Obama Trip Helps McCain: Polls Tighten

newsmax.com ^ | July 25, 2008 | staff

[kellynla]

DENVER -- In the face of Barack Obama's overseas tour de force, rival presidential candidate John McCain struggled to be heard. Yet amid the awkward moments, he managed to campaign busily in key battleground states and to raise millions of dollars at fundraisers.

Polls in many swing states are close, and some are tightening. The Arizona Republican sought to turn this to his advantage in what was clearly a difficult week to be a stay-at-home candidate.

He repeatedly emphasized his long military and congressional background, scolded Obama from afar on foreign policy, and kept playfully fueling speculation that he was close to picking a running mate.

McCain faced another opportunity to showcase his history as a Vietnam prisoner of war in a speech Friday in Denver to the American GI Forum Convention, a largely Hispanic military group. That also gave him a chance to court the valued Hispanic vote. McCain was also to visit the Dalai Lama in Aspen, Colo., before heading home to Sedona, Ariz., for the weekend. It was to be his first visit with the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Everywhere he went — in New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Ohio and here in Colorado — the Arizona senator drew warm and appreciative crowds. No matter that many, if not most, of those in the audiences were senior citizens. Seniors vote in big numbers.

For the most part, the side-by-side images weren't pretty:

—Obama meeting with leaders in Iraq, McCain on a golf cart in Kennebunkport, Maine, with the first President Bush.

—Obama before a sweeping Israeli landscape, McCain holding a news conference in a supermarket in Bethlehem — Pennsylvania, that is — and narrowly escaping an attack from a tumbling stack of mayonnaise jars.

[The_Republican]

Not the daily tracking polls - for the first time in couple of weeks, both Gallup and Rasmussen show +5 for Obambi.

[fightinJAG]

BBWWWWAAAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHA.

One thing Libs never learn:

Most Americans get mighty ornery when they think someone—ANYONE-—outside the U.S. of A. (but especially those who have a history of undermining our efforts to defend ourselves) act as though they know best who Americans should vote for. NOT.

The major reaction I’ve heard to Obambi’s trip is along the lines of, “Well, let the French vote for him!”

[DoughtyOne]

Just spoke to that teacher’s union family member of mine and his wife last night. Obama won’t be getting their votes.

This guy scares the bajeebers out of them.

[teletech]

Most Americans get mighty ornery when they think someone—ANYONE-—outside the U.S. of A. (but especially those who have a history of undermining our efforts to defend ourselves) act as though they know best who Americans should vote for. NOT.

EXACTLY! This was a huge gift to the McCain campaign. John Mccain is out talking to American voters while Obama is off, all puffed up, talking to European Socialists! Americans rightly ask why is he over there when he should be here talking to us. I hope the RNC uses this to show Obama's disdain for American voters.

[ricoshea]

I am being honest here.I do not think MCcain has much support.His base has deserted him for the new kid on the block.His base being the liberal media.
He used to love the attention when he was bashing Bush.Now he is courting his dad,riding around in Kennebunkport.I really think he used to love sitting on Hardball as the “maverick” or in my opinion “traitor” to the Republican party and he thought the flowers would always be tossed at his feet by his “friends”.
I also think he thought he would be running against Hilliary and it was going to be a piece of cake.Now he has his hands full unfortunately.I cannot vote for either one of them.

[BinaryBoy]

Good post. I agree completely.

[tessalu]

We need to know if Obama changed gods. He said previously that his favorite god was the Hindu “Monkey god”, and he is supposed to get a gold plated one on the day before the convention in Colorado. Obama put a note in the “Wailing Wall” and we need to know if it was meant for the “Monkey god” or the God of Israel. Who is Obama serving today?

[SERKIT]

Don't go wobbly here, folks.

Barry has actually achieved a "jump the shark" moment. He is not getting any bounce from his college-backpack-hostel tour of Europe, but actually is in a near free-fall. A decline in Barry's polls, and an "awakening" of the electorate to his false-god image is a real "change I can believe in".

From Wiki: "Jumping the shark is a colloquialism used by U.S. TV critics and fans to denote the point in a TV or movie series at which the characters or plot veer into a ridiculous, out-of-the-ordinary storyline. Shows that have "jumped the shark" are typically deemed to have passed their peak, since they have undergone too many changes to retain their original appeal, and after this point critical fans often sense a noticeable decline in the show's quality."

"The term is an allusion to a scene in a 1977 episode of the TV series Happy Days when the popular character Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli literally jumps over a shark while water skiing. The scene was considered so preposterous that many believed it to be an attempt at reviving the declining ratings of the flagging show. Ironically, not only was Happy Days reflecting the superstardom of real-life shark-jumper Evel Knievel in the episode, but the series was wildly successful in 1977."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark

[ANGGAPO]

That's alright, don't vote for anyone. However if you get an Obama for Christmas don't whine about it, and it will not be a happy new year either.

[tsmith130]

Obama is self serving.

[ExSES]

Most Americans get mighty ornery when they think someone—ANYONE-—outside the U.S. of A. (but especially those who have a history of undermining our efforts to defend ourselves) act as though they know best who Americans should vote for. NOT.

Running for a UN post..., fine (for whatever that is worth)!

Running for President, convince those who can (legally) vote for you!!!

[kellynla]

“Now he has his hands full unfortunately?”

“hands full?”

McCain has to be the luckiest candidate for POTUS since Ronald Reagan ran against Jimmy Carter.

There is no levelheaded American going to vote for an anti-American racist Leftie.

Now, remember I said “levelheaded American” which automatically eliminates the Lefties and anyone who depends on the government for their livelihood. Which won't be enough!

Heck, my cat could beat Obama on 11/4!

[sam_paine]

I would vote for the devil himself beofre I’d vote for a damned CAT!

[forYourChildrenVote4Bush]

“...I cannot vote for either one of them...”

You have to vote...and vote republican...

Before WWII, Canada had the second largest navy in the world,and in the 1950’s the Canadians were years ahead of the Americans in avionics...

see: The Avro arrow

http://archives.cbc.ca/science_technology/aeronautics/topics/275/

Than Canada veered Left the arrow project canceled and now all we have left is a socialized rotten medical system...

In any case, the Avro Engineers went to NASA (and help develop the American space missions) and Boeing...the rest is history

[ricoshea]

I am not saying McCain cannot win.I am just stating I did not like him when he loved Chris Matthews and I do not like him now.
I won`t vote.I know he hated Bush for 8 years when he was a media darling and now he wants Republicans to back him?
He is another opportunist In fact he is part of the reason Bush poll numbers were so low for the last few years.It does not help when your party`s "maverick" is undercuttting you night after night on Hardball.Maybe you want to forget what he did I can`t.

[Pinkbell]

Allah

[Prophet in the wilderness]

"The term is an allusion to a scene in a 1977 episode of the TV series Happy Days when the popular character Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli literally jumps over a shark while water skiing. The scene was considered so preposterous that many believed it to be an attempt at reviving the declining ratings of the flagging show. Ironically, not only was Happy Days reflecting the superstardom of real-life shark-jumper Evel Knievel in the episode, but the series was wildly successful in 1977."

I don't recall ever seeing that episode, but, if I did, I have long gone forgot about it.
In the latter years of that show, it got to " Hokey " or " Cheesy " ... the first years of the show were the best.

[CaliforniaCon]

The Obamination on his “summer tour” has stirred me to action — more donations to the McCain campaign!!!

[kellynla]

oh, he’s a pretty cool cat. LOL

[kellynla]

hey, he’s a pretty cool cat

[isrul]

"another opportunity to showcase his history as a Vietnam prisoner of war in a speech Friday in Denver "

Again and again and again. If this is all McCain has, even Obama can beat him.

[isrul]

I pretty much agree with except for Hillary. Yes, he thought she would be the candidate. But I believe he would have guaranteed her election.

[Spok]

Hopefully the American people will get sick of the MSM beginning each and every newscast with ObamaCasts, ad nauseam, ad infinitum. Maybe they’ll figure out that if he had a message, he wouldn’t need all of the hollow hype.

[Disambiguator]

"The term is an allusion to a scene in a 1977 episode of the TV series Happy Days when the popular character Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli literally jumps over a shark while water skiing. The scene was considered so preposterous that many believed it to be an attempt at reviving the declining ratings of the flagging show. Ironically, not only was Happy Days reflecting the superstardom of real-life shark-jumper Evel Knievel in the episode, but the series was wildly successful in 1977."

So, Happy Days was a flagging show with declining ratings, yet it was wildly successful at the same time (1977)? Who writes this stuff?

[drc43]

For those who say McCain is NOT campaigning hard enough, or is not smart enough...

Remember...McCain goaded Obama into making this trip. Just maybe this is producing the intended results...?

[ricoshea]

Well one thing is certain.We will get one of these jokers in the White House.I hope one of them takes an interest in us,the citizens who are footing the worlds bills.I am tired of Marshall Plans all over the world.
I say let Europe defend itself. Conservatives should get back to their issues.Then again,there are two Democrats running this year.

[fwdude]

I've said this before, and I stand by it. This poll is skewed because many of the Democrat o’bama supporters tend to be irresponsible people who won't follow through with a valid vote. Either they won't register to vote in time, won't show up at the polls, won't vote correctly, or will be incarcerated when it comes time to vote. This is the irresponsible nature of many who identify as Democrat. I know the machine will do all in its power to get them out to vote, but some people just can't follow through if their life depended on it.

Conversely, conservatives tend to be more responsible, organized, and plan their lives in advance. Most will follow through with voting correctly. In this election, we had better be more diligent than ever before.

[The_Republican]

Messiah is known transform RVs to LVs.

[Loyal Buckeye]

The primaries are over. The time to select someone other than McCain is, therefore, over, IMO.

[fightinJAG]

Here’s a good one: I read that while Obambi was giving his speech in Berlin, McCain went out for bratwurst and beer at a joint in OHIO.

BBWWWWWWAAAAAHAHAHAH.

Prost!