The Obama campaign recently took issue with the McCain camp drawing a connection between he and Hamas, with Obama saying:

[QUOTE]"I've said it's a terrorist organization and we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they are willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. So for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don't need name calling in this debate."[/QUOTE]

In response, McCain's campaign offered this thoughtful and well-reasoned memo:

[QUOTE]To: Interested Parties

From: Mark Salter, Senior Advisor Date: May 8, 2008 Re: Senator Obama's Attack Today

First, let us be clear about the nature of Senator Obama's attack today: He used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning.

We have all become familiar with Senator Obama's new brand of politics. First, you demand civility from your opponent, then you attack him, distort his record and send out surrogates to question his integrity. It is called hypocrisy, and it is the oldest kind of politics there is.

It is important to focus on what Senator Obama is attempting to do here: He is trying desperately to delegitimize the discussion of issues that raise legitimate questions about his judgment and preparedness to be President of the United States.

Through their actions and words, Senator Obama and his supporters have made clear that ANY criticism on ANY issue -- from his desire to raise taxes on millions of small investors to his radical plans to sit down face-to-face with Iranian President Ahmadinejad - constitute negative, personal attacks.

Senator Obama is hopeful that the media will continue to form a protective barrier around him, declaring serious limits to the questions, discussion and debate in this race.

Senator Obama has good reason to think this plan will succeed, as serious journalists have written of the need for 'de-tox' to cure 'swooning' over Senator Obama, and others have admitted to losing their objectivity while with him on the campaign trail.

Today, Senator Obama is complaining about comments John McCain made about a senior Hamas advisor stating that Hamas would welcome Senator Obama's election as president. Indeed, on April 13th, senior Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef said, 'We don't mind - actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance.'

The McCain campaign has never suggested that Senator Obama supports Hamas' agenda, but it is more than fair to raise this quote about Senator Obama because it speaks to the policy implications of his judgment.

Just today, the president of Iran, whom Senator Obama wants to meet with unconditionally, called the state of Israel a 'stinking corpse.' Iran is the paymaster and state sponsor of Hamas.

In his victory speech this week, Senator Obama stated that 'wisdom' is meeting with our enemies, including Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, North Korea's Kim Jong Il, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Cuba's Raul Castro. John McCain couldn't disagree more. Rather than giving tyrants and dictators the prestige of meeting with an American president, John McCain will instead meet with the champions of human freedom around the world and opposition leaders fighting for liberty .

We understand why Senator Obama doesn't want to engage in a debate over leadership and judgment with John McCain, but the American people demand that debate take place.

These are serious times that call for a serious debate on the profound issues facing our future. John McCain is ready for that debate and we hope Senator Obama will one day get serious and join it.[/QUOTE]

:roll:

Methinks someone might be a little sensitive about his age. I guess this is the sort of thing we can look forward to now for the next few months.

Re: Holy Overreaction Batman

was listening to xm talk today and heard this phrase from mccain's wife i think-

"Hamas is supporting Obama."

Holy out of fucking context batman.

Re: Holy Overreaction Batman

The IRA are supporting McCain.

At least he 'thinks' they are still popular ;)

Re: Holy Overreaction Batman

“Sen. John McCain has said he will be Hamas’ worst nightmare. It’s a juvenile thing to say. The line sounded more convincing when Sly Stallone said it in one of his Rambo movies. What does the senator propose to do to Hamas? Refuse to recognize the Hamas members who are the legitimately elected representatives of the Palestinians? It’s already been done. Assassinate Hamas’ leadership? The Israelis do that every chance they get. Put Hamas’ elected officeholders in prison? Done that. Seal off the Gaza Strip and impose collective punishment on a million innocent people? The Israelis have done that. Set up roadblocks? Done. Periodically attack the Palestinians with advanced weapons? Done. What Sen. McCain is much more likely to do as president is become America’s worst nightmare by continuing the failed policies of the Bush administration. Here is a man who has publicly admitted that he knows nothing about economics and who confuses Sunnis and Shi’ites. What are the two major problems facing America? Economic troubles and a war in the Middle East involving Shi’ites and Sunnis. Sen. McCain finished near the bottom of his class at Annapolis and launched his political career by dumping the wife who stood by him during his imprisonment and marrying big money. Excuse me if I’m not overwhelmed with his resume. All Sen. McCain is promising is more of the same, which is precisely what the American people don’t need. We need to repair our economy and to mend fences abroad. Macho talk borrowed from make-believe macho movie characters should have no place in our diplomacy. Hollywood heroes have scriptwriters to make sure the bad guys miss. American presidents and the American people don’t.”