With the election a mere three weeks away, the race abruptly took a turn towards the negative. As Obama pulled further ahead in the polls, Senator McCain and Governor Palin questioned the ties between Obama and Weather Underground founder Bill Ayers. The Obama campaign responded with a video highlighting McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal of the Savings and Loan Crisis. However, late in the week, McCain toned down the attacks as his supporters became more and more angry. Obama praised the decision, but kept up the attack, saying that "when it comes to the economy and what families here in Pennsylvania are going through, Sen. McCain still doesn't get it."
Obama had a busy week of travel, holding as many as four rallies in one day in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Ohio is considered a crucial swing state, and Obama's many visits over the past weeks have helped him pull ahead in the polls, to a rough tie.
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Its good that the campaign is now, once again, focusing on the actual issues and not past issues of connections. Both candidates have some shady friends in their past but they have both denounced them, so it is a positive thing for the campaign to once again swing back to policy.
Democrat, Republican both parties have used dirty campaign tactics. Does it really matter who is worse? Maybe we should be like England and let every snide remark be considered the norm and perhaps then we can move on to politics.
Today, CNN reports that McCain still thinks that Obama's connection to Bill Ayers, the 1960's anti-war radical, is a viable issue because it sheds light upon whether or not Obama is "being truthful".http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/14/ayers-will-come-up-at-debate-mccain-says/ Although McCain has ostensibly diregardered the actual allegations, his comments still smack of political pettiness. This is because he unavoidably raises the issue of Ayers every time he questions Obama's "truthful"ness. In conjunction with Governor Palin's reference to Obama "palling" around with a "terrorist", McCain's continued referencing of these allegations are both irresponsible, as well as misleading. The Republican ticket also fails to mention the fact that Bill Ayers was named "Citizen of the Year" by Chicago in 1997 for his work in education. Another aspect that seems to slip under the radar is that Ayers is now a respected intellectual, teaching at the University of Illinois of Chicago.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_ayers In light of such ommisions and the exaggeration of the actual interaction between Obama and Ayers, it is fair to say that the McCain campaign is playing scared.
This whole Bill Ayers issue is such a non-issue. If Obama wanted to play McCain's game of "dig up dirt about opposing candidate's past," he would have plenty to say...let's just start with McCain's relationship with his wife. But the fact is that Obama isn't playing that game. He seems to realize that economy and the war and the healthcare and all the other problems thoroughly listed on Samir's posts are much more importnat that yapping about a past associate. What this country needs is a leader, not another gossiper.
Did any of you guys notice how much McCain smiled/laughed/chuckled during the debate? In recent days, I have not seen a sadder sight-- what happened to president McCain? It seems like he cracked or something.
Also, congrats to Joe the Plumber. With over 20 mentions from McCain alone...the guy is a champ.
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