Lorain/Elyria, OH
Days before election, McCain visits LCCC
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ELYRIA — At a quick-and-to-the-point rally at Lorain County Community College, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain made a plea for the presidency in front of thousands.
The senator from Arizona, looking to increase his standing in Ohio in an effort to grab the state’s 20 electoral votes, rolled his “Straight Talk Express” bus into the city after similar events in Defiance and Sandusky.
With a message of reform, prosperity and peace, McCain, who is trailing Democratic presidential rival Sen. Barack Obama in national polls, reminded the crowd he stands for the same simple values as they do and would use those principles to guide him as the next president.
“I’m going to go to Washington and change Washington and bring ‘Joe the Plumber’ with me,” he said.
The brief stop totaled less than 15 minutes — much shorter than the two hours many waited just to get a glimpse of the man.
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| BRUCE BISHOP/CHRONICLE |
| John McCain meets the crowd at Lorain County Community College. |
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the future president of America,” said 21-year-old Paul Skorvanek of Lorain. “I like the way he carried himself. I think he is the right man for the job.”
McCain was joined by South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, his wife Cindy and daughter Meghan, and political celebrity Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher. Wurzelbacher’s presence was not just on stage but in the crowd, where numerous handmade signs that read “I’m Joe the Plumber” waved as he told the crowd to “Vote for the real American: John McCain.”
McCain pledged to keep taxes low, not increase spending, stop corruption in Washington, create jobs and keep the country safe. Talk of “energy independence” and “off-shore drilling” further energized the crowd, but not nearly as much as when McCain uttered the name of his running mate.
The mere mention of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who was stumping in other parts of the country, caused the crowd to break into chants of “Sarah, Sarah, Sarah.”
Amy Young of Amherst, 29, a mother and self-proclaimed independent at the McCain rally said she is all for Palin.
“She’s a mom. Moms are the best multitaskers there are,” she said. “I wanted Sen. Hillary Clinton because she was a mom. I think it’s time not only for a little change, but a big change.”
Young said she is bucking the trend of those in her age group and not supporting Obama.
“I go with what the person stands for, not what the party stands for,” she said.
Young said she wants the focus back on those who have supported themselves their whole lives.
But before McCain said he could make that happen, he told the crowd there was something he needed them to do for him. With just five days left before Election Day, McCain asked each audience member to call 10 of their friends and get them to call 10 of their friends to encourage them to back McCain.
Then, he said, all of them can quiet their doubters and make some real change.
Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.
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And McCain’s bus needs to keep on going. People, do you read the Washington Post? Maybe you should today before you vote. “President Bush and his Administration is currently working on enact a wide array of federal regulations which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment before Bush leaves office in January. The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo.†Haven’t you had enough of the last 8 years? For some reason local newspapers just don’t seem to know how to print these types of articles. Think before you vote. Obama ‘08
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Elyria Limerick:
Here comes the old John McCain
To visit the County Lorain.
His message will trouble you.
He sounds like George W.
He’ll cause the economy more pain.
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Obama: “I will cut your taxes!”
Obama: “I am going to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire.” (translaction - a tax increase)
Obama: “I will not raise taxes.”
Which Barak Obama are you voting for?
By the way, . . . A show of hands please for all those that sent back their stimulous checks because they didn’t like the Bush tax cuts.
“We want change!” . . . Change to what? More government control?
Quick, name three things that the government has taken over from the private sector and improved them.
Think before you mark that ballot!
Bill
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BNull: Bush owed us a lot more than the stimulus checks he sent out which covers a period of the 8 years he has been screwing the American public and helping big corporations make their huge profits as far as I’m concerned. We’ve seen his track record for 8 years. What exactly do you call the train wreck we have now? Good economy and good business? Enough of this mess…you don’t know what Obama can do until you give him a chance. You DO know what Bush has done. Or, what do you call the mess we are in now? Someone else’s doing besides the Bush Administration. Please.
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Paulagirl10
“Bush owed us a lot more than the stimulus checks……”
Oh My God, nobody owes us a darn thing, get off your lazy A$$ and really work for a better life. Quite expecting hand outs. Better yourself for yourself.
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3M- guess what - I’ve worked my entire life since 16 years of age and have worked every minute of overtime when available. I DO know how to work. What is disheartening is when you continue to earn more, but still have less. Don’t tell me to get off my lazy butt and work - I ALWAYS have. Now, thanks to Bush all my overtime is gone.
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The mess we’re in has as much to do with people buying houses that were way out of their price range as it does anything else.
It’s called greed and it runs from Wall St. right down to Main St.
You know, we call our grandparents the “Greatest Generation” and rightly so. They fought WWII and had a large part in building this country into what it is today.
They would have been embarrassed to ask for the handouts that Americans expect today!
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Hmmm interesting I just heard on the radio that O-Force Obama plane has kicked off three news papers from the US tour. These three paper endorsed McCain……. Shades of what is to come????
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When you work harder and have less, it comes from either of 2 things . . . higher taxes or higher inflation.
Higher inflation comes from an increase in the cost of running a business. One way to increase the cost of running a business is raising taxes. It’s not really that complicated.
Everything the government does is a financial burden on the U.S. economy. Some things are worth the burden they create and many things aren’t.
We’ve got to get out of this Union mentality that always says big business is to blame. Big businesses also employ a large portion of the U.S. population.
BTW - I’m guessing that George Bush did not call you employer and tell them to cut your overtime.
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Paulagirl
I have also worked since I was 16 and find that I am working harder and bring less home. Well, it isn’t Bush’s fault alone, the democrates have has their hands in it also.
There is far too much government control over our lives. Let me handle my own money for SS that they take out, let me have a say in what my tax dollars are spent on. I am capable of handling my own finances and can do a better job of it then the government.
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Paulagirl, you’re sounding more like a Republican than a Democrat!
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washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/31/washington-times-kicked-obama-plane-finale/
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“I am voting for Sarah Palin because she is a woman. She can multitask” says Amherst woman.
And some say the people are not stupid!? What about the issues lady? What about her history and credentials? You heard that “multitask” stuff in the media. Geesh!
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Just like the differences of colors, cultures, and income, there are different groups of poverty- the ones that know (or maybe they don’t) that are always dependent on others and don’t care, the ones that pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, the single ones with children that burn the candle at both ends, the ones who are given everything for the rest of their lives by their rich families (some of those choose not to allow it). Don’t forget about the homeless. What about the ones that don’t have a choice but to be dependent on the system because they are too young, too old, or too sick? These are the people that will always need the system. But the system needs to work. Voting for the right person means looking back to see where he/she once stood. Did they help the system or cause it to be helpless. “People say one thing and mean another”. Let that person’s previous actions stand for the future, not what he/she is saying. Vote for who is going to make things work.
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quote by PaulaGirl, “What is disheartening is when you continue to earn more, but still have less”
Vote for Obama and that’s exactly what you’ll get as a hard worker. Those that don’t work will get the rest of your earnings.
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I agree, Warlock.
Anyone who once supported Hilary and now supports the McCain ticket because of Palin couldn’t have their head any further up their own a$$.
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Wake up Elyria!!! If you think Obama can live up to any of his promices you all have your heads up your A$$…It wasn’t President Bush that put us where we are today,,,It was the stupid Democratic Congress you all voted for. They are a bunch of do nothings for anyone but themselves. Too bad you’re not smart enough to see what has been going on for the last 8 years.
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Roses are red
Violets are blue
If Obama is elected
AMIERICA IS THROUGH!!!
Since we are submitting poetry…..
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“It wasn’t President Bush that put us where we are today,,,It was the stupid Democratic Congress you all voted for. They are a bunch of do nothings for anyone but themselves. Too bad you’re not smart enough to see what has been going on for the last 8 years.”
Your typical well informed sheep…
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Ohhh, poems!
Here’s one I just wrote:
“Mary had a little lamb,
It’s skull was thick as stone,
And everywhere that Mary went,
That sheep would complain and moan.
Mary asked her little lamb,
What’s your problem now,
Answered her pataetic sheep,
Obama’s not like my crowd.
Mary was distressed by this,
Her actions told us so.
Mary clubbed that stupid sheep,
Served it up, and said,
If election day doesn’t get here quick,
Soon all my sheep will be dead.”
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