McCain praises, then criticizes, Bush

Posted: Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:27 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House

From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy
WALLINGFORD, Pa. -- Deviating slightly from his stump speech this afternoon here in the exurbs of Philadelphia, McCain connected his friend and introducer -- former Pennsylvania Gov. and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge -- with President Bush, thanking them both for keeping America safe.

"My friends, it is not an accident to me that there and I think that Tom Ridge and President Bush deserve some credit for the fact there's not been another attack on the United States of America since 9/11, and this is our first leader," McCain said of Ridge's service at the Department of Homeland Security.

President Bush's name has been largely absent from McCain's stump speech. And if it's mentioned, it's usually only uttered when McCain is trying to distance his positions from those of the unpopular president, as he did later in today's event.

"My friends, this is the fundamental difference between Sen. Obama and me," McCain said. "We both disagree with President Bush on economic policy. The difference is that he thinks taxes have been too low, and I think that spending has been too high."

Then McCain repeated a memorable line from the third presidential debate, "My friends, I'm not George Bush. If Sen. Obama wanted to run against George Bush he should have run four years ago."

McCain hyped up his prospects in Pennsylvania, despite recent polls showing him behind. And he said that his campaign's recent resurgence is due to "a kind of tidal and seismic shift in the last couple of weeks" caused by Joe the Plumber.

"I've been in a lot of campaigns," McCain said. "I know when momentum is there. This enthusiasm, this kind of welcome. We're gonna win Pennsylvania, and we're gonna win this election. I sense it and I feel it and I know it."

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Comments

I do have alot of respect for Tom Ridge. I think if McShame would of picked him for VP this talking point would of meant more to americans. Right now "It's the economy stupid"!!!!!!!!!! I am so positive the fear campaigning isn't going to work this time. So give it up Johnnie.

Obama/Biden 08/12

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:38 PM)

In every aspect of the economy, America still continues on the trickle-down path. The implementation of the recent bailout package is no exception. Bush remains in hiding in the hope of helping elect McCain to continue the trickle-down.

But the trickle-down still fails to trickle.

Gregory Peek, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:38 PM)

Barack Obama will do on Tuesday what he did to H. Clinton and the also rans. He will landslide and put to rest this race. Ask H. Clinton what it's like to go up against Barack. Palin, like H. Clinton will be sent packing. Only the best rise to the top. Obama/Biden 08.

Akmad, IL (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:42 PM)

Thanks to George Bush, we have alienated our relationships with the rest of the world. How does that make us stronger? John McCain has shown his true colors in this campaign. He can't even have a "discussion" with Barack Obama without smirking. So much for diplomacy and working in a non-partisan matter with those whose views differ from ours.

ellen, Chittenango, NY (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:43 PM)

Pat Boston, MA:

I, too, have my champagne chilling.(hoping I am not jinxing the campaign with this) Would like to add to your well thought out list of toasts one more:

To the state of Iowa for showing us the possibilities.

Iowans, my first toast will be to YOU!!

sotiredofignorance (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:45 PM)

McCain talks about security, Obama talks about the economy. If a family has just lost its home through foreclosure, do you really think they're concerned about how safe they are from attack by terrorists ? McCain is still off message. Voting to invade Iraq did not increase our security.

Joe Six Pack (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:49 PM)

I don't know if Tom Ridge has the presence of mind to know that his service as Secretary of Homeland Security had as much to do with an absence of 'terrorist' attacks similar to 9/11/01 as my peacetime service in US armed forces had to do with the Cold War ending in 1990 with the implosion of the former USSR.
I don't know if Obama thinks that he has Pa or if he has given up on winning Pa, but I haven't gotten any robo-calls from Bob Casey or Bill Clinton today. I've just unpluged my phone to insure that I'm not annoyed by robo-calls today.

larry 278 allentown, pa (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:50 PM)

It is funny how John McCain and George Bush have no trouble sharing wealth when it goes from poor/middle class to the rich. But wealth from the rich to the poor/middle class -- well that is just socialism!

John McCain is like an onion - you peel off the top layer and your find George Bush. Peel off that layer and you find John McCain. Peel again and you find George Bush. The process goes on all the way down to its rotten core.

David, Baltimore, MD (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:51 PM)

Barack put Hillary in her place. Keep her out of the blogs. She's a has been, also ran. Hillary should fade away into the sunset. This is Baracks spotlight. He defeated her fair and square. Go away Hillaray!

Stop Hillary, USA (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:55 PM)

McCain is desperate. He doesn't even know what he supports or doesn't anymore. Back and forth. He said no more mention of Obama's minister, but the last minute ads are full of Wright. Four before noon on one station in AZ alone.

He's throwing it all against the wall hoping some will stick.

Sheldon, Tucson, AZ (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:55 PM)

It will be great with Obama as our president. What do you think his top priority issue will be for America?

Eric Fowler, Chicago, IL (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:56 PM)

First Read:
The following eye witness account of 'spreading the wealth' was submitted in response to your posting entitled "First Thoughts: Final Map".
You posted 28 comments which reflect negatively on McCain.
Why was this pro-McCain comment not posted?
Do you only welcome anti-McCain comments?
Are you afraid of printing the truth?
Do you endorse censorship of views that don't coincide with your own?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"But it touched on something we hadn't yet heard -- that for some voters "spread the wealth" isn’t necessarily a rich vs. middle class argument. Rather, it’s redistribution from middle class to poor."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You're kidding....you hadn't yet heard that for some
voters "spread the wealth" means taking from the middle class and giving to the poor?

How out of touch are you?

The rich have lawyers and loop holes. It's middle class tax money that gets spent on programs for the poor.
If you worked in a school, you could see "free-lunch" students wearing $100. tennis shoes, "free-lunch" students being picked up by a pregnant mother and walking home with 5 siblings.
Then you'd know how "spread the wealth" can mean taking from the middle class and giving to the poor (who keep creating more poor to support).

This is not a black/white issue. "The poor" come in many colors and many of them make irresponsible personal decisions.

If you saw this "up close and personal", it wouldn't be such a foreign concept to you.

Obviously, journalists have no idea of what is happening in the real world and report accordingly.

Pennsylvania (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 1:57 PM)

McDaddy McCain was awsome on SNL last night! A real chance for the many that stayed up late to catch him to see his real human side that so many love and respect. An American hero. Thanks SNL!

Chris Elmer, Carol Stream, IL (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:00 PM)

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

- Hermann Goehring

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."

- Julius Caesar

Jon Durham, Huntsville, AL (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:01 PM)

What mess did the Republicans make Hillary Clinton that Democrats were not a part of? Your column this morning seemed to point all responsiblity for any problems at Republicans. Whose fault was it that in Rev Wright's words that Bill was "riding dirty"? Place blame on one and all, not just one group. Jennifer Granholm, in Michigan? (Last 6 years)

Edison Matthews, NY (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:09 PM)

Why no medical records from Palin? Makes me think twice and wonder about the baby. Is it really hers or her daughter?

NYHillary (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:11 PM)

If you approach Joe the Plumber, to insure you don't get hurt, you must repeat the words "Nicto....Klatu....Verada"
(sorry to you younsters that won't get it....)

Buzz (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:12 PM)

The fact remains that McCain was right there all eight of those sorry Bush years and supported the Bush policies 90% of the time. How can we expect him to do anything different from Bush in the next four years?

John Mehan, San Francisco, CA (Sent Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:12 PM)

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