I know for a fact that McCain is not squeaky clean, his hands are just as dirty as he claims Obama’s hands are, I’ve grown very weary of these senseless, petulant personal attacks that the McCain/Palin squad insist on subjecting us to. It’s not working, frankly I think it’s hurting them. His own party is turning against him, GOP state reps & senators are jumping ship left & right. In a time where people of all races, religions & cultures are feeling the pinch, no one wants to hear negative, negative, negative all the time. We want to hear potential solutions to these issues we’re facing. Here in Texas, people still think Obama is a Muslim. There’s no evidence of this mind you. And no, just because his middle name is Hussein does not make him a Muslim. I sure hope the GOP wasn’t trying to get any Muslim votes. They’ve insulted these people & turned that word into something dirty for people who don’t have enough sense to know better. Can we please come together on Nov.4 & stick a fork in this ridiculous GOP campaign. I thought John McCain was 72 years old, not 2 years old like he & Palin are acting. I hope Elizabeth Dole loses her shirt in this election for the trash she pulled in N. Carolina. Republicans across the board should be embarrassed by this campaign but the sad part is they’re not. They keep trying to scare us, but as they say in the ‘hood, “I ain’t no punk”.
Posted by: Dee Tee Gee | October 31, 2008, 10:13 am 10:13 am
Whatever
Welcome to OBAMANATION
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 10:14 am 10:14 am
Message to the press for 2009: Pay Homage to the One regularly, or lose all access to the White House.
The Obama campaign has decided to heave out three newspapers from its plane for the final days of its blitz across battleground states — and all three endorsed Sen. John McCain for president!
The NY POST, WASHINGTON TIMES and DALLAS MORNING NEWS have all been told to move out by Sunday to make room for network bigwigs — and possibly for the inclusion of reporters from two black magazines, ESSENCE and JET, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
Despite pleas from top editors of the three newspapers that have covered the campaign for months at extraordinary cost, the Obama campaign says their reporters — and possibly others — will have to vacate their coveted seats so more power players can document the final days of Sen. Barack Obama’s historic campaign to become the first black American president.
Yes, Essence and Jet magazines are more important than the principal newspaper for the fourth largest and (one of the fastest growing) metro area, Dallas-Ft. Worth, in the U.S.
Posted by: Preview of Obama Administration | October 31, 2008, 10:20 am 10:20 am
and wait till those depressed kids in Chicago get their credit card bills.
Posted by: geevill | October 31, 2008, 10:20 am 10:20 am
McCain gave up the “center” when he picked Palin.
Posted by: Paige | October 31, 2008, 10:22 am 10:22 am
“Isn’t it ironic that geevil just happens to parrot the latest FOX headline?’
Ironic? No Alanis Morrissette, it was a headline from Drudge.
Has any other paper endorsed McCain? I hear VIBE needs a seat on the plane.
Posted by: geevill | October 31, 2008, 10:23 am 10:23 am
Obama Caught in Old Pull between Far Left (Nancy Pelosi) and Farther Left (Bill Ayers).
Posted by: Obamination | October 31, 2008, 10:24 am 10:24 am
The Palin Paradox. That could stick.
Seems the GOP base needs an empty vessel, while independents actually want a national candidate to know something about something. How to reconcile the two…
Posted by: Paul | October 31, 2008, 10:25 am 10:25 am
When your political base is as extremist as that of the Republican party, it’s hard to envision any appeal to the center that will not alienate the base. Compromise is anathema to people operating from a sense of moral absolutism.
Posted by: Yukon Sam | October 31, 2008, 10:25 am 10:25 am
Hey why is Obama putting pressure on Gov. Blagojevich to replace him with a african american why should it not be someone who is chosen by quaifications
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Julie in PA – that was kind of cool, the way you did that sloping thing. Not sure its going to make anyone reconsider voting for Obama, but I think its safe to say you win the “most visually appealing” post of the day award.
Posted by: Paul | October 31, 2008, 10:29 am 10:29 am
And BTW… after some concerted effort on his part, Drudge has succeeded in making himself just as irrelevant and tiresome as Limbaugh. Good job!
Posted by: Yukon Sam | October 31, 2008, 10:29 am 10:29 am
It is unfortunate that McCain chose to pander to his ‘base’ in order to win at all costs. He continues to attack while neglecting that it is his platform that would harm the country. Of course, they will point fingers of blame to anything but reality, and have already started doing so.
Posted by: CountryFirst | October 31, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
Hopefully Obama will maintain his lead.We need a President who can lead with a steady reasoend approach during these perilous times.
This morning , the Huff Post reports on an interview with former Sec. of State Eagleburger where he clealry says Gov. Palin is not ready to assume the Presidency if it was required! And Eagleburger is one of his strongest supporters.
It seeems the strongest critics of her readiness to be V.P comes from his supporters and other Republicans ,yet they to blame the media!
Posted by: Dee | October 31, 2008, 10:58 am 10:58 am
The Obama campaign has decided to heave out three newspapers from its plane for the final days of its blitz across battleground states — and all three endorsed Sen. John McCain for president!
The NY POST, WASHINGTON TIMES and DALLAS MORNING NEWS have all been told to move out by Sunday to make room for network bigwigs — and possibly for the inclusion of reporters from two black magazines, ESSENCE and JET, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
Some told the DRUDGE REPORT that the reporters are being ousted to bring on documentary film-makers to record the final days; others expect to see on board more sympathetic members of the media, including the NY TIMES’ Maureen Dowd, who once complained that she was barred from McCain’s Straight Talk Express airplane.
This seems like a strange time to upset the applecart. Why not do this a month ago? Anyone could have predicted that the Post and the Times would endorse McCain, and the Morning News was not much of a surprise, either.
Had they acted a few weeks ago, they could have made it look like Team Obama wanted to give secondary media outlets a chance. Now it just looks like vindictiveness, and perhaps even worse. Obama and his supporters have gotten vicious with reporters who ask questions and do research that put Obama in a bad light, and this adds to the general pattern we’ve seen since the primaries.
It also looks a little self-indulgent. Obama’s clearing room on the plane for — what? Documentarians who will produce hagiographies about his historic importance. That fits into another pattern we’ve seen for months, one marked with fake presidential seals, The Barackopolis, and infomercials. In the coming Age of Obama, only the worshipers will get front-row seats to history.
Posted by: Praise be to Obama, and his Prophet Joe | October 31, 2008, 11:19 am 11:19 am
from me to you:
Senator John McCain could never convince me to vote for him. Only Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama can cause me to vote for McCain.
After long and serious thought, I have decided to endorse Senator John McCain for President with my vote.
I have always voted for the person and have not voted for anyone because some political party was telling me who I should vote for.
We all know the choices by now and, that said, I do believe that the process of selecting a chief executive is deeply flawed. The words ‘money’ and’ special interests’ come to mind, among many others.
Here’s the way I see it:
Barack Obama, you are a fine public speaker. You are also an extremely liberal Senator from the State of Illinois , which has a long and rich history of political corruption of the first magnitude. You are indeed a child of that system.
You have finally insulted my intelligence far beyond my capacity to tolerate your insults. It has nothing at all to do with your skin color. As a matter of fact, it would be fine to finally have an African-American for President. What a great statement that would be to the entire world that we are indeed the greatest country on earth!
But, unfortunately, General Colin Powell is not running, and YOU are NOT the man for this job !
Barack, baby, you want me to believe that you have never heard the sermons of your own pastor, the Right Reverend ‘God Damn America ‘ Jeremiah Wright. It is a matter of record that this has been your church for over 20 years. It is a matter of record that you were married there by this very pastor, and that your children were baptized there.
The good Reverend saw fit to visit Khadafy in Libya with you and to give a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan, of all people. We have all now seen excerpts of his sermons all over the airwaves by now. And you have publicly stated that this man IS your ‘spiritual mentor.’
BUT, your pastor is NOT the reason I am NOT voting for you. His words were disturbing enough, but it is your own HUGE church congregation, seen jumping, hooting and howling to his words in the background that disturb me the most. And please don’t tell me you attended church there and never once heard a ‘discouraging word’ in the 20 years you attended there. Don’t tell me, that in addition to the good reverend, that you are now not having anything to do with all those other people seen hooting and howling out in the audience in t he background of his fiery tirades. Even Oprah Winfrey got disgusted and walked out on your campaign. I am no Oprah fan, but still she did the right thing.
Now you look me in the eye and ask me to believe that you never heard such language in all the years you attended there! This is like me telling you that I attended dozens of Klan rallies and never once heard the ‘N’ word.
Yep. And Bill Clinton ‘did not inhale’.
Yes, Mr. Obama, we all have friends who have said stupid things that embarrassed us, but NOW you have asked me to believe something that is so incredibly stupid that you are telling me that I am just stupid enough to believe you.
THAT is the main reason that I will never vote for you.
I regret deeply, that in a country teeming with enormously talented African Americans who would make a good President, that the political system has chosen YOU. You are a pathetic and plastic excuse for an American, who will not even salute the Flag during the Pledge of Allegiance. God forbid you ever get near the Oval Office.
Which leaves us with Senator John McCain.
John, you are a flawed man. You are a bit old, a bit looney, and you have a notoriously bad temper. This perfectly qualifies you, in my humble opinion, to lead us for the next eight years. I WANT your trembling hand on the nuclear button.
Think about it.
We have Kim Jong IL, Chavez and Ahmadenijad all running around like lunatics, threatening America and threatening to plunge the world into nuclear Armageddon. We have Putin and the Chinese blustering and rattling their sabers at us. I want John McCain in the Oval Office and I want him to be really ticked off at all these other nut jobs around the planet.
John, once you are elected, I want you to go into the Oval Office and throw one of your perfect FITS. Jump up and down and throw something through a plate glass window. Rip the drapes down and foam at the mouth a bit. And I want the whole thing on camera so that Ahmadinejad can see it. I want ALL of these ‘world leaders’ to lay awake at night and to break out in a cold sweat every time they think of messing with the United States of America .
I want the nuclear button sitting right next to the alarm clock on your night stand. I want pictures of this to be sent to Iran , Russia , China , Venezuela , Cuba , Libya , Syria , Pakistan , and those other dopes in the sheets, the Saudis.
On the domestic front, poor John did try and reach across the aisle to the opposition in a desperate effort to compromise and to get the Congress to do something.
You may not agree with his efforts, but at least he TRIED. For all his efforts, all he got handed to him was his head in a basket.
The liberals are ticked at him and the conservatives are ticked at him. Just my kinda guy.
One heartbeat from the Oval Office.
Finally. John McCain knows on a most personal level what it is to suffer horrible torture for years and to see others die, right in front of you, for their love of America . When you ask him about it, he will tell you that what he did was ‘nothing special. ‘ Even more incredibly, he states that ANY American who truly loves his country would do exactly the same as he did in that situation. You and I will have a hard time believing that, but the real point is that John McCain believes that about the ‘average American,’ and that, dear friends and neighbors, is why I will cast my one poor ballot for on election day for John McCain –
Posted by: Messenger | October 31, 2008, 11:27 am 11:27 am
The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge. The blog “Leisha’s Random Thoughts” has translated the story.
It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn’t be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge:
When it was finally Mary’s turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness.
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said.
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call.
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.
As tears streamed down her face, she heard a “gentle and friendly voice” behind her saying, “That’s okay, I’ll pay for her.”
Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before.
-He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man?
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man.
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary.
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.
Who was the man?
Barack Obama.
Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated 100 dollars to his campaign:
-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling.
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.
Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him:
In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.
And Obama replied:
In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes:
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator’.
The parents sent the letter on to Mary.
Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the kind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office.
Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now.
Posted by: Mary Sue | October 31, 2008, 11:37 am 11:37 am
If you have any doubt what phony, hypocrisy is, you simply just look at 0bama.
On one hand, he lectures his subsidiaries selfishness, charity, contribution to the common good of the society.
On the other hand, he panders his blind followers by bribery, cash giveaways, $1000 if you vote for him.
He promises to take care of you, giving you opportunities to get into the middle class; yet, he leaves his own brother in poverty at $1 per month in his homeland, his aunt on the streets of Boston.
Mr. Bush answers the call of a Higher Father and you know what he has done in the past 8 years.
Mr. 0bama has his own Higher Father, and he is Karl Marx.
Posted by: d0 | October 31, 2008, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
Mary Sue,
It would have allowed 0bama’s brother to live happily for 8 and a half years without the need to even get his butt up with that $103.
0bama did nothing to help his brother.
Did you know 0bama also has an aunt, his father’s sister, homeless on the street in Boston. She was vividly described in his Audacity – only No Hope.
Posted by: d0 | October 31, 2008, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
Mary Mary Mary
quite contrary
why do you believe the lies?
THERE WERE NO LUGGAGE SURCHRGES IN
1988.
Posted by: Messenger | October 31, 2008, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
Bridget McCain, who was taken to America from a Bangladeshi orphanage by Mr McCain’s wife Cindy in 1991, was introduced to delegates in Minneapolis in her first appearance of the presidential campaign.
Wes Gullett, a former aide to Mr McCain, told the audience that Mrs McCain had spotted Bridget and another child among 160 abandoned babies at a centre run by the late Mother Teresa in Dhaka.
Bridget had suffered a cleft palate so severe that she could not be fed, while the other had a serious heart condition.
Fearing both would die without medical attention, Mrs McCain demanded that she be allowed to take the children back to the US, and applied for visas. She argued furiously with Bangladeshi officials until they were signed. “I don’t know where I got the nerve,” Mrs McCain said later.
The first Mr McCain knew of Bridget, Mr Gullett told the convention, was when he met his wife at the airport in Arizona. He asked: “Where is she going?” to which she replied: “To our house.”
He said: “I remember John’s face. That day he was not the tough war hero senator. He was like every other new father, full of love and emotion.”
Mr Gullett and his wife Deborah adopted the other baby and called her Nikki.
Gee does this compare with a 100 gift???
Posted by: reddog0216 | October 31, 2008, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
Well ABC, NCB, MSNBC and a few of the leading newspapers are spokesmen for Sen. Obama, maybe they need to back back and look up journalism.(but maybe the never tokk journalism in school) Then come back and tell everyone to vote for Sen. Obama or Sen. McCain. The media has long ago elected Sen. Obama but forgot to tell the rest of America.
Onesided broadcasting has nothing to do with the issues.
Think for yourself before you cast your vote, and not let anyone tell you how to vote or for whom.
Vote, Vote, Vote
Posted by: USAfirst | November 1, 2008, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm
ded in iowa
did you get your GED yet.
Posted by: usa all the way | November 1, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Our United States Would not have been attacked on 9-11-2001 if The liberal Democrat Voters did not
vote Slick Willy/The Clintons into a Trust worthy Highest Respected Office, of Presidency, period.
Now Because he wasn’t doing his job, to watch and to protect the Country.
Osama BinLaden terrorist leader, was within this Country planning another previous Attack again after
Destroying the parking Garage beneath, the World Trade Centers Building, with horrible carnage, mass
destruction, and injuring others. Today 2008, We all, still suffer the effects of the attacks on the world
trade centers. Another reason why the Economy, Wall Street, every towns Main Street, is still effected.
He was impeached, on SEVEN COUNTS OF IMPEACHMENT! Disrespectful, lying, felony, Womanizer,
Clown. But, was not removed from office. Shame. Even Joe Biden voted for impeachment.
Honorable Joe Lieberman, did the Right thing! Voted for Clintons Impeachment! He didn’t leave the
Democrat party. The party left Him. He voted Bipartisan. The honorable thing.
B. Clinton, should have been removed form Office, and not portrayed as a Hero. He pardoned over 200
criminals including drug dealers, in his last days of presidency. What a shame. What a sham.
Voting for “Barrack Hussein Obama” Will Bring and almost Guarantees more of the Same.
The Alleged A.C.O.R.N. group is under Investigation. They promote Voter fraud, the immediate Media
is a cover up of the Democrat Cheat to win. Their agenda is get all Democrats elected any way, any how!
If Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, would like to keep and protect an accurate Election.
With no Improper Election fraud. Within our State, The right and proper thing to do is.
Insure that all eligible voters when handed a ballot, even an absentee ballot, to apply their legal social security number attached written on the ballot to be recorded and verified, with the new computer read scanner, voting machines.
Then and there, nationally if voter fraud, excessive voting and accuracy can be verified, instantaiously.
When voter verification is recorded.
One Vote, One Voter!
No more dead gold fish voters, deceased voters, multiple illegal voters.
With mandating the Voter apply his/her, Legal social security number be written on the ballot, for the vote scanner this should be mandated though out our Country at all the polls and insure voter accuracy, and legimaticy.
With strong severe Federal election law penalties, of severe fines and imprisonment.
Along with the eradication of our Rights , liberties, Pursuit of Happiness, and Security!
I personally do not believe he was born within the United States or is a Citizen! That disqualifies his
presidency. The Media including the Hartford Courant, The Journal Inquirer. Have been Bias
supporting, campaigning for Obama Democrats. Allowing,Terrible cartoon characters, pictures, untrue
mockery and ridicule of the Republican candidates.
John McCain and Sarah Palin have an economic plan that celebrates the American dream of opportunity,
not government give aways. In this country, we believe in spreading opportunity, for those who need
jobs and those who create them. That’s why their economic plan – Jobs for America – is so
important for the American people in this time of economic crisis. While Barack Obama is ready to
“spread the wealth around,” John McCain has a plan to get our economy moving so everyone has
access to good jobs, a quality education and the opportunity to succeed.
Honorable John McCain and Sarah Palin offer Honesty, Fresh recovery, no tax increases, strength
prosperity, stability, and Security, for our country .
Vote good Hon. John McCain and Sarah Palin for the Best of our Country. The United States of
America.!! God Bless America if U don’t ! Thank You
Posted by: Born American ProAmerican | November 2, 2008, 12:10 am 12:10 am