As Bailout Flounders, Obama Slams McCain’s “Gambling”

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/8952/as-bailout-flounders-obama-slams-mccains-gambling

As Bailout Flounders, Obama Slams McCain’s “Gambling”
By Ari Melber 9/29/08 2:55 PM


Westminster, CO - At a packed gym in this pivotal swing state, Sen. Barack Obama got personal with his rival today, dredging up Sen. John McCain’s penchant for craps and ties to the gaming industry as the market tumbled on fear of the bailout failing.

Teeing off a New York Times article detailing McCain’s ties to lobbyists for the gaming industry, Obama said craps is fine, but friends don’t let friends bet on Bush: :spray:

I read the other day that Senator McCain likes to gamble. He likes to roll those dice. And that’s ok. I enjoy a little friendly game of poker myself every now and then. But one thing I know is this – we can’t afford to gamble on four more years of the same disastrous economic policies we’ve had for the last eight.

I know that when Senator McCain says he wants to bring the same kind of deregulation to our health care system that he helped bring to our banking system – his words – well, that’s a bet we can’t afford. We can’t afford to roll the dice by privatizing Social Security, and wagering the nest egg of millions of Americans on Wall Street. We can’t afford to gamble on more of the same trickle down philosophy that showers tax breaks on big corporations and the wealthiest few. We’ve tried that. It doesn’t work. With our economy at risk, and our future in the balance, the greatest risk in this election is to repeat the same mistakes of the past. We can’t take a chance on the same losing game (prepared remarks).

The gambling angle is the Democrats’ official attack today. The DNC cut a new web ad arguing that McCain’s gambling ties show he is indebted to “special interests,” as I wrote earlier.

Obama also dredged up some of McCain’s reality-defying remarks about economics. Reminding voters that McCain once implied that deregulation helps grow the economy, Obama was incredulous. “Senator, what economy are you talking about?” he asked.

As the bailout package flounders on Capitol Hill, however, the most pressing issue is not past remarks by McCain. Voters and members of Congress are sour on the proposed bailout. Will either candidate will move beyond rhetoric and lean into the buzz-saw, rallying their caucus behind the package that they both said they support?

[AspenRose]

1. "Friends don't let friends bet on Bush"

:rofl:

Keating 5, anyone?

[FrenchieCat]

2. Wasn't there a story that just came out about McCain literally gambling?

[babylonsister]

4. Yes, a big expose in the NYT. Here's the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/us/politics/28gambling-web.html?_r=2&hp=&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[democrattotheend]

3. I've been saying for a while that Obama should use the gambling theme

Paint McCain as someone who gambles and would take risks with our security and economic well-being. Use his VP pick, his ties to the gambling industry, his personal gambling habit, and his behavior last week to portray McCain as someone who needlessly takes risks and acts on impulse and use that to portray him as dangerous. I am glad Obama seems to be adopting that strategy...I think it's a winner, and it's a great counterbalance to the argument Republicans have been making for months that Obama is too risky because he's less experienced.

[monmouth]

5. Grandmom Murphy always said "better to marry a drunk than a gambler."...n/t

[babylonsister]

8. Hahaha! Maybe he has other habits we're not privy to! nt

[catgirl]

6. I'm glad he's finally bringing the gambling thing up

[MadrasT]

7. Smooooooooooth as silk, that's our guy!

:applause: GOBAMA

[FrenchieCat]

13. You got it!

Fucking brilliant in so many ways....

even how the Dems didn't blink today.

[OhioChick]

9. K&R

:kick:

[LonelyLRLiberal]

10. The gambling thing may sour a lot of church-going people a bit on McCain

if it gets a lot of play.

Attack McCain with the Puke base - nibble, nibble, nibble.

[mcg]

11. McCain pre-claiming credit for the bailout passing was a bad gamble. nt

[dgibby]

12. Hmmmm----

An impulsive, petulant gambler with an explosive, irrational temper and no anger management skills. Just the person you'd want with his finger on the button!:wtf: :hide:

[ProSense]

14. Obama slams McCraps. n/t