McCain campaign says Obama team's apology falls short
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/04/08/art.mccainrock.gi.jpg caption="Rockefeller apologized to McCain Tuesday."](CNN) - John McCain’s campaign said an apology from Barack Obama’s team for comments from West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who supports the Illinois senator’s presidential bid, were not enough, calling for a response from the candidate himself.
“It was a spokesperson. Just as with the situation with liberal attack artist Ed Schultz, Obama refused to reject the statements personally. It’s a trend that undermines Barack Obama’s credibility when he makes calls for a ‘new’ more ‘accountable’ debate,” said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds.
The Obama campaign and Rockefeller both apologized Tuesday afternoon for his comments about the presumptive Republican nominee’s war record in a West Virginia paper.
“Senator Obama has a deep respect for Senator McCain’s service to this country and doesn’t agree with what Senator Rockefeller said,” said Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Rockefeller’s Senate office released a statement by the senator that said he regretted the comment. “I have deep respect for John McCain’s honorable and noble service to our country. I made an inaccurate and wrong analogy and I have extended my sincere apology to him.
“While we differ a great deal on policy issues, I profoundly respect and appreciate his dedication to our country, and I regret my very poor choice of words.”
At virtually the same moment, the McCain camp charged that his comments were “more than a coincidence that Obama campaign surrogates are making character attacks against John McCain without any repudiation.”
“Barack Obama’s silence is giving his surrogates a license to make attacks that don’t contribute to the dialogue on the issues,” said Bounds.
“As long as people affiliated with Barack Obama’s new brand of politics continue to make gutter attacks, we are going to call on Barack Obama to do something about it. And so far he’s done nothing.”
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McCain stop crying foul over every little thing an Obama supporter says against you. It's an election season afterall! His campaign released a statement on his position regarding the comment and Rockefellar apologized. Enough said. It's really arrogant to expect Sen. Obama to apologize in a manner that is only acceptable to you each and every time you request. I guess this is the RNC's attempt to claim ground for releasing their kitchen sink at the Dems. Bring it on RNC cause we already know it was in the plans anyway!!!!! It's election season afterall!
wow, for such a brave guy, he sure is sensitive....
It would be nice if Obama would apologize for remarks.
McCain is a hero. Period.
I never heard of this comment before this demand for a retraction - the Republicans are the one spreading it around and playing the victim card.
Rockefeller should apologize, but why should Obama?
Oh my God , as a dem I would like to see the end of the party! This Obama campaign is a joke! He's a far left lunatic,being praised for his lies and arrogance, This dem + at least 50 more for Mccain over nobama.
If u ask me, he didnt have to apologize in the first place
He did nothing wrong and the Sen, who said it was not a representative of Obama nor were they even in the building at the same time
McCain, stop being a baby.
McShame is at again. First he says ALL Americans have a right to Freedom of Speech. Yet, every time someone who knows Senator Obama says anything McSame calls foul. Hey, what about YOUR son? Is he on the frontline, or is he hidden in some back office like all the other privileged children of public figures in the military? If you really want to show your dedication to the WAR in Iraq, you should insist that your son by placed on the frontline like every other red blooded American son and daughter who has truly offered his/her life for the REAL defense of our country.
Who cares about McCain – all I can say is Kudos to his service to our country and he deserves all the respect, but he returned to America alive. There are thousands of service members who died and or never returned home. No more dead service members – enough is enough. Obama for President.
This is ludicrous. McCain may be an old fart but he needs to grow up. (Oops!! I called McCain and old fart and I support Barack Obama. Quick, someone tell Barack he has to apologize for me).
Here we go, the vile and hatefull things the Dems will say about Mcain are going to make the primarys look like a lovefest.
WHERE IS MCCAIN'S APOLOGY TO HIS FELLOW CONGRESSMAN THAT HE PHYSICALLY ATTACKED...WHERE IS HIS APOLOGY TO HIS WIFE WHOM HE CALLED THE C WORD AND THEN WENT ON TO SAY IT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS TIRED...ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT HE DOES....HIS TEMPER WOULD BE A DISASTER, AS A PRES. IN WORLD RELATIONS AND HE ACTS LIKE HE HAS A CASE OF ALHEIMERZS AND THAT IS SCARY!!!!!
I agree with Jan (up a couple of comments) Obama knows exactly what is going on. When someone spoke badly about the Dems, McCain apologized and took responcibility. We need to Obamanate Obama. (that means smash him like the bug he is)
Hillary is my 1st choice, McCain is my second. I trust them both. I could never trust Obama...Obamanate obama!!!!!!
To JAMES WEST:
What have YOU done for America? I don't want narrow minded individuals like youself in MY AMERICA. People like you gave us the worst 8 years with the most ignorant, backwards and destructive administration this country has ever seen.
Funny how the non-Obamanians are trying to say bad things about him in this post when it has NOTHING to do with the said topic
All you Repubs need to address this situation at hand. McCain is wrong plain and simple
Enough of these testosterone charged men in the white house. We need a strong and caring woman like HILLARY to who can truely lead our country. Hillary in Oval Office 2008!!!
I think Obama should apologize, anytime someone from the Clinton group says any thing, he immediately wants her to denounce and reject what they said. Well, how about it Obama? What happened to the new kind of politics?
I believe it is Ed S-C-H-U-L-Z without a 'T'–and he's hardly an attack dog.
McCain did the SAME thing to Mitt Romney !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obama/Edwards08 Si Se Puede
First of all. Obama campaign should not apologize for anything. There is truth to that. Its sad that Obama campaign is caving in to Mccain. Come on where is the toughness ?? All Hillary haters get your Obama to be little tough
Enough with all the demands for apologies. This is getting just a little bit silly folks.
We all know about McCain's war history. He WAS a jet jockey, he WASN'T in the trenches like thousands of others. We had thousands of veterans come back from Vietnam, we also had thousands who did not. Our country DID NOT honor them like we should have and that is a disgrace I hope is never repeated.
I respect McCain's record and dedication to this country BUT we need to hear something else from McCain other than his war record. All we get from him is that story, all we get from Hillary is remember how good it was in the 90's. Isn't anyone looking toward something different for goodness sakes.
This is all getting a little tiring.
I'm a democrat and I'm tired of the politics of hope and change. It's one attack after another by Obama, who is he trying to kid with his I'm above it all crap. His campaign is just hate filled and it has the media behind him. I notice the fact that HIllary was telling the truth about her hospital story didn't get nearly the attention of the supposed lie she told did. Could the media be anymore pro Obama.
Silly.
So, anyone who supports a presidential candidate must edit themselves, so that the candidate they support won't feel any effects of comments made???
Silly.
I'm sorry that McCain is a warmonger too.
Many people here are missing the point. Rockefeller did NOT apologize, his spokesman did. It's not the same thing.
John McCain
There will be more wars more wars more wars. Also dont forget his great rendition of Bomb Iran. This man is scary, Maybe those years of beating has made this man bent over for revenge on everyone.
America can not afford a old cook like this with an inch short fuse.