The Blog @ Spolitics

Obama to Fundraisers: Republicans Are Fear-Mongering Racists

Proof that Senator Barack Obama has no interest in running a civil campaign: at a fundraiser Friday in Jacksonville he slimed Republicans (audio) for things they haven’t done, saying he’s sure they’re going to do them, including using his race to scare people.

“They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?’”

Obama alluded to a coming wave of dirty attacks when he opted out of public financing, too.  He seems to be saying, “I’d love to run a high-minded, clean campaign but those scumbag Republicans aren’t going to let me.”  He goes on to say that those Republican tactics will just divide us.  And what?  Making crass generalizations about a large segment of the electorate will unite us?  So much for civility.  Either he never intended for these remarks to get out, or he’s no longer interested in winning over Republicans.

And lastly, note that Obama equated critiquing his lack of inexperience with attacking his race.  Apparently he views everything as a dirty attack.  Pretty soon he’ll be demonizing McCain for campaigning at all.

McCain, You Got Some ‘Splaining To Do

McCain is trying to get Latino voters to jump aboard the Straight Talk Express, but stories like these have the power to derail the train and leave many conservative voters behind at the station.  McCain can stave off any real damage by getting out in front and explaining in detail what he means now when he says “comprehensive immigration reform.”  But if he leaves the phrase unspecific, many conservatives will continue to see it as code for amnesty.  The truth is, the U.S. does need immigration reform and it doesn’t need to take the same form as McCain’s last bill.  McCain has said he’s learned his lesson.  It’s time to apply it and give voters a clear sense of what his immigration reform will look like.

Obama: I’ll Gladly Give You Change on Tuesday for a Hamburger Today

I’m sure on some level Wimpy actually meant to pay for those hamburgers.  And perhaps on that same level Barack Obama actually means to give us “change” someday off in the future.  But so far, he’s just been giving us the same bait-and-switch politics typical of any politician — although perhaps one with more ego and Gaul than we’ve seen in a while.  (No wonder the French love him).

Are we being conned?  When his promises are so casually broken or dismissed as “overheated” rhetoric… what can we actually expect to get come Tuesday?