Um, hello, CNN! This is a little more newsworthy than Jesse Jackson's comments. Jackson has no official or even unofficial role with any political campaign, whereas Phil Gramm is John McCain's top economic advisor. In addition to that, McCain has made frequent statements himself to the effect that the recession is largely psychological, making it clear that Gramm is not only speaking for himself, but for McCain as well. So here's an idea — take the Jesse Jackson story off the top of your politics page and put up something that is actually newsworthy. You are supposed to be "the most trusted name in news," not the National Enquirer.

"Jan from Boca Raton" is a known McCain operative posting as a blogger. Trying to defend this remarks is ridiculous and you're out on a limb even as a false blogger.

MR. AMERICA THANKS YOU, SIR!
Thanks for pointing out that we are all just imagining economic strife.
I was only dreaming that gas prices are at $4.50 a gallon.
The media is making up these high unemployment numbers too, right? Thank God none of it is real.

Unbelievable…how McCain can surround himself with such uncaring individuals is beyond me. Phil Gramm is partly repsonsible for our current economic crisis…mental or otherwise. McCain is right in distancing himself from Gramm…given Gramm just threw McCain under the proverbial bus…or the perhaps under the "Straight Talk Express."

"A Nation of Whiners"

We will see who is whining come November…

"America is a nation of whiners"… who's elitist and unpatriotic?

If by "mental recession" he means the brain-drain Bush has brought upon our government by ostracizing and denegrating every non-partisan scientist, doctor, lawyer, specialist, and expert with more than two-brain cells to rub together…

Then, Yes!, we've been in a "Mental Recession" for the past 6 or 7 years.

I know Phil Gramm from living in Texas and let me say this P-R-I-C-K!

So the fact that my food biil, gas bill, energy bill and price of everyday items has gone up except my income is all in my head. Wow…woulda thunk…I'm thinking positive, but why is my bank account still so low.

Well, finally McCain speak of something he is familiar with…
Dee dee dee!

So the fact that my food biil, gas bill, energy bill and price of everyday items and that my income has not gone up once is all in my head. Wow…woulda thunk…I'm thinking positive, but why is my bank account still so low.

OMG - so the loss of jobs in the last 8 years and the pain at the pump that every American is facing today is all psychological. Just like McCain says that even if his gas - solutions will not produce anything in years to come but will give a PSYCHOLOGICAL resolution to the problem - please give me these men's shrink's number because I would like to bury my head in the sand and pretend that everything is okay the economy is fine, gas prices will be 2 bucks when I go to gas up, my job is secure, and my house will not be reposessed. IT IS ALL IN MY HEAD… PUMA people read and understand what you are signing up for…

Please tell my job that laid off 500 people that we are in a "mental recession". Please tell my family that the reason why we can't afford to go on vacation this year is because we are having a mental recession.

Wait a minute…..he is correct we are in a mental recession and a reality depression.

Oh, so all of those 300,000 or so people who lost their home during the past 6 months only "mentally" lost their homes? These are the kind of blind politics we've gone to expect from G.W. Bush… and now, unfortunately from McCain as well…

Oh it's FORMER Senator Graham…..well is he receiving a tax payer retirement fund?

GOP=ELITIST ELITIST ELITIST

DEMOCRATS UNITE!!!!

Senator Gramm just called Americans a "nation of whiners"?? Why isn't that the bigger story?? The media went crazy over Obama saying voters were "bitter", but Obama's words were taken out of context… "whiners" is exactly what Gramm meant. He didn't just say it once, he went on to explain it! I'm a lot more offended by being called a whiner!

McCain should reject those comments!

I THINK HE HAS MENTAL ISSUES AND NEEDS TO GO CHECKED FOR THAT. WHAT A FOOL AND THIS IS MCSAME'S ECONOMIC ADVISER. MCSAME U NEED TO FIRE THIS GUY WHO IS JUST AS IGNORANT AS U ARE.

I guess Americans would be "whining" a lot less if they had a millionaire spouse to help ease the sting of living in a recession with 4-dollar gas and rising unemployment, huh? Looking at Gramm's stupid mug, it's clear that this Snoopy-faced schmuck has never done an honest day's work in his life.

"We have sort of become a nation of whiners. You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline," said the former Texas senator.

Yep, we're whining because we've had eight years of Republican ineptitude, criminal behavior, stupidity and lies… which has resulted in a $10 trillion debt to China, a bloody and illegal war, 4,000+ dead soldiers, $8 billion missing in Iraq, rampant cronyism, record setting Pork Barrel spending, astronomical gas prices, unaffordable health care and an economy that's in the toilet. Whining? No. Righteous Indignation? You bet!

Does BFF mean what I think it means?

That's what happens when you throw mud at the Obama Fan, it get blown in your face. Enjoy that elitist title, Gramm. You wear it well.

I am still MAD about this comment!!!!!!

I CAN'T AFFORD THE HIGH GAS PRICES!!!

THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME A WHINER. Graham makes too much money for the HIGH prices to affect him.

McCain can't just let this one slide. This comment is even more offensive that the comment that "a terrorist attack would help his campaign" that the other advisor said.

This reminds me of Marie Antoinette when she said "Let them eat cake."

She said those words –the she was beheaded!!!

What rock is Graham hiding under?? Whiners??
Unfortunately he is one of McCains closest friends and
advisors.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
The republican party motto.

This is disgusting! Shame on John McCain for having such a greedy, nasty person on his team. I remember Phil Graham when he was a senator and was disgusted with him then. You are known by the company you keep, and that should say it all, John!

Hmmmm, McCain doesn’t know anything about the economy and now we find out his economic advisor is just as inept when it comes to knowing about the economy.

Need I say more……

That picture says it all…….that's the two clueless guys look!!!

McCain's campaign is completely out of touch. Comments like these should make Americans wonder how important is the economic crisis to McCain. It appears that his top priority is WAR…..starting wars, fininishing wars, ending wars…war, war, war! Americans that are in the middle and lower echelons of the economic tier feel the squeeze from the economy. I hope the media harps on this elitist point of view from the McCain camp. Of course, McCain and his multi-millionaire wife can afford to live in today's economy. However, the majority of us can not.

Neither McCain nor his campaign have any room to talk about mental recessions. Gramm is a moron. You cannot say that you identify with Americans who find themselves with rising costs of living and in the next breath call them whiners, as if costs are not going up as they make it seem.
People concerned with skyrocketing costs for fuel and food are not whiners. Many are hardworking Americans who feel as if Washington has become ineffective at managing the economy. I am not an Obama supporter, but McCain has virtually no economic or monetary policy experience. You remember his debate question from Ron Paul concerning the Presidents Working Group in Financial Markets. McCain had absolutely, without a doubt, what the question was about.
The GOP will suffer a crushing defeat if the best we can come up with is someone so out of touch as McCain.

Yea, that's it. My falling home value and the rising cost to fill my tank are all in my head. Thanks for clearing that up, Dr. Phil.

He is right, all of us should stop whining and start spending our millions,

Oh oh.. wait a minute.. I just realized…

WE DON'T HAVE MILLIONS LIKE FORMER SENATER PHIL GRAMM

Phil Gramm is not one to advise the people on what the truth is about the economy, especially since he is one of the instigators of the subprime meltdown. When he slipped in his Commodity Futures Modernization Act into the appropriations bill for 2000, which among other things created the "Enron Loophole" and deregulated certain financial instruments that played a big part in the subprime crisis.

WOW!!! IF THE OBAMA CAMP DOESN'T RUN WITH THIS, THEY DON'T WANT IT.

Of course all of us , non-millionaires, are whiners, the likes of McCAIN and Gramm dont have our concerns as they don't feel the effect of this reccession.

WOW unbeleiveable

Phill Gramm is the same guy who worked and lobbyed for UBS and helped to cause part of the mortgage problem and is also married to the women who help create the Enron Loophole which has helped drive up gas prices. I would expect for a comment like this to come out of his mouth.

The guy standing behind McCain is responsible for this "mental mess" we are in now. He de-regulated the crooks, which unleashed corruption for his banking friends

Whiners?–how arrogant. We have a discusting, lawless party in power with an illiterate bumbling " leader", record mortgage forclosures, rising gas and food prices, many people loosing jobs, an endless war sucking 12 million dollars/ month etc., etc. etc. Can't these people just shut up already?

I am driving around 3 days now on empty gas tank.
I guess am crazy

$4.30 a gallon for gas; soaring food prices due to soaring gas and natural disasters like the Midwest flooding; an expected increase in the cost to heat our homes this winter; companies across the board cutting jobs while increasing fees/costs; our out-of-whack health care system with seniors seeing cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security–

Oh yeah, Graham's right on the money with this all being 'mental'.

When was the last time Graham visited a grocery store? Of course at his socio-economic level there is no recession, let's see this guy survive on minimum wage then see who the whiner is.

A McCain advisor best be cautious mentioning "mental recession", when your horse is a senile, angry, pandering, flip-flopping old man.

McCain's economic guru Gramm apparently was in "mental recession" when he ceaselessly fought against regulations that many experts believe would have prevented the mortgage crisis.

That's got to be right up there with the bitter comments…
Generally referring to us as "a nation of whiners" and implying its all in our heads. I think this sticks to McCain big time

I must be imagining $4 gas, a weak dollar, poor stocks and never ending forclosures.

Let's see…one top McCain adviser says a terrorist attack would help McCain. Another says being anxious about the economy is whining. These guys are near the top of the Republican food chain, and it's clear that they can't see past their own interests on the two biggest issues in this election. Talk about "elitist."

If voters believe that Senator Obama has a viable solution to our ecomony, they should go back and look at Obama's state senate district and how it faired during good economic times. One report stated it lost 11% of the jobs in 8 years. Good show, Obama. And of course, crime, drugs and proverty increased during the same time. Neither candidate has a excellent or viable solution to the problems we face but McCain's are a bit better. He has more experiernce dealing with both foreign and domestic issues.
Bad news makes the headlines and our ecomony is bad news.

So McCain believes the financial problems and economic struggles of Americans are all in their heads.. This must be why he has been traveling to Mexico and Colombia…This is why he says Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will not fail. The republican candidate is clearly out of touch with reality, and this comment reminds me of Bush not realizing that gas was 4 dollars a gallon, and that Saddam had no WMD.

your right jan i am a whiner because gas is higher groceries are higher across the board unemployment is up, consumer confidence is rock bottom, families across the country are losing their homes

but ya i guess im just whining

This quote and issue is going to kill McSames chances—thats what americans who cant afford gas or their mortages wanna hear,,,you are just a whiner

whoever says this man is right needs both his head and McCain examined.

This would depend of course on perspective. I would be whining if I lost my job and couldn't feed my family or put gas in the car to get to work…….you have to be in it to know it.

Mental reccesion? Is that his way of calling us stupid? How much money does Graham have in his bank account? I'll trade bank accounts with him if he wants too.

I can understand now what kind of people John McCain is surrounded with. I guess it gives a real sense of Elitism in his circle.

Jan from Boca Raton, FL…

I'm sure you're doing just fine in hoity toity Boca Raton, but you know what, there are many Americans out there who are struggling.

Jan….sounds like you make over 250K per year - still pissed about that tax thing, huh?

What about those 'hard working' white americans in WV or PA? They are in freaking recession!!!

And the McCain camp calls Obama an Elitist?

Now we truly know the gas tax holiday is gimmick…..

If my wife was worth a quarter of a billion dollars and i am running for president, i guess i will call the single mom making $25,000 a yr and can't afford rent, food and gas a whiner too.

Phil Gramm’s comments are exactly representative of John McCain’s views. You want to say something, don't say it yourself, let a surogate do it for you. This is the real McCain. Look at him, and his economic record. This man is a joke. Obama will beat him in a landlise…

Wow, I thought Fiorina was the biggest loser on his campaign team, but maybe its really Gramm? I am seeing a pattern here, old rich white people totally out of touch with the american people … no wonder Obama is slaughtering him in the polls.

Why is this story buried in the ticker while a story about McCain and Viagra is the lead? If an Obama advisor had said this, CNN would run this story for days.

McCain and Gramm are like two blind men attempting to lead the sighted on a tour across America. Just imagine them walking thru a neighborhood full of foreclosed homes, the dialog would be something like this
McCain - "My friends”, “look at the all the opportunities you can have if you only remain positive,”
Gramm –“That’s right John” “We threw all the negative whimps out.
McCain – “That’s right Phil” “My fellow Americans, the banks have been positive while over 300,000 unpatriotic Americans have chosen to cut and run. “That’s not change you can believe in”

Go OBAMA

.
Former Senator Gramm is absolutely correct.

I told some friends in the fall of 2007 that with all of the negativity about the economy being broadcast by the media stating that we were in a recession ( we weren't at that time and still aren't ) that it would become a self fullfilling prophecy and it has to a point.

People actually believe that we are in a recession, but we aren't. The economy actually continued to GROW last quarter, albeit at a slower rate.

All too soon the people have forgotten that we have experienced UNPRECEDENTED GROW during this president's term, even exceeding the growth of the 1950's, for more that 52 consecutive months of growth. Bush inherited a Clinton recession ( a true recession ) and then had 9/11 happen.

Am I better off now that under the Clinton administration? YES I AM!!
.

Mental recession is what is happening inside McCain's head. And Jan from Boca Raton must be as out to lunch as the senator and Graham. You can call it whinning…I don't care. The economy is in shambles, and McCain's plan is some vague strategy with no meat and bones. He and his staff scare me every time I hear their comments. They are so far out of touch with the average American!

Another stupid comment coming from the McCain campaign. Soon we will start to see the McCain's greatest misses. It's comments like this that expresses what McCain is all about. So if they are any PUMA supporters out there…here is your guy. He said people need to stop whining for losing their home. Amazing.

part truth, we are in the middle of the "me, me, me, I, I, I." JFK would have been hammered with his "ask not what the country can do for you" speech with todays lefties. All you hear from the left is whinning about the EVIL USA, and all you hear from the right is whinning about the left. Gas prices are high and thats what is killing people right now, not much else. If you bought a $500,000 house, but you could only afford a $200,000 then it is YOUR FAULT, if you have the latest and hottest gaming and phone systems, but no health ins. then prioratize better, other than that shut up, and go to work.

He should be forced to resign from the campaign. His TOP ECONOMIC ADVISOR is calling hurting Americans whiners?

What kind of economic policy can we expect from McCain when he has admitted repeatedly that he doesn't know that much about the economy and his Top economic advisor calls people who are facing harsh economic times whiners when cost of housing, fuel, food, travel, power, —-LIFE in all aspects is higher- and wages aren;t covering it anymore.
People who work–hard working Americans—who still can't afford to feed their families are not whiners.

GRAHAM SHOULD RESIGN NOW!!!!

When people can't

Phil Gramm is another uber lobbyist on McCain's campaign. He has some nerve saying this is a "mental" recession, considering Gramm was one of the lobbyist that helped create the subprime mortgage crisis, which has attributed to the economic downturn.

Then, the campaign tries to say Gramm does not represent McCain's views. He's McCain's top economic advisor. Hello

Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don't lie. Millions of Americans losing their homes. Millions of Americans making less money than they did before. Thousands and thousands of people losing their jobs EVERYDAY! And this moron has the audacity, the unmitigated gall to call this a mental recession.
This is further proof positive that the GOP is out of touch.
Maybe the people are right and you, McCain and Graham, are wrong.
I wonder how much you will whine when you lose.

DEMOCRATS '08 AND FOREVER

Why is the Jackson comment on the front page and you have to dig through the site to find this article? This is 100 times more news worthy than Jackson saying he wants to take Obama's manhood.

Jan, Gramm sure is absolutely right. There is no better evidence of it than the last two presidential elections. And the [R]s continue to count on the dumbing down of America as a means to win elections.

The real problem we have isn't Bush, Cheney, McCain etc. — tragically sub-par candidates will always be with us — the real problem is the people like you who drink the sub-par kool-aid and actually vote for these failures and their policies to send America back into the Dark Ages.

We as a nation made abhorrent mistakes in 2000 and 2004; there is a multitude of facts and proof on that. Yet people will actually choose to continue the [R] failure by voting for McCain. It is astounding that her own people will repeatedly choose to harm America.

Now, Rev Wright was with us for months - this will be out of the news cycle in a few days and is actually from the mouth of the campaign.

Im confused.

Im a hard core PUMA who is hurting, why am I a whiner ?

insane mccain and is straight talk bandits dont think $4 milk, 4$ + gas, and $3 bread and $6 ice cream is mental recession. u gotta be as insane to vote for mcsame

The media is serving the public by telling the truth. We should ask Senator Gramm to have him and his family to happily live on the average income of a family who lives in Applachia. He would cry like a little hurt puppy. Senator Gramm needs to TALK TO THE HAND because American citizens are hurting and he has no empahty or sympathy for us. His pride and joy seems involve pleasing corporate America. He does not care about we, the little people. Another 4 years of Geore W. Bush-like policies would be about all that we need to trigger a major depession in the United States and beyond. Just say NO to McCain,, McBush, and McDrain! Enough is enough!

Who the heck do these idiots think they are.

In our heads. Give me a break!

They can continue to delude themselves all they want but the fact of the matter is that its a delusion in their heads.

Wake up people before its to late. Vote Obama. The only person with a brain running for president.

He knows where the US stands. These people don't and that includes McBush

McCain and his cronies think everyone needs therapy if they think paying $4.11/gallon and 55% increases in grocery bills, utilities, etc. is not just "peachy!"

I hope American's are watching the true-McCain reveal himself and the philosophy he surrounds himself with. Cindy McCain puts $750,000 on her credit card in one month and they want to tell Americans that stuggle how empathetic they are?

Republicans never learn. I look forward to the sensible leadership of President Barack Obama in 2009.

If you have listened to the media at all, they've been hinting at a recession the past 3 years. Even though we may be in a small one this quarter, is there any doubt the media is frustrated at the fact an official recession hasn't surfaced yet?

Graham is correct, although, we may end up in a recession.

We are not technically in a recession and everyone I talk to claims we are, even though they can't define what a recession is, or even explain why they think we are in a recession.

It always comes back to: "But look at how high gas prices are!"

Gas prices do not equate to a recession.

Then people claim the 'housing crisis' and high grocery prices are evidence.

Still wrong.

We may be having a period of high prices in certain areas, but the economy is still strong.

In addition, Obama can do nothing to change any of this.

Anyone who thinks Obama will have any effect on the current economy is sadly being dishonest.

I do think that we are a nation of whiners, but let's be real… big oil, greedy lenders (countrywide), and a war mongering president got us into this economic mess. Let's bring this country back to all of us, not just the top so they can trickle down when they deem convenient.

Obama '08

Now that I think about it, that explains a lot of their blather and stupidity. Anyone who wants to be my President who believes hard working Americans going through economic hardship are "whiners" is completely out-of-touch with reality. That, my friend, is true mental recession.

CNN I love the pictures you post with the articles. Both Gramm and McCain look like brainless twits. "Huh???"

Yes, it is true that is why McCain's wife spent $750,000 last month on credit card. To the republicans we are in mental recession but to ordinarily folks we are really hurting.

makes you wonder if they actually know
any "real" Americans.

also, does graham wear a flag on his
lapel?

just checking.

"My 'Mental Recession' is telling me I don't have enough money to put more than a half tank of gas in my vehicle to look for a job!"

A comment from hundreds of thousands of Americans enjoying the fruits of a Republican "Solid Economy."

What ignorance will spew from them next.

Uh, what's a newspaper? They still sell those things? I thought they were declared dead a long time ago, no?? Who is outta touch?

Misery sells newspapers, that is rich… Enjoy the Shadenfreude in November, slighter of Americans!

McCain pretends his administration will differ from Bush's but we can already see he's surrounding himself with arrogant and ignorant advisers who think as long as their stock portfolio's OK, the economy is OK. I got mine, and if you don't have yours then you're lazy and deserve what you have coming to you is the conservative creed. No more.

Obama '08!

WHINING? I wonder how Gramm would feel if he LOST his home to foreclosure, LOST his job to a factory in Asia and did not have the money to afford gas to even look for more work.

McCain surrounds himself with people like this and wonder why most voters think he is out of touch.

I think these comments of Gramm's should get as much media exposure as "Bittergate" and the Rev. Wright. They show an absolute disregard for the suffering of everyday Americans.

Im no "whinner", I just know economics; unlike McBush.

If you can't solve it , deny that a problem exist, even blame it upon the millions who have been dragged into this economic mess by your party's policies……remember when McCain said America had made great progress!.

It's so good to see that the McCain campaign's advisers are so in touch with the needs and struggles of most Americans. I guess we're not justified in expressing concern over having to choose between gasoline and vegetables. Hmm….drive myself to work or groceries? Thank goodness the Republican machine has guaranteed that corporations like McDonalds have proliferated and can be found on every corner!!

McBush is suffering from reality. The lack of it.

Finally, a republican who is not afraid of telling it like he sees it. This is how the majority of Americans feel the republicans look at the economy. As long as it does effect them, it all good. At least he's being honest. He and the rest of the wealth Republican, who fools the nation about fighting abortion and keeping the gays from getting married, will continue to feel this way until America decides to kick them to the curb.

Now, how scary is Obama??? Phil was a democrat before he became rich.

Wow…all I can say is wow.

I don't think anyone in this country is overreacting about gas food prices!

Maybe if he made an average salary, he'd understand the struggles of the average american are REAL!

The "let them eat cake" attitude of the GOP is crystal clear…do we really want 4 more years?

…..Riiiight. So the mortgage crisis and the loss of jobs and the ballooning personal and national debt and the fact that the Federal Depository banks currently have a reserve that is made up completely of funds borrowed from the Federal Reserve (and owe twice as much more) [http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/BOGNONBR?cid=123] is all just a mental dysfunction–things are actually just fine. Whew, what a relief!

If I were advising Obama, I would tell them to put this into ads to be aired in battleground states or at least make sure he mentions it each time he holds a rally, a town hall meeting, or a press conference.

Forget about what Gramm said! How about what McCain said!
“Senator McCain said the economic problems facing Americans are psychological". How out of touch is that! Many, many Americans are suffering. They are turning their cars/trucks into the banks because they can't afford the payments. They are loosing their homes to forclousure in record number. They are borrowing against their homes equity to make ends meet. This he calls psychological!

totally agree with you Mr Gramm, misery sells newspapers. If you look at a paper from the UK, most will tell you good and bad things about Iraq and Afghanistan, so you get the full picture. Here int he States you only get the really bad news.

Gramm is ABSOLUTELY WRONG> This is how McBush feels too but he would not DARE say it because he wants to be President. This comes from people with mega money in the bank, not worried about healthcare because they can drop $100k at the doctors office and $5.00/gal gas don't phase them. And you call Sen Obama an elitist???? SHAME on you!!

With all the ridiculous, uninformed responses from all the Obama followers on these blogs I am inclined to agree.

If he had been in the Obama's campaign McBush would have been calling for him to have tire tracks from the bus on his back by night fall, also the media would be playing it 10 times an hour, times 24 hours, 7 days a week. Of course if we had deep pockets like him and his crowd(McBushs included) we would not be whiners, i am still bitter.
I guess Joe Liberman might need to stand between him and McBush so he can whisper in both of their ears.

Connie from Indiana

this is the idiot who lobbied for the companies that created the mortgage crisis…and i doubt he is having any problems with money….loser.

OBAMA '08

Three words - Out…of…touch…

OMG - This is an absolutely abomination to the suffering and struggles of the average American.

To call U.S. whiners is the most out of touch remark anyone could have made. It’s obvious now more than ever that John McCain and the Republican Party are extremely out of touch with America.

Should we be Sorry Grahmm, that 98% Americans are not millionaires or billionaires…are we whiners because we can’t monopolize the market and profit from it.

Oh I see we are the little people and our only role in America is to work harder..To take on two or three jobs and just gave the money to people like you and then shut up and be happy.

Shame on the GOP and John McCain they have no shame

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

Check our Failing Social Security System and tell me why we are in a psychological recession, again? Our futures are being spent away.. Funny how congress can pay themselves a starting salary of 150,000 a year for what they do, and American's work themselves to the bone for 1/4 of that and keep loosing more and more skin with it. This is McCain denial in the worst offense. The government is in need of a complete overhall and a true reality check.

This shows how serious the McCain's econoimic advisor feels what ordinary Americans are going through….This should be a BIG issue..No double standard….

Obama '08

While Americans may whine a lot, the complaining about the economy is nothing short of the truth. Gas prices have doubled, housing markets are impossible, and credit is being crunched.

But I would expect a comment like that from someone like Gramm who is a lobbyist:

"While advising the McCain campaign, Gramm was being paid by a UBS to lobby Congress about the U.S. mortgage crisis. During this time, "the mortgage industry pressed Congress to roll back strong state rules that sought to stem the rise of predatory tactics used by lenders and brokers to place homeowners in high-cost mortgages.""

Calling the American people a "Nation of Whinners" over the lousy state of the Economy with the cost of gasoline, home heating oil and food, tells you all you need to know about Phil Gramm.
And gives you an idea of the kind of people McCain relies on for advice.

CNN I love the pictures you post with the articles. Both Gramm and McCain look like brainless twits. "Huh???"

Now that I think about it, that explains a lot of their blather and stupidity. Anyone who wants to be my President who believes hard working Americans going through economic hardship are "whiners" is completely out-of-touch with reality. That, my friend, is true mental recession.

This just goes to show you what a joke and a farce the political process is. What spokesman, in his right mind, uses "BFF" in an official statement? What are we in high school?…nevermind, don't answer that

Interesting. Chris Angel must be on the McCain staff now because Gramm and McCain are trying to Mind Freak the American public into believing that our economic woes are just a figment of our imaginations.

This pathetic coming from two men who never eat hamburger helper and spend more per month on lunches at swanky restaurants than the average American family has on hand to pay their houshold bills.

Uhhhh, actually Phil, it looks more like a real recession. Which you helped cause by voting against borrower protection bills designed to protect consumers from the predatory lending policies that ultimately led to the subprime housing crisis. It also didn't help that while our dollar was quite rapidly going down the toilet, you were exacerbating the depreciation by lobbying for foreign banks. You think it to be a "mental" recession because I'm sure you and all your little friends are just swimming in dough. Maybe you should go and talk to the countless thousands of Americans who have lost their jobs and their benefits, or the millions who can't afford healthcare. I'm sure they'll tell you that it's a real recession, you gibbering moron.

Frankly, I can't express how angry I am at this self-righteous, overpaid imbecile for saying something so insensitive and out of touch. Good luck to McCain trying to distance himself from comments made by the guy who he PERSONALLY APPOINTED as his chief economic adviser. Once again a gaffe by the McCain camp has revealed the republican party's true contempt for the American people. Excellent work.

Yeah it's always interesting when a bunch of millionaires dismiss our concerns with the economy as "whining".

These are the same people who want to tell us we should be shaking in our boots because there is a muslim terrorist under every bed.

A mental recession? How much is gas, food, clothing, and housing? Nothing about that is "mental"!

Obama 08/12′

I guess it doesn't matter when your spouse is rolling in dough.
As for the instant relief at the pumps, that tax that he is going to do away with will affect our highways and bridges, of course what are a few lives lost in collapsed bridges if the action brings media coverage and votes.

WELL THIS REPUBLICAN KNOWS WHO THEY ARE NOT VOTING FOR . AND THATS MCCAIN .

LOL good one Chryssa.

I hate it when millionaires preach to the average American about whining. Maybe if they wouldn't corrupt Congress with skeptical lobbying practices, we wouldn't whine so much.

Obama 08

Right or not about whiners, Gramm is largely responsible for the financial crisis. Of course he wants to divert the attention and the blame.

CNN, where's the inclusion about Gramm's involvement in the housing and banking mess? And what about his wife's?

How come McCain keeps Gramm around? Oh, that's right, McCain's a war hero (genuinely) so his judgement is untouchable (wrongfully).

Uh… how about an actual recession?

There's something mental about this guy, though…

Obama '08

I agree. Bunch of whiners!

obama is so far out of touch WITH WE THE PEOPLE he is not even AMERICAN !!!!

I know this wont post, cnn sold their morals and integrity to obama, your one time trust is gone.

Sad to say but he is right. There is a huge portion of America that wants something for nothing. They want the government to take care of everything for them. I am not saying that the economy is not on a down slide, and that most definately the cost of gas is killing us all, but before the gas became the big issue there was still those same people wanting handouts.

And if the Liberal nut jobs get their way, businesses will get to pay out higher taxes, so that supposedly I won't have too. Which will cause those businesses to either shut down, or move over seas where there will be even more whiners and even more folks standing there with their hands out.

In the past 10 years we have lost practically all of our textile mills in our area that was the main employers. They have either shut down or moved over seas. If the companies and the top 1% (which is probably one in the same for the most part) pay the majority of taxes then that means less jobs. Because why pay all that when they can easily move to China or Mexico. They can outsource all their IT jobs from India and just not have to worry about the greed of the left and the whiners(aka-losers).

And If he Graham's salary was like most of ours, he would be complaining too. GET REAL OLD MAN.

OBAMA won't call us whiners.

Barack Obama 08

You whiners need something to cry about, McCain will give you something to cry about. Let's lock in those tax cuts for the mega wealthy and continue tearing apart our social safety nets. When this is complete, when you are all tenement farmers on some lord' s estate, then you can complain. Until then, eat cake!

John and Phil must have been asleep over the last 7 years. America is not doing well, but shhhhhhhhhhh…..don't wake them up, they need their rest.

Easy for you to say, Phil- You're a millionaire

However, I can't fill my tank on "positive thinking"

Idiot

Whiners?

Well, what exactly should we do when we haven't gotten a decent raise in five years (commensurate with rising prices and inflation), can not put gas in the car to go to work, and have to decide which meal to skip to save money so we can do frivolous things, like, say, pay the electric bill.

Have you ever had to worry about that?

Didn't think so.

It's actually our own fault for not being wealthy. Serves us right to suffer.

I actually think a great solution is to eat the rich. Not only will we get all of our daily protein, but since they will no longer need their wealth, well, by default it becomes ours. Not only that, but fewer cars on the road, less energy consumption…

Now that's multitasking at it's best.

Eat the rich.

Yeah, don't know if its the right to say but hey, he's a Rep! Is all good, LOL!!

I am sick of the insults comming from the right wing nut-jobs.
As a nation, we are tired of the lies and BS.

since CNN only allows 20 to 30 post on stories about Mccain and 1003 about Obama i hope this gets in…
“Senator McCain said the economic problems facing Americans are psychological — now his top economic adviser and BFF, Phil Gramm- CNN

Gram one of McCains TOP ADVISERS is also the one responsible for the ENRON LOOP HOLE, deregulating oil speculators…so America, when you are whining while you fill up your gas tanks…thank McCain's boy Gramm.it is no wonder McCain has some 59 lobbyist running his campaign…including Charlie " McCain will do great if there were an attack" Black-OPC and Frank Donetelli-EXXON
John McCain is close to a Billion Heir trying to call someone an Elitist? oh Please.
John McCainm is the " let them eat cake candidate"
this is too the 500,00 who have lost their jobs since Jan. and the millions who have lost their homes…if John McCain gets elected, who will really be your President? let John eat cake!!!

UNREAL! Its all in your mind, your foreclosed home, your job loss, 4.50 a gallon gas, 4.00 a gallon milk, ALL IN YOUR MIND…WOW, must be nice to have a wife worth millions. This is just one more reason that this man wont win in November, people dont want to hear this, they KNOW its real. WMD's now THOSE were all in BUSHES mind, and that is who Mccain is taking the lead from…what a mess!

Just like an elitist blow hard who never had it hard financially to say something as idiotic as this. Why don't you go talk to someone who's house just got foreclosed on or someone who just lost their job because your global market theory allowed their company to ship their job overseas. Will you people out their please stop voting on the basis of party loyalty and think about yourselves, your fellow citizens and the future of this country.

Obama 08

Imagine the media frenzy that would ensue if someone from the Obama campaign made this statement.

I think Americans have the right to complain when they are losing their homes and the lending companies are the ones getting the help, when the price of gas has sky-rocketed and people are struggling to make ends meet, when the price of dairy products have also sky-rocketed and nothing is being done about it, when family members are being killed or seriously injured in a war that was a mistake.

The American people should complain and they have every right to blame the Bush administration for their woes.

Gramm's remarks are typical for the rich and unaffected. Reminds me of Barbara Bush saying how Katrina victims are better off because they had a roof over their heads…….even though they lost their homes and had nothing but a cot in Houston's football arena.

What planet are these people on? There is a very good reason Americans are whining and that reason is George W. Bush, the WORST PRESIDENT IN MODERN HISTORY (according to historians).

CNN your a joke, this is bigger news than the Viagra story, but no, you you want to be all about issue number one but all you want to cover is paparazzi news

Mccain Is Such An Elitist He Doesnt Think We Are In A Recession! The Price Of Gas Is Not High. . . Food Doesnt Cost Alot. . . Houses Are Not At Risk Of Foreclosure. . . The War Doesnt Cost To Much . . . . . Its Just Mental And All In Your Head!

Typical Republican philosophy:

"sit down, shut up, and quit your whining"

I think Gramm forgot to add at the end "or the terrorists have won"

*************************************************

GRAMM:
ECONOMY IS BAD? WHAT RECESSION?
I'M NOT FEELING IT. OH…………….COZ I'M RICH
MAYBE IF I CAN MAKE YOU THINK EVERYTHINGS FINE THEN EVERYTHING FINE. I'M KNOWN TO BE VERY PERSUASIVE.

MCCAIN:
I DON'T KNOW THE GUY. HE JUST HAPPEN TO HELP ME ON ECONOMIC MATTERS. I HAVE A PLAN TO FIX THIS ECONOMY. WITH MORE OF THE SAME PEOPLE IN OUR PARTY AND CONTRIBUTING WITH OUR PARTY CHANGE IS……… OH CRAP WE'RE SCREWED.

STOP RISING GAS PRICES
STOP RISING COST OF GOODS
STOP FORECLOSURES
STOP THE EXPENSIVE IRAQ WAR
STOP CONTRACTS, LAWS TO BENEFIT LOBBYIST, BIG CORP AND BUDDIES

STOP THE MADNESS. VOTE OBAMA.

Somehow, I really don't think McCain "feels" our pain, and neither do those top 2 percent who get that wonderful tax break. What a crock.

Wow! $9+ trillion national debt, $4 a gallon gas, record foreclosures, surging unemployment, consumer debt through the roof, bankruptcy filings climbing, financial institutions reeling, and the stock market in close to a free fall. Earth to McCain team - people are hurting out there - largely the result of a failed Administration putting oil companies, a war agenda, reducing market and consumer protections, and in general the benefit of the wealthy and powerful ahead of the concerns of ordinary Americans.

This puts new meaning to the term "Out of touch".

There is some truth to this. For first time home buyers there is no better time than now to buy homes..But gas prices are outrageous..

And this is the type of thing we could expect from a McCain economic advisor? I guess he just thinks 'ya'll don't have yer minds right'.

I guess for most of us who are not born with millions we are whiners!

But considering how many people have lost their jobs and homes… McSame and his thugs are really out of touch!

Go Obama!

Phil go take your meds and lie down. While you're resting we will vote for Barack Obama to stop us from "whining" so much.

Graham would make a solid choice for the next treasury sec. But this comment is a little strange. In a way all recessions are "mental" since consumer attitude can play such a big role in any economy. But he should not have said something like this to a reporter. The press will never give clear context on anything.

I'm so scared for me and my family and the so many other families that are struggling in the country if McCain gets into the White House. With advisors like this what can we expect accept the "Your on your own" mentality from our government. All while they get paid THOUSANDS of dollars and don't have to worry about paying for gas, food, and all the other things the average American does because we pay for it for them with our tax dollars.

The economy isn't as bad as we think? Thanks for telling me, I never would have figured that out with the cost of food and gas added on to the fact that I won't recieve a pay increase because of budget cuts.
Maybe if I didn't pay my taxes like the McCain family or if I had $750,000 to spend in ONE month, I wouldn't feel the pinch either.

Who's the elitist again?

graham's comments–registered GOP but now independent/democrat–they just don't get it–whiners??-rich white old men with pensions and all the success in the world–try raising a family and sending them to college and pay for medical-all on $50,000 plus–tax breaks and self directed IRA's-competition-all work well for the top 10%-republican party has gone so far right it is really scarey—–look at the republican primary-all white older men-and I am one–running for office-no women or anyone not older and rich–you are seeing a permanent shift thanks to Bush–with 100 million plus-does one really think he 'get's it"–last comment-when you spend 300 million that you don't have-should anyone be surprised we are going down-don't blame washington-blame us-the people who don't care about deficits–warren

Let's take a closer look at this article. This reporter is out of touch. How dare anyone write something this biased and say it is objective. Who said Gramm and McCain are BFF. That is in this reporter's mind and that is subjective (not objective) reporting. There is no excuse for the bias of the media and no article written with such subjectivity deserves further comment.

Ummmm…..you mean this is all in our heads?

Hopefully the past 8 years were a bad dream too.

Yes, you know us American…we're so cranky when we spend $4.67 a gallon for gas. But according to John, "we're making progress".

Obama 08

You know what I would like to see. The next time one of these knuckle heads try to tell the American people say times are not that hard. A news reporter needs to ask them two simply questions…
1) How much do they earn a year?
2) If they only made $35,000 per year and had only $3,000 in the bank at 45 years old and their place of employment was thinking of closing . WOULD THEY STILL THINK THINGS WEREN'T THAT BAD??? People like Mr Gramm are an insult to all of us.
..
CNN there is somthing else I would like you to look into regarding Sen. McCain.
I saw yesterday ( on another News Station) at a town hall meeting Senator McCain was challenged by a Vietnam Veteran on his voting record supporting veteran benefits. It appears ONCE AGAIN the media is allowing Senator McCain to get away with misquoting his record.

CNN I would like you to turn your vast resources on this and find out the TRUTH when it comes to Senator McCains support on this issue. The veteran stated that Senator McCains record is horrendous in this area and he has voted AGAINST many of the bills that would increase veteran benefits. Of course the Senator told the person he was incorrect. IF the Veteran was correct…the PUBLIC needs to know this since he tends to portray himself as a champion of those who have served this country.

CNN….PLEASE….BE EQUALLY TOUGH on both candidates…This election is VERY important and there are plenty of REAL ISSUES that need to be addressed objectively.

It's all a hoax. All those foreclosures, the GM plants shutting down, and House Still For Sale signs are all in your minds. I have a portfolio that is rich in European equities and I cannot begin to tell you how well my oil stocks are doing right now. Democratic Lies!
Stop being a Cry Baby and vote Republican
McCain/Dole in 08

A letter to the Haves from the Havenots

Dear Senator Graham:

Please pay my mortage and my bills.
Also, give me a gas card.

Sincerely,
Get Real

Obviously they're not feeling the recession… it's nice to be rich.

Wow. Ummm… Wow. So I guess it's all in my head that I am behind in all of my utilities and can't afford to put gas in my car even though I work about 50 hours a week? WOW! For God's sakes people! Vote Obama! That old man has lost what's left of his mind!

Easy to say if you made millions as a Senator and a lobbyist.

Maybe Mr. Gramm should spend some time in the poorer parts of Houston or Dallas and meet some of the people he supposedly represented.

Get out and look around, Mr. Gramm. People are losing their jobs, losing their homes, have no health insurance.

I am at the point in my life where I am supposed to be a Republican. It is idiots like this guy who keep me from doing so.

No flag pins! Not Patriots!

Graham was a joke years ago and still is today. McCain only picked him because he is a darling of the neo-conservative groups.

Duh… of course we are…. but it didn't just pop up in our heads. It is because of bad economic policy for 8 years now and has resulted in factors where people are having a tough time making ends meet.

Take his extra millions away, put him in a state of an average American and then see him going through the same mental recession…. seriously!

That's easy for someone way up there on his high horse to say when he doesn't have to worry about $4.00 gas. Nobody is coming to take his home away from him either. That's exactly what's wrong with people in power - out of touch with the avergae American

Senior Senator John McCain. memory laps and time in prison camp has brought on this thought of War, War, War and more war however, dealth and distruction does not bring jobs to our economy it just takes money way.

A nation of whiners? Is that the same thing as being "bitter"? I wonder what the news media will do with this article. Probably ignore it while they continue to support McCain through biased reporting.

Didn't the McCain camp just go through a major overhaul to avoid things like this? How's that working out for you, John?

Yeah, I must be crazy, seeing and reading about unemployment, high gas prices, home foreclosures, health care, war, environment, and weak dollar are all the delusions of us insane Americans.

You gave Bush 8 years of this crap and now you want to give McCain 4 more years?? We owe it to ourselves and future generations to change the course! That's why I support Obama! Period.Full Stop.

And regarding you single faux- single issue pro-lifers, please - McCain is an adulterer and war monger, what about those lives. Pro-choice means just that! CHOICE! It doesn't advocate to use abortion as a means to birth control! Compromise the issue! Advocate birth control and abstinence, adoption. Whether legal or illegal won't stop abortions!

It is obvious that Graham is out of touch with the American public. As the economic advisor of the McCain campaign, this is downright frightening. As McCain has rapidly distanced himself from Graham's comments, it make me wonder if McCain's distancing is only a political gimmick to garner the support of the electorate and if McCain should actually achieve the office of the President, he will quickly forget about the real economic suffering of Americans and embrace Bush's failed policies.

Maybe he was meaning a recession, is only in the mind, of those who have little to look forward too. Too narrow a vision! Get some wide angled Spectacles, look around some more…. Take a walk in a different direction Maybe..

He just called America "a nation of whiners" and this is McCain's top economic advisor, who McCain gives questions to that he doesn't understand and he expects us to say nothing?

well i guess it is easy to forget that we are on hard times when you have hundreds of millions of dollars to get you through those hard times.

Gee wiz , JAN FROM BOCA RATON, FL., how do you support that? Are you saying that there are not economic problems facing Americans today? I'm sure in Senator McCains world there aren't but in the real world you simply can't deny it.
For Senator McCain to even hint that economic problems facing Americans are psychological is a slap in the face to those who are finding it extremely difficult to provide for their families.
If you truly believe this you are as out of touch and as uncaring as Senator McCain apparently is. Maybe you don't have to worry but could you please put yourself in the shoes of others who are worrying. I absolutely gringe when I think of the lack of knowledge that some people display when making a decission as important as electing a President with out taking the time to realize the issues at stake.
Jan, start reading the news and listening to what is going on. YES, THERE ARE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS FACING AMERICANS TODAY.
You must be lucky to not be one of them.

And this is Uncle Fester's Top Eco Advisor…Great…

USA a third world country here we come…but we will have our guns to help feed us because all the good jobs will be gone and we will be killing wildlife to stay alive.

This is very significant and needs more coverage than it's being given. John McCains TOP ECONOMIC ADVISER thinks Americans are "whinners" and have "mental recession" for complaining about the economy and the media is subdued in its coverage; this is outrageous and goes to show that the media are McCains sychophants. How can someone with such a mindset advice the GOP nominiee on economic issues and propose any effective strategy to fix the economy when he sees no problem, and equates peoples' legitimate concerns to whinning? America, this is a wake up call that McCain won't do anything to help revive the economy because our economic woes are psychological, it is all in our heads!

Barrack says that "hope" will fix everything.
How is that different from saying "stop whining"?

Jan from Boca….

you are obviously a millionaire…..

(or an idiot)…

He is going to distance himself from the comments his adviser said….. but he will not distance himself from his adviser and his adviser will not apologize because that is how he feels. A next Dick Cheney???

let them eat cake. its not that bad i am leaving for the hamptons tomorrow….

This another reason why, thankfully, McCain is not going to be president.

is mcwar ok.