Roy Blunt praises McCain, disses Obama and offers his take on v-p
U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford and Missouri’s most powerful GOP member of the House, said this afternoon that Missouri voters may be intrigued by Democrat Barack Obama, but in the end, they won’t vote for him for president.
“There’s no question Senator Obama is an exciting candidate, with a great delivery,” Blunt said.
But he added that the Republican mantra will repeatedly be that Obama can’t deliver and “is not ready to be president.”
Among other things, Blunt repeated the GOP theme that Obama is all style, and little substance. Blunt also contended that Obama is too liberal for the state and the country, when it comes to taxes, the economy, energy policy and fighting terrorism.
Blunt made those assertions in a conference call Tuesday with reporters, on the eve of Obama’s trip through southern Missouri on Wednesday. On the same day he visits the traditional GOP stronghold of Springfield, then moves up to Rolla and Union, McCain is scheduled to be in Kansas City for a private nighttime fund-raiser.
The Obama tour is expected to be the first of several that he plans to make in rural parts of the country, said his Missouri ally and travel companion, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
Blunt said that McCaskill’s successful 2006 strategy of campaigning in rural areas doesn’t work as well on a national scale.
In the call, Blunt laid out his reasons why Republican John McCain is the better choice for voters in Missouri and the country.
In the end, Blunt said, Missourians “look for substance beyond style…When that happens, it will work to the advantage of Senator McCain.”
Blunt also parried a question by yours truly about who McCain might be considering as a running mate. Blunt said he has offered some advice, but made clear that he didn’t expect to be considered himself.
“I haven’t been vetted. I don’t expect to be vetted,” Blunt said.
He emphasized that he had remained neutral in the presidential contest, although his son — Gov. Matt Blunt — had endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Blunt said that there are numerous options for McCain, but that McCain must be careful to select someone with more experience that Obama.
To do otherwise (was this a hint against selecting Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal or Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty?) would deep-six the GOP’s main argument that Obama was untested and unready, Blunt said.
Surprise!!! Mitt Romney Yeah. Mitt is probably passing out money again like he did during the primarys. Giving volunteers a grand a peice sometimes. If you want to know why Mitt would be a horrible choice go to http://www.HotPres.com there you will see about 5 videos including one of Mitt Romney calling McCain dishonest. Yeah, Great Pick jerk off. At this point I dont think any Veep Pick can help John McCain, He is a sinking ship. An Old, Old, sinking pirate ship or perhaps a viking long boat. McCain cant win this, He is climbing a mountain on a walker., I dont think McCain can win as the GOP Nominee anyway. Could you imagine McCain even having enough energy to run your local Mcdonalds. Seriously. Think about it next time your in line watching the Mcdonalds manager run around taking orders and shouting orders. McCain couldnt do it. So I ask You, how will McCain be president??? Looks as though the RNC got behind the wrong candidate and they will pay for it., Guess they should of let the primary season play out without trying to minupulate the outcome.. Good news is i think McCain is just about done, I wouldnt doubt the GOP ditch him at the last second and run a younger more charasmatic charachter. Did you see him knock all that stuff off the shelf at the supermarket. the video is at http://www.mccanes.com all the while barack obama is looking like an NBA super star, (arrogence and all) even taking time to stop and have a cigar break video at http://www.theobamaplan.com
Obama! I just a newsreport from Union, MO and the people are lining up for tickets to the Obama bbq. They are so excited. Blunt and the MO-GOP should brace themselves for a major shakeup. It should only take a look back at 2006’s election results and the successes of McCaskill and Amendment 2 (Yes on Stem Cell Research)that times are a changing in this southern conservative state of ours…I like to say that I am from St. Louis, Misery! Obama 08!
I surely hope Roy Blunt is right! I am really not a big political activist, but I can say I am a Christian and belief in those values and morals. I do not believe Senator Obama is sincere in his speeches and is only telling the American people what they want to hear. He doesn’t seem like he can be trusted. We need a president who is going to work for the people, not just blow smoke. Also, is anyone else tired of seeing him on t.v. and every where else???? ENOUGH!! The media seems very one sided. I hope people will do their homework, and really see what kind of person this Obama is…keep in mind he is the same person who stated at some public event, we have 53 states?!?!?!? Think hard America we might be in for a hard life!!
I think someone without such an obvious political bias would have done a better job at reporting on this story. This is blatently an editorial and not “news”. Shame on the Post Dispatch for printing it as such.
Ronda - Obama was just looking to the future when he said 53 states.
51: Statehood for DC
52: Statehood for Puerto Rico
53: Statehood for Venezuela, then Chavez can be Obama’s running mate in 2012
Roy Blunt = GOP Power? After November, when there will not be any Republicans in statewide office in Jeff. City, the state GOP center of power will no longer be in SW Missouri. It shouldn’t be there in the first place. The Mo. GOP is way too far to the right and my wife and I will not be rewarding their “alleged” power with our votes. I do not care for the Blunts’ and having known Rod Jetton growing up, I dislike him now more than I did as a kid!
Amanda: A blog is not news. Webster’s defines it as “an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blog).
Ronda: Are you serious?!?! Well, Jesus Christ, I wonder who in the Bible would have condoned the behavior of the current administration…hmmm. And don’t even pretend like this war is valiant. I won’t even touch on the sheer insanity of Matt Blunt or your simple vision of Obama–I only wonder who your sources are. Are YOU doing your homework, or are you reading this garbage in your church newsletter?? I’ll end with commenting on a quote you made: “Think hard America we might be in for a hard life!!” Ronda, have you look around your teeny, tiny world? Have you seen that we are currently embarking on a long, deep recession? People are having hard times RIGHT NOW. The Christian thing to do would be to endorse a candidate who cares about the American people–someone with a little COMPASSION (which is, I think, a value that neo-conservative Republicans inherently lack). Do your homework.
Nick: So Chavez called Bush a devil–who can blame him with the Bush camp’s countless attempted coups, its funneling of money into radical opposition groups, its comparing him to Hitler (Cheney), calling for his assassination (Pat Robertson–so Christian, huh?), etc.? Anyway, I really doubt that a country with so much oil would be swayed to become a US state. The United States needs to stop burning so many bridges because we’re in far enough trouble as is.
Sounds as though Roy Blunt is appearing to say that Republicans can count on Missourians to be pretty stupid. Sounds like he is saying that no matter how much they spit in Missourians faces, ignore Missourians wills, Missourians will just keep supporting these self-centered Republican politicians of his element (kind).
If Blunt truly believes what he is saying, I know that Blunt is in for a big deservingly shock. He fails to understand that Missourians and most Americans are sick of him and his type.
Ah, but of course, it gripes the good old boys’ butts that things are about to change forever in their little unlevel playing field world. And even worse, they don’t know why, or how it happened, or what to do about it WHILE helping the american people at the same time. Uh, emporers, please hide those twigs and berries now exposed because this is a family values country!
Apparently, the RNC is a member of a larger, multinational organization, called The International Democrat Union. Geo. H.W.Bush is involved. The group (an International Group) will be a part of the Republican Convention. I wonder just how many people know about this?
http://www.idu.org/