Obama is DIshonorable (Obama Admits Talking to Raines)

UPDATE: in http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/20/1428904.aspx, Obama admits he did talk on the phone to Raines, but says that doesn't count as getting advice. I do sympathize -- whatever advice he got from Raines, it was probably bad advice. But with 300 advisors, I hardly see how Obama talks to ANY of them for more than about 5 minutes, unless he has a lot of free time on his hands.


I don't generally like to attribute negative characteristics about "honor" to a candidate. I know that John McCain wouldn't throw around "dishonorable".

But the Obama campaign has decided to make sure they call McCain "dishonorable" at least once a day. And since most of their attacks on McCain are actually lies, I think it's clear WHO it is who is dishonorable.

The latest comes today. First, some background. Two articles in the Washington Post from July:

On The Outside, Watching Fannie Mae Falter, Washington Post, July 16, 2008:

In the four years since he stepped down as Fannie Mae's chief executive under the shadow of a $6.3 billion accounting scandal, Franklin D. Raines has been quietly constructing a new life for himself. He has shaved eight points off his golf handicap, taken a corner office in Steve Case's D.C. conglomeration of finance, entertainment and health-care companies and more recently, taken calls from Barack Obama's presidential campaign seeking his advice on mortgage and housing policy matters.

After this article came out, Obama said nothing, and Raines said nothing.

Then the WP had an editorial "Tough Decision Coming", Washington Post , 8/27/2008:

Two members of Mr. Obama's political circle, James A. Johnson and Franklin D. Raines, are former chief executives of Fannie Mae.

Response from Obama, Johnson, and Raines? None at all. James Johnson was actually picked by Obama to vet his VP candidates, but then fired.

OK, so fast-forward 3 weeks. McCain, wanting to highlight how Obama and the Democrats had a hand in our current financial crisis, QUOTES THE WASHINGTON POST (h/t Corner at National Review):

Obama has no background in economics. Who advises him? The Post says it's Franklin Raines, for "advice on mortgage and housing policy."

Note that this exactly matches what the WP said: That Obama called Raines for "advice on mortgage and housing policy."

In other words, McCain's ad is absolutely true. Note that his ad is true even if Obama never spoke to Raines -- because McCain does not say "Obama was advised by Raines". He says "The Post says it's Franklin Raines".

Surely, no Media Outlet would put up with Obama calling THIS advertisement a lie, since they can all read English, they can see that the claim by McCain is true, and they can see that Obama has NEVER ASKED FOR A CORRECTION from the Washington Post.

But, the Media LOVES OBAMA. So of course, when Obama sends his campaign manager out to say it's a lie, they don't laugh him off the stage. Again, from the National Review:

This is another flat-out lie from a dishonorable campaign that is increasingly incapable of telling the truth. Frank Raines has never advised Senator Obama about anything — ever...

Note the word "dishonorable". Also note that I STILL have not found a single example of an actual LIE against Obama from a McCain ad.

Franklin Raines also now denies he talked with Obama. Maybe Obama and Raines are lying -- remember that 3 days ago Obama said it was a lie that he spoke about holding up negotiations with Iraq, but then his campaign advisor admitted that he HAD asked to hold up negotiations, while insisting this somehow different from what he was accused of.

Also remember Obama lied about McCain not knowing HOW to use e-mail, attacking McCain for his war injuries. And Obama lied about Palin, calling her the "former mayor of Wasilla" when she was in fact the current Governor of Alaska.

Also, Obama lied about McCain's being out of touch on the economy, quoting half-sentences from McCain who said that our economy was fundamentally strong because of the strength of our workers, but ALSO said the economy was hurting now.

Which leads me to wonder if Obama thinks the American worker is fundamentally weak. But if McCain ran an ad and said that, I'm sure Obama would call him a liar again.

Because calling people a liar without evidence is what dishonorable people do.

Barack Obama was supposed to be a new kind of politician -- one that rose above partisanship, and heralded a new, positive message of hope and change. But all we see now is biting partisan, lying, false attacks.

And a dope-smoking-crack-taking kid who never served a day in the military has no place calling a decorated war hero and servant of our country "dishonorable".

Of course, since Joe Biden just called all of us who oppose tax increases "unpatriotic", I guess it's fair game.

UPDATE: Oh, and the left-wing 1984-style "newspeak" police have done their job at Wikipedia, deleting all references about Barack Obama from the Franklin Raines entry.

Here is the entry from two days ago:

Franklin Delano Raines (born January 14, 1949 in Seattle, Washington) is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Fannie Mae who served as White House budget director under President Bill Clinton. He is currently employed by Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign as an economic adviser.
...
In June 2008 Wall Street Journal reported that Franklin Raines was one of several politicians who received below market rates loans at Countrywide Financial because the corporation considered the officeholders "FOA's"--"Friends of Angelo" (Countrywide Chief Executive Angelo Mozilo). He received loans for over $3 million while CEO of Fannie Mae. [5] Franklin Raines is currently one of Barack Obama's chief economic advisers.

Here is the same entry today:

Franklin Delano Raines (born January 14, 1949 in Seattle, Washington) is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Fannie Mae who served as White House budget director under President Bill Clinton.
...
On September 18, 2008 the McCain Campaign claimed in an ad critical of Obama that based upon reports from the Washington Post, Franklin Raines is currently one of Barack Obama's economic advisers. Both Raines and the Obama Campaign claim that Raines is not an Obama advisor and has never advised Senator Obama. [9]

(UPDATE AGAIN: Wiki page has been updated again, to include the WP articles. I guess a battle is brewing)

At least it correctly notes that McCain's ad is based on the claim in the Post, proving that Obama is lying when he calls McCain a liar.

BTW, it's almost laughable to believe Obama never contacted Raines, since Raines gave him thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, and Obama actually picked Johnson to vet his VP nominee. Obama has been tied closely to this bank failure.

Obama of course can't deny that he received more money from Ginny Mae and Freddie Mac than every other senator except Chris Dodd. He can't really deny he's in the pocket of the special interests who caused this problem.

All he can do is get Raines to deny what the Washington Post reported, so he can call McCain a liar. He can't deny the bigger truth, so he'll try to change the subject.