Cindy McCain: Obama's Waged "Dirtiest Campaign" in U.S. History

darius15

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Tue Oct-07-08 04:49 PM
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Cindy McCain: Obama's Waged "Dirtiest Campaign" in U.S. History

Cindy McCain said today that she expects her husband to clear the record at tonight�s debate and let America know where he truly stands.

McCain, who stopped to visit a half-dozen children at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children�s Hospital at Vanderbilt today, said the presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has "waged the dirtiest campaign in American history,� and her husband Sen. John McCain will use tonight�s debate to correct the distortions.

�What I have found is that it�s necessary to make sure the American people understand what we have to say, what we stand for as a husband and wife, and what we will do for the American people if we�re lucky enough to be elected,� Cindy McCain said.

Cindy McCain, who has said she initially did not want her husband to enter the 2008 race after the contentious primary he lost to President George W. Bush, said this race is even nastier.

In the midst of a deep economic crisis, the potential first lady said, the blame game needs to stop and civility in politics needs to make a comeback.

�The days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O�Neill are what we need to look to: a divided government but a government that needs to agree to disagree,� she said. �We�re now seeing polarizing factions, people politicizing things that should be about what�s best for America. Instead, they�re doing what�s best for themselves.�

Before interviews with the press, McCain spent about 20 minutes visiting with children staying at the hospital who gathered to work on voting bags to pass out to other patients. Cindy McCain spoke in hushed tones to the children and worked with volunteers to assemble the packets.

Edd Allison, who volunteers at the children�s hospital once a week, was pleased to meet the candidate�s wife.

�She�s a very admirable person, and she does a lot of good in the world,� Allison said. �I have a lot of respect for her.�

Carson Winston left with a prize he was sure his father would envy: Cindy McCain signed his T-shirt, which now reads �Carson � My new best friend!�

Just two of the youngsters in the room were close to voting age: Beatriz Zamora and her friend Anna Robertson. Both 17 and classmates in an AP government class, they�ve been following the race closely and wish they could have the chance to cast their vote.

Who would their vote go to? Beatriz cocks her head and stares intently.

�Barack Obama,� she said firmly.

Still, both girls were excited to meet the Republican candidate�s wife.

�We like the McCains too,� Anna explained. �We just like the Obamas better.�

For Ireland Lane, 7 �, meeting Cindy McCain was everything she hoped for. As she sat in McCain�s lap and posed for a photo, Ireland learned they both like math and reading.

�She was pretty,� Ireland said with a beaming smile. �She was nice, too.�

Her mother, Danielle Lane, was thrilled to meet a fellow Navy wife who is so pro-military.

�She�s so down to earth and nice,� Lane said. �It was really great to see her.�

And when she gets home, the first thing she�s doing is putting that picture of her daughter and the potential next First Lady of the United States on her MySpace page.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081007/NEWS0206/81007055

Boy, it definitely is silly season.