by Jill Zuckman
WASHINGTON--As House Democratic leaders wrestle with rescuing the shaky housing market and passing a massive farm bill this week, they are also taking on another challenge: targeting Sen. John McCain.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel have decided to fill a void left by the seemingly endless campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"Given that we don't have a nominee at this point, I think it's worth reminding people that Bush-McCain is one word the same way Gingrich-Dole was one word in '96," said Emanuel (D-Ill.), who has called reporters who cover McCain's campaign several times a week.
Pelosi (D-Calif.) has issued a number of statements in response to McCain speeches on the economy and his plan for a summer moratorium on the federal gas tax.
For example, she recently accused McCain of planning to continue "the failed policies of President Bush that are responsible for the severe economic crisis facing our country." And she said McCain still supports "a multitrillion-dollar war" that has taken the country deeply into debt and recession.
McCain officials scoffed at the notion that House leaders could damage him with words. Not to mention they are having even more difficulty than McCain in getting attention for their attacks.
"They will have very little impact, if any, because they are the spokespeople for perhaps the most unpopular institution in the history of the world, the Democratic Congress," said McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt. "They literally represent the failed status quo."
And pollster David Winston, who advises congressional Republicans, said the data show that voters are fed up with attack politics.
"The electorate doesn't want to hear people go after people. They want to hear what you're going to do," Winston said. "Pelosi going after John McCain doesn't solve the situation at the gas pump, it doesn't solve the situation with health care, and it doesn't solve the problem with property taxes."
Ruth Mandel, director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, said Pelosi and Emanuel have another reason for trying to soften up the presumptive Republican nominee before the general election--retaining and expanding the Democratic majority in Congress.
To be sure, House leaders are not the only Democrats gunning for McCain. The Democratic National Committee raises questions about McCain daily in e-mails to reporters.
For example, one of Thursday's questions asked, "Why does John McCain continue to try to portray himself as a 'maverick' and a 'moderate' when an analysis of his voting record shows he almost never opposes his party on close votes and his record since the start of his campaign is one of the most conservative?"
In addition, two independent Democratic groups, Progressive Media USA and Americans United for Change, are busy putting out negative information about McCain as he campaigns.
Progressive Media USA ran an ad in Ohio and on cable TV in Washington, D.C., equating McCain with President George W. Bush and plans more advertising in the future. In addition, the group has created a Web site called McCain Source. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, has a Web site called The Wonk Room that tracks McCain and others.
Americans United for Change coordinates its message with Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and the group's members have trailed McCain around the country to counter his policy proposals.
"McCain's biggest drag like most Republicans is Bush," said Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change. "If you can make people believe that McCain will be Bush's third term, it takes away the notion that he is a maverick."
On Capitol Hill, Pelosi said she didn't think McCain has been getting a free ride during the lengthy Democratic primary campaign. With McCain, she said, Americans will get "a war without end and economic policies that have failed our country."
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Comments
There is NO doubt...McBush is 4 more years.
Posted by: bill r. | May 9, 2008 9:31 AM
John McCain is a great American hero and the Democrats are now doing their usual "search and destroy" mission on him. These are members of the same party which helped promulgate the Vietnam war while Senator McCain was imprisoned and tortured by the Communist Viet Cong which Democrats like Jane Fonda were championing. Why not a clean campaign for a change?
Posted by: Halsey | May 9, 2008 9:51 AM
The Demo organization, "Progressive USA." Is that like the use of the word in "progressive disease?"
Posted by: Damien | May 9, 2008 9:54 AM
McCain must never be criticized he is a war hero. He is always right, never wrong. He is the most perfect man on the planet. He is to be worshipped at all times! Anyone who disgrees is unpatriotic and a terrorist loving traitor.
Posted by: Jeff Clone | May 9, 2008 10:03 AM
Clintons were so anxious to get to McSAME because they dont have a leg to stand on - literally. McPain looks as old as his party's views of America. She looked forward to saying "its time for a new look than an old white man". And now Barack is going to get the chance. Democrats are not going to be playing around with MCSAME either. We still remember the bad taste of a STOLEN election. That was the biggest heist in American history and we are REAPING what we sewed 4 years ago. NOTHING has gone right for this cheating administration. NOTHING. This guy is a buffoon and the people hate him. He did one good thing...and thats ensure that we don't put another one in office. Rush Limberger and his kind are the worst folks in the country, and they want to cheat their way in again!
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Chicagoan and Southsider | May 9, 2008 10:12 AM
Honestly there is nothing that will draw working people to McCain more quickly than the criticism of limousine liberal and owner of a 15% approval rating Nancy Pelosi. This is similar to when Santorum was criticizing McCain. Please keep it up! The worst thing that could happen is that she'd say positive things about him.
Posted by: Jeff | May 9, 2008 11:40 AM
Jeff's right, the working people want a Private Jet Conservative like John McCain who will fly over sipping champagne and laughing at them as he makes healthcare completely unaffordable for people with pre-existing medical conditions and older americans, who will get thousands more americans killed in his wars in Iraq and Iran, and who will sell send our defense contracts overseas at the behest of the lobbyists who control him.
Posted by: Kendle | May 9, 2008 12:23 PM
"The Demo organization, "Progressive USA." Is that like the use of the word in 'progressive disease?'"
Posted by: Damien | May 9, 2008 9:54 AM
Actually Damien, they made a mistake.
They used the adjective "progressive" instead of the adverb "progressively."
The latter, "progressively," is much more accurate, as in "progressively dumber," "progressively more expensive," "progressively hungrier," "progressively more oppressive," and so on.
Posted by: John W. | May 9, 2008 1:28 PM
Let's face it. Obama is too liberal for the American people. If you like the way the government handles your drivers license issues and fixes the potholes on your street, you'll love the way they will manage your health care.
Posted by: Perch Rapala | May 9, 2008 1:43 PM
At least he admits what he is and doesn't talk to them or say they're "bitter so they cling to their guns and they cling to religion," Kendle.
Posted by: Jeff | May 9, 2008 2:02 PM
Kendle-
It sounds like we're in agreement. McCain will do all the things I mentioned, and does;t care enough about the working people to talk to them, as you said.
Yep, John McCain IS the working peoples worst enemy. Glad to have you aboard.
Posted by: Kendle | May 9, 2008 2:22 PM
Actually Kendle, McCain was just in Youngstown, Ohio, Alabama and other places that have been hit hard economically taking all questions. Why won't Obama take questions from ANY voters or even the media like McCain and Clinton do? What's he hiding from?
McCain speaks to all comers and he's a "private jet conservative," Obama speaks to no one but the rich donors at his San Francisco fundraisers and insults working people at the same time and McCain's the elitist. We get it, pal.
Posted by: Jeff | May 9, 2008 2:46 PM
"MCCAIN SPEAKS"
JUST DON'T READ THE NY TIMES. THIS FEDERAL LAND IS MY LAND, THIS FEDERAL LAND WAS YOUR LAND.
JUST DON'T READ THE "MEMOS" THIS FEDERAL LAND WAS YOUR LAND, THIS FEDERAL IS MY LAND.
JUST DON'T READ THE NY TIMES! BECAUSE THIS LAND WAS OUR LAND, THAT LAND WAS YOUR LAND.
JUST DON'T READ THE NY TIMES! ALL "BETTS" ARE OFF! BECAUSE THIS LAND WAS YOUR LAND, NOW THIS LAND IS MY LAND. THIS LAND WAS YOUR LAND!
"LONG LIVE NANCY PELOSI"
Posted by: Roger Morris | May 9, 2008 2:56 PM
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama plans to stop at a Beaverton high-tech firm Friday before heading south to hold a town hall meeting in Albany and an outdoor rally at the University of Oregon, his campaign announced today.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is scheduled to speak at a town hall meeting in Central Point at 8:30 tonight. On Friday morning, she'll host a roundtable discussion on health issues at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland. Admittance to the roundtable discussion is by invitation only.
Saturday, Obama plans to hold a town hall meeting at Summit High School in Bend. That event starts at 11:30 a.m. and is free, but tickets are required. Information about tickets is available at the Obama for Oregon office in Bend between noon and 9 p.m. tomorrow, at 373 NE Greenwood Avenue.
Attendance at Obama's Beaverton meeting Friday is by invitation only, but the other two events tomorrow are open to the public. The Albany town hall begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road. Doors open at 1:45 p.m. Free tickets are available at the Obama campaign office in Corvallis, 413 SW Jefferson Ave., or in Albany at AMF Albany Lanes, 1245 Clay St.
http://www.fox28.com/News/index.php?ID=36950
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120994334960866053.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Feel free to stop by any of Obama's town hall meetings. He'd love to welcome you to the fight against the working person's enemy, John McCain
Posted by: Kendle | May 9, 2008 3:17 PM