I attended a press conference late this morning at the Arlington "Campaign for Change" office. The speakers were Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Megan Beyer. The purpose was to talk about John McCain and Sarah Palin's upcoming visit to Virginia and, as the press release put it, the "stark choices facing Virginians this election."
Megan Beyer spoke first, pointing out how "badly we need real change" in this country, a "leader willing to reach across the aisle" to get us "good, affordable health care," a "clean energy future," high-quality education, etc. According to Beyer, "the choice is so clear," with Obama-Biden representing the opposite of Bush/Cheney and McCain/Palin. What's amazing, according to Beyer, is McCain's "audacious effort to paint himself as a change agent," even as he's surrounded by lobbyists running his campaign. Also, McCain's been in Congress for decades, more an example of why we NEED to change rather than of change itself. The bottom line, in Beyer's view, is that if you want change, you need to support Obama-Biden - independent change agents like Mark Warner, Jim Webb and Tim Kaine.
Claire McCaskill spoke next, emphasizing that there's "no change if you don't change the policy," and McCain-Palin does NOT stand for a change in policy. Instead, McCain embraces - "literally and figuratively" - George W. Bush. According to McCaskill, John McCain has changed something - his positions on a whole host of issues (offshore drilling, immigration reform, campaign financing, his attitude towards the "intolerant right wing," etc.). Two great quotes by McCaskill about John McCain. First, "A public servant does not change his positions to win an election; a politician does." Second, on McCain's disowning of his own immigration bill, McCaskill called it "remarkable political witchcraft." The bottom line is that John McCain IS Washington, he is NOT part of the solution but part of the problem.
According to McCaskill, McCain's running mate has the same problem as he does. As mayor and governor, she received enormous earmarks, $4,000 per person - "a nice gig if you can get it," according to McCaskill. Palin was for the "Bridge to Nowhere," and even after the project was cancelled, she took the money. She even took taxpayer money to sleep in her own bed. "That is not reform." What voters need to do is ignore all the election-year game playing and spin, focus on the issues, on whose economic policies got us into the ditch, and who will get us out of it.
Amy Klobuchar talked about about a coffee shop in Minneapolis - "Betty's Bikes and Buns" - and its slogan, "Where lies become legends." Referring to McCain-Palin, Klobuchar said "that's what these guys are all about." Palin, for instance, took a "record number of earmarks" and "advocated for the Bridge to Nowhere." John McCain MAY have been a maverick on a few issues at one point, but he's changed. For instance, McCain was against the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, now he's for them. Health care costs are skyrocketing, and McCain's done nothing. Klobuchar referred to the TV show TV Land, specifically its reruns of Gilligan's Island. Klobuchar said that if McCain is elected, "it will be like those [Gilligan's Island] reruns, but we'll never get off the island." In contrast, Barack Obama offers leadership and long-term policies that will benefit our country.
With regard to the polls, both McCaskill and Klobuchar said that they were bumps. McCaskill said she trusted that people will ultimately make a "sober, seasoned judgment" about who's best to lead America. Meanwhile, nobody's been able to ask questions of Sarah Palin, but when American women hear her, they won't like what she has to say. McCaskill added that women are worried about the economy, about equal pay for equal work, while Palin's been focused on banning books in the library.
Klobuchar asserted that the American people don't want 4 more years of the same. She also said that "in the end, this won't be about gender but about an agenda," and in that regard, there are "stark differences between the candidates."
Megan Beyer speaking.
Megan Beyer speaking, Amy Klobuchar and Claire McCaskill to her right.
Claire McCaskill speaking.
Amy Klobuchar speaking, Claire McCaskill to her right.