CNN

Dano...it's amazing to me anyone can put the words "Republicans" and "Principles" in the same sentence. Seriously!

JOHN IF WE HAD TRUSTED AND BELIEVED IN YOU OR YOUR PARTY, WE WOULD HAVE VOTED YOU IN...BUT WE DIDN'T AND WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR FACE NOW. GO AWAY!

This little man needs to let it go. I should to think he was a decent enough guy, but that campaign changed him and now he's just a GOP tool.

Someone needs to get him a dictionary to help him understand the meaning of "change"...hey John!, it doesn't mean continuing the same failed tactics for the last 8 years, it means "CHANGING" them to the opposite strategy.

Roland Burgus (sp?) said it great the other night "we don't know if we're right, but you've had 8 years, now it's our turn to try it our way"

Why wont the republicans just sit back, if Obama's idea's fail then they get their power back, if Obama is right then the country is saved.
Oh But no, The republicans don't care if we're saved, they just want Obama is fail at our expense, just so they have a shot at 2012.
Pathetic....

"Country First", what a line of BS.

A comment and a question:

1. The failure of bipartisan support on the economic stimulus bill is entirely the Republican's fault. Short of giving into all of their demands (read: failed Bush policies that got us into this mess), the Republicans have clearly indicated that they will stonewall Obama at every turn.

2. When Bush had a minority in the House and Senate for his last 2 years, he still able to ram through his neo-con political agenda. But now that the Democrats have a near super-majority in the Senate, do they HAVE to have a "magic" 60? I know, I know, the threat of a filibuster. But my point is, Bush never had anything close to what Obama has. Are the Republicans screaming "Filibuster!" at everything, just to stonewall any of President Obama's efforts?

Dano – principles – republicans?

Please. Especially when a flip-flopping fraud like mccain is the subject. The man sold his soul – and his principles – for the support of the religious right during the election. Seems to me the republicans have selective use for principles – they have them when it suits their needs, otherwise, forgeddaboutit. So are we to believe that they're suddenly fiscal conservatives again after their actions during the bush administration. C'mon.

Obama was very gracious to mccain, and mccain has reacted with the mental maturity of a 7 year old. He's proven himself to be an angry and bitter loser. Nothing more. He's got the political acumen of a doorknob – his campaign and the selection of Palin as his running mate are testament to it.

Patrick, you need to understand that government spending CAN create jobs. Lets look at some of that "pork". The student financial aid for example. When students have more money for college, they don't have to drop out. When they stay in school paying the school with aid, the school gets more money than it would have without those students. More money = less teachers and faculty laid off, i.e. jobs saved.

You conservatives always over-simplify the economy. You're like cave men, "tax cuts good. spending bad. me hungry." The economy is complex, government spending targeted to areas where jobs are needed does indeed stimulate.

In any case, I'm really tired of Republicans suddenly getting bent out of shape about spending when their beloved Pres. Bush and his congress blew a surplus and decided to go spend billions of dollars and thousands of American lives on a pointless war.

McCain added that he didn't want any of those grapes anyway because they were probably sour.

Drop everything and go watch this riveting interview between Bill Moyers and Simon Johnson on the financial crisis here: http://pbs.org/moyers/journal/02132009/watch.html

Then check out his blog here:
http://baselinescenario.com/2009/02/13/bill-moyers-journal-tonight-american-banking-oligarchs/

Folks are just about ready to pick up their pitchforks and head to Wall Street, and you'll want to, too, after you watch that interview.

How do you say Moron in Republican? McCain/Palin

Bipartisanship is an individual decision. President Obama has been and is reaching out to everyone. It is a person's individual decision whether or not to reach back. There has been a lot of whining and finger pointing and not a whole lot of attention being paid to providing solutions to the issues our country faces. The problems we face are unprecedented and there needs to be forward thinking people who are willing to understand the problems and develop the solutions that best serve the American people.

Those who are in positions of power have great responsibilities and they need to “grow up” and stop behaving as though they are in junior high school and begin to look beyond their own selfish wants and/or re-elections and serve the American people.

John McCain appears to becoming bitter. John McCain said in his concession speech that he would work with the president and yet all he does is criticize him. It is time for him to lead by example or please keep his negative comments to himself.

It might be a good idea for the media to stop providing opportunities for our so-called “leaders” to bring division to this county with their negative attitudes (republicans and democrats) and let them do what they were voted in to do, SERVE. It is very difficult to develop positive solutions when all you have are negative thoughts.

I don't see how this shows McCain is whining. He's making a good case.

If Mr. Obama is irritating the republicans

HE MUST BE DOING THE RIGHT THING!!!!

Rush zombie McCain.................

If you think that this bill was wasteful and oversized...an expenditure of foolishness at monumental levels...well, with Obama in power...you ain't seen nothin' yet!

I have been watching this competition between the parties for many years now, and it has been tit for tat as long as I can remember.
It seems both parties have some good ideas, and some have not so good ideas. It has been a process of trial and error that is usually determined by who has lobbied with the most money, and can project the best apperance to the American people. We the people have fallen prey to an ocean of underlying motives, and objectives from both sides of the political spectrum. It seems we have not held to the values that our fore fathers intended for us to use as the years and political landscape have changed. When this country was young and it was molded from the experiences of people that were raised in societies that had thousands of years of history in many cultures and were trying to give this new nation the benefit of a collective optimism that was not afforded to them from older cultures that were tainted.
It seems that we might truley have a chance to try and return to the people, the chance to have a UNBIASED and collaborative government that has the best interest of the people in mind. Some will say that can not be acheived, but it can if there is not partisanship used in self interest by our leading parties.
I am so tired of our leaders being more interested in belonging to a politial group than taking from both sides the best policies for the people as a whole! I think Obama has the right idea, and we should look at the past very hard and take the lessons we have paid so deerly for and let the him do what he needs to do unimpeded so we can lead the world back to prosperity from the pits which we have fallen, for I fear if we don't soon it will be to late, if it isn't already. We have not come this far to fall into ruin now.
I BEG OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO DO SO NOW IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY!!!

I am a regular for CNN and can't resist in responing to this issue with the Republicians. First of all who are they to be giving advise when they did nothing for eight years. Now suddently they have all the answers. It is pitiful to us the american people watching to see them behaving like little kids in pre-school.

They claim everything about the stimulus is , but until now they have not presented a plan for us to see of what the grand solution they have to make things better. This stimulus might not be perfect and by the way there will never be a perfect one, but al least the president is trying. The Republicans made the mess in the first place and they never tried to fix or change anything for eight years. They said from the begining that they would not support the president so we the pubic are not surprised. The Republicans have always being for themselves and they spent years in Washington practicing how to be selfish and keep the wealth to themselves and those in their circle.

This is a new day, if you can't take the heat, then get out the kitchen. Bickering and complaining is not going to get anything done. As for McCain, he has not learned anything yet, it is is mouth that cost him the election in the first place. Grandpa you should be a role model for lifting up and now tearing down. Us young people have no respect for the behavior you and your party is exhibiting. Time to be a part of the solution and not the problem.

Thanks CNN for providing such great coverage

America has tried the failed policies of Bush by giving Tax Cut for rich and well to do people and Mcain was a cheer leader for that. President Obama was elected by the people and he is for the peopl;e. Rep. must get over it. it is not point for the base. All on board, It is an American economy recovery plan. Country first, get it.

Why is the republican party behaving this way? Because they know that 90% of our problem is consumer confidence. They want to undermine confidence in the new bill, because they will help further their cause in making the economy worse and therefore their wish for failure can be attained via propaganda.

>>It's real simple folks – We have the "Yes, we can" on one side and "No, we can't" on the other.<<

That's not simple. That's simplistic.

What if I were to say, "Yes I can..." steal your car? If you said "no you can't," does that make you some kind of negative partisan jerk? Maybe I'm not entitled to your car. Maybe I should get a job and pay for a car myself.

What Obama proved he "can" do is borrow a lot of money from our children and grandchildren to buy off political support he and the Dems in Congress want today. Whoop-di-doo. Any hack politician can do that - promise something for nothing. Obama will be long out of office when the bill comes due for his political greed.

That's not "new politics." It's not "change." It will destroy "hope" for future generations. It's not even smart. The bill will fail in its primary stated objective of spurring an economic recovery, and at that point, ever ounce of pork in it will be wrapped around his neck and the Democratic party's. So, the polls will show him up today, but this is a dead weight for 2012.

OK let me see if I understand.........if Obama doesn't approach bipartisanship the republican's way he is off track.......I am just not sure the Republicans would know bipartisanship behavior if they saw
it.......for Republicans ideology seems to trump real solutions to problems.

Sen. McCain lost and he still didnt got over it... our economy is really bad and needs to be fixed immediately.... and I think the republicans they either don't get it or they dont care about what is going on in this country....

It is axiomatic that McCain't a well informed economist. Just because he has to air an opinion, he is mouthing out his concept on the bill without much thought going into the process. Wait! There are more spicy speculations to come from the Grahams, McCains, Boeners, Kantors. Pences, and McConnells.

Why do Republicans hate America and Americans so much?

I've got an idea – have all the rich folk pay back the $2 TRILLION in tax cuts the Repubs gave them under Bush and we have no need for what they call the "excessive" Stimulus Bill.

We are in this mess because the same rich folk who got all the tax cuts did NOT re-invest in America. Rather, they shipped jobs overseas, hoarded their cash and took every opportunity to screw the average American to make yet another buck!

For the last time – trickle-down economics and laissez faire capitalism do NOT work!!

I want the public to know that the economy is hurting our great nation
and this is mostly cause by the ignorant of the republican, they will rather support a bill that will spend tax money in Iraq instead of at home, they forget that sometime when your house is on fire you don't care about the cost of the water. someone please tell republican to shout up, this are the people that vote for spending 10 billion in a mouth in Iraq. And I thought old man with old brain dont know anything about economy.

Remember our dads and granddads building the dams and bridges of this Country? It's what helped pull the Country out of the depression – that and WWII. Why can't we do that for the future generations – without the war. We all know our infastructure is crumbing – our schools are indaequate – our healthcare worrysome. Let America and Americans lead the way into the 21st Century!

Patrick, how are the things on your list "pork"? They all contribute directly to the betterment of our country, and yes, funding these programs creates and maintains jobs.

I think you should go live in the kind of dog-eat-dog country you seem to advocate and then get back to us.

To the idiot who says "Funny all the comments are in favor of Obama.. whine whine whine" BUT OF COURSE MORON.. Obama has over 70% approval, should CNN just silence the majority to make it appear that 50% of the country are right wing extremists? You should expect to see the comments reflect the approval you brainwashed dummy

If Jesus Christ had won this election as a Democrate, the Republicans would oppose everything he tried.
During the negotiations I can't recall any positive input from the Right.
Until they can contribute to the effort to clean up the mess they left, maybe they should sit in the corner and be quiet.

Obama Approval 60-70%+
Democrats: 48%+
GOP: 30-32%

I think that says all we need to know.

Of course the Republicans don't want the economy to improve – one big benefit to them is more unemployed to join the military and fight their wars. Didn't you all see the article how the military has met or exceeded it's enlistment goals since unemployment began to rise?

Perfect!! Cheap labor for them. Call it cynical if you want – I don't care.

Dano, it is because they have not held on to their republican principles for years.. they have not shown they have any principles.

I just heard the GOP Rep of Ill. say that the people at a company who is laying off employees that 100 of them did not want him to vote for the Stimulus package... there is no way I can believe that..... and his mail box is filled with request that he vote against it.. it is called the RNC filling you box up..

I think that part of the problem is that we had almost a trillion dollar deficit in Bush's last year (same as the spending by the Democrats this year), yet the level of the Republicans complaining and drawing the line in the sand against large gov't spending was almost non-existent, compared to this year's complaints. This really comes across as hypocrisy. I cana sorta understand their new mantra of "we were wrong to do it back then, but we've re-learned, and now won't let the other guys do what we did" ... That has a tendency to negate a lot of their new message, especially to the other side ...

Keep going Mr. President.

The socialistic trends we will experience become necessary because of the eight years of Republican ineptitude under the leadership of an abuser of power named Bush.

Hey McSame,

Your whole presidential bid was nightmare. Where do you come off saying the President's off to a bad start?

The Republicans enthusiastically spent $1 TRILLION in Iraq and $2 TRILLION on tax cuts for the wealthy, all while de-regulating Wall Street and costing average Americans TRILLIONS more in lost 401K investments.

If we had this money, we would not need the Stimulus Bill. So approving $800 BILLION to solve the MULTI-TRILLION Republican Depression is like trying to cure VD with aspirin – but yet the Republicans are against it and want MORE TAX CUTS for their rich friends. SHAME ON THEM!!!!!!!!!

I like the fact the Pres Obama is trying to jumpstart the economy, however...............I would rather see the stimulus package divided evenly amongst all taxpayers. Millions of us have a better chance of making this work than a handfull of agencies that get the money.

I see no gain for my family out of this other than a $400 rebate on my taxes !!!!!!!! Funny, how that money goes thru the IRS before it goes to anyone, so if I owe from last year, the IRS claims their share and sends me the balance, IF any. Last year the stimulus money went to my IRS bill and lowered my balance. Did me no good.

If we would each get $40,000, or whatever it divides out amongst taxpayers, we would be spending the money to pay off credit cards, car payments, house payments, buying at the store, investing it, etc and then everyone wins. THAT would stimulate the economy !

If I don't have anything to do with schools, construction, car building, unemployment, or any of the other entities the stimulus package is going for, it will not benefit me at all. .

At first I had some doubt about the stimulis package, but now I know it is on the right track, because McCain, and Rush, are convinced it will succeed, and are doing what they do best ,to help it fail.

Well we know the new republican mantra "generational theft."

At least he didn't call the bill socialist...let Rush handle that, I guess.

From my perspective, McCain comes across as a really sore loser...he wasn't worried about any of these things when it came time for war funding, unfunded mandates for schools, unfunded tax cuts...you know, all the things that contributed to the poor balance sheet and the current crisis.
Blame bankers if you like, but Bush's borrowing for war led us directly to this–his oil and Blackwater cronies are making money hand over fist, with still no accountability, while the rest of us are hiding cash under the mattress. McCAin is no better.

At least Obama is trying!

Republicans need to face the fact that the CBO came out with a report in 2005 that said more than half the reason for the surplus to deficit turnaround under Bush were the Bush tax cuts and war spending. Now they want more tax cut and McCain wants to stay on the "war" path in this poor economic situation when that got us here. I'm sick of Republicans acting like they have the ideas to move us forward. Their ideas simply have not moved us forward. It's been well documented that this spending is only part of the solution. It's crazy to think it's THE only hope.

Republicans are trying to figure out their identity which I understand, but their argument feels false looking at their recent actions with Bush in office. They had no problem with spending and creating deficit for Republican ideas. If they had a backbone with Bush I would have a lot more respect for the argument now.

Are those Red or White grapes. John?

"You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink" is a trite saying that still holds truth. After an election loss, it looks like the GOP are hanging on tightly to failed governance. Will they ever get it?

What ideas have McCain and buddies proposed? They can spew negative comments, but what have they proposed to correct the mess that the Republicans and their fraternity boy Prez and Peter Sellers (Cheney) lookalike have put us in. Did he not have to run back and vote on the bank bailout? What a joke that man is.

So how do Republican House and Senators LOOSE??? They get to "posture and bluster" about the "pork, waste, fiscal irresponsibility and the "debt to our children"!!!

Well tell me..please, WHERE WERE the Republicans...when they DOUBLED the deficit??? WHERE WERE the Republicans when it came to "using fear to pas the Patriot Act approve spending that made the "Stimulus Bill"...look like their twin???

When will ANYONE realize that Senators and House Members (from the Republican Party)...get to posture and bluster and attack this "outrageous spending bill"...yet ALL of their Governors and STATES that voted RED...are TAKING that money and NOT refusing it!!!

So is the CONSERVATIVE STANDARD...TAKING AND SPENIDNG IT...or APPROPRIATING IT!!! In the end...Conservative Republicans HAVE to come to grips with ...YOUR GUY TOOK AND SPENT THE MONEY!!!!

McCain is obviously "losing it", and this is just another example that he'll say irrelevant things just to get a headline and put his former opponent in a bad light. It's too bad that he either doesn't understand the bailout or that he just wants to "dis" the President at any cost...even looking dumb.

Maybe we should go line for line through the nearly 1 trillion dollars we spent "liberating" Iraq, and then we can talk about "PorK". What about the kind of "Pork" that costs thousands of American lives? Are you Republicans really suprised that no one believes a word you say anymore? As Americans we are not so dumb as to share the water hose with the idiots that set the house on fire.

Since the Republican minority are the ones that have screwed up America why don't you just be quiet. President Obama tried to work with you but if it was up to you there is only idea that you have.
CUT TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY AND CORPORATE AMERICA. Can't you understand that we have tried this for the last 8 years and it does not work. If you had an idea like telling corporate america if you want people to BUY AMERICAN then you should bring back your outsourced jobs so that your products are made by AMERICANS. Also how about financial institutions which have outsourced jobs to foreigners that have access to our personal information so they can service and monitor our citizens accounts . AND NOW ALL THEY TALK ABOUT IS IDENTITY FRAUD. Maybe then we would listen to Republicans again. BUT THEN IF YOU DID THIS YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE KICKBACKS FROM YOUR BUDDIES.

When John McCain uses the word "theft" to describe the borrowing to pay for this stimulus package, what does he call his $2.5 trillion alternative in the form of more tax cuts for the very rich?

John, keep on talking so you can remind voters why you were not elected. I

McCain lost all his credibility when he picked Palin as his running mate. Thereafter, anything he says or does is irrelevant for people with a brain.

Patrick, many of the things you mention are not "pet pork." Have you read stimulus bills of the past like FDRs bills?? It is really important that people understand what a stimulus bill is intended to do. It is clear to me that many don't understand what it is intended for. There are so many positive things to the bill, it is a shame that the naysayers only see those........John McCain doesn't get it-The GOP are the ones that off to a bad start this year. A very bad start. They are the party of NO, the party of Hoover and it will show very clearly in 2010.

Mr McCain and all Republican minority since you are the ones that have screwed up America why don't you just be quiet. President Obama tried to work with you but if it was up to you thereis only idea that you have.
CUT TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY AND CORPORATE AMERICA. Can't you understand that we have tried this for the last 8 years and it does not work. If you had an idea like telling corporate america if you want people to BUY AMERICAN then you should bring back your outsourced jobs so that your products are made by AMERICANS. Also how about financial institutions which have outsourced jobs to foreigners that have access to our personal information so they can service and monitor our citizens accounts . AND NOW ALL THEY TALK ABOUT IS IDENTITY FRAUD. Maybe then we would listen to Republicans again. BUT THEN IF YOU DID THIS YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE KICKBACKS FROM YOUR BUDDIES.

You are not Co-President, McCain. He's right..." we won... we write the bill." Get used to it. He gave the Republicans a chance to get on-board.
They didn't. I'm sure you would have done the same thing if you had been elected. But you weren't. Get used to that too!

Mcgrampy you are sore loser.
President Obama did all to show you respect but all you have is gripe and whine and blast him unfairly.
Go get yourself a good retirement home after 2010 because we would make sure we defeat you in Arizona.

It wasn't negotiable. Obama's giving back to those who financially supported him.

To Dano: I am a Democrat and I fervently hope Republicans do not abandon their long-held principles. In fact, I hope you move farther and farther right and continue to be the party of Just Say No. Nothing, I repeat nothing, would make me happier.

Old school–move forward- we have heard this before.

Dear Republicans since you are the ones that have screwed up America why don't you just be quiet. President Obama tried to work with you but if it was up to you thereis only idea that you have.
CUT TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY AND CORPORATE AMERICA. Can't you understand that we have tried this for the last 8 years and it does not work. If you had an idea like telling corporate america if you want people to BUY AMERICAN then you should bring back your outsourced jobs so that your products are made by AMERICANS. Also how about financial institutions which have outsourced jobs to foreigners that have access to our personal information so they can service and monitor our citizens accounts . AND NOW ALL THEY TALK ABOUT IS IDENTITY FRAUD. Maybe then we would listen to Republicans again. BUT THEN IF YOU DID THIS YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE KICKBACKS FROM YOUR BUDDIES.

Any spending ( pork or not ) is going to create a job for someone. Sure, some of these things could have been put in another spending bill, but this is the process of a bill. Put tons of stuff in it and then work it. Seems that Dems compromised and took out many things and put in more tax cuts but Republicans don't seem to be happy about that. Truth is, they think they are the only ones who can fix things with their tax cuts and deregulation, those free marketeers. Tell those folks who have become very sick or have died with salmonella poisoning from tainted peanut products. That company filed bankruptcy and now cannot be sued. Free market takes care of itself my butt. I'm so sick of it all. I hope they keep it up and lose a ton more seats in 2010.

Hope – The answer to you question is yes if they want to stop all their division between the two parties. We vote with them even though most dems thought going to war with Irqac was wrong. It is called comproimse which the Republicans have just proved they are the party of no and will not compromise.

Lonnie you are right on. Its not dem or rep bashing time. Its solution time. Its a time to look at the issues and the bill. There are some things in the bill that I can agree with but there is about 2/3 I cannot. I think we have paid bloggers/antagonist on these blogs. Lets just ignore them and share our ideas

Alright Patrick, let's take a look at that list of spending shall we?

– $100 million for the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program
*What inspects for Lead-Based Paint? Robots? No, its people. People with a JOB doing WORK.
– $200 million to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program
*Money to pay for better facilities perhaps? Replacing old equipment? Equipment and facilities made by American workers? Or perhaps, once again, hiring more people to do a necessary JOB.
– $300 million for "Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs"
*Money spent to hire lawyers and councilors to help women in need. Perhaps even to renovate help centers, creating JOBS for American construction workers.
– $1 million for the Railroad Retirement Board for administrative costs
*Money spent to hire more supervisors.
– $50 million for Health and Human Services to carry out injury prevention programs
*Injury prevention, in order words, preventing American workers from being being injured and unable to work because of it. Much better than workman's comp, don't you think?
– $1.1 billion for studies on the effectiveness of different medical treatments
*Once again, a healthy worker is better than an unhealthy worker
— $200 million to upgrade labs and facilities for the Department of Agriculture "to improve workplace safety and mission-area efficiencies"
*See last two points. Also, improving labs and facilities brings JOBS to construction workers and manufacturers who create the lab equipment.
– $10 million for urban canal inspection
*More inspectors, more JOBS
– $16 billion to pay for student financial aid
*More people with degrees, more people qualified for JOBS.
– $600 million to pay for a fuel-efficient federal auto fleet
*Less money spent on fueling, the demand goes down, less demand means lower prices. Less money spent on gas means more money spent elsewhere.
– $650 million for the Digital Converter Box Program to help the constantly delayed transition from analog television
*Helping people PURCHASE a product that will keep millions from being cut off from watching television, which, believe it or not, has a LOT of JOBS in its industry.
– $485 million to the Forest Service for "hazardous fuels reduction and hazard mitigation activities in areas at high risk of catastrophic wildfire"
*Less money spent on recovery means more money spent elsewhere.
– Up to $1 billion for "summer activities" for youths as old as 24
*And who runs these "summer activities"? People with JOBS. Who constructs facilities for these "summer activities"? People with JOBS.
– $3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control wellness programs and vaccinations
*See above comments on sick worker versus a healthy worker.
– $410 million for Indian health facilities
*Facilities, as in, construction JOBS and manufacturing JOBS.

Please stop and THINK a little about how money gets transformed from paper to facilities, programs, etc. Hint: It's not magic.

MR. INDUSTRIAL.

You are a blatant liar. Although you may not back McCain, I sure is heck did not...

You cant say he owns 10 Mansions. That is a lie. Your argument is gone as soon as you lie. The guy owns houses. The guy owns rentals. So do many people. Many only break even on those properties. Some make profits. Get your facts straight and dont be ignorant.

This from the guy who said the economy was sound.. Humm loser. I don't know why Arizona would elect him again. Crazy just crazy..

What kind of credibility does McCain has??

This is the guy who
– supported Bush's economic policies running our deficit to Trillions;
– supported the Iraq War that cost us billions.
– supported the de-regulation with his buddy Phil Grahm – one of the reasons for the current financial mess.
– supported Bush/Paulson TARP Plan with no accountability on the part of the receivers.
– supported Bush's tax cut for the rich
– involved in the Keating Five that cost billions (Savings and Loan bailout).

Interesting remarks from the man who thought THAT WOMAN could be president!
Arizona, please vote this nasty, senile, old man OUT!

There is very little in this bill that is going to stimulate the economy. There is way too much pork and too little tax savings. Its great you all will have $13 more in your take home pay, that is if you have a job and next yr it will be $7 more. In the meantime utilities and everything else is going up. Tax breaks for new cars, very nice but who can afford one.
Billions is going to A.C.O.R.N but they are under investigation for v.o.t.e.r fr.au.d. This is going to be a big failure and I am just going to watch to see if I am correct.. I will base my voting next election on the results. I am sorry for everyone. I hope I can survive this mess.....And I wish everyone the best.

Democrats made a gazillion concessions to the Republicans with this stimulus package– and they didn't have to. Obama has bent over backwards (too much, in my opinion) to include Republicans in the solution. But of course, there's more whining and complaining for Republicans to do since they didn't get ALL of the ridiculous and ineffective components they wanted.

Nothing but posturing. When the economy recovers, I look forward to hearing and reading all the creative ways the Republicans will attempt to take credit.

I would like to know what McShame would have done for the economy. He is the first one to critize but doesn't offer one new idea how to help. How I hope the people in AZ remember his do nothing attitude during this crisis and vote him out of office so fast it will make his spin. If I wanted sheep in Washington to represent me I would send the four legged kind. It sure would be cheaper than the sheep of the GOP that there is now.

It was very obvious the vast majority of republicians in congress had absolutely no intention of participating in trying to put together a economic stimulus bill because if the democrats and President Obama succeed in getting the economy back on track in the next two years the republicians know they will be totally out of power for the next eight years or longer. Their party lost the presidency, as well as seats in the house and senate in the past two elections. Their appeal with the voters has decreased because the voters in America have changed from the older more conservative to the younger more progressive. No longer does preaching hate, fear or being war mongers produce votes for their "Hate Party". American voters have seen through the smoke and mirrors and are much better educated. They can no longer be ignored. We younger and better educated votes will never be taken advantage of again. The Republicians are in deep trouble and may never recover unless they change many of their hard line positions.

John, at least Obama is trying something! If it works, great. If not, we shouldn't be any worse than Republicans not doing anything except talking against Democrats.

"It's real simple folks – We have the "Yes, we can" on one side and "No, we can't" on the other. Greatness is built on "Yes, we can." Failure flounders about mumbling "No, we can't." and "I hope he fails." Misery loves company."

Simple-minded, perhaps. Simple, no. The truth of the matter is that this spending bill does little more than burn money that doesn't exist. The government doesn't create permanent jobs. Don't expect people to be eager for Obama to spend the country into oblivion. It's not a "No you can't" thing as much as it is a "You really shouldn't" thing.

Repugs,

If you disagree if the bill, you can refuse the handout. That will be the savings for other people who need it more.

He's just a bitter, tired old sore loser. I have news for you McLimpus, most American agree with the President– THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR YOU, LOSER. WAKE UP ARIZONA AND VOTE THIS GOON OUT OF OFFICE.

6 months ago McCain said the economy was strong. why is it we did not hear from any Republicans in the last 4 years talking about the economy and the waste by George Bush. four years from now, there is a good chance the economy will be better and Obama can take the credit and make sure people remember the Rebulicans did nothing in the time of need. it should help him get reelected.republicans created the problem, wouldn't help solve it. mccain should worry about his election in 2010, seems to me Obama was close in arizona during the Presidential election..

Obama and his people started hammering out this stimulus package eighteen months ago so it would be ready to go when he won. The Republicans are so jealous because Obama is staying two steps ahead of them. Well, they might as well get use to that. They can just pout until they get glad. Who cares what they think? Americans surely don't. It was these folks along with Bush who ran our country into the ground. Well, we got rid of alot of them and we need to get rid of the rest of them. In the meantime Obama is leading us in the right direction. So folks, put some gratitude in your attitude, and be thankful we finally got a true leader!!

Anyone who disagrees with the stimulus, please do not accept any of the funds for your states. The End.

Where do the Reps get off whining about Obama not being bipartisan? They had no issue with single party rule and the utter lack of bipartisanship in everything they did when they controlled the White House and Congress, why must we? I don't want bipartisanship, I don't care what the Republicans think, want, or vote for. They squandered our surplus and international goodwill after 9/11; racked up a huge deficit; allowed deregulation and corporate greed to run amok; encouraged the housing bubble with unsustainable interest rate reductions; stood in the way of innovation in the fields of energy; medicine, and scientific research; flouted the law with their bogus claims of "executive privilege" and politicalization of the Justice Dept.; invaded Iraq under false pretense; all while eroding civil liberties and consolidating power in the Executive Branch to further advance their selfish, racist, unAmerican agenda. Sorry guys but you can sit this one out as far as I'm concerned, really you've done enough already.

Republicans == Irrelevant. It's time for your nap, Mr. McCain. Take your failed ideology home and watch as pragmatism saves us from the destruction you and your kind have wrought.

What do those arrogant ,ignorant and incompetent perverts from GOP want.Mayby Obama should consult with this faf junkie Rush on policies.They showed us in last 8 years what they do.
Get rid of all of them.

The only principles the republicans have left to abandon is corporate greed. They gave up their supposed principles of smaller government 8 years ago. Didn't they get the memo. Their leader of the last 8 years was the biggest spender on the planet. Repugs need to get over themselves.

I heard an excellent challenge from a republican lady this morning on CSPAN. She challenged her party to show the American people that their state can pull itself up by its boot strings by not taking any of the money in the Recovery Plan. She did not say but I would guess the tax cuts portions, which are part of their fundemental belief will cure the financial crisis should not be rejected. I agree they should put their money where their mouths are. If this is so objectionable to your core values how can you partake? Republicans Senators who voted against and continue to rail against this bill should stand up and be counted in a significant demonstration of their position. Talk is cheap and any shovel ready project being line up for these funds should be investigated and exposed.

This particular legislation never had a chance for bipartisan support. It is not a matter of finding common ground in working toward a shared goal, but the two parties, or at least their current representative in congress, have completely different views of the role that government should play in our lives.

The Democrats have always believed government should be much more involved in directing and regulating our lives directly and the organizations and institutions that affect us. It is only natural that they would see the current situation as calling for even greater government intervention in all the institutions that are in crisis.

The Republicans may give lip service to the need for some sort of short-term intervention. But when the legislation being considered calls for anything other than tax breaks – less government – they are conflicted. All of the other stimulus programs being proposed run contrary to their almost religious belief in the values of deregulation and an uncontrolled free markets as the strength of the country.

Maybe none of their ideas were included because none of their ideas have worked in the past. Their biggest idea was more tax cuts; they didn't work before and they won't work now. They took away the 10% up to $15,000 tax credit for all homebuyers and changed it to $8,000 for first time home buyers only. As a realtor, I can tell you that was a bad change the republicans insisted upon. The $15,000 that no one would have had to pay back was good because it was inclusive for all buyers; the $8,000 is not good because it's only for first time home buyers.

Of course, McCain doesn't have to worry about housing, he has a ton of them and they're all paid for by his wealthy wife.

As an outsider (Canadian), I would just like to say – Give this man. your President, a chance. He has only been in office for less than a month. What could anyone do in that time? Give him help, not criticism and wait and see what he can accomplish.

You can ask a girl all night long to dance with you, but if she consistently says "no", you have to eventually give up; either go home or ask someone else. The republicans consistently said no to Obama's overtures....they are not likeable enough to continue to ask.

This is so wishy washy it just makes me sick to my stomach,.Republicans need to get away from the Bush era and fast or they will go down as the spoilers during this Obama administration.Remember the old saying if you arent a part of the solution then you must be a part of the problem.Either get on board our get out now.This is the kind of change Obama talks about Bucko!

John McCain and John Kyle are senators of a state at the bottom in education, in the top 4 for foreclosures and has the worst budget deficit. McCain brags that he hasn't brought one dime here. We are not pork! Tucson is facing 83 million dollars in deficit. McCain only comes to AZ for vacations and votes.

These are the same guys that sat there and did not say one word when the Bush Administration continued to tell the American people that our economy was sound when it was not. The Democrats stated that the Bush Administration did not include them in their discussions when the Republicans drated their bills. President Obama reached out to the Republicans but they are still stuck with this divisive politics mentality. This current financial crisis is a result of the Bush Aministration. It is simply pathetic that these people think that the citizens of this country do not knwo the difference.

Well, John you have been in the Senate for the last few years what have you done in the Bush years to help the mess we are in???

I always love when the 30% party (the GOP) say that people who support Obama are somehow brainwashed or mesmarized, yet when it comes to disagreeing with people like Rush or Hannity, they think that they speak the gospel.

Republicans like McCain wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so intellectually dishonest when it fits their purposes. Obama met with the republicans more in 2 weeks than Bush did with Democrats in 8 years.

McCain proposed an alternative that was all tax cuts, and didn't even have any infrastructure spending that moderates from his own party were calling for. He is a bipartisan fraud, and what's worse is he knows it.

The Republicans must understand that there are trade-offs in bipartisan negotiating. Their idea of bipartisanship is when the opposition acquiesces to their every wish. When they controlled Congress, they would vote on measures only when they knew Democrats were not available to cast votes, and if they controlled Congress today, it would not be any differently.

Funding domestic violence programs can create more social work jobs and support staff. Health care funding can increase more health care jobs. Improving census taking can create more jobs in its implementation. Cleaning up the environment has the potential for creating more green jobs. With increased funding comes increased responsibilities on the part of the recipient calling for increased workers.

John McCain lost. The policies of the Republican Party have failed us.
Yet they want things to go their way or without their support. We will ask the people to give the Democrats more seats in the Senate, because the Democrats have a way of having intraparty conflicts which will keep them in check. They seldom can walk in lock step for long.

come on you guys, mccain is just doing what he has always done. Hes watching out for you and for our country. He always has been and always will be working hard for you. Hes not george bush, he doesn't even like george bush but hes too much of a gentleman to announce that publicly. He knows he made a mistake with sarah palin but again hes too much of a gentleman to put her down in any way.; Because he doesn't agree with the stimulus plan does not make him a sore loser, hes always been very verbal when it comes to what he believes is right for our country. Obama has a nice personality yes, but mccain knows his stuff, its too bad people were sucked in by the media coverage. If the media wants someone to look good publicly then that shall prevail, if the media wants someone to look not so good publicly, then that shall prevail as well. Too bad.

This man voted for the Bush Bank Bailout, remember how he left his campaign to rush back to DC? This is the man that said the Economy is sound.........this is the man that Picked Palin for his running mate........a little advice to the GOP if you want to win any seats back in the Senate and the House if you want to have a sitting President in the White House ever again, then you better get rid of your Rush Limbaugh's, Hannity's, Palin's, McCain's (remember he lost it for you this last election) and these kind of personalies are going to put and end to the GOP........

Patrick, I thought they didnt read the bill? By the way, if it's not bipartisan how in the world did we get the Rebuplican tax cuts in there? How in the world did it drop to $787billion. These people are demonstrate con artistry to a T.

You lost! Shut up McShame!

I can't imagine the plan McCain would have brought forward. Obviously they electorate were not convinced that he should lead at this time.

I think the Republicans would be wise to analyze there role in the economic ship wreck because America can see that they were the guys at the helm when we were dashed on the rocks.

If the Republican agenda was to destroy the economy then we have to give them an A, if they thought their policies would keep American Capitalism strong into the 21st century, F for sure.

McCain, do your party a favor and fix what is wrong with the GOP or kiss it goodbye.

The bill was bum rush through only to have #44 take of to chi town for some supper.

Pat, my bag, I am sorry. that was the wrong comment. Forgive me.

Patrick, let me guess, you are the Republican who did not vote for the bill. Why doesn't government create jobs, politicians are pad by the government and look how many are still employed with good insurance, so don't tell me that government does not create jobs. Ask Blackwater and Halliburton do the government create jobs and make people filthy rich when it is gotten dishonestly.

Out of step, John McCain? You have really become an insult to the intelligance of the majority of Americans. You, Boehner and the rest of your friends have made it abundantly clear that you are on a mission for President Obama to "fail."

What are you afraid of? Does it disgust you that the millions of people who are in need will finally benefit from the President's administration? Are you afraid that the new administration will succeed? Seach your heart, John McCain, – after reading your statements, if you are really serious about this Country, then you will hang your head in shame because of your stance and realize that your true color has been exposed.

Just do the right thing and encourage Boehner and the rest of the crew to leave President Obama alone and let him do his job. You have had more than 15 minutes. You are history and "out of step."

I will not give you, John McCain and Group, any more of my valuable time, so this will be the last time I will comment on anything you have to say.

Any more I disregard anything that McCain says. He proved he doesn't have the stomach to carry the R's water in the last election campaign when he didn't have the cahonnes to fight for us. He needs to retire and just GO AWAY.

He never showed he wanted the presidency- that his campaign was just a fantasy. John, you threw the RNC under the bus and have done serious harm to a viable party. RETIRE – GO AWAY. Your 'Maverick' style is useless and a joke. You lost – we've noticed. You're too little and too late.

I don't think that Obama plans to leave this country in great debt by the time he is through. He will raise taxes on John McCain and others, who benefitted greatly from the trillion dollar tax cuts given by his friend, George Bush. He will let those tax cuts expire. John McCain seems as grumpy now as he did on the campaign trail. I give thanks to God, every day, for him and Sara Palin losing the election.

So, McCain is cricizing the stimulous package? What does he offer up that would be better? All through the campaign, he said tax cuts. You can't pay taxes if you're not employed.

With little (1 billion) for small business and a cost of $250,000 per short term job created how could anyone support this theft of tax payers money?

Two words. SOUR GRAPES!

Oh my McCain go away you have nothing to say I thought you had a better plan than Obama but I failed to hear it all I hear is your sour grapes your disrespect and hopes that he will fail. If he fails the American people fail so how American are you. Your state is in real trouble and your fellow republicans got us there. You know nothing about the economy when it tanked you ran to Washington did nothing and here you stand criticizing President Obama a truly brilliant man.

Cant say the same for you. Time to retire to one of the many homes you own what was it 13. and leave the problem to the new President who is not even in office a month but you already are predicting a negative future for him. Wow you are just a negative old man so vanish please. We dont want your opinion.

Comments like that from John McCain are worth as much as his "fundamentals of the economy are strong" statement.

Stop being an angry BITTER OLD man and get to work. Last I checked, bipartisanship was a two way street and McCain and the other Senators are stuck on one side of the street!

CNN PLEASE POST MY COMMENTS...

Steven February 15th, 2009 12:38 pm ET

I can NOT believe the people posting on this board!!! Show some respect for Mr McCain he is a true american servant. I voted for Obama and I am already now thinking that I have made a mistake. I guess time will tell but please people don't divide our Country!
______________________________________________________
Hey Steven, the GOP divided our country during the Presidential campaign. You know, the 'real American' and such. You can't blame the current administration. It's already done!

The greatest "transparency" of the Obama administration is that every thinking American can see right through him. Remember that old saw, "..where's the beef?" It's been replaced with, "..where's the change?"

Oh but its OK to put you're presidential campaign on hold to make sure Wall Street gets their bailout! Didn't have a problem then! Maybe because it was Bush's idea that it didn't seem like a bad idea! WHAT A HYPOCRITE!

This is funny to me. I didn't like a small percentage of the bill either but most of the bill I think will stimulate the economy (I'm no economist though) and create jobs. I for one am tired of hearing the GOP complain about the stimulus plan and I would love to hear them have an idea besides tax cuts that has clearly not worked. The Washington Post had a pie chart that said this bill has 24% spending and the rest was equally divided between tax cuts and aid to the states (to help with unemployment benefits and what not). What are they complaining about? A tax cutting bill won't help bring jobs (it hasn't for the last few years, in fact we've lost plenty of jobs). If the GOP was in control like they were previous years they would've muscled their own bill through so the Dems did what they had to. Get over the amount of it TARP was the biggest mismanagement of taxpayer $$$ ever and the GOP voted for that...what a bunch of hypocrits!!!

mccain is green with envy, he's so jealous, you are a pitiful excuse for an American mccain, there's NO HONOR LEFT IN YOU.

Looks like McCain is right judging from all the Liberal Sheep and their angry venting. They can't handle the fact that after a month they realize Barry Do-Nothing is just doing nothing. He lied to us all about being open and has done nothing but hide. He lied about giving us a chance to read the bill for a week before it is voted on. He lied about his transparency of government and then the next day breaks his own rules.

Yeah the sheep are angry, they were lied to by their great leader. They are angry because they are suddenly opening their eyes and realizing that the president has no influence over the economy. They never did. They are angry because they thought they were done being preached fear by their president and all their president preaches now is fear.

We are told America will not be around on Monday if we don't clear this bill on Friday. Yeah we were lied to and now they must vent their anger but they can't vent at the one who is causing all this fear for he is devine and beyond reproach.

John McShame is the biggest political loosers of all time. His Repub bud GWBush destroyed his presidental aspirations twice. First during the primaries in 2000 when the Carl Rove hate spin machine went as far to say McCain had fathered a biracial child just before S. Carolina primary. They annihalited him and his campaign shortly thereafter. The second time was this current election. GWBush approval rating was in the gutter so McCain could not use the pres to campaign for him therefore thanks to fellow Repub pres it sunk him again. The man needs to stop flapping his arms around like a lost penquin that he is and do this nation a great favor and dissapear.

After everyone has filtered out all the juvenile retorts on this blog, I would suggest that you spend the time to become educated about just how this mess came about. CNBC has an excellent documentary called "House of Cards", detailing how the combination of pro-home ownership policies, low interest rates, lack of oversight and just plain greed got us into this mess. This greed was not only confined to Wall street, but begins with the homeowners that bought houses that they obviously could not afford without reading the fine print, the mortgage brokers who falsified applications to gain the approvals, the mortgage companies who turned around and sold those mortgages to Wall Street, who in turn bundled millions of dollars worth of questionable grade products into AAA rated instruments, and the foreign investors who bought them without a clue as to what they were buying. Wall Street has a significant but by no means solitary role in the current crisis.

The way to fix this is to for both sides to work together to analyze the problem and develop the solution. This will require putting aside both partisan bickering and arrogance, and using the best ideas from both sides of the aisle. The public's perception that the Democratic congress has used this opportunity to go on a spending spree, steamrollering billions of dollars of non-stimulus related pork and social programs into the bill, helps neither their image or the economy. Pelosi and Reid may be well advised to remember the fate of the party in the 1994 election, when the Democratically controlled congress acted with impunity, over-promising and under-delivering. The current congress already has a two-year track record of under-delivering, so they're well on their way to a 1994 repeat.

"Are you saying that the republicans don't care about people being laid off?"

Only a fool would believe that Republicans care about people being laid off. The sole agenda of the Republican party is to put more money into the pockets of the wealthiest people in the country. They are happy to use our love of country, idealism, religious beliefs and hard work to help them accomplish this.
Did the wealthiest 5% of Americans benefit from the policies of the Bush administration? How about the anti-abortion people who so reliably voted Republican year after year?

Great show-but enjoyed your helicopter ride the best-my son was your pilot. . . Enjoyed watching him pilot John King around. As for McCain, sour grapes-their tactics are evident-gee, all you had to read were the latest modifications, should have already read the meat of it before-sour grapes.

Please let me know how to contact John King through e-mail-he is not featured on any blogs.

To Allie, I hope you sleep well at night. Why would you feel better if Mc shame and the same policies of george bush was in office, get over it . You play the color card every time you can make a statement like this. Where age do you live in, color is not written on application anymore. Where you here in slavery times? If you had someone who has screwed up the economy, such as Bush and the Reps, how can you say the country would be better if mr. shame had won. Get use to it Obama is the President and will be for the next four years. If you dont like it, get your party together and vote him out.

i see Obama's move a quick and correct one. We the people are under pressure and Obanna's quick action is going to help us.

Simply, there are days you can spend time and wait, and some days you cannot do so.

These is the kind of day that calls for action.

Good work for Obama.

I really think that Obama should have rubbed it in first after the election, rather than be nice. The just seems like all the republicans are big cry babies.

mcCain u have had your day in the sun and the sun went down... over and out for you. Please stop interviewing this old man no one cares what he has to say he said it all on the campaign trail and guess what.

HE LOST11111111

When the Republicans are willing to give up some of their pay to aid the poor and desperate people who need food immediately, then I'll listen to their criticism of the stimulus package. If they have a better solution, bring it on. If not, shut up and take a look at how the American people are suffering because of a Republican generation that lasted way too long.

I have one thing to say..."The fundamentals of the economy are strong"...
No why would anyone listen to what John McCain have to say about the
economy...Get REAL...

I have ready all of these comments and have to agree that John McCain is out of touch with the American people as well as the other Reps still let in office. Benier, Cantor and the rest need a rest. Lets give it to them by not voting for any of them in 2010. Also if the bill so much of a problem for them and they disagree with it so much then I think that we should not force the money on them and withhold it from their States and districts. That way they won't have to be part of something they feel is bad for the country. NOT, I have not heard one of them say they won't take the money and run. Losers....all of them

@ Paul H and all the other Repub bots. So for eight years the Repub did such a good job, right? We want them to guide us, right?

Iraq war trillions of dollars of debt$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Inherit a Clinton surplus and turn it into a deficit$$$$$$$$$$$

Yeah, they really got it down.....so we want to listen to the repubs who dont wear flag pins on their lapels anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope February 15th, 2009 12:39 pm ET
------------------------–

Pssst Hope, I think you meant "our" economy, not "are" economy. Anyway, put the doobie down and wake up. Your party blew it and now they will have to wait in the wings while our new President fixes your President's mistakes.

My, my, my, what did Mc'Shame say. Give the US a break. He did not vote on the bill, so why is he taking. We all have heard the saying, Hinds sight is twenty-twenty. We can all have an opinion when the action is over. Is this the same person who admitted he knew nothing about the economy? Why is he talking.

So McCain has decided that he needs to channel Rush Limbaugh.
Bi-partisanship doesn't mena giving in to the bad policies of the Bush years. he has nothing to offer. It's time for the out touch old Rebublica panderer to do what's good for the country rather than his standing in the Republican Party.

I'm a proud Viet Nam veteran and, just for those to whom it makes a difference, I'm white. I tried, mightily, to bring myself to a point where I could have voted for John McCain. He'll always be a hero to me but his obvious courage, unfortunately, does not seem to extend to the political arena.
The Republican party can't have its way anymore. Their idea of bipartisanship for the last eight years has been not much more than "Here it is, we've got the votes anyway, so just suck it up and vote for it.". Mostly, they've had their way with the Democrats. Now, they just don't seem to grasp the fact they're no longer in charge.
I'm hoping, and believing, that President Obama will show all of us what true political courage is. I'm also praying, fervently, that the Democratic party will find the courage, somewhere, to follow him.

Joh S we already had a huge debt to China under the Republican 8yrs of Manifest Destiny years. The Republicans sold the United States, and its value on Human Rights for Debts. The Republicans sold America to Out Sourcing, eliminating Union power, creating vast workers VISA for professionals, and selling and diverting all their behind the scene deals were to be blamed on illegal Mexicans crossing the border to do low ending pay jobs. I don't see illegal mexicans working as telemarketers, technicians, Auto Plant workers, accountant, managers, electricians, and other technical jobs. They sold these jobs, the higher parts of the lay off issues, to outsourcing companies, and create visa for lower paid technicians from overseas. Yes Republicans...blame it on the Lawn Technicians from Mexico, or the Chicken Technicians from El Salvador?

CNN PLEASE POST MY COMMENTS

“Republicans were guilty of this kind of behavior,” McCain said. “I’m not saying that we did things different. BUT AMERICANS WANT US TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND THEY WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER."
______________________________________________________
So, why didn't you? 'YOUR WAY OR NO WAY' is that how it works with the Republicans?

CNN has become a reformed "FOX News". Conservative views, welcome; progressive views, tossed. Ridiculous. You people are doing the country a disservice by not being fair. Even your reporters now want to "grill" Pres. Obama. Where were they when Bush was unnecessarily sending soldiers to Iraq?? When would they report that Bush's war debt is one of the reasons America is gradually collapsing??

You all keep reporting the enormity of the "Stimulus", which is fair. But what do you want the President to do?? Do nothing?? And you won't complain??

Note: You don't have to post this because you won't anyway.

If it was not for you GOP, the Bill could be much better. Please retire all your GOP Senators and let people live with some jobs. John go back to read some history and write something to keep for yourself.

The loons commenting on this article have certainly missed the point. The U.S. government just approved an almost $1T bill with no one in Washington actually reading it! Face it folks, you've been ripped off again!

I have one question for republicans. Please tell me what needs to be done? If the stimulus package is not the answer, please, without bad mouthing what we currently have, without saying whats in the bill that is wasteful, please tell me what should we do. Anyone up for the challenge?

So McCain is whinning about the stimulus package, saying it is robbing the future generations huh? Let"s think about this.....if the republicant's had it THEIR way, we would stay in Iraq for God knows how long, ROB this generation of their mothers and fathers all on a lie, spend WELL over the amount of the stimulus bill calls for now, for our FUTURE generation to pay for and not produce jobs? Oh thats right, republicant's will create jobs for this generation and the next... Iraq!!!! At least this president is TRYING to do something to get us back on the right track, and without blood on our hands. It may not be perfect, nothing ever is. It's nice to know that we FINALLY have someone Back in office that understands what real people live like. Most people are not born with a silver spoon in their mouth looking down on the people while in the many castles they own and yell " LET THEM EAT CAKE!!!' This country was born from the bottom up not from the top down.

Mccain,,, you are really jealous ... dats not good for the country.. if you love the country and have scare to prove it .. help obama and america and not gossip and talk sh....t...if you can go to he....ll for a minute

CNN PLEASE POST MY COMMENTS... THANKS

I think what the GOP is saying is: Sit at the table with us and let us make ALL the decisions. Now that is bipartisanship.

Of course McCain wishes he were president. yeah he's the loser of the election, but doesn't make him sore necessarily. he's got to be more aware of the mistakes he made in his campaign than he might lead on. but, it's the country's fundamental well being he's trying to talk about here, not "I would be a better president" or something. he's legitimately concerned about it. what he's saying is logical like him or not. who doesn't want quick action from Pres. Obama, and for him to turn things around (like HIM or not)? but, who wants to see the financial structure of the country face imploding from throwing more and more potentially misguided money at the problem? let's see it work out. the leaders need to be able to work together.

WOW – who is not surprised that he said that! Shocking!! He is just bitter that he did not win and it's time to get over it and move on – obviously there was a reason you didn't win the election and it's this whining that just reaffirms it!

if Republicans think Obama is off to a bad start we are headed in the right direction...they remind me of the joker antagonizing the criminals in The Dark Knight LOL!! "Let's wind the clocks back a year. These cops and lawyers wouldn't dare cross any of you. I mean, what happened?" Joker

Obama-perhaps generational theft.
McCain- absolutely generational death!

what happened to my comment ?

Thanks

McCain is a loser..how can he sit there with a straight face and say that Obama didn't sit down with the opposing team? Not only is he an idiot, he also seems to be going senile..is this guy even relevant anymore?

Here's what I don't get. Where were all of these wonderful republican ideas over the last couple of years? Are the delusional and / or blind to the past few years? "Fundamentals of the economy are strong?" And they wonder why people are skeptical of their ideas? There is a reason why democrats have the majority in the House and Senate. Most of the shift happened before Obama was elected president. While Obama LISTENED to your garbage proposals, he doesn't have to enact any of your lunacy! Grow Up!!!

There are no Republicans and no Democrats. There are only the American people. To bring political stances when our economy is in so much trouble is absolutely absurd. These people should be doing what is best for the American people, not to attempt to sway votes for future elections. Yet again, the GOP is just thinking about themselves and not whats best for us citizens.

The GOP came up with a plan that would have doubled jobs and cost half as much as this plan. No DEMS listened because they were too busy sneaking in a new health care plan for the entire country without review. Oh well, it's your tax dollars and your grandmother who is going to be denied care because it's age vs cost and she won't be worth the care, according to the government, she's too old. According to Daschle American's have come to expect too much from our health care system. Tell that to someone with a chronically ill family member.
Maybe the Democrats could READ the next major bill they all sign on behalf of Americans. What exactly do they think 2 billion to ACORN is going to do? Be a BOOM to the economy? Oh, and 245 million to Hollywood film makers to purchase film.That's going to REALLY help a struggling family who doesn't have enough money to even go to the movies. Give me a break......I didn't like McCain but Obama will be a great friend of Hugo Chavez someday. Can anyone say Check Card Bill or Fairness Doctrine? Isn't Government control great? Don't come whining to me when you've lost all your rights.

There will never be any chance of bipartisanship in Congress until we rid ourselves of all the old dinasaurs. We need term limits – maximum of 2 terms for Congressmen and Senators to keep these people from getting so entrenched. Tax cuts and trickle down economics have destroyed our country's tax base and economy. The only time in the last 30 years we prospered without borrowing huge sums of money was during the Clinton years!

What a sore loser John McCain is.

Coming from a man who chose Sara Palin as is running mate. And this will be my stock response to ANYTHING McCain has to say.

Mr. McCain. yes, you're a war hero....and i respect that.

But, please, you're an old time Republican.........stuck in old Republican thinking. The world has changed; America has changed; the people are moving to the future. Everything has changed.....except Republican rhetoric. The play ended....the people walked out.....too late to call them back in promising re-writes. If you're not part of the solution, your'e part of the problem.

SUPPORT the President does not mean blindly going against your own beliefs.

I dont care if you are a Dem, Rep, or Indy, you vote on your beliefs of what is right or wrong.

To be honest too many Republicans vote along party lines. Too many Democrats vote along party lines. NO ONE fights for what is right or what they truly believe in, although I do believe that Barack believes in his socialist agenda. When you are an elitist you believe that people can not help themselves and you must GUIDE them.

Don't blame me. I voted for the other guy.

Joyhn McCain-if you did not like the bill as it was originally set up,
why didn't you get involved in the negotations instead of grandstanding on the sidelines? If, as you say, the Obama Administration is off to a "bad start", the Repubs are as responsible for this state as anyone else. You refused to negotiate . You sat on the sidelines and criticized.

new president has close to a 70% approval rating yet the GOP says he's off to a bad start. LOL....why don"t these guys just admit they are still sore from losing the election, not used to not being in power or having to deal with a POPULAR president from another party. In the end most people other than those on the far right will see thorough their sour grapes especially if the nation starts going in the right direction.

All you Arizona voters out there, let's start a movement to defeat McCain in his next election.

We can call it, YES WE CAN – DEFEAT MCCAIN!!!

Asking McCain's opinion on Obama is like asking a Hatfield to comment on a McCoy. Americans would like to hear from some recognized economists instead of a bunch of aggenda driven partisans. King and McCain are both cut from the same partisan cloth and offer little, if anything, to meaningful debate. Diaglogue like this is a complete waste of airtime.

Sen. McCain should be ashamed to talk anything about the President, after a humiliating defeat in the elections. If people had thought that the President would be off to a bad start, he would have not won the election. I think McCain should just retire and give chances for more younger people who can think positive. All McCain says is "the democrats are spending", but if you ask him if he has a plan, he just blinks. If you don't have a plan, then don't talk about people who have a plan.

So, from your own bad spirits, you are wishing your constituents ill. If you continue this route of offering no help, in fact adamantely denying any help to this country from the bottom up (Not your top down approach {it always seems to stop at the top} ) You can kiss 2010 and the future of the Republican Party good-bye.

John McCain is showing his true self. His party controlled this country by fear, exclusion, and greed. Now that they power has been taken away, hear them whine. John you LOST!!! Get over it.

Who really cares what McCain's opinion is about anything ~ ~ He is just another Republican 'group-thinker' under the direction of their loud mouth leader, Rush Limbaugh ~ ~ what idiots they all are ~ ~ Thank God for we LIBERAL Democrats, who know that we don't have to be told how and what to think ~ ~ duh ~ ~

I absoulutely agree with John McCain. President Obama has promised to American Citizens with "a small Government with efficient works" during the campaign just three months ago. Most American easily can figure out that the $787 billion economic stimulus bill can be first borne a giant monster's Government with fat inefficient before it create 3,500,000 jobs. Around 90 billion dollars will spendthrift to build or repair Federal building, to buy cars for Federal employee, to buy furnitures of Home Land Security, 1,000,000,000 dollars for aids of ABORATION which is MURDER to some countries in Africa, 1,000,000,000 dollars for ACORN that has been investigated by FBI with VOTER-FRAUD because the fraud group ACORN helped illegally a lot for Obama...... and so on. If this bill can not create even 2,000,000 jobs instead 3.5 million which Obama and Democratic have insisted on American should impeach Obama, Pelosi and Harry Reid right way.

I just love how any Republican that supports Obama, gets threatened by his parties supporters. I just don't see anything getting done, for either party, all because nobody can play nice in the sandbox.

...and the racist empty suit hussein nobama is the beginning of the end of the U. S. Proven Fact!

Him and his cult followers really do hate the U. S. and its citizens and want the country to be destroyed. Another Proven Fact!

just like repugnants, complain, be critical and offer nothing new except the tried and failed tax cuts.

Shut up, McCain. Let's wait and see how this stimulus package works and where the country's at in 4 years. If things aren't better THEN maybe you can shoot your mouth off.

Patrick in Arizona,

Your Governor is a Democrat. She is your problem no McCain.

If your state is in Debt you should send her a nasty comment. Oh thats right, she bailed and went to work for Barack. Great idea for Homeland Security.

Maybe you can elect someone that is fiscally responsible.

Yes, because of the do nothing republicans! But the question is, what have you done for us gramps? Nothing. You and Graham can go away. I see that you are running for your 5th senate term in Arizona. Hopefully, we (Arizona's voters) will pull off the all important loss for you and vote in anyone that runs against you. Retire already old man.

Gabriel Giffords, are you out there? Run against this has-been. You will win that senate seat. We need new and fresh ideas. The plus side is we won't need to hear him screech any longer.

Wah wah wah.

The GOP lost, if John McCain didn't notice. And since they added $4 trillion to the national debt, and Iraq, which cost more than the stimulus bill, they've no leg to stand on.

A majority of us in the Country believed his choice of Sarah Palin was "off to a bad campaign". That didn't seem to bother him, though.
Any start by any President will be rough with the S___ hole the republicans left us in.
Obama is doing the best he can with what he's been left to deal with. Give him time... give him support and watch him AND US fly!

McCain and the Repubs should take their sour grapes and make more whine out of them!!!

Hey, "Oh Please", it's spelled, "insight", not in site. You're a true idiot. John McCain knows alot more about governing than obama does. At least he does'nt owe any of his success or homes to a convicted felon. I don't think obama could say the same. Learn to write there, Idiot! Did you even finish High School?

That's right John Galt...in case your momma didnt tell you this...it's not "christian" to have more than you can ever need and complain about the people across the street starving to death "too loudly" during your dinner party. You say "socialism" and "spreading the wealth"...I say "UNRESTRAINED GREED" Republicans never fail to amaze me with thier utterly soulless anti-americanism. You guys tried to destroy the (largely) democratic unions by shipping jobs overseas like they were toxic waste. IT FAILED. The reason? Its simple...democrats aren't like republicans...they don't vote based on thier income, church affiliations, or the number of AK 47's they own...they vote based on thier sense of fairness and the common good to the country they live in and an archaic notion the republicans seem to have lost far behind...the notion that ALL AMERICANS matter.

Here is the man who ran for president while constantly saying that action came first and fore-most to negotiation.

Now, he's saying that negotiation is on the fore-front of his political agenda. The only agenda I can suss out thus far is that he will change his tune to which ever side makes it easier for him to be negative towars the current administration.

It has become increasingly clear to me that the Republican party has no other agenda than to be divisive and irksome. Its time for this party to disband and retire the 'old boys club' into the nursing home and let a more progressive, possitive, inclusive, and decisive generation get on with crafting a safe and secure future for all Americans.

where were all these people that are whinig about the size of the package five months ago when we just had,....had to have it now the first 800b that the avg joe never saw. Half of it was revamped less than three months later. Let obama have a swing at it now and keep quiet.......................

Republican thinking on bipartisanship goes like this:

You want to be my friend? That's Great!
But I don't want to be your friend.
So, you are a very, very bad person
Because you say you want to be my friend
But you are not my friend.

I'm sure that money for Amtrak will create jobs, they haven't ever turned a profit. Money to buy new computers, money to the arts, money to non-tax payers. oh yea, thats the right direction. I beleive it was Bill that signed NAFTA and sent our jobs out of country. Now you want to throw trillions of dollars out there so illegals will have a job. You can't borrow your way out of debt!

All of you writing on this page are probably on welfare, and realize now that a Democrat is president your welfare checks just got bigger. Congratulations crack smokers.

Looking at the comments, no wonder we are in a mess. Each side thinks the other is the devil incarnate neither side is prepared to compromise their ideology for the benefit of the country.

Cutting taxes does not work very well as it increases debt, increasing government spending will not work as it also increases debt. We cannot borrow our way out of a recession only real growth end a recession, borrowing only ameliorates the impact of the recession on the general population.

Our politicians are not prepared to give us the bad news, standards of living will drop and taxes will go up to pay for the mess the global financial markets have got us into.

McCain sent Palin out to do his dirty tricks. She did everything in her power to discredit Obama, McCain stood by and said nothing to discount her negative comments. He now stands strong with the Republicans and has lots to say...."WE VOTE NO!" SCREW THE AMERICAN PEOPLE...LET THEM EAT CAKE!!

Unfortunately the people who voted Obama still wont face reality that this guy will not be the Messiah! Now I'm off to the Bush Ranch to thank W for a great 8 years.
___________________________________________________

Phil – Hate to break it ya, but you won't find your beloved "W" at any ranch, as it was just a farce during his presidency. Ole' Georgie is nestled in an exclusive neighborhood in Dallas – one that used to be restricted to whites only.

Well, well, well... all the learned speak! Most of these comments portend an ignorant point of view, at best. FREEDOM! Wow! Let's let the government decide what we are going to do with our businesses, ESPECIALLY since we are too stupid to do it on our own. The HUGE car companies are whining about how they need government bailout money and yet... alas ... who got them in a position to need it? WE DID since we refused to demand efficient vehicles since the 1970's! OMG LOL! (New speak from the ignorant!) Anyone insupport of this stupid effort to bailout the "industries" is only pushing a shortsighted, short term, and very brief "tide-me-over". Fools! Well, this is our Democratic state of affairs: we must abide by the majority herd, no matter how close the cliff is. You ignorant b@$^@)#$! THIS WILL ONLY HELP THE SHORT TERM! Let the stupid be culled! Our money is simply being wasted. Go ahead, support this foolish bailout, but mind you, when those companies are wallowing in their stupid engineering practice of hope, don't say that I didn't tell you so. McCain is the only whisper in the canyon of dry desert air that makes any sense what so ever. This bailout is WRONG! You idiots! DO THE MATH! There are small companies that need the helping hand and small foreign companies who would move into this country to re-engergize our economy at the drop of a highschoolprom queens' panties! But! You fools want to support the stupid engineering principles of the past. We WILL DIE due to this stupid package.

Boy there are a lot of idiots on here. If you think that this so called "stimulus" package is really going to work your NUTS!.
Let's see, we'll just let the same people who have destroyed the world's financial system try to fix it by spending almost a trillion
dollars with little or no fiscal discipline whatsoever. No, this whole mess is going to get a lot worse in the coming months and for that matter years! Keeep dreaming that Obama is going to somehow lift us out of this mess by spending, spending, spending. It's totally irresponsible and ludicrous. Be ready to accept inflation in a big way in the coming years because it's coming. And tell me, where is the "change we can believe in"? Sounds like more of the same to me.

Where were these guys when Bush spent so much in his two wars?
Where were these guys when the economy took a nose dive down the toilet?

Where were these guys when our debt went up under Bush?

Now you are all concern about fiscal spending? Please give me a break

It is sure a good thing McCain did not get elected as president. He wouldn't have nonw what to do as he demonstrate when he put his campaign on hold.

What a joke he offers too by calling Obama's first three and half weeks " a bad beginning." Obama did more in this short time then most presidents do in one term of their presidency.

"patricia campbell February 15th, 2009 12:24 pm ET

Sit back you Dems and see all your freedom and ability to think for yourself taken away. Just wait and see. We'll see who has the last laugh."

PATRICIA – Are you kidding? Please tell us you are kidding? After the last 8 years of having our civil liberties stripped to the point of having virtual strip searches through xray at the airport you have the audacity to make that statement? Did you sleep through the Patriot Act? I guess you must have drank the punch at that Republican fundraiser or information session you apparently went to.

The last eight years mcain and the repubs doubled the size of govt, the debt, expensive wars that we started................yes folks have we fogot. No weapons of md meant we were wrong......wrong.........wrong. Sorry had to be said three times. Now they want partisanship. For the last forty to fifty years it is an embarrasing fact that the congress has not taken on new or big issues just danced around them. If you bitarsisan something it gets washed down every time you cant please everyone. That is not what democracy is about holding hands and getting along in congress. A direction must be chosen and taken not stand in the intersection and argue. You cannot go down two roads at once. They have been barting our tax dollars for so long they all think they get a piece of it. I for one a happy we are picking a new direction. War, debt, and helping the big businesses were not warking.

The Republicans had their chance. Why should Obama negotiate with the party whose leaders ordered no cooperation BEFORE the bill was even finalized? The finalized bill included more tax breaks than Obama wanted and cut many programs that he did want...and that's not trying to be Bi-Partisan?

L.A. Times headline Saturday morning "Stimulus will reach nearly all"...how in God's name can the Republicans actually be against that?

Voters will remember who fought for their welfare and who played petty political games with it. This is the end of the Party of Lincoln as hijacked by Goldwater, Reagan, Limbaugh, Coulter, Bush, Cheney, Hannity et al.

Good Riddance!

Does Mr. "The fundamentals of the economy is sound" have something to say about what expert economists unanimously think should be done? And what is the unemployment rate in Arizona again? I hope Arizonanians are listening carefully...

Wait till the dollar collapses and both bailouts fail. Then the new solution will be the Amero. And it too will be pushed down our throats. Wake up people, we are losing the country
that our founding fathers sacrifaced so much for. Our republic is vanishing right before our eyes thanks to likes of Bush, McCain ,Obama. and the ignorant, uneducated citizens who accept what main stream media presents to them as the truth! We will see who is right. RON PAUL is a true patriot, REMEMBER THAT!

It amazes me that any critical comments of Obama are greeted with such vitriolic replies. Mr. McCain does have a little truth in what he is saying, if people would just open their ears, rather than being all partisan, and claiming he's a sore loser, or old, or other negative comments.

It is entirely true that the final text of the 1000+ page bill was available for less than 24 hours before the House voted. That's hardly enough time to read the bill, let alone contemplate, edit, improve or revise things. This for the most expensive single bill the government has ever sent to the President's desk.

Those that voted for it voted with their fingers crossed, following the party orders.

It's depressing to see that Obama has already broken one promise – to change how Washington works. As far as I can see, this is the same old tactic of the ruling party getting their way over the protests of the minority party. It's only that the roles are switched compared to what they were.

I had really hoped for better with Mr. Obama.

Seriously, I don't want to be rude to "Senator John McCain" because he's old enough to be my grandfather.But what i don't appreciate is pretty simple.....How in the world McCain going to be on national TV raising doubts about President Obama plans moving this country forward. Obviously, repulicans ruined the country economic & entire world too voted more than 99% times supporting George W. Bush policies destroying surplus left by President Bill Clinton, and i'll be happy if you'll kindly "Shut-Up" for good we're tired of hearing your voices again please!!!!!!

When you profer the same ideas that have failed for eight years, and they are not embraced anew, 'tis odd to place the blame on those who have no desire to continue on the same failed paths. Put forth fresh, new, workable ideas, and they'll be embraced. Until then, look within yourself to discover the reason you had less part in the solution then you craved.

you got to be kidding me; while hes trying to undermine prez obama he should be worried about the drug cartels that have made teir way all through arizona. and virtually taking over that state w/ illegals ,crime, kidnappings. he should take care of his own house before he tries to tear down somebody elses.

Well, after an entire career John McCain has finally become a bona fide right wing Republican. And like his GOP buddies in Congress he has found comfort in the cheep seats.

This guy hasn't had a clue...doesn't have a clue now. McCain needs to retire. He's old in age as well as old in his policies. (I'm a senior so I can say that). He's part of the problem that got us in this mess. He's also a sore loser, ran a terrible campaign.

President Obama is sooo intelligent and well spoken and very knowledgable. He's just the man we need. I changed my political party for Obama.

If you ask me the entire republican delegation (with the exception of three brave Senators) are still clinging to the notion that coddling the rich and hoping for a trickle down is morally bankrupt.

It's time the republican party embraced what is best for the majority of Americans or they will be forever known as the "Party of the Rich".

McCain reminds me of the little boy who murdered his parents and then asked the court for mercy because he was an orphan.

Talk about Orwellian...McCain and the GOP'ers can boycott negotiations, stand on the sidelines like they were spectators, vote a party line to uphold Rush Limbaugh's hope for Obama's failure AND then they have the guts to say bipartisahip doesn't work. It is working for them!

McCain and his economic views were resoundly and strongly defeated in the 2008 election. The man has no room to speak. I for one am enormously glad that this man is not POTUS.

There is a reason we voted for Obama/Biden and not McCain/Palin. Such arrogance from some one who doesn't understand the economy and has Joe the plumber for a role model and Cindy for a confidant. If we wanted both parties to have equal say in governance, then we wouldn't need the general election.
Dear Republicans, get through your heads. Obama doesn't have to consult with you. He did it out of courtesy.
BTW, why are we still talking to the losers anyway?

Perhaps some of the strange behavior of our elected officials , Republican and Democrats, is simply fear of the truth being made public. I would be interested to know the actual amount of American tax payers money that we have spent, in just the last eight years or so, around the world. I am sure the figures would be staggering. President Obama is like a light turned on, in a dark room, full of roaches. The light of real truth makes them scramble to the shadows. Our country deserves our money and attention. The Republican "base" of America is like an unsound house, the foundation is crumbling, and the wood is full of termites. No matter how you "pretty " it up, even the best paint in the world cannot fix an unsound structure. Quite a few Democrats also seem to be hesitant to step up and help our Nations people. I also find it curious that, for instance, Alaska's governor gave Alaskans money in the form of a windfall oil profit. Last time I looked, Alaska is part of America. Why didn't everyone in America get a tiny piece of the pie? And didn't that make her a "distributor" ? And I also hear that rural villages in Alaska have desperate people, literally unable to get food and gasoline, at a fair price? I would think that the Least we can do for our own citizens is to insure their survival. Last time I checked, America is capable of dropping aid from the air to "help" other countries, so why aren't we doing that for our own people? We Are capable, but I guess we pesky American peons don't deserve help . Wait a moment, didn't we just have an election? Yes, we did, and our new voice is President Obama, and Vice President Biden. They are actually working quite hard to help the common American . Our country deserves every penny of our tax money to "grow the brand" of America. We have an enormous amount to answer for during these last eight years, particularly concerning our hypocratic former President and former Vice President. If you really believe in God, you sure have a funny way of showing it. Let us dispense with the "Old Testiment" and listen to the words from Jesus Crist himself. I personally do not think he would approve of our form of "helping thy brother" with bombs and tanks. So, please quit using Gods name in war, that is wrong on many levels. I am looking forward to seeing our country rebuild itself up from a new foundation. I hope to see high speed trains built all over America. I am also looking forward to eradicating poverty and suffering. I think we all realize that not everyone can go to college. I feel certain that vocational training from a young age will help our people flourish. Only when America truly flourishes , will we be ready to lead the world again.

Sorry for the repeat, just corrected mistake: One more thought: Lindsay Graham, McCain, the Republicans, where was their consideration and cooperation for the Democrats during the Bush years? Two wrongs don't make a right but honesty and a little humility does make one more believable.

to Ryan on Feb 15 th. You commented that Clinton left us with a surplus. That is incorrect. He left us with a current account(year to year) surplus. We were still in debt my friend. One other thing. Clinton did have a Republican Congress. They were in my opinion a good balance for each other.

Evolm spewed:

"All bow before the black president. All bow before your new god.
Only 43% of white people voted for this illegal buffoon. He's not my president."

If he isn't your president, you must be here illegally. LEAVE. You don't belong here. Your shelf has expired and you're stinking up the joint.

The Republicans are whining that they haven't had time to read the 1100 page stimulus bill. But it is largely the same bill that was written in the House several weeks ago. If the Republicans have had more than two weeks to read 1100 pages and can't get it done, what do they think they are getting paid for? Oh right ... it's difficult to read a bill from a golf cart on the thirteenth fairway!

McCain's got all his financial expertise from Sen Graham from Tx. Sen Graham is responsible for his PRO de-regulation that took away all of the protection put in place after the Great Depression Part 1. We had Banking, Wall Street and the commodity markets all 3 different enities as protection. Graham, McCain and the Republican greed machine de- regulated for higher profits for the same people they bailed out prior to the election. This is why gas prices were almost $4.00 a gal. Oil in now being traded in the futures market. Biggest benefactor...Morgan Stanley. MCCain has a lot of nerve...If we had a media organization that would ask questions perhaps the Republicans would not be so bold right now. They should be ashamed.

John you old fool, STOP LYING that you have better alternatives

LOSER

Republican's did not complain once about the billions spent...im sorry wasted...in Iraq. But when a Democrat comes along and worries about "spending" money in his own country to help those in need it all of a sudden is a problem and we can just forget about the past 8 years. Wake up McCain. What would you have done? Pretended like nothing was happening and continue tax cuts? Yeah, CLEARLY that was working.

Pathetic.

One more thought: Lindsay Graham, McCain, the Republicans, where was their consideration and cooperation of the Democrats during the Bush years? Two rights don't make a wrong but honesty and a little humility does make one more believable.

On Tuesday each of 106,000,000 Tax Filers (Joint or Single and excluding those 56,000,000 who file but don't/haven't pay/paid taxes) will effectivley spend $14,000 ($7,500 Tuesday, $3,750 government estimated interest and $2,750 reasonable program cost overruns). Therefore, if you reasonably expect to recieve $14,000 from this bill you should be elated.

For the +/- 200 enthusiatic endorsers of this bill in this comment section that represents $2,800,000. Now my guess is that the 200 respondents won't be recieving anywhere near this amount. For myslef, I can tell from CNN's own descrition of the program that I will see $800 and maybe can pick up a few penies here and there along the way if I get lucky.

So how do you continue to have runaway government that robs the people blind. You tell people, like those above, that you are helping them, you rely on them to be too stupid to use a calculator and then you take them to the cleaners while they smile, cheer and ask for more.

Everything Obama says comes with an expiration date. That's why his head is on a swivel as he speaks...he's talking out of both sides of his mouth!
For instance:

“There are no red states. There are no blue states. There are the United States of America” – Obama
…
Challenged by one Republican senator over the contents of the package, the new president, according to participants, replied: “I won.”

Come on John, you just voted for another 2.5 trillion tax cut for the rich, to continue the 2 trillion cuts that Bush already did, and the one trillion and counting tragic cost of the Iraq war. Talk about "generational theft" and the height of hypocrisy! How can you talk about bipartisanship with a straight face. We finally got some support to our education, transportation, and energy policy after years of neglect and exploitation. Please retire to your Sedona dude ranch or join the ranks of those who want to set their personal agendas aside to build a better future for the citizens of this country. You have lost the respect you had as a true, non partisan maverick that set you apart from your antediluvian fellow party hacks. When are you going on with Rush and Hannity?

Why all the personal snipes at Mcain about his age, and wealth? It seems that Americans are not debating issues, but rather personalitys.

I think the Republican's should calm down & sit down. They should
start thinking about the American people now in our time of crisis,
not themselves. John has everything now, you'd think this P.O.W.
days would help him understand what's going on , it's a war of
sorts, and economic war! It's the Republican's who got us into this
mess in the first place, deregulations up the wazoo and lots & lots
of illegal stuff. Put on your thinking caps, you said the stimulus
wouldn't even work before you saw it! Get objective, there has to be
a few good minds between you all....come up with some solutions
and get a life!

There hasnt been a person to get excited about to vote for president in a long time. We have had Gore, Dole, Bush, Obama, Clinton, Kerry,Mccain to choose from. Kind of getting tired of picking the person i think would do less harm. Bush was a two term president bcos thats how bad Gore and Kerry were. Obama seemed to be better than Mccain but deifnitly not a choice for president. If only Colin Powell would run!

oh stop all this bipartisan bickering... and gimme your money. i want it Now. Obama luvs me and he wants to gimme all i want. Obama is going to gimme from all your childrens's money and that makes me very happy. gimme, gimme gimme. i deserve a break today, and you deserve to gimme it.

President Obama kept his promise to help every individual who ranges from poverty stricken to the financially endowed. He also sat down with Republicans to construct the bill. It is the Republicans who said they would be willing to reach across the aisle including, you, Senator McCain, who have refused to reach back.

John McCain, you are a hypocrite. You recently told the world how you respected Barack Obama and how you would support his presidency. You're displaying poor sportsmanship and just can't get over losing. And, I still would like to know what you were thinking when you chose Sarah Palin.

Let's see.

McCain picked Sarah Palin, who was terrified of Putin's head in Alaskan airspace. Putin, the man who is actually DOING something about the Somali pirates.

McCain, he has links to ViaGlobal, they had a role in tricking Haji Bashir Noorzai into coming to the US to be arrested despite promises to the contrary. I'm sure the world would really trust him.

Finally, what a hypocrite. He should be loyal to Obama, Obama is president, and McCain should respect that. His actions are showing him to be the neocon that he has always denied being.

It WAS a bad beginning, but only because we were coming off an 8 year train wreck at the hands of the repubs... John McCain needs to put himself in a nice old folks' home and butt out.

Hey Ryan, I did see what's in the bill. Aid to state and local governments that are on the verge of bankruptcy, money to fix roads and bridges that collapse and kill people because they have not been repaired, oh yes, and strict limits on bonuses for bailed out companies.

Let me break it down for you and Johnny Mac. The Republicans ran up a huge deficit giving billions and trillions away to their friends in defense contracting (it seems even the military was in on the payola), oil (remember how under Bush oil companies never paid their royalties to the government) and banking (this needs no comment). Everyone else got well, they got a little piece of hardware that you twist to insert.

Now, money is going to pay for things that regular people need, and the fat cats are being reigned in. And what did you expect from Johnny Mac? That he would admit that he and his cronies have NO CLUE about what to do except push the same policies that got us into this mess?

In the South I grew up in, we would have called it 'comical', to avoid being nasty and calling it what it is, 'idiotic', to have a man who for the better part of two years, acknowledged that Economics was his weakest suit, and proved it over and over, is now the Republican spokesman regarding economic policies. I have yet to figure out what his strong suits are (other than being a fighter pilot who was shot down and spent 6 or so years in a prison camp, and 'has the scars to prove it'). Great preparation place for the presidency.
And he pledged his support for Obama! What a hypocritical s.o.b. he and his joined-at-the-hip partners in the Senate are.
If it weren't for the necessity for speed in doing something, I would like to have seen the Dems call the Reps. bluff and dare someone to filibuster. Then Americans could really see who has their interests at heart. I am sure there aren't enough dumb people in America that would keep these rats in office longer than the next election.

I find it interesting that McCains talking about bipartisanship when he proposed his own 500 mil plan including only tax cuts and infrastructure spending, a plan that the dems pretty much already incorporated but one that provided little stimulus. That plan 36 republicans voted for i believe. Thats 36 people that thought there should be ZERO stimulus in the bill. Which obviously was not gonna be the solution. So I think Obama did pretty well getting 61/64.

wow McCain, can you be any more of a poor loser? just call it quits and check into a nursing home.

I do agree with his comments that this is generation theft, we are putting the tab on our children. Why are they crying about this now, how about the two gulf war tabs, and the bush bank bailout tab. They have no room to talk. It's time for conservatives to stand back and let the democrats fix all there f ups like they have always done.

the GOP HAD 8 YEARS TO RN HE ECONOMY IN HE GROUND SO AT LEAST GIVE OBAMA THE SAME TME TO FIX IT.
nayve uf we sebd fiid t akasja for te starvng citzens up there until they each get their three thosand frefund check plus.

There is no such thing as "bipartisan". The word in and of itself is a joke.

The Republicans should be ashamed about the way they participated in the Stimulus Bill. They had their collective heads up and locked. They (the Republicans) had better get serious about a major change in attitude and 'get with it' or they will never (God forbid) get back in to the White House much less hold on to their seats in the Congress.

JOHN MCCAIN IS HURTING HIMSELF BY BEING SO NEGATIVE OF OUR PRESIDENT AFTER HIS ADMINISTRATION CAUSED THIS DISASTER.

Didn't McCain vote for the first bailout? Now he throws his critiques of President Obama as if he has a better idea. If he and the Repbulicans truly had a better idea the economy wouldn't be in the mess that it is.
He lost all credibility when he chose Pailin as his running mate and chose a divisive tone in his campaign.

Jenny,

I think it's nuts that you're wanting change in less then a month. The change starts from the bottom up sweetie...start calling senators offices in your areas, start getting involved. You make the change. Obama is trying, but won't succeed without support. Do you think old schoolers like McCain is going to give up so easily on how Washington operates, or anyone else for that matter? Don't shoot yourself in the foot sweetie and do something instead of just complaining waiting for someone to clean up yours mine and millions of others messes.

Amazing! Whenever the repugnican'ts are in office, four things ALWAYS happen: An invasion somewhere, widespread corruption, Our Treasury gets pilfered, and a wicked recession(depression) slams U.S...
Go away repugnican'ts!!!! I am tired of being "trickled down" on by your voodoo economic, bovine scat ,of oligarchic, plutocratic, welfare and greed. Maybe there a nominal position available at Haliburton, or Carlyle Group, or Black Water, or one of the bloated oil companies for you, J.McKook. Oh, and take the end-timer S.Failin with you too. Maybe the "country of Africa" needs your irrelevant views.
Our New, Intelligent, Articulate, Honorable, President Obama has not even been in office for 30days yet.
Truly, he can not screw up as horribly, as the rigged-elected, know-nothing, Imbecilic, slimy, corrupt, "baby bush" regime did.

Just a reminder to the hippie liberals that are currently talking trash about McCain on this page,

You are nothing compared to John McCain
He has more money
He has more of a legacy
He has more guts
...and he has 7 houses, while all of you writing on this page are living in one apartment or maybe your parents house.
Do you really think he cares what some soup-kitchen, robin-hood, pansy, computer nerds think about him?

Just say NO to John McBitter! Why are you still interviewing this guy?

The McCain story gets sadder and sadder.

Well it was the republicans who let this mess get out of hand in first place. And now they are complaining the way President Obama is trying to handle the economy. Stimulus is needed asap. Without the bill we could witness the worst in american history, an "Economic Colapse".

McCain’s pathetic whining cry baby voice makes me sick.
Why don’t you suspend yourself from Politics.

This bill was an IOU from president Obama to the sentors that put him in office. Take a look at the bill and see for yourself. Special pet projects written in by senators with special interest. Pork my friends....with no clear spending that will create economic recovery. Wake up Obama is just a politician vulnerable to corruption by power, ego, and lies. He may have won the election but he has yet to do anything significant during his 1st 100 days.

What a sore loser. So much for his fancy concession speech saying how much he was going to support HIS President. The only negative thing about the President's start is the Republican rhetoric. He's accomplishing what he promised and set out to do with or without their support and despite their negativity and partisan behavior.

Keep up the good work Mr. President. We support you 100 percent and Mr. McCain, why don't you give the American people what you promised...your support to our President and hope to the American people. We are now on the path to recovery.

Well, the jury is still out on Obama but I must agree with McCain. Obama has lied to us and I voted for him.

There is something wrong with people that do not care about our solders or veterans:

all items for Veterans Affairs were reduced and the $2 billion the Senate wanted for VA construction was wiped out altogether. The VA did get one thing: $1 billion for medical facilities renovation and retooling.

# Military construction: Cut and put into a general pot, a change from targeted money for each branch of the services. Army construction alone went from $600 million in the Senate and $900 million in the House to $180 million in the final bill. But negotiators compromised over a general military construction fund - the House wanted $3.75 billion while the Senate allocated $118 million and settled on $1.45 billion for all services.

Poor, sad McCain. Maybe if you corrupt Republicans would work with HIM. Instead you chose to fight it. And it is your parties fault we are in this mess.

Oh Please, you all need to get a life!

I imagine even Republicans are secretly glad this guy didn't get elected.

No GOP House members willing to support? When the package results in the beginning of recovery from the terrible mess they got us into, who's going to look like the obstructionist jerks they are? Once again the GOP demonstrate their lack of concern for the average American.

Who gives a hoot what McCain thinks anymore. I'm still sick of his face and comments. How about supporting the president and those who vote by legal majority to put plans into place. The sight of his name makes me ill.

So where is McCain's plan? I don't hear anything except how bad the Obama plan is. If it's that bad Mr. McCain, I have an idea...don't take any of the money from the bill. I'm sure Az. will be just find without it. Typical Republican when a Dem is in office...No matter what their intentions are, it's wrong...Tax cuts worked real well during the Bush administration...(of course nothing really worked well during that administration). Didn't hear McCain complain about the cost of the war (in lives or money).

At least Obama took the first step in fixing the economy. No it's not perfect, no bill ever has been or ever will be. But it's a good start. It took us a long time to get to here, it's going to take awhile to get us out. Blame who you will...but realize that we've taken the first step towards getting this country where it should be again...and for that I'm grateful...

Mr. McCain....you lost...get over it!

And McCain, what exactly did you do to change the bi-partisanship? I don't see any evidence that the Republicans are doing anything to reach across the aisles. What I see are a lot of politicians with no solutions, wating to see which way the stimulus seems to be going before they'll jump on board. Yoou watch, if this package does start working, they'll all start jumping on board then. Ans I love when Republican Governor's asked about whetheror not they'll take stimulus money, and of course they will say, yes-–hypoctites!!
Republicans always want it both ways, and ride on the coattails of others success. Spineless.

The Democrats should treat the Republicans the way they were treated when they were a minority – shut them up, ignore them do not give them anywhere to meet, exclude them from all decision making. The only "reaching across the isle" should be to choke them and kick them in the balls.

Funny I thought he gave us exactly what he ran on and what the American people voted for... Just because the Republicans are still listening to the 30% of country that still votes for them doesn't mean a thing to me... Just setting themselves up for more losses in 2010... I say keep it up...

Yes, John, you are right, Obama and the Bum Dems are sacrificing our children's birthright. You Republicans are always right! That's why all us young people voted for you Sen. McCain, and so overwhelmingly for your fellow Republicans. We made it possible for you to be our President, Sen McCain and for the R's to take back control of both Houses of Congress.

More honestly: I used to have a lot of respect for John McCain. I have even voted for Republicans! (Shocking, I know!) But their lock-step party line and very petty arguments–all of which John McCain endorsed–were cast in Outright Opposition to the Serious Needs of the American People. John McCain–you are a despicable follower of the worst that the Republican Party tells you. Shame. Shame. Shame. And a loser to boot.

Poor ole McCain–he's just a sore loser. If he knows it all, why hasn't he come up with a plan to get us out of this mess that has only gotten worse for the past several years? I'm afraid McCain will never agree with anything Obama does–he'll just continue with his put downs–that's not what America needs or wants. We need to see Washington pulling together for us, not for their politics.

Yeah, sure, John. Too bad we didn't follow your advice and invest the Social Security money in the stock market. Go help Cindy count her money.

Can anyone really disagree with what he's saying though? Clearly this was not the type of bi-partisan effort that Obama had pledged to create.

McCain correctly lays the blame with the Republicans as well, but his point is it's once again party vs. party with the more powerful party just doing whatever it wants. It didn't work when the Republicans were in control and just because Democrats don't agree with them doesn't make them right either.

What both he and Obama said during the campaign was that the correct answers will be the ones where the moderates in both parties win out and there is a general consensus.

This type of Dems=right Repubs=wrong (or vice versa) mentality is just flat out lazy and, in the end, counter-productive.

Are we expecting an objective opinion? Does he have any credibility left? Are we still listening to this guy?....his motive is clear, bitter old man...

I am curious as to why CNN chose to interview Sen. McCain on the topic. Thats like asking the the losing Superbowl team what the winning team could have done better. HELLO! He lost! What insight can have provide us with, that President Obama doesn't already know.

Look people, we know what the GOP are really about now, they still stand for nothing other than blocking progress. To hear them talk, they still believe that ONLY tax cuts spur the economy. Havent we been down that road and all these roads with them before.
Not that Democrats haven't made a few mistakes in the past few weeks, but hey give them a break, the are still doing better the the Republicans did when they were in power. I'm voting for a Democratic Super-Majority come Nov. 2010 Lets put the Dems in full charge with Obama at the helm and see where they take us!

McCain is just a sore loser! Before he was the Republican candidate during the last election, he pretended to be a moderate and could work across the aisle. Now, he has nothing to lose because he's too old to run again. His presidential ambition was squashed by Obama. He's going to do everything possible to derail Obama's presidency. He has no honor left.

John,

It's terrible that it came to all of this. This bill would not have even been on the table if not for the terrible administrative decisions of the Bush admin and it's members. Count me as an Arizonan that would have voted for you in 2000, but voted for Obama in 2008.

You can also consider me as a person seriously considering voting for ANY Democrat that runs against you for your senate seat. I have been VERY disappointed with your actions of the past 2 years or so.

It's a shame.

McCain needs psychological help!!!

Let us have a people PAC to get rid of this PRUNE from Arizona in the next election.
Old washed out defeated jealous, Me Me & Cindy, my houses and non-sense-get out you fool.

all though I didn't vote for John McCain, or President Obama, I have to agree, somewhat with McCain, I can't see anything in this Stimulus bill that is going to stimulate the economy or create jobs, or anything else as far as that is concern, There will be no change, just more of the same, the same old politics, the same old government, from both partys, but I guess desperate measures, calls for desperate action.

actually the Republicans went down party lines. Do the Republicans not get that we voted them out because we are tired of their nonsense and inflexibility? All Republicans voting no smacks of nothing more than Republicans refusing to work cooperatively for the better of the country. We should have voted more of them out.

Here's a few wonderful statistics for all of you that blame republicans and conservatives for the nation's woes:

1. The money spent by the federal government in the last two years to bail out banks and other financial lending institutions could have paid for 90% of the mortgages in the US. That translates to roughly 1,000 bucks a month in extra spending money for ninety percent of Americans - that's a true stimulus package.

2. Look at where the money to finance democrat campaigns comes from - you guessed it, those lending institutions that were given close to ten trillion dollars in two years.

3. Democrat spending in last two years: 10 Trillion dollars
Republican spending in last EIGHT years: 1.86 Trillion dollars

So please, get off your high and mighty horses and pay attention to what's actually happening. How about instead of this ridiculous finger pointing, the people we elect to run our country say "yeah, we messed up, but we're going to work together to do what's best for the country, not what's best for our political careers."

Speaking of "generational theft", how's that Iraq war going? Peaceful, grateful, democratic, and prosperous? Yeah...

So, President Obama didn't do it exactly the way you would, you crotchety old fart. Have you ever tried to get a bunch of big jealous babies to work together? I'm so extremely tired of McCain's negativity. He should be tried for treason.

Amazing how many people responding think the republicans owend the Congress and the Presidency for 8 Years! Let me see? In 2006 the dems took back the House and the Senate, and in less than two years the economy went to heck. I wonder how that happened? Obstructionist Congress, maybe? Make the country look really bad so we look good in 2008, you bet! They sacrificed the country for a president. This Spendulous Bill will make new jobs....at Unemployment, where they will need the case workers!

I'm not at all surprised Obama is off to a bad start. He is full of ideology, great motivational speeches but little else. Economically, he is on the wrong side of the equation and no amount of public support and leeway is going to change his economic ignorance. The country is in big trouble and everyone is smiling because we finally have a black president. *shaking my head*

McCain needs to be reminded that the American people voted against his ideas. We've realized tax cuts for the wealthy aren't the answer and government intervention is necessary. The conservative republican solution had its chance to work, and it failed miserably. Now the democrats get their turn to make policy.

I am very afraid for my family.
I am afraid for this country.
Obama could sweet sell suicide.
Jim Jone's comes to mind.

The irresponsible actions taken since his inception,
have been shocking.

There has been no bipartisinship,- back room, back hand,
deals, and crafting of this porkulus bill have been his way.

This bill is going to make things worse, our government bigger, and will
proove faulty.

If the Market was left alone, it would recover in 18 months.

Our constitutional rights have been eroded, and his ideas on health care, censorship, and the census make me think he wants all control,
much like Napolean, Hitler, Mussolini.

The Man is a Sweet talking, back stabbing, deal cutting, narcisistic,
publicity hound.

The only thing bigger than his ears seems to be the ego between them.

John McCain is worried about debt and jobs?

Where has he been in the last 8 years?

I guess I wouldnt care about debt or jobs if i owned a dozen homes too.

Last time I checked, Obama won the election. It is up to him, not the loser, to decide the course of action. My opinion is that the Democrats should simply ignore the GOP and let the cards fall where they will in 2010. I voted for a policy shift to the left last November, NOT a type of bipartisanship the GOP was unwilling to engage in since 2000. The GOP has become a regional minority party – treat them as such.

How sanctomonius of John McCain – the one that thought our ecomony was basically sound as it was quickyl falling apart.. He refused to work with the handful of Repuiblican who were willing to work with the President to try to find a solution for the failing economy. He sounds like a spoiled little boy who didn't get his way when he lost the election so he is going to pout and refuse to "play". What chance does the President have of bridging the political gap between Republicans and Democrats when the Republican leaders refuse to even try. I have no idea if the stimulous package will work but for me and the millions of American people drowing, I hope that our new President is succesful and I wish every polictician out there would try to work with him to find a way out of this "hell hole" that we keep sinking further into

Ryan – Shut the hell up becasue you were under Bush spell for 8 years and look at this country now.

Why sould I believe or trust John McCain's evaluation of anything the current president has done or will do? His judgement is obviously flawed.

After all, he is the person responsible for putting Sarah Palin on the national stage.

There are far more insightful, less partisan Republicans whose opions I value.

Why not get Colin Powell's analysis?

It's a much better start than Shrub did when the Enron executives driving the submarine rammed the Japanese fishing boat killing innocent people

Dear Dems and Libs,
I have a few acres of land. I'm thinking of holding a lottery in 2 1/2-3 years from now to allocate a limited number of campsites on the farm to the winning individuals. The winners will be able to live safely and grow food along with livestock. That will probably be the only way you will be able to survive and eat.

Breaking News from CNN – Republican researchers found that Tax Cuts cure Cancer!!!!

You cannot blame John McCain. He is stating it correctly. Obama has done nothing to help the American people that are in need, just those that want to upgrade their lifestyles. Tell me what Obama has really done in that bill to help create jobs? Nothing. We are laying off more and more people everyday. None of that "proposed" money will be going for anything worthwhile to help this country. Why is it that the government believes that we can save this country with money WE DON'T HAVE!?

McCain needs a lesson in economics. I don't understand why he has the nerve to comment on the stimulus package since he admittedly knows nothing about economics. He lost the election and what we're dealing with is SOUR GRAPES. He is jealous, resentful and a loser. At least Obama is working to help the country,he's actually working instead of sitting around criticizing the previous administration. Why doesn't someone ask McCain "what have you been doing for the past 8 years?"

I voted for Obama. Am a Democrat. But have a bad feeling about this bill and how it was handled. Just because the Rep. did it doesn't mean we can/should too. We should take the high road.

This bill should have been gone thru with a fine toothed comb. And when they agreed on a particular point (extending mployment benefits, Clean Coal plant) then vote and sign into law that particular point.

This bill should of been done ingrementally not as one huge bill no one really understands or prbably has even read!

No new bills should be forced thru congress.

I'm with poster Jeff "People need to stop with knee jerk reactions regardless of party affiliation and think things thru instead of rushing in too quickly throwing money at a problem hoping to fix it."

We as a country should gear ourselves to a future of non-growth. Of sustainabilty. We can't, resource wise, from what I read, continue to grow, grow grow. Do you want the USA to be like China? I sure as hell don'

Evolm, I see that you are a sad white folk who feels the right to rule belongs to the whites only. You commented that only 43% of whites voted for Obama. Does that give creditbility to the white George Bush who brought down your economy to its knees in 8 years? Your likes are not fit to live in this age with your supremacist hate ideology. People like you are responsible for the hate lingering in our soceity today becasue that was what your ancestors did to the less fortunate injecting them with smal pox and burning others on the stakes, in an attempt to erradicate the entire black race. You should be droped in the middle of Iraq or Afghanistan and get a taste of what reality is.

McCain must be wearing his zero-gravitas suit. Having lost by such a huge margin his comment, made so soon, smacks of sour grapes. Not to mention that he's a fine one to talk considering his pick for running mate...

come on guys– this is a headline? who cares what this old troll thnks? please have some sense and try and report the news...

Republicans should be ashame of them selves especially mcCain after saying that economy was undoubtably sound. he should pack and move back home,the old man has nothing left to offer.

Hmm, I like the idea of generational theft. Seems like politicians have been talking about this for a long time. I remember talk of this kind back in Reagan's era. Now, I only go back so far. Has anyone older than me remember this idea from before the Nixon era?

Obama got me when he signed the equal pay for women bill... He's off to a GREAT start as far as I'm concerned.

Hey McCain,

USA to McCain....have a big McHeartAttack because we think you should go to jail for getting our country into this mess! Mr. DeRegulation who created this mess!

I think Obama is more than a President, he is a leader of a new religion. He knows how to make people follow him without understanding why. He learned how to talk as an attorney, a community organizer, and from his Pastors.

The people writing comments on this story sound like a bunch of lemurs walking off a cliff. Please people, don't let your hatred for GWB lead you to support the biggest econmic error this country has ever made.

Democratic senators voting for a trillion dollar+ spending bill that not a single one even had time to actually read? You can't be serious!

Clearly we need change, but it's not necessarily the case that any change is good change.

I predict that before Obama's first term is over, we will have had another 9/11 (probably plotted by former Gitmo prisoners), unemployment will be near 20%, inflation will be in double digits, and yet somehow the democrat lemurs will still find a way to blame GWB.

Why don't I just say, "I told you so" now"? Wake up, America!!!

Wow. Reading the ignorant comments between the two parties makes me especially glad to be an independent...

In some alternate universe, this man is president.

Scary, huh?

John Mc cain is a sore loser. Shame one the Media for even speaking to him. He should not get any air time. He had is chance and he LOST.! Go home and shut up.

John McCain still doesn't get it even after he lose the election in a landslide – John, your ideas have led the country to this economic disaster so, just retire in peace and quite.

That's great . You were so eager to give the banks our money...couldn't wait. Now WHAT'S a mistake? I want that bank money back. We need to stop trying to placate republicans, banks and fools.

Sore winners is what all these carping liberal comments sound like. Come on folks, if Obama was as strong leader he would have taken Pelosi behind the woodshed and told her cut the BS and work a reasonable deal with the other side. I know that's what LBJ would have done (a democrat BTW). Folks, get you heads out of your posteriors. Obama ain't no saint, he ain't no savior and certainly has failed his first test on leadership in a crisis when it was sorely needed. God help us if he continues this type of deferential behavior to Congress.

This headline is so false people. I watch the show this morning, I couldn't believe this is an actual headline. I'm very disappointed in CNN for posting this. Its time we start holding the media accountable for making these dramatic false headlines, it doesn't help our society a bit. If you ask me the media creates most of the problems in this world. This is absolute BS.

Obama administration will be a total failure!! God help America from him..

John McCain is a bad loser. His comments are nothing but sour grapes. Senator McCain should take a look at the polls-the American people think that President Obama is off to a fine start.

Yeah... The No Party is at it again.

How many weeks has Obama been in office? Come on~give the guy a chance! At least he's aware that "the fundamentals of the economy" need help, and he's trying SOMETHING!

McCain, be a man and admitt you and your republican pals were wrong and helped get this country into the mess we are in!
OBAMA IS THE PRESIDENT FOR ALL PEOPLE AND YOU REPUBLICANS NEED TO ACCEPT IT. YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE FOR 8 YEARS AND SCREWED UP!
SO JUST SHUT UP!

to the uneducated who post on this forum and are upset that the final bill was not given enough time to be reviewed .. the final stimulus was a merger between the house/senate versions – both houses of congress have had weeks to familiarize themselves with ALL aspects of the bills – reading the entire final package cover to cover was hardly necessary to cast an informed vote, regardless of which way you chose to vote. as for the ignorant schmuck who refers to Obama as the "black" president – were you raised that way? Your parents would be oh so proud (really, they probably would).

I wonder what it would take to convince the media that the public is no longer interested in McCain or any other Rep. They lost and have made it very clear they are not going to work with Pres. Obama. I am so sick of hearing the bashing and bickering on these sites that I have found Law & Order & NCIS much bettter viewing in my spare time. As I work full time and maintain my own home, I don't have a lot of time to fill.

Why are listening this twice presidential campaign loser? Don't ever extend the feeding hand to this "Songbird."

@ Evolm. Where do you live MARS?

If you live here in the USA he's your PRESIDENT. Get over it.

Loser or not, McCain is absolutely right.
The corrupt Messiah blew it once again.
Hope he read some Hadith before paying up for a railroad from Disneyland to Vegas.
Those still enchanted with mr. Big Ears are the losers.

It's John McCain who's beem sowing the seeds of discord in congress. He and his ilk would like nothing better than for Obama to fail, even if it means bringing the entire country down.

Excuse me, but 46 million Americans did not vote for Obama. We will see how America changes it's opinion of the 'Messiah' by 2010.

McCain is a evil old man that hate the fact the he was beated by a black man. How sad. He never have any thing but mean thing to say are advise President Obama.

stu, you are dead right with your comment

John the loser...

Stupid old man..just a another republican who wants the president to fail...these are not true americans...

They are members of the "rush limbercheese" fan club.
They just want that money...and to hell with people who are not rich.

Are you a member of this club?

Give President Obama a chance. He just got into office and things can not be fixed or changed over night. And McCain you sound like a pretty sore loser, things take time.

If John McCain had been elected, his response to the economic crisis would have been a giant package of tax cuts that would have failed and we'd spend the rest of this decade and half of the next in a sputtering economy. The reason Obama has had a rough start is because Republicans have decide that their political power is worth the sacrifice of millions of people's livelihoods. Same broken record of tax cuts, tax cuts and more tax cuts we've heard for the past quarter century. And they call themselves fiscally responsible... McCain (and his crony Kyl) should retire. I thought we saw the real McCain the night he conceded. Apparently not.

The more you spew this republican garbage the more you show how much they want to hamper Obama's programs. McShame supported the disasterous Bush/Cheney rape and pillage of our treasury and resources. Along with destroying our world reputation .

Now, the man who lost the election and the GOP (Gougers of the People) are still clinging on to their old ways.

OBAMA, we are behind you. Keep going to the people.

McCain's just trying to make people like me feel better about switching parties.

Conservative wrote, "It funny how all of the comments are in support of Obama. CNN is obviously just another liberal media source that is unfair and unbalanced."

What a joke. It's funny how conservatives see people with different points of view and call them "unfair and unbalanced." Just another example of how conservatives have no ideas to contribute to the debate. The kind of tax cuts the Repubs want might have stimulated the economy for a short period but would have done nothing in the long term - just like in years past.

more political parties please

THESE TWO SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of the pundits think Obama is the big winner. He got pretty much what he wanted in the stimulus bill. The public doesn't quite know what to make of it, but the majority trust Obama's judgment. McCain's alternate plan was garbage and he was essentially laughed off the Senate floor, so I'm not quite sure why he thinks Obama is off to a worse start than his own.

I am beginning to think that nothing will ever be deemed bipartisan, unless the Republicans say it is. Obama's intentions are good, and he is trying to do something. I guess McCain's good intentions stopped with Charles Keating. McCain is entitled to his opinion, and I am entitled not to listen to it.

It is truly sad how bipartisan and pickering this country has become. Everything is bipartisan from the democrats to the republicans. Both parties follow their own line and have for ever so to sit and through slurs does not make sense. The question is now on the table is will this improve the economy. Another questions is are we following true to the countries ideals and not changing. The country wanted change and now they will have to live through what ever is going to occur. You cannot be short sited and think anything that has been done or is being done will be fast and easy... nothing is. Pull up the boot straps as it is going to be a long road.

Can't resist posting one time and one time only. I can't take any more of the liberal bleeding heart #%&@ on this site. Hope all of you Kool Aid drinking Obama worshippers enjoy the socialist state he is turning this country in to. 2012 won't get here soon enough!!!

Headed back to FOX..............

McCain is over the hill. He should take his Alzheimer's medication and go home to Cindy. Oh that's right she doesn't want him around either. I am so happy that we were smart enough this time around to not elect this old fart.

The more you spew this republican garbage the more you show how much they want to hamper Obama's programs. McShame supported the disasterous Bush/Cheney rape and pillage of our treasury and resources. Along with destroying our world reputation .

Now, the man who lost the election and the GOP (Gougers of the People) are still clinging on to their old ways.

OBAMA, we are behind you. Keep going to the people.

Senator McCain claims the stimulus bill is "generational theft."

His words are purely hypocritical. Senator McCain voted for and funded the Iraq War. The war in Iraq was based on lies and deceit, and it is costing our next generation trillions of dollars.

So tell me Senator McCain, who committed "generational theft" now? Surely it can't be you.

Competing proposals in negotiations? Perhaps if the Republicans had offered feasible alternatives that could have been the basis of negotiatons. McCain offered one feable attempt that he knew would not be considered by anyone. He is NOT even the leader of his own party now. And again saying tax cuts will stimulate the economy? Businesses won't add jobs, and production capacity, even with tax cuts, unless there are customers to buy the products.

Oh that's right, McCain lost!! No one cares what you promised America. Go sit back in your corner and keep your mouth shut!! No one wants to hear it!!!!

more ring wing concervitive media propaganda

The GOP, as usual don't care about middle america more than they care about their Wall Street buddies. Of course they need to make this Stimulus Bill look like it's wasteful spending because they soon want to FORGET the years of their own wasteful spending.......and their type of spending is beyond $$. The sacrifice of the men and women's lives for a Nonsense WAR is unforgivable. No one really knows whether or not this stimulus bill will work but we have to do ACT to help the people who are suffering everyday. I know full well how scary it is to lose a job, I just went through it . Luckily, I found one! Imagine the millions that can't find one. I don't think these GOP crooks know that until their own jobs and homes are gone. McCain, why don't you donate one or two of your homes to people that are now homeless before you start sounding like a SOAR loser - time to get a grip on reality, you're not the PRESIDENT. Stop selling out and retire already!!!

The Republicans are a bunch of hypocrites. Tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts. When will they learn that TAX CUTS for the past 8 years has been a FAIL solution???

when you remove emotion from your thinking, maybe you can see the facts. you can not borrow your way out of trouble. goverment lives in a box and they do not get it. McCain is not perfit but obama is farther from perfect. what McCain says is true. we have left our kids and grandkids with a terribel dept to repay. 5 to 10 years the earning dollar with get hit with 42 percent with tax'x. thats almost 1/2 of what you earn will go to the goverment to pay back the loan. Bad business should go out of business.

john king, john mccain = 1 in the same. King get over mccain, he lost...hahaha. what he says no longer matters, but continue CNN to interview him to speak for the ignorant republicans. King and McCain = 1 in the same. King, you were 1 day late on giving the love of your life your heart for Valentine's Day. Move on, McCain has nothing new to say but we do – McCain you LOST!! We can't hear you.

While I don't completely agree with the stimulus bill, bipartisan efforts work both ways. I'm a strong independent, but I'm getting *really* sick and tired of Republican stalling and obstinate behavior. I realize democrats have their own share of blame, but this time around I think the error is on behalf of the Republican party. For shame.

Coming from some-one who wanted to suspend his campaign to support Bush's 750 bIllion dollar bailout, sounds like sour grapes and an attck of the green monster.

I hope the people of Arizona send McCain packing next time they vote.

Obviously all the rants here are thrilled with the "stimulus"! You must need that $13.00 per week your going to get. Or maybe the community service agenda, maybe its the increased student grants for education (that you can't work for), go Big Government! Open those borders! Lets Go! Can I get something too? Please Gimmee!Nancy Pelosi for President next time! Your a disrespectful bunch!

The left-wing hate and vitriol for this American Hero continues.

The bill will be signed in to law....a dark day that will surely lead us in to the Obama Depression.

Obama and a bunch of liberal hacks who caused the current recession just rammed through more pork-laden government without even reading a $787B bill. Incredible. This farce of a bill will do nothing for the economy and do just the opposite – slow down the economy and increase a bloated government. These liberals don't care about this country and are bent on destroying it.

Anyone here not bipartisan?

Is our two party system so broke that we as a people can't even discuss important issues without taking sides?

I would like to see any of you do anything better.

how would old man mcsame know? when he was running for the job he lost, he thought the economy was "fundamentally sound" (typical repub comment, as long as they have a job, home and money in the crooked banks) they would think that. they are so selfish. But the average American who is unempolyed,have lost their home and have no money think differently. PLUS he didnt even know how many homes he owns. If the people in Arizona should vote this old coot out of office in 2010. his ideas (as with most repubs) are outdated and self serving. he is one that rubber stamped the horrible ideas of dumbbell bush 90% of the time. Just like American voted for change in November, Arizonians need a change as well. And look who he picked as a running mate, sarah "the pitbull in lipstick" or bush in a skirt ( just a dumb). So mcsame I dont think you know anymore then or have any better ideas then the rest of those whinning, sour grape losers.

John McCain is such a loser in so many ways....personally, professionally. Continue to be a part of the problem instead of the solution John. Let the smart guys clean up the mess you and your cronies created. You guys had the opportunity to run the show and you ran it into the ground.

its amazing how all those who voted 4 obama are now waiting to see how much there check will be

Senator,

Sad, Sad, Sad...

Ok. Please understand that in any business when a new policy rolls out...you read the entire policy once. When "re-visions" are rolled out, you read only the revisions/the new additions. That's how we do it at my company, which is a Fortune 500 company. Otherwise we would do nothing at work but read. This was explained once on CNN by a Senator, but it does not seem to get as much media play. I can't believe so many people just listen to what the news media puts out. The Rep. that slammed the bill on the floor, gets played over and over to create the hype and the scare! This, as with ANY bill is a risk...The repubs bill does not guarantee 100% success either. I'd rather take the risk with the new White House.. than with the old. Oh-By the way...it appears that no one read the stimulus bill that bailed out Banks. It seems to have missed alot of "details" (as we are seeing today). AND- It did not work !!! Regardless of your party- be patriotic and PRAY for the success of this bill ! For our country ! I'm tired of hearing all the negativity and talk about what will not work...NO ONE KNOWS!

This comment from a loser!
Who cares what McGoo thinks?
He was an idiot, is an idiot and will be an idiot!

WHO CARES what McLame says? For God's sake - SHUT UP! NOBODY wants to hear what HE has to say.

I don't believe anymore that we need to hear from the far right of the spectrum. They have shown us all to be a bunch of morons. SHUT UP and stop bothering us.

Thank you.

Sammy in Boston

Get lost old man. We don't want you here.

I love how McCain labels this bill as generational theft. Wasn't it "W" who put together and based the bailout bill in October that is costing us $700 billion in taxpayer dollars. And we can;t even account for half of that money since they didn;t keep detailed records. Oh and how about that lovely war in Iraq that is costing us $120 billion or more per year. It we want to talk about generational theft, lets talk about the Bush administration and it's spending over the last 8 years. People go read the details of this bill, it will create jobs and it is not pointless spending. Three years from now we'll probably be saying how great of a bill this was.

Mccain is not only a loser. he's a liar. I'm amazed at how he could stand in the Senate with a "straight" face and tell a bold lie to the American public saying, " this stimulus will put our grandchildren and children in debt". what a "liar'. The bank's vaults have been emptied from fradulent- embezzling acts by Wall Street with CDO mortgage accounting corruption sales. the deregulation was cleared so this could occur by his colleague, Phil Gramm Republican of Texas. Now that the bank's have been broken, the cash Wall street stole from American banks needs to be paid back to the American people by Wall Street !!! Don't blame the stimulus which holds Corruption responsible for repayment. Blame corruption that made the stimulus necessary !!!!

I find it amazing that people can call for "change" and then resort to the same old name-calling and personal attacks. This bill (once it is read and disseminated) will be found to be an unmitigated disaster. I give the government 6 months before the Demopublicans/Republocrats cram another useless spending bill down our childrens' and grandchildrens' throats.

Liberterians are the true party of change!

McCain is an old dumba$$.....

Just please... go away.

Who let John out of the nursing home? Shut up and go home!!

357 comments.. 4 to mcain.. the rest to god.. ask who is not biased.. and remember america... we had a one party rule ,,, 215 years ago... so beware , what u wish for

Funny how the Obamites on this site resort to name calling whenever their great leader is questioned. You call McCain names but you offer no rebuttals to what he says..disgusting

Who was in power for the last 8 years as our country was run into the ground? oh yeah the republicans..wake up McCain ...we have made our decision, and your ideas belong to THE PAST.

I support The President.

The republicans way of fixing things are to give out tax cuts, which never works. Obama wants to be bi-partisan but when the republicans are giving him one-sided, bad advice Obama has to just ignore them.

It is a sad situation to read some of these comments other have made. We have become of society of "he is a Republican, so his idea is ...." Put some facts behind your statements. McCain is simply making a point. This vote went right down party lines. Isn't this something we ALL should break from. He even was critical of his OWN party. Most people who have posted, obviously didn't read past the first few paragraphs. I'm not saying who is right and who is wrong, but come on people. Especially about the post regarding the bridge to nowhere. Read your facts. Find out who voted for what. You might be shocked to find out who was against that bill. It was a refreshing change to see all of us rally in early January to the theme of equality and change. Some in this country still can't get past Bush=all Republicans.

McCain, coming from some-one who wanted to suspend his campaign to support Bush's bailout, sounds like sour grapes to me.
I see the green monster at work.

Evolm, you sound like (and probably are) a total idiot – shut up & go cry in a corner w/the rest of the repug losers.

McCain your negative politics are such a thing of the past. Let's discuss intergenerational theft and how you and the Bush Administration took deficits to new levels so that you could line the pockets of the rich and fight a war that we had no reason to fight. You truly are a hypocrite.

Long term effects? Remember the two WARS Bush started? That's defintely a harmful long term effects that yielded no results and in the process, hurt our economy.

When McCain said, "We are committing generational theft", I would say, Bush did just that! Obama is trying to help the ordinary folks not steal from them!

Jeez- McCain, You lost the election. Be quiet and let Obama run the country as he was elected to do so.

McCain never got to start a beginning. Tell him to shut up and go away. He lost and please don't play that POW cards.

People, You need to have something intelligent to say.

Why do you comment without facts or intelligent statements.

Calling names does not make anyone look at or even read your opinions.

Please try to at least write something that makes sense and is true. Do your research and stop spouting other peoples wild statements.

Mccain, is obviously still bitter about his defeat, if you want to help out and make things work, instead of criticizing Obama try and make you party work better with the President as against trying to frustrate all he is trying to do. The Republican party should focus on improving the economy instead of criticizing the president and pointing out all the wrong things he has done

Wow! There are a lot of intelligent replies to this very serious topic...just kidding. The man makes very valid points, and deserves the respect of the American people, if for nothing else, for the sacrifices he's made for the country that I'm pretty sure none of the scholars posting here have come close to making. The fact that these kinds of comments are indicative of the level of ignorance and misunderstanding on the part of the average American voter is not surprising. Only fools would vote the people into office that have been voted in, actually believing that they were voting for change. How anyone can believe anything that comes out of any politicians mouth is beyond amazing. O'Bama's election is historic , and it should be. But that's about all regarding his terms as president that will be noteworthy in a positive light. He and his team are steering the country down the wrong road and are quickly making a bad situation worse. Every day it becomes clearer and clearer tha they have NO clue or plan for much of anything. This stimulus bill is a joke. The Democratic "leadership", if it can be called that, is a joke. The government created this problem, going all the way back to Clinton. Who out there is dumb enough to believe that government can actually solve it, when they don't even fully understand it? O'Bama and his crowd are not the people for this moment in history. I don't know that John McCain would have been either. We're in trouble....BIG trouble, with ABSOLUTLEY NO LEADERSHIP to guide us. No leadership. We have a government FULL of corrupt, greedy, self-serving politicians controlled by special interested from the state level all the way up to the White House, who sold us all out loooonnnng ago. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody. I didn't vote for O'bama, but I want to see him succeed because he is now my president. If he fails, difficult doesn't begin to describe the days ahead. I'd like him to succeed. But, I'm not holding my breath, and neither should anyone else. He IS a politician.

Democrats on this blog have no clue. Terry writes that it puts money back in the pocket of the average worker! RIGHT, a whole $13.00 a week. No one says that part of the stimulas is going to go to illegal workers! Or wet lands in the bay area for Ms. pelosi, or a high speed train from LA to Vegas. Give me a break people this isn't sour grapes it's fricking common sense!

Members of your own party have blasted out the fact that no one in your party has even read the 1100 page bill, so how do you even know what is in it and if it will or won't create jobs? The Rebuplicans, of which I once was, make me sick to my stomach.

Oh, for the love of Pete! Shut up and sit down, Sen. McCain! You couldn't be more transparently partisan. Remember, your Fearless Leader, The Shrub, was asking for just as much money, but only wanted to hand it over to the clowns on Wall Street, who got us into this mess, to do with as they pleased. He gave them nearly a half billion dollars, which they appear to be squandering, and our financial markets are still frozen. At least President Obama is doing things that will put money into local communities and get people back to work. Your party is a bunch of losers and your obstructionist tactics and lies are not going unnoticed. We'll give the Democrats their 60 seat majority in 2010; you can bet on that. The President is off to a very good start. So far, his only real mistake is to insist on building a spirit of bipartisanship with the GOP. You've proved that you'll have no part in any cooperative effort, so now it is time for you to be completely shut out of the process. Dems: exclude the GOP members of Congress and call all the shots yourselves. Trying to reason with them is useless as long as Rush Limbaugh is the de facto leared of their party.

mccain should shut his mouth, theres a reason why hes not occupying the oval office right now. more then 50 percent of America does not care about his opinions

And Mr. McCain where were your party's tax cuts for the average American? The $400 isn't going to help me at all. What a joke. Add a zero or so to that and then I could think of actually doing some personal stimulation to the economy.

Look at all the tax evaders he put in his cabinet. Doesn't that tell you something. ? I knew nothing would change. not with that crew. And the big one let Pelose and Reid load the spenders dream up with pork. Look what San Francisco is getting as usual. Tons of Pork. Dobbs and Barney should hit the road and get our of there. Better still be thrown out. for their funny business.

Mccain is not only a loser. he's a liar. I'm amazed at how he could stand in the Senate with a "straight" face and tell a bold lie to the American public saying, " this stimulus will put our grandchildren and children in debt". what a "liar'. The bank's vaults have been emptied from fradulent- embezzling acts by Wall Street with CDO mortgage accounting corruption sales. the deregulation was cleared so this could occur by his colleague, Phil Gramm Republican of Texas. now that the bank's have been broken, the stimulus Wall street needs to be paid back to the American people by Wall Street !!! Don't blame the stimulus which holds Corruption responsible for repayment. Blame corruption that made the stimulus necessary !!!!

John, what did you do to work with the Democrats? It seems like the GOP has one and only one position. Boehner comes from a rich district where there is zero unemployment and his people are so rich that they need tax cuts. Well, they got tax cuts and he still voted against it. I am unemployed, my wife's executive recruitment business is down to zero, thanks dubyas economy. With no income, we get nothing out of this bill, so McCain is right in the respect that the bill fails those of us out of work and past unemployment Why do Boehner or McCain need tax cuts? They can sell one of their many houses. These men really do not care about any American worth less than 5 million dollars. They should resign and let some qualified people who understand the enormity of this near Depression situation, govern. They do not represent America, nor do they care.

Unbelievable.. What did McCain say about George W. and the "Republican" economic agendas the past 8 years while the country was sliding into the worst economic disaster we've had in 80 years? Seems like he should have said something then eh? I just get angry when I hear Republicans talk economy.. You'd think they'd be too ashamed to open up their mouths at all.

Little Mc continues to demonstrate that the Republican Party is really the Obstructionist Party. They obviously didn't hear the message from the "majority" of the American people in the last election. The rhetoric of the Republican leadership needs to stop licking its wounds and finally do something to heal the damage it perpetuated on this country under George.

"Sit down together". Give me a break. This is nothing but a mixture of sour grapes, panic that their "reign" is in peril, loss of what little credibility they (Repubs) may have had left, etc. ... just pick ANY of the above. I am truly amazed at the blindness these people have to the whole situation...they are either living in their own world, or exercising yet more DENIAL, which was the hallmark of the past 8 years. I guess when your whole reason-for-being is to protect and propel the rich, feeling that there is enough time to 'sit down together and hash out a plan' (aka let's stall and evade like we have for decades) is a common response. Trouble is, the average American (like myself) does not have the luxury of TIME to wait for that "perfect plan" that the Repubs seem to think exists.

You lost, your opinions are falling on deaf ears. Move on!

evolm your are the buffoon> Your credentials are bufoon credentials.

John Mccain, a man I had a lot of respect for has shown that he is not the maverick that he claim to be. Everything he has done so far has been the furer his own cause and people like John King is soft on questioning him. This is the same man who voted for a war that left many of my comrades dead and families with a hole in their hearts and then voted for the first stimulus package. I will never vote a Republican again unless the truely change their dangerous and selfish behavior! By the way kodos to those Republicans who had the guts to try to save this country from the abys of economical disaster.

Wake up people read bill H.R.45 You sheeple are going to let them take our guns and all you all can do is fuss and fight. stand up and demand answers to the stimulus bill . they are taking your freedoms away day after day . and no one cares .this stimulus is bad news for america. quit bickering and demand answers

It's way past his bedtime......

Super Bowl Party? Thats a leader-–from Illinois

McStain is a bad beginning, middle, and end.

How bad is the economy going to have to get before Americans take back their government at all levels and ensure the common qualified American can serve in office, now locked out by the two parties and corporations? The elected officials are behaving badly because that is what America elected, thinking they can get something for nothing from the responsible and accountable hard working, ethical and moral people.

I don't care what McCain thinks.
If I cared, I would have voted for him
I didn't.

Wow. McCain is actually right. Good for him—it's a horrible bill, and most importantly, a continuation of the socialist policies started by Bush. We're screwed.

Coming together doesn't mean getting things the way you want. We did things the Bush(Mcpain) way and it does not work. Stop being a baby and give someone else a chance.

also.. to those about iraq.. NO ONE FORCED THEM TO GO,,, NO TOE TAPPING GENERAL FORCED THEM TO SIGN THAT PAPER,,, they went on there own,, like flying on a plane... u where not forced to take a flight that might or not crash... it was a choice you made,,,

Hey McCain, you are not President nor party leader so step off. President Obama did go to Capital Hill to sit down with both sides. He also sat down in the White House with several Republicans, both in groups and individually. Are your senior moments getting worse? Also, the President didn't get all he wanted/hoped in this stimulus either. I am not saying I am a fan of it, I think far too many needed projects got cut in favor of head scratching ones.

McCain's chief economic adviser was Phil Gramm, one of the greedy idiots that created this mess.
The reason that they put losers like McCain on, is that if they put economists on, they would laugh at the proposals the republicans put out. The media can't have that.
The Democrats say this, the Republican's say that. That's all they think reporting is. The republicans have learned they can say any kind of nonsense that occurs to them, and the media will go out of their way to pretend it makes sense.
People aren't being fooled this time. They support Obama, and the media can't seem to tear him down.

"I've read quite a few of these comments, seems that the best liberals can offer is just vitriolic name calling. Does not surprise me that there is no real substance offered. It will not be long before these liberals realize that they will get no real substance from Obama either."

OH WOW!!! This is ridiculous!!!!! Bush put this nation in a deficit to last 5 generations!!!!!!!!!! & McCain is worried about more money being spent... what a JACK@S*.
IF IT WASN'T FOR PRIOR ADMINISTRATION, OBAMA WOULDNT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING BASHED ABOUT TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY FLOWING IN THE SYSTEM.
THIS JUST DISGUSTS ME!!!!!!!

One word for you McCain: LOSER.

That's right, he must be a poor looser, too old, partisan biased, because, God knows, Obama is incapable of a lie, right?!

If this is a bad start, I would not be able to stand a good one. I just don't understand a party that voted for and supported a war that is killing thousands and costing the American people trillions of dollars be so concerned about 800 billion that may out a few dollars in the pockets of Americans. We need all we can get to make IRAQ what it was before the invading.

350 billion in TARP fund.
800 billion for stimulus.
1 trillion for banking stimulus from Geitner.
500 billion for health care
500 billion for new entitlements.

Potential in the 1st 1 1/2 year of 3.15 trillion added to the national debt.

Clinton added 1.7 trillion over 8 years

Bush added 2.5 trillion over 8 years

Yeah, but at least we are free from your Nazi dictating morality while presiding over the most dysfunctional, morals flaunting family in America. At least we still have Constitutional rights, because our constitution hasn't been replaced by the primative dogma of a so called "religious" extremist. And we don't have a president who was bent on continuing a ridiculous military adventure costing thousands of lives, agains't a country that did us no harm. We have a diplomatic, decent, brilliant president who is doing his best to clean up the mess left by 8 years of a moron, a guy you fawned on and revered, and a guy you were all set to emulate. You squandered your reputation by your selection of a mean spirited, hate filled redneck who didn't even have the intellectual curiosity to find out what the vice president's role is. And the hate speeches you and Frau Palin made across the Northeast – lies and vicious innuendo tinged with racism – you nearly got the neo-nazi's, ignorant poor and blatant racists (the Republican base) to riot and pillage. Barack Obama has done more for this country in a month than your man Dubya did in 8 years. You and Frau Palin would have tanked Democracy as we know it, like you an your party have nearly tanked the country. Your opinion means nothing to me – I just consider the source.

McCain your negative politics are such a thing of the past. Let's discuss intergenerational theft and how you and the Bush Administration took deficits to new levels so that you could line the pockets of the rich and fight a war that we had no reason to fight. You truly are a hypocrite.

Seriously, who cares what McCain thinks...he is just another rank and file Republican that is bitter and cannot put these differences aside to do waht is best for the nation.

And we should value the opinion of John McCain for what reason??? This man, and his party, have presided over the demise of the American economy since they took control of congress in 1994 and further hindered progress under the last 2 years of the term of George Bush. Read the other story Mr. McCain about the starving rural Alaskans posted a little below this tripe. That is the real result of GOP policies. Maverick capitalism results at their finest.

I voted for Mccain,but I am trying to give Obama a chance.This time the democrats have failed the American people by slipping in more spending and not enough job creation.I blame Pelogi,mostly.It looks to me that Harry Reid might be more willing to meet with some of the Republicans requests,thereby showing some bipartisanship;the way this country should be.Most of the bill is common sense,whether you're Democrat or Republican:LESS SPENDING,MORE JOBS!! WAKE UP CONGRESS!! WORK TOGETHER!!

What do you expect from the guy!? He ran against him and lost! This is the guy that said "our fundamentals are fine" DAYS before the collapse started! This is the party that basically for 8 years doubled the deficit and put us into this mess. These are the tactics and plans that DON'T work as shown by real evidence... lets give President Obama a chance. After all: HE won the election. The republicans are doing their usual act: unwilling to recognize that real Americans are hurting.

Tax cuts? Like an additional $13 or even $50 a week is going to go into the economy when people are seriously afraid of losing their job! Yeah right. Get real.

McCain's first choice of treasury sec was phil gramme, one of the major architects of de-regulation and the present financial crisis. His back-up was John Thain with his $1400 trash can who also ran Merrill Lynch into the ground. Obama gave McCain a chance to rehab his clueless image (fundamentals of the economy are sound) – graciously treated McCain as something besides a loser who used vicious "terrorist" smear tactics when he thought they might work, then groveled and said what a great guy Obama was. Now this is the thanks Obama gets. McCain says/does whatever the Repub party says – just like trying to foist that nitwit Palin on us. He's a pathetic puppet and I THANK GOD he lost. The Repubs would do anything to get back in power even if they destroy the country, as they almost accomplished with Bush. There is no reason to ANY of their pathetic ideas.

so if all the r's would have wanted it thats ok wheres the change you moron james

Do you think Obama realizes his daughters children are going to be paying for this??And if he does know ,and doesn't care what kind of a father and grandfather he is,why do we want him as our President.

John didn' t seem too concerned about the billions wasted on his Iraq War-talk about generational theft, at least this time there will be some return for our expenditures, besides tens of thousands of dead bodies.

This poor loser makes me giggle.

Who cares what John McCain thinks!?!?! Just because Obama wants to be bipartisan doesn't mean the Republicans get to dictate his agenda! He doesn't owe them one!

From everything I have read, Republicans made little effort in actually trying to sit down to negotiate. You can't come to the table saying... "Only tax cuts" and nothing else. You have to be willing to give and take...

Unfortunately for the country, Republicans continue to use the economy as a political sparring match, instead of truly trying to work.

Kudos to Collins, Snowe, and Specter for actually coming to the table to work... the rest of you need to take a lesson from them. If you want to be heard... you need to be willing to concede that you are the minority party, but also willing to actually work with your Democratic Counterparts... on a COMPROMISE.... if your unwilling to work.. then you deserve the sound beating you got in the last two elections.

I think its funny that so many of you who voted for Obama think McCain is just crying & mad because he didn't win......McCain is right...you wait & see how all this "CHANGE" is going to effect our lives....Obama is not going to make anything better....I am so glad I didn't vote for this fool..........

McCain should have been Pres. in 2000, if not for Bush's racist-dirty-ploys in the S. Carolina Repub. primary, against McCain just because McCain had adopted a dark-skinned Bangladesh orphan kid following a Tsunami. That said,

McCain has good points about Obama's misguided (by Nancy Pelosi) Stimulus Spending, which rather than helping Americans get back to Productive Industry and Private Industry, basically just layers on and piles on more Debt for more of the Problems in USA: Too much spending on Education (half as productive now as in 1960, twice as many professionals per students v. then) and too much overpaid healthcare Drs.

More sour grapes from McCain. Perhaps he should just visit his freind Palin in Alaska. Both are losers with endless delusions of being "the best for the nation". After all, its easy to criticize those who have to make the tough decsisions, isn't it? We didn't vote for you so just keep your biased, ignorant opinions to yourself.

And here I thought McCain would be the only Republican to compliment our President Obama for his great beginning! Just shows you how wrong you can be about people and their reactions.

I cannot believe how out of touch with reality McCain continues to be – indeed had he been elected (perish the thought), we would have had McSame for president.

Good God, where has McCain been, and where has the news media been, John King, while the drug border war has spread throughout the US? It isn't just north of the border any longer and hasn't been for over a year. And he's amazed the American people haven't been informed. The news media have let the people down as usual. Now some in Congress want to stop the fence? It works. E-Verify works. Ask for a comprehensive investigation in Congress of the impact of legalizing 20 million people of one ethnicity. I'm not a Repub but my irresponsible Dem leaders have made me an Independent. And to the Mexican national who is afraid to go back to Mexico; why do you support an open border that is bringing the violence to America that you so fear?

Guess what John? You lost. Time to pipe down. Guess what else John? You'll never be a leader in the Republican party again. Do shut up.

John, It's time to pack it in. If you remember back in 2000 when the Bush camp talked you into withdrawing from the primary sooner rather than later, you had the same comments then. Obama responded to the economic criss better than you did, that's why he was elected. After the fallout from 8 years of Bush become clearer and clearer, republicans will have a hard time selling any agenda, and I believe most of them know it. They are looking to undermine the newly elected and very much loved new president any way they can. And there you are, towing the party line as always. It's a shame that you can't see that is exactly what was rejected in November in favor of a man who can think on his feet and for himself.

Gosh, what happened to growing old gracefully? McCain is an absolute disgrace. John, get out of the way!

hi, i just want to say that when bush asked for a bailout money the Rs were pretty happy but ofcaurse this is the doublestandard of the american politics, i just want to say to mcbush he is not the right man to talk economy or to talk at all...

Hey John Please, Isn't time for the early bird special at Denny's

you liberals are unbelievable. the great one appoints cheats that dont pay their taxes and thats ok Daschle stepped down why hasnt Geitner? if any liberal out there can answer that im listening

It is NOT TRUE that no one read the stimulus package.

You are just listening to CNN and MSNBC's video of Rep John Boehner (R-OH) ranting on about that very subject, saying "No one, no one" read the bill.

Right after that, Rep Jared Polis (D-CO) was interviewed. He said he had plenty of time to read the bill because it has been available all throughout this process. Then he just kept track daily of any changes.

CNN and MSNBC refuse to find out the exact date and place when this bill was available to read.

Until they do that (which they won't), just consider this subject inaccurately reported. Reporters are not very good researchers these days.

Obama will go down in history....

So, the scorned loser McCain blames Obama for the Republicans' rejection of bipartisanship? Cute.

The Republicans would have called Obama weak if he gave them what they wanted.

Guess during which party's watch, they slept on the wheel.
Do you think, you could do a much better job in 21 days, when this kind of unprecedent crisis was in effect.
How easily you are forgetting what you said last year. In the morning, you said the "US economy is strong....and in less than 8 hrs you changed your opinion"
PS. I am a former Republican!

It's really difficult to achieve bipartisanship when Republicans, who incidentally helped to create the unholy mess that President Obama's administration is attempting to resolve, are playing the usual political games. The American people have seen enough of this crap, so wake up! By remaining in this state of denial, they're headed for another big loss in 2012! McCain continues to whine, moan and complain about someone who genuinely cares about the welfare of the American people! A human being who will make mistakes, from time to time, especially when dealing with an unprecedented set of problems. Now, it's time for him (McCain) to work together with his fellow senators, Democrat and Republican alike to get this country back on track.

The ageism and disrespect in these comments in more than sad. This is a tragic commentary on our country that we hide behind our keyboards and throw out names based on how long a person has lived. What does what he said have to do with taking a nap, taking meds, or drinking Metamucil, why is his name dishonored to become McGeezer or McSenile, and why is he called baldy and old fart? Did you listen to the interview? McCain's comments were delivered tactfunny, and with respect. If a person's view and position differs from another, isn't there a more productive and adult way to disagree than to hurl age-related insults? It also shows a herd mentality and an utter lack of language skills to sit down and type out "sore loser" as we see in about every third post.

The Republican party, including Mr. McCain are sinking their own ship. Leaders of their party have been saying that they're not just going to jump in line and follow like ducks in a row. How is it that not 1 single GOP member voted in the House for this bill? I've never seen a group of grumpy old (mostly) men act so childish and be so heavily dictated by political ideology. Or, is it just hatred of the Democratic party and of Obama? I'm not certain. Either way, when it comes to economic policy, we should listen to economists, not politicians. I've yet to hear a well renowned economist say that doing nothing or tax cuts are the way to fix this problems. I commend Obama for his leadership and the Dems for acting. One final note....what was it that Bush's tax cuts did for the economy over the last 8 years? Oh yeah, I remember now, THEY SUNK IT!

Why, oh why, does anyone think we care what McSame thinks?

Hope we can hang on till 2012 GO SARAH

Well, Johnny, if you won the presidency you could have done something different. But unfortunately you thought the fundamentals of our economy were strong. Thanks for the tip-off, though; otherwise we might not have realized that you were the biggest moron in politics!

Why on EARTH does this man have a microphone when it comes to anything related to financial or economic matters? He is irrelevant.

If I weren't so irritated with Senator McCain's stubborn opposition to the Stimulus package, I would feel sorry for the fellow.

His conduct and that of others like Graham is pathetic. They appear completely indifferent to the horrendous mess that they for the most part are responsible.

Last night's SNL skit wasn't funny, in my opinion. It was chilling because of the underlying truth about the inaction of many GOP leaders. I suspect that, like that idiot Rush Limbaugh, most are praying that Obama will fail.

America isn't stupid which is why we voted against mccain. Nothing would have gotten done if he became president. We saw that in his idiot smile and we saw in in his rich wifes eyes... I say give john mccain a pay cut. And send it to the american people on his behalf...

And the comments here fall along party lines, too. So much for a bipartisan administration... As Bill Clinton said, "Obama's promises are a fantasy...".

Sorry John .... Your comments just aren't relevant anymore. The Republicians spent money like drunk sailors on shore leave for the past eight years and now you're the voice of fiscal responsibility? I don't think so! I shudder to think how much trouble this country would be in if the GOP had you in the pilot seat now.

The only bad beginning is that Obama– in an effort to be bipartisan– let this bill get diluted. He should have told the Republican party WHO GOT US INTO THIS MESS with their trillion dollar war in Iraq, etc. to go take the hike the American people told them to back in November. C'mon John, YOU LOST. Have the decency to go home and shut up.

JESUS walked on water. HE healed the blind. HE turned water to wine. There is no possible way for Obama to "quickly" fix this problem. He has already stated that it will get worse before it gets better so I really don't understand the criticism. I mean it's kinda of hard to show bipartisan when the other party doesn't "show" up to vote on a bill. Where I'm from we call that "pot calling the kettle black".

Play the video on this page and it will take you right to the "Stete of the Union"!

well.. lets just ask the president of that socialist country in south america,, whom is trying to change its constitution,, let obama reign for a 1000 years,,, he is your next demon god,,, never mind the economy... i have dogs i can eat,,, eventually,, soylant green,,, might come up.. stupid people votes for the voice ,, keep your animals more fed than you,, u never know

Hey John.....

Go wiz in the wind!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grumpy McLoser speaks: Who cares?

Mr. McClain is very dishonest to say what he said. The republicans are not willing to cooperate with him but play politics. They are political crooks. Luckily, the American people did not vote for him.

Our national debt under W went from $4.6 TRILLION to over $11 TRILLION. Divide 6.4 TRILLION by 8 years, and that's 800 BILLION for each year he was in office. Thsi stimulus package is LESS than what W and Repub's spent each year!
NOW, the Repub's want to exercise fiscal restraint and conservative values?
During the campaign, McCain said he knew where Bin Laden was, and he would "go get 'em." How about that for a goal, John? Either you were lying, or you're withholding National security information.

I guess "generational theft" is okay if you're funding a meaningless war and helping your buddies at Haliburton get rich but not if you're helping the American people with aid and money for infrastructure etc.

I am even more thankful that I didn't vote for this disingenuous fake. What a sad little man. What a bankrupt little political party. Bub-bye fellas!

You people are so wicked.. and you do not even see or understand your own stupidness.. you are deaf, dumb, and blind.... I hope you all will go learn to speak russian.... a few of you might live ? God willing... you people really are rotten..

spoken like a true sore loser

sour grapes

That the dems would vote through $780 billion in a "stimulus bill" that will do nothing to stimulate the economy, is disappointing. That so many american people support that is amazing. Expecially with $2-$5 trillion being needed for the next bill and a third one coming after that.

People need to start reading up on the issues and not just get glossy eyed when Obama speaks. Where exactly do you think this money will come from?

This is not a good bill, regardless of the political party you're in. That's why there were also dems voting against it.

It looks like Republican "sour grapes". I don't sense that there is any spirit of cooperation on the part of the majority of Republicans in Congress. Perhaps this bill is not the right one, however since the Democrats do hold a majority, it would be in the interest of Republicans to show be conciliatory in order to reach some level of compromise. Acting like petulant teenagers isn't going to accomplish a thing.

How is this news? Of course he's going to say the bill is no good and Obama is not doing a good job.

McCains negativity is what cost him election, we had a Republican president (Johns friend) in office for eight years...destroying and rebuilding Iraq sunk the US economy–
Now its Obama turn, have some respect McCain and quite trying to turn everyone against the President. (geeez..not even in office for a full month)
This is exactly how you acted during debates negative, angry, no eye contact and no good ideas.
We love you here in Arizona John but quite dragging us down.

Sounds like you guys are all grumpy.

After 8 years of deregulation and mismanagement, getting us into this awful mess, Republicans are in no position to throw stones.
A trillion dollar Iraq war and another trillion Bush pushed through a few months ago....all Republican devised...they expected bipartisan support then ....the Dems are asking for no less now!!!
I laud obama's efforts so far...hey, it's only been a few weeks!!!

Hey EVOLM,

Keep clinging to your skin-color based agenda; if you live on our soil, he IS YOUR PRESIDENT...

Those of us whom suffered under 8-years of Bushism's raise a middle finger high and proud to you and your racist, inbred, klansmen buddies...

Obama is the President and I salute him, wish him well and look forward to a return to Prosperity for this once GREAT nation.

Oh yeah, I'm one of those in that 43% of White people that voted for this brilliant individual and look forward to his leadership and transparency.

EVOLM, you're an idiot and I'm calling you out for everyone to see.

Why can't CNN spell? I see mispelled words everyday on the bottom of the screen in their news crawls. Or, how about the link on John King's page that says, "Stete of the Union"?

Really folks, the people working your Chyron's are stupid!

I'd like John McCain to explain how the Iraq war and the looting by Halliburton was not "generational theft" incurring debt we'll be paying for many years to come. Yet he seemed just fine with that.

Thomas Collins, your argument does not make sense. Cutting taxes on businesses is a way to immediately stymy the multiple rounds of layoffs companies are now experiencing. If you are a supporter of the this stimulus package, then I must ask, how does throwing money at a variety of specific sectors of our economy solve the problem? It will only create jobs in selected sectors, such as alternative energy, construction, etc. If you want a fair bill, then it is vital to cut taxes on businesses and give them an immediate reason to reinvest in human capital.

So now we're considering the man that lost to be the expert and qualified for Monday Morning quarter backing? THIS is his new role? Critiquing the man and party he lost to? Really

Change?CHANGE? SEN McCain is dead on! Great idea president Obama lets take out another loan that is being bought off by some other country at a ridiculous interest rate. Don't bash a man who is calling a spade a spade!

As if McCain, whose whole career could be summed up as a "Bad Beginning", is relevant.

Hey William! – Obama IS what we wanted and got. So there!

The Rethugs had no intentions of working with president Obama.They used this oportunity to showboat to their base and the media. TELL US YOUR NEW IDEAS without mentioning TAX CUTS for the rich. THAT'S OLD,OUTDATED AND DOESN'T WORK.

"Sit back you Dems and see all your freedom and ability to think for yourself taken away. Just wait and see. We'll see who has the last laugh."

Have you been living in a cave or something? Ever heard of the Patriot Act? Let me guess, you make six figures and don't know what it's like for normal, hard-working folk. Go back under your rock.

John McCain fails at life.....

McCain may have lost the election and may have not been the best repub canidate for the job, but America lost electing this unqulaified man we have in office now the only ones who support him are those with there hands out for freebies.

McCain you sound like a sore loser. Come on you will need to change at some point. Change can only happen when the person changes and you my friend are still under the Bush old fail policies. Thank God you did not win!

Well.. I have no faith in Obama what-so-ever. The Whitehouse will be back in the hands of the Republicans in 2012 after the raping of the future generations of the country is overwith.

You wanted Obama, well.. you got it. Soak in it.

I think McCain is right, but as many of the prior posters point out, the Republican's have lost all credibility due to their mismanagement of domestic/foreign affairs over the past several years. So it is a hard sell to listen to Republican criticism now. (I have called myself a Republican in the past, but due to the prior 8 years I have moved to become firmly independent of the two parties, with philosphical orientation of libertarian.)
I think this discussion needs to move to the next step of actually analyzing objectively what is in the stimulus bill. IS THERE ANY PLACE ONLINE THAT WE CAN GO TO SEE A LINE-BY-LINE SYNOPSIS OF THE BILL SO THAT EACH OF US CAN DETERMINE FOR OURSELVES WHAT IS IN THERE AND WHAT THE BENEFIT/COST MIGHT BE? I had hoped to see that on the new Whitehouse.gov site, but no soap.

Would you please, please stop giving John McCain a platform...the man is not thinking clearly and is an embarressment.

I am going into my 86th year and I recognise his faulty thinking, his vacillating, his anger and fear...I see it in many of my peers.

Would that he would just go write a book,play golf and more importantly since he still is a working senator.....stop lying to himself and to the people,have some integrity.

One more thing. Conservative generation X and generation Y democrats, such as myself, will make sure that the republican party becomes a regional party. We will NEVER again vote republican. I may not 100% agree with every single point that the democrat party makes, but I would MUCH rather have Obama in power than someone like McCain, Huckabee, Palin, or Bush. Maybe, someday in the future, a new conservative party will arise and replace the republican party (like the republican party replaced the Whig party in the 1800s). Maybe this party will better represent the interests of conservative democrats such as myself. Until then, though, I will gladly work and compromise with gay marriage supporters and my other more liberal fellow Americans if it means keeping the republican party FAR away from power.

What is wrong with all of you...you say McCain is bitter and you sound just as bitter, if not more! How do you each contribute to society? Or do you all sit around and come up with more hateful things to say? That's what's wrong with this country...everyone is angry and wants to blame one person for the way they feel.

McCain has a point, step it up obaba. Saying "go way gramps" and calling him an old man wont change that.

Why is it so hard for people to admit it when Obama makes mistakes?

McCain is right. There was nothing bipartisan about this process, and the bill has at least $200 billion of pork which won't produce jobs. Obama is just spend, spend , spend as usual.

They just won't give up the power. they failed big time and they are hell bent on destroying what we have left in favor of big business. The fact remails they put in the 70 billion for the wealthy. WHY?? their econonomic packages failed beor. only to have the little guy take all brunt of their wealthy friends coddling.When top executives complain about a salery cap they have no guilt about telling the Little guy Tighten your belt. Mr.McCain should watch what he states. it will continue to hurt his party. Say Lave!!

After reading this, I just had to go revisit the videos of MCain on the internet, contradicting HIMSELF on issues of the economy, tax breaks, foreign policy, Katrina, etc. Again and again. Always worth a laugh.

He's such a funny man. And he belongs to such a funny party.

Wow. It must be tiring for poor John to lug around that party line!

The Dems listened to several Repubs who said they wouldn't vote for the stimulus unless their favorite stipulations were put in, but then – after their ideas WERE included – they still didn't vote for it. They then said it was because a different one of their favorite stipulations wasn't included in the package.

When this tactic was finally seen for the typical carny shell game it was, the Dems rightfully walked away from bipartisanship efforts that had been turned into a farce by their Repub collegues..

In the end, only 3 Repubs could bring themselves to act like both honest and honorable brokers.

And now here comes John McCain, saying that because Obama wouldn't play their game, his presidential start didn't have the bipartisanship promised.

No wonder McCain looks so tired and befuddled in the interview: that load of bull must be heavy!

My favorite people are the ones who are so judgemental of anything that does not fit their conservative opinion that they lable CNN and anything else against them "Liberal". Look, republican conservatives, you had 8 years to get done all that you wanted, 6 of those with full control and you ran the country into the ground. You did this and until you can come forward and start admitting mistakes were made, how can we, the majority of the public, take anything you say seriously? You have built your house upon the sand, first dig out, gain composer, and then start playing politics again. Until then, stop betting against America with such negativity towards an Obama administration, which was voted in by one of the largest majorities ever, and start doing your part to help, not whine, block, protest, cry, etc.....

John,
You had it wrong during the campaign and you have it wrong now. I really do not care what you think. You helped Bush get us in this mess.

McCain's claims to be bipartisan have proven to be a joke. He is now showing that the the extreme right wing McCain we saw in the presidential campaign, is the real McCain. Personally. I feel that the man who would have given us Palin a heart beat away from the presidency, because he thought it would win him the election, no longer has any credibility!

This is from the guy who admitted economic is not exactly his strong point.

It's amazing how some conservatives expect for one man to solve the problems of our country in 26 days. It took 8 years for that idiot to get us where we are today but you want results in 26 days. Lets get real people. I think you nay sayers are a bit detached from reality. You same clowns who doubt our new Presidents will and determination must not forget you to was paying 4.00 for gas just 6 months ago. Who was at the helm when we went into recession. We spent more money on an unjust war than we'll spend on this stimulus package. Channey and Bush got rich and us Americans got stiffed. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!

We had the republican agenda forced down our throat for 8 yrs and when we questioned it we were told we were unpatriotic. Its time to steam-role the democratic agenda down their throats for some years now and if they dont like it they can leave the country, like they told us to do.

I've always said the best way to hurt a democrat is to let them elect one. Not only will this welfare package not help the economy it will put millions more out of work because our money will be worth less. The more you print the less it's worth. These jerks got rich on the strong economy (until the democrits took over congress in 06)and are going to make sure the rest of us don't get to enjoy the same success.

You came to my Super bowl party, now bow down before me!!!!!!!

I used to have a modicum of respect for "the Maverick"; I didn't always agree with his stands on issues, but he crossed lines. It seemed that we needed more of that. Now I see him as the very worst in all the politicians out there. Whatever stand he makes is entirely political in nature, with the possible exception of treatment of detainees. It has always probably been like that – but it took his sleazy campaign against Obama to drive this fact home in my mind. He now appears to be attempting to stay in the national spotlight – I fear he still has allusions to the Presidency. God help us all.

You would have gotten it all perfect John and thanks for your input and full on maverick high profile solutions these past few days.

I wonder if he pays these false journelists to interview him.

what juvenile, purile, vitriole I hear from the "winners" of the last futile election. Nothing has nor will change in Washington. It is all about them making themselves more powerful, rich and isolated. We have no real choice in our governance...that is the biggest open secret, whomever is "in power"......spending OPM is what they all do best. Time for the torches and pitchforks to run them all out of office.

Overwhelming support for Obama and bashing McCain.
Proof none of you know whats in the bill or when it gets spent.

"GENERALTIONAL THEFT"? Who the hell are you taliking to, McCain?

What do you think the "Cheney/Bush" and Congressional Republican administrations have been doing for the last eight years.?

You contributed heavily (93%) in supporting the economic mess we are currently into.

Now, you tell us what, specifically, you would do to clean up this mess; and, we do not want to hear generalities, be specific and clear.

Evolm,
So what if only 43% of white people voted for Obama?! Are you saying the election would have had more validity if more whites voted for him? What kind of ignorant reasoning is that? It sounds as though you believe in a supreme race, God help you!!

if John King sat down with an elected official and talked politics, dont believe anything that comes out of Kings mouth. He is the great one for not searhing for the truth.

Obama sucks. He's doing a terrible job. Everyone just sucks up to him because he's African American.

There should be a mandatory retirement age for Senate and House of 60 years and oh.. also no one can serve more than 12 years in the congress..
We need new ideas, new thoughts and new blood in these places.. some lifers in the congress rarely add value to take our country in the new direction

If Obama's begining is "bad" as you say, yours would have been earthwrecking. You who have no understanding of economics and was a very poor student, have nothing to offer but sour grapes and jealousy. You would do our country a favor by just shutting up and getting on with your retirement. Old sailors never die, they just talk too much! .

Everytime the Republicans talk about spending I get a lump in my throat. The Republicans spend billions of dollars to kill people. The Democrats spend billions of dollars to help people. Hmmmm. What would YOU rather do?

I just wish one of the reports would challenge the GOP current talking head to explain in simple terms how now, there tax cuts are the answer.
They didn't work before and they will not work now. Ask some real questions to the GOP leadership.

I am surprised McNasty does not want to have lots of "Town Hall" meetings to discuss the stimulus package!

Bush and the Dems shoved the Financial bailout down our throats! Dems with their idiotic policies to make every poor person a homeowner caused the meltdown by forcing banks to lend money to people that could not afford it. All your negative comments only make you bolster you fantasy land beliefs but it does not change the facts!!

Wow. It's absoutely amazing how much CNN and the inside-the-beltway punditocracy can't wait to take Obama down. You're piling on immediately where there is absolutely nothing to pile on over. You spent 8 years ignorning all the corruption and malfeasance around Bush, and a couple weeks in you're declaring Obama dead. And your cover, of course, are those same Beltway Insiders you always go to and use at every opportunity - the LOSER Republicans!!! Who cares what John McCain thinks?!?!? He LOST.

Why don't you guys have more Democrats on speaking about matters on the Hill? In recent weeks studies showed that every single major news outlet (and CNN was quite egregious on this) had MORE Republicans speaking about the Stimulus bill than Democrats by a 4 to 1 margin!!! And you call yourselves fair & balanced?

It's funny how to Republicans, you're a liberal rag unless you do nothing but spout Republican party talking points all day and then, suddenly, you're "fair and balanced". Sort of like what bipartisanship means to Republicans - do it our way, give us everything we want, then we might call you bipartisan, but we'll still stab you in the back. Go ahead and be friends with the back-stabbing Republicans, CNN. Since you're not Fox, they'll still stab you in the back.

Am I happy with the stimulus.... Heck NO. BUT REPUBLICANS LISTEN TO THIS - you had your chance and failed miserably. You failed to lead and you failed the American People. Shut up, sit down and fully support this effort. If it fails then maybe we give you another chance.

It seems that both parties are guilty of abusing voters. You know the issues and know how to split the vote just shy of 50/50. I am sick and tired of the rhetoric. The Dems have a chance to save us..Am I counting on it. NO, as they will act like the other baffoons that were in power. Next, cramming down the comprehensive immigration reform when they should be kicking illegals out and anchor babies with them (what an archane rule). I am pissed that we give the same industry leaders bail out money without replacing them and their bad behavior first. Give other hard working people a chance and get rid of the Executive level club. heck we have lost so much at least let someone new lose it.

This is nonsense and we have to make it stop! The time has come to ban ALL political parties.

No more "straight ticket" options on ballots (paper, please). No more special interest affiliations on the ballot (yes, the parties ARE special interest groups). The Federal ballot has a max of three races – President, Representative and Senator – and it's a two step process. Get 50% +1 or go to a run-off. No more elections on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November for governors, dog catchers or those ridiculous initiatives created solely for the purpose of energizing one group or another to turn up on election day. Save those for the old primary election day to improve turnout for local elections.

No more campaign contributions (cash or in kind) from any corporation or partnership, foreign or domestic. Last time I checked, corporations were NOT US citizens with any rights to participate in the political process whatsoever.

Until We, the People, force the removal of the corruption and conflict of the parties from Washington, we get the government that We, the People, deserve.

McCain, you are just full of it. You are so ticked off because you were trounced in the election and cannot fathom why you aren't president. You aren't president because you are NOT capable of thinking rational thoughts any longer. Sarah Palin? Joe the Idiot?
Your party, if it keeps going the way it's headed, will someday be a thing of the past.
Tis time for your nappy poo.

Reading the comments, it looks like we're all as guilty of partisanship as congress.

Before the election "dissent is patriotic" was a common theme. Now, after a change in administration, dissent is discouraged. This whole scene is as juvenilely petty as the Palestinan-Israeli conflict.

Perhaps it's time for 3rd party to force coalitions, and in turn, compromise.

Oh Crud, the repulicans all opposed clintons economic plan in "93" and said it would cause a disaster, and he was bring a recession, and it happen to be the most sucessful. The Republicans ways of looking at economics is just wrong.

The majority of Americans' that Senile, whoops, I mean Senator McCain refers to voted to rid this country of him, his party, and the idea of "lock-step" Neo-Con ideals...

This wasn't bi-partisan, but it wasn't because Obama didn't try to reach out to the Rich White Male Club; actually it was quite the opposite.

Repulicanism' over the past 8 years has driven this country to the brink and had Senile, I mean Senator McCain won the election we'd still be hearing how the fundamentals of the Economy were "strong"; just tell that to the Sheriff forcibly escorting you from your foreclosed home, or explain the need for Wealthy tax-cuts to the single mother who just lost her job and can't make this months' rent.

We, the YOUTH MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE, voted the Republicans and their slavery rooted, pro big-business, anti-individual, pro-bible thumping zealot neocon base OUT OF OFFICE...

I don't care if we ever have a bi-partisan bill because Republican ideas are moronic and not good for this country...

Good riddance to OLD TRASH!!!

LOOK WHO IS CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.. HE AND HIS PARTY HAVE DONE SO GOOD THE LAST 8 YEARS.. REMEMBER WHEN HE SAID IN SEPT THE THE ECONOMY WAS FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND.. WHAT A WISE COMMENT JUST AS HIS CHOOSE FOR V.P. STAY HOME MCCAIN AND COUNT YOUR HOUSES

Sen McCain, you used to have our full empathy and support. But you proved a very sore winner of the Republican nomination, and now you follow that up by being an pathetically sore loser of the Presidency.

You twits have voted along with your colleagues. At what point will you all stop being Republicans and be Americans? Do you or do you not stand behind the Amercian's President after the vote is taken? You "loyal opposition" voice has had its turn, you lost, now knock it off and join the country in moving things forward.

Hey John did the President pee in your cherios....it's good to be the king.Now go back and be the big loser you are with your loser party.......get lost old man

Typical Republican who will always believe in Party Before Country and Profits Before People. How pathetic.

@Evolm: It is people like you, that think like you, that act like you, that are holding this country back. As long as you are a citizen of this country, guess what? The black President is your President, whether you like it or not. Maybe you should get on your knees and bow, not to worship President Obama, but to pray and ask God to change your wicked heart.

McCain is forgetting that the republicans lost. Tax cuts for the few that he and other replublicans argued for will not work either. There are not enough jobs for people anymore regardless of what government does.

It seems that McCain is just a little bitter, and does not want the President to suceed. All Republican want to do is cut taxes, but If I don't have a job what does tax cuts do for me? When Bush was in office no Republican challenged his policies or ideals they just approved it. Yet none of his policys did much for the average American citizen. Now Obama comes on the scene and tried to right a serious wrong and Repulicans do all they can to hender him. If that's the Republican way I want no part of it.

You socialibs will have alot to answer for when the facts behind this wasted spending are revealled and time will show it it accomplished NOTHING!

By this time next year all you Obama voters will be wondering why I voted for this loser!! You will see!

A response to Conservative (posted on Feb 15) :

Clearly, CNN is more of a liberal news source than others. If one stops to consider the bigger picture of corporate sponsorship and the overall lack of independant though that runs rampant in the main stream media, I think the point is clear that no News source is "unbiased." Therefore, yes,more of CNN's readers will typically support Obama; not because they are blind or ignorant, but because CNN represents their political views. So,before you criticize CNN as whole for having leftist leanings and not falling in line with the Fox propaganda machine, maybe you should consider the source of your own political views and how skewed they seem to be. Especially in light of your near verbatum vomiting up of Fox New's slogan. Just saying.

@conservative.

CNN didn't block you inane comment. The reason the comments run so heavily against your ilk is because people see through your BS.

@chad

Republicans did have input as invinced by Collins, Snowe, and Specter, who gained compromises that cut some of the proposals out of the bill. BTW most House and Senate member have staff members who read these bills. Why don't you learn how our government operates.

As an Arizonan who used to vote for McBush for Senator, I can't anymore. He has single handedly ruined the GOP ( Grand Obstructionist Party ), but that is not a bad thing.

His choice of Sarah Palin is a prime example that he can not make critical decisions! It would be a great joke if it wasn't so serious..

It's time he retired from Politics!

What the Republician Party and John Mc Cain seem have missed is: If the American people had valued their opinions in the first place they would be the majority party and John McCain would be President. But that is not the case. George Bush and his party have done so much damage to this Country that it is going to take extreme measures to correct it.

sore loser? jelous? he faulted his own party in the same breath. you people are blind idiots.

Thank God john Mccain is not the president. I don't think he could remember where or what to do. Go OBAMA

John McCain has become Arizona's biggest GARBAGE.

Neither Obama or McCain had anything to do with this bill. If you think they did, re-evaluate your view on our country. Everything is done behind closed doors and the decisions that are made aren't published or decided by the "President of the USA". We are not a democracy.

These are hard days for Sen. McCain – it's easy to see the sadness in his face, realizing, as he said during his concession speech, that he made errors during his campaign that resulted in him not being President at this time...

Still, as a Senator, he is correct that this was not what America needed – a "stimulus" bill that weighs as much as the pork that is hidden in it...

Unfortunately, it seems that all Sen. McCain can do at this point is think about "what might have been" had he made better choices in the final months of his campaign, and, for the choice that many American voters made on November 4 – in the end, the Senator might not be the only wishing for "what could have been"...

I love these comments. Republicans vs Democrats is just like Yankees vs Red Sox. Face it, you're just talking smack about the opposing team. 90% of you have no idea why you voted for Obama (if you even voted) other than he was Democrat, or young, or black, or different, etc. You have no idea what he stands for, what his views are, what he wants to accomplish, etc.

Get over it. McCain is a great American who lost an election. Obama will likely be a great leader who just happened to win.

"Generational theft", indeed. John McCain doesn't seem to have had any qualms about costs to future generations when he was running interference for Charles Keating or cheerleading for the Iraq War.

Where is McCain's plan? He's certainly had enough time to develop this. It's been obvious since September (some could say December 07) that we're in this mess and what has he offered? Why doesn't he go back to one of his 7 houses and think about it. Phil Gramm his economic adviser called us all a bunch of whiners....who is whining now? McSame indeed.

This package will not create jobs. The majority of it is to payback all the favors they (democrats) got to get elected, Obama included. This is not going to create the jobs needed to generate the tax revenues needed to pay for it. So, when Obama has to skyrocket taxes on the people that are somehow able to keep jobs only those that voted Democrat get the increase.

If this were part of the bill I'd bet 100% of the democrats would have taken a second look and say "do we really need smoking cessation or std prevention propaganda 'right now' ?"

You democrats sounds more bitter than Mccain. Difference is Republicans believe in ideals, you folks throw all your eggs in the hope basket of a person.

Why do the Republicans cry and whine so much?
How about we give all of them a one way ticket to Iraq to clean up their mess.

You can look this up if you wish. It is listed in the encyclopedia as one of his most famous quotes. Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. The Socialist Party candidate for President of the US, Norman Thomas, said this in a 1944 speech:

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "liberalism," they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party.
The Democrat Party has adopted our platform."

Reading these comments makes me realize that those who love Obama really do worship him. If they would read the tax plan that Obama wants they would realize that it will put a burden on our future generations. But I guess it is true what they say – they only want a quick fix – it's all me, me, me. "Who cares about others." "I want money to help me." That is all I hear. Obama is only playing party politics and does not care about what others think. Now that he has his plan approved he has only proved the point that he can make Americans think they are smart – when he actually dumbed them down. Be careful – watch your back- and look out America, Obama will only make things worse the future on the United Stated. One nation Under God – NOT! – It's one nation under Obama!

Wow I should take note of that comment, and coming from a Idiot who started and ended bad. Since when did the President of the United States need advice from a loser?

Let's see how much more hypocritical the republicans can be. You hire a black as the head of the republican party to somehow counter Obama, wow that was subtle. Your moral majority types are getting arrested for prostitution, soliciting sex in airports, and having gay affairs after voting against gay marriage. Your presidential candidate is called a war hero after being shot down and spending the entire war in prison. You pick Palin to be a VP and who cannot even tell you a single magazine or newspaper she reads and on and on. Bill Clinton then revived the economy, Bush destroyed it. Obaba is trying to do undo the damage and you are as usual obstructing him. Gosh, it won't be long until the only place you will see the republicans is on the Cartoon Network.

It makes me wonder, where were all of the "so call" experts, scholars, economists, and republican politicians prior to Americans being robbed of its' resources? Why wasn't there a loud outcry from these people about the spending (in Iraq -on war, infrustructure, and the first bank bailout, etc.) prior to President Obama's move to the white house? Why were these people afraid to mention the word recession and talk about all of the trillions of dollars Bush swindled Americans and American Businesses out of? I'll tell you where they were, they were making money and not doing their jobs in reporting the facts to the American people. Now they have so much to say about what should and shouldn't be done and the American people are suppose to believe them. I don't think so. The republicans and all of the "so call"experts, etc. should "move and get out of the way" and let President Obama and the American people give the USA a "blood transfusion" to get the heart (economy) moving in the right direction. As for Bush and Dick, Americans should call for an investigation of this administration, who proclaimed to be the most patriotic people (only words), but their actions clearly indicate(d/s) that they have distain for the USA and it's people. To be patriotic doesn't mean waving an American flag, or wearing an American pin, or starting an illegal war based on a lie for your own personal gain. True patriotism is doing what is ethical for the United States of America and the American people.

McCain is a sore loser and the rushpublicans only want to be in control and therefore they won't do anything to help Americans. I can't stand the republican party. Kudos to the democrats for a great bill.

McCain is a loser! So his opinion of a good start, no doubt, would be if President Obama had lost this first battle on the recovery package. Fortunately for the Country, his opinion and that of his Republican colleagues, is the MINORITY opinion!!! Let's see that it stays that way!

And we should care what this sad, delusional, cranky and clueless old man has to say because...why?

You lost! You lost! You lost! Just fold up your tent , take it to one of your eleven homes and preach to the gila monsters! Stop sucking your thumbs and just retire – leave the Senate to those who "get" today's economic situation and who are interested in doing something positive about it.

Okay guys,

Read most of the comments about this article again......get it, do you get it, yeah, they all suck, D's, R's, they ALL S U C K. It's a game they play that we the citizens do not benefit from.

MaCain thinks that this stimulus bill will result in "Failure to bring the federal government’s spending back in line with its revenue once the economy improves & could lead to inflation and debasement of the dollar down the road". IS HE ON DRUGS, we are ALREADY THERE thanks to 8 years of the Bush administration & his republican party. Bush has this country so deep in debt that my great great great great grandchildren will still be paying for it. I'm not sure this country will ever fully recover from the Bush administration, Texas still hasn't recovered from when Bush was govenor.

McCain, stop fighting, your battle is over. Nobody cares about what you think anymore. And Like MacArthur said, do what all good soldier's do and please just slowly fade away.

Wah wah wah sore loser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

McCain hit the nail on the head. President B. Hussain Obama is bringing Chicago politics to Washington. This "bail out" does not create jobs, and does not help the housing or banking markets. Instead, it increases welfare and social programs for non-contributing members of society. As well, it provides paybacks to all of the new presidents supporters, ($200million to ACORN). This is a partisan socialist spending package that will increase debt, increase the size of the government, and increase taxes for not just us, but our children. During the last couple of recessions, President's Kennedy, Regan, and Bush all lowered taxes to spur the economy; and none of those recessions lasted longer than 16 months. Take a lesson from history.

Obama voters are still thinking they did the right thing? Seriously? How can you compare the debt over 6 years by Bush to the debt Obama will put us in with just this one bailout. NO money is coming back to the American people. Only corporations that just cut everyones job.
If you are jobless right now and voted for Obama, you should be happy to be at home unemployed, it's your fault! It's only going to get worse for the people (Dems) who feel like they are entitled to something. Then again what's it matter if you're broke, I'm sure you were in the financial hole before you lost your job. Be happy knowing this bailout will make sure your kids are in the hole forever as well. Congrats you fools.

Just like Obama said, the Republicans claimed that they wanted tax cuts, exactly what Obama ran for president on. Only Obama placed this into the bill, and the Republicans wanted credit for it so they throw this fit. What is the Republican party if they cannot accept credit for tax cuts? Nothing. Truth told, Republicans only want tax cuts for the rich, they couldn't care less about the rest of us. Keep doing what your doing Obama, this is what you were elected for, don't pay the bitter old man any mind. McCain hasn't a clue of what matters to Americans.

When the CBO and Wall Street Journal both claim the crapulous – er, stimulous – bill won't work, I tend to listen. Silly me!

Why is it that the GOP has a problem when spending benefits the American people? They did not hesitate to spend billions to re-build Iraq.

I wonder if that was because the bulk of the money ended up in the pockets of their cronies, the Halliburton, Blackhawks and KBRs?

Oh for God's sake. Will he and Palin please fade away?

They are both as irritating as a groin rash.

Give it up McCain! Remember you and your buddies were the ones who just months ago pronounced our economy as "fundamentally strong" while your banking/Senator pal said we were just a nation of whiners. Who's whining now???
Not one Republican stepped forward with better ideas except for the same old tax cuts for the wealthy. As for your VP – Palin's Alaska is in trouble too and I don't see her jumping up with any positive solutions for her constituents.

Im disgusted by the disrespectful remarks toward a former POW. He deserves respect whether you like him or not, whether you agree with him or not. Most americans today are selfish gotta have it now, cant wait for nothing snobs. We real americans who know what its like do without something are a dieing breed and that is whats wrong with america.

Several Republicans continues to declare that this is the Democrats bill and they will be responsible for what happens. In two years more than half of this bill should be in play and lets judge then.

I read all these comments and am amazed! I am disappointed in the American people and our leaders. It was the Congress that created this mess, and the uneducated people who buy into all the crap. Wake up people.......if you believe the Dem or Rep are going to fix everything your are mistaking. This spending bill will not fix a thing!

How in the world can McSame comment on Obama? And why does CNN even open that rotten can of worms with this loser? Do you want viewership that bad? Come on, McSame lost, he is a loser, and by this comment today, a sore one at that.

This is precisely why -

HE IS NOT OUR PRESIDENT!!!

Tell you what...Let's just cancel the stimulus bill, and while we are at it, rescind the TARP bill and get all the billions back from the bailed out banks, auto industry, etc.

Let the economy fail and pick up the pieces and start again.

As I read some, ok almost all, of these comments, I realize how we got into this mess. Everyone is blaming Wall St. and Bush for where we are. Seriously if people who could not afford the house they were buying then they should not have made the purchase. Just because the lending instutiion offers you 300K to buy a house does not mean you should, if you cannot afford it in the first place. I have an ARM on my house, and yes my payments went up. And my husband lost his job... But I can still make my payments as we based our bills on ONE persons salary... Stop trying to make the goverment "fix" our poor decision making and take responsibilty for yourselfs.

Of course McCain thinks it's a bad start. He made it clear he wanted to continue the Bush policies that created this financial fiasco, so he would regard anything done differently as "wrong".

WOW...all you people sure are defensive. All he said was that the "spending" bill was to create jobs and it really doesn't. Lighten up and get a grip.

Well, at least one partisan hack from one of the parties admits that they are all partisan hacks instead of blaming it all on the other side. Now I wish he had spoken out a lot more about their robbing of future generations during the entirety of the past eight years as well.

I hope they never sit down again with the Republican gang of henchmen again. They don't deserve it after they ALL spit in Obama's face when he reached across the aisle. Every one of them will feel the wrath of the American people in 2010/12. I get the feeling they think that by telling all of these lies they can manipulate the people into believing Obama is or will be a failure. I don't think anything could be further from the truth and they are scared. They should be!

mccain if your ideas and the rest of the repulsive republicans are so good, then explain why our country is bankrupt! could it because you spent all our hard earned taxpayers money on A WAR THAT WAS BASED ON A LIE, OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS, you are so discusting.

So says the loser.

McCain is 100% right. It's sad and extremely unfortunate that the majority of the country is bumbling idiots will follow Obama off a cliff without any question at all. Keep drinking the kool-aid but don't blame the rest of us with a brain with it all goes south!

Please pray this man retires soon. He gives me heartburn.

How about you either contest what McCain is saying or support it. Saying "Mccain is crying or mad because he lost" is ignorant. Address the situation not the person.

I can't believe that most of you don't do the research and just blatantly put all of our country's failures on Bush and the Republicans. Our country went into recession under a DEMOCRATIC government (as in they've had the majority for the last 4 years). A DEMOCRAT (Bill Clinton) created Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Democrats ran this country into the ground while Bush say by helplessly. For all those who haven't researched, now may be a good time. This stimulus will NOT work. Obama made many promises which he can't keep and he will fail sure as I'm sitting here. I hope he doesn't, I want our country to thrive. I just don't think we will under a Democratic government.

Is he thinking about running for president again? That thought makes me laugh and sad at the same time. Let go. Your time has past.

As I read some, ok almost all, of these comments, I realize how we got into this mess. Everyone is blaming Wall St. and Bush for where we are. Seriously if people who could not afford the house they were buying then they should not have made the purchase. Just beacuse the lending instutiion offers you 300K to buy a house does not mean you should, if you cannot afford it in the first place. I have an ARM on my house, and yes my payments went up. And my husband lost his job... But I can still make my payments as we based our bills on ONE peesons salary... Stop trying to make the goverment "fix" our poor decision making and take responsibilty for yourselfs.

The old geezer must be right. After all, since "the fundamentals of the American economy are sound," why do we need to do anything at all?

"It funny how all of the comments are in support of Obama. CNN is obviously just another liberal media source that is unfair and unbalanced."

Yeah, right...

Whenever somebody agrees with a conservative, they tout it as bolstering the credibility of their opinions. Whenever public sentiment is widely against them, they blame it on "another liberal media" conspiracy... You do realize that these comments aren't posted by CNN, right?

After so many years of republicans squandering our economy, global diplomatic standing, military cohesion, and even the protections of personal liberty granted by our constitution, I find it truly laughable that, now that they're in the minority, they jump at any chance to portray themselves as victims.

A loser says what?

Typical Republican.

Leave it to McCain to complain about something. That's why he couldn't get elected – he's a bitter, angry old man!

Spoken like true liberals. It's funny how you say that mindless R's would just follow Bush. What do you think you are doing with Obama? You are just following in blindly. His policies will make Bush's look good when it is said and done. America should have listened to Ron Paul when we had the chance. It's time for Americans to take America back from our Gov't. The answer isn't with these two parties. The answer is us as Americans. America was in trouble with either McCain or Obama. It was just a matter of if you wanted to get to Socialism faster or slower.

John King is a terrible interviewer. He does not ask challenging questions of his guests. He baits them with questions that anyone could answer.

McIdiot!

Excuse me Senator McCain, why are you talking?

Your party screwed up America, we send Obama to fix the mess.

STILL your party wants to keep doing what it was doing, and it's somehow Obama's fault that he can't persuade you to move past your failed ideology.

You are irrelevant. There will be fewed and fewer of you neocons in congress with every election.

When are elected officials going to start acting in our best interest and work towards a common goal. In WWII the whole country worked towards one goal. The current economy requires the same unity.
Mc Cain and the republicans are not interested in results.
They are conducting business as usual and I hope that voters toss them all out!

Spoken like a true sore loser, I can't imagine the sort of BAD BEGINNING had he and miss eye candy got the job!

CNN, PLEASE quit giving this clueless, greedy, old fool anymore air time!

I can't imagine John McCain going out and saying things like;

1. Hey, it has only been about 20 days since he became a President.
2. Hey, no president in US history had to tackle something this major the second they were sworn in!
3. Hey, he is one of the first president in history to have filled up his cabinet posts even before he was sworn in.

It is unfortunate that this man has become what he despises. Unprincipled, a mouth piece of the far right, an OBSTRUCTIONIST.

The Democrats and the President are foolish to think that the Republicans are going to work in a bipartisan manner or help Barack Obama succeed.

They are looking at only one thing. How they can survive the next election cycle.

sore loser? he attacked his own party, in stead of electing a person who fights his own party, we elected the most left voting senator, good job us.

Hey, Evolm:

I gather you are white and a RACIIST BIGOT!!! Right.

The newly elected President of the United States of America was overwhelming voted in by all Americans who voted and he is everyones' President, including you.

So says the man? that made his vp selection based on bra size ... what a waste of space

Wrong, McShame....all we hear from you is...........wwaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaa......

You were asked to come and work with the Senate, did you show up... NO.........so sit on it............

My God the ignorance of America is on display on CNN today. The stimulus is a joke, we all know it and McCain opines as such and he gets insulted and ridiculed. This country is a pathetic and sorry mess. You people are clueless.

Look Micky Senile, you know nothing about economics, and that's why you are not running the country, your just holding a big fat grudge, just don't be such a jerk, you and the rest of you bad judgement republicans

I'm going to start calling the GOP the Hooverites in honor of Herbert Hoover, the president that led us into the great depression.... The GOP today are near clones of the old boys from the early 1930's with almost the same political philosophies.

McCain is still good at "Bad is good" and "War is peace." Desperate-speak.

In McCain's world, tax cuts are the answer for all economic ills. He and the repubs completely ignore that unemployed people can't benefit from tax cuts. Republicans don't care about unemployed people. Their tax cuts are designed to help the Republicans who have work and wealth.

In McCain's world, deficit spending for needless war is ok, but otherwise it's "generational theft".

It is ALARMING to think of what we'd be going through if McCain and his dim-witted running mate had won.

I'm tired of hearing these Republicans whine! Before you attempt to comment on this comment, make sure you are not one of those senators or house members who voted against it. If you are not, then you must be an American who needs help. Could you afford waiting on the Republicans bickering and successful attempts to stall the bill when your job became a question, along with your savings and children or grandchildren's education? I commend the Democrats for taking at least a step to show Americans that we want to do something for you. This might not fix everything, but if it fixes at least one thing, the purpose is served well. And with a $700 billion dollar + price tag, I'm sure more than one thing will be fixed! For the pessimistics, just sit back and see if it will work before predicting what it will do. Give it a chance!!!!!!

McCain is a irrelevant loser.

of course

John McCain failed in his attempt to tell the American people what he would do to stimulate the economy. HE FAILED. President Obama succeeded and he ABSOLUTELY TRIED TO REACH across the aisle. Senator McCain refused to extend a helping hand. His rheteric throughout the process was polarizing. 35% of the stimulus package are in the form of tax relief. He is unhappy it is not for his wealthy friends. McCain is unworthy to be evaluating the merits of this plan.

Bob

Well McCain complains that the process wasn't bipartisian and then turns around and admits that the Republicans were guilty of the non-bipartisian behaviour. The Republicans had plenty of time to put forth a plan. As soon as President Obama won the election back in November he stated that he wanted a stimulus plan on his desk as soon as he took office. They had over three months to put together a package but they did nothing because all they wanted were tax cuts. Their whole agenda was to sit back and be obstructionist. The GOP claimed it had a plan that provided 6.2 million jobs at half the cost. Where is it? Did they ever make it public for everyone to see? Of course not because they had no plan except for tax cuts for the wealthy which did nothing for the economy during Bush's eight years of the presidency. They are like little children who get mad when they don't get picked for the basketball team so they throw a tantrum and take their ball home hoping to ruin the whole game; only to realize that the team has a hundred basketballs and the game is going on without them.

Tax break to the wealth who will in turn employ poor Americans and both will pay more Taxes to the govenment of McCain which will in turn invade Iran, send more troops abroad and employ more troops to invade other countries and the unemployment numbers will go down. Americans this time round rose to the occasion by rejecting Republican mentality, retire McCain please!

Evolm-

Why don't you go start your own racist island somewhere then; America has moved on from your kind of stupid.

Conservative wrote:

"It funny how all of the comments are in support of Obama. CNN is obviously just another liberal media source that is unfair and unbalanced"

Is that proof of bias or proof of broad support?

get a life mcdrill

Based on the majority of comments posted here I am convinced we are in more trouble than any of us can imagine. Some keep reminding the Demos of what they did for getting that this time we bring "change" to Washington. The reality is that its more of the same! Here we go again.

Chad,

It is a falsehood and a lie to say no one has read the entire document. If the GOP would get off TV, they would have more time to do just that. They simply want to scrap the whole plan for more tax cuts for the rich.

The last changes were few, and it's been out there for some time Even I have read most of it, it's not that complex. They're just hoping there are enough people willing to buy their BS line that they can come off as victims.

So now he will pot-shot everything Obama does. He likes us to believe that he is the "ultimate American", so how about rallying around the President like Americans are supposed to do – well except for W who proved to be a moron.

McCain is just jealous because he lost the election to Obama. The Bush Administration allowed a huge lending to banks, without very many rules. Look where that has gotten us, billons down the drain, with the same problem. Let Obama try his way, it may work, may not, will never be as bad as what Bush has done to us.

President Obama is definitely on the RIGHT track. McCain, as well as most Republicans, are sore at President Obama's success. President Obama has the heart for the American people and their needs. He will succeed in everything he puts his hands to.

Go President Obama – America loves you!!!

Didn't McCain say that he could find Bin Laden and fix the economy? Sorry Johnny, I'm not feeling you on this one either.

Dear Senator McCain,
Well you had your chance and you blew it, seems now you are wishing the new president ill will. What happened to the concession speech you made, I guess you didn't mean one thing you said. I thought you told the American people that the economy was good, guess you didn't know what you were talking about then either. At least President Obama is doing everything he can to help this country and you are trying to tear him down. Thank goodness you lost!!

Actually, we do care what John McCain thinks. Obama won the popular vote by a small margin (66 million votes to 58 million). McCain is absolutely right in this case. If Obama was committed to bipartisanship, he would have negotiated the bailout plan at a table attended by both parties. They would have reached an agreement by concensus, and neither party would criticize the result.

Evolm...get a grip you biggot! Are you wearing your cape and hood as you write? Obama is doing a fabulous job given the mess he was handed. Alteast he has a brain! And, just because he said he would try for bipartisanship doesn't mean he will get it...there are still far too many right wing sore loser republicans who just can't seem to want to move forward with a new and hopefully better philosopy. I support you
President Obama...I know your heart and mind are in the right place.

McCain is a bad loser. He would have made a worse president. I take great satisfaction in 2 things:
1) McCain has to watch President Obama in person and on t.v., hear about President Obama everywhere he goes, and think about President Obama every day and realize that the American people said NO to him and yes positive change;
2) McCain is probably to old to be much of a bother by running for president ever again. ...And I praise Jah for it, too. =)

Just like in the campaign, McCain is still out of touch. He wishes Obama was off to a bad start, but unfortunately, America knows better. He's such a sore loser and I hope that Obama keeps with his strong agenda on getting this company back on the right track and ignore those stupid republications who are aiming to distract him. Keep up the good work, President Obama. The world loves what you're doing and we stand by you.

I have to laugh when McCain goes on about "bipartisanship" and how the republican party didn't get its say. Wake up! Most of America doesn't care what the republican party thinks. The republican party is done for. I could have been a great republican... I am a law student and a somewhat conservative Christian, but I now can't vote republican on moral grounds. I would much rather support Obama (who is, in my view, a great American and a great leader) and give him a chance with a stimulus package, and along the way collaborate and compromise with some of my more liberal fellow Americans then do business with a corrupt party that pushes tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the poor and reckless foreign policy. Thanks to men like McCain, Huckabee, and Bush, I am now solidly a "conservative democrat. Go Obama!

Your party started it Bucko.

Poor McCain thinks he is still "running for President"!! We saw on the campaign trail what his decision making capabilities were and they weren't very pretty – except for his running mate – who was hired on as a distraction!

Since I am from Arizona and McCain is already setting up his 2010 campaign committee, we will ensure he will not win another term. He has wasted lots of years in the Senate without much to show for it. At least he is collecting lots of money from the government each month.

John McCain is RIGHT !!! Obama IS POWER HUNGRY is bent on turning this country upside down and for the worst !! You Obama worshiping kool-aid drinkers will find that out soon enough! YOU people had better be watching YOUR elected President and realize what he is up to and doing to YOUR country before it is too late!! He has duped all of you people to vote for him and already lied to the nation so many times... promises, promises in his campaign!! He is a Chicago thug lawyer and he WILL NOT be good for our country!!! We Republicans WILL take America back !!! January 20, 2009 – THE BEGINNING OF HUGE ERROR !!! January 20, 2013 – INDEPENDENCE DAY !!!!

We're just using more money we don't have. Which is why this package isn't going to work.

The Republicans were the traditional party of fiscal responsibility. They betrayed this image and trust starting with Ronald Reagan and they completely abdicated this belief under George W. Bush. I don't like what the Democrats are doing with all their spending, but the Republicans are in no position to criticize. They just need to shut up on their same old mantras. And the rest of us need to accept the fact that our nation – us, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren – have no way of ever paying the debt the US Government is in (and getting worse). The US is bankrupt and this country will never recover from this fiasco, especially with all the morons holding the government positions in Washington, D. C.

McCain you are just a sore loser. Just listening to you after the loss of the election makes mer know why i did not vote for you. i will be watching your health during the next 4 years–and to think Palin, in all her infinite wisdom, would have been just a heart beat away from the presidency frightenens me even more–McCain while you are a war hero (I am greatfuil to you) I am dissappointed in you as a politician-what would you have done as your first move had you been the President? Go into details please. You would in my opinion continue the same old failed BUsh policies–Isn't it nice to criticize what you aren't responsible for?

comedy

McCain, we already SEEN what YOU would do, that's why YOU lost my friend! Now GET OFF YOUR OWN PITY POT AND GET LOST!

Like he would be doing better, what a joke, the voters rejected his tired ideas. We don't need criticism from a guy who admitted the economy wasn't his strong point – why didn't he do something constructive abut this before we got to this point?

I guess the republican party is baking on the idea that the public has a very short memory.

It is less of generational theft than the Iraq war – which cost over $1 trillion, or the Bush Tax cuts, which cost over $2 trillion ... and with the stimulus we will get something out of it with improved infrastructure (remember the Minn. bridge collapse) and savings on future medical care through the electronic medical records

And for those who say it was supposed to create jobs and is just a spending bill, spending is what leads to the job creation!

If anyone has noticed the vast, vast majority of comments are supportive of Obama, It's because the majority of Americans are in support of Obama and the stimulus bill. This isn't a case of biased media, it's the reality of the country not being dumb enough to be fooled by the Republicans playing politics. They are just positioning for 2010 and 2012. I hope the Reps realize what a gamble they are taking by being so partisan. If they had supported it even a little, then they could take some credit for success, and still would have less blame than the Dems if it fails. However, now they have come out strong along party lines, so if it is successful, they will have sealed their own fate. Desperate times for the GOP equals desperate actions.

I think we are losing sight of the issue here. There are multiple views of the solution to our economic problems. At some point, somebody needs to take the leadership role and move on a possible solution. If it works then great...if it does not, then make changes and continue addressing the problem. McCain's comments here are reflective or our lack of cooperation between people of different philosophy's (as are many of the comments in this article). Each group should agree that something needs to be done and no action is not an option. Our elected officials HAVE to come together to agree to solutions rather then constantly fight for their view and only their view.

Really??? How about the 'theft' of lives for a war that was a lie? How about the 'theft' of healthy environment by your administration? How about the 'theft' of rights of Americans perpetrated by Bush and Co.? How about the 'theft' of money by greedy republican businessmen and women who got us into this mess? How about the 'theft' of law as perpetrated by the bush justice dept.? How about the 'theft' of future generations that was pushed by bush and repubs with the first stimulus pkg.? and tax cuts for the wealthy? How about the 'theft' of integrity from our country in the eyes of us and the world?
Really......................give me a break!

Old man still yelling at cloud...

Senator McCain does not like President Obama. He never has and he never will!! He is never going to say anything nice about the man, he is never going to try and work with him. Personally I don't think it has anything to do with the party difference. He has no respect for President Obama. That came across loud and clear during the debates and during the campaign.

This is polotics John the democrats don't have to ask permission to make decisions on what direction there adgenda goes, the republicans did whatever they wanted for 8 very long years and look at what they got us. Geez just relax and retire man your old polotics and old ideas are over.

Children, children. Behave. It doesn't matter who did what when or for how much or for how long at this point. All that matters is that this country is in some deep doodoo right now and we need to come together. I really had hoped that Obama would bring us together, but this stimulus bill is a solo action by Obama and the Democrats. This is not going to bring us together. It is a slap in the face of Republicans. Think about that.

Wow, let's see here the man who lead the GOP to a huge defeat is tell us how the winner is doing it wrong..
THe GOP that gave their banker friends a huge bailout(that did nothing to help us) and yet wants the auto companies (you companies that put people to work) to fail.

John you should listen to one of your old advisors... our becoming one of the whining Americans..

How abut this. Work with the president. He won. You lost.

Two things.

CNN. We do not want to hear from people like John McCain, Newt Gingrich, or Bill Clinton. We are ready to move forward not stay in the past with the old. CNN, this is what we are all trying to say. WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD NOT FOCUS ON THE OLD.

Mr. McCain let's hear your ideas.

If Bush was wrong, does that make Obama correct? There are no other possibilities? I think they are both wrong.

Dems will always be Dems, Rep will always be Rep. They will always blame and pick a party each other for everything they do. This is the way politics work. ITS THE AMERICAN WAY!

Hey wasn't it you republicans that said criticizing the president in a time of war is un-american?

McCain failed to act in a bipartisan manner on the stimulus bill.
He needs to get over losing the election by millions of votes
and listen closely to the woes facing Americans. The election
results were clear–Republican economic cures were rejected.

WHETHER OBAMA'S PLAN DOESN'T OR IF IT DOES, WHY WOULD THEY RATHER SEE OUR COUNTRY GO DOWN JUST BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO SUPPORT A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE BLACK! NONE OF THOSE THINGS SHOULD REALLY BE AN ISSUE RIGHT NOW, THEIR ONLY CONCERN SHOULD BE FIXING THIS COUNTRY, NOT TRYING TO PROVE A POINT.

If Obama's beginning is bad, Mr. McCain, I can't even begin to imagine the disaster that yours would have been– especially with that genius of a running mate that you had.

I read on one of the posts, that we as Americans need to get a reality check. I say this us against them atmosphere in America is hurting us more then we know.

Democrats, Republicans, to many care about that only? We as Americans should put the right Americans in office not because they are with a certain political party. I think way to many Americans get all wrapped up thinking about what party is best . We can miss the best person for the job because you think that Republicans are better then Democrats or vise versa.

Thats the reality check Americans need.

I left the US almost 6 years ago and for a good reason. To read the comments here reminds me of what a bunch of losers Americans have become. They take sides and fight- so boring. Thank God I'm no longer living in that rat hole.

This is just a big disaster. I am still in shock Obama was elected. It really goes to show how stupid people really are. "I voted for Obama because he is black or he has a nice family "or whatever the stupid reason is.... we will suffer as he lacks any experience. Maybe it is true what they say that the world will come to an end in 2012. Maybe this is why.

McCain and his friends are doing everything in their power to not be bi-partisan. Unfortunately, if they want to remain stuck in the Bush-Era mentality of "it's my way or the highway" ... they'll find themselves sitting on the highway. They don't have any weight (or credibility) any more.

“We are committing generational theft,” McCain said. “We are laying a huge deficit on future generations of Americans.”

Huh, that's exactly how I feel about the previous bailout for Wall Street.

Why does CNN continue to focus on what McCain and the other obstructionist hypocrites have to say? Where are the Democrats? Why isn't CNN highlighting them? We all know the real answer, CNN.

Why aren't you highlighting their deisre to use Taliban tactics? Why not the fact that both sides are reporting that moderate Republicans are supporting the stimulus but are being intimidated into fighting it?

The GOP now wants to nationalize the banks? Who are the socialists now? Or should I say National Socialists?

The GOP is collapsing and losing its moderates, being completely controlled by the radical right. Publish that, CNN.

Like he could do better, yeah right, the voters rejected his tired ideas

Mr. McCain is a man of integrity with virtue and common sense. It is a shame that he did not get the Presidency.
He is worthy of our time and honor.

Now, look what we have in the White House. I shudder.

To Evolm: you are right about one thing, GOD IS BLACK. God is in control of this thing through Obama; it might sound crazy but it is very true. God is tired of the racism and discrimmation of all people of the world. It just so happens that Brother Obama was present in this day and time.In fact, this very,very embarrasing that a person of color is trying to making this country better for ALL people and the racist people failed-and on top of that, they know that this is the end of a racist dominating society, and the world sees that.

Hey all you Dem-wits better be careful about what you say! Bush might still conjure up another hurricane, but this time to hit DC. Look what he did in New Orleans! Powerful man

Where was the media 8 years ago when the idiot Bus rammed through all of the that legislation for tax cuts to the rich. I earn $65-70K a year and my tax has gone down over the last 8 years by about $70.00 This is a joke. Quit giving McCan't and Palin headline storiesand start real investigative journalism.

Jon Garner
Columbus Ohio

I find it incredible, well maybe not knowing its politics, that Republicans got the country into this mess and yet they had 8 years to correct and didnt. If I were them I'd shut up and give Obama a chance. You had your chance now let the Democrats have theirs.

WOW
I can only hope that Mr. McCain can and will read throught these comments and see how out of touch he is with the American people. These comments surly can't all be from democrats... it so much indicates that the American people are fed up with polical bickering and straight down the middle party lines.

This adminstration has heard what the people want and is trying to accomplish that by reaching across the divide. It's time for Mr McCain and all Republicans and Democrats work together to solve this mess we are in. I say to all of the elected officails; either get on the bus or get off and find other employment.

WE ARE TIRED OF THE BLAME GAME, IT'S TIME TO GET IT FIXED

Does it really matter if it is a Democrat or Republican. At this point the American people voted for CHANGE... That is what they are getting... $13 and some CHANGE every two weeks on their pay checks. Let's all Stimulate our economy with THAT CHANGE. Good Luck everybody.

you all need to knock it off. john mccain has long been outspoken in the republican party. he is NOT by any means a spokesperson for party politics. if you remember, most of the right-wing conservatives were adamantly against his nomination. he is one of the most honest and steadfast senators we have. he always acts in what he thinks is for the best interests of his constituents and his country.

you all need to get off your high horses and stop making things a petty argument. that is certainly not what john mccain is doing. he is simply trying to fight for what is right.

Hey Chad thats the way the republicans did it with the war you fricken inbreed.

Big difference between the W stimulus bill and this one. W's tried to save companies and therefore save jobs. All this bill does is expand government.

Mr. McCain, the "generational theft" began January 20, 2001. We've spent more than $787 billion to trash and rebuild Iraq. Get us back the money your party (mine also until March 19, 2003) spent on that country and it will go a long way toward rebuilding this one. Until you can do that don't talk to me about "generational theft".

No one cares what McCain thinks or what Republicans think.
That's why he's not President and the Republicans have lost control
of Congress. Most of the mess we are in today is because fo the Republicans and Bush. McCain is like a dead skunk in the middle of the road. You smelt it when you drove by, but soon forget about.
Unfortunately you keep giving him what he and the Republicans are so desperate for and that is someone's attention.
Why do you think he voted against giving D.C. the vote?
Because D.C has a large black population.i.e. -a democratic vote.
"Real Republicans presidential material".

Why do the critical comments sound as if they come from kindergarteners?

Just what I'd expect from someone who's claim to fame was being shot down.

MCBUSH NEEDS TO SHUT UP , AND GO BACK TO HIS OLD JOB .. WHILE HE CAN STILL FUNCTION .. GOT TO WONDER HOW MUCH HIS AARP BILL IS

It's your Political Party that drove this Country's economy into the ground, so you have no room to judge. Go away John, and take your little dog (Palin) too.

The Republicans, under Bush, took the national debt from $5 trillion (on it's way down under Clinton) to $10 trillion.

They have no credibility.

They – like their leader – Rush Limbaugh – want President Obama to fail. Which means that they want the economy to tank and for the average American to continue to suffer worse hardships.

This is a game to them. A partisan political game.

Shame on them.

This independent moderate vows to never vote for another Republican again in my life – EVER!

Bush, Rove, Cheney, Limbaugh, Palin, Cantor, Boehner, McConnell, Hannity – evil all.

Nelson Rockefeller and Ronald Reagan must be turning in their graves.

Shame shame shame.... Republican now means evil, hateful, divisive and players of the worst bitter partisanship I've seen in my 63 years.