Election Day: 99 Days Away

28 July 2008 |permalink | email article

THE economy, more than ever, is America’s No. 1 concern.

Obama pivots to upstage McCain, shown in recent polls to be at a disadvantage on pocketbook issues, by convening a high level economics meeting in Washington today.

Participants include former Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers, former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, former Labor Sectary Robert Reich, SEIU secretary-treasurer Anna Burger and billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

On “Meet the Press,” Obama fought off Tom Brokaw about his VP pick, but gave four hints about what he’s looking for:  “Integrity, a shared vision, independence and a willingness to tell him where he may be wrong, and a capacity to really do some work.”

McCain, looking for a big page-turner to reverse a week in which Obama dominated all news cycles, got off to a bad start on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday with debatable statements on a wide range of topics, including his remarks on a timeline for troop withdrawals in Iraq.

In discussing remedies for Social Security – a system which he once called a “disgrace” – McCain insisted that every proposal “is on the table,” including payroll tax increases. But it was noted that in February he pledged flatly, “No new taxes.”

McCain obsessively flays Obama for being insufficiently appreciative of the U.S. military, noting he would reject being told by the Pentagon that he could not visit the troops. A harsh new attack ad tries to make this point.

But Politico’s Jonathan Martin points out on Ben Smith’s blog: “McCain’s new ad accusing Obama of refusing to meet with the troops includes a clip of Obama playing basketball with the troops.”

Has McCain forgotten that he cancelled a trip to military bases earlier this year because of Department of Defense prohibitions?

Quotes of the Day

*** “McCain lost the week badly, let’s be honest. John [McCain] is still in striking distance…but he cannot afford another week like this one. – John Weaver, once McCain’s top political strategist, noting “Barack goes global,” is working but he still remains a work on progress.

*** “I think John is treading on very thin ground when he starts to get into, ‘You’re less patriotic than me. I’m more patriotic.’” - Chuck Hagel, with Obama in Iraq and Afghanistan, on CBS’ Face the Nation.

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