Posted on 08/28/2008 2:56:54 PM PDT by Fred
ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: The Obama campaign signaled a willingness on Thursday to go after Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn., for the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse while saying that the populist argument it is building against John McCain will continue even if the presumptive Republican nominee taps the son of a truck driver as his running mate.
"I don't think it's particularly relevant who the running mate is if the running mate is willing to embrace in total the Bush-McCain economic doctrine," Obama strategist David Axelrod told ABC News.
"Everyday Americans understand that those policies aren't working for them," he continued. "And if you have one more person out there saying we've made 'great progress' on our economy and that we ought to continue doing what we're doing, I'd be eager to have him travel far and wide. I think it's a losing message."
"Whoever he picks, it doesn't change the fact that it's John McCain's agenda on the ballot," added David Plouffe. The Obama campaign manager joined Axelrod at a breakfast with reporters in Denver which was held on the same day that Obama is set to deliver a speech accepting the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Some GOP strategists have speculated in private about whether Pawlenty's odds of becoming McCain's running mate improved vis a vis Mitt Romney in the wake of the Arizona senator's seeming inability to tell Politico how many houses he owns.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who ran against McCain for the Republican presidential nod, is a multimillionaire with four houses to his name.
Trying to undermine Romney in advance of a possible vice presidential announcement, the Obama campaign has been steadily painting him as an "expert" on "Cayman Island tax shelters."
"You couldn't have a more out of touch ticket," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe recently told The Atlantic magazine.
Pawlenty, by contrast, owns only one house.
He recently told ABC's Jan Crawford Greenburg that he owns a $335,000 suburban home outside Minneapolis and was quick to note that he still pays the mortgage and cuts his own grass.
Obama adviser Robert Gibbs acknowledged that a Pawlenty pick would leave the Democrats with less populist ammunition than a Romney selection. Gibbs was quick to add, however, that there is a "treasure trove" of other issues that can be used against Pawlenty including the 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse which killed 13.
"Each of these guys have their own thing," Obama adviser Robert Gibbs told ABC News. "It would be nice to talk about Romney's stuff. But just because McCain picks a guy with only one house doesn't mean that we're going to stop talking about McCain's seven houses."
Another reason to go with Palin. Attacking a woman doesn’t go over very well.
I can’t believe that the Democrats would politicize that bridge collapse. Then again, negative campaigning may result in a race to the bottom, with Dems. sinking the level of political discourse.
Yeah, like they were going to come out and say, “Hey McCain, here’s a list of veeps that would do us a lot of damage!”
McCain could be looking at choosing a returned from the dead George Washington as his running mate and the Dems would still say, “Oh, better not, he has so much baggage and a weak record...”
Is this it, is the BRIDGE all they have on Pawlenty???? If so, give Tim the nod....
I don't care who you are, that's funny.
Keep it up, guys, keep it up!
I see they are carrying the “Bush’s fault” theme over into the presidential race with the collapsing bridge.
Axelrod is making a mistake mentioning the economy since it’s the fault of a 9% Dem congress. We have them to thank for $4 gas and sky high heating bills this winter.
It would be just too kewl if Palin gets it. Give us all something worth fighting for.....Fortunately for the GOP they have hot talent coming up in the next 10 years with the likes of Palin and Jindal...
Oh, I hope they try to blame him for the Bridge collapse, that will just show everyone how disgustingly low they will go. It will not sit well with Middle America.
Yup, time to be the living daylights out of congress...
I like Sarah Palin. I truly think the Dems are afraid of Mitt though.
Populist arguement? Being lead by Biden, a 36 year Senator who has done NOTHING? Who do they think they are kidding?
Who needs bridges when your messiah, I mean candidate, can walk on water...
When ever I hear the word bridge.. I cannot help but think of Ted Kennedy.....
Along those lines, I’m sure Karl’s & Che’s corpses were vetted by Obama storm troopers.
Typical Democrats..... all they have to sell to America is a bridge...... one that isn’t even standing.
Just inspired my own new tag line!!
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