Quote of the day
posted at 11:39 pm on October 7, 2008 by Allahpundit
“Memo to McCain Campaign: Someone is either a terrorist sympathizer or he isn’t; someone is either disqualified as a terrorist sympathizer or he’s qualified for public office. You helped portray Obama as a clealy qualified presidential candidate who would fight terrorists.
If that’s what the public thinks, good luck trying to win this thing.”
Blowback
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I wonder what Guiliani or Romney or Thompson are doing right now.
billy on October 7, 2008 at 11:42 PM
RTWT.
Karl on October 7, 2008 at 11:42 PM
“Memo to McCain Campaign: Someone is either a terrorist sympathizer or he isn’t; someone is either disqualified as a terrorist sympathizer or he’s qualified for public office. You helped portray Obama as a clealy qualified presidential candidate who would fight terrorists.”
Exactly. And there aren’t any Swift Vets who are going to make that case for him, as they did when Bush similarly wouldn’t touch Kerry’s radical chic bona fides in 2004.
Ed Driscoll on October 7, 2008 at 11:43 PM
Drinking. Heavily.
db on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 PM
I don’t think McCain can win. I dont know if its because he is just too old and doesn’t have the gumption to get in there and fight, or if he is just a big pushover listening to a bunch of idiots running his campaign. There are endless amounts of conservatives who apologize for his giant mistakes endlessly, but they fail to realize that their vote already doesnt matter. The only votes that matter are those idiots who still haven’t made up their minds either because they are too dumb to understand or care about issues, or too apathetic to get involved.
muyoso on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 PM
Saving it till next week?
Kini on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 PM
I agree with Andy McCarthy’s statement. I approve of his message…
eanax on October 7, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Anyone watching Hannity? (Sigh)
Cardiganfox on October 7, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Thanks to all you McCainiacs for the great candidate! Sorry, but he is just a miserable all around politician.
Hmm…do I go out and vote for McLame on Tue or stay home and sandpaper my scrotum…tough choice.
ClassicCon on October 7, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Yup.
drjohn on October 7, 2008 at 11:46 PM
I just say Mitt, it should have been him and Palin. What a pair.
Obama’s idiot Gibbs just tried to ream Hannity, what an idiot..
reshas1 on October 7, 2008 at 11:47 PM
db on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 PM
Oh good, so I am in good company at least.
billy on October 7, 2008 at 11:47 PM
I’m sorry but what does this guy want McCain to do?
terryannonline on October 7, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Stopped watching and listening to him long ago…
eanax on October 7, 2008 at 11:47 PM
I think the quote from the day that gets the most play will be “that one”
e-pirate on October 7, 2008 at 11:48 PM
Palin is in the news and she is the one that gets the most attention. That is why the MSM are finally talking about Ayers. She is the person that can bring Obama down. McCain could have brought up Obama’s judgment in today’s debate by being friends with terrorists, getting campaign contributions by Palestinians, etc.
But this debate was so incredibly boring, that no one will care to read any news about it.
jencab on October 7, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Where’s Ayers?
indythinker on October 7, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Yep the marching orders have already gone out. Expect to see all HA headlines on this subject from here until the end of the week.
ClassicCon on October 7, 2008 at 11:50 PM
Gibbs is a dirt bag
McCain has to take it to Obama, all gloves are off. Listen to McCarthy.
and what about him campaigning for Odinga?
jp on October 7, 2008 at 11:50 PM
My four year old said she liked “the white one.” Cringing inside I asked her why. She said, “He looks like a white cow, and I like cows. Look how white his hair is.” Then she looked at Barack and said, “He looks like a brown cow, I like him too.”
Then about five minutes later she decided she liked Brokaw best. She went up and pointed to him and said, I like him.
Those were our debate highlights
Mr. Joe on October 7, 2008 at 11:51 PM
I’m still thinking that the strategy is here is to hit late and hard, and apparently to let Sarah do most of the heavy lifting.
This may have been an opportunity for McCain to make older independents feel comfortable with him, and to shore up some PUMA votes.
Where the hell are the 527′s? We need someone to let everyone know that Obama is black, and that he doesn’t look like the guy s on the currency…
Hopeful.
Dorvillian on October 7, 2008 at 11:52 PM
“McCain did nothing.”
Sums it up.
(Obama, meanwhile, lied spectacularly.)
profitsbeard on October 7, 2008 at 11:53 PM
Actually, I watched him for the first time in a long time. He’s right about Obama and Ayers. The guy he was talking to was a moron.
Connie on October 7, 2008 at 11:53 PM
McCain seems to be resigned not to win.
Just this morning, I woke up with the realization that he will not win this thing, no matter what we do. But we MUST vote for him nonetheless.
The enemy is too strong to overcome. The Big Temptation of the Pied Piper is too strong to break. And America will follow him to the cave, and then, to Marxist servitude.
Yet, we still have to make a stand. We MUST make a stand.
newton on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Yeah.
Oh well! We’ll get em next time?
Dash on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Only God can win this for McCain now.
JellyToast on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM
I want to purchase a revolver– .38 or larger– that is reliable with a lot of Kick. Something for Show and for Go
I appreciate all recommendations…….
( I have a nice old ‘Owl’ .32 cal 5-shot, but I think the firing pin is unreliable )
Janos Hunyadi on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM
I think some people need to get a clue. Fred Thompson gave you one tonight, but you weren’t listening.
Connie on October 7, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Thompson said he did great. Rove said he agreed with Thompson.
lol
Hire him ;)
Spirit of 1776 on October 7, 2008 at 11:55 PM
All of them want to strangle that bigot Huckabee for playing spoiler to Romney’s run to the nomination.
csdeven on October 7, 2008 at 11:55 PM
Obama lost this debate.
The problem is, the undecideds don’t understand that, and McCain seems incapable of pointing it out.
Saltysam on October 7, 2008 at 11:56 PM
The issue of Ayres etc is best left to the next debate. the round table discussion.
csdeven on October 7, 2008 at 11:56 PM
I agree with Andy as well.
McCain played it safe. Obama was better than David Blaine with the illusionist crap. We still have 27 days.
carbon_footprint on October 7, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Lost?
NUTZ!
Limerick on October 7, 2008 at 11:57 PM
Yes, WE do. Is AP onboard?
Connie on October 7, 2008 at 11:58 PM
“Kini on October 7, 2008 at 11:45 PM”
shh! you’ll upset the instant gratification crowd who still doesn’t realize joe and mary q public are just now starting to notice things!
Buckaroo on October 7, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.
The town hall must be treated as a town hall. Else the questioners, and by extension, the viewers will feel the questions are ignored and them marginalized.
The only way he could do it effectively tonight was if there was a question on it or a way to seamlessly work it in an answer. Wasn’t there tonight.
Spirit of 1776 on October 7, 2008 at 11:58 PM
General Sherman to General Grant after a horrific Civil War battle: “Well Grant, we had the devil’s own day today.”
Grant: “Yes, lick ‘em tomorrow though.”
carbon_footprint on October 7, 2008 at 11:58 PM
It’s never too early to give up, huh?
Jim Treacher on October 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM
Let’s go back to 2004.
Can anyone point to me the speech or debate when George W. Bush directly attacked John Kerry on his war record?
I didn’t think so.
Stop whining about McCain not mentioning Ayers or ACORN in this debate! THAT IS WHAT HIS RUNNING MATE IS FOR. And she is doing a great job, and the media are covering every speech and interview she is giving now.
rockmom on October 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM
clealy
This is a small point to people with smaller heads than mine. But to big ole dorks like me….Whoa!
I cannot recall the last time that my reading was interrupted by grammar or spelling errros in any HA posts. Copy editing and other QC issues are defining differences between most blogs and most newspapers.
HotAir is the premier blog/community for sober conservative discourse.
Again, HotAir.com is the sh*t. Thank you for finally flubbing one.
The Race Card on October 7, 2008 at 11:59 PM
I watched CNN and the dial people. They hated it when McCain went negative on Obama.
McCain, in my opinion, missed a huge opportunity to point out that Obama was willing to see genocide in Iraq so that we could pull out (hi, happyfeet).
That was a major miss, but overall it was a dreadful debate for both.
MayBee on October 8, 2008 at 12:00 AM
I’ll be voting for Sarah….
She would have kicked O’s ass.
deedtrader on October 8, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Great point. But in the second debate Kerry put his foot in his mouth with the ‘global test’ comment.
carbon_footprint on October 8, 2008 at 12:00 AM
I will bet money that if the polls tighten Obama will go after Sarah Palin in the last debate. He didn’t tonight because he is ahead and thinks he can run out the clock now.
rockmom on October 8, 2008 at 12:01 AM
The obvious question the average guy would ask about Ayers,, even after watching the very best commercial and listening to Sarah Palin,,,,, if Ayers was that bad,, why didn’t John McCain mention it?
If Obama really said our troops were air raiding civilians,, why didn’t John McCain say anything about it?
If Obama really was palling around with terrorists,, why didn’t John McCain say anything about it??
If Obama really did say Iran was a tiny nation, and not a threat to the US,, why didn’t McCain say anything about it??
If Obamam really is lying all the time,, why doesn’t McCain say anything about it?
Since John McCain didn’t bring it up,, maybe it really isn’t that bad!
JellyToast on October 8, 2008 at 12:02 AM
I’m counting on the short attention span crowd to get that one sound bite.
The question is, will McCain do it?
Kini on October 8, 2008 at 12:04 AM
Indeed. End of story…literally.
Vigilante on October 8, 2008 at 12:04 AM
Obama came close with his Israel non-support. I also think he was the one who appeared out of touch when he said he did not think the economy would get worse. It’s going to get a crapload worse. And the “green behind the ears” comment was as bad as “potatoe” if the media will talk about it.
rockmom on October 8, 2008 at 12:04 AM
If it’s capable of getting Mitt drinking heavily, it would indicate serious problems…
SkinnerVic on October 8, 2008 at 12:05 AM
McCain is terrible… I really don’t care if he wins because I hate all the people around him(Davis, Shmidtt(sp?), Salter, etc)…
ninjapirate on October 8, 2008 at 12:05 AM
No Quarters now has documents referenced\linked that seem to demonstrate that Obama was or still is a memeber of a socialist group called Chicago New Party which is part of the Chicago Democratic Socialist of America. We’ve been calling him a socialist and now apparently there is proof that he actually is…
McCain doesn’t seem to sweat it. This debate forum wasn’t the place to go after Obama more than he did… The stump is where he and Sarah have been doing it… I suspect he’ll keep hitting Obama hard from there. Sarah and the Ayers things has rattled Obama. Also, I don’t see his stump speeches being shown only Palin’s. She’s controlling the message… lots of pictures and video everywhere of her appearances…McCains too…So I’m not worried…
I do think McCain was effective in pointing out that Obama keeps changing his message… refining it to what he finds out the public seems to want to hear…Are any of you buying it?
CCRWM on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
I completely agree with McCarthy, but what difference does it make?
Do you realize that a Republican, a supposed fiscal conservative, just promised to take over your mortgage if your housing value goes down?!
PattyJ on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Huh? It was Andy McCarthy who made that “errro.”
Connie on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
John was boxing this time. John, next time kick Obama in the nuts.
Mojave Mark on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
I agree with this.
The thrust of the attack should have been “this guy should have never gotten this far.” Obama has no record so he can just make up all these farcical plans, and the press isn’t going to challenge them, so if McCain doesn’t say anything new, nothing is going to change. At least he brought out Fannie, but by not destroying the idiotic “deregulation” line, it’s a wash. I see Obama’s lead increasing by Monday.
WisCon on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
So which question was McCain supposed to ignore so he could talk about Bill Ayers? Was he supposed to close by saying, thanks for the opportunity, and by the way, my opponent used to work with this scumbag who blew up buildings in the 1960s.
rockmom on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Getting worse is exactly what he is counting on. Between Nov and Jan he will be able to put together an entire package of FDR WPA programs to shove up America’s tender regions.
Fight, peeps. All this surrender BS has but one response…
NUTZ!
Limerick on October 8, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Rest assured, they won’t. Had it been McCain, we would be hearing about it for the next 14 days.
carbon_footprint on October 8, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Wish I could disagree, but I can’t.
If McCain loses (withholding the temptation to say “when”) it will be because he did not stand up for conservatism. He never really was a conservative, which is why I opposed him in the primaries. (No, I’m not a Ron Paul guy. Honest.)
He lets Obama get away with the narrative that the Bush policies failed, when they didn’t. Bush’s tax cuts produced the fifth longest period of sustained economic growth.
He lets Obama and the Left get away with the Community Reinvestment Act. He doesn’t touch on the point, at all, that GOVERNMENT created this economic crisis. Heck, McCain now wants to buy out more bad loans to stabilize the housing market. This is not conservatism.
He doesn’t challenge Obama’s rhetoric on taxing the rich. He doesn’t make the point that over-taxing Wall Street, believe it or not, hurts Main Street. Tax the people who create jobs, and guess what, they’ll stop creating them. Main Street suffers when corporate America downsizes.
I’ll grant that the idea that government created the problem, and should get out of the way to fix the problem, is not the sexy fit-it-all message that people want to hear, but look at the polls. America was overwhelmingly against this bailout, but McCain went along with it, and tonight said he wants to do more.
Why vote for liberal-lite when you can just go full bore into liberalism?
If McCain loses, let this put to rest any talk in the Republican party of “moderate” being the way to go. We either stand for conservatism, for Reaganism, or we consign ourselves to a permanent minority.
That wake-up call in the form of four years of leftist, Stalinist assault on my freedom of expression, and on America in general, will be the one thing I will hang my hat on.
Reagan showed us the way, and we’ve strayed from what he stood for. If Obama wins, we needn’t ask why.
I just hope the damage he does is reversible in that case.
Hawkins1701 on October 8, 2008 at 12:08 AM
Not to sound defeatist or anything, but I was pontificating that we were heading down a dark path with an Obamanation presidency, when my normally silent (-about-politics-) wife said, “Don’t worry, we’ll be okay. This is America.
God love the innocents. Of course, we all love to talk gloom and doom, but, really, if Obama wins, we’ll survive it. We did with Carter and the 444 days of hostage crisis and 17-20 percent inflation. I don’t know if we’ve ever really been that low as a nation before or since.
But right after that, we must remember that we entered a golden age with Ronald Reagan. We have the next great conservative western governor already online. Bring on the Palin years!
Tennman on October 8, 2008 at 12:08 AM
WHO IS GOING TO PRODUCE THE SO-CALLED “SUBPRIME LETTER” THAT OBAMA CLAIMS TO HAVE WRITTEN TWO YEARS AGO TO WARN PAULSON OF THE FANNY/FREDDIE COMING DEMISE? Where’s the post-dated document? Is Paulson actually going to play THAT part in this coup as well as delivering the chicken little aria? Obama just recently began this claim that I don’t believe one bit.
maverick muse on October 8, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Fair point.
The Ayers thing is what it is, and Palin is hitting Obama on that.
McCain needed to shine on the economy tonight, and as my previous note indicates, I don’t think he did.
I’ve love to be wrong in public perception, but I have a feeling I won’t be.
Hawkins1701 on October 8, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Think on his feet. When Obama says that education is one of his three priorities, McCain’s response is to ask him about blowing $50 million with Ayers funding, not programs to improve Chicago schools, but programs to “radicalize students.”
I give up.
BuckeyeSam on October 8, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Seems to me that John McCain is trusting his running mate to keep the base shored up while his style is always and forever to stick to the center. He spoke to the sober center tonight. His opponent ran to the right, and rang false as a result.
For anyone judging the candidates for authenticity, Mccain won hands down.
RushBaby on October 8, 2008 at 12:11 AM
How was he supposed to do that? “I’ll get to your question about the economy, but first, let’s talk about Bill Ayers.” He answered the questions that were presented to him. And he did answer them.
Jim Treacher on October 8, 2008 at 12:11 AM
McCain must be either feeling invincible or desperate because Carly is back on TV. Maybe tonight she’ll explain how McCain can’t handle the economy. /smacks head into desk
Spirit of 1776 on October 8, 2008 at 12:11 AM
Well at least we can look forward to Mitt/Palin 2012?
Vigilante on October 8, 2008 at 12:12 AM
McCarthy’s right, of course.
Packing my bags for a few years in the wilderness…
Purple Fury on October 8, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Not true! Chicago high school graduation rates have improved from 52% to 54% in the last ten years. (MSM talking point)
Limerick on October 8, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Nothing gets past the boss.
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/07/mccain-wants-to-spend-300-billion-more-to-buy-up-bad-mortgages/
BuckeyeSam on October 8, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Ditto rockmom! Mom’s sticking together!
ConMom on October 8, 2008 at 12:13 AM
err, make that moms sticking together…it’s late!
ConMom on October 8, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Wait for the transcript. Obama lied so many times, it’s not funny. I’m sick of you doom & gloomers.
Connie on October 8, 2008 at 12:14 AM
That’s a bad idea, in my opinion. McCain was standing in front of undecided voters who wanted real answers to their questions, why should he go off on a tangent on something that doesn’t affect them at all?
terryannonline on October 8, 2008 at 12:14 AM
In fairness, she said none of Obama, McCain, Biden, and Palin could.
Sadly, she’s right.
Paging Mitt Romney.
BuckeyeSam on October 8, 2008 at 12:15 AM
Well McCain had openings but he never just nailed this guy down. I cannot believe that this election is even close. Obama is an empty suit who has associated with terrorists and racists and we are behind…wtf? McCain appears to believe he is still in the Senate where the debate is just show and the real deals are made behind closed doors…wrongo John. This is IT connect or die.
We can pull this off but tonight made it just a bit more difficult.
PierreLegrand on October 8, 2008 at 12:15 AM
Romney backed McCain up tonight.
Connie on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
We have to admit we got really lucky facing morons like Gore and Kerry in the last elections. Obama isn’t dumb enough like them to make debate gaffes. The closest he came was at Saddleback with “above my pay grade”.
Speedwagon82 on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Too much blame is being put on John. Blame Americans. All the Eeyores and all the peeps who can’t find the Atlantic Ocean on a map.
Limerick on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Heh…the bonus would be that Michelle gets hurt since she has them in her purse. :-D
SouthernGent on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Too much blame is being put on John. Blame Americans. All the Eeyores and all the peeps who can’t find the Atlantic Ocean on a map.
Limerick on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Uhhh…that’s next to Lake Superior, right?
Bishop on October 8, 2008 at 12:18 AM
Carly Fiorina (she’s back!) said McCain proposed the buyout back in April. I don’t doubt her. I’ve slept a lot since then and don’t remember.
SouthernGent on October 8, 2008 at 12:18 AM
McCarthy really doesn’t understand negative politics. It would have been the worst thing to do for McCain to bring up Ayers in this debate. You let Palin and ads do that. Let voters connect the dots.
johnt on October 8, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Holy Jesus…
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/McCaskills_edge.html
ClassicCon on October 8, 2008 at 12:19 AM
No. He needed to say that he was going to name names in washington. call for their resignations and ask obama to do the same.
Instead, he’s handing out houses to everyone. Jerk off.
lorien1973 on October 8, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Nikkei’s down 500.
Sayonara!
(Don’t I sound like gloomy old AP right there?
However, the Nikkei IS down 500…)
TexasJew on October 8, 2008 at 12:20 AM
Obama isn’t dumb enough like them to make debate gaffes. The closest he came was at Saddleback with “above my pay grade”.
Speedwagon82 on October 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM
Sure he is, but the media won’t even pretend to be anything but DFL/Obarky whores this time around, at least with Kerry and Gore they made an effort to spend time digging a little.
Bishop on October 8, 2008 at 12:20 AM
It’s Hot Air, so we can disagree. We’ve seen months (years) of public servants screwing up with tax money. Obama’s only executive experience is squandering a huge grant that could have been used for programs in reading, math, science.
What kind of priorities does that suggest that Obama has?
Besides, it didn’t stop either one of them from wandering off into nonsense on other occasions. Rather than filler, at least that would have forced the media to start digging or look negligent in the voters’ eyes.
But maybe I’m wrong and McCain can say “my frieds” another time, tell us that times are tough, and tell us that people are hurting.
BuckeyeSam on October 8, 2008 at 12:21 AM
I wasn’t happy to hear that, but I don’t think she wants to win.
Connie on October 8, 2008 at 12:22 AM
Gotta say I’m sick of seeing her on FoxNews. What a POS.
WisCon on October 8, 2008 at 12:22 AM
McCarthy is right
CanadianGuy on October 8, 2008 at 12:23 AM
What a depressing friggin thread. McCain did fine tonight you geniuses. “Bringing up Ayers” in a debate is pretty irrelevant. It’s out there and will continue to be. Whether or not the American people will choose to disqualify the repulsive Mr. O for it remains to be seen.
McCain is the candidate we have. He’s far from perfect, but far better than the nightmare on the other side. Stop crying and whining and start “community organizing” for McCain. And if you won’t do that, then just shut the farg up.
Sugar Land on October 8, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Now, that’s better!
Laura in Maryland on October 8, 2008 at 12:24 AM
You know Obama is far from perfect …he changes his positions constantly, you know, revises history when he lerns a thing or two from the pundits etc…yet his supporters never ever criticize him…they must know or see this…they are aware of his associations but they don’t care…I don’t get it?
I support McCain because of the two, I feel he is the qualified one, has integrity, has a pro life record, has fought his own party, hasn’t been lock step with Bush, has made mstakes but nothing I can’t live with…I believe his plan is better and I believe to pursue and gain the highest office in the land and arguably in the world, you must have worked for it and accomplished significant things in your life. One of the things that bugs me the most about Obama is that he wants to be president but has not done one damn thing to earn it…He gave a speech 4 years ago that a lot of Democrats liked and he was off! What arrogance! Doesn’t say much about Democrats either…
CCRWM on October 8, 2008 at 12:25 AM
Can someone explain what she said? I don’t “get” what she meant by that. I do like the Romney response
SouthernGent on October 8, 2008 at 12:25 AM
That is really sick!
Connie on October 8, 2008 at 12:26 AM
That’s a different issue. I agree on that. McCain needed to attack Obama on economic issues and who is at fault. But I don’t believe that he needed t bring up Obama’s associations.
johnt on October 8, 2008 at 12:26 AM
Where McCain failed tonight was on the economic issues. He fell so far short that anybody who actually pays attention and understands what factors contributed to our current situation is frustrated by his refusal to address them. Anybody who doesn’t pay close attention and doesn’t actually understand the situation just hears him saying the same populist crap as Obama only difference being McCain has a crankier voice when he’s blaming wall st.
If ever there was an opportunity for a game changer, our economic crisis was it. Obama can be slaughtered by a silver tongued, plain speaking, truth speaking candidate on that issue. The ball is on the tee and McCain refuses to use a bat.
Plain and simple, McCain is a terrible candidate. What have we done?
Zetterson on October 8, 2008 at 12:27 AM
I’ll start with the basic food groups, beer, wine, then grains.
Kini on October 8, 2008 at 12:27 AM
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