DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNN) - After days of headlines over the emotion at his campaign events, John McCain acknowledged at a rally in Davenport, Iowa Saturday that he and his supporters are angry - but insisted the anger wasn't directed at opponent Barack Obama.
After a week of headlines about angry outbursts from the audience at McCain-Palin rallies directed toward Obama, the Republican nominee added some new lines in his stump speech giving a nod to the emotion on the trail.
"My friends, I have traveled all over this great country, and one thing I have heard from Americans at every stop is that they are angry. They’re angry. They’re angry. They’re angry about the mess in Washington and Wall Street. They’re angry about the failure of leadership at this hour of national crisis,” said McCain. “Well you’re angry, and I’m angry too, and when Sarah Palin and I get to the White House we’ll turn Washington upside down.”
But Obama’s record didn’t entirely escape McCain’s wrath. The GOP presidential candidate pointed to a large contribution to Obama’s political campaign from a beneficiary of one of his opponent's earmarks.
“I guess it was sheer coincidence that the chairman of the planetarium pledged to raise more than $200,000 dollars for Senator Obama’s political campaign,” said McCain. “My friends, the appearance of this insider dealing angers Americans. I am going to put a stop to that, my friends, when I am president.”
A protestor brandishing a sign that read “war is over” brought the crowd back to a more familiar kind of anger - but drew a measured response from McCain.
“You know, my friends, there’s a perfect example of some people that just don’t get it," said the Arizona senator. "You know, as people trying to stay in their homes, keep their jobs and afford health care, is what they want is for us to yell at each other ? No. They want us to sit down together, Republican and Democrat, and work together in this terrible time of crisis, the largest financial crisis in our history.”
“And by the way my friends, as you know, I’ve had hundreds of town hall meetings and I always give people a chance to talk. I don’t always enjoy it but I give them a chance to talk and that’s what its all about,” he said to cheers from the crowd. “So if there is anyone else that has a problem, come to the next town hall meeting. I’ll be glad to talk to ya.”
From CNN Politics
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Chances of winning are about as good as a snowball in hell.
John McWallace is mad as hell.
To all Muslim: ve must support Obama and help with money.
How do you think a President will be more functional: angry or composed?
McCain I thought you were hating america if you get angy.
McCain–surrounded by lobbyists. Hounded by having taken money and vacations from Charles Keating–with whom, even after his conviction, McCain's wife continued her investments. And HE complains about someone raising funds for Obama? Sheer hypocricy.
I hear Palen has been offered a comedy spot by one network, before returning to Alaska in November.
Thank you McCain for your honesty. I knew it. You are an old angry man. An I do not want to see you around the res bouton.
What spin will it be next week?
It's mine, mine, mine and that one can't have it...
I've waited all my life for this moment...
I was beat by G. W. Bush & now by That One...
Take a nap. In the morning you will forget what you were angry about in the first place.
Wrong approach McCain. You need to address this directly and not skirt around it. You don't tamp down anger by repeatedly saying "you're angry!" "I'm angry!" "We're all angry!" Are you insane? Stop this division. Stop the lies and the smears and the rhetoric before somebody does something stupid.
I'd be angry too if my VP pick turned out to be a corrupt buffoon, if my campaign had turned into nothing but a smear machine, and if the American people (except for those wacko mobs at Republican events) saw through it all and were heading to Obama in droves. My god, the Dems are going to win in VA and have become competitive in WVA and GA of all places. Yeah john, I'd be flat out pissed.
i am from Iowa...Davenport Iowa is the Archie Bunker capitol of the state. Those people were mad long before McCain got there.
Too little, too late. The McCain campaign has slithered to a new low and cannot recover.
yes, its about time mccain got angry. He should bring up the facts, and dont give a rats behind if the liberals want to spin it, insinuating the race card is being played, when in fact, they are the ones playing the race card EVERYTIME.
Thanks, but no thanks!
Watch the Bradley Effect take hold and steam roll Obama's Presidential ambitions.
To bear: YOU must stop trying to fool us! We're not falling for it!
Ahhhh....
Another day another McCain Klan rally
I am so weary of the anger, hate and lies McPalin is spreading. It's dangerous. They're like kids throwing lit matches in a barn. I pray they don't burn this country down.
John McCain is angry about the economic crisis because he is afraid that he and Cindy may have to give up one of their many house servants and maids.
It almost sounds like McCain is a bitter maveric.
McShame, you're angry because Barack Obama is winning.
Go Obama/Biden!!!!!
Obama in '08!
McCain scares me. He is a ticking time-bomb waiting to explode. I would hate for him to be the one with a finger on the button.