A Debate About the Economy

In the last few months there was a debate about the U.S. economy. The moderator, Peter, asked a simple question. I'd like you to identify Candidate A and Candidate B:

Peter (moderator): “Do you think if Americans were asked, ‘Are you better off today than you were before George Bush took office more than seven years ago?’ What answer would they give?”

Candidate A: Certainly, at this time, we’re in very challenging times. We all recognize that. Families are sitting around the kitchen table this evening and figuring out whether they’re going to be able to keep their home or not. They’re figuring out whether they’re, why it is that suddenly and recently someone in their family or their neighbor has lost their job. There’s no doubt that we’re in enormous difficulties.

Candidate B: “I think if you look at the overall record, and millions of jobs having, being created, etc., etc., you can make an argument that there’s been great progress economically, over that period of time.

Candidate A: But that’s no comfort, that’s no comfort to families now that are facing these tremendous economic challenges.

Candidate B: But let me just add, Peter, the fundamentals of America’s economy are strong.

Boy, Candidate A is pretty pessimistic about the economy. Sounds to me like John Edwards, Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Candidate B is much more upbeat, a kool-aid drinker, sounds like McCain or Guiliani or Karl Rove.

The answer: both are John McCain. The quotes are taken verbatim from an answer he gave to the question above.

“Certainly, at this time, we’re in very challenging times. We all recognize that. Families are sitting around the kitchen table this evening and figuring out whether they’re going to be able to keep their home or not. They’re figuring out whether they’re, why it is that suddenly and recently someone in their family or their neighbor has lost their job. There’s no doubt that we’re in enormous difficulties.

“I think if you look at the overall record, and millions of jobs having, being created, etc., etc., you can make an argument that there’s been great progress economically, over that period of time. But that’s no comfort, that’s no comfort to families now that are facing these tremendous economic challenges.

“But let me just add, Peter, the fundamentals of America’s economy are strong.”

And this is why we call it the Double-Talk Express. Every time McCain opens his mouth, whether it's on economics or foreign policy or his own opinions, he often states both sides of the argument. That way, when you criticize his words on this statement or on 100 years in Iraq, McCain can point to the rest of his statement as a rebuttal.

By the way, here is Obama's statement on the matter:

“Senator McCain says we have made, and this is a quote, ‘great progress economically’ these past eight years, and he promises more of the same.

“Well, I couldn’t disagree more. Since George Bush took office, we’ve gone through the first period of sustained economic growth since World War II in which the incomes of American workers have actually dropped. 7 million more Americans don’t have health care. 1 million more Americans are out of work. Millions of families are facing foreclosure. You’re working harder for less, and paying more for tuition, more for groceries, and more at the pump.

“To me, this isn’t ‘great progress.’ This is a cause for concern and an impetus for change. Yet Senator McCain wants to double down on the Bush economic plan…. In fact, Senator McCain conceded not long ago that he didn’t know much about the economy. That’s not his interest. That’s not his priority. But it will be mine.”

McCain's campaign, not surprisingly, has whined that Obama is taking McCain's words "out of context". Big surprise.