Obama is so confident of victory that he’s already selected the color of the new drapes and upholstery in the Oval Office, and his chief retainers are busy fighting over the best offices in the West Wing. As the New York Times reports: “(Leon) Podesta (head of Obama’s transition team)… has already written a draft Inaugural Address for Mr. Obama.”
Washington Wire describes McCain’s response:
John McCain slammed Barack Obama Saturday for being overconfident about his lead in the polls and predicted election night would feature a Dewey-Truman scenario.
“What America needs now is someone who will finish the race before starting the victory lap,†McCain said to the crowd of several thousand at a rally here. “Someone who will fight to the end, not for himself but for his country.â€
In remarks dripping with sarcasm and disdain, the Republican presidential candidate said brought up a story from the New York Times that said former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta has already penned a copy of Obama’s inaugural address.
“I’m not making it up,†McCain said. “An awful lot of voters are still undecided but he’s decided for them that well, why wait, it’s time to move forward with his first inaugural address.â€
Obama spokesman Bill Burton quickly refuted the attack. “While this charge is completely false and there is no draft of an inaugural address for Senator Obama, the last thing we need is a candidate like John McCain who just plans on re-reading George Bush’s,†he said.
But McCain had more zingers, fresh off the presses—with his own kind of startling confidence: “When I pull this thing off, I have a request for my opponent, I want him to save that manuscript of his inaugural address and donate it to the Smithsonian so they can put it right next to the Chicago paper that says ‘ Dewey defeats Truman’!â€
The reference was to the 1948 presidential race, where Thomas Dewey ran against Harry Truman. The Chicago Daily Tribune–now known as the Chicago Tribune–ran a banner headline proclaiming Dewey’s victory. Several hundred copies were printed before the mistake was realized.
But McCain didn’t stop there. “There’s 10 days left in this election, maybe Barack Obama will even have his first state of the union address ready before you head to the polls,†McCain quipped. “You know, but I guess I’m a little old fashioned about these things. I’d prefer to let the voters weigh in before presuming the outcome.â€
Dai Alanye
If John had run a wiser campaign he wouldn’t have to depend on snide comments useful only for inciting his supporters. because you know the media will laugh off these gibes.
Just think if he had opposed The Bailout, and introduced Sarah Palin more wisely. Despite the so-called economic meltdown, he’d be in a much closer race.
Even now he could do himself some good if he chose his targets better. In his place I’d be charging the Dems with showing their hands prematurely, as evidenced by Pelosi’s and Frank’s statements glorying increased spending, not even being waiting for January 20th.
I’d tie them to the immediate cause of the meltdown–Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–and to the association of Obama with Raines and Johnson, among others–throwing in Schumer, Waters, Dodd and Murtha.
I’d point out that turning the Senate, House and Presidency over to the Dems would be like giving your teenaged son a car with three accelerators and no brake pedal. And I’d finish by saying, “If you can’t bring yourself to vote for me, folks, at least vote for Republican Congressmen. Don’t turn the entire nation over to the tax and spend party.”
But then, I was for Fred Thompson in the first place, and he didn’t seem to want the job enough.
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