McCain in Miami: 'We're all Joes'

Taking the microphone to chants of "USA,USA," Sen. John McCain is addressing a boisterous crowd at a lumber yard near Little Havana and making an urgent appeal for votes.

"We need to win Florida," McCain said. "On Nov. 4, we've got to win the state of Florida, my friends." At another point he said, "You know the pundits have written us off. Just like they have done several times before. They were wrong before and they’re wrong now."

Casting himself as a champion of the common man, McCain railed against the "excess, greed and corruption" of Wall Street, pledged to cut taxes and to "take America in a new direction."

"My friends, we've learned more about Sen. Obama's real goals for the country over the last two weeks than we have over the last two years ... and that's only because Joe the Plumber asked him a question in Ohio. We're all Joes."

 

He mocked Obama as running for "redistributionist in chief," then added, "I'm running to be commander in chief. Sen. Obama is running to spread the wealth. I'm running to create more wealth. Sen. Obama is running to punish the successful. I'm running to make everyone successful." (his full prepared remarks in the jump)

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ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain today will deliver the following remarks as prepared for delivery at the McCain-Palin 2008 rally in Miami, FL:

It's great to be back in Florida. We need to win Florida on November 4th, and with your help -- we're going to win here, and bring real change to Washington. We need a new direction, and we have to fight for it.

I've been fighting for this country since I was seventeen years old, and I have the scars to prove it. If I'm elected President, I will fight to shake up Washington and take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last. I'm not afraid of the fight, I'm ready for it.

I have a plan to hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competitive and create jobs here at home. We're going to double the child deduction for working families. We will cut the capital gains tax. And we will cut business taxes to help create jobs, and keep American businesses in America. Raising taxes makes a bad economy much worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs, keeps money in your hands and strengthens our economy.

If I'm elected President, I won't spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money. Senator Obama will. And he can't do that without raising your taxes or digging us further into debt. I'm going to make government live on a budget just like you do.

I will freeze government spending on all but the most important programs like defense, veterans care, NASA, Social Security and health care until we scrub every single government program and get rid of the ones that aren't working for the American people. And I will veto every single pork barrel bill Congresses passes.

I'm not going to spend $750 billion dollars of your money just bailing out the Wall Street bankers and brokers who got us into this mess. Senator Obama will. I'm going to make sure we take care of the working people who were devastated by the excesses of Wall Street and Washington.

I have a plan to fix our housing market, so that your home value doesn't go down when your neighbor defaults, and so that people in danger of defaulting have a path to pay off their loan.

If I'm elected President, we're going to stop spending $700 billion to buy oil from countries that don't like us very much. Senator Obama will argue to delay drilling for more oil and gas and against building new nuclear power plants in America. If I am president, we will start new drilling now.

We will invest in all energy alternatives -- nuclear, wind, solar, and tide. We will encourage the manufacture of hybrid, flex fuel and electric automobiles. We will invest in clean coal technology. We will lower the cost of energy within months, and we will create millions of new jobs.

We've learned more about Senator Obama's real goals for our country over the last two weeks than we learned over the past two years, and that only because Joe the plumber asked him a question in Ohio. That's when Senator Obama revealed he wants to quote "spread the wealth around."

Now, Joe didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house, and he didn't ask to be famous. He certainly didn't ask for the political attacks on him from the Obama campaign. Joe's dream is to own a small business that will create jobs, and the attacks on him are an attack on small businesses all over the country. These are people like Gus the homebuilder and Peter the exterminator right here in Miami. Small businesses employ 84 percent of Americans, and we need to support these small businesses, not tax them.

After months of campaign trail eloquence, we've finally learned what Senator Obama's economic goal is: to spread the wealth. In a radio interview revealed this week, he said the same thing -- that one of the quote, "tragedies" of the civil rights movement is that it didn't bring about "redistributive change."

You see, Senator Obama believes in redistributing wealth, not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs. He said that even though lower taxes on investment help our economy, he favors higher taxes on investment for quote "fairness." There's nothing "fair" about driving our economy into the ground. We all suffer when that happens, and that is the problem with Senator Obama's approach to our economy. He is more interested in controlling wealth than in creating it, in redistributing money instead of spreading opportunity. I am going to create wealth for all Americans, by creating opportunity for all Americans.

Senator Obama is running to be Redistributionist in Chief. I'm running to be Commander in Chief. Senator Obama is running to spread the wealth. I'm running to create more wealth. Senator Obama is running to punish the successful. I'm running to make everyone successful.

Senator Obama has made a lot of promises. First he said people making less than 250,000 dollars would benefit from his plan, then this weekend he announced in an ad that if you're a family making less than 200,000 dollars you'll benefit -- but this week, Senator Biden said tax relief should only go to "middle class people -- people making under 150,000 dollars a year." It's interesting how their definition of rich has a way of creeping down. At this rate, it won't be long before Senator Obama is right back to his vote that Americans making just 42,000 dollars a year should get a tax increase. We can't let that happen.

This Democratic Congress is planning all sorts of new taxes. This week, we are hearing they want to tax your 401k contributions. This is a time when we need to be encouraging more investing, not taxing it. We can't let them get away with making a bad economy even worse. Now is the time to grow our economy, and that's what I'm going to do.

My opponent's massive new tax increase is exactly the wrong approach in an economic slowdown. The answer to a slowing economy is not higher taxes, but that is exactly what is going to happen when the Democrats have total control of Washington. We can't let that happen. We need pro-growth and pro-jobs economic policies, not pro-government spending programs paid for with higher taxes.

This is the fundamental difference between Senator Obama and me. He thinks taxes are too low, and I think that spending is too high.

If we are going to change Washington, we need a President who has actually fought for change and made it happen. The next President won't have time to get used to the office. We face many challenges here at home, and many enemies abroad in this dangerous world.

Senator Biden warned that Senator Obama would be tested with an international crisis. I have been tested. Senator Obama hasn't. Senator Biden referred to how Jack Kennedy was tested in the Cuban Missile Crisis and I have a little personal experience in that. I was on board the U.S.S. Enterprise, and I sat in a jet cockpit on the flight deck waiting to take off. We had a target. I know how close we came to a nuclear war and I will not be a president that needs to be tested.

We know Senator Obama won't have the right response to that test, because we've seen the wrong response from him over and over during this campaign. He opposed the surge strategy that is bringing us victory in Iraq and will bring us victory in Afghanistan. He said he would sit down unconditionally with the world's worst dictators. When Russia invaded Georgia, Sen. Obama said the invaded country should show restraint. He's been wrong on all of these. When I am president, we are going to win in Iraq and win in Afghanistan, and our troops will come home in victory and honor.

Let me give you the state of the race today. There's less than a week to go. We're a few points down. The pundits have written us off, just like they've done before. My opponent is working out the details with Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid of their plans to raise your taxes, increase spending, and concede defeat in Iraq. He's measuring the drapes, and he's planned his first address to the nation for before the election. I guess I'm old fashioned about these things -- I prefer to let the voters weigh in before presuming the outcome.

What America needs now is someone who will finish the race before the starting the victory lap, someone who will fight to the end, and not for himself but for his country.

I have fought for you most of my life, and in places where defeat meant more than returning to the Senate. There are other ways to love this country, but I've never been the kind to back down when the stakes are high.

I know you're worried. America is a great country, but we are at a moment of national crisis that will determine our future.

Will we continue to lead the world's economies or will we be overtaken? Will the world become safer or more dangerous? Will our military remain the strongest in the world? Will our children and grandchildren's future be brighter than ours?

My answer to you is yes. Yes, we will lead. Yes, we will prosper. Yes, we will be safer. Yes, we will pass on to our children a stronger, better country. But we must be prepared to act swiftly, boldly, with courage and wisdom.

I'm an American. And I choose to fight. Don't give up hope. Be strong. Have courage. And fight. Fight for a new direction for our country. Fight for what's right for America.

Fight to clean up the mess of corruption, infighting and selfishness in Washington.

Fight to get our economy out of the ditch and back in the lead.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. America is worth fighting for. Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history. Now, let's go win this election and get this country moving again.

Comments

Polls are tightening...go, John, go!

[McCain = All bark no bite]

What does he want to fight so much anyway?

The Republican Party is party organized hatred -- they have nothing to run on but threadbare resentments from the 1960s.

[Not]

Go, Obama go!!!

mccain would have been a better president than bush was....but his time is over and his choice of palin was the biggest mistake of his life (bigger than cheating on his crippled wife with cindy mccain)

[Joe the Tax Cheat]

Why does McCain keep talking about this guy? He doesn't even pay his taxes!

I'm not a Joe . . . a guy who pretends he wants to be a business owner and doesn't have a license or pay his taxes. Joe is wannabe nobody.

[terminator]

weren't these the same idiots who were saying the same things about W in 2000 and 2004?
guess they never heard the old axiom about "learning from your past mistakes".
I'm sure there must have been talk about how they're going to get tough on Fidel Castro!
Castro is laughing his *ss off at these guys back in Havanna.
Don't they ever give it a rest?

[Stand Up Chuck]

What has Obama the snake been up to in DC?

It's known as the Global Poverty Act. It has been passing on VOICE VOTES ONLY for political cover!

It is a global Socialist UN tax with far-reaching implications such as confiscation of small arms and Kyoto compliance. It is shocking to say the least what Obama and the democrats have now proven to be capable of. We're talking 845 billion dollars for the Global Poverty Act and it would be a perpetuity tax! In addition it includes a secondary bill for 75 billion that would forgive all outstanding loans from 3rd World countries. The grand sum total for the first year ONLY would be 920 billion dollars - money we do not have at all, but why hasn't anyone besides Glenn Beck told you of such a horrendously evil Socialist Global UN tax???

The Democrats DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN UP TO because they are trying to end US sovereignty. They have been bought out by the globalist Socialist CEO's

Watch Glenn Beck's video, and when you get mad enough to vote for principle for one day in your life, vote for Mc Cain - Palin 08

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PePbtEABzGk

S. 2433: Global Poverty Act of 2007
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-2433

Take a look who is the sponsor of the bill.

[Stand and UpChuck]

McCain Trolls please give us a break. We need to hear the facts in order to make an intelligent decision in this election, and your shrill whining is drowning out the truth. I understand you are upset because you think your corporate gravy train might be coming to an end, but I guess you're going to have to earn what you make instead of stealing from the taxpayers as you've been under G. Bush. I want to hear about Barack Obama's plans to bring America back to greatness and our leaders to have some accountability. I think after the election is over, we need to hold John McCain accountable for the anti-American lies he's been sprading in a desperate atttempt to salvage his election.

[TXDave]

And the award for Most Chronic Over Use of the Term "My Friends" goes to . . . JOHN MCCAIN!

Seriously, he needs to knock it off. Is he trying to be more likeable ro somehting? If so, why is he always wanting to fight?

He's NOT my friend. Obama isn't my friend, Bush isn't my friend, none of those dang politicians are my friend, so just freaking stop already!

[Freddie]

poor johnny mccain, the scion of adimrals, serial adulterer, who married into wealth, who's never earned a private sector dime, owns more houses than he can count, part of a banking collapse scandal, would have you think that he cares about the problems working people in this country. the real scary thing is that there is anybody still believes he has a an ounce of credibilty or is fit to run this country.

[Jose el Fontanero]

You sold your soul, Lt. McCain.

[Goldwater Guy]

McCain and Palin coming to a town near You!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bB2rt3IKJc

[Bob]

I don't think I can afford to be one of McCain's Joes. He seems to think everybody makes more than 250k.

[Joe the Voter]

John McCain if you are trying to send a message to me, I can't hear you! Your trolls are too busy screaming nonsense about socialists and terrorists, and if you have something to say about the real issues, it's completely lost in the clamor of these idiots you've hired.

I love what Mccain stands for..not The socialist/communist Obama

GO Mccain!!!

[John]

I like Joe...Biden!

Maureen Dowd goes rogue on Rogue Palin:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/opinion/29dowd.html?em

MUHAHAHAH!

[Mary]

....but Obama promises the moon, conveniently can't explain how he's going to deliver (guess, take a wild guess. Pssst. the answer is HIGHER TAXES). If Obama wins, (heaven forbid), oh, yeah there WILL be huge changes - (at least that's 1 promise he'll keep) to everyone's tax bills and not for the better. To all the liberals out there, not every Democrat is a Bible-thumper. If Obama wins, my motto will be proven: The masses are asses.

Wow McCain now begging..sorry McSenile you and Caribu Barbie will lose Florida.

[Donna]

Hey John, why are Palin's health records in hiding?
What could be so damaging that you deny Americans the truth. Last time you bastardized documents, we went hunting WMD's:
Weapon's of Mysterious disappearance!
Something is rotten in Alaska!
Demand Palin's medical records before you vote, not when it is too late!

[BOOSTERMOM]

just wait all these people that are all about obamas promises will be crying soon and they will have no one to blame but themselves well i guess there is always impeachment but then we will have biden obama is attacking palins inexperience hey you idiot where is your experience waiting.....waiting.... ohhh 2 yrs in the senate and how long is your political record yes thats what i thought go back to the senate and earn what your preaching just because you use fancy words to say nothing and pass it off as gospel means nothing its amazing how he has no accountability for associations ohh those stories get squashed immediatly has he served (other than senator)a day for his country does he put his hand over his heart for this country NO HE DOES NOT!!!!!! crying all of you thats not what he said yadda yadda hope the bradly effect happens this time around voter fraud is rammpent and i ask all the people that are voting for the first time all of the well lets not go there where were ya 4 yrs ago or 8 yrs ago or since you were eligible to start voting ohhh now your coming out of the wood work wasnt all that important before right? enough said GO McCAIN!!!!!!!!

[Donna]

boostermom, try spell check next time you create a 300 word dissertation!
And FYI it is the Bush/McCain team that has destroyed this nation...the economy is on the backs of all those folks with the black "W" stickers.

I don't think it's going to matter WHO gets elected. There is so much hatred coming from BOTH sides that, whoever it is, probably has a good chance of being assassinated - along with their respective running mates - not long after the swearing-in. Don't get me wrong, that would be terrible.

We think this country is in trouble NOW? This is a cake-walk compared to what's coming.

[rick]

McCain railed against the "excess, greed and corruption" of Wall Street?What a laugh just google KEATING and savings and loans and even now 7 of his 10 top advisers are wall street crooks.

you are all SCHMUCKS,
grandpa GRUMPY...

SCHMUCKS!!!!

Ummm..I must have MISSED the part where the democratic campaign is ATTACKING "Joe the liscense-less plumber".Mc liar is going to LOSE this state..and the election BIG TIME!!

[jim]

i don't think mccain gets it with the joe's commerical, not one makes over 1/4 million a year.he is going to tax every body that makes over 1/4 million a year after expenses, that's payroll ins, and the rest of the deductions that he has to pay no tax on the middle class, better get his facts straight with the straight talk express.sick and tired of hearing i'm been tested, he has not been tested as a president if he wins, nor has obama along with 43 others that ran for president you get tested while your in the oval office not before you become the president

[Shelby]

"The economy is not my strong point."
- John McCain, 2008

“McCain's recent conduct of his campaign -- his willingness to lie repeatedly (including in his acceptance speech) and to play Russian roulette with the vice-presidency, in order to fulfill his long-held ambition -- has reinforced my earlier, and growing, sense that John McCain is not a principled man.”
--Elizabeth Drew, writer of the book "Citizen McCain", a positive book about John McCain:
http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.cfm?catid=1&subcatid=4&threadid=1427848&start=1&CurrentPage=1

[rick]

Re:Freddie I can't beleive people are misinformed as to how corrupt Mcinsane an Palin really are as well!I'm not a democrat and not real high on Obama but he is ten- fold a better choice than these crooks the republicans are giving us.And who ever gets in is taking over a country in dire straits, because of what Bush and Wall Street has left in their wake.All the bailout did was help the big banks to give their top people big bonuses and cash to buy out the smaller banks who are our only hope.

[McCain AKA Dumb a---ss]

McGoat is not a Joe,nor has he ever been a Joe or ever will be a Joe,he can't relate to the common person,he doesn't know what its like to be out of work,nor how it feels to lose your home,WHAT A F___ING LIAR

I love what McSame stands for... creamed corn and a pair of Attends in every pot!

GO McSame!!!

[mac daddy]

McCain thinks all you spanish people in Miami are stupid,he laughs at you behind your backs,smiles in your face and begs for your votes,you people need to stand up and show him how smart you really are by not falling for his B--S,and for you people of color,you don't think he calls you the N-word behind your backs

[Cuban native]

Don't be fooled bye Mcain my fellow cuban citisens hes just another wolf in sheeps clothing.
Vote Obama if you want your self and fellow cuban american's to get ahead.
Thank you and vote Obama 08...

[McCain]

for all of you who aren't millionaires,under my plans you never will be more than jobless,homeless and worthless,I'm going to milk you out of every last cent,you think Bush has put a hurting on you,you haven't seen nothing yet

[Rick]

Did you hear? Donald Trump endorsed Mccain, what a surprise. America he is for the rich we as middle america need change and Obama in 08.
All you cubans in Florida need to vote Demecrat for a change, lets make a difference and stop getting fooled bye the Republicans. Don't believe all the lie's.Vote today for Barack!

does anyone who supports mccain really understand what a socialist or socialism is?

seriously.

you aren't even fooling yourselves -- how is this a talking point?

[JOHN]

"We're all Joes"...does that mean I can practice my trade illegally without a license? Or I can hold $1,200 back in income taxes I owe? (Both things Joe the plumber has done!)If cheating and lying are Joe & John's way - then I want no part of it.

[Simon]

What IS it with this Joe guy? I'm a writer and understand the use of metaphors, but give me a break. He's an unlicensed blue collar guy!

And 4:49, no they don't. Not one con knows what socialism is. To them it's a fear mongering catch phrase because republicans are terrified of their own shadows. It's called right wing authoritarian personality complex. Basically they find someone they relate to and put them in authority, have no qualm with being submissive to this person and form an aggression to people not like them. These people are the cause of all of their problems. It could be American Muslims (not terrorists), monogamous gays who want to marry, democrats, feminazis or anything else. Rush is a perfect example. His followers will believe anything he says. He said all drug addicts should go to prison, but he was one. When he was called on it, he screamed, "But...I didn't mean ME!!" If Obama is serious about the tax break and we each get an extra $18 bucks a week or whatever in our checks, he will say that it is not there, and his minions will believe it, because he is their chosen authoritarian. From what this campaign has proven, is that no one knows what socialism is and they just want something to be afraid of, something to point their fingers at fear and blame and socialism is NOT going to happen here. Republicans need to be afraid of something and this time around it's socialism. It used to be that there was a commie behind every bush, then hippies, then commies again, then gays, then everyone is a terrorist and there are a million names on the watch list, and now it's socialism. I would bet dollars to donuts that not one of them could give me a written essay on the difference between a socialist, a Marxist, a Leninist, a communist, a democrat and a liberal despite the fact that they all have different names for a reason. And if anyone tries to, do not use that cow and milk analogy. I've hear that and yes, it is funny.

[Former GOP]

You make more than 250K a year? John McCain's got some "socialism" comin' your way!

[Don]

Does anyone have the photos of MCains 17 houses.

[WILL VOTE,I MEAN IT]

How Barak will allocate our nation’s education dollars.. http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/27/obamas-education-groups-funded-controversial-organiations-s-tax-returns/

What’s all this talk about wealth redistribution? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iivL4c_3pck

[Peter]

If Obama had any initiative he'd collect a government pension, a government salary and marry a woman who inherited $100 million dollars.

[Amy]

Wow, the aggression for McCain only shows the insecurity that people have. My only question is........
How many of you would have not turned your backs on the people you were with to save your own?????
I wonder who has turned their back on everyone "he never knew”. Hmmmmmmm
*As for the Cubans....... GO McCain

Brilliant!! What's the best thing we can do in a slowing economy? Let's go ahead and raise taxes on businesses when there revenues have already diminished and cause more layoffs and lower wages for the middle class. I guess you must think the ceo's and execs are going to shoulder the burden. Yeah right. Blame Bush for the economy?? I'm sorry but we are here because of the democratic support of freddie mac, and them shooting down the republicans attempt to reform fannie mae. Nationalizing health care?? That willcause businesses drop there coverage and lower quality. McCain has fought for our country, Obama refused to wear an american flag pin and hangs out with multiple antiamericans. How could you vote for a guy like that?? Change??? I'm for a change for the better.

What's with all the holy rollers spreading lies about Obama? Don't they pay any attention to the teachings of Jesus anymore? What's with all the name calling and nastiness? I haven't heard Obama call McCain any vile names. Obama is still married to his wife and he loves his two children. McCain is a serial adulterer who can't keep it in his pants, no matter to whom he is married at the time. You evangelicals have really convinced me just how morally bankrupt and craven you are, that you obsess so much on lies, violence and wealth in order to keep political power for yourselves. After your team loses next week, you should take some time to repent of your sins, read your bibles, and start trying to act like followers of Christ for a change.

[David]

I live in Miami Florida and I personally know of many people who cheat on their taxes. There are so many of my own neigbors who either own a small unlicensed business usually landscapers, hanyman or other service business and they brag about making close to $100,000 a year, yet since they get paid in cash for most jobs, they only claim to make $20,000 a year. They also claim the earned income credit and get back $4000 on their tax returns. These are the same people who are crazy about Obama!
I call them Juan the Handyman, Jose the Plumber etc. Miami has so many of these people and if Florida looses to the Democrats, that is the reason why.
so many dishonest people. I hope somebody finds a better way to crack down on them. Maybe big government is what is needed to get these people busted! They can learn there own lessons the hard way.