Obama Camp Chides Host Who Called McCain a ‘Warmonger’
Barack Obama’s campaign distanced itself Saturday from a liberal talk show host who called John McCain a “warmonger” while introducing the Illinois senator at a North Dakota campaign stop the night before, after the McCain campaign called on Obama to denounce the comment.
Local talk show host Ed Schultz used the term to describe the Arizona senator while warming up the crowd in Grand Forks, N.D., before Obama’s arrival at the state’s Democratic convention.
“John McCain is not a warmonger and should not be described as such,” Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Saturday. She added, “He’s a supporter of a war that Senator Obama believes should have never been authorized and never been waged.”
The campaign stressed that Obama was not present when the “warmonger” comment was made and that Schultz is not a campaign surrogate.
That wasn’t enough for the McCain campaign, which pressed Obama to personally repudiate Schultz.
“Barack Obama promises a new brand of politics, but today refused to directly denounce Ed Schultz and his vicious smear attack on John McCain. John McCain is committed to a civil debate worthy of the American people and has a record of standing by that commitment,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds. “Senator Obama must personally and publicly repudiate his campaign supporter’s attacks — rather than give tacit approval to this blatant smear — or his rhetoric of change will be exposed as nothing but words.”
The McCain campaign likens the insult to the language used by conservative radio talk show host Bill Cunningham, who rallied the crowd for McCain in Cincinnati, Ohio, in late February by repeatedly invoking Obama’s middle name, “Hussein,” mocking him as a “hack” and suggesting that as president he’d cozy up to Hezbollah and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. McCain condemned Cunningham, prompting a fierce response from the talk show host.
On Friday, however, Obama thanked Schultz and called him the “voice of progressive radio.” Obama also appeared as a guest on his radio show earlier in the week.
Without realizing Obama’s campaign had commented on the matter, McCain said Saturday afternoon in Prescott, Ariz., that Schultz’ “kind of language is unnecessary for this campaign.”
“I hope that in keeping with the spirit of Senator Obama that they … will condemn such language since it was a part of his campaign,” he said.
After learning about Cunningham’s incendiary comments from advisers after the February event, McCain rebuked and disassociated himself with the talk show host minutes later at a press conference. The presumptive GOP nominee repeatedly has vowed to run a “respectful” race and campaign officials were attempting to draw a contrast between McCain’s quick condemnation of Cunningham’s remarks and Obama’s reaction.
FOX News’ Mosheh Oinounou contributed to this report.
obiously most one this blog are obomites no respect for no one
Why do people insist on saying “Bush Lied”. What truly gets me is the exact same intelligence was shown to the legislative branch and they came up with the same answer.
What do you expect from a Trilateral Commission controlled puppet. Obama will do and say what they want him to, knowing full well that the Trilateral Commission controls most of the news media and will go easy on him. Bravo Fox…you are different.
McCain is trying to spin this as a tit-for-tat thing. The two situations are not equivalent. All other top general have resigned and refused to lie on behalf of the Bush administration. Only Petraeus agreed to lie for them. He is therefore a warmonger.
The Geriatric Warmonger McCain needs to take a geritol….he is just reaching to make a story and doesn’t hold himself to the same standards. I hate one-sided Fox News. They need to drop the news from their name.
Why doesn’t someone ask Ed Shultz about his dog? He blasted his dog with his shotgun because he was angry at the dog. The dog died from the wounds.
Obama is a phony, typical politician. Speeches are good, but acts another way. Don’t know why so many people are deceived by his rhetorics.
Mr. Obama should renounce the remark. Name calling is the method of the politics of the past which I believe Mr. Obama has spoken out against very publicly.
And Allan, Mr. Obama was going to send in troops to Pakistan, remember? Since Pakistan doesn’t want us there, wouldn’t that be an act of war and therefore, one could ascertain that perhaps Mr. Obama is a “warmonger”.
Both democrats scare the daylights out of me. I want someone I know is reliable and has been around and is not afraid to stand for what they believe in. John McCain is that person.
All McCain know is war so it is not surprising he wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years and bomb Iran. As far as I can see he is a war monger and he should be called on it by all people no matter their political alignment.
McCain is a warmonger.
Bomb bomb Iran McCain
100 year war McCain.
McCain the Bomber in Viet Nam.
McCain lives, eats and breaths conflict.