U.S. Edition
(CNN) - Hours after calling the economy ‘strong,’ John McCain appeared to clarify the comment Monday afternoon, minutes after he was derided as "out of touch" by the Obama campaign.
"My opponents may disagree, but those fundamentals of America are strong," McCain said at a campaign event in Orlando. "No one can match an American worker. Our workers sell more goods to more markets than any other on earth. Our workers have always been the strength of our economy, and they remain the strength of our economy today."
“But their efforts are not being matched at the top," he added. "From Washington to Wall Street, the top of our economy is broken. We have seen self interest, greed, irresponsibility and corruption undermine the hard work of the American people."
McCain faced criticism earlier in the day from Democrats for telling a Jacksonville crowd that, "Our economy - I think, still - the fundamentals of our economy are strong, but these are very, very difficult times."
Earlier: McCain mocked for saying economy still 'strong'
Yeah, the economy is very strong ... for people like McCain and his wife who own 7 houses and a beer fortune. Unfortunately for you and me it's an entirely different ball game.... But what does He knows about it, that old gaga ?
This reminds me of the Nixon years. Every time he would say something stupid, his press secretary would come along a short time later and say,"What the President meant to say..."
I just got here; has CNN reported yet on Rangel having to hire a forensic acct to untangle all his tax lies yet?
Didn't think so....
No so long ago McCain he desn't know much abaout the economy. He has repeated proved this. Now he is talking about selling more goods to mre markets – he needs to take alook at the balance of payments anf the current trade deficit.
WE don't have time for a President to train in economics on the job.
So what are you going to do, John? Regulate the "top" of wall street? Doesn't that go against everything you've been saying? Doesn't that require more governmental oversight? Don't you want to reduce the size of government?
So tell me...just how are you going to fix things at the "top"? And how are you going to do so without government regulation?
John – You have not a clue.
Obama is a realist – PLEASE, everyone, vote for him in Nov.
I think we all know what Senator McCain meant, but its just not a smart thing to say right now. Just like Phil Gramm's comments about "whiners" was just a dumb thing to say.
I'll also beg the differ with Senator McCain on the US shipping more goods out. If that was the case, why are our trade deficits so high? Why does Nissan, Toyota have plants in the US, but (unless I'm missing something), GM, Ford, etc don't have plants in Japan? Why are we importing so many goods from China (goods that are hurting American BTW)?
Why don't you ask Phil Gram how we can fix this? Oh yeah, he's a principal in messing things up.
If this mess doesn't get McCain's numbers up, he'll just have some of his party's "friends" create a world crisis to get them up.
FEAR-MONGERING IS NEXT
HEY OBAMA SUPPORTERS YOU WOULD VOTE FOR MICKY MOUSE IF HE COULD GIVE A GOOD SPEECH AND TALK ABOUT CHANGE. OBAMA HAS NO EXPERIENCE AND HE WILL LOSE. YOU SHOULD HAVE PICKED HILLARY THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A 10 POINT LEAD. WOW THE DEMS WILL NEVER LEARN.
I think Sen McCain is ouit of touch with what is going on with the economy in America. McCain must haven't been watching or listening to the new today SAD. Maybe he think it's ok crash and burn. Go Obama/Biden
McCain is correct. The fundamentals are still strong. The fact that Obama doesn't understand basic economics doesn't mean that McCain is wrong, nor should he have to dumb the message down to a level that Obama understands.
McCain cannot help it if Obama is a moron folks.
NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MCCAIN, NO QUEEN REDNECK
TOO LATE WE KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT. YOU CANNOT BE IN TOUCH WITH AMERICA WITH 7 HOUSES.
Nah, why is he allowed to clarify, and when Obama makes a slip, there are no updates. Mainstream Media, you are gonna cost this country their future.
McCain Palin '08/ There will not be a US in '12.
They have also seen their wages slip dramatically under republican leadership. McCain has opposed raising the minimum wage over and over again. John McCain doesn't give a hoot about the well-being of working Americans. The reason he believes the economy is fundamentally sound is because woes in the financial market don't have an impact on him and his wealthy friends.
There is nothing for McCain to clarify. He has little understanding or interest in economics, as he himself admitted. Same for Gov. Palin, who I doubt ever took a college economics course. Former Fed Reserve chief Alan Greenspan has said McCain's tax plan is unsound!
McCain also fails to admit that the IRAQ WAR and OCCUPATION is costing us $1 trillion over the long run, and crippling our economy! Yet we're asked to vote for him because he's a POW hero?
Oops. McCain showed his deeply Republican hands-off reflexes. He's not in any pain from the economy; why should he do anything.
If Americans pick him, his first statement is what we'll get, probably with a dollop of insincere sympathy like this second statement.
Did this fool really say this? The economy is strong? Is Dubya writing his speeches now???
ella you are oversimplifying the problem: the fundamentals of the American economy are in danger.
The dollar is at it's weakest point in decades. Moreover, the last time it was this week we did not have a serious challenger to our hard currency, namely the Euro.
If the oil interests were to decide to align their prices to the Euro instead of the dollar, the American economy would implode. The only things preventing this at this point are 1) America's large consumption of foreign oil and 2) OPEC's realization that the implosion of the American economy would drastically hurt the rest of the world as well. However, both these features are shifting.
Finally, the lending crisis, coupled with Bush's asinine credit rates affecting student loans (among other things) have resulted in decreased spending and a diminishing educated workforce. Coupled together, many families are taking in less money or paying more of their gross income to the banks than ever before, yet on paper the banks still aren't breaking even.
All of this is the direct result of the "greed is good" economics of the 1980s.
Wake up people! HE DOESN'T GET IT.
How McCain still tied with Obama is beyond me. There are a lot of people still buying the BS from the Repubicans. Oh by the way they are up to their old tricks. Just Google. Michigan Messenger lose your votes. And read. Amazing CNN and the other media networks never seem to mention this. I guess it is the Liberal Media bias. They will tell us what OJ had for lunch but not how the Republicans seem to try to consistently compromise our fundamental right to vote in order to win elections. Country First?
McCain said "our workers are the best " – then why, does he send our jobs overseas? This guy will say anything to attract a vote! VOTE OBAMA IN 2008!
McSame
Lies & Fabrications!! – We are not stupid. We can't be fooled!!
Yes We Can Tell the DIFFERENCE
OBAMA/BIDEN
Too little too late mcpalin
Economy is fundamentally strong? Is this guy living on the same planet? A quick glance up and down the streets in my town shows a different reality. People are losing their jobs and their homes.
Even if he doesn't get it, his handlers should point him the right direction. Sheesh.
So another McCain Gaffe, the economy is strong????????Maybe for you and your 5 million dollar rich friends huh???? You cant back track on this one! Keep showin your out of touch!