Obama for America

DEBATE REALITY CHECK: FUNDAMENTALS ARE STRONG & WE ARE BETTER OFF UNDER BUSH POLICIES

Tonight, Sarah Palin said: “John McCain saying our economy was strong, he was talking to and about the American workforce, and the American workforce is the greatest in this world, with the ingenuity and the work ethic that is just entrenched in our workforce, that is a positive, that is encouragement, and that is what John McCain meant.” [Vice Presidential Debate, 10/2/08]

The Facts: John McCain Has Said The Fundamentals Of the Economy Are Strong And That Americans Are Better Off Than They Were Eight Years Ago


FACT: MCCAIN IS OUT OF TOUCH ON THE ECONOMY

MSNBC: McCain Has Used The Phrase, “The Fundamentals Of The Economy Are Strong” At Least 16 Times This Year. “First Read searched through our database of the candidates' speeches and found McCain had used the phrase [“the fundamentals of the economy are strong”] at least 16 other times, between Jan. 1st and June 5th of this year.” [MSNBC, “First Read,” 9/15/08 ]

McCain Admitted “It’s Easy For Me To Go To Washington And Frankly, Be Somewhat Divorced From The Day-To-Day Challenges People Have.” McCain: “I think a small town mayor has very great responsibilities, they have a responsibility for the budget, they have hiring and firing of people. They have great responsibilities. They have to stand for election. I admire mayors. I’m -- listen, mayors have the toughest job, I think, in America. It’s easy for me to go to Washington and frankly, be somewhat divorced from the day-to-day challenges people have.” [CNN, 9/11/08 ]

McCain Did Not Know How Many Houses He And His Wife Own. McCain said in an interview “that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own. ‘I think — I'll have my staff get to you,’ McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. ‘It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you.’ The correct answer is at least four, located in Arizona, California and Virginia, according to his staff. Newsweek estimated this summer that the couple owns at least seven properties.” [Politico, 8/21/08 ; Audio ]

McCain, Asked To Define Rich, Said “How About $5 Million” And Then Quickly Added That He Was “Sure That Comment Will Be Distorted.” McCain and Obama’s contrasting views on wealth surfaced during when each was asked to define “rich.” McCain took a far more discursive approach to answering the question but ultimately settled on a dramatically higher figure: “I think if you're just talking about income, how about $5 million?” McCain quickly added that he was “sure that comment will be distorted,” and his campaign said Sunday that he was joking. [Los Angeles Times, 8/18/08 ]

McCain Adviser Phil Gramm: “You’ve Heard Of Mental Depression; This Is A Mental Recession. … We Have Sort Of Become A Nation Of Whiners.” “You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," Phil Gramm said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. ‘We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet.’ ‘We have sort of become a nation of whiners,’ he said. ‘You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness.” [Washington Times, 7/9/08 ]

McCain Still Thinks We Are Better Off Than We Were Before George Bush Took Office. MR. COOK: “I'm going to ask you a version of the Ronald Reagan question. You think if Americans were asked, are you better off today than you were before George Bush took office more than seven years ago, what answer would they give?” SEN. MCCAIN: “… I think if you look at the overall record and millions of jobs have been created, et cetera, et cetera, you could make an argument that there's been great progress economically over that period of time.” [Bloomberg , 4/17/08]

McCain, On Whether, “Americans Better Off Than They Were Eight Years Ago,” McCain Said “Yes.” MR. COOPER: “Senator McCain, are Americans better off than they were eight years ago?” SEN. MCCAIN: “I think you could argue that Americans over all are better off because we have had a pretty good, prosperous time with low unemployment and low inflation, and a lot of good things have happened, a lot of jobs have been created.” [Republican Debate , 1/30/08]

McCain Said Economic Worries are “Psychological” at Town Hall Meeting. “Now, as far as putting additional money in American taxpayers' pocket, that's fine, because a lot of this is psychological. A lot of it's psychological. Because I believe the fundamentals of our economy is still strong.” [McCain Town Hall, 1/24/08, West Palm Beach, Florida]