Four more years? That's McCain

[db44]

Keith Olberman pointed this out on "Countdown" today:

Obama over the weekend was in Iowa, ahead of the media for the most part, sandbagging and asking supporters to contribute to relief efforts.

McCain's only response so far was a two-line statement. How Bush-like.

Speaking of which, Bush said during his meetings in Europe that he would visit the area when he returned.

[ConnieB]

And how many other times has Obama done this....I don't ever recall seeing him getting his hands dirty. And how many more times will he do this while in office...ZERO. It's just a show that his campaign wants to put on to make him look more people friendly.

[db44]

From his visit to New Orleans in 2006. Uh, that's two years ago, months before he declared his run for president... The site even has a picture of him working:

www.habitat-nola.org/aboutus/news.php?ID=40

[Venisenvy]

No matter what Obamas reasons are, im sure partly they are politically motivated but frankly given his history im sure he takes great pride in doing his part to help others out. It would be nice if others like Bush and McCain did the same but it is hardly a discualification for office nor is it a sign that McCain will be like Bush and will badly mishandle a national crisis in the wake of a natural disaster. So it's a good thing for Obama but this is hardly a negative for McCain and to turn that into saying a McCain presidency would be 4 more years of Bush because of it is completly out of line.

[db44]

I agree, he seems to like to get out there and help (I was laughing at Connie's response almost immediately), and would love it if other people would do whatever they can.

Is it a disqualification for office, no. But it is a show of character: Obama was able to make time to get to the region, and then help. Why not McCain? Especially as if he wants to distance himself from Bush, he could have at least made an effort to look like he cared. Even if he went there and walked around, it would have been something.

[Venisenvy]

You are right, if i was running his campaign i would suggest the same thing to him. But it is a far reach to say that because he didnt do it, a McCain presidency = a Bush one.

[db44]

It's one of the biggest complaints I think many have with Bush, being so aloof to people in need.

There are other things over the last few days which seem to make it look like McCain wants to ride Bush's coattails... For instance, he calls for a lifting of the offshore drilling ban, then Bush says the same thing. McCain has to decide: Stand with Bush or not. He can't mimic Bush and then suggest he's the candidate for change. Especially as he already has adamantly shown his support for staying the course in Iraq.

[LesterX]

From his visit to New Orleans in 2006. Uh, that's two years ago, months before he declared his run for president... The site even has a picture of him working:

www.habitat-nola.org/aboutus/news.php?ID=40

Ha, those pesky facts, with photographic evidence no less, always get in the way...

[db44]

Personally, I like the datestamp, in case Connie wanted to say it was taken any old time.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

No matter what Obamas reasons are, im sure partly they are politically motivated but frankly given his history im sure he takes great pride in doing his part to help others out. It would be nice if others like Bush and McCain did the same but it is hardly a discualification for office nor is it a sign that McCain will be like Bush and will badly mishandle a national crisis in the wake of a natural disaster. So it's a good thing for Obama but this is hardly a negative for McCain and to turn that into saying a McCain presidency would be 4 more years of Bush because of it is completly out of line.


Agreed. I do, however, trust Obama more than I would trust McCain to turn up the heat on whomever needs heating in case of another natural disaster. And at this stage of the game, it is about perception and trust.

[ConnieB]

From his visit to New Orleans in 2006. Uh, that's two years ago, months before he declared his run for president... The site even has a picture of him working:

www.habitat-nola.org/aboutus/news.php?ID=40 (http://www.habitat-nola.org/aboutus/news.php?ID=40) one picture means nothing...I'm sure it was his people whom set that up, I doubt HE decided to do it on his own....I hardly ever see my representatives, senators, or any one like that helping in MI unless it was set up as a special one day event. SO please telling me he helps more then any other person in government is incorrect...It's all set up to make them look good just so they can get into office. As President he will not get his hands dirty.....Period.

By the way, McCain is not like Bush....He has always been middle line when it comes to politics...this is one reason why many conservatives including the Rep. congress have not liked him.

[pinky]

One picture is PROOF that your belief that he's never done it before is false.

As for your prediction that he won't do it as President, you may be right, Miss Cleo. But that probably would be due to the Secret Service advising him against it as much as anything.

[SparkleHugs]

By the way, McCain is not like Bush....He has always been middle line when it comes to politics...this is one reason why many conservatives including the Rep. congress have not liked him.

Bush and McCain are insanely similar. granted, it wasn't always this way. McCain was very moderate until he decided to run for the Presidency again.

Ways they are similar: The war in Iraq, torture, illegal wire tapping, health care, abortion, education, immigration, supreme court judges, gay marriage, and a myriad of other things.

As Stephen Colbert said earlier this week, the best way John McCain can show he is different than Bush is by not being elected.

So in what ways are they different, Connie? and I mean the John McCain of 2008, and not the John McCain of 2000, because those are clearly two different men.

[LesterX]

one picture means nothing...I'm sure it was his people whom set that up, I doubt HE decided to do it on his own....I hardly ever see my representatives, senators, or any one like that helping in MI unless it was set up as a special one day event. SO please telling me he helps more then any other person in government is incorrect...It's all set up to make them look good just so they can get into office. As President he will not get his hands dirty.....Period.

By the way, McCain is not like Bush....He has always been middle line when it comes to politics...this is one reason why many conservatives including the Rep. congress have not liked him.

As Pinky said, it's proof that you were wrong, plain and simple. It would be nice to see you acknowledge that fact.

As for not seeing your representatives out helping...are you at every single charitable event in your state? How do you know that there are not elected officials helping out because they want to, not for a photo op? You wouldn't know unless you were there or personally knew someone there. Perhaps you'd like to list every volunteer activity in which you've been involved lately.

[db44]

Well, maybe that's in MI Connie.

We have some city council people here who are pretty serious about helping out the community. We have one woman who is often helping out with Habitat for Humanity and the Sojourner Center. How do I know? Because as Leslie suggested, I've worked with her on projects.

I've never seen McCain out at any project; Just at Diamondbacks and Suns games.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

Connie and Regis are two of the same ilk. You'll not see them admit they're wrong. In their minds, whatever their experiences are (or Rush's in Regis's case) holds true for the rest of the world. Narrow little views...

[db44]

By the way, from Wikipedia's entry on Obama:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004...

After four years in New York City, Obama moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer for three years from June 1985 to May 1988 as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland (Roseland, West Pullman, and Riverdale) on Chicago's far South Side. During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from 1 to 13 and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in Altgeld Gardens. Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, a community organizing institute...

In 1993 Obama joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a 12-attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an associate for three years from 1993 to 1996, then of counsel from 1996 to 2004, with his law license becoming inactive in 2002.

Obama was a founding member of the board of directors of Public Allies in 1992, resigning before his wife, Michelle, became the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in early 1993. He served on the board of directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund Obama's DCP, from 1993–2002, and served on the board of directors of The Joyce Foundation from 1994–2002. Obama served on the board of directors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge from 1995–2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995–1999. He also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.

So Connie, he's had pretty much a good part of his life dedicated to community service and civil rights, some long before entering politics. Now what's your excuse for saying it's all fabricated?

[Venisenvy]

I was reading newsweek yesterday and Obama only stayed for 75 minutes, McCain stayed for 80 minutes. So both were pretty much only orchestraded campaign photo ops.

[db44]

Except, when Olberman was describing it the first time around, Obama was there ahead of the media, and in fact by being there, made the media pay closer attention to it.

McCain, like Bush, eventually made it to the disaster zone... For Bush that eventually stands for bot Katrina and this.

[Venisenvy]

That is true, but I think that the fact that he only spent 75 minutes there does take a little bit out of it. He came, got his picture taken and left in the blink of an eye. Hey McCain only spent 5 more minutes than Obama so it's not like he did that much better. I'm sure both care equally about their plight but they were only there for a photo op. Neither was better than the other, they just wanted to say, hey i went there.

[SparkleHugs]

is it possible he only spent 75 minutes there bcuase it was all the time he could spare? he does have a few things on his plate.

hell, its 75 more minutes than anyone on this board spent there so for that i think he should be commended, i am sure we all have far less going on in our lives.

[Venisenvy]

What I am trying to illustrate is that Bush, McCain and Obama should get the same credit. Obama should not be seen as this amazing guy that was there before everyone else and really cares when he only spent 75 minutes. They all went there for the same reasons, spent about the same amount of time. None was better than the other.

[SparkleHugs]

What I am trying to illustrate is that Bush, McCain and Obama should get the same credit. Obama should not be seen as this amazing guy that was there before everyone else and really cares when he only spent 75 minutes. They all went there for the same reasons, spent about the same amount of time. None was better than the other.


That is entirely correct, until you look at the history of all three men and their contributions to helping people.

[db44]

"Timing is everything."

I'm not faulting either or all three for their short stays. I'm faulting McCain and Bush for dragging their feet when it came to a natural disaster.

Especially when McCain is in camp with Bush, who has now dropped the ball three times when it comes to natural diasters around the world.

[Richard Tafoya]

I'd argue that it comes down to initiative and leadership. My gut is that if Obama hadn't been there, McCain never would have gone. And Bush would have probably sent a low-level staffer.

[Venisenvy]

I disagree with you in part Richard. I do think Bush would have gone because of what happened during Katrina. Remember he wasn't there sooner because he was in Europe during the beginning of this. But I do agree with you that if Obama had not gone neither would have McCain. But i'm hardly giving Obama credit for a photo-op opportunity, that in the end accomplished no more than McCains photo-op. They both were pandering and nothing more.

[Richard Tafoya]

He accomplished getting national press on the situation and dragged McCain there in the process. That's an accomplishment.

[db44]

Ask McCain why he flip-flopped on the situation then: Go from releasing a small statement to actually making the trip.

We've seen other leaders leave international affairs when things happened in other countries, and it's not like this happened before Bush started his meetings in Europe. He had had a chance to do some talking, it would have been okay for him to return at that time.

[Venisenvy]

I think at the end of the day, none of them truly did anything to help relief effots. We can say Obama brought awareness but the fact is the news were all over this long before Obama showed up. The only thing they did was probably cause a bit of a distraction and slowed true relief efforts while they were there.

[Richard Tafoya]

Obama used his mailing lists and website to ask millions of his supporters to donate to the Red Cross.

I'm sure McCain did the same. Didn't he?