Comments on: McCain adviser: Nation suffering from a 'mental recession'

By: jbloom

jbloom — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:55:26 +0000

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.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:54:59 +0000

"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.

By: MR. AMERICA

MR. AMERICA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:54:29 +0000

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.

By: Judd

Judd — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:54:07 +0000

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."

By: Deidre, Birmingham

Deidre, Birmingham — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:54:01 +0000

"A Nation of Whiners"

We will see who is whining come November...

By: Brian, Pittsburgh

Brian, Pittsburgh — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:53:35 +0000

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

By: Tim in NC

Tim in NC — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:53:08 +0000

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.

By: An American

An American — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:52:49 +0000

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

By: C Hussein L

C Hussein L — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:52:42 +0000

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.

By: Brian G, Sugar Land, TX

Brian G, Sugar Land, TX — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:52:17 +0000

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

By: C Hussein L

C Hussein L — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:52:05 +0000

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.

By: DEMOCRAT

DEMOCRAT — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:53 +0000

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...

By: Mental Recession

Mental Recession — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:44 +0000

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.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:24 +0000

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...

By: Loretta from California

Loretta from California — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:19 +0000

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

GOP=ELITIST ELITIST ELITIST

DEMOCRATS UNITE!!!!

By: Brian, Pittsburgh

Brian, Pittsburgh — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:15 +0000

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!

By: PAT FOR OBAMA

PAT FOR OBAMA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:50:58 +0000

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.

By: John Angers

John Angers — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:50:47 +0000

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.

By: Richard, St. Paul, MN

Richard, St. Paul, MN — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:50:02 +0000

"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!

By: Will, NJ

Will, NJ — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:49:53 +0000

Does BFF mean what I think it means?

By: Anita from Arizona

Anita from Arizona — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:49:06 +0000

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.

By: katiec

katiec — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:49:01 +0000

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.

By: NICK, HOUSTON

NICK, HOUSTON — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:49:01 +0000

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!!!

By: judi in NJ

judi in NJ — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:48:43 +0000

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!

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:48:22 +0000

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!!!

By: Nikki

Nikki — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:47:42 +0000

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.

By: Joseph H, Warner Robins, GA

Joseph H, Warner Robins, GA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:47:20 +0000

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.

By: tardis

tardis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:46:26 +0000

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.

By: In California

In California — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:45:21 +0000

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

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:45:15 +0000

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.

By: Neal

Neal — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:45:09 +0000

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

By: Eimerd

Eimerd — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:44:16 +0000

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.

By: Hawk

Hawk — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:57 +0000

WOW unbeleiveable

By: R.I.F.

R.I.F. — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:48 +0000

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.

By: Code Blue

Code Blue — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:36 +0000

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

By: judy, Wisconsin

judy, Wisconsin — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:17 +0000

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?

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:09 +0000

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

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:07 +0000

$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'.

By: Mark Timmis

Mark Timmis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:42:50 +0000

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.

By: Jeff D, South Bend, IN

Jeff D, South Bend, IN — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:42:33 +0000

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

By: Dave in MN

Dave in MN — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:42:13 +0000

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.

By: Richard, FL

Richard, FL — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:42:13 +0000

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.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:42:02 +0000

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."

By: Mai

Mai — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:41:32 +0000

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.

By: Shawna

Shawna — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:41:05 +0000

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.

By: Matt in Cleveland

Matt in Cleveland — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:40:19 +0000

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

By: charles

charles — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:40:16 +0000

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

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:39:54 +0000

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.

By: Xavier

Xavier — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:39:36 +0000

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.

By: Dave, PA

Dave, PA — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:39:24 +0000

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.