As World Series looms, John McCain questions Barack Obama's loyalties

Sports metaphors are ubiquitous in politics, so it’s fair to say John McCain threw one low and inside today –- attacking Barack Obama over baseball.

The issue is no small matter, given how both the 2008 presidential campaign and the 2008 major league season have evolved. The fast-approaching World Series pits the Tampa Bay Rays against the Philadelphia Phillies, much-beloved teams from two hotly contested battleground states that both campaigns are desperate to win.

So what’s a presidential candidate to do?

During the playoffs last week, Obama, a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, said he was “going to have to root for Philly” because his campaign manager, David Plouffe, “is a fanatical Phillies fan, and I don’t want him mad at me for the next few weeks.”

But on Monday, several Rays players were featured prominently at an Obama rally in Tampa. Indeed, one of the team's newly minted stars introduced the Democrat to the crowd gathered at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Obama crowed that the backing from the players spoke to his credentials as a "unity" candidate. “So when you see a White Sox fan showing love to the Rays, and the Rays showing some love back, you know we are on to something right here,” he said.

McCain, a  fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks, saw an opportunity to swing for the fences and took it. Speaking to several hundred supporters in a Philadelphia suburb, the Republican called Obama's comments foul.

“I heard that Sen. Obama was showing some love to the Rays down in Tampa Bay yesterday,” he said, as the crowd happily booed.

“Now, I'm not dumb enough to get mixed up in a....

...World Series between swing states,” McCain added, to laughter and cheers. “But I think I may have detected a little pattern with Sen. Obama. It's pretty simple, really. When he's campaigning in Philadelphia, he roots for the Phillies, and when he's campaigning in Tampa Bay, he shows love to the Rays.”

Pivoting quickly, he launched into his stump speech. “It's kind of like the way he campaigns on tax cuts, but then votes for tax increases after he's elected," McCain said.

Obama aides took their turn at the plate.

Campaign spokesman Bill Burton said his boss “said nice things about the members" of the Rays who were endorsing him but “that doesn’t change his feelings about the fact that they bounced his White Sox out of the playoffs.”

Added Tommy Vietor, another campaign spokesman: "I guess these are the kinds of attacks you make when your campaign has conceded that if you talk about the economy, you'll lose."

Batter up!

-- Bob Drogin

Comments

[COL. A.M.Khajawall[Ret[]

Obama-Biden ticket will reform, reignite, & reclaim American jobs and economy.

Dear concerned citizens of America and Mass Media of the U.S.A.
As a concerned registered independent voter, forensic psychiatrist, disabled American I made my decision to vote after taking into consideration following joint tickets attributes and characteristics.

1. Has the ticket shown adequate calmness, coolness, and connectedness's under pressure to lead our nation [Presidential Temperament]?

2. Has the ticket shown sustained sound "Judgment and Caliber"?

3. Has the ticket shown adequate understanding of depth and degree to address the crucial challenges in their their purpose, policies, and positions [ Honesty, integrity and sincerity]?

4. Has the ticket sufficient "understanding and knowledge" of inside Washington workings [Experience]"?

5. Has the ticket reservoir resilience, wisdom, and vigor to address the present and future f our beloved "Great-grand Nation"?

6. Has the ticket enough joint foreign policy experience and exposure based on " Values, Virtues, Vastness, and " [American moral soul]"?

7. Has their campaign talk, slogans, ads, plans, and programs based on facts and are they free of fear, fiction, frivolous labels, unfair attacks, negativity, and impulsively? [No "imminent danger to national security and safety"].

8. Has the ticket genuinely kept on message of country first and politics last and avoided copying [Message change"]?

9.Has the ticket message stayed away from Culture divide and war[ Disaster prevention ]?
10. Has the ticket resisted being surrounded, supported and surrogate's by divisiveness, distortion's, and destructive characters, [ Real patriotism VS shiftiness and shameless parrot-ism]?

11. Has the ticket thoughtful, real non-partisan, & non-impulsive plans to address our current economic crisis or political tactics and temperamental statements.
I have personally and professionally concluded that OBAMA-BIDEN ticket will lift and inspire our greatgrand nation back to its greatness within and restore our global standing with the use of maximum, firm
international diplomacy and minimal force if and when indicated {" Peace thru Strenght "}.

12. The era of responsibility has to replace irresponsibility and unaccountability will change to accountability and transparency. The Wall Street greed will change to Main Street need.

13. Temperamental and Angry McCain is out to play and create a card mistrust and distress around Obama with the Vail of claim that he will bring bipartisanship in Washington DC. He is destroying him claim every by painting Obama naive. It is tragic, sad, and unfortunate that so called Maverick McCain has already generated a disdain and demeaning face off in the debates and bailout suggestion. Obama is real Presidential and he maintained a smile during the debate and while McCain had a constant grin and disdain towards Obama.

Yours sincerely,

COL. A.M.Khajawall [Ret] MD.
Forensic psychiatrist, Disabled American Veteran and Iraq
Freedom team. Grass roots California leader per Senator McCain's
PS: It is sad and unfortunate that Hon, Temperamental and angry Maverick McCain has changed into bitter rather than better man. ? Maverick McCain should join Obama.

[Charles]

Nowadays, McCain and Palin speeches remind all that so-called Karl Rove style of politics is in full gear. The McCain campaign is so retro-90s and not futuristic.

The recent global economic crisis is forceful in showing that the era of extreme greed and "do anything" for power, profit or fame are passe. These are the extremes that cannot be sustained and Americans get hurt sooner or later.

America DESERVES a transformational leader not a maverick of the past to read and uscramble the complex signs of the times. America NEEDS a vice president who has been tested by DC's intricate politics and is not changed by it. America does not need a sidekick who spouts off anything and increasingly manifest under-understanding of economics and DC politics.

Obama-Biden is the better choice if we are thinking of the future. America should be grateful that it has this one extraordinary choice amidst the challenges facing America today. This choice offers the best chance for the Joe the plumber's of the world to have their American dreams in the 21st century setting.

[Doug]

The Democrats have controlled Congress most of my adult life with absolutely nothing to show for it. The only balanced budget occurred during the 90's under a Republican Congress and was drafted by John Kasich, not Bill Clinton. President Clinton just signed it. Barrack Obama is simply a chameleon who changes based on whatever wind is blowing currently. We are going to put a man in charge of the United States who has absolutely no experience other than voting party line or voting "present" to avoid having a political record to pin him down on. Wake up people. This man is not even qualified to run the company I work for which only has 500 employees. Go Rays!

[Pete from St. Pete (Russia, that is)]

Wait until those millionaire Rays players who showed up at Obama's rally Monday realize he's the same guy who is going to tax them out of a large chunk of those hard-earned dollars they get for playing a game. Good thing baseball players have the strongest labor union in the world or they would be working for peanuts. Oh, wait, that's what they will be doing anyhow when Obama takes over. Talk about striking out.

[TC]

To stay with Baseball references.

I hope Obama does win. It will be like when the Red Sox finally won.

All the Red Sox fans could finally stop crying about the curse(Curse = Somebody sold somebody to someone back in the day). They could finally realize there was no curse, but it was there own(Red Sox players and their supporters) doings that prevented them from winning a World Series. Likewise, currently and in the future, it is there own doings that make them winners or losers, not something that happened a long time ago, that is holding them back.

So yeah! After Obama wins the election (like the Red Sox fans) all the minorites and their supporters can quit crying about whatever curse they believe is holding them down and preventing them from being successful.