WASHINGTON (CNN)—The AFL-CIO launched a new offensive on Thursday, the 73rd anniversary of Social Security, looking to paint John McCain as a wealthy elitist who is unconcerned with the needs of senior citizens.
In a mailer expected to reach 50,000 seniors Friday in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, the labor organization focuses in on McCain’s plans to privatize social security and increase the minimum age for eligibility above 65 years old.
“John McCain started receiving Social Security when he turned 65,” the mailer says. “But now he has a risky scheme to privatize Social Security—threatening our benefits.
“McCain’s worth over $100 million...,” the mailer also says. “He walks around in $520 Italian loafers. If John McCain lost his Social Security, he’d get by just fine. Would you?”
In 2006 the Arizona senator earned $3.9 million and has a net worth of $40.4 million, which Democrats have noted in an effort to paint McCain as out-of-touch with the average voter.
McCain’s net worth far succeeds Obama’s $1.3 million. In 2006, the presumptive Democratic nominee earned $991,000.
The presumptive Republican nominee has said that he supports a partial privatization of Social Security — which the AFL-CIO is using to try to tie his positions to President Bush’s unpopular 2005 attempt to overhaul the system.
According to the AFL-CIO, their efforts will be expanding over the coming weeks to reach a larger number of voters in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan—with the potential of extending outside those swing states.
Summertime and the swift boats are sailing.
The author of the book that attacked John Kerry’s record on a Vietnam War Swift boat, and ultimately torpedoed his campaign, is now going after Barack Obama.
Jerome Corsi is out with “The Obama Nation”, which will debut at number 1 on the New York Times best-seller list this Sunday. It portrays Obama as a radical liberal who’s tried to cover up his connections to Islam. The book also questions whether Obama’s drug use as a youngster ever ended. Real nice stuff.
Critics say that a lot of the book’s accusations are unsubstantiated or just not true.
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) - The site of the 2008 Republican National Convention is one step closer to looking like it well the night presumptive GOP nominee John McCain officially accepts his party's nomination for president.
In a media walk-through of St. Paul, Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center, officials unveiled the stage and steps that lead to the position where McCain will speak.
Mike Miller, director of operations of the event site, said the platform itself is only four feet above the actual floor, which gives the area a more open feeling and "brings everything down closer to the people who are watching."
Friday will mark the end of the fourth week of construction in a six-week process. In the remaining weeks, construction workers will add camera platforms, chairs and delegation signs on the floor, carpet in the aisles, and various colored decorations.
McCain said Ridge's support of abortion rights does not rule him out as VP
(CNN) - John McCain has a message for those who believe former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge's support of abortion rights effectively rules him out for the VP spot on the Republican presidential ticket:
Not so fast.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who remains suspect in the eyes of many social conservatives, told the Weekly Standard Wednesday Ridge’s pro-choice stance does not necessarily mean he isn't being considered for the No.2 spot.
"I think that the pro-life position is one of the important aspects or fundamentals of the Republican Party," McCain told the magazine. "And I also feel that–and I'm not trying to equivocate here–that Americans want us to work together. You know, Tom Ridge is one of the great leaders and he happens to be pro-choice. And I don't think that that would necessarily rule Tom Ridge out."
Ridge, a veteran of the Vietnam War who remains extremely popular in his critical home state, is a close ally of McCain who campaigned with the Arizona senator during his Pennsylvania swing earlier this week.
In many ways, Ridge is an appealing choice for McCain, especially geographically. The GOP hasn't carried Pennsylvania in two decades, and a McCain win there would deal a potentially devastating blow to Obama's hopes of winning the White House. Ridge's hardscrabble upbringing may also appeal to blue-collar voters while his moderate political leanings could play well with Independents.
But the pro-choice ridge is no ideological warrior and if McCain hopes to placate economic and social conservatives, Ridge may be the wrong pick. Along those lines, Joe Lieberman - now an "independent Democrat and fervent McCain supporter who is also pro-choice - likely wouldn't fare well with many conservatives either.
McCain has a solid pro-life voting record, and he has said he thinks Roe. v. Wade should be overturned. But the issue is not one McCain appears to like discussing.
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