John McCain, Barack Obama attack each other on the basics

Hillary Clinton may be casting herself as Rocky Balboa (will that comparison ever wear out its welcome for candidates campaigning in Philadelphia?), but both Barack Obama and John McCain more and more seem to be counting her out.

That's because more and more, they're spending their time bashing one another. And to hear each tell it, their prospective foe in the general election isn't just misbegotten, he's lacking in basic skills.

Responding to Obama's continuing criticism of McCain's call for a sustained U.S. commitment to Iraq, the presumptive Republican nominee made news Monday by snapping: "In all due respect, it displays a fundamental misunderstanding of history, of how we've maintained national security, and what we need to do in the future to maintain our security in the face of the transcendent challenge of radical Islamic extremism."

In case his point was missed, he added, "And I understand that, because he has no experience or background" in foreign policy.

Today, it was Obama's turn to raise competency questions.

As Times reporter Peter Nicholas relates, Obama at a gathering in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., noted that McCain "a few weeks ago ... said, and I'm quoting here: 'The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should.'

"And that's clear, since all he's offering is four more years of the same George W. Bush policies that have gotten us into the pickle that we're in right now."

Sounds like we could be headed for a fall campaign in which, at some point, the political equivalent of an SAT test might be in order.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[cpkallister]

McCain, while a nice man, isn't very smart.
Not only does he make mistakes about who is who and what is where, he graduated something like sixth from the bottom of his class which was approximately 800.
I believe that was his naval academy class.

If he wins, it will be difficult for us to expect anything but more of the same ol', same old. Obama, on the other hand, does in fact, exhibit some extraoridinary characteristics. I can't help but feel that this country owes it to itself to take the chance for change while it is offered.

[SoCalGordon]

We have been attacked several times by terrorists. New York, a destroyer and several embassies. We are at war. We fight terrorists, not a country. It is guerrilla warfare and we are learning how to return that kind of fighting.
If we do not fight they will not stop.
The only question that remains:
Do we want to fight it here - or there?
Your call.

[Jake Davis]

An intelligence test for presidential candidates is a great idea!

We needed one eight years ago...

[Gnarly]

To: Vcpkallister

Great information. You could be president!

[bob alton]

I dont really like McCain on some things, but "Obama" is nothing more than a muslim hiding behind fancy words and slogans. His "spiritual leader" who he has followed for the last 20 years or more has shown that. What America will find out (hopefully not too late) is that Obama will be the fall of this country if elected.

[Bill]

Senator, I served with Rocky Balboa: I knew Rocky Balboa; Rocky Balboa was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Rocky Balboa.

[wemitchell]

Intellectually, Obama can crush McCain like a bug. The debate between them could be painful to watch. At least Obama is likely to be gentlemanly about it.

[Young Atheart]

Another example of Obama's foreign policy judgement
You decide...

1. August 2007 debate: Obama makes vocal case for striking terrorists inside Pakistan
"Let me make this clear: There are terrorists holed up in those mountains, that murdered 3,000 Americans," said Obama during the counterterrorism address. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-valued terrorist targets and if President Musharraf will not act, we will."
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3458915

2. McCain, Hillary, Dodd, Biden all critisize him saying we should not be working against Musharraf our only advocate in the region

3. December 2007: Bhutto assassinated by terrorists

4. The Washington Post reported that in late January, a CIA aircraft fired on several buildings in the Pakistani town of Mir Ali, killing a senior al-Qaida commander and several others. The paper, quoting anonymous U.S. officials, said that the action was done without seeking approval from the Pakistani government.

5. Mid February '08, Musharraf voted out of power; US has spent $11B trying to prop. up Musharraf

6. Late February, Senator Dodd endorsed Obama

Obama's 2002 NO-HOLDS-BARRED Iraq speech took real courage. It risked his run-for-the-Senate WHILE the wise-men/women of Congress took comfort in voting as group to support the Iraq war resolution.
http://www.digg.com/politics/Full_text_of_Barack_Obama_s_2002_Speech_Against_the_Iraq_War

[Richard Williams]

Obama’s Bible Study Class

James Meeks – an Illinois state senator, pastor of one of the largest churches in the state and a declared Spiritual Adviser for Obama – came under fire for comments rebroadcast last week calling white American mayors "slave masters" and referring to black preachers and politicians who "protect" the "white man" as "house n-ggers."

"We don't have slave masters, we got mayors," Meeks said in an August 2006 sermon broadcast on a Chicago community television channel.
Aside from his senatorial duties, Meeks is an Illinois Superdelegate pledged to Obama and also presides over Salem Baptist Church, described as the largest church in Illinois.

In 2006, Meeks informed his church during a sermon he may run for Illinois governor. He was recorded telling the mostly black congregation any "white Christian" who doesn't vote for him is a "racist." Speaking from his pulpit Meeks said, “if I don't have every white Christian vote in the state of Illinois, I will stand on top of the Sears Tower and call every one of y'all racist."

Meeks is also notorious for his strong anti-homosexual platform, although Obama is campaigning for the "gay" vote. Meeks has routinely voted against pro-homosexual legislation and has been quoted during sermons referring to same-sex attraction "an evil sickness."

Obama told the Sun-Times that he is an attendee of Meeks' Salem Baptist Church for Wednesday night Bible Study.

According to Illinois State Board of Elections records, Rezko's businesses, Rezmar Corp. and Rezko Concession, contributed to Meeks' campaign funds.

A recent Meeks endorsement is touted on Obama’s campaign website. Meeks is listed as an influential black supporter.

James Meeks and his relationship with Obama was described in a 2004 Men's News Daily report during Obama's 2004 US Senate campaign:
Obama’s closest religious advisers -- Fr. (Michael) Pfleger, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ, and Illinois State Sen. James Meeks, who moonlights as the pastor of Chicago's Salem Baptist Church – may have quotes from Scripture always handy, but are theologically closer to Karl Marx and black nationalism, than to Christianity.

[cdl]

Smarts-wise, and world-wise, McCain has it over Obama ten-thousand fold.
Obama better get more determined about his attacks on McCain so he can prove he can do it better than that!
Further more, you gotta have smarts to fly a jet AND land the sucker on an aircraft carrier.
He's the hero here, not tip-toe through the tulips Obama.
You'd never see McCain sit idly by while someone preached 'God Damn America'!

[Young Atheart]

Today's republicans are an embarrassment to conservative principles. They make a big deal about Obama's name, ethnicity, pastor, (McCain is the exception) but spend 1.5 trillion on the wrong war, invest in failing dictators (Musharaf) and isolate our adversaries.

For example, the last true conservative, Ronald Reagan President Reagan suceeded in building realtionships with world leaders, even if they weren't from a free democracy. He gave them diplomacy, respect, he listened, but most of all he SPOKE to these leaders. He made leaders believe they were an important part of the solutions for their own countries and their own legacy...by being able to speak to the President of the United States!

[shockedAndAwed]

Wo.

Two candidates actually talking about things that have something to do with the world we're living in. Stunning. Attacks that are grounded in policy differences. I wonder if the country can survive it. It would be so terrible if candidates actually speak about issues. Goodness! People might have to learn something to understand what they are talking about. The horrors! The SAT's!

It gives me hope that the election coming up, if the damned primaries ever end could actually be about real life, and not about what someone vaguely related to someone running said or about mythical phones ringing in the night to scare people.

[Lisa Pease]

I think this may be a better casting for Hillary Clinton:

"Mrs. C"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQh8__dCxeE

[Javalation]

McCain's temperament, being a hot head, makes his lack of intelligence even worse. On this stroll down memory lane, he's trying to portray himself as now being a stable rational person, but he recently got red-faced angry with a reporter who was pressing him on something he didn't want to discuss. Not only is Obama intelligent, but he has the ability to remain calm and rational in the midst of a crisis. He's the one I'd want answering that call at 3:00 AM.

[Mike IL]

But McCain is more than willing to sell his soul to the right ... and the preachers over there aren't exactly seventh heaven, you know what i mean.

What's amazing is even McCain doesn't try to pretend to know whart he's talking about. The war right don't need no stinkin explanations that make sense (aka let's fight them over there ... as if we need to fight these snakes at all really). Bush of course doesnt try to make things sound correct or truthful. I thought McCain might try and appeal to intelligence, I guess not, just blow up shia-sunni-iraqi-stan or whatever

[Dr. Dave]

Obama: Deceiver-in-Chief...The "100 year war"

Anybody who has viewed the town hall meeting knows exactly what McCain said. It's disgusting & pathetic that Obama thinks we Americans are so stupid as to fall for such deception. But then again polls show Americans have fallen for his Wright/absent-from-church-that-day deception. Still a lot of folks are beginning to smell a rat.named Obama: Deceiver-in-Chief.

[Dr. Dave]

Obama: Deceiver-in-Chief...The "100 year war"

Anybody who has viewed the town hall meeting knows exactly what McCain said. It's disgusting & pathetic that Obama thinks we Americans are so stupid as to fall for such deception. But then again polls show Americans have fallen for his Wright/absent-from-church-that-day deception. Still a lot of folks are beginning to smell a rat.named Obama: Deceiver-in-Chief.

[RearAdmirel]

John McCain would die for our Country, he is the one that is best for the job. If you look back on history during the Vietnam war, you find out what John McCain did when he was offered early release as from being POW, and why he did it. His father and grandfather were 4-star Admirals in the Navy. It has all come down to him being the best person for the job.

Obama on the other hand is in question due to many background information of his earlier life against his presidency. He opposes many American ideals and he is a hypocrite for making the issue against racism when he sterotypes his grandmother as a "typical white woman".

Sure Obama can "talk the talk" but he is not and will never be ready to walk the walk. Hillary Clinton though is patriotic and loves the nation, almost as much as she loves herself. There is no question about McCain. Our Country needs the best Commander-In-Cheif, and for sure as hell it will be damned to hell if Obama takes over and allows terrorism to regroup and kill everyone.

America will still always move on whether or not McCain is elected. And whoever becomes President, America will salute.

[kevin]

MCCain is too old and most likely has got memory problem to remember his position in issues, He is totally flip flopper, he does not know or care what is going on in economy or in Iraq
and just thinks he has been POW us owns him presidency. He is oldest and dumbest and clueless candidate we have ever seen.
look at his Iraq policy, he does not know even
Iran is the country that is getting benefits of this war, while we get stuck with the check and deads.
We are like the guy who pays big bucks to take the girl to the dance, and is left holding the
drinks while she dances away with someone else.

we need a president who at least understands who the players are.
The current one has proven time and again that he either doesn't have a clue, or doesn't care.
And the man he wants to replace him seems equally clueless.

McCain said he thinks it's just fine for American troops to remain in Iraq for a hundred years.
It may take him a century to figure out who the enemy is. Americans can't wait that long.

[Eric]

As it turns out, the fate of the election is being determined by a magic bread machine listed on ebay. I know it sounds bizarre, but stranger things have happened. If you really must know if Obama will actually make it or not, just follow the trail of bread crumbs...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Magic-Breadmaker-May-Actually-Predict-the-Future_W0QQitemZ120240547817QQihZ002QQcategoryZ20669QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Rand Dorsey]

Why is it right-wingers have such a problem dealing with the reality in front of their face? They persist in using the same old worn-out arguments they have used as far back as 1952. Didn't make any sense then, and still doesn't now. For example, the Republicans' old cliche that Democrats always run big budget deficits. What a joke! Look at the budget deficits of Reagan, Clinton and G.W. and tell me who the big spenders really are? Then the right-wingers say 'presidents don't spend money, congress does.' That is like a man saying, "My family lives within it's budget. It's just my wife who overspends."