Just in from CNN's Political Ticker: CNN's Political Ticker
John McCain is slated to raise questions about Barack Obama's background and question the Illinois senator's truthfulness at a rally in New Mexico later Monday, one day before the two White House hopefuls square off at the second presidential debate.
The comments, which come hours after Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin publicly questioned Obama's patriotism while raising questions about his connections to onetime radical William Ayers, are among McCain's harshest language to date on the campaigning trail and signal the campaign is ratcheting its attacks on the Illinois senator with less than 30 days remaining until Election Day.
"I don’t need lessons about telling the truth to American people," McCain will say according to prepared text sent out by his campaign. "And were I ever to need any improvement in that regard, I probably wouldn’t seek advice from a Chicago politician."
UPDATE: Way to kick us while we're down, Johnny. Go Cubs Go. :(
ANOTHER UPDATE: Great comment below from Lysias... how's this anti-Chicago gonna fly in Northwest Indiana, the bulk of which commutes to jobs here in Chi-town?
For someone who was a part of the notorious Keating Five Keating Five scandal to levy attack after attack against an entire city is rich. McCain would have you believe that Obama was knocking back beers with Al Capone during prohibition for all his attacks against Chicago's political scene.
First and foremost, Obama isn't Mayor Daley or Rod Blagojevich; legislative politics in Illinois are a world away from Chicago's City Council. Second, as someone who has worked in politics on a national level in Washington D.C. and currently works in politics in Chicago, I can tell you that the Washington scene is far more broken than the Windy City's. Chicago politicians don't smile and kiss each other's asses; if they don't like you or what you stand for, you know it. No mincing words. And Chicago's residents are unabashedly opinionated about politics. You can spend 15 minutes in a cab and know exactly which taxes the cab driver is opposed to and which Aldermen he'd throw right out of his car if they attempted to catch a ride. God forbid people have a little PASSION about politics. Is that what McCain is so against?
Do you know why Bush won the 2000 primaries and McCain didn't? Because Bush tore McCain down from a war hero to a coward and a liar. Do you know why Bush won the 2004 elections? Because he tore Kerry down from a hero to a coward and a liar. Now, McCain has employed the same tactics and individuals who destroyed him eight years ago and battered his so-called "friend" John Kerry, and he's looking to take down Obama in the same classless, immoral way. Obama, on the other hand, poised and level-headed, doesn't need to tear down McCain to look good to the desperate American people, starving for change. In fact, Obama looks so good on his own that the more digging McCain and Palin do, the better Obama does.
Sarah Palin made the mistake of insulting community organizers in her RNC speech more than a month ago. Now McCain is insulting an entire city in an effort to take down its "prince." The Maverick may not want to "seek advice from a Chicago politician," which is probably a good thing. We wouldn't want any of our passion wasted on him.