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Republicans Urging McCain To Use Reverend Wright Issue ASAP

Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in Politics.
Oct 1st, 2008 | Comments

The Politico reports that top GOPers around the country are upset over polls showing Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama gaining strength over Republican Sen. John McCain in key battleground states. The reason for sagging polls: the economy, McCain’s own stumbles and the “distraction” of Republican Veep candidate Gov. Sarah Palin.

Their recommendation: that McCain go negative big-time by hammering Obama on his association with his former pastor and several other figures in an attempt to win over undecideds:

[UPDATE: Coincidence of coincidences....Marc Ambinder reports that a conservative group is now planning to spend $1 million to do just that...]

GOP officials also believe that a sustained attack on Obama’s ties to his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, scandal-stained businessman Tony Rezko and former radical war protester William Ayers could sway undecided voters.

Among those goading McCain to be more aggressive is Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith, who said that “people need to see a gladiator who’s willing to defend what exactly he stands for.”

“We’re not talking, for instance, about the radical associations that Barack Obama has, with Mr. Ayers, Tony Rezko and so on,” Smith said. “More could be done.”

Murray Clark, the chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, said he is eager for Obama’s “troubling relationships” to be aired in his state. “I think those things will come up in Indiana again and they do have an impact on mainstream voters in Indiana. You call it going negative, [but] whoever … is in a position to point out these relationships, I think it’s helpful.”

The question: with the gravity of issues this year, would these issues now be as effective as they would have been a year ago? Possibly. Despite the big issues, Obama still has not closed the sale and it’s clear from polling that he still has not opened up a huge lead. People have their doubts. The downsides:

There are some independent voters who’ll be turned off by this kind of attack and see it as trying to change the subject on the big issues on which McCain can make his case detailing his differences with Obama.

And, if it’s yet one more election won on demonization, it means McCain, who has already burned his bridges with some Democrats and independents, will attain power but have part of the country passionately against him from Day One and take power in yet another highly-polarized, highly-personal political climate.

  • JWeidner
    Two words: "Keating Five"

    McCain has his own poor choices in relations in his past. If he's going to try guilt by association against Obama, he ought to be ready for his ties for the LAST big financial disaster to strike the USA to be brought up as well. He's been spared this so far, but if he starts to bring Wright, Rezko, and Ayers into the campaign, I really hope Obama hits him hard on his role as one of the Keating Five.
  • RevDave
    Look at the puppet! Look at the puppet!

    Pay no attention to the failed policies that I endorse or the comically inept VP candidate that I chose or the lack of personal control that I exhibit.
  • DLS
    Not just Wright (Resko, too), but ACORN -- disgraceful!

    Of course, yes, "Keating Five" comes back at McCain as well as naming lobbyists on McCain's campaign team this year, and so on.
  • D. E.Rodriguez
    Just what a failed campaign, a failed and flailing McCain needs to salvage his election. Not debate the issues, not provide solutions to our nation's problems (read crisis), not discuss plans, vision and ideas for his presidency (should he miraculously win). No, none of that, but something our country really needs: More sleaze, more lies, more mud, more slime.
  • Silhouette
    Wright eh? You know what else is next...

    They'll do it in a pinch. Mark my words. And "pinch" is going to describe what they'll be in just about 5 minutes into the Biden/Palin debate.
  • It's almost Silhouette's time to shine!

    "I told ya so..." "I told ya so..." "I told ya so..."
  • DLS
    What else does McCain have? Honestly. He's always been weak, plodding, a mere "survivor," the "default candidate" by anyone spooked by lib-Dem threats to America! [tm]. And while far from all of us are suffering currently, there are many desperate people in this economy (who were that way before the current mortgage-based crisis on Wall Street this week) who aren't going to care about propriety, constitutional federalism, market versus command economy or interventionism -- they don't care about what to them is inane BS when they welcome assistance with their plights NOW.

    I believe that if Obama could just start saying "Bush economy, Republican economy" he could clinch the election. All McCain can do is say "Watch your wallets and your liberties" and many would laugh in his face or just stare at someone saying that now.

    As to the Biden-Palin debate, I welcome the entertainment. Despite her godawful conflicts of interest, I doubt Ifill is going to mistreat Palin -- that will be left to the rest of the media and the frequently _vicious_ and low-life comments on lefty talk radio.
  • Silhouette
    We know you're the GOP mole here Chris. So are you saying you know something we don't know? ; )
  • I love tax cuts? :-)
  • Marlowecan
    October is the month for surprises, no?

    I recall a fax sent out the Friday before the 2000 vote by a Democratic attorney in Maine revealing Bush's DUI from a generation earlier. It cost Bush almost the entire evangelical vote . . . about 5 million . . . and made Gore competitive for the first time.

    So hey . . . it is an American tradition!

    (One can only imagine the fax Silhouette has been keeping in reserve for this moment! :)
  • RememberNovember
    Pot, meet kettle

    Keating 5, Pastors Parsley, Hagee and Muthee- a trifecta of whackjobs

    Gambling/Casinos/Abramoff...

    Bridge to nowhere, troopergate, yada yada....

    Quick, John call your lifeline!
  • Marlowecan
    DLS said: "...and low-life comments on lefty talk radio."

    I have heard some people actually live in THAT magical neighborhood where one can pick up lefty talk radio. . . just to the left of Berkeley, across the freeway.

    Never managed it myself. I suppose it is like that Magical Oriental Shop downtown that disappears when one goes back to find it.
  • fear and smear. That's all the GOP has to offer us at this critical time. To quote DLS, "disgraceful"
  • Silhouette
    You republicans better think of something besides party loyalties and the usual schtick this time around.

    If McCain gets in, the world will INSTANTLY lose confidence in our nation's ability to recover its economy. And the Great Depression will look like a small blip in comparison. Know all those cocaine, caviar and prostitute parties you guys have when you're not at church pretending to be holy? Yeah, those will be distant memories. Grab a plow and a mule. You're going to need one.

    You, me, all of us need Obama to win more than we need our egos, gloating, head-games, "wins" and "losses". McCain is a myopic, erratic cowboy. You may not think so, but that's how the rest of the world sees him. And we need the rest of the world right about now to have confidence in us. B-A-D-L-Y.

    Give the dems four years to plead with the world, get our economy back on track so you can come back, blame the whole mess on us and claim victory and get the old GOP gravy-train back up and running full-tilt. You know, the usual.

    Don't cut off your noses to spite your faces. Back up and look at the big picture. The REALLY BIG picture when you're considering promoting McCain/Palin...no matter what the CO$T.
  • jchem
    "...will attain power but have part of the country passionately against him from day one and take power in yet another highly polarized, high personal political climate."

    I'm beginning to believe that this is going to be the picture regardless of who becomes our next president. More likely with McCain, but I don't think Obama will be getting much love from the Repubs if/when he takes office.
  • DLS: "I believe that if Obama could just start saying "Bush economy, Republican economy" he could clinch the election. All McCain can do is say "Watch your wallets and your liberties" and many would laugh in his face or just stare at someone saying that now."

    Wow. I agree with DLS. I'm gonna have to note this on my calendar.

    Sil, Rowr. Get em, girl. I would add especially, and have often, a note to young people. The "borrow and spend" Republican policies are trashing your future prosperity. Old farts like me will exit the scene without paying down a dime of the $11 trillion debt. It's all yours. Want us to run you up some more? The Republicans will be glad to borrow and spend you into way more and they'll pocket it for you. Of course when the CEOs and lobbyists have bought all the yachts and multiple houses they want, maybe they'll let a trifle trickle down to you. Good luck.

    And for those with kids, or who plan to have some, congratulations. The GOP has handed every new American a $31,000 BIRTH TAX, and every taxpayer owes $234 per MONTH interest on that debt, without paying down a bit of principal. You can make your checks out to Communist China.
  • elrod
    What a surprise that the Tennessee Republican Party - little more than a racketeering operation for racist trash - is at the forefront of this push.

    Once upon a time the TNGOP had some semblance of decency. We still have relatively moral people like Lamar Alexander that represent the TNGOP. But in the last few years the scumbags from Williamson County (home of Marsha Blackburn) and their vehement racist co-districters in suburban Memphis have taken over the party. The old, moderately conservative East Tennessee Republican Party of Howard Baker has given way to something hideous. Remember, it was the TNGOP that claimed Obama was wearing his "native Muslim garb" in the Kenya photo.
  • Davebo
    "I recall a fax sent out the Friday before the 2000 vote by a Democratic attorney in Maine revealing Bush's DUI from a generation earlier. It cost Bush almost the entire evangelical vote . . . about 5 million "

    LOL! I'll take an ounce of whatever it is you're smoking, rubbing on your belly, or whatever!
  • Marlowecan
    Dear Davebo . . . (and any Fine Upstanding members of our Law Enforcement Community who might be reading). . .

    Whatever it is is purely for personal consumption :)

    If you are desperate, however, knock up Jazz :)
  • RememberNovember
    Whatever it is is purely for personal consumption :)

    If you are desperate, however, knock up Jazz :)

    but purely for medicinal purposes, I'm sure
  • Wright or Keating 5 come into this campaign, and their respective candidate can count me out.
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