October 13, 2008 8:51:25 AM CDT
(Newser) – Terrorism may be the one issue on which John McCain out-polls his presidential rival, Jonathan Chait writes in the New Republic, yet he has faltered by slamming Obama's call to prosecute terrorists. None other than 9/11 hawk Rudy Giuliani wanted prosecutions too—and other options, like guns and bombs, don't always work. Would anyone want an anti-terror air strike in downtown New York?
"McCain actually had a perfectly credible line of foreign-policy attack against Obama," Chait writes, "that Iraq is improving and could be imperiled by a pullout," an argument that's "looking steadily stronger." His latest argument "suggests his campaign thinks winning on Iraq wouldn't be enough. It's as if, by invoking 9/11, he can summon the return of the mentality that prevailed in the years after the attack."
Source New Republic
1 hour, 50 minutes ago Barack Obama continues to rise in the polls just as John McCain falls, with the latest numbers giving the Democrat a 10-point lead over his opponent, reports the Washington Post. Voters also gave Obama a clear lead on taxes and leadership for the first time in the election. McCain, meanwhile, is seen as too focused on attacking Obama, and is losing support even among his base. More »
2 hours, 39 minutes ago John McCain plans to "whip" Barack Obama's "you know what" in Wednesday's debate, the Republican told Virginia supporters during a pep talk. But he quickly reminded the swing state volunteers to “conduct a respectful race,” and emphasized that despite "stark differences," he respects his opponent. The Republican campaign has been criticized as too inflammatory in its final weeks, reports MSNBC. More »
Oct 12, 08 1:04 PM CDT The Sunshine State is looking cloudy for John McCain, whose risky moves could cost him Florida, just as Rudy Giuliani's posturing sank him in the primary, novelist Carl Hiaasen writes for the Miami Herald. Polls show McCain forfeiting his lead, and his running mate isn't helping. Sarah Palin, Hiaasen snipes, "calls herself a pit bull but she's really just a pit poodle." More »
Oct 12, 08 12:42 PM CDT Beware, trick or treaters: John McCain and Barack Obama may be hiding behind that bandanna and eyepatch. Asked about their favorite childhood Halloween costumes in separate interviews for Nickelodeon, both candidates answered "pirate," the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Obama called his getup "the best costume of all time." McCain joked that he'd like to "put my costume on and take my sword out" and get some fellow Senators back in line. More »
Oct 12, 08 11:45 AM CDT Barack Obama has widened his lead to 6 points in a four-day Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby tracking poll, taking 49% to John McCain’s 43% among likely voters, Reuters reports. As economic woes weigh on voters’ minds, Obama is leading by 21 points among independent voters, the poll found. The Illinois senator also tops McCain among women by 12 points, while the candidates are tied at 45% among men. More »
Barack Obama • John McCain • terrorism • Rudy Giuliani • 9/11 attacks
