McCain apologizes for radio host's Obama attack

Obama a "hack" from the "Chicago-Daley" mob?

Sounds pretty accurate to me.
Especially on the day of new announcements in the indictment of Obama's best buddy and sugar daddy Tony Rezko.

Frank, you give the McCain campaign too much credit for integrity. That guy said just exactly what the McCain campaign wanted said. Then they pulled the rug out from under him.

If McCain is willing to vote for torture, and let his campaign be run by K-street lobbyists in order to become President, what's screwing over some small time radio host in comparrison?

This reminds of another brilliant bit of campaigning. Show the press the attack add and then say that you changed your mind. McCain is a one trick pony. All around us the economy is going in the crapper, and McCain can only talk about one issue, Iraq.

ps. 4 more years of Bush

Yep, sounds like a new campaign tactic to me. Throw some 2-bit big mouth on stage to sling the mud and then throw him under the bus. The candidate comes out looking oh-so-saintly, but the slander is out there.

Michael, well said.

More Swiftboat crap from the radical rightwing lunitc fringe.

This is how it works people, a nutty lunitic Republican makes a crazy statement about a Dem candidate and then the Republican candidate (McCain) comes out and denounces it thus making himself become not only the benfeciary of the sleazy attack on the Dem candidate but also "appearing" to take the "high-ground".

Don't fall for it again America, don't let the Republic Party trick you into effectivly giving George W Bush a third term by voting for McCain.

so now we see what McCain's strategy is about - send out his swift-boaters to have them blast his opponent/s, then come out and apologize.... blah, blah, blah - We need change in DC, from the top down to the Rove like BS tactics. Repubicans really do seem to be at the heart of most of the US's issues.

I'm not surprised one bit that the rightwing hate squad is out and about making crazy unfounded statements again, afterall, they've got their own problems to worry about so what better way to deflect them than to attack Senator Obama? It's all they have left.

Yesterday the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission against John McCain. Why? In the words of DNC Chair Howard Dean:

We want John McCain to obey the law with his own name on it.
This afternoon Dean and officials at the DNC held a conference call in which they spelled out why they will file a complaint with the FEC against McCain. The background is that in December and January, McCain was broke and had to tap in to a massive amount of lobbyist money to keep his campaign afloat. Doing so put him in danger of exceeding the spending limits attached to participation in the federal matching funds program, in which an eligible candidate can receive monies voluntarily contributed by taxpayers to match low-donor campaign contributions in exchange for abiding by spending limits.

Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani had opted out of the federal matching funds program. John Edwards and several other candidate had opted in, but since there was insufficient money in the fund, they had to secure a loan against the money they were certified to receive.

McCain publicly declared that he would accept the matching funds (and therefore abide by the spending limits). But since he was broke, he had to go to a bank and secure a loan under dubious conditions. Since he appears to have secured the loan by using his eligibility to accept the federal matching funds, it seems fairly clear that he is committed to the federal matching funds system.

The DNC's complaint will allege the following. Fist, that McCain used his status as a candidate operating under the federal matching fund program to gain access on state ballots without having to spend any money to submit signatures. From the DNC's press release:

The McCain campaign has incorrectly stated that McCain is doing what Dean did when he withdrew from public financing in his presidential bid, but they have the facts wrong. Dean did not use the promise of matching funds as collateral for a loan. Dean withdrew before the FEC determined eligibility for funds, unlike McCain. And he spent millions of dollars to get his name on the ballot after withdrawing, unlike McCain, who had free ballot access in many states because he pledged to accept matching funds.
That is a material gain from pledging to accept the matching funds. Another material gain from pledging to accept the matching funds is the ability to use his eligibility as collateral, which he did to secure his loan.

Finally, by receiving these material benefits from his pledge to enter the matching funds system, he is bound to abide by the spending limits. The matching funds program requires one to spend no more than approximately $57 million dollars for the entire campaign up until he officially becomes the nominee in September. Through January, he had already spent over $46 million.

If you follow the implications, since he entered the federal matching funds program, John McCain is now essentially at the spending limit, and is legally prohibited from spending any more money until September. To spend more money would be to break federal law.

That law, by the way, is sometimes named after its Senate sponsors: McCain-Feingold.

Barack Obama makes a conscious decision to pose while wearing native Kenyan garb, and it is off limits to make reference to the photo.

His middle name is Hussein and it is off limits to mention that.

Has ever a Presidential candidate been treated with kidd gloves like this?

When his name comes up in the Rezko trial will that be off limits too?

Why does everything have to be so politically correct? If this guy believes what he said then he should say it and if McCain doesn't agree then he should just say he doesn't agree. What's with the "I take responsibility and I repudiate what he said,". He shouldn't have to. This country needs to get back to saying what you mean and meaning what you say. I'm an Obama supporter/contributor so naturally I don't agree with what "Wild Bill" said but I don't hold it against him for having an opinion.

Bill r." "ps. 4 more years of Bush"

Now we know a part of the 28% that still supports Bush.

4 more year of Bush = 4 more years of the war and a bad economy. No thanks.

Thank God there are term limits for Presidents.

Obama is a hack for Daley. Duh. Why apologize. And when all the investigations are over I bet Obama will be in the same cell as our Governor Boy Wonder.

More proof that the Republican Party appeals to the lowest common denominators of society. Be they racists, xenophobes, sexists, homophobes, or just plain hate mongers, you can bet they vote Republican and the Republican Party will got to ANY length to appeal to them for their votes.

I think anyone who wants to continue to ignorantly associate Obama with terrioism or think that all Muslims are terriorist should take a diversity class. Also, should do some research, his grandmother's surname is Hussein. Stop focusing on the color of one's skin and focus on the ability for change and a better america.

Obama a "hack" from the "Chicago-Daley" mob?
Sounds pretty accurate to me.
Especially on the day of new announcements in the indictment of Obama's best buddy and sugar daddy Tony Rezko.

Posted by: Alice Palmer | February 26, 2008 02:57 PM

Sounds to me like Crazy Alice is desperate to deflect away the mess that "Straight-talker" John McCain/Bush has gotten himself into lately.

John McCain has 59 lobbyists raising money for his campaign, and yet he said "I'm the only one the special interests don't give any money to."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gEROVh8zK4

He may not be a hack....but when you think of O......think of good old Jimmy Carter and what he did to this country. Rookies don't belong in the White House.

McCain truely is a one item candidate (Iraq). His economic and illegal alien policys are a large pile of cow dung! I'm a staunch republican who will vote Democrat this time.

This is exactly why the Republicans drummed McCain out in 2000 and why some of them are still turning on him. He plays nice with others and some in the party don't like that. I probably won't vote for him but at least he seems like a decent human being.

'Cunningham said later that he stood by his comments at the rally. He told his listeners: ‘”I’ve had it with McCain. I’m going to throw my support to Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

Now there's that rock-solid AM Radio conviction!

What a Jerque!

If having Hussein as a middle name makes the senator some kind of middle-eastern terrorist than Adolph "Harpo" Marx was obviously a Nazi.

Although I do not condone the remarks of this Willie Cunningham today Barack Obama does come out of the corrupt Chicago Democratic Political Machine or Organization as they like to call it. And the Tony Rezko corruption trial is about to start where Obama has some involvement. Whether Obama did anything illegal with Rezko only time will tell.

quote "Repubicans really do seem to be at the heart of most of the US's issues."

I would say politicians in general are at the heart of most of the issues.

While disparaging comments were made by Bill Cunningham, they core of what he said isn't off the mark.

Of course, similar things, or worse could be said of any of the candidates.

The guy was a little over the top, but he's entirely right that Obama is a Chicago Machine politician who has not delivered the "change" he promises on the campaign trail to the state of Illinois.

He has endorsed party hacks like Toddler Stroger and Alexi Giannoulias. He has accepted lord knows how many bundled dollars from indicted political fixer Tony Rezko and the Tribune has a front page story today on how Obama's name will come up during the Rezko trial.

His middle name is Hussein and it is off limits to mention that.
Posted by: politwriter | February 26, 2008 3:48 PM

It is useless trying to explain to people like this why it is so stupid to make a deal about a name. This is their life. They don't know any better. It's their way to call people names, make fun of anything different. Strange clothes, different skin, and they wet themselves.

Hmmm...

"a Chicago "hack" from the "Chicago-Daley Mob."

True.

"He also said he couldn't wait until the media ripped the 'bark' off Obama"

True. (just ask HRC)

"accused the senator from Illinois of dubious financial dealings."

True.

Swiftboating: when people raise questions about your past that you are unable or unwilling to disprove. Three years later and Kerry still hasn't released his navy documents that he claims would disprove 'Unfit for Command'.

Mike W., Probably our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln, was a former one-term U.S. Representative. Sounds like a rookie to me. Did he not belong in the White House?

Republican or Democrat they're all the same. Anyway you look at it both parties want to spend money like there is no tomorrow. McCain spends it on Iraq Obama and Clinton spend it on all the socialistic ideas that they want to put through. Either way we're all going to be paying through the nose no matter who gets in.

All you obama lovers think your candidate can't get any criticism? Too bad!!! All you do is listen to him yap for 2 hours in a speech and think no one should discuss his past!!! Gimme a break!! If he can't handle the heat, then quit!!! All you obama whiners need to wake up!! He will lose...All the republicans will do is tell the truth about him unlike hillary who has treated him with kid gloves! Johnny will win!

I really believe "conservative" talk show hosts on radio and cable are becoming more marginalized as more and more people are really getting sick and tired of their shout-down bombastic ham-fisted attempts to incite anger and hatred and for what? RATINGS and NOT for the "greater commonwealth". Even Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is just as bad as a bombastic left-leaning talk show host. People are getting tired of the acrimony and the unbridled hatred this partisanship is creating. I'm a middle of the road Democrat and I'm unsure about Obama. But I will give him credit for giving the possibility of change and hope (lack of experience notwithstanding) and getting people positive about politics again without the shout-down crap from radio talk show hosts that litter our airwaves.

It is useless trying to explain to people like this why it is so stupid to make a deal about a name. This is their life. They don't know any better. It's their way to call people names, make fun of anything different. Strange clothes, different skin, and they wet themselves.

Posted by: bill r. | February 26, 2008 4:08 PM

No doubt they're all bigits ...right bill?

Alice, and what wrongdoing by Obama is there in these new announcements? None? Still?

Swiftboating: when people raise questions about your past that you are unable or unwilling to disprove. Three years later and Kerry still hasn't released his navy documents that he claims would disprove 'Unfit for Command'.

Posted by: VivianC | February 26, 2008 4:11 PM

Oh Vivian, shall we ask you to disprove that McCain didn't have an affair with that lobbyist? Shall we ask you to disprove that he didn't do political favors for her?

Look at the bias of the swamp reporter. He can not only tell what others are thinking, he can explain it to all the morons who read his blog so they don't have to think for themselves:

"Hussein" is often used by many of the senator's fiercest critics to insinuate something sinister about Obama..."

Or maybe, just maybe, it's used because it's SHOCK AND DISBELIEF his middle name.

Bill R., mentioning someone's middle name isn't "making an issue out of it." John Sidney McCain. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton. Where was the "issue" there? It's you anti-muslims who try to hush up Obama's middle name that are the real practitioners of antimuslim thoughts. There's nothing to be ashamed of in the name Hussein. It's a common name, after all, and it's not that Hussein.

Whether or not he is a hack from the Daley mob is irrelevant. What we definitely know about Obama is he is a far left wing lunatic who is so naive it is scary. Imagine thinking we can negotiate with madmen such as the leader of Iran????

Seems to me to verify McCain as a class act. I'm sure the Clintons would not have appologized. Hillary would have cackled and said "oh well, that's free speech". McCain has proven his integrity.

Bravo to McCain for taking the high road. The Republicans have been in the gutter so long. It is refreshing to see someone try to take a path that is not based on being negative.

Juan Ombez

The problem with people like Cunningham is the utter lack of respect for the intelligence of the people they're speaking to. If he wanted to attack Obama on the merits, he could, but he obviously feels his audience is too dump to understand the issues so he goes for the easy cheap shot and plays to the bigotry by calling him names and insinuating ties to crime families. McCain did well to stand up to this guy.

Gee, I wonder why it is strictly off-limits to criticize Obama and only Obama? Call Hillary a murderer and people applaud. Call McCain an old man and people agree. Call Obama a Daley hack (which is one of the NICEST things anyone can say about the empty-promises hack) and the world must fall to its knees and smear ashes on its forehead for 40 days. It makes me absolutely sick! Whatever happened to the First Amendment in this country?

haha the American voter is so easily distracted with name-calling trivia.

these are schoolyard tactics and they work EVERY TIME.

AMAZING.

At least KO rips the Dems, when deserved....you obviously haven't been watching Countdown

VivianC:

come correct or don't come at all, FOOL.

From Vivian C.: "Three years later and Kerry still hasn't released his navy documents that he claims would disprove 'Unfit for Command'."

Vivian,
You're dead, flat wrong. He did three years ago. Look it up and then log back on and apologize to Kerry and to the country for the second four years of this moron.

Wow, a swift-boat supporter lying about facts -- what a shock!

There's nothing to be ashamed of in the name Hussein. It's a common name, after all, and it's not that Hussein.

Posted by: Jeff | February 26, 2008 4:31 PM

Jeff, I've been so proud of all the times you've explained that to Paulo when he's used Obama's middle name against him...oh wait, that's right, you haven't.

Anybody who thinks Barack Obama comes out of the "Daley Mob" doesn't have a clue about Chicago politics. As someone who has lived within 1 mile of downtown Chicago for his entire adult life, I can tell you this could not be further from the truth.

Jeff...Ah come on Jeff. I gave you more credit than this. If his middle name was Joe, we wouldn't have heard it once. If you all are so dense you can't see it, you can't see the rest of our problems either.

Same Ol Same Ol. The bigots and racists are coming out of the sewers to attack the Senator. Yes his middle name is Hussein and yes his father was a Moslem from Africa. Soo what ! As if the Senator had a choice. For the bigots who have nothing to be proud of except the color of their skin and the faith they happen to have been borne in Obama may be 50 % African and 50 % North European but he is 100 % geniune American. His father was a Moslem but the Senator is 100 % Christian. But that does not satisfy the bigots and instead of welcoming him as a Christian they blame him for what his father was. What a bunch of low life !!!

"I take responsibility and I repudiate what he said," McCain gamely said. "I will not tolerate anything in this campaign that denigrates either Sen. Obama or Sen. (Hillary) Clinton.''

I'm gonna give McCain the benefit of the doubt on this one. Despite the many things about his politics I don't like, I find many I do. I generally like Mac. I just can't back him this time around.

Obama 2008

AMERICA! Look at yourselves! The Republicans and Hillary Clinton's camp are "acting" like children! Can we be respectful to one another without tearing each other to pieces. This is the message that Sen. Obama is sending and that's exactly why MILLIONS, MILLIONS IN U.S. AND ABROAD are fascinated by the character of the man. Poor Hilary, running around like a "chicken with her neck cut-off"... I can't believe she would STOOP SO LOW, too IN HER ATTACKS. SHAME ON MCCAIN AND HILARY. THIS IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING UP WITH FOR 8 YEARS AND IT'S NOW TIME TO STOP THEM IN THEIR OWN MESS!

Ha! - using the name Jack Bauer is enough to know where you're coming from...

...someone has a wannabe-hero complex. You know the type - the same people who thought that the students from VT and NI would've shot stopped those killers dead if they were all strapped with fully-automatic weapons during German II class, saving the day and getting the girls to overlook your Cheetoe-stained fingertips for once.

Get your urges out my friend...join the Merchant Marines and get your HERO on! But don't join our services, please! I don't want to place our troops in any more harms way then they already are.

:-)

I have only ONE question... why was McCain so quick to apologize this morning when not too long ago one of his campaign workers made a comment about Hillary -- "How are we going to beat the b____" and instead of quickly apologizing for the comment, McCain roared with laughter along with his other campaign workers. I see this as a DOUBLE STANDARD!!!!

Is the "Daley mob" tied in with terrorists (i.e. Hussein)?

I'd like to see the Republicans carry that argument into the November elections.

No doubt they're all bigits ...right bill?

Posted by: Don B. | February 26, 2008 4:24 PM

Uh, Don? Is 'bigits' a contraction of 'big idiots'? Because I think you're on to something.

Unless you mean 'bigots.' Certainly, knowing how to spell your own name is important, Don.

What I find quite interesting is that I don't think Obama's mother has been seen on the campaign trail supporting her son. I wonder why that could be - any guesses anyone?????

Geez... they'll let anyone post foul crap on these articles... from either side. This is just another devisive example of what's wrong with political fanatics in this country. Y'all should GET A LIFE AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTER AND POLITICS!

Be glad that either B.O. or J.M. would be much better presidents that a lot of other "farther-leaning" left or right candidates.

yeah, the republicans are researching how to attack obama without appearing racist (here's a tip that will solve that problem - stop being racists), and we're to believe McCain wasn't behind this?

Yeah, right... this was McCain's call the whole way.

Looking forward to finding out what's in McCain's divorce files though. When is that coming out? September? October?

Until then, we get to spend the summer reading about McCain's hot trysts with "lobbyists".

Looks like the Dems are out slinging mud without looking in the mirror again. The essential platform of the Democratic party is that we should tolerate anyone, take the side of the minority (whether race or any other issue) and create government funded programs to bail people out of their own issues and inability to govern their own lives. The most importnat problem with people today is that they have been coddled and they are used to someone helping them when they get into a bind. Boo Hoo. Take care of yourself, take ownership for your actions and do good work.

If we had a greater deal of pride in our own country and a larger commitment to quality productgs and personal ownership in the country we would be better off. If we change the political landscape to stop giving every country a free handout and pathway into running our businesses into the ground we will turn our economy around.
As it is we are faced with the choice of a calculating two faced wench, or a rookie know nothing senatore against a stand up guy with integrity, leadership and flexibility to not stick to the party line when people too far right can't accept change. I'm all for McCain, and I think he will do a fine job. The person smart enough to choose a great VP running mate will win. Hey McCain, there's a guy you are leading right now that would make a damn fine VP...

After 2008 the Republicans might have to spend the next 20 years trying to prove that they really aren't the party where racists and religious bigots feel at home.

I really can't wait for the general election.
"McCain - everything Bush wants, but a 100 times more!"

Yeah, the 100 years Iraq war...the 100 times worse Constitution disassembling...the 100 times tax cut for the rich...the 100 times worse torture and spying...

The British papers seem to have a handle on the real John McCain/Bush.

From the conservative British Times:

John McCain’s denials start to unravel in tale of the blonde lobbyist
The Republican saviour is looking rattled after claims of a sex for favours scandal

The essence of the tale is fairly simple. Vicki Iseman, 40, a blonde telecommunications lobbyist, became friends with McCain, 71, eight years ago. Some advisers thought the relationship might be romantic.

There is no evidence of an affair but they were certainly cosy. Iseman accompanied him to fundraisers, travelled with him on a client’s jet and appeared to trade on her relationship with him to such an extent that McCain’s senior advisers warned her to back off.

Adding spice to the story, Iseman appears to resemble McCain’s wife, Cindy, another pencil-thin blonde, who stood by her husband last week as he repeatedly denied both the sexual innuendo and specific allegations of favours in the story.

John Weaver, who was once one of McCain’s closest aides but quit his campaign last summer, said he remembered meeting Iseman at Washington’s railway station and asked her to keep her distance from McCain, a member of the Senate commerce committee. He was concerned that Iseman’s boasts would damage McCain’s reputation because he had taken such a prominent stand against special interests and lobbying.

Two anonymous former associates of McCain said they confronted the senator several times about the risk to his career of showing favouritism towards Iseman. McCain wrote letters to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that were helpful to her clients, although there were other times, staff say, when he took a stand against their interests.

The thinly sourced tale had been knocking around The New York Times for months before it decided to publish, causing fury on the right that it had timed its onslaught last week to coincide with McCain’s all-but-declared victory in the Republican nomination battle.

and from the British Guardian:

Whiff of scandal envelops McCain's campaign
The Republican frontrunner faces fresh allegations over lobbyist links

The scandal over Republican frontrunner John McCain's relationship with a female lobbyist took a new twist yesterday with revelations that he had met one of her clients.

McCain's campaign had earlier strongly denied that he had a meeting with wealthy broadcaster Lowell Paxson - a client of Washington-based lobbyist Vicki Iseman - before he sent two controversial letters urging a federal body to make a quick decision on Paxson's attempt to buy a television station.

The issue is important because McCain has made personal ethics a key plank of his so far successful bid to capture the Republican nomination. He frequently rails against the influence of lobbyists and the corrupting power of big business and money in politics.

But now he is mired in a scandal over his relationship with Iseman. McCain and Iseman have both strongly denied that they had an affair, but the emphasis of the story has since shifted towards McCain's relationship with Iseman's clients, which in the end could prove much more politically damaging.

It's the lobbyists, not the sex. Whether he cheated on his second wife like he admitted doing on his first isn't the point. As one wag put it, "it's not what McCain did to Iseman that matters, it's what he did for her." After all, this is a powerful Senator from the party that makes corruption an every month occurrence.

McCain In Oct. 2006: Renzi Has ' Tenacity, Honesty And Integrity Beyond Reproach'

This is Sen. John McCain. I'm calling to urge you to support my friend Rep. Rick Renzi for Congress. Rick has represented the first district of Arizona with tenacity, honesty and integrity beyond reproach. I work with Rick every day and can report to you his total dedication to the people of Arizona and the United States. Please join me in supporting rural Arizona's workhorse congressman on Nov. 7. [Paid for and authorized by Rick Renzi for Congress]."

McCains friend Renzi was indicted Friday.

So why look to the British press? Because McCain has played the American press for suckers and fools. In his biographical book Worth the Fighting For (p.192), McCain talks about how he got himself off the hook with the press over the banking scandal known as the Keating 5 by inventing the Straight Talk Express as a PR ploy (bolded mine):

I was in a hell of a mess. And I decided right then that not talking to reporters or sharply denying even the appearance of a problem wasn't going to do me any good. I would henceforth accept every single request for an interview from any source, prominent or obscure, and answer every question as completely and straightforwardly as I could. I was confident that the facts were on my side, and if the facts were disseminated broadly in the media would they spare me from a terrible fate. And they wouldn't be disseminated broadly unless I talked to the press constantly, ad infinitum, until their appetite for information from me was completely satisfied. It is a public relations strategy that I have followed to this day, and while it has gotten me in trouble from time to time, it has on the whole served both my interest and that of the public well.

After the NY Times story came out, McCain said he would not speak to the press about it again. So apparently he is no longer interested in serving the interest of the public.

Anytime John McCain declines to speak to the press, something horrible must be happening

unbelievable this guy!

Wow, there is a lot of hate out there for Obama. I used to think that hate ads kindled hate. Now I think they simply pander to what's already there and seething. All that insane hatred of the Clinton's is ever-so-ready to hatch out against Obama. America, you had better have a long look at yourself and understand what "democracy" is all about. It's not about hate.

Hey Don B.-

I reply to the question you asked Bill R, the answer is "yes"! By the way, it's spelled "bigots", but you'd know that if you finished grade school!

Jay

McCain is getting the best of both worlds here, the smear is out there and fires up that part of the right wing base, then he gets to be Mr integrity and get credit from people who are sick of the Rove style slime.

It is like an Attorney who asks a question that is objected to and the judge tells the jury to disregard, yeah right, the jury of course erases the entire incident from their minds...

The question is if this becomes a pattern will the press call McCain on it. I'm holding my breath on that one...

Can either of you explain how simply saying Obama's middle name is "using it against him" or how it's "insinuat(ing) something sinister?" Why not come out and say it if you can?

I don't think there's anything sinister about muslim-sounding names. Plus middle names of politicians are spoken all the time and we would've heard about "joe" the same way we knew Fitzgerald, Milhaus, Walker, Jefferson, and Wilson.

If you continue to fall into the class that believes there's something that needs to be kept hidden and unspoken about the name Hussein then you're a part of the racist problem.

Another great muslim-sounding name that shouldn't be hushed up: by Aamer Madhani.

Got a problem with that language stiflers?

Michael, I guess I didn't see saying his middle name as "using it against him." Sorry, man, I don't think like that.

There's nothing to be ashamed of in the name Hussein. It's a common name, after all, and it's not that Hussein.

Posted by: Jeff | February 26, 2008 4:31 PM

Hey Jeffy,

If you think your Grandpa John McCain/Bush is going to get away with the slimey tactics that his buddy George Bush did you're fooling yourself.

Go ahead start the racist bigoted name calling GOPer's because then we'll all get to see those pictures of "war hero" McCain sitting around with his "captors" eating fruit and drinking iced tea together.

I'm not kidding Jeffy, they're out there and you know it.

The only good that's going to come out of all of this is that John McCain/Bush is losing all of his Independent support, he may have the rightwing lunitc nutjobs who said they weren't going to support him but I've always known that those clowns would bite the bullet and vote for McCain. Those nuts will vote for anyone who has a Republican (R) in front of their name because we all know that the Wingnut base is made up of a bunch of crazy facists anyway.

You have to wonder how Willie Cunningham was brought up. He really reflects poorly on his mom, wherever she may be.

If McCain is willing to vote for torture, and let his campaign be run by K-street lobbyists in order to become President, what's screwing over some small time radio host in comparrison?

Idiot. Mike, I guess you have a habit of reading the headlines and not the articles themselves.

Barack Obama makes a conscious decision to pose while wearing native Kenyan garb, and it is off limits to make reference to the photo.

His middle name is Hussein and it is off limits to mention that.

It shouldn't be off-limits to mention Obama's middle name, but the fact is he doesn't go by "Barack Hussein Obama", he goes by "Barack Obama". Common courtesy is to refer to someone the way they prefer to be called, as long as it's accurate.

And repeatedly using his middle name so to insinuate that he's somehow unpatriotic or sympathizes with terrorists is dirty politics, plain and simple.

I've never hear anyone use John McCain's middle name (it's Sidney, but I had to look it up).

As for the Kenya thing, why is the photo newsworthy now? Are all candidates being submitted to the same level of scrutiny? If someone is trying to use it to impugn Obama's patriotism, then that's dirty politics.

Gee! Can I start hiring folks to go tell the truth, just the facts of course, out of context about repulsivicans? Sorry, Republicans? Oh the list of sex offenders, financial criminals, drug addicts, liars, cheats, thieves, womanizers, . . .what stories we could tell! What? The media won't let us? Political correctness indeed- that favors the real evil doers!

Obama isn't what he pretends to be, Chicago-Mob BS aside he is an Illinois, machine politician/lawyer. Meaning he'll tax & spend his way through as many years as he's voted into an office. He's a great speaker, that's it. No substance, no plans just alot of liberal rhetoric.

The Chicago Tribune has had an outstanding record of trying and convicting people on its front page... until a jury's verdict comes in. The only exception is when the target is a member of the GOP establishment at which point the Tribune becomes tongue-tied and the story is carried on page 12. This has been true for over 100 years. Why should we be surprised at this late date?

"He may not be a hack....but when you think of O......think of good old Jimmy Carter and what he did to this country. Rookies don't belong in the White House.

Posted by: Mike W | February 26, 2008 3:51 PM"

Lincoln and JFK come to mind when you say 'rookie'

They sure did a poor job.

OBAMA WILL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT

Boo Hoo Billy Cunningham is going to pout now.

Funny stuff.

The prospect of a Black President has the cowards, racists and weaklings losing their feeble minds.

Billy, maybe you better move to Idaho or back to the Fatherland in Germany because the Blacks, Hispanics, women and the rest are going to come out in droves on election day.

Suck it up.

-GSD

John McCain was against torture before he was for it.
Yep, that's straight talk.

It's beginning to sound like Hills is the conservative choice this election cycle.

"Whatever happened to the First Amendment in this country?

Posted by: Jack Bauer | February 26, 2008 4:39 PM"

Jeez, Jacky, what the H are you talking about.

I expect the Wingnuts are going to be out of their crazy little minds with these swiftboat style attacks this election season because they're trying to defend Grandpa John McCain who has a stinking rancid history of his own.

McCain skipped every single crucial vote in the Senate in 2007 and he ranks DEAD LAST among all 535 members in Congress in this category:
http://www.jabberwonk.com/flinker.cfm?cliid=r9gk8

Hey, Obama did endorse the Strogers over Forest Claypool, right? Hey, if the hack shoes fits ...

I can't wait until Obama becomes President and pardons Tony Rezko ala Bush and Libby.

It's also ironic how a name, like Hussein, is treated like the plague when it means little/beautiful/handsome one.

Hillary in 08!

I say can we wait CAN WE WAIT, until the Wed. after election so there is no more blather. Hallelujah!

Let's see, our AWOL drunk Chrisitian fighter pilot surrendered to the key demand of the man responsible for kill thousands of Americans.

Since 1990, Osama bin Laden had demanded that we pull our troops out of Saudia Arabia.

In 2003, the darling of the right wing, the man who cowered in a bunker on 9/11, bravely said, "Yes, Sir, Mr. Bin Laden Sir". All but a handful of ceremonial troops were withdrawan and our air force base was moved to Qatar.

What else can you expect from a Coward of Cincinatti?

No doubt they're all bigits ...right bill?

Posted by: Don B. | February 26, 2008 4:24 PM

Uh, what's a "bigit", Don? Doesn't seem to be in my dictionary. New sociological term we're not familiar with? Ah, love those PhD Republicans.

Von Cracker,

I tend to agree. Most people are not, nor will they ever be qualified to carry an assault weapon or pistol, for that matter.

I am, on the other hand, am qualified; Expert M-14, M-16, .45 Side Arm. I had bare handed killing also! And I was just a clerk.

Anyways, I don't trust my neighbors to keep their side of the ally cleaned up, or to drive safely, let alone have the judgement and skill to tote around a dangerous weapon. They tend to use them at midnight on New Years Eve by cranking off a few rounds into the air.

I think some folks are not giving Senator McCain sufficient credit. I take him at his word that he repudiates the over the top rhetoric of this Rush Limbaugh wannabee. What gives McCain some additional credibility, in my eyes, is that we're talking about a man who endured torture as a POW rather than be used for propaganda by the enemy. I think this demonstrates some remarkable fortitude, so I'm not so quick to think the worst about him just because he's now a politician.

Mind you, I'm still an Obama supporter. But that doesn't mean I'm ready to lump McCain in with the discredited Bush/Rove/Cheney Republican types. While Bush was partying in the National Guard, McCain was surviving the Hanoi Hilton.

This may sound fantastical, but could we consider the possibility that McCain actually didn't know what was going to be said and it actually was a mistake? I believe that the term "Giving the benefit of the doubt" should even be applied to politicians every once in a while. Everyone seems so surprised at the bi-partisan war that is going on during this election, but do we not also remember the last 4 elections before this? There has always been mud-slinging through these, and it is our job as responsible adults and voters to filter all of the nonsense out to make an educated decision. If we read these in the newspaper, then flood the blogs with returned insults of the subject candidates, are we not doing the same as them, the very same childish retort we're so fired at them about? Don't be so devastated about these slurrs, they're politicians, we pretty much expect it of them, that's why they're so easy to make jokes about.

This is the exact kind of partisan BS that Obama is running against, and given how many people are flocking to vote for him--and not to McCain

--I say every time Rethugs do this BS, point it out and slap their hand, but don't try to crush them on this...if we crush them on it, they'll still do it but only amongst themselves, whereas if we don't, they'll keep doing it in public...and every time they do it, they'll slip further and further in the polls.

That is, any time you give a Rethuglican enough rope, they will hang themselves. Every time.

Points to the last seven years See?

Let their racist hatred be observed by all.

Do you have minimal critical thinking ability? Have you never been exposed to logic? Are your "arguments" thinly disguised emotion built to a crescendo by WingNut radio? Then you are proud to be a Republican. Sheesh, get an IQ and vote Democratic, children.

"More Swiftboat crap from the radical rightwing lunitc fringe."

John E,

I have to agree. This is the exact routine performed by GWB re. the Swifty's. GWB always said he 'honored' Kerry's service, but let the gigantic steamer go on and on never once calling for a stop to the lies and innuendo.

But I also blame Kerry for not responding. It's one of my '8 points' on Kerry's terrible terrible terrible 04 campaign. The guy never put his hands up. He just kept on taking the punches.

I sure hope 'Bama has learned something from Ann Richards, John McCain, Al Gore, and John Kerry. Looks like McCain did. He's using the tactic.

Obama seems to have learned something. He is handling the Clinton win win win machine.

I love how everyone here is assuming that McCain knew what "Wild Bill" was going to say. Maybe, it certainly would be as dirty as all the canidates are playing, but there's no evidence that he knew.

Uh, oh, Don Frederick of the LA Times did the unspeakable! He uttered He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's middle name. On the front page of the LA Times, nonetheless! Quickly, language suppression force, you must protect the magical middle name!

By Don Frederick
BLOG: Be prepared for more attempts to tap into simple, blatant prejudices to derail the candidate whose middle name is Hussein.

I am NOT into any name-calling and mud-slinging in politics, unfortunately that is the way it's been for a long time.

But, to have some creep who claims to be a radio "personality" slinging the mud, someone should have turned off the microphone on that guy.

Cunningham is a perfect example of Republican fear-mongering. How about if we look into the background of Bill "Willie" Cunningham?

McCain is class all the way. Thank God he has the brains to quash those comments and keep the Presidential run as clean as possible.

McCain has to back it all up by making sure goofballs like Cunningham stop throwing a monkey wrench into the mix so McCain doesn't have to apologize at every single rally he goes to.

A lot of people think the Republicans have turned too liberal for their liking and the Republicans are looking a lot like the Democrats, in fact, the New Republicans can be considered a third party that the ultra-conservatives are embarassed by.

As an ultra-conservative Republican myself, our party has to make the effort to become respectable again instead of people seeing us as a bunch of buffoons, clowns and loose cannons--(like the Liberals). The Republicans cannot afford that.

Are the same children here who have been trained to assume Obama is corrupt the same children who bought Rove's product back in 2000? Are you the same group whose support goes to whichever GOP candidate offers the most simplistic and emotive rhetoric? Ask yourself...Do I prefer being a'scared of them terrorists or thinking about the U.S' position in the world relative to the global economy and leverage between China and the E.U. Ask yourself, "Do I understand Economics and History?"

"He may not be a hack....but when you think of O......think of good old Jimmy Carter and what he did to this country. Rookies don't belong in the White House"

It's hard to remember anything any other president did to this country when you consider the mess the current one has made of things.

2.2 Billion dollars a week to keep Iraq as the 51st state. YAY! Are 'Welfare Sheiks' better than 'Welfare Queens'?

Obama. Big hat, no cattle. "Hack" is being kind to describe him.

OH BOY! Someone finally tells it the way it is. I'm formally from Chicago, born and raised, and yes, Obama is everything Bill Cunningham said. I also may add, Obamas a ivy league liberal, gun-control nut and by the way simply a USED CAR SALESMAN. You supporters just sag at the lips when anyone with a mind asks just what does Obama mean by change? Where does he stand on major issues? He talks as straight as a street corner drug dealer, only he wears a business suit.

Also to you gun control responders. You live in a mindless utopia created by Daly and his ilk. So don't wine when you have two major gun killings in the Chicagoland area so far in 2008. They created sheep ready for slaughter. I am one of those who live free in a state which got the message and allows us carry a firearm legally. I fear no man when I walk the streets. Unlike my trip last week to Cook County.

Please keep Obama in Chicago! It's a match made in heaven.

So, is Hillary "Rodham" Clinton off-limits, too? Obama's middle name is Hussien (sp?). Now, we cannot say or use someone's middle name because someone else might find it offensive?

I love it. McCain can't keep his own scumbag nutzo wack supporters on the reservation. the repukeliscum toads are trying to pull the normal repukeliscum shit, and Mccain is trying to keep them within the civilized world. We need to call these toads out.

Call Cunningham's show and call him a toad - here's the number:

(513) 749-7000
(800) THE BIG 1 (843-2441)

12:30 PM - 3:00 PM

What a piece of cr.ap this guy is.

So McCain apologizes profusely when male Senator Obama is insulted, but simply laughed when a supporter called a female Senator Hillary Clinton a "b...."? Certainly he is a man of integrety!

I get sick and tired of people calling Republicans racist and war mongers. If you search your History the wars in the past were all started by Democrats and we were not attacked by who we went to war with. Democrat leaders are the next thing to a dictator and you people are all being fooled by it. I don't understand why Liberals do not like Bush, he has turned into a Liberal. Conservatives which use to be the Republican party believe in Small government, which means leave the people alone and let them take care of things. It means independent government for states. Conservatives believe in lower taxes which has always proved to help the economy. And yes most Conservatives believe in good family values and most important they believe in a strong Military.

Conservatism is what our founding fathers founded this country on. Today false History is being taught in our schools and we are standing by and letting it happen.

A republican was the one who was responsible for the freedom of the slaves, which I might add happened a long time ago. Conservatives believe in freedom. So I never understood the reason Black people just automatically are democrats.

Democrats on the other hand believe in big big government. They want to control every aspect of our lives. They want to take a hard working persons money and redistribute it to someone who is too lazy to work.

Yes there should be programs for the disabled and certain situations where people really need the help but this having the government take care of everything is ridiculous. It takes away our FREEDOM and if you look back on History to the FDR and the one before him days you would learn a lot.

Conservatives have lost our party. I would agree that the Republicans have been acting like liberals.

For all you Liberals, John Mccain is one of you and that is why he is upset if someone says anything about the Democrats. He out right lied about something Mitt Romney said and he did it easily but let someone say something about a liberal then he apologizes for it. So there are three democrats in line for the nomination. The conservatives do not have any representation so you all win either way.

I think it is ridiculous that no one can say anything about Obama just because he is black. So what, he is just another politician who is playing just as dirty as anyone else. Sorry guys, he is human. He himself said in 2004 when he became senator that he couldn't run for President in 2008 cause he believed in knowing what you were doing and now here he is anyway.

We don't need a nanny state where the government tells us what kind of light bulbs to use and what kind of car to drive and on and on. We will lose all our freedom and pay a lot in taxes. But this year we have no choice because they are all three the same.

I read the headline...I don't get it...isn't that his name? How is this bad?

So if Bill "Willie" Cunningham has all the right answers how come he does not run for office??
The only thing running is his mouth with no guts behind it.

guess what, Mr. McCain. You just lost another Republican to Senator Obama. I will NEVER believe that you (or your campaign) could not have contemplated that your warm-up speaker would say such things. Apparently he has a local reputation similar to Don Imus (sp.?) How convenient to come out after the fact, and apologize. I no longer believe in you, McCain. My vote will now go to Obama, the one with a little more class.

Can anyone tell me what positive effect Obama had on Illinois when he was in the Illinois Senate. The bills that he supported has the state so far in debt we will pay a high price to renew our bond rating.I live in Southern Illinois close to Missouri where many people in this area go for mdeical attention. The doctors will not take you if you depend on state insurance (Cigna)because the state does not have the money to pay their bills. He attends a church that is openly anti white. He supported the palistine against Iseral, he was a ACLU attorney, he has a 20 year association with the Daley machine, Tony Rezko was a princple fund raiser for him, the programs that he putting forth will cost more money than this goverment can afford. Getting out of Iraq and cutting the military won't pay for it. My dislike for him is not his skin color, I could support a black Michel Steel comes to mind. Come back to reality folks

Why do you think saying Obamas middle name to be "off limits". You can say it if you want to appear a twit. There is a saying.......you can fool some of the people some of the time....but this aint the time. Save your game for another issue. If your arguement was on a woman it would be pornography. Say it all you want. You just show your mentality on your sleeve.

i think cunningham was well within his right to say what he said. it his right as an american to do so. it is also mccain's right to say what he said as well.
the question i would like to ask to everyone is, do we use our middle name in normal conversation? meaning do you introduce yourself with your full name? for example nice to meet you sally, i'm george frederick henderson.
i understand that Hussein contains negative connotation in society but we also do not use our middle name in normal conversation and when critics and opponents use this tactic they are trying to deceive and throw a negative statement to their opponent, Barack Obama.
ps. what's brad pitt's middle name?

I really don't get the racist and bigot terms that are being thrown out there. Did you watch the clip, there is nothing racist about it? I guess that is going to come with the territory with running against a black candidate, you will be called a racist every time you try to criticize him. Obama is a Chicago politcal hack. He has direct ties to Rezko, who as much as the media wants to ignore, is IN JAIL RIGHT NOW!!!! He is a hack as well, since, he has accomplished nothing as a Senator. He hasn't shown up to vote 3/4 of the time. And this is the guy who people want to lead this country?? Yikes!

Gosh darn, how can the liberal biased media get away with calling conservative radio programs nothing more then "hate radio"? Good thing I listen to Rush Limbaugh because he's just a shining example of an American role model, guiding my life with allll his wonderful wisdom.

Hmmm...

"a Chicago "hack" from the "Chicago-Daley Mob."

True.

"He also said he couldn't wait until the media ripped the 'bark' off Obama"

True. (just ask HRC)

"accused the senator from Illinois of dubious financial dealings."

True.

Swiftboating: when people raise questions about your past that you are unable or unwilling to disprove. Three years later and Kerry still hasn't released his navy documents that he claims would disprove 'Unfit for Command'.

Posted by: VivianC | February 26, 2008 4:11 PM

Sounds like Vivian C needs a lesson in distinguishing fact versus fiction.

If you want to know why people have had it with the Republicans just read the comment by Alice posted at 2:57 PM. No proof of what is being written, just vile spew!
Go back to school and take a class on critical thinking.

I'm pleased to see someone in the right wing trying to return to respectful and polite behavior. If only the rest of right wing America would take McCaine's lead. What a wonderful nation we could be again if we all behaved more civilly to one another. I applaud McCaine for his efforts, and whoever wins this election, we will all benefit from a leader who asserts an ability to respectfully disagree. We are all becoming a bunch of poorly behaved belligerent Americans.

Conservatives which use to be the Republican party believe in Small government, which means leave the people alone and let them take care of things.
Posted by: linda | February 26, 2008 7:34 PM

Since your a conservative, can you answer a question I have been asking but have gotten no answer. How would the rightious right fit into this "leave the people alone" that you speak of? How does gay, and flag burning, and stem cell research, and many other issues that would seem to be personal family and individual matters, co-exsist with "leave the people alone"?

really don't get the racist and bigot terms that are being thrown out there. Did you watch the clip, there is nothing racist about it? I guess that is going to come with the territory with running against a black candidate, you will be called a racist every time you try to criticize him. Obama is a Chicago politcal hack. He has direct ties to Rezko, who as much as the media wants to ignore, is IN JAIL RIGHT NOW!!!! He is a hack as well, since, he has accomplished nothing as a Senator. He hasn't shown up to vote 3/4 of the time. And this is the guy who people want to lead this country?? Yikes!

Posted by: Steve C. | February 26, 2008 8:13 PM

I love how the typical GOPer (see above post from SteveC.) will take the most hateful and racist things that their "heroes" in the Rethuglican Party do and say and somehow turn and twist it into them being victimized.

It won't work, Slick Steve, the GOPer's heyday is just about OVER.

See ya in Nov, Wingnuts,
OBAMA 08!

The only bigots that I see are the ones from the dumbycrat party.

Obama has done nothing in the U.S. Senate. Obama talks the talk but has not made delivery on anything that he promises. Politcal Hack is all he is.

The only bigots that I see are the ones from the dumbycrat party.

Obama has done nothing in the U.S. Senate. Obama talks the talk but has not made delivery on anything that he promises. Politcal Hack is all he is.

Posted by: Darkwater | February 26, 2008 9:10 PM

I know...that's the problem with you guys. Being a bigot has nothing to do what he did or did not accomplish, that would be more like an experience issue. To try and link him to a religion you feel will put a dark light on him, is being a bigot. Kinda like Rove and Bush with McCain and the black baby crap. Sure...you guys aren't bigots.

Darkwater,

Bill R swats out another home run. Time to send in the relief pitcher.

What I find quite interesting is that I don't think Obama's mother has been seen on the campaign trail supporting her son. I wonder why that could be - any guesses anyone?????

Posted by: ZooZoo | February 26, 2008 5:05 PM

ZooZoo, are you serious?!? Please tell me there is a joke in there somewhere that I'm not getting. You see, Senator Obama's mother is dead. She passed away in 1995 of ovarian cancer. If you have taken ANY time to get to know the canidates that is a fact that has been repeated over & over again.

McCain's survived because Onward to Victory is the last great illusion the Republican Party has left to sell in this country, even to its own followers. They can't sell fiscal responsibility, they can't sell "values," they can't sell competence, they can't sell small government, they can't even sell the economy. All they have left to offer is this sad, dwindling, knee-jerk patriotism, a promise to keep selling world politics as a McHale's Navy rerun to a Middle America that wants nothing to do with realizing the world has changed since 1946.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18721308/mccain_resurrected

Mike G nails it. Latter-day "conservatives" (who in fact are anything but) can't admit that their policies don't work in the world we live in, so they depend on faux nostalgia for a world in which their policies might have worked. The problem, of course, being that even in the 1950s they yearn for, the object of their nostalgia didn't exist outside of sitcoms which offered a comfortable fantasy world free of negroes, uppity women, gays, foreigners, poor people, or any other challenges to their pants-pissingly-terrified inner children.

Will America choose McBush and four more years of blissful adolescent denial, or acknowledge reality? Stick a flag lapel pin in St. McCain, baby--he's done.

Any reference to Obama being connected to Daley's political machine is a joke.
Daley never supported or endorsed Obama when he ran for state office or in the Illinois Democratic primaries for US Senator.
Only offering his support after Obama beat Daley's candidate, and was facing a Republican in the general election.

Willie Cummings comments are just a foretaste of the Swiftboating the 28%er will throw at Obama 24/7 until the first Tues in November. I would be very surprised if Obama carries any state other than Illinois.

Please, Vivian, spare us this drivel: "Swiftboating: when people raise questions about your past that you are unable or unwilling to disprove." So you disagree with our basic legal precept that one is innocent until proven guilty? In this country, it is up to the person making the accusation to prove his/her claim, not the responsibility of the accused to defend him/herself against every ridiculous and malicious charge raised by detractors. One could raise a new bogus charge against an opponent every day under your standards and apparently you feel that the candidate being attacked should be forced to spend the time and energy to refute them rather than forcing the accuser to bring material proof before making such claims. To turn the tables a bit, then, Vivian, I accuse you of four murders in the last six months, two kidnappings, and a bank robbery. Prove you didn't commit those crimes. Until you can do so, I propose you be banned from the site for your inability to prove your innocence of such horrible crimes.

...jeez!!! grow up!!!!

Can't we debate real issues instead of sophmoric b.s.?

Why did MaCain apologize?
Barack Hussein is his name.
Is Barack Hussein ashamed of his name?

"We gave GW 140,000 votes". Well God damn don't go saying that out loud. Rigging elections is supposed to be done on the QT, DumbA. I want four more years of Republican Rule! - Because America is not quite screwed up enough for my liking. There are still some jobs to be lost, some more debt to be run up and more unwinnable wars to be fought! Vote McCain, because we are not done fucking up yet!

Why did MaCain apologize?
Barack Hussein is his name.
Is Barack Hussein ashamed of his name?

Posted by: pat | February 26, 2008 11:19 PM

It would seem not. I don't think that's the point.

I saw the rant that Cunninghamwent on and Baracks name was only the very tip of the turdberg, or iceberg. Man it was UGLY. Kudos to McCain for distancing himself from that LUNATIC!!!

You want real change? Listen to Ron Paul... the guy makes sense to me... by the way I am a 45 year old married father of 3, CPA in Cincinnati, registered (but very frustrated)Republican. I have to say I am more conservative than republican! Know what I mean? Please read up on Ron Paul!

He may not be a hack....but when you think of O......think of good old Jimmy Carter and what he did to this country. Rookies don't belong in the White House.

He might have a point. Look what it did for Bush.

If B. Hussein Obama has a problem with his name, blame his parents, not a warmup host who did a terrific job. And phoo on John McCain for his wimpy apology. And phoo on B. Hussein Obama, who has had 27 adult years to change his name if he had a problem with it. Geez, do we really have to have an election this year? Add in Hillary and we have three of the poorest excuses for candidates in history.

Nelson, I am going to listen to Ron Paul. I'm going to listen to him lose his primary in Texas on Tuesday! The little dictator has alienated the republicans in his district and soon he'll be out of a job and out of our caucus. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

swiftboat then apologize
swiftboat then apologize
swiftboat then apologize
swiftboat then apologize

Not this time.....

We can win without the childish name calling. Republicans agree with McCain that this was stupid.

I, for one, am glad people like Coulter and Cunningham are Democrats now.

He may not be a hack....but when you think of O......think of good old Jimmy Carter and what he did to this country. Rookies don't belong in the White House.

He might have a point. Look what it did for Bush.

Posted by: LES | February 27, 2008 12:21 AM

All this jive about Obama and Jimmy Carter is just that jive. Les this is tantamount to dissembling. By bringing up this kind of comment, Obama detractors use glimmering generalities ( a staple of propaganda) to evade the reallity that is so obvious to a great many Americans. They see Barack for what he is, a force to be reckoned with in American & world politics. I would suggest you look outside the prism of United States media, and listen to what is being said in other countries about how America could reinvent itself should Obama get elected. This is and has always been one of our greatest strengths. They see Obamas desire to reach out to so called rogue countries as a strong point. You see Anti-Americanism is at least 50% Anti-Bushism!!!

Should he become president Obama would need to show the capacity to accomplish something early on foreign policy wise to regain American confidence. Now it is also true that if somebody tested him militarily his response would be closely watched. I think many underestimate just how important Obama could be at this pivotal time. Barack Obama stands on the cusp of possible greatness. GREATNESS!!!

Will he deliver??? Will he get the chance???

Stay tuned!!! Obama 2008

". And phoo on John McCain for his wimpy apology... "

So now what does a little GOP voter lost in the "Swamp;" do? Stay home on election day?

Senator McCain "Lazarus" is an Honorable man and deserves credit for his service to this nation.

He may hang around the wrong crowd, but he is a decent man nonetheless.

If he does not win the presidency, then he should be apointed to the cabinet; perhaps as the secretary of homeland security.

I will give McCain and his team a pass just this once. I tend to believe McCain, this one time, that he would not have allowed the comments to be made.

With that said, it is clear to me this election, like the two before it, are all about one issue and one issue only: White Racism.

Iraq, the economy, health care are all secondary issues when it comes time to vote.

Will the minority radical white racists be able to prevail a third time?

I hope not, but in truth I believe they will.

All of these defenders of the incessant mentioning of Barack Obamas middle name as though it weren't an infantile attempt to slur Obama never seem to mention McCains middle name. Why is that? You are all transparent bigots and smear merchants. You are all B.S. and no substance. You act as though Obama's father named him after Sadaam Hussein. You characterless twits are always trying to besmirch the character of others and only reveal what utter lack of character you have.

I've heard many people refer to Bill Clinton as William Jefferson Clinton. Hillary is often Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Bushes are George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush. Or what about Richard Milhouse Nixon or Gerald R. Ford?

We often use the middle names (or initials) of presidents of the United States. Why are the democrats on here so sensitive about Obama's middle name? Are you really that embarassed by it? Ask yourself why it's an issue for you. It may be that you are less comfortable with Obama than you'd like to pretend you are?

I can't imagine this offends Obama, it's his name for crying out loud. If someone called me by my full name I wouldn't impugn them. If he didn't like it, he'd still be going by Barry.

Get used to it. It's his name. And if he's president, it won't be the last time you hear "Barack Hussein Obama."

Get used to it. It's his name. And if he's president, it won't be the last time you hear "Barack Hussein Obama."

Posted by: Michelle | February 27, 2008 5:36 AM

I have to believe that you are dumb like a fox. Of course that's his name wink wink nudge nudge. Of course it's the democrats making a mountain out of a mole hill wink wink nudge nudge. You republicans are great Americans wink wink nudge nudge.

Barack Obama makes a conscious decision to pose while wearing native Kenyan garb, and it is off limits to make reference to the photo.

His middle name is Hussein and it is off limits to mention that.

Posted by: politwriter | February 26, 2008 3:48 PM

President Bush made a conscious effort to appear in Japanese garb, so what?

By now, everyone knows Barack's middle name is Hussein. Why do you conservatives care so much?

Noone is saying his name should be "off-limits". It is the intentional "way" conservatives are using it that is the problem. They accentuate the pronunciation every time. This is all about race-bating and fear-mongering on behalf of the cons. If it wasn't, then they should also always say "John Sidney McCain" every time they mention him. Why is "Hussein" so important to you? It's just a name. Conservatives like you seem to imply this automatically makes him a Muslim, which he is not. But even if he were, I wouldn't care, If I thought he was the best candidate.

If one of the republicans middle names was "Adolph", I'm sure "some" liberals would try to use it in a negative light. But that would be wrong, too.

In January '09, when our new president puts his hand on the bible and says, "I, Barack Hussein Obama, will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States." I will be proud to be from a country that understands the great words of William Shakespeare, that, "A rose by any other name, would still smell so sweet".

John McCains middle name is Bush.

Please Media, get real about McCain. He is a serial liar, lobbyist hack, nasty man, etc. Yet McCain is once again being hailed by the press despite reality:

Cunningham says this sort of thing all the time. Exactly the same line about Obama repeatedly. So McCain campaign knew exactly what they were getting when they asked him. And don't forget when support called Clinton the "B" word and McCain just smiled and agreed.

Anybody who lives in my neck of the woods already knows that little Willie Cunningham is rightwing blowhard.

Willie Cunningham - fourteen minutes to burn.

http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/02/bill-willie-cunningham-all-about-number.html

I was under the impression that this country was founded because it wanted a separation of religion and government. Why is it in the first place so important to stress a middle name (Hussein) and secondly what is wrong with being Muslim (even if Obamba was one)? Had this comment a Jewish touch, I believe Bill Cunningham would have been called a Neo-Nazi. Well, that might just be what he is!

I think the republicans should take another tack with this name thing. Stop using hussein and just call him Barack darky Obama. This might be a little more "slick" of a way to cast a cloud over the democratic candidate. Tell us what Barack darky Obamas' stand on health care? What's Barack darky Obamas' stand on Iraq. This would work for the oh so clever republicans.

Gosh darn, how can the liberal biased media get away with calling conservative radio programs nothing more then "hate radio"? Good thing I listen to Rush Limbaugh because he's just a shining example of an American role model, guiding my life with allll his wonderful wisdom.
Posted by: RomanB | February 26, 2008 8:17 PM

You are just being sarcastic aren’t you?

Typical. His base gets a rise from the bigotry. He gets steady press coverage on how great he is for appologizing for the bigotry that he didn't have a clue about (liar, liar, pants on fire).

I went to the tax table and looked up a married filing jointly
for $40,000, the current tax rate was 15% and it was 28% in the mid
to late 90's. I didn't check them all, but this does appear accurate.
How about this information? Most voters are completely
ignorant of the pertinent facts that should be considered when one
enters the voting booth.
After watching a focus group of democrats that watched the
democratic debate the other day in Vegas, a former IRS employee
literally wanted to throw up. For the most part, all of them bashed
Bush over and over again on how he is out for his millionaire friends
and the big oil companies and he ha s totally forgotten or disregarded
the little guy. So being an ex-IRS employee, he decided to look back
on the tax tables to see if there is any truth to what they said and
the media keeps stating as fact, "Bush is only out for the rich in
this country.
Based on using the actual tax tables (see link below), here are
some examples on what the taxes were/are on various amounts of income
for both singles and married couples, during the Clinton and Bush
administrations, so let's see if the Bush tax cuts only helped the
rich. For verification check out the link below.

www.taxfoundation.org/p
ublications/show/151.html
Taxes under Clinton 1999 Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $8,400 Single making 30K -
tax$4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000 Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $23,250 Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married maki ng 60K - tax $16,800 Married making 60K - tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000 Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Married making 125K - tax $31,250
If you want to know just how effective the mainstream media
is, it is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above
think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest
President ever. If any democrat is elected, ALL of them say they will
repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall
into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is like
the movie the Sting with Paul Newman, you scam somebody out of some
money and they don't even know what happened. Now this is effective
(maybe not honest) marketing or maybe a better word is brain washing

Activist "xtians" are becoming irrelevant in our society. Its unfortunate that Mr. McCain had to apologize for this fool.

So let me understand this correctly. Obama doesn't like the name Barack Hussein Obama to be used. This was the name his Muslim Father gave him. If the media and Barack don't want to use his full name why didn't Barack change it before the primaries started?

So easy to let someone to issue the statements you can't and then play the moral side and apologize. So easy to let it be said, let it be heard and give it the opportunity to reach just those voters that want to hear it.

If McCain was the fine upstanding moralist he claims to be, garbage such as this guy would not be the opening act to the McCain circus. It should be no surprise to McCain, the basement type political comments these conservative radio commentators can bring. An apology would not be necessary if he were to denounce to the voters these idiots are idiots and repudiated them for what they are.

McCains apology is less than what it is and more about how he plays the game.

Is it possible Barack Obama hasn't campaigned with his mom because she died in 1995 from cancer? Gee, think of how awkward it would be to roll a coffin onto a stage. If you are going to criticize anyone, at least research your material a little tiny bit, zoozoo. You only have to google 'Barack Obama's mom' to get the real facts, not invented, Fox-style, rightwing blather. But maybe that is all you are interested in, which is why is easy for you to make such a ridiculous comment?

This was the name his Muslim Father gave him. If the media and Barack don't want to use his full name why didn't Barack change it before the primaries started?

Posted by: Clarence | February 27, 2008 11:41 AM

Gosh..it's amazing what mutton heads are out there. Barack is not ashamed of his name. We just find it stupid for idiots like you who wish to make a deal out of his middle name. Grow a package buddy...just call him darky. After all..he's dark isn't he? What pathetic fools you are.

Rory,

RomanB is being sarky.

Bill Walker, Your comparison goes all the way up to 125k? Doesn't anyone in America make more than that? It seems to me that you've left rich people out of your comparison. Why is that?

So let me understand this correctly. Obama doesn't like the name Barack Hussein Obama to be used. This was the name his Muslim Father gave him. If the media and Barack don't want to use his full name why didn't Barack change it before the primaries started?

Posted by: Clarence | February 27, 2008 11:41 AM

Barack Obama himself has never asked NOT to use Hussein. The question is the motives of some conservatives in using it. If it is not meant to distort the truth about Obama, and try to get the Hannity and Rush sheep to believe he is some Muslim extremist, than what is it.

And if there is nothing to it, than how come they don't also say John Sidney McCain.

Maybe it is because it might imply he has sympathy towards the people from captiol of Australia. The bastards.

Marybeth: You beat me to it. But let's look at what that idiot was trying to do: suggest it would be bad politics to bring Obama's mom onstage because she's white. It's fascinating how out-front people are in their racism when there's nothing else to pin on a candidate. Hack? Nonentity? Big hat, no cattle? Compared to rich-daddy-enabled George W. Bush? Thank God Obama has the stature to stand up to this.

This is the second-most divisive, hateful blog that I have read recently. Read all these comments, people, and realize that we need, somehow, to come together as a people to deal with the major problems we face. Galadriel said, Our quest stands upon the edge of a knife; stray but a little and we will fail to the ruin of all. Our quest is to come together as a people to address the HUGE problems that face us. What is needed here is an attempt to provide real suggestions on what policies to support to bring our quest to success, not endless backbiting and name calling of those with whom we disagree. Peace be with you all, Inshallah!

If it weren't for Jimmy Carter, you'd be speaking CHINESE!!!!

me republican...me dum...me no read stuff and things. duh.. me think very common name hussein means nasty black man is al qiudy terror man.. duh. me going back to barn now...duh, my sheep is lonely.

I'll believe it when I see it. If we can go the rest of the campaign, or even a month without any Republican surrogate using Obama's middle name (seeing as all they seem to be able to use it for is as a smear to try and associate him with dangerous lunatics), then I'll believe McCain's denials. Until then, I'll assume it's just another strategy to have surrogates do the dirty work while the candidate stays above the fray.

It would be wrong to urge folks to vote against Senator McCain because of his name, which is the same as that of the most heinous bank robber in American history, John Dillinger. After all, John McCain has never robbed a bank. In fact, he's a friend of the banks- well, of the savings and loans, anyway.

So let me understand this correctly. Obama doesn't like the name Barack Hussein Obama to be used. This was the name his Muslim Father gave him. If the media and Barack don't want to use his full name why didn't Barack change it before the primaries started?

Posted by: Clarence | February 27, 2008 11:41 AM

Where do people like you come from??? Obama isn't the one with that has a problem with Hussein, it's the RNC that has asked it's people not to use it because it makes them look like a bunch of HATERS. Why must I explain this to you Clarence??? Did you even read the story??? Wow, you Obama haters are a SLOW STUDY!!!