The boogeyman returns: President Bush at the debate

Countdown to Crawford noted, throughout the national Republican and Democratic conventions, the ghost of President Bush decorating the political landscape -- his dwindling days in office notwithstanding.

So, we'd be remiss if we didn't call attention to his presence Wednesday evening in Hempstead, N.Y., for yet one more debate appearance -- courtesy of John McCain. Indeed, it was noted, the Republican presidential nominee seemed to have brought the president -- or at least his riposte to Barack Obama regarding the president -- along in his pocket.

It turns out the president played a more prominent role in the debate at Hofstra University than at the Republican National Convention. On the night McCain was formally nominated, there was but one reference to Bush from the speaker's rostrum.

So, here it is, one more time, the return of George W. Bush to the political table. Enjoy it now; there may not be many more opportunities:

MCCAIN: Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago. I'm going to give a new direction to this economy in this country.

Ooooh. Kind of like that 1988 moment when Lloyd Bentsen (reminder: the Democratic vice presidential nominee) told Dan Quayle (you remember him, of course), "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

Anyway, Obama eventually replied to McCain:

... (T)he fact of the matter is that if I occasionally have mistaken your policies for George Bush's policies, it's because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people, on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities, you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush.

All of which brings us to this question: Even if elections are about the future (and what candidate forced by political reality to defend an unpopular incumbent wouldn't want to say that), who is right?

Fair game for Obama to tar McCain with the Bush baggage? For McCain to try to duck it?

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP/Getty Images 

Comments

[Independent]

Listen, the bottom line is that there were no knockout punches delivered in the debate. Both Obama and McCain delivered just a more descriptive show of debate 2. Now, as an independent, I wouldnt mind either one in the whitehouse. I voted for McCain in the 2000 election. And lets face facts, he should have been president then. But the man isnt the poster child for healthiest person of his generation. He has suffered very detrimental attacks to his health. He shouldve been president 8 years ago. Bottom line - who delivers in the current economic crisis better, what team members will form their cabinet etc, who can deliver us from the 8 years of deficit better. NBC profiled that under McCain's term would bring a one trillion dollar deficit at the end of 4 years while Obama's would bring $737 billion. In the parlance of the majority of Americans and economists everywhere, this stands out. Oh and Palin (Or as Bill Maher puts it, Avon Lady) would come to power. This isnt Alaska, this is our Country. She maybe smart and familiar to Americans everywhere; but presidential qualifications are quite different. Stifler's mom cannot run the Whitehouse!

[Nikita]

McCain is very scary.... he beats in this direction even Bush

[Brian]

All Obama needs to do is replay McCains own words to prove his point. His latest ad has a snippet of McCain gloating over the fact that he voted with bush 90% of the time. He may be no George Bush but he does a superb imitation..

[Doug]

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.1445/pub_detail.asp

See if you can read this and remain unaffected!

[Todd]

Echoing what 'independent' said..

McCain, aside from all the other policy stuff, looks unhealthy.

Actually, he looks vaugely like "mini-me" from the Austin Powers movie.

Makes it seem to me that Rove et.al miscalculated when they foisted Clueless George the Divider on us. It should have been McCain in those days.

But those days are gone. McCains ideas now seem aged, along with his physical appearance.

The fact that the Avon Lady (haha) would be second in line to the Big Chair, sinks this ship entirely.

[someone somewhere]

Everything is fair in politics. I hate to say it, but presidential elections are really just a big popularity contest. The performance of past members of your party IS a relevant commentary on what your performance is likely to be. Both parties seem to be permitted to blatently lie about anything they want, and even put it in writing, during a political campaign. So the only thing that matters is what impression you leave on the public when it is all over.

Lies from both parties aside, Im still voting for Obama:
-Obama believes in building the middle class, which is the only way to have a healthy economy. Even many of the super-rich are in favor of Obama: they understand that in order for their mega-corporations to make them so rich, they need a healthy middle class with money in its pockets to buy their goods and services.
-Obama is smart, well educated, cool under pressure, and understands our legal and governmental system well enough to be effective. This is a stark contrast to McCain: bottom of his class, hotheaded, and far too self-interested to really put his nation first. All due respect to his military service, being a POW is not a qualification for presidency.
-Obama has the ability to inspire people. It has been decades since we had an inspiring president, and the American people are desperately in need of some inspiration.

Reasons to vote for McCain:
-If you are extremely rich (very very few people make over $250,000/year), you will probably pay fewer taxes under McCain, and continue to enjoy the governmental red carpet treatments that Republicans are so famous for. Of course, his economic policies are disastrous, so that little bit of tax break may not work in your favor at all when we enter the next depression.

[Larry linn]

McCain is correct! He is not George W. Bush. He is only 90% to 95% George W. Bush based upon his voting record. The conclusion is that he would be worse than George W.

[jefflz]

Given Bush's record, McCain is trying to say he is a non-Republican Republican. Does this mean he was for the Republicans before he was against them? McCain's own voting record speaks for itself on huge tax cuts for the extremely wealthy and complete support of deregulation of Wall St.. He can run from Bush but he cannot hide. "I'm Not Really a Republican" McCain is happy to have Palin by his side- he was unable to draw any but the most loyal party members before the New American Idol showed up. But like the fate of all American Idols, Palin is becoming yesterday's news. We are all far more worried about the prospect of working until we need walkers as we watch our 401K's drop like a stone. Neither McCain or Palin have a clue. If McCain is disabled for any reason, would we want her choosing the next head of the Fed, let alone have a finger on the nuclear trigger? Furthermore they can run but they cannot hide from Bushonomics. McCain can pretend not to be a Republican but that would be like Palin pretending to know the first thing about Wall Street. After all, she can't see it from Alaska. Despite clainms of bekin mavericks, the pair of them are for the Bush policy of bare-knuckle free market economics and will continue marginal or no oversight of greedy investment bankers. You can't " Throw the Bums Out" if you are the bums.

[steve]

Redistribution of wealth platform by McCain is the same policy middle class had to endure for 8 years (socialist program for the rich) -- do we want to continue the redistribution of wealth to CEOs, oil companies, the wealthy under McCain? Under Bush we had redistribution of wealth from the top down putting more money in the pockets of the wealthy and less money in the pockets of middle class -- it didn’t work then and it won’t work for McCain. We have the current economic crisis as proof that eight more years of McCain’s Top Down Redistribution of wealth policy doesn't work. If that is the type of administration you want (which I'm sure the wealthy do), than vote McCain.

[Sid]

Can someone tell me what Senator Obama actually accomplished as a politician? He hasn't even finished serving out his 1st term as senator of Illinois. The last 2 years he has been running for president. So what has he accomplished for the constituents of the state of Illinois? Please do tell!!

The guy has never led a military unit, a business, any organization or leadership position in the Senate. So the criteria for president nowadays is that a person can be an articulate, eloquent speaker with a thin resume but yet should be leader of the free world? LOL.

I guess it is more logical to vote out of emotions and anger at a party rather actually voting on someone with a resume of bipartisanship, legislative record and military experience huh?

We are for some hard times now if Obama wants to raise taxes, carry out protectionism, and expand government through social programs. Not to mention weakness in foreign policy where policy is poll driven rather actual attainable goals. There goes America's business competitiveness throughout the world. Does anyone take him seriously when he asserts he will use any means including the military to confront Iran's nuclear ambition? No wonder he is so popular in Europe. Europeans have never really had the task of actually confronting hard problems and issues like the Cold War, Balkans, Gulf War I, etc. Without US leadership the Western Alliance would be nothing. And Obama wants to turn the US into a European power?

Get ready for Jimmy Carter Presidency, part II!

[Shaun]

Obama just tried to play down McCain's taunts, it worked. To me I saw McCain acting like an old, uneducated woman with her panties in a ruffle. He just flat out LIED through out the debate last night. It seems he's using "Pappa" Bush's tactic to get into the white house, attack with horrible lies and distortion of facts. Although I agree more with McCain's stance on the housing market, Obama is better every where else. The Middle class is sinking, very soon there will just be the rich and there will just be the poor. That is unacceptable.

I loved when McCain accused Obama of running the "dirtiest" or the "most negative" campaign in US history. This is coming from a man that has accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists", claiming Obama voted 94 times (or what ever the number of the week is) against laws that were ridiculous in the first place and then lies about his own military record. Obviously, McCain is inept in history. Perhaps many could remember the race between Grover Cleveland and James Blaine? Damn dirty race. Blaine accused Cleveland of fathering an illegitimate child and had supporters laugh at Cleveland. The Thomas Jefferson and John Adams race was damn dirty as well. Jefferson supporters claimed Adams would return the US back to British rule. Sounds awfully like McCain supporters claiming Obama is a Socialist Muslim who will turn us all into Muslims, huh? McCain is a moron, his choice for Sarah-Six pack Palin only augments that. I could go on, and on. In the simplest terms, do NOT vote for McCain.

[Willard]

I thought McCain looked unhealthy also. Kind of like an old Barnum and Bailey clown on speed with the eyes blinking out of control. The skin had a certain pallor not good for HD TV. Scary. Obama has the clear message and the necessary calm and intelligence for the job. Negativity will not solve this country's problems and I would never trust the anger issues McCain has displayed, aside from his KEATING FIVE past. He needs to retire.

[anon]

doesn't mccain remind you of dorf? that character on the old carol burnett show? it's true, he's not george bush......george bush hasn't had four separate melanomas removed, in 1993, 2000 and 2002. Most were very early stage forms but one, a spot on his temple in 2000, was invasive cancer deemed "intermediate-stage" melanoma. He has had no sign of melanoma since 2002, but has his skin checked every three or four months. Doctors frequently remove precancerous lesions and in February removed a small, early squamous cell carcinoma, an easily surgically cured skin cancer. Doctors removed common benign growths called polyps during a routine colonoscopy in March. Doctors often screen patients with polyps more frequently, as they can be precancerous.
He has suffered occasional bouts of dizziness, usually when standing suddenly, since 2000 that repeated tests concluded were harmless vertigo......etc....etc....

[QuadX]

This election is about a lot more than just economics. We are at war and everyone should question whether Obama has the integrity and ability to lead this nation at this time. And, would he keep this country safe, or will his affiliations with radicals/terrorist lead to more devastation? In my opinion, I don't believe he has what it takes. Let me explain another connection to a radical/terrorist. In 2006, Obama campaigned for a relative in Kenya, who was running for the Presidency. Obama's cousins name is Raila Odinga. Subsequently, Odinga lost by 230,000 or so votes. He did not accept the loss. So he called for demonstrations by his political supporters who in turn committed ethnic cleansing and genocide. Point blank, this guy tried to subvert the election process and use blackmail until he got what he wanted. Here is a video that gives a good accounting of the events along with photo's as proof of Obama and Odinga campaigning together. And Obama, used U.S. taxpayer money for this and his Senatorial position to help this terrorist. Titled: Barack Obama & Raila Odinga - Link: - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S8QcpdUtxNQ&feature=related

[NinaK]

Why aren't more of the media outlets talking about the Alaskan Independent Party which wants to secede from America, whose members insist they are Alaskans and NOT Americans. The party whose leader (now dead) stated he hated America, her institutions, and her government and who loudly proclaimed, "I will not be buried under her damned flag." Why aren't the media outlets not talking about Todd Palin being a seven-year member of this outfit? You can bet he condemned our country as well! Sarah Palin was married to Todd all that time and attended meetings with him. That tells me she supported this group as well. As recently as June 2008, Sarah Palin was the spokesperson at the AIP convention when and where she welcomed its members to the Alaskan Independent Party; when and where she congratulated and praised them for the good job they were doing!! The job of condemning America, her institutions, her government, and the American flag?? Why else would se congratulate and praise them for the good job they were doing?? Their more recent leader said the AIP MUST INFILTRATE America's as REPUBLICANS and was thrilled Sarah Palin had been elected governor of Alaska as the AIP had hoped. I believe Sarah Palin is acting in that capacity and IS TRYING TO INFILTRATE our government at the second highest position of leadership in America!! Did John McCain KNOW Todd belonged to this party; did he KNOW Sarah Palin supported this group and attended their meetings and conventions?? Did he know they wanted to infiltrate our governmkent (and take over??)?? Perhaps this is the real reason why Sarah was so anxious and quick to accept John McCain's offer when SHE KNEW and KNOWS she is hardly qualified for veep....but, hey, it could very possibly put her in the position of the IAP infiltration into our government?? Come on news media outlets, let's hear you talk about the Alaskan Independent Party, Todd's membership in this party, and Sarah's support and attendance at meetings and conventions of this party!! It is clear to me Sarah and Todd are traitors and treasonous and I find it very disgusting and very unpatriotic that John McCain has given them the opportunity and enabled them to infiltrate our government. Under NO circumstances must we allow them anywhere near the White House, and that goes for McCain as well.

[Kritter]

He's not George Bush, but he has spent the last 8 years kissing up to him-even to the extent that Bush's aides advised Palin on foreign policy before her debate and Karl Rove and his apprentices are now advising McCain on how to run his campaign. Add to that a 90% record of voting for Bush's policies-- and that's too close for comfort.

McCain does not have a coherent policy on the economy that is significantly different than what the Bush administration has done for the last 8 years, and that has not worked well for us, has it? He admits that the economy is not his forte and then picks a running mate who got a D in Economics in college. If we elect McCain we will have the same trickle down economics that we have gotten from every Republican since Reagan.

[tp]

Those of you that are for Obama well I have very few words of advice but think about your future, Where is Obama really from? What does he really support? Who has been backing him on running for our president? Where has the money came from? And last but not least do your research on him, is he really who you want as president? What did he mean by telling the leaders of the country where we are at war, " Just hold off and I'll take care of the war once I'm in office!" WHAT DID HE REALLY MEAN BY THAT?
As for McCain I really don't like the things he haas said either, SO LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN REAL TROUBLE HERE IN THIS ELECTION!

[Bill]

The ironic thing is we are loosing jobs like crazy and have exported 2/3rd’s of them. Only two industries left, housing & banking, (http://www.BuyMyHouseBeforeTheBankTakesIt.com ) are crashing. We refuse to produce products in the US, and there is going to be a day where nobody will be making $250,000 after dust settles. A very important fact, 1 out of 6 in American is finance related. The tax plan is a mood point if we don’t reinvest in our country.

We are no longer producers; our stores have been invaded by foreign products. Every purchase we make goes to feeding someone else’s family in communist China. Thirty percent of gas you purchase goes to terrorist. It does not have to be this way. We need to be supporting our own communities.

Interesting thing, my brother is a robotics engineer and can take and revamp any US company make it more profitable and more efficient that it would be cheaper to produce here.

So let’s get off our lazy buts, start using our brains and become innovative again. Lets use our American brain power and innovation to make new products here and ship them overseas. Our country needs industry and American needs to be talking talk about and growth not taxation.