October 6th, 2008
05:13 PM ET
Comments (54 comments)
13 years ago

Attendee at McCain rally calls Obama a 'terrorist'

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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/06/art.palinhus.ap.jpg caption="Palin held a rally in Florida Monday."](CNN) - Some supporters of the Republican ticket stole a share of the spotlight at Monday campaign rallies with controversial attacks aimed at Barack Obama.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, John McCain pushed his campaign’s most recent line of attack against Obama: that the Democratic nominee represents a relatively unknown risk. “All people want to know is: What has this man ever actually accomplished in government? What does he plan for America? In short: Who is the real Barack Obama?” Someone in the crowd responded by yelling: “Terrorist!” The crowd roared, and McCain seemed startled, but it is unclear whether he actually heard what the man shouted. He did not respond to the attack.

And before GOP VP nominee Sarah Palin entered a campaign rally in Estero, Florida, Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott took aim at “Barack Hussein Obama.”

“On November 4, let’s leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened,” he said. As the crowd cheered, he gave a forceful salute.

The McCain-Palin campaign immediately distanced itself from Scott’s remark. “We do not condone this inappropriate rhetoric, which distracts from the real questions of judgment, character and experience that voters will base their decisions on this November,” said campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt.

In March, McCain rebuked conservative radio talk show host Bill Cunningham for repeatedly referring to the Illinois senator as “Barack Hussein Obama” while warming up the crowd at a campaign event in Cincinnati, before the Arizona senator took the stage.
Filed under: Candidate Barack Obama • John McCain
July 21st, 2008
07:12 AM ET
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13 years ago

Giuliani: Obama trip highlights inexperience

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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/20/art.mccain.ap.jpg
caption=" Rudy Giuliani visited Yankee Stadium with John McCain on Sunday."]

NEW YORK (CNN) – Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said Sunday Barack Obama’s overseas visit is only serving to highlight the candidate’s inexperience in world affairs.

The one-time Republican presidential candidate made the comments as he visited Yankee Stadium with presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

On the field before the Yankees took on the Oakland A’s, Giuliani told reporters, “the fact that Barack Obama is now making his first tour, in essence, of the world is an indication that John McCain is the man with the experience. John doesn't have to go for the first or second time to these places. He has been going there for 20-30 years. He knows the world. He understands the world.”

Obama has previously visited Iraq and other countries overseas, but this was his first visit to Afghanistan.

Giuliani said, “Without any disrespect to the other side, he's just so far more experienced that I think America will elect him. I think the American people are going to take a look and say we have got to be very serious about this…we need a man that has experience and John McCain has that experience."

Criticizing Obama’s strategy on Iraq, the former mayor said, “I think if you look at Senator McCain's record on Iraq – you don't fail to elect him president. He was right about Iraq when almost everybody else was wrong. It has turned out that if we had caved in the way Barack Obama and the democrats wanted we would now have a defeat. America would have a defeat rather than a possible victory.”
Filed under: Candidate Barack Obama • John McCain • Popular Posts • Rudy Giuliani
July 20th, 2008
04:39 PM ET
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13 years ago

McCain: From Double A to Yankee Stadium

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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/20/art.mccain2.ap.jpg
caption="John McCain, standing by Oakland Athletics' manager Bob Geren, takes a break from the trail for baseball."]

NEW YORK (CNN) – Standing at home plate in the House that Ruth Built, John McCain put running for president in perspective: “It is like being in Double A and then all of a sudden you’re in Yankee Stadium.”

McCain attended Sunday’s Yankees-A’s game with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Before the game, the two went down on the field signing autographs posing for pictures and chatting with New York manager Joe Girardi and Oakland skipper Bob Geren.

The GOP presidential candidate wore his blue Navy hat, while Giuliani sported the traditional Yankee NY cap. They talked sports with the managers, with McCain telling them, “I really am a big sports nut because I was a mediocre high school athlete.”

Before settling in to watch the game, they toured the legendary Monument Park in left center field, with tributes to the greatest Yankee players.

McCain, an Arizona Diamondbacks fan, talked of watching his team in the 2001 World Series against Yankees with Giuliani, just a month after the 9-11 attacks. He often tells the story on the trail of being moved by the cheers Giuliani received from fans.

He told the YES Network as he sat in the Yankees dugout “it was an emotional time," saying, “I’ll never forget it as long as I live. Such an incredible time in our history.”

Giuliani told reporters before the game, “we have great memories, and very, very difficult memories of that period of time... Then I went out to Arizona with him for two games, and it was a very emotional World Series, that particular one. He's a good friend. We've also been to the Fiesta Bowl together, and I've gone to sporting events with John throughout the years. So, it's a little different now that he's a presidential candidate, but it's the same John McCain."

Asked whether runs for vice president or New York Governor might be in his future, Giuliani said, "I'm not thinking about any of those things. I'm thinking just about – I know you are! You have a right to think about it. And I have a right not to think about it because we've got an election right now to think about and get it done right."

McCain flew to Portland, Maine after the game where he has campaign events Monday.
Filed under: John McCain • Rudy Giuliani