Tracy Press

With smear campaigns well under way, the Press wipes off some of the mud thrown by Democrats at Sen. John McCain.

It’s not even Valentine’s Day and the Democratic National Committee has cranked up its smear machine against Sen. John McCain, the frontrunning Republican presidential candidate for the Nov. 4 election.

The DNC has hurled the political mud, hoping it sticks before the GOP operatives attempt the same distortion of the Democratic nominee.

The DNC sent out a mass e-mail to its contributors a week ago, the day after McCain emerged as the Republican frontrunner in the Super Tuesday primaries. The three-part message was that Sen. McCain "looked the other way" rather than investigate corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff, he lacks training in economics and he favors an "endless war" in Iraq.

All three statements by the Democratic smear machine are misleading, explains FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan Web site.

First, investigations by McCain led to a prison term for Abramoff and the political downfall of ex-House Speaker Tom DeLay and congressmen in DeLay’s inner circle such as Richard Pombo of Tracy and Bob Ney of Ohio.

Second, McCain admits he needs a course in economics, but the other three remaining presidential candidates don’t have doctorates in this important subject, either.

Finally, from a Jan. 3 town hall meeting in Derry, N.H., the DNC took a snippet of McCain’s reply to a question about President Bush’s willingness to leave troops in Iraq for 50 years. McCain said, "Make it 100 … That would be fine with me …" However, the DNC e-mail doesn’t add the rest of McCain’s comment, "… as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. It’s fine with me and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintained a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting and equipping and motivating people every day."

Strategically, McCain likened the U.S. presence in Iraq with the American troops in Japan since World War II and in South Korea for more than 50 years.

Unfortunately, the Democrats’ mud has stuck. Monday, a music video spoof was launched on YouTube with McCain’s words, "maybe 100." That’s followed by a short clip of his appearance on the Jan. 6 CBS "Face the Nation" and that distortion of more of his words, "I don’t think Americans are concerned if we’re there for 100 years or 1,000 years or 10,000 years." Of course, that wasn’t McCain’s complete answer: "We got to get Americans off the front line, have the Iraqis as part of this strategy take over more and more of the responsibilities and then I don’t think Americans are concerned if we’re there for 100 years or 1,000 years or 10,000 years. What they care about is the sacrifice of our most precious treasure, and that’s American blood. So what I’m saying is, look, if Americans are there in a support role but they’re not taking casualties, that’s fine."

The john.he.is YouTube smear had 189,364 hits in its first 12 hours on the Web.

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written by Patriot , February 13, 2008

What smear campaign? Isn't TP paying attention to what McCain has been saying? He wants American troops in Iraq until total victory. What does that mean? It simply means, it could take years before American troops come home. Meantime, the real terrorists are making it harder to fight in Afghanistan. If, the fact is now defined as a smear campaign, then what would you call the total lie (Swift Boat) like the one Republicans pulled out against Kerry in 2004 election. I don't remember TP crying foul then. It's obvious that TP publisher and Editor Matthews is just another partition politicians camouflaged in a Journalistic flag.

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written by Watchdog , February 13, 2008

McCain and all Republican candidates ran on pro-Iraq war Platform. None of the candidates ever distanced themselves from current President, who got us into this mess. Now, McCain is about to get nomination and needs the main stream Americans, who despise this President and despise the war, to win the general election. That's why he is hoping to reposition himself from his earlier stands on Iraq war. However, his candidacy was and is about Iraq war; therefore, no amount of spin by TP or Republican media machine is going to change that.

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written by Mark Davis , February 13, 2008

I'm just glad Romney is out. The level of anger and antagonism to the thought process he demonstrated in his withdrawal speech was just stunning.

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written by amy , February 13, 2008

How much deeper in debt must we get into under McGain's plan for continuance of the war?

Are there any drafts drawn up by the Bush administration to be later signed by new president? Like the first Bush administration drafted the NAFTA and others for Clinton to sign. Did Clinton really read the draft or was be briefed by those who read it?

Choices for President is poor, will have to go with a prayer and vote for the least corrupt of them yet have the most understanding of the world affair and our economy... actions speaks louder than words. Lots of people out of work, can we hear them?

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written by McCain Since Day1 , February 13, 2008

The Middle East has been a major investment of American lives and billions of dollars throughout the generations. To leave such an investment would be very foolish! Democrats even acknoweldge to keep a "base" around to assist troops and training-they just want to "spin" McCain. Fact is, as a moderate, McCain and the Democrats probably will make much compromise. Turns out Obama is so extreme in his unrealistic views and ideas, that he will have a hard time meeting any of his stated goals. I prefer the straight talk and the truth being given to the American people so we can know what we are up against and offer dialogue.

Watchdog: noone likes war. Noone likes to use a Police Force to combat criminals and murders either: but face it, enemies want to kill you. Sometimes Police and firemen die. Should we lay our arms down and let them have us, or do we be proactive and eliminate the criminal activity. Or is terror and killing of the unarmed not considered criminal, or morally defensible to you?

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written by mr bananas , February 13, 2008

The only way that McCain can get elected is if he makes Ron Paul Vice President. Paul will get votes from those who do not support the war. That could be as many as 30 % of the votes that the democrats will get from the young voters who may oppose the war. Otherwise the Republicans will be defeated.

m. b

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written by Futurist , February 14, 2008

read today's Washington Post about how much money Obama was paid off in the Senate--for wasted projects. We simply can't afford to spend, spend, spend when at war and Obama claims to want to spend on ALL THESE HUGE projects, such as increasing foreign aid to "buy" friends (Read Obama in Foreign Affairs). Obama has been ranked the most liberal senator by National Journal. He offers empty rhetoric, sand lacks in specifics.

Yet, the public loves sound-bytes and "Wants to Believe". Like Pied-Pipers following the sweet oratory sounds of an Anti-Christ. Wasn't that what we were warned would appear during this world war against christianity and judism? Are you going to place our country in the hands of an inexperienced freshmen! wow! What have we come too! I just hope he's NOT a terror cell!

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written by honest abe , February 15, 2008

Futurist PERSON: I think Jack Eddy and the Tracy press are more involved in a terror cells then Barack Obama or any other candidate, running for office. Lets not only blame democrats, many republicans feel the same way about Mc Cain.


abe