DNC knocks McCain for using Cindy’s jet one day after Obama declares family off-limits
posted at 11:54 am on June 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Politico savors the nuance.
By declaring families “off limits,” Obama takes the high road but he also deprives his campaign and party of an issue.
For example, the DNC this morning blasted out an email about the “‘chutzpah’ of John McCain refusing to pay for the use of the Hensley jet while still trying to present himself as a ‘reformer’ who is committed to transparency and accountability,”
Obama now controls the DNC — why, a day after he flatly says families should not be brought into the race, is his party going after McCain on something related to his wife?
Why? Because it offers an insight into McCain’s character, just like some of the things Michelle’s said on the trail may offer an insight into Obama’s thinking. Emphasis on “may”: Each voter can and will judge for himself how much of her viewpoint to attribute to him, just like each party will weigh the merits of these attacks against the backlash potential. I have no problem with the DNC sniffing around the McCain/Hensley bankbook if they’re willing to risk the fallout, but if Team Barry wants to play this game, they really should choose between hardball and the aggrieved husband passion play.
Update: Per Nonfactor’s comment below, yes, obviously this line of attack isn’t anything like the direct attacks on Michelle O that some conservatives have launched. Politico’s point is simply that it’s weird of the DNC to complain about something this petty that involves McCain family business the very day after Obama made a big show about drawing a line around anything having to do with families. And my point is simply that he shouldn’t feel compelled to draw that line. If Cindy McCain says something offensive on the trail tomorrow, it’s fair game. And rest assured that the Democrats will treat it that way.
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There is no difference at all between the attacks on Michelle Obama and the attacks on Cindy McCain’s jet. Period. Nope. None. I’m not listening to anything.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:02 PM
But Cindy McCain is a fair skinned blond. She is fair game. Isn’t that how it works?
bopbottle on June 18, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Wow. I didn’t even expect someone to complain about this as an attack on white people. Good job, bopbottle, you’ve amazed me.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Bi*ches.
kirkill on June 18, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Ah, the troll is back.
You honestly think they’re attacking her jet? In that case, it shouldn’t be a problem that we’re going to attack Michelle Obama’s words.
amerpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:09 PM
No, they aren’t attacking the jet when they attack McCain’s hypocrisy for using it; they’re actually making personal attacks on Cindy McCain!
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:10 PM
nicely done.
ctmom on June 18, 2008 at 12:11 PM
If I were to give you that (which I’m not), how do you justify the DNC going after Cindy McCain for not releasing her tax returns after Obama wanted family left out of it?
amerpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Um, quick, find out who owns the Jet Obama flies around on.
Romeo13 on June 18, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Whatever. Anything that will get pics of Cindy’s eyes on the screen is good. They will mesmorize the electorate. Vote McCain. Vote McCain.
faraway on June 18, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Wait a second. So in attempts to divert the topic of conversation you “give me” the point while simultaneously not giving me the point? And then you ask about something that happened how long ago? If you don’t want to talk about the plane anymore just say so.
This “attack” by the DNC on John McCain (not Cindy McCain) for using the corporate jet of his wife while at the same time proclaiming he was riding coach in airplanes is not an attack on the candidates family no matter how much you guys attempt to say it is - and for what reason I cannot tell other than wishing to feel some injustice was done upon you helpless conservatives by the evil Democrats.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:16 PM
This is the type of politics the DEMS always run. JUAN has a choice. He can respond on the OFFENSIVE like MR. REAGAN, or he can respond on the DEFENSIVE ala MR. DOLE. Choice is a BITCH!!
pueblo1032 on June 18, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Ding!
Buy Danish on June 18, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Ha. Obama will criticize this and be the big man.
Because he’s on Halperin’s The Page today, saying that he would have stuck up for Cindy if she were attacked, so McCain should have stuck up for Michelle.
Of course, Obama never has stood up for any of his opponents- ever- so now the DNC has given him the chance. Brilliant!
MayBee on June 18, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Chicago politics. Organized crime. Corruption. Vote early and often. Chicago Seven in 68.
What a summer.
faraway on June 18, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Michelle’s broom.
fogw on June 18, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Ahhh.
I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.
nukemhill on June 18, 2008 at 12:21 PM
I said that if I were to give it to you, which I’m not.
How long ago? A few weeks, max. In fact, the statement going after her failure to release returns remains on the DNC’s website.
amerpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I hate it when women want to be equal to men, then go all “girlie” when they have to take what they dish out. Nobody forced Michelle Obama to be a player in this campaign, I don’t care how much the role of a potential first lady matters. If she didn’t want to be an issue, she could have kept her damn mouth shut form the get-go. If Barrack Obama wants us to leave his wife alone, he should tell her to stay at home and host tea-and-crumpets parties for the ladies. If we are prepared to move beyond that, then this is the payback. Deal with it, Mr and Mrs O.
manwithblackhat on June 18, 2008 at 12:24 PM
I agree with nonfactor here. To say these two things are the same is not intellectually honest. If McCain has proclaimed to fly coach for some stupid reason he should be held accountable for that and called out on it when he goes against his word. The key words in that last sentence are “McCain” (as in John), “he” and “his”.
This whole thing is a straw man’s argument and all rather stupid. Michelle Obama SHOULD be accountable for the things she says and Republicans SHOULD be able to question Barak about the hateful crap spewing out of his wife’s mouth, or is pastors mouth or his unrepentant terrorist friend’s mouth. The Dems SHOULD be able to call McCain out for hypocracy when he claims to fly coach yet jets around the country on his wife’s private dime.
Zetterson on June 18, 2008 at 12:30 PM
It is pathetic to the extent to which those on the right want to be seen as the victims.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Allah, I think you and Politico are off base on this one. This is McCain’s behavior, not Cindy’s jet. To me it is no big deal that he uses someone’s jet, at least it is his wife’s and not some outside person who would expect favors in return.
Anything Michelle O says on the campaign trail is fair game as well. She’s really going to have to watch her mouth over the next 5 months.
Snidely Whiplash on June 18, 2008 at 12:32 PM
It thinks it’s cute, and it thinks it’s smart. It will go back and brag to it’s lefty friends about how smart and cute it is. Trolls!
Buford Gooch on June 18, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Whereas Democrats take the much more reasonable approach in blaming an evil Karl Rove/Diebold conspiracy for voters rejecting their candidates for president.
amerpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:34 PM
I’m done feeding the troll.
amerpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Yeah, I added an update to clarify. Obviously this is vastly different from the attacks on Michelle O. I think Politico’s just surprised by the timing of this given how petty it is and all I’m trying to say is that Obama’s big defense of families is really nonsense, since if Cindy McCain said something offensive on the trail everyone on the left would be all over it, and fairly so.
Allahpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Hmmm…. according to press releases Obama was in a Gulfstream II which hit a cesna while on the runway…
So.. Bambi got a jet from somewhere as well… so Dean’s point is?
Romeo13 on June 18, 2008 at 12:38 PM
When it comes to understanding the human psyche and the vast differences between people’s thought processes, you are indeed a master.
Riposte on June 18, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Buffalo Bill?
For a second think of this. In this election cycle we’ve heard talk of Michelle Obama’s college thesis being a political issue, how she isn’t a real American, how there is a supposed tape out there with her saying “whitey,” crass commentary about her looks, and so on. The worst things we’ve heard about Cindy McCain is that she steals recipes from the Food Network. We all know Cindy McCain has far worse stuff in her past, but it isn’t brought up, and for good reason. The same way Obama expects McCain not to attack his family I’m sure you won’t see Obama attacking Cindy McCain’s well-known lapses.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:42 PM
I agree with you re: the thesis stuff being nonsense (and have said as much here) and we haven’t said anything about her looks or bought into the “whitey” crap.
Allahpundit on June 18, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Not to mention racial commentary I’ve seen on this very blog about Michelle Obama.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Exactly. Thank you.
Zetterson on June 18, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Radical commentary? Please!
Ever listen to Michelle O’s public statements?
No one gets a pass here.
old trooper on June 18, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Wasn’t most of this stuff brought up by the Clinton campaign? Most of the criticism of Michelle O I have seen on this blog has to do with what she has said, which is certainly fair game.
Snidely Whiplash on June 18, 2008 at 12:58 PM
That is rich lol… Every day being 7 hours ahead I eat lunch while watching the latest / previous night’s complaining whines from Democrats, Obama supporters, Hillary supporters, the DNC, the liberal media etc. This is a scheduled daily event for me, have you been living on planet earth this election?
The left in general have a worse ‘victim complex’ than us Jews, whom incidentally at least earned ours violently over the last 5000 years or so.. Thanks for making my latte, that whip cream is exactly what I was missing :)
saus on June 18, 2008 at 1:01 PM
It’s way too easy for the comments to be redirected to a topic of nonfactor’s choosing.
Stop digging people. We’re not victims. We’re just acting like players behind in the game complaining about the officials.
gabriel sutherland on June 18, 2008 at 1:09 PM
Like what? Like discussing Bill Clinton’s comments when he compared good ol’ Barak to Jesse Jackson? Name something.
And what do you mean by racial comments? Define that statement so we can be sure to be discussing the same thing.
Zetterson on June 18, 2008 at 1:10 PM
It is pathetic to the extent to which those on the right want to be seen as the victims.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I hear ya and I’m switching to the DFL, that way I can factually blame everything on either Big Oil™, Neocon warmongers or the VRWC.
Bishop on June 18, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Michelle’s gonna charge us $100 a word, like the Ass’d Press.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on June 18, 2008 at 1:13 PM
I didn’t know Cindy owned a jet.
I get a chuckle out of the fact McCain is chartering his campaign magic carpet ride from JetBlue (a Soros airline investment vehicle, I think George own close to 11%).
normsrevenge on June 18, 2008 at 1:19 PM
didn’t the Messiah say that if he saw attacks on his opponent’s family that he would call it out?
nailinmyeye on June 18, 2008 at 1:19 PM
didn’t the Messiah say that if he saw attacks on his opponent’s family that he would call it out?
nailinmyeye on June 18, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Well yeah but…Obama is also the guy who didn’t see or hear a single outrageous thing while attending his church for twenty years.
Bishop on June 18, 2008 at 1:22 PM
What?
Esthier on June 18, 2008 at 1:28 PM
I believe that Nonfactor comment would fall into the category of “drive by comments”. Or perhaps, “gutless comments”.
Zetterson on June 18, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Uhm. People? Are you really trying to get a substantive response from the troll?
misterpeasea on June 18, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Possibly, but his claim is outrageous. If he’s going to be so spineless as to post a smear like that without backing it up, he should leave.
Esthier on June 18, 2008 at 1:53 PM
yup, as asked for some evidence and a defined term. Nothing but silence.
Zetterson on June 18, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Hmm…given the choice between putting up or shutting up, I never expected Nonfactor to actually choose one, let alone choose the one we all prefer.
James on June 18, 2008 at 2:12 PM
The troll only pops on fringe topics, and never shows its face on legitimate issues because it knows it has no legs to stand on.
Its ilk’s policies worsen the economy, make America weaker, do more harm than good to the environment, and other delightful results.
The troll knows it, but the troll loves it.
Grafted on June 18, 2008 at 2:49 PM
He should have taken Gore with him.
Johan Klaus on June 18, 2008 at 6:33 PM
I’m busy right now, but I remember a Michelle Obama post being so bad I bookmarked it on my other computer. Just do a search of the vault for Michelle Obama and look at any of the posts from January to March; it seems many of you have calmed down after realizing that she’s going to be the first lady.
Nonfactor on June 18, 2008 at 6:52 PM