McCain Asks North Carolina GOP to Pull Ad on Obama’s Pastor
INEZ, Ky. — Republican John McCain asked the North Carolina GOP not to run a television ad that brings up the controversial former pastor of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
North Carolina Republican Party officials insisted the ad will run as planned despite McCain’s request.
The ad opens with a photo of Obama and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright together and a clip of Wright, whose incendiary comments about race have bedeviled Obama.
“He’s just too extreme for North Carolina,” the narrator says in the 30-second spot.
“We asked them not to run it,” McCain told reporters on his campaign bus in Kentucky Wednesday. “I’m sending them an e-mail as we speak asking them to take it down.
“I don’t know why they do it. Obviously, I don’t control them, but I’m making it very clear, as I have a couple of times in the past, that there’s no place for that kind of campaigning, and the American people don’t want it,” McCain said.
McCain said the ad was described to him: “I didn’t see it, and I hope that I don’t see it.”
Republican National Committee chairman Mike Duncan, campaigning Wednesday with McCain, said he had left a voice mail message for state party chairwoman Linda Daves asking her to pull the ad.
McCain, in an e-mail to Daves, said he will draw sharp contrasts with Democrats. “But we need not engage in political tactics that only seek to divide the American people.”
North Carolina GOP spokesman Brent Woodcox said the ad will begin running statewide on Monday, a week before the state’s crucial May 6 primary.
The ad actually targets gubernatorial candidates Richard Moore and Bev Perdue, Democrats who have endorsed Obama.
“We have a great relation with the RNC and we fully support John McCain for president,” Woodcox said. “But this is an ad about two North Carolina candidates for governor. The ad is going to run.”
Daves defended the ad, saying it “presents a question of patriotism and judgment.”
“It is entirely appropriate for voters to evaluate candidates based on their past associations,” Daves said.
North Carolina Democratic Party chairman Jerry Meek said the ad is an attempt to distract attention from real issues.
“It’s one thing to criticize somebody for associating with somebody else,” Meek said. “But to criticize somebody for associating with somebody who associates with somebody else is ludicrous. Where does it end?”
Obama has denounced the most inflammatory of Wright’s comments, but says the pastor shouldn’t be judged solely on a handful of remarks. Obama has expressed admiration for the pastor, who officiated at his wedding, baptized his two daughters and inspired the title of his best-selling book, “The Audacity of Hope.”
North Carolina’s primary will divide 115 delegates among the Democratic presidential candidates and decide the party’s nominee for governor. Polls indicate that Obama holds a comfortable lead over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in the state.
Run the ad, It’s up to the American people to assess the merits or non merits of the ad. What is Mccain going to say ? It’s just politicking as usual, let it all play out…the good, the bad, the ugly and let ALL citizens have a chance to vote. Then the superdelegates can excercise flexibility in their mandate if they are asked to take a side. I don’t know why people are so outraged, this is ALL part of the voting and vetting process.
I am a McCain supporter, and I would like to see the ad about BO’s pastor aired in NC. You cannot ignore the fact that this type of hatred and racism is not good to be listened to over a 20 year period. Talking about issues is fine, but the basic principles of a man, and his character and morals mean as much to me as to where he stands on issues. I have been a church member for a number of years and have not heard this type of hatred being said by anyone in the church, much less the pastor. Wake up, America!!
BO is not a patriot and neither is his wife or associates.
Linda Davis should be replace, i think i will go and change my party tommorw. so i can vote for Obama i hope it backfire.I don;t know any thing about runing a party, but i could do better than Davis. She has been talking to Hillary & Bill to much this something they would do.Just think how much this is going to help Hillary,Davis a Rep. working for a Dem. Wonder what will be next, thier is some stupid leader ship in this world. Will i be glad when this election is over?
McCain is looking at the long haul. There is no doubt there will be more “digging” into Obama’s past the farther the race runs. Hillary has had pretty much all of her laundry rummaged through. Republicans will beat Obama in November with absolutely no problem. The women who are going with Hillary will go with McCain when she drops out. They would have supported Obama if they liked him, male or not. Republicans will have a much harder time beating Hillary with Obama out of the picture. Republicans are rooting for Obama at this stage in the game.
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This is only the beginning of the end for Obama…. Obama should drop out now.
This is a “win win” for McCain. The ad does not run and he is perceived as taking the high road. The ad runs and he can say he tried but had no control over the process. Smart strategy and smart politics. Can’t blame the tactics. The democrats have bigger issues. They continue to beat themselves up and McCain will gain and continue to press the advantage.
This is why McCain will be trounced in November…the Democrats will hold back nothing in their attacks against him. They will hit him with anything and everything they can dig up or manufacture. Meanwhile, McCain will just sit back and do nothing; he will play mister nice guy in his own little fantasy world of nicey nice while the opposition pummels him.
Where does he come up with this fantasy that “Americans” won’t put up with that type of campaign? The majority of Americans love dirt and they support those who can withstand the storm (Attacks), not the little wimps who won’t fight!
God save the Republican Party!
There is very little knowledge we can gain from Obama’s voting record, and he certianly is not giving us any specifics about what he will do (besides surrender Iraq and get friendly with terrorists), so we are left to figure out how he might make decisions and who he will ask for advice if he were to become President. Who he has chosen to surround himself with as friends, mentors and advisors is the best way of determining how he will make decisions in filling cabinet positions in the future.
I’m tired of this Politically Correct, Tolerant, “Don’t Say Anything Negative Even If It’s True Or You Are A Hate Monger” society we have become. This issue is not a smear, Obama seems to be quite proud of his relationships.
Too much is made of John McCains heroic efforts,(He is a real Hero), howerver that doesn’t mean he has good political sence. Rep. Murthal was a decorated Marine,but now wouldn’t be a pimple on a good Marines hine end.
McCain is a democrate in replublician clothing. He has turned his back on many good republician peices of legislation,and sided with radical democrates.
Like many many other republicans I will vote for him, but will not support him,or his policies.
Politician’s bed fellows matter! Who they shake hands with make a difference and of course NC and the rest of the world should see what his religious leader has to say, he is leading the would be leader and it will make a big difference. No matter how many want to bury their head in the sand about it. It’s an ugly truth but it is truth none the less.