GOP commences attack on Obama

By Myung Oak Kim, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 27, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated August 27, 2008 at 2:03 a.m.

Text size  

• 3 Comments
• Email
• Print

Photo by Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

From left, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. Eric Cantor, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart speak to the media in the Republican "war room" near downtown.

If Democrats are doing the dividing, Republicans figure they can do the conquering.

Prominent Republicans on Tuesday launched their first high-volume, high-visibility attacks on presumptive Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama.

Mitt Romney was first to step up to the microphone. Today, it will be former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And the Republicans promise more, much more.

But as they hammer Obama on everything from inexperience to big spending, they say they got a bonus in Denver. They're more than happy to point out the perceived divisions between the Obama and Hillary Clinton camps as the two groups warily circle one another at the Democratic National Convention.

"The Obama message has not resonated and the Democratic Party is not united," U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said during a packed news conference Tuesday at the GOP "war room" on Speer Boulevard. "There's a lot of factions who are not happy. I think the bounce they get this week will not be as great as they had hoped."

Blackburn joined several prominent Republican officials, including Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, to chip away at what they derisively called Obama's "rock star" status.

"Barack Obama is a charming and fine person," said Romney, who overwhelmingly won Colorado's GOP caucus in February. "But he's not ready to be the president of the United States."

Republican leaders have benefited from locking in their candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, months ago.

That's given them more time than the Democrats to craft a campaign strategy.

U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said Republicans "are never going to agree 100 percent of the time.

"But we certainly are united behind John McCain on the key issues of the nation."

In addition to Romney and Giuliani, the Republicans this week are bringing in Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who, like Romney, is considered a possible McCain vice presidential possibility.

Bob Beauprez, a former Colorado gubernatorial candidate, said opposing political parties typically stay out of sight during the other's national convention.

But the Republicans are not willing to cede the week to the Democrats.

The GOP is "energized," Beauprez said during a visit to the war room. Republicans are acting like "we're in this fight to win it."

kimm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2361

The big 5: Issues the GOP will use against Obama

* Lack of experience

It's the foundation of the GOP attack against the Illinois senator as he battles well-seasoned Arizona Sen. John McCain. Republican leaders already are pushing this message hard - pointing out that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden publicly used the same arguments.

"That is the top concern you hear from voters," said Matt McDonald, a senior adviser to the McCain campaign. "Barack Obama has had a tremendous streak of political success through this year. But I think what people are starting to wonder is if there's anything beyond the hype that we've seen."

* Taxes

Republicans typically use this argument against Democratic opponents and will continue to do so this fall. They claim Obama voted 94 times to raise taxes or to prevent a tax decrease, and earmarked $1 billion to his state.

"If you look at his record in a short time in the Senate, he has never bucked his party on any issue," McDonald said. "That doesn't create confidence in reaching across the aisle and getting things done."

* National security

It's an issue Republicans believe is theirs. McCain is a Vietnam War veteran who spent years in a North Vietnamese prison camp and has great expertise on military matters. The GOP will point out Obama's opposition to the troop surge in Iraq, and though Obama chose Joe Biden for his foreign policy experience, Republicans are saying Biden has been wrong on Iran.

* Energy policy

This is an issue that is close to Colorado voters because of the local oil and gas boom - and $4-a-gallon gas. Republicans say Obama is hurting the country's ability to gain energy independence by his opposition to offshore drilling and development of nuclear energy. They also say Obama has no real solution to dealing with high gas prices.

* Health care

Republicans emphasize recent comments Obama made about a single-payer health care plan, suggesting he would consider supporting one.

"Voters don't like having bureaucrats tell them what they can and can't do in terms of (medical) treatment," McDonald said.

• August 28, 2008

  6:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  cooday writes:

  “McCain is like a Grumpy Elephant with no vision and a flip flopping memory! There is a reason this Elephant is always attacking without a postive message. His trainers are Rove & Schmidt at the circus! We know what to expect at the McCain’s convention a Grumpy Elephant entwining his trunk with 2 Rogue elephants in Bush/Cheney with two cheering trainers in Rove & Schmidt who are trying to sell the American People a 3 rd George Bush Term.” RFK

• August 28, 2008

  6:50 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  YeilRaven writes:

  Democrats and Obamacans courting Republican and Independent voters. Join us!

  The Chantay's - Pipeline (Lawrence Welk Show)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j09C8c...

  Dean Martin & John Wayne
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5xBD...

  Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZBUb0...

  Obamacan's - “The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.”
  William F. Buckley, Jr. quote

  Vote Obama/Biden '08

• August 28, 2008

  7:13 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Eagle_Clan_Yan_yeene writes:

  We have Joe Biden on our side!

  The Republican attack machine is attempting to remove our Artists from this election cycle. We won't let them! Our Artist's voices count too and so do their fans! This is a Democracy!

  John Mellencamp - Small Town
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eDkAG...

  Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLt6k...

  "Rumble"-Link Wray
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUHz0i...

  Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqc...

  American Soldier- Toby Keith (tribute)
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctVI5b...

  “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.”
  Robert Kennedy Quote

  Vote Obama/Biden '08

Featured

• Legislature Blog

  

  Read live updates from the opening of the 2009 legislative session.

• Rocky multimedia

  

  The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.

• Who's next?

  

  Complete coverage of the Broncos' search for a new coach.

• Rocky year in photos

  

  View an audio slide show of staff selections from 2008.

• Winter Escapes

  

  Your insider’s guide to the copious joys of the coolest season.

• Sam Adams' Open Mic

  

  Open Mic: Two-man advantage with Avs

• Shanahan's career

  

  See photos from Mike Shanahan's career as Broncos coach.

• 12 days of Drew

  

  Look back at the year that has been with Drew Litton.

• A dream fulfilled

  

  A Rocky Mountain News and MediaStorm production