While warming-up the crowd for Barack Obama at a $100-a-head Democratic fundraiser in Grand Forks, ND, yesterday, radio host Ed Schultz referred to John McCain as a "warmonger." Obama, who arrived after the remarks were made, went on to deliver his remarks -- without rebuking those outrageous comments.
While Barack Obama claims to want to offer a new "brand" of politics, he once again demonstrates his willingness to go along with the same old partisan attacks. Conversely, John McCain was wise to condemn remarks made by another radio host in Ohio, a while back (in both cases, the candidates were not present when the remarks were made). Clearly, McCain is the one who has embraced a new kind of politics that eschews negative attacks.
Having live in North Dakota, allow me to offer a few side notes to this story ...
First, Grand Forks is the most liberal part of the state.
Second, Ed Schultz is quite an interesting character. He started off as a mini-Rush Limbaugh conservative, broadcasting in Fargo, but became a liberal (just in time to land a national radio show). Though his new wife, no doubt, helped bring about this transformation, he is also rumored to have been enticed by the state's Democratic delegation (North Dakota's entire federal delegation are Democrats). Whatever they offered him, there is no doubt his career has taken off since becoming a liberal. He is often on MSNBC, despite the fact that his radio show isn't truly national (in many cities, you cannot find him on the dial). "Big Eddie," as he is known in the state, has been in a few bar scrapes, and is also rumored to have once intentionally (or accidentally, depending on the story) shot his own dog while hunting.
Update: From a Fox embed:
After numerous inquiries from Obama’s traveling press, the Obama campaign eventually responded with a comment. “John McCain is not a warmonger and should not be described as such. He’s a supporter of a war that Senator Obama believes should have never been authorized and never been waged,” traveling press secretary Jen Psaki said in a written statement. The campaign also pointed out that Obama did not hear the comment and stressed that Schultz is not an Obama surrogate.
Update:
... Sen. Obama was on Ed Schultz's radio show on this past week: Wednesday, April 2, 2008. ... The online poll on Ed Schultz’s asks question, “Is Sen. John McCain a warmonger?”
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