Gaffe Alert!

McCain doesn't need enemies. He has friends.

By Howard Fineman | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jul 10, 2008 | Updated: 6:20  p.m. ET Jul 10, 2008

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  • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 07/23/2008 1:16:35 PM

    Comment: Complaaaaaaaain....Whiiiiiiiiiine....Americans Suck First and that's something to whine about!!!!!
    Complain! Whine, and a Democrate promises he or she can fix it IF we just put hem in office! We have complained. We have whined. And isn't it funny... the Democrats have Americans Suck First as their banner!
    Why on earth would they really fix anything? It's not in their interest if they can get the Whiners votes for promising things?
    Whiiiiiiine....Complaaaain... more Americans are getting wise to the scam at an accelerated rate! Giving whiners more to whine about. And the DNC won't fix any problems... only promise too!
    McCains friend is right!
    When whineing don't work you can get ANGRY, but who is worried about the anger of whiners?
    Obamas campaign is in trouble.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 08/17/2008 4:34:24 AM

      Comment: It is not an American Sucks first campaign, it is a republican sucks period campaign. Either you are too blind or too indoctrinated on the right-wing propaganda to see that our country is in trouble and It is the republicans who caused it by becoming the party for coperate America.

  • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 07/23/2008 1:16:26 PM

    Comment: Complaaaaaaaain....Whiiiiiiiiiine....Americans Suck First and that's something to whine about!!!!!
    Complain! Whine, and a Democrate promises he or she can fix it IF we just put hem in office! We have complained. We have whined. And isn't it funny... the Democrats have Americans Suck First as their banner!
    Why on earth would they really fix anything? It's not in their interest if they can get the Whiners votes for promising things?
    Whiiiiiiine....Complaaaain... more Americans are getting wise to the scam at an accelerated rate! Giving whiners more to whine about. And the DNC won't fix any problems... only promise too!
    McCains friend is right!
    When whineing don't work you can get ANGRY, but who is worried about the anger of whiners?
    Obamas campaign is in trouble.

  • Posted By: Territc @ 07/22/2008 10:56:59 AM

    Comment: Hello!!! Are we reading the same article? This article is about Gramm and his loose mouth and the Republicans. Wait, you must be one of those idiots who just post the same comment on every article without actually reading the article. Makes you as dumb and uninformed as your candidate.

  • Posted By: LKNRaging @ 07/20/2008 2:18:59 AM

    Comment: The nation's whiner component is only part of Gramm's arrogance. I imagine just as many people were offended by his imperious "mental recession" swipe, especially when Gramm clearly isn't missing any meals. And on the subject of 'whining,' scurrying through the back door under cover of darkness on a Friday night while frantically pointing your fingers at others is -- by any measure -- textbook kvetching. You hyprocrite. This isn't a "distraction"; it's accountability.

    • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/20/2008 7:35:44 AM

      Comment: LKNRaging.....Politics is nothing more than a "blame game" anymore, especially on the Democrat side. The "chicken little approach" to governing has become "The Norm" for Pelosi and Reid. If you intellectually
      discern what has occured in politics over the last 20 years or so....The Dems ALWAYS are gonna "Make things better"....BECAUSE....."Things are SO BAD". We are GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING is the montra. I've never seen a political party that "EXISTED" so completely on "DOOM & GLOOM" as their flag ??? Yet....it is NOT one political party, but ALL OF THEM that have NO CONCEPT what makes America work or what will benefit "WE THE PEOPLE". Politics, to put it bluntly...."SUCKS"....but, yet....so many of you view the Federal Gov't as the "SALVATION OF MANKIND" because of the "Evil Republicans" and especially, that ogre, satanic George W Bush....??? My God ya'll.....We've GOT TO GET PAST THIS INSANITY and the utter and complete expectations that Barrack Obama or John McCain is gonna SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS....
      It's the government and HOW IT OPERATES that's broken. It needs complete OVERHAULING and we must begin bringing ACCOUNTABILITY BACK TO GOVERNMENT. Lest you forget.....IT'S OUR MONEY !!!!!
      The politicians have NO CONCEPT of that any more. This November is COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY
      FRIGHTENING at the choices we are being offered. My Lord....HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT ????

      Povertyhillian
      South Carolina U.S.A.

  • Posted By: gmgallagher47 @ 07/18/2008 10:24:57 AM

    Comment: McCain, is just trying to elected by any means.

    Obama is strategically planning to be the next President of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and pull us back from the brink of disaster!

    Just like he out maneuvered Billary, he will do the same to Bush/Cheney/McCain.

    If you look at the electoral map, Obama is already over 300 electoral votes.

    Billary and the Bushies are the past...... It is time to turn the page.

    God bless America...... Soon we will be free of this terrible neocon nightmare!

    George Gallagher

    • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/19/2008 8:14:21 AM

      Comment: Gallagher......The "Brink of Disaster" looms LARGE with BOTH parties. Never in my lifetime, have I seen 2 more UNQUALIFIED candidates. Obama represents EVERYTHING BAD for the future of our nation. McCain represents STATUS QUO POLITICS.....coupled with appeasement after appeasement. I cannot imagine that socialism and Federal Govt CONTROL of our lives would appeal to....ANYONE?? How possibly could it ??? The foundation of this great nation was NOT FORMED by our government. The government was formed to support and defend its people.....NOT to tell us HOW TO LIVE. Neither candidate represents ANY OF THAT any longer. Do you, Gallagher, think.....that we can TAX OUR PEOPLE
      into prosperity ??? Do you think we can REGULATE AND TAX BUSINESS into prosperity ??? Do you actually SEE the federal government handling ANYTHING efficiently and productively without adding more control and beauracracy to ALL OUR LIVES ??? My Lord Man.......voting for MORE TAXES on us and on
      business and investment.....would be like a CHICKEN VOTING FOR COL. SANDERS ??? We'd better
      WISE UP....and bring "We The People" back into the forefront of things !!!!!!

  • Posted By: sergio milan @ 07/15/2008 11:13:32 AM

    Comment: who he thinks is kidding MC CAIN ? WE KNOW HIM BETER THEN HE KNOW HIMSELF.
    A POLITICIAN , WHO DON'T KNOW THE COMPUTER ? , IN THIS ERA ? HE IS AN ANTIC,
    HE DON'T HAVE AN IDEA HOW MUCH STUFF IS IN THE INTERNET AGAINST HIM, HIS NEW NAME NOW IS, MC BUSH, HE BECOME BUSH,ANY TIME HE WANT ,LIKE MR JECKEL ,AND MR HIDE,THIS SENILE OLD MAN , HE IS CAPUT, , WHY HE DON'T RETIRE ? HE IS A MULTIMILLIONAIRE, MARRIED TO BUDWAISER BEER HEIRES, AND HE HAVE A NERVE TO TELL US THOSE WHO LIVE,AND DEPEND ON SOCIAL SECURITY , HE COME TO TELL US, IS A DISGRACE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE MUST PAY SOCIAL SECURITY , TO SUPPORT THE OLD RETIRED PEOPLE,, HE WANT TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM US, , AND ALSO HATE MEDICARE,IN ALL HIS LIKE HE NEVER PAY FOR ANYTHING, NO DOCTORS, NO FOR MEDICINE, NO FOR FOOD RENT , WHAR EVER, BECAUSE HE WAS IN THE HAND OF THE
    TAXPAYER , WE PAY THE BILL FOR HIM.AND HE HAVE A NERVE TO TELL US IS A DISGRACE TO BE IN SOCIAL SECURITY ? I WORKED 50 YEARS PAYING SOCIAL SECURITY, AND I'M GLAD I DID ,NOW IS MY TIME TO COLLECT WHAT I PLANTED, SO WILL BE THE SAME TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING NOW, THEY TIME WILL COME,AND THEY DON'T COMPLAINT, MC CAIN COMPLAINT, AND DO YOU KNOW,
    RIGHT NOW, MC CAIN ,IS COLLECTING $ 23,900,A YEAR SOCIAL SECURITY? WHAT A HYPOCRAT, WHY HE DON'T TURN IT DOWN, AND SAY, I HATE SOCIAL SECURITY, AS YOU SEE,IS AN IDIOT, DON'T KNOW WHATHE SAYING, TOMORROW HE WILL FORGET ,AND WILL SAY, OH ,NO .I NEVER SAID THAT,? SO HEIS A LIAR, OR STUPID ,OR WORSE, SENILE, AND THIS OLD GRAMPA WANT TO BE OUR PRESIDENT ? IF HE BECOME PRESIDENT. DON'T BLAME HIM, HE IS AN IDIOT WHO GET THERE BECAUSE WE VOTED FORE HIM , SOOOO, WE ARE THE IDIOT, AND MORONS, WE NEVER LEARN,WE DID IT WITH BUSH AND TWICE, NOT ME, I NEVER VOTE REPUBLICANS,
    I KNOW THEM WELL, THEY ARE MY ENEMIES, I'M A WORKING PERSON, AND REPUBLICANS HATE US, BUT IN ELECTION DAY THEY USING US FOR OUR VOTE,THEY PROMISE US THE MOON, CAN'T BE TRUSTED, I VOTE ONLY FOR DEMOCRATS .
    REMEMBER THE RICH ARE THE PREVILAGE CLASS, AND WE ARE THEIR PEASANTS..
    GOD PROTECT AMERICA. IF MC BUSH GET ITHE WHITE HOUSE. 100,YEAR MORE WARS
    GET RID OF SOCIAL SECURITY, BY PLAYING THE STOCK MARKETWITH OUR MONEY,
    GOD PLEASE DON'T LET IT HAPPEN, NO MORE BUSHES PLEASEEEEEE.

  • Posted By: auntidi @ 07/13/2008 4:07:26 AM

    Comment: I would like to answer Lorwic. @ 07 - You may have all that stuff. But I don't. I do not have my health or healthcare. I work at the SUper 8 and get 6.25 an hour. I'm a mom, my kids are health. We had to move in with the parents to help THEM keep their house. He owned his own business about a year ago, and sold his shares to his partners who were making it more and more difficult. So he's 61 and looking for any work he can find. A brilliant, busy savy guy with more experience and intelligence than you can shake a stick at and he can't find a job. My husband works full time as a maintenance worker at the Sports Dome in our university. He is clearing maybe 11 bucks an hour. I have a BS degree in Theater and History Secondary Education. No Child Left Behind made it impossible for me to find a position in either field. No one was hiring Theater Teachers. I found a good position as an administrative assistant in a large city, while simulataneously spending every bit of vacation time I had, so I could do temporary teaching positions. Still I couldn't find a job in my field. High School Students just aren't getting the benefits of Theater and History I guess. I didn't even just look where I was...but in every state in the Union. When we had to relocate in order to take care of our aging relatives, I didn't whine. I looked on it as an opportunity to grow. But I can tell you that there are five adults in this house, and two children under the age of nine, are barely getting by. In order for my kids to have extra stuff like, toys and summer day trips, I and the girls do a paper route. It pays 28 dollars a month. we are barely getting by. We are one paycheck away from foreclosure. When I personally have 11 thousand dollars in medical debt, and 18K in student loans, and five adults struggle to meet one mortage...and the gas tanks are all just floating above E. And everyone is looking at eachother saying, WE ARE HURTING! I don't care if you call this a Recession, I don't care if you call this a Depression, I don't care what #*(#sion its called. This is real pain.

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/13/2008 4:59:34 PM

      Comment: auntidi, life for you and many other Americans, is very difficult right now. I'm sorry. I hope and pray everything will improve for your family and many, many others.

  • Posted By: loriw @ 07/12/2008 10:43:06 PM

    Comment: I'll bring this thread up here to continue. I hear so many Americans here on these blogs whining about
    STUFF. THINGS. MATERIAL STUFF and THINGS. Do you have your health? Do you live in a reasonably safe neighborhood? Is your family reasonably healthy? Are you healthy? Are you able to practice your chosen faith as you wish without prosecution? Do you have adequate food in your pantry or fridge? Do you have a job? Are your kids able to go to schools to learn? the list could go on but the point is America is very rich in the things above THAT MATTER MOST! Get over the material stuff!
    The media loves to tell us all how awful our lives are. The news is full of doom and gloom. Advertisers tell us we can't possibly be happy with out the material STUFF every 10-15 minutes on television and radio. Over indulged children whine that they don't have all the material STUFF that all their friends have...maybe they need new friends not more STUFF. People in other countries in this world manage to be quite happy without STUFF....why is it so impossible for so many Americans?

    • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/13/2008 4:56:56 PM

      Comment: lori, check out auntidi's comments and then you be the jugde. The people of our country are definately hurting!

      • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 07/14/2008 6:09:52 PM

        Comment: We have a news media AND one political party trying hard to convince every voter that we are living in The Great Depression now...when it is not the case! If you live here and think it's tough, envision your SAME situation in India, or the Phillipeans!
        This is all about trying to convince everyone to convince others that Amricans Suck First!
        If you are in this country illegally, immagine trying to live in another country, like Japan or cuba, illegaly. THAT would be tough. That would be hurting!
        This Country is a far cry from the Fabulouse Baren Hellhole the Democrats are trying to depict! And that party is least qualified to improve it if it were true!
        This is still the Country most of the worlds people want to come to for the oppertunity it provides those willing to work hard! Never forget the people trying to create the image of doom as profesional journalists are very well off, themselves and know it! they have thier motives and informing is not The One.

        • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/20/2008 7:44:18 AM

          Comment: Happy American......THANK YOU for some adequately and appropriately POINTING OUT the (very obvious) weakness of the Democrat Party. A party, that tries to "DEFINE ITSELF" as the "Party of the poor, of minorites, of the working class, of the midde-class" , etc, etc. I you simply "think about it".....you will rarely hear ANYTHING POSITIVE coming from the mouth of a Democrat politician. It's all about "the sky is always falling" policies and the politics of "US VS THEM" mentality. It's truly....PATHETIC AND SAD....that this MUST BE their montra, their banner....in order to GET ELECTED. Think about it....."The worst economy in 50 years".....got Bill in there !!! The "world is ending" philosophy being implemented currently is ALL THEY'VE GOT to work with. Were it not for the last 2 pathetic candidates they put forth in Gore and Kerry.....
          it might have worked then, too. Now....it's Obama's turn to be "The Messiah" and to SAVE US FROM OURSELVES. After all.....we CANNOT POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR US !!!!! Can we ??? Elect the Dems......THEY WILL PROVE IT TO COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY.....TRUE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • Posted By: yupik1 @ 07/19/2008 5:44:08 AM

          Comment: So we, the middle-class, should just sit back and let the rich people continue to fu(k the middle-class workers up the @ss. The middle class is the TRUE engine of the American economy and the elitist few who rarely work an 8-hour day make millions with their bonuses, and kickbacks, and separation payments. Of course the little guys are whining after 8 years of being raped up the butt by the Repugs...It's payback time!

          • Posted By: thehappyamerican @ 07/21/2008 10:25:25 PM

            Comment: It's not payback time...because the Democrats who promise to FIX everything (so got no reason to if it nets them votes) are too inept to help. Even if they wanted to, because the Congress they lead is so inept! The public approval has been in single digits.
            Now you are supposed to hate--STRONGLY HATE__ the Republicans and Conservitives, and thats very, very good! You really swallowed the Americans Suck First campaign of the DNC... which is the very campaign which brought the DNC approval down so far! And the Democrats can't put that campaign down! Not even to try to create conditions for an Obama victory.
            They can't put it down! Their Americans suck First agenda is a product of lies of dicrimination campaigns---5 major Discrimination campaigns!. They've ran them for years.
            The problem with lies in politics is they are like a tiger. You can ride the tiger a long way! But when you step off you get eaten! The Democrats don't want to get eaten!! So they can't now abandon their hate campaigns.
            Have you ever heard of a discrimination campaign against goods people that did NOT include lies?
            The low approval the DN-led Congress has EARNED is what the american people think of Discrimination Campaigns.
            They suck!
            But ,I like you! Because you are a fellow American! And with great people like you around me everywhere NOBODY from Washington will EVER convince me Americans Suck First! I am happy to be an American!
            Join us!

            • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/23/2008 4:11:00 AM

              Comment: AMEN, Brother !!!!!! You ARE....a GREAT AMERICAN !!!!
              This "America Sucks" position the Democrats employ EVERY ELECTION is incredible and
              speaks volumes of their integrity and character which simply...DOESN'T EXIST.
              I, for one......JOIN YOU, sir !!!!!! GREAT COMMENTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

              Povertyhillian
              South Carolina U.S.A.
              "PROUD" to be...."AN AMERICAN" !!!!!!!!!!!

          • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/19/2008 10:07:21 PM

            Comment: yupiki.....Who said ANYTHING about "rich people"....anything ?? Besides not being able to express yourself without fulgarity.....do you even know what is being discussed here ?? Apparently not. So...."It's payback time" ??? Payback for what ?? For Whom ?? Do we simply become a Socialist country, put ALL OUR FAITH in liberal tax and spend Democrats (or Republicans, too, for that matter) and the middle class FLOURISHES ??? MORE GOVERNMENT in our lives and MORE TAXES and REGULATIONS/RULES for everyone......IS THIS YOUR ANSWER TO PROSPERITY ?? If so.....and apparently there's MORE OF YOU
            around who haven't a clue.....then, this nation is DOOMED. Oh yeah.....you'll get you "PAYBACK" allright.
            Hope you enjoy it.....

            Povertyhillian
            South Carolina U.S.A.

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/13/2008 10:18:41 AM

      Comment: .......................IN OTHER WORDS............................AFTER GIVING GOVERNMENT A MULTI - TRILLION DOLLAR BUDGET TO PLAY WITH EVERY YEAR............................YOU ARE BACKING THEIR USING IT LIKE A DRUNK SAILOR ON SHORE LEAVE.........................AND THEREFORE...................YOU ARE DRWN TO THE ALLURE OF AN OLD BOY WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS HOW TO TAKE OUR TAX MONEY AND ONLY CHASTIZE US.....................IN THE SAME SENTENCE THAT HE IS SAYING HE WANTS MORE!

      ...................AS IN GOOD OLD JOHNNY MCAIN.......................THE BUSH CLONE!

  • Posted By: dsgents @ 07/12/2008 8:27:25 PM

    Comment: As Mr. Howard Fineman has so eloquently written, McCain doesn't need enemies. He has freinds. It is so true that McCain doesn't seem to have a clue about which way to go on so many issues. Neithe do the Republicans. But then what do we make of the peoples party, the Democrats. Ms. Pelosi has had a majority for 2 years now and has accomplished exactly nothing. So forcused on her anti war issues that she didn't notice that the "common man" can't afford to drive to work, she still has no answers for the energy mess other than we need alternative fuels and need to reduce global warming. How do the Democrats tell the middle class that we shouldn't use our own resources to help drive down the cost of gasoline because it will take years before that oil can become gasoline but they don't say in the same sentance that we don't have an alternative to petro based fuels today, tomorrow or for the next few years. So what is the working class man to do in the near future for his transportation needs? Are the Dems so naive to think that all electric cars that you plug in have to get their charge from a powerplant? Where will that energy come from?
    Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have really addressed this in a sane way and both are too partisan to solve the problelms. Neither Obama nor McCain will really give us an intelligent energy plan to help us today and in the future.
    All of you partisans keep drinking the Kool Aid served your favorite party,keep paying taxes that are wasted by both parties and will be increased by Obama (and who know what McCain will do) and nothing will change after we elect the next president.

  • Posted By: Nins @ 07/12/2008 6:37:12 PM

    Comment: Know why McCain wants to distance himself from former Senator Phil Gramm? It's not because of Gramm's obnoxious remarks calling Americans "a nation of whiners" who are in "a mental recession." Those remarks were so ascerbic that they may've been made just to give McCain an excuse to distance himself from Gramm. This issue is a lot deeper than it looks on the surface.

    When Gramm was a Senator he was Chairman of the Banking Committee. He pushed through the legislation known as the "Enron Loophole." This loophole allowed US investment banks to bypass Federal regulations governing futures trading, and is the reason why investment banks were able to falsely inflate the prices of oil, wheat, corn and other commodities through massive futures trading, causing your costs of gas, heating oil and food to go through the roof.

    Gramm also created the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act, which got rid of the laws that seperate banking, insurance and brokerage activities in America. The Gramm Act was touted as a new way to protect consumer privacy, but the real meat on the Act's bones was banking deregulation. Essentially, this Act did away with laws written after the Great Depression to protect us from another Wall Street/Banking Industry collapse. That's right, Gramm stripped the system of it's safe guards nine years ago, and guess what? The value of the dollar has nose-dived, four major economic institutions have failed, Wall Street is unstable, and we are in a worsening recession.

    Notably, the US investment banks that gained the most from the Enron Loophole and from the Gramm Act contributed more than a million dollars to Gramm's campaign.

    Currently Gramm is Vice Chairman of UBS, the Swiss Bank that came up with the idea of "death bonds." Worse, though, UBS is involved in a scam where they sold auction rate securities to American customers. Auction rate securities are supposed to be as safe as cash, but the way UBS did it, the fees garnished by their in-house investment bankers were intentionally higher than the return on the securities, ripping off their American customers. The Massachusetts Attorney General has already filed charges against UBS, and private brokers world-wide have dropped UBS stock. UBS is forecasted to lose 82.91% of it's value in 2008. We are talking about the corporate bank where Gramm is Vice Chairman. Looking at his track record there and at the havoc he has wrought on the US economy through the Senate Banking Committee, it's clear that either Gramm is a criminal or grossly incompetent.

    Now McCain wants nothing to do with Gramm, wants us to forget Gramm has been a key player on McCain's team. Gramm was McCain's campaign CO-CHAIR and LEADING ECONOMIC ADVISOR. Previously, McCain had said that he planned to appoint Gramm as SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

    With Gramm as McCain's leading economic advisor, now you know why economists and analysts say that McCain's economic policy plans are untenable.

  • Posted By: WOULD THAT IT WERE @ 07/12/2008 5:29:42 PM

    Comment: Economic cycles, by and large, come and go irrespective of the part affiliation of the President in office at the time. All us reasonable people know that factors beyond the control of politics precipitate these cycles. It is human nature to complain when things go poorly. We can't change human nature and we can't change the economy by voting in another figurehead. Whomever it be. Example: Clinton presided over a fairly good economic cycle. Was it him or his largely Republican Congress to get the credit. Neither! Presidents get too much credit when things go well and too much blame when things go bad. Just like the managers in baseball! The ranting and raving on blog pages from radicals both right and left will change nothing except in some cases make you feel a little better to get it off your chest.
    If you just have to have something to direct your anger at (and I know this won't be near as satisfying) then direct it toward the evolution of communications and transportation in the last 70 or so years. That is what made possible the globalization of the marketplace and the subsequent loss of affluence of the American way of life. The fat and lazy attitude that always follows a prosperous empire added to the effect as we drifted into the decadence of a "recreation and free time" entitlement lifestyle that other nations have never had. Now that we have been awakened from our utopian slumber, we do what most would do. We whine.! But no need to despair. We are just doing what is normal. This too shall pass. We can either get on board and get back to work. Stop demanding 6 weeks paid vacation and 25 dollars and hour, or we can stand by as we go down the tubes and watch 3rd world nations eat our lunch. Decide now!!!!

  • Posted By: lillea @ 07/12/2008 5:28:45 PM

    Comment: I would be willing to bet that the gas prices will drop drastically when the Democrats need families from all over America to travel to Denver to fill the Bronco stadium. Just watch and see. When those prices drop, we will then be aware of who it was exactly who was causing all the financial pain and suffering in America the last few months.........The Dems!!!!!

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/13/2008 10:24:15 AM

      Comment: SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.....................WITH AN ALMOST SURE DEM TO TAKE THE OVAL OFFICE.....................AND THE CONTINUAL "WAR" BETWEEN THE PARTIES..............................ANY GOOD DONE BY THE CONGRESS DURING THE BUSH LAST DAYS IN OFFICE..................WOULD AT LEAST BE GIVEN SOME CREDIT TO BUSH..................................GUESS WHY NOTHING IS GETTING DONE?

      I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE INITIAL DAYS OF OBAMA'S FIRST TERM WILL INCLUDE AT LEAST THE REPEAL OF THE "ENRON LOOPHOLE" THERE BY MAKING THE DEMS EFFORTS PAY........................ONLY THEM!

    • Posted By: elizabethpaige @ 07/12/2008 5:40:56 PM

      Comment: Go ahead and bet your money - more nonsense..

      • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/16/2008 10:46:46 AM

        Comment: ....................LET ME GUESS............................YOU HAD YOUR HORSE(BUTT) (HILLARY) TO WIN.....................BUT THE OLD NAG CAME IN ...................DEAD LAST?..................LOL!

  • Posted By: WOULD THAT IT WERE @ 07/12/2008 5:01:40 PM

    Comment: Oh boy, I can hardly wait for next year when Barry gets in. Everybody gets their home back and gas will be $1.50 a gallon. All the servicemen come home from all around the world (Korea, Germany etc.) and all the countries in the world will be our friends and pay all our loans back that we gave them over the years. The wars will be over in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even Osama and Obama can sit down and talk without any pre-condtions. All our good jobs will come back home and there will be a chicken in every pot and a SUV in every garage. We won't even need the United Nations anymore cause we're gonna "Teach the World to Sing" . I didn't know Barry could sing. He should audition for us at one of the Townhall Meetings. Not fair to hide your talent.! And all the time it only took one man to do this. Who knew?????

    • Posted By: lillea @ 07/12/2008 5:34:13 PM

      Comment: GOOD ONE!! Only, you forgot that the little blue birds will be singing and the butterflies will be gracefully flying by and the sun will slowly set and we will all live happily ever after.

      • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 12:47:37 PM

        Comment: BLUE BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES ONLY IN YOUR VACANT CRANIUM!

  • Posted By: fezz @ 07/12/2008 4:52:24 PM

    Comment: If we are a nation of whiners now, can we finally stop pretending to be a nation superior beings and trying to shove our way of life down the rest of the worlds throats?

  • Posted By: cheerios @ 07/12/2008 4:50:51 PM

    Comment: I guess if you're doing the whining it doesn't seem like whining. In the Time magazine poll ,by a 61% - 39% margin people agreed with the proposition that "America is a nation of whiners" so if Americans agree with the notion how is it the HUGE!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: lillea @ 07/12/2008 4:31:14 PM

    Comment: Gramm's gaffe won't hurt McCain as much as Hagel buddying up to Obama. Hagel wants into the White House so badly that he lied to the fine people of Nebraska to get elected. He disguised himself as a conservative Republican and has now spit in the face of those who voted to put him in office. He has based his postition on what benefits himself very much like Mr Obama. Maybe they are two peas in a pod after all.

  • Posted By: lillea @ 07/12/2008 4:13:10 PM

    Comment: The coverage on Gramm's gaffe is just the liberal meida's effort to draw our attention away from Jesse Jackson's gaffe. By the way, isn't it amazing that Obama always demands that individuals apologize when he feels offended but always has a "spokesperson" apologize for him. I would like to see Obama PERSONALLY apologize just once.

  • Posted By: Wired @ 07/12/2008 4:05:49 PM

    Comment: Oh I love it. Gramm calls America a nation of whiners, and said we are having a mental recession.

    McCain strongly denounces him and boots him from his campaign. Yet McCain supporters agree with Gramm and will still vote for McCain ?

    Nothing like having it booth ways.

  • Posted By: LuLuBelle @ 07/12/2008 3:12:32 PM

    Comment: Gramm is right and most people agree with him so that is not going to hurt McCain. The only people who will pounce on that are the die-hard Obama lovers.

    • Posted By: Nins @ 07/12/2008 6:42:01 PM

      Comment: Sorry, Lulu, Gramm is not right. You may WANT to believe him because you back McCain (an I can respect that), but if you would open your eyes to what Phil Gramm has done to America you would be horribly disappointed, and a lot less likely to believe what he says.

      I think that both Democrats and Republicans are to blame for the current financial mess. I am a Republican myself, therefore I feel justified in going after the GOP to take responsibility for their actions. I am beyond dissapointed that the Republican nominee is John McCain, and man who is "in bed" with Phil Gramm, the principal author of our financial woes. If McCain is elected, how can America expect to resolve this dire economic situation? Therefore, I am voting for Obama. I do not agree with everything Obama has to say, but I have read both candidates' economic platforms and Obama's is far superior.

      People get obsessed with the moral issues of religion, abortion rights, gay rights, etc. These are important issues and we definitely need to collectively address them. However, to make your Presidential choice based on these moral issues RIGHT NOW when our four of our BANKS ARE FAILING is idiotic. We have to face our economic problems head on, today. McCain, by aligning himself with Gramm, has shown that he is part of the problem, not a man with solutions.

    • Posted By: kle5507 @ 07/12/2008 3:42:23 PM

      Comment: Most people agree with Dr. Phil? Which country are you from sister? To be concern that Gas has risen by 300% since 2001 and food prices rising by 200% is whinning? So Reagan was whining when he railed against inflation in s1979? Dummy!

  • Posted By: ghostcommander @ 07/12/2008 1:58:06 PM

    Comment: Birds of the same feather flock together==Gramm and McCain are joined at the hip and neither will regret anything they have done to America. They have done nothing "FOR" America.

  • Posted By: DIESEL9960 @ 07/12/2008 12:55:43 PM

    Comment: yeah Obama the muslim. So many tears.

    • Posted By: kle5507 @ 07/12/2008 3:39:09 PM

      Comment: ignorance must be confronted because it is the greatest theat to a democracy. You are ignorant. Obama is a Christain, a United Methodist. Remember Rev. Wright? idiot!

  • Posted By: ayoss58 @ 07/12/2008 11:43:30 AM

    Comment: Largards, how will your stupid preoccupations with Obamas religion, name and past associations ever help you guys with paying the bills???.

  • Posted By: Bill45 @ 07/12/2008 9:09:39 AM

    Comment: So Howard, the reporter, presumes to lecture Gramm, the Ph.D in economics, about ... economics. All Gramm is guilty of is speaking the truth. That, of course, has no place in politics.
    <p>Any one who complains about the price of gas but who votes for the Dems and their drill nowhere notime energy policy is a .... whiner. That goes especially for the entire state of California. The reflexive Dem voters in that state think their car culture is fueled by pixie dust and the tears of Barbra Streisand and Nancy Pelosi.

  • Posted By: Concerned Canadian @ 07/12/2008 9:04:18 AM

    Comment: The only real gaffe is Americans being duped by this phoney , wannabe Christian dummy called Barack Hussein Obama...get the Ku'ran ready for the inaugural you suckers...a Muslim in the White House...looks like Jihad is working !!

    • Posted By: DIESEL9960 @ 07/12/2008 1:01:16 PM

      Comment: I didnt know they aired Hannity's America in canada.

    • Posted By: Colorado Centrist @ 07/12/2008 11:21:53 AM

      Comment: That's right, Obama is BOTH a Christian AND a Muslim. His wife Michelle will eat your children, and Obams may be the anti Chist as well. What a moron!

  • Posted By: Bill45 @ 07/12/2008 8:44:19 AM

    Comment: Baloney. Fineman's column about Gramm's remarks are just another east coast liberal's wishful thinking. More from the Obamamedia. Howard, you going to do a column on Obama's missing pork? Read the Chicago Sun-Times story from
    July,11.

  • Posted By: MauDib59 @ 07/12/2008 8:43:06 AM

    Comment: Example, in 1976 when I was working for $2/hr the minimum wage was $2.10 and gas was $0.78/gal -- 2.7 gallons per hour of work. The current minimum wage of $6.55 vs. $3.91/gal (bot yesterday) is 1.7 gal/hr worked. A reason to whine! - but wait, my 65 Dart that I drove to my dishwashing job only gave me 15 miles per gallon whereas today a Neon would give me 100% better mileage.

    The waste of oil in gas hogs has ended in a supply crunch -- imagine that -- just quit the whining about the price of gas when Congress Congress Congress gave special tax breaks to the Mega Vehicles (over 6000 lbs).

  • Posted By: Bill45 @ 07/12/2008 8:41:57 AM

    Comment: Baloney. This is just wishful thinking from from the east coast liberal Obamamedia.

  • Posted By: OBWan @ 07/12/2008 8:38:11 AM

    Comment: If you have a bank or company large enough you will get bailed out by the US Government (US taxpayer).

  • Posted By: MauDib59 @ 07/12/2008 8:05:52 AM

    Comment: The glaring facts supporting Gramm's statements are that unemployment over the past 15 years is and has been much lower than it was in the 70's or 80's - that is why this is a "mental" recession, media hype. Americans want low prices from foreign products with high salary jobs that do not involve too much work. (I had a job interviewee tell me this week that October is hunting season and he cannot work then).

    The pain felt by Americans is the exercise of global competition. The noise you hear comes from those falling behind, the winners are not whiners.

    Finally, Fineman makes the absurd statement that Jackson's crude, vicious, hateful, anti-Christian statement is Plato compared to Gramm??? The conservative view is that free enterprise makes the economic pie bigger while Jackson wants to muscle into a great big slice - for thousands of years that method is an ego trip for the leader. Obama is correct that those who want to obtain greater economic benefits have to make better personal choices-that is how he advanced to Harvard law. The individual benefits come from the contribution to the economic pie, but it is easier to ignore your own failings and whine.

    • Posted By: Wired @ 07/12/2008 3:53:15 PM

      Comment: Replacing high paying manufacturing jobs with low paying customer service jobs does not qualify as progress.

      If lose 100,000 manufacturing jobs that pay $65,000 a year,and replace them with 500,000 jobs that pay $10,000-$20,000 a year,thats not a good thing my friend.Look at the quality of jobs.

      • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 1:11:34 PM

        Comment: 200,000 MANUFACTURING JOBS PAYING $65,000.00?????

        OH...........................YOU MUST BE U.A.W. GUY!

        YOU MEAN, 200,000 JOBS THAT WERE SO RIDICULOUSLY OVER PAID THAT EVEN WHEN REALITY CAME TO THAT GRIMY CRAP INFESTED DETROIT AREA, THE IDIOTS WHO WERE.................."OK, DUH, DUH......I KNOW I HAVE TO PUT THIS PART SOMEWHERE, DUH"..........................THE BEVIS/BUTTHEAD EMPLOYEES OF THE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY GOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY DESERVED................BOOTED!................GET SOME EDUCATION AND FACE THE SAME THING THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T RELY ON NEPITSM DO.................EARN A FREAKIN LIVING................INSTEAD OF "..................MY DADDY PUT SHOCKS ON A FORD AND I PUT SHOCKS ON A FORD"

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 1:11:38 PM

      Comment: Well said and spot on.

  • Posted By: dogdrb @ 07/12/2008 5:37:23 AM

    Comment: the republicans have been steadily dismantling every safeguard against another great depression ever since ronald " the great prevericator" reagan, the most evil, lying, retarded, disaster in the history of this country. yet people still speak affectionately about the idiot. every nasty, divisive, distorted, deceiving,distracting, destructive, dishonest, brainwashing tactic you are complaining about now was started by this pathetic excuse for a leader. the jingoistic foreign policy, bankrupting the country to pay for an unnecessary arms race with a russia that was already in decline- then using this to say we cant afford health care or social security. i honestly believe god gave that clown alzheimers as a punishment, and i like to imagine him lying there, drooling on himself while he watched nancy doing the ranch hands . why do these jerks constantly try to reduce this country to a banana republic- only greed and a lust for power. but the saddest part is- life in a banana republic sucks. what made america great was spreading the wealth around. everybody could have a house and a car and an education. the cities were clean and nobody stole the toilet paper out of the gas station bathroom. go to manila, or tijuana, or haiti- theres phil grahams vision of our future. a dozen millionaires barricaded from the surrounding slums. true misery for rich and poor. if you gave these jerks a hypothetical choice between theyre getting a million a year and their workers getting 50 thousand, and getting half a million and 10 thousand, respectively, theyd go for the half. they can only enjoy their wealth if someone else is suffering. clinton saved us once, and his reward was a constant, unforgiveable, personal attack on himself, his family, and his friends- jailtime for anyone who didnt plea bargain a bogus federal indictment made out of republican witch hunt toilet paper. i think we may be too far gone this time. well if it gets bad enough, and this may give bush, rove, and their crew pause ( i think it already has which, as our forefathers warned us, is the real reason for the patriot act) theres always the french revolution, the russian revolution-- you get the idea- you may yet see some priviledged heads rolling down the street along rush and phils!!!

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 1:10:20 PM

      Comment: Amazing, just amazing, I predicted a couple of days ago on a post that the left-wing nutjobs would try and blame Ronald Reagan for today's faux recession.

      And right on cue, the above numb-nuts proves me correct!

      The brainwashed left is so predictable that it's just comical!

  • Posted By: DIESEL9960 @ 07/12/2008 5:22:06 AM

    Comment: "I don't see why these remarks should hurt John McCain - he didn't say them."

    Hmm. . . .somehow I dont believe you thought the same about the Wright issue. But that's different right????

  • Posted By: DIESEL9960 @ 07/12/2008 5:18:59 AM

    Comment: 3 percent is the newest overall poll . . .pretty meaningless. Obama is starting to crush mccain in all of the battleground states. When North Carolina turns blue, it will all be over. He might not even need virginia.

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 1:15:57 PM

      Comment: 3 PERCENT MEANINGLESS...........................BUSH WON BOTH TIMES ON LESS THAN 1 PERCENT!

  • Posted By: DIESEL9960 @ 07/12/2008 4:29:50 AM

    Comment: Great idea with the off-shore drilling. More jobs americans wont do right? Give me a break ! McBush is going down Bob Dole style and I am really starting to enjoy watching this complete mess be torn apart my his own party. This guy cant even answer simple questions anymore in fear that he has just upset some evangelical nut-job in kansas who he doesnt even like.

  • Posted By: LuLuBelle @ 07/12/2008 2:53:40 AM

    Comment: Let's see - Gramm can't point out that we are a nation of whiners. But Obama can talk about how we dummies need to takes some foreign language classes. I am confused here.

    The truth is - We are a nation of whiners. Why does that offend anybody?

    • Posted By: Wired @ 07/12/2008 3:56:05 PM

      Comment: The big difference here is that half of your comment is an actual quote. Gramm said those things.

      The second half of your comment is just wishful thinking to bolster your point of view. Try again.

    • Posted By: loriw @ 07/12/2008 3:34:29 AM

      Comment: Would anyone like some cheese with their "whine"....

  • Posted By: LuLuBelle @ 07/12/2008 2:47:23 AM

    Comment: McCain is struggling? There is only a 3 point difference this week - and I bet that is not even close to being true. There is such hatred by the Obama thugs that go around threatening people that I think some people would be reluctant to admit that they are NOT voting for him.

    It has been so terrible - I don't know what it is about Obama's campaign but his supporters are awful - up to and including making death threats.

    I don't see why these remarks should hurt John McCain - he didn't say them.

    Besides, most of us Americans agree - We are a nation of whiners.

    Why should anybody be mad if somebody says it out loud?

    • Posted By: Wired @ 07/12/2008 4:00:32 PM

      Comment: You are completely contradicting yourself.

      McCain denounced Gramm's remarks and said he strongly disagrees. Matter of fact he booted him from his campaign.

      But you agree with Gramm...and yet you are voting for McCain ? Must feel good to straddle both sides of the fence.


      • Posted By: Pia1981 @ 07/13/2008 5:01:33 PM

        Comment: McCain threw Gramm, 'under the bus.'

        • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 1:18:32 PM

          Comment: PHIL GRAMM DESERVES TO BE THE ASPHALT FOR ALL VEHICULAR TRAFFIC!

          HE IS THE ROOT OF MOST OF THE FUEL ISSUES....................HE AND HIS WIFE (WAS ON THE ERON BOARD AFTER SHE HELPED PHIL GET THE ERON LOOPHOLE PASSED)!

  • Posted By: auntidi @ 07/12/2008 2:13:11 AM

    Comment: This was no GAFFE, this was simple truth about how McCain and the Republicans feel about the economy. Its not the rich people that are hurting. When you make 250K You're doing really well. Five dollar gas? Who cares...bring on $10. The answer for the Republicans...oh lets destroy the planet while we go about solving our energy crisis. Anything but solutions that will actually work? Why? Because the Republicans are Big Oil. They are Bushites and CheneyITES. Both oil men. They are the tax breaks for the oil company while the little guy just eats dirt! Republicans are about giving rich more and the poor nothing. Small Government? Hell the only thing Republicans want to safegaurd is their fat pockets and their million dollar companies. Oh and then they want to take away your right to choose. And they want to destroy that pesky thing like the Constitution of the United States, because the rule of law disturbs them. They want to push their version of morality down the little guys throat. Only the poor are the ones that suffer and then they live in their fine houses and they spend 750K on their credit card and then want ME TO BELIEVE THEY UNDERSTAND? Not only don't they understand the suffering my family feels, Republicans have the gall to tell me I'm WHINING???? I cant go to the doctor to find out if that lump in my breast is cancer because it would mean my kids don't eat. And I am voting for the Democrats this year! Because at least they get it! To hell with McCain and his obsession with winning an unwinnable war. I'm not whining, I'm working hard and I'm barely able to feed my kids. So don't go telling me that I'm whining! I'm living in a three generation home, five adults, two kids and we are pulling our resources and still not making it. Every time we take a step forward we get hit with record high gas prices and a president that can do absolutely nothing constructive but blame congress for not passing offshore drilling?? Its been proven that it won't get us cheaper gas, it won't have any return for at least ten years? *Who comes up with this number?* and in fact, it will all just go overseas. So this is McCain and Bush's grand idea? Oh and of course their is Nuclear. Never mind if Nuclear destroys our planet cause we don't know how to dispose of the waste safely. If I had a car that ran on electricity for the first forty miles, I'd hardly ever have to put gas in my car. Why not give every poor person one of those?

    • Posted By: povertyhillian @ 07/12/2008 8:08:35 AM

      Comment: Your hallowed Democrats have been in control for 2 years now. Do you remember all the promises made by Speaker Pelosi and Sen Reid ?? "Whining" means....Folks who blindly support the Dems, no matter the candidate, ARE whiners....BECAUSE....It's what the Dem Party is ALL ABOUT....DOOM/GLOOM....THE
      SKY IS FALLING....NOTHING IS EVER GOOD ABOUT OUR COUNTRY....ONLY THE BAD". How do ya'll go through life like this ??? My Lord !!! Think about it.....No Democrat in recent history has EVER been elected by telling us WHAT'S GOOD with America.....but, ALWAYS.....WHAT'S BAD !!!! My Lord.....I can't take much more of this incessant WHINING and COMPLAINING !!!!!!!! And oh yeah.....I'm VERY middle-class, and not one of the RICH, FAT CATS ya'll hate so much. Oh.....Who gives you a job, by the way.....Oh yes,
      that's right....the guy making the money.

      Povertyhillian

      • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/13/2008 10:29:49 AM

        Comment: SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.....................WITH AN ALMOST SURE DEM TO TAKE THE OVAL OFFICE.....................AND THE CONTINUAL "WAR" BETWEEN THE PARTIES..............................ANY GOOD DONE BY THE CONGRESS DURING THE BUSH LAST DAYS IN OFFICE..................WOULD AT LEAST BE GIVEN SOME CREDIT TO BUSH..................................GUESS WHY NOTHING IS GETTING DONE?

        I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THE INITIAL DAYS OF OBAMA'S FIRST TERM WILL INCLUDE AT LEAST THE REPEAL OF THE "ENRON LOOPHOLE" THERE BY MAKING THE DEMS EFFORTS PAY........................ONLY THEM!

      • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 9:45:19 AM

        Comment: Terrific post - and right on the money!

      • Posted By: OBWan @ 07/12/2008 8:31:08 AM

        Comment: povertyhillian -
        A simple majority does not equal control.

    • Posted By: loriw @ 07/12/2008 3:36:14 AM

      Comment: Obama says you just need "more education and training"....

  • Posted By: Tigman2 @ 07/12/2008 1:51:30 AM

    Comment: Gramm is a supply side purist who pushed through purist deregulation of financial markets in 1999 removing New Deal provisions meant to prevent the very speculative bubbles (High Tech, Mortgage/Real Estate, and oil) that are ripping money out of the pockets of everyone. From his perspective the massive transfer of wealth into the pockets of the most affluent is great because in his book they can now take that and trickle it back down to the rest of us for our benefit. Gramm is a grease the wheels for the sake of private interests without regard for everyone else's interest. Result? We've been selling out America to foreign interests - our worth less dollar is evidence of that. Foreigners are now buying up more of our real estate and private sector out from under our feet while campaign politics waves flags and pins behind McCain trying to make us believe that the GOP is for protecting us. NOT!! Their blood runs green not red, white, and blue.

  • Posted By: Tigman2 @ 07/12/2008 1:51:10 AM

    Comment: Gramm is a supply side purist who pushed through purist deregulation of financial markets in 1999 removing New Deal provisions meant to prevent the very speculative bubbles (High Tech, Mortgage/Real Estate, and oil) that are ripping money out of the pockets of everyone. From his perspective the massive transfer of wealth into the pockets of the most affluent is great because in his book they can now take that and trickle it back down to the rest of us for our benefit. Gramm is a grease the wheels for the sake of private interests without regard for everyone else's interest. Result? We've been selling out America to foreign interests - our worth less dollar is evidence of that. Foreigners are now buying up more of our real estate and private sector out from under our feet while campaign politics waves flags and pins behind McCain trying to make us believe that the GOP is for protecting us. NOT!! Their blood runs green not red, white, and blue.

  • Posted By: HOUSTON DAVE @ 07/12/2008 12:37:19 AM

    Comment: McCain and his surrogates present a scary picture of a 3rd Bush term .
    The Social SeciritySystem is a Disgrace", Americans are whiners who are all psychotic because the economic disaster is really not that bad,, give the Iranians lung cancer and isolate them,yeah that's the ticket!!!!
    McCain and his sidekicks are in a tight race with the Bush Administration for the Trophy presented to the most inept, contemptable,, out of touch group ever in the political history of our country. The genuinely heroic Presidents such as FDR, Truman, Reagan must be spinning in their graves due to the antics and cruel and
    insensitive actions and words of the present and future Republican leaders. The next thing you know McCain will confuse the Steelers with the Packers.DAVE IN HOUSTON

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 10:41:01 AM

      Comment: ..........PRECIOUSLY MEAN!.......................I LOVE IT! LOL!

  • Posted By: Nins @ 07/11/2008 11:13:58 PM

    Comment: Know why McCain wants to distance himself from former Senator Phil Gramm? It is not just because of Gramm's recent obnoxious remarks calling Americans "a nation of whiners" and that unemployed Americans are in "a mental recession." In fact, those remarks were so obnoxious that I wonder if they were engineered just to provide McCain an excuse for publicly distancing himself from Gramm. This issue is a lot deeper than it looks on the surface.

    When Gramm was a Senator he was chair of the Committee on Banking, and in that capacity he was able to push through the legislation now known as the "Enron Loophole." This loophole allowed US investment banks to bypass the Federal regulations governing futures trading, and is the reason why the investment banks were able to falsely inflate the prices of oil, wheat, corn and other commodities through massive futures trading, causing your costs of gas, heating oil and food to go through the roof.

    Gramm was a member of McCain's campaign team, but now Gramms' name is turning to mud. In addition to the Enron loophole, Gramm pushed through the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act in 1999, which got rid of the laws that seperate banking, insurance and brokerage activities in America. Essentially, this Act did away with all of the good laws written after the Great Depression to protect us from another Wall Street/Banking Industry collapse. That's right, Gramm stripped the system of it's safe guards nine years ago, and guess what? The value of the dollar has nose-dived, three major economic institutions have failed, Wall Street is highly unstable, and we are in the midst of a worsening recession.

    Now you could say that this is not Gramm's fault, that he didn't know what the outcome of his actions would be. However, it turns out that the same investment banks that benefited from the Enron loophole and from the Gramm Act gave more than a million dollars to Gramm's campaign. Uh oh. A Congressional hearing is going to be convened to investigate this. And McCain wants to have noting to do with Gramm, wants us to forget that Gramm has been a key player on McCain's campaign team. Gramm was McCain's campaign CO-CHAIR and LEADING ECONOMIC ADVISER. Previously, McCain had said that he planned to appoint Gramm as SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. It looks like McCain is scratching that idea, now that the public is finding out about Gramm. Didn't McCain's team bother to find out about Gramm before publicly considering him as Secretary of the Treasury?

    With Gramm in the driver's seat as McCain's leading economic adviser, now you know why economists and analysts are saying that McCain's economic policy plans are untenable.

  • Posted By: paulte @ 07/11/2008 10:55:47 PM

    Comment: God forbid that anyone might point out that a lot of Americans are irresponsible in many ways! The price of gas is something we all can "whine" about but the mortgage crisis has a lot to do with stupid decisions made by people in trying to secure mortgages on the cheap! A lot of Americans today think they don't have to work hard and save in order to buy a house and that just shows how stupid they are!

    Gramm has a point and Fineman has it coming out of his liberal Obama biased ears in this article.This article is nothing but a hatchet piece! To compare Gramm's statement to what Jackson had to say shows what a liberal hack Fineman really is. I wouldn't waste my time reading another of his biased articles!

    • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 10:50:21 AM

      Comment: ............IRRESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE OVER PAID PEOPLE TO REPRESENT US...............WHO INTURN...........REPRESENT ONLY THEMSELVES...........................IRRESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO SUPPLY THIS SCREWED UP SYSTEM WITH A MULTI-TRILLION DOLLAR BUGET EVERY YEAR..........................IRRESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO NOT MUTINY WHEN SOME OVERTLY RELIGIOUS ZEALOT INSISTS THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE MAJORITY IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD EVEN CONSIDER DOLING OUT TRILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AID AND PUTTING OUR VOLUNTEER ARMY ....................WHO SIGNED UP TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY.................OUT AS BULLSEYES FOR A PEOPLE AND A COUNTRY THAT WE (THE MAJORITY) DON'T CARE IF THEY EXIST! ................................THE KIND OF IRRESPONSIBLITY THAT MADE THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET.........................IS THAT THE IRRESPONSIBILITY YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

    • Posted By: Tigman2 @ 07/12/2008 1:54:05 AM

      Comment: Gramm is a supply side purist who pushed through purist deregulation of financial markets in 1999 removing New Deal provisions meant to prevent the very speculative bubbles (High Tech, Mortgage/Real Estate, and oil) that are ripping money out of the pockets of everyone. From his perspective the massive transfer of wealth into the pockets of the most affluent is great because in his book they can now take that and trickle it back down to the rest of us for our benefit. Gramm is a grease the wheels for the sake of private interests without regard for everyone else's interest. Result? We've been selling out America to foreign interests - our worth less dollar is evidence of that. Foreigners are now buying up more of our real estate and private sector out from under our feet while campaign politics waves flags and pins behind McCain trying to make us believe that the GOP is for protecting us. NOT!! Their blood runs green not red, white, and blue.

  • Posted By: Spacer @ 07/11/2008 10:18:33 PM

    Comment: The Publicons keep saying how Barack Obama knew the Rev. Wright for 20 years. But McCain has been good friends with "Foreclosure Phil" for 25 years, and Wright didn't engineer the loop hole that permitted the Enron scandal or sponsor the legislation that enabled the subprime mortgage debacle. That was Dr. Phil who did all that. And he'll do it some more as McCain's treasury secretary, which is what the punditocracy tells us Dr. Phil will be if McCain is president.

  • Posted By: a brighter America 08 @ 07/11/2008 8:56:34 PM

    Comment: Posted By: greengal-08 @ 07/11/2008 18:39:30
    Comment: Be carefull, 'Pollyanna' when you have your head stuck in the sand you never know what will bite you on the ass!
    ------------------------------------------
    A Pollyana? Why, because I express how many of us feel about the Republican Party, its leaders and John McCain, because we take the time to observe him in action? Because our injured servicemen and women are treated like crapola when they return from Aghanisan and Iraq?? Does that make me a know-nothing?? Your comment about the sand was really crude and uncalled for! This says more about YOU and the kind of person YOU are.....UGLY, inside and out! Go sit on the beach and meet a hungry giant crab. :)

    • Posted By: greengal-08 @ 07/11/2008 9:07:00 PM

      Comment: 'Pollyanna' - to be naively optomistic. Awfully 'thin-skinned' aren't you? If you are going to observe the actions of the Republican party and John McCain, I would suggest that you keep your eyes open and listen closely, but I get the feeling that that isn't what you do. Who's responsible for how our service people are being treated (the mess at Walter Reed, for instance)? Who placed them in the position of becoming mercenaries for the oil barrons? All you seem to be able to respond with is 'boiler plate' talking points with more than a little moralistic arrogance by calling me names.

      • Posted By: Nins @ 07/11/2008 11:10:12 PM

        Comment: Um, Greengal, YOU are the one who started name-calling, by referring to Birghter America as "Polyanna." If what you meant was that his post was "naively optimistic" well, then, just say so, and leave out the names. Furthermore, his post was neither naive nor optimistic. AND I didn't see anyone holding a gun to the head of the GOP forcing them to become mercenaries for the oil barrons. By definition, all mercenaries are fighting because they are being paid money and not because they have to fight for reasons of nationality or creed.

        Brighter America made some good points, which you wish to try to minimize because what he is saying threatens you. So, you call him names, and talk nonsense, and try and draw him into an argument, because you would rather have him getting in a fight with you than continuing to post the truth about the current Republican leadership.

        SO, Brighter, since you are new on this blog, you should know that the right-wing reactionaries try to bait anyone who criticizes McCain or the GOP, drawing them into fights so that they stop posting their politically pertinent information. Try not to fall into their trap, just keep speaking your peace and don't respond to them too much, unless they are respectful bloggers who actually want to dialog. There are some good right wing bloggers on this site. Unfortunately, they are far outnumbered by the venom spitting hate mongers, all of whom think they have a license to kill ever since Rove brought his dirty tactics to the GOP.

        • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 1:15:41 PM

          Comment: Nins-com-poop
          Wow, your hypocrisy is breathtaking; who are YOU to lecture anyone about name calling on this blog? It is YOU that has in the past spewed your noxious accusations of racism, membership in the ku klux klan, etc., etc. whenever someone disagrees with you or attempts to refute your repetitive cut & past nonsense.

          YOU are truly the pot calling the keddle black. And I'm sure you will accuse me of racism for that particular analogy!

        • Posted By: greengal-08 @ 07/12/2008 12:49:57 AM

          Comment: Nins, I'm sure you think that I am confused, but I believe that if you read the post that I replied to that it was 'Brighter' who, initially, started with the name calling by saying that anyone who disagrees with what they admit is their optimistic view of Gramm or his statements or is less than enthusiastic about the economic outlook is 'a chicken little'. 'I would say that 'Pollyanna' as a characterization is certainly no more (actually less) of a perjorative than 'chicken little'. I happen to support our service people who are serving in Iraq, and I happen to believe they deserve to continue to be supported when they come home. Both my husband and I are military veterans - my husband had a 28 year career and served in Vietnam. I didn't say that our service members are mercenariies, I said that they are being used like mercenaries. Blackwater and their ilk are the mercenaries. Who are you referring to as 'right-wing reactionaries'? If you are applying that label to me, you don't have a clue as to what the phrase means! I'm not a conservative, a Republican, and I certainly don't advocate their policies. Maybe you should read things a little more carefully.

          • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 1:17:51 PM

            Comment: Don't expect too much from Nins. She can only respond when she gets the green light from her handlers at moveon.org. She is incapable of independent thought processes; only namecalling and baseless accusations.

  • Posted By: ReCon USMC @ 07/11/2008 8:34:54 PM

    Comment: Time mag. and Howard Fineman reads like The NY Times far left OP- ED section .
    Why doesn't Fineman just say " I love Oboma " and be done with it !
    His Line .... Jackson helped Oboma but Graham hurt Mc Cain are both Stupid bias statements and
    lacks any common sense . .
    Jackson "Thinks " Oboma talks and acts like a out of touch Elite with the BLack communityas do most Whites ..
    That is bad .
    Graham saying many are CRY BABIES IS HONEST, FAIR AND RIGHT .ALL WE HEAR FROM THE LEFT AND
    IN THE MEDIA IS CRYING BABIES
    AND HOW BAD THINGS ARE YET WE STILL ARE THE NUMBER ONE ECONOMY IN THE WORLD .
    WE EXPORT 28 % ALL WORLD PRODUCTS AND 67 % OF ALL MED.S IN THE WORLD .
    SECOND LARGEST EXPORTER IN THE WORLD IS CHINA AT 14 % .
    WE DON'T KNOW SADNESS AND HUNGER IN THIS COUNTRY COMPARED TO 4.6 BILLION
    HUMAN BEINGS ON EARTH OR WAR ON OUR SOIL IN 200 YEARS(EXCEPT FOR 9/11 ) .
    THE REST OF THE ENTIRE WORLD DOES ..... PUT ON SOME BRASS BALLS !
    THAT IS WHAT AMERICA IS ABOUT NOT BOOO HOOO !

    • Posted By: jimbo3800 @ 07/12/2008 1:22:24 PM

      Comment: ReCon -

      You are the Man! I will glady drop and give you 20. (I'm guessing that most of the limp-wristed left-wingers on this blog would pass out at 5)

      Keep up the good work! Semper Fi

      • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/14/2008 1:33:11 PM

        Comment: I'M SURE THAT YOU WOULD "DROP AND GIVE HIM 20".................WHILE "HOT-BUNKING" WITH YOUR FAVORITE "SEA-DADDY"! ................. LOL!

  • Posted By: ReCon USMC @ 07/11/2008 8:12:18 PM

    Comment: Time magazine is nothing more than the Far Left AGENDA LEAD NY Times . That is why they both have dropped
    50 % in
    the last 9 years and are both no longer respected Inst.
    Howard Fineman is total copy of far Leftist Chris M. on Hard Ball in Print and a FAR LEFT LIBEARL
    TALKING HEAD ON TV AS WELL .
    What Phil Graham said was honest and right .All liberals and the Media are Cry Babies and that is why their
    Talk Radio
    failled Nationally many times as is CNN , MSNBC AND CSNBC , Mag's and News Papers like the Wash.Post !
    America is First ...... it takes all of Europe to MATCH OUR ECONOMY .
    POLISH OUR COUNTRY BUT WE DON'T NEED TO (CHANGE ) IT TO SOCIALISM AND A WELFARE HIGH TAXED NATION LIKE OBOMA PURPOSES !

  • Posted By: jordanadah @ 07/11/2008 7:32:04 PM

    Comment: What, you can't spell barack? How ignorant of you.

  • Posted By: jmortimer @ 07/11/2008 6:44:12 PM

    Comment: As a typical white person I find the dumb ass comments made by candidate B. Husain Obama worse than any comment made by any non-candidate such as Gramm. We stupid white people only speak english. We greedy white people hurt the entire planet. These are the "gaffes" that Husain made but the poof who wrote this stupid article is a typical left wing out of touch elitist like Husain. Limp wristers like Fineman should be afraid, very afraid as typical white people will not vote for B Husain Obama. What idiot would think that Jesse Jackson's comments would help Obama. Only east coast dummies like Fineman. How worthless are all his articles. I do not understand how Newsweek's circulation could be in the toilet with masterminds like Fineman.

    • Posted By: auntidi @ 07/12/2008 2:28:44 AM

      Comment: Uhm Dude! I've looked and looked, LIKE EVERYWHERE at Every single Obama Speech And guess what? Not once does he ever call white Americans stupid, and he reallty really honestly never said we can only speak English. The only statement I could find that even closely resembled that was, "Every American child should