Spokane7
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October 25, 2010 in Region
Michelle Obama, McCain enter Wash. Senate race fray
First Lady Michelle Obama, right, cheers Sen. Patty Murray at a Senate campaign fundraiser Monday, Oct. 25, 2010, in Bellevue.
(Full-size photo)
First Lady Michelle Obama tried to help get Patty Murray re-elected by telling a luncheon crowd to get “fired up.” U.S. Sen. John McCain tried to boost to Republican Dino Rossi’s chances of joining him in the Senate by saying Murray “engages in a corrupt practice.”
With eight days left in the election, Washington’s Senate race was dominated by surrogates today.
In a telephonic press conference set up by the Rossi campaign, McCain came within inches of calling Murray corrupt for seeking earmarks: “She engages in that corrupt practice. Whether she is corrupt or not, I’ll let others decide.”
The Murray campaign, which insists the earmarks go to worthy projects backed by communities, was quick to criticize Rossi for campaigning with someone it labeled “anti-Boeing.” Murray and McCain have a long-running fight over awarding the contract for a new Air Force tanker, on which Boeing and European-based Airbus are bidding.
The McCain teleconference was scheduled a few hours before Murray appeared with Michelle Obama in Bellevue, and was supposed to have two GOP heavy hitters, McCain and Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, on the phone for questions. Coburn didn’t get connected and McCain was cut off before the last question could be asked.
McCain blasted earmarks as “a disgraceful process” that Congress should end permanently. That’s slightly different from Rossi’s position that he will not seek earmarks until the federal budget is balanced, and at that point might consider them along with changes in the budgeting process.
“I don’t know why that should be a criteria,” McCain said. “I respectfully disagree with my friend Dino on that.”
Rossi wasn’t on the call. His staff quickly arranged another teleconference for him to reiterate his opposition to earmarks and say he’d agree to eliminate them if the budgeting process could be changed.
Michelle Obama told a luncheon crowd estimated at 1,400 that her husband “needs leaders like Patty to have his back. And Patty needs folks like all of you to make it happen.”
The election isn’t just about the work Obama and the Democrats have done in the last two years, she told people who paid between $75 and $150 at the Bellevue Hyatt Regency: “This election is about all that we have left to do in the months and years ahead.”
Supermajority for taxes unconstitutional, judge rules 
Dazzeetrader11 on October 25 at 10:24 a.m.
They MUST be worried. Clinton, Biden, Obama, Michelle Obama, Jill Biden,…..I’d like ot know who’s fotting the bill for all this? Something tells me it’s us.
No matter how many visits, Murray’s still corrupt and she’ll lose.
spokanecougar on October 25 at 10:33 a.m.
Daisy you should be more worried about the foreign money paying for your tea bagging candidates.
bdr on October 25 at 10:39 a.m.
They MUST be worried?
Heck yeah……do you remember Bush?
Bush cost me 43 grand so far, I’m not willing to repeat that mistake.
If you had a friend that never paid his bills on time and professed to pay himself before (he paid anyone)
would you put him in charge of your household banking?
if you like this summary vote Dino:
if you pay your bills first then pay yourself vote Murray:
misjustice on October 25 at 10:41 a.m.
intrade is predicting a win for Senator Murray.
http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/contractSearch/
Tell DiNO! NO! AGAIN!
; )
DeCaYeD on October 25 at 10:57 a.m.
I’m not a fan of Murray but she punished Dino like a school boy in the debate. However it is clear that the Dems are going to loose their ass in the long run.
Ron_the_Cop on October 25 at 11:11 a.m.
OK folks. Yes indeed they’re hauling in the big guns.
I would encourage new readers here to seriously read the comment thread in the S-R Editorial endorsement of Murray.
Here’s my latest comment:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/24/editorial-on-balance-murray-is-better-choice-for/?comments#c209719
Again my point re voting for the “least objectionable person” (LOP). In this case I CAN’T VOTEI for Murray on both ideological grounds and because I think she’s a crooked politician. She’s had eighteen years in office with a record she’s accountable for. If Rossi turns out to be a hack of the lobbyists then we have the option of voting him out in six years.
Don’t be misled by the political ad rhetorical mudslinging by either candidates or by those independently that have their own political agendas and special interests.
REMEMBER it is WE THE PEOPLE who are in charge. Cast your vote wisely.
schleufer on October 25 at 11:27 a.m.
did dinos bank get any of that bailout money?
liarsinnews on October 25 at 12:00 p.m.
The first lady should think about hitting up Mr. Abramoff for another cash donation to mom in her dirty tennis shoes. The jailbird gave Murray over $40,000.00 just before going to the Iron Bar Hotel and she spent the money, unlike Senator Cantwell and Hillary Clinton who returned the money back to the low life lobbyist. Heck, Murray refused to return the money like most of the other recipients and I`d wager if Ms. Obama receives more loot from him, Murray will keep the money and run in her dirty tennis shoes to make a deposit to one of her banking friends she helped to get back bonus money.
Shadedmuse on October 25 at 12:02 p.m.
Dino will become a three time loser like Christine odonnell, I wonder if Dino also lives off campain donations that is why he always runs, and he will always loose because friends dont let friends vote or drink rossi whine.
misjustice on October 25 at 12:06 p.m.
@ Shaded; Lol! Rossi Whine! Must be a red whine.
Tell DiNO! NO! AGAIN!
; )
Blondscence on October 25 at 12:31 p.m.
Murray is among the most corrupt senators there is! She is in a key race for the control of the Senate. I hope she loses. They must be worried to bring all those prople to Seattle. SHe doesn’t need money…she still have 7 of $17 million. It’s the “show” she needs. Hope she loses. Dino’s better.
No his bank didn’t get any bailout or tarp money. He’s a minority investor….
The things you people say!
priestriver on October 25 at 2:11 p.m.
OK do you think the Democrats will pull the same thing they did with the Governors race. After so many recounts they came up with some more ballots that they had found so they counted them and low and behold the Republican lost. So as you know some of us are just a little concerned what goes this time around.
misjustice on October 25 at 2:29 p.m.
@ priestriver; we learned from Florida 2000. It’s not who votes that counts; it’s who counts the votes.
Tell DiNO! NO! AGAIN!
; )
IHike4Fun on October 25 at 2:58 p.m.
I already voted … for Dino.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 25 at 5:07 p.m.
IHIKE (this absentee ballot works!)…me too! Vote Rossi…the last best hope for Washington!!…both of em! DINO!!!
lewis8457 on October 25 at 6:04 p.m.
Mrs. Obama while your telling lies why don’t you come to spokane ad explain to us why it is OK for our police to kill at will?
I voted for Rossi.
Sweetfire on October 25 at 6:48 p.m.
I think Michelle should have stayed at home in her garden.
509ifyourlucky on October 25 at 7:23 p.m.
Murray (stupid) needs to go. This woman hasn’t done a damn thing to get jobs to ALL of Washington state. This woman has voted for ALL tax increases. This woman took advantage of tax payers to have Dumb (obama) and his wife also Dumber (biden) and his wife campaign to keep her in office.
Peaches624 on October 25 at 7:29 p.m.
Murray spent 16 years under the BUSH administration and she STILL kept Boeing, truckers union, clerical union JOBS. Her ‘earmarks come from the people who SEND jobs HERE to Spokane. Rossi couldn’t care less about us on the East side.
lewis … you are really something else. When YOUR door is kicked in or YOU are mugged or stolen from, you would be dialing 911 soooooo fast. You sound like someone who has been on the wrong side of the LEO’s. Ever happen?
Cougardave on October 25 at 7:30 p.m.
My ballot for Dino’s already in the mail. Hopefully this time we can keep King County from cheating again.
Dazzeetrader11 on October 25 at 7:59 p.m.
PEACHES…Rossi’s family is from the Spokane area. Grow a brain. He loves it in Spokane.
UNION jobs kill…and that’s Murray’s claim to fame. Killed the economy with UNION favoritism. Now it’s time for her to reap what she’s sewn.
GO DINO!!!
Peaches624 on October 25 at 8:36 p.m.
DAISY ‘Rossi’ loves it here?? Who are you trying to kid. The good thing is he’s a 2 time loser and hopefully we’ll make him a 3 time loser!!! !! Not everyone is brain dead on this side of the mountains. “Union jobs kill??” Spoken like a true Republican. GOOOOOOOO MURRAY
Shadedmuse on October 25 at 9:19 p.m.
if you don’t like union jobs then why don’t you go get a job a minimum wage job at walmart and work your UNPAID FORCED OVERTIME, yes Walmart makes people work off the clock where they don’t get paid!! Walmart Kills not Unions. Unions protect the worker from Gready Corperations like Walmart and corrupt crooked Career Loosing Political hacts that can’t win state wide like Rossi WHine!! that is what he does is WHines after he looses an election, this is a guy that moved from Magnolia to Samamaish because he can’t get elected in Magnolia or State wide, because Washington state voters are smart enough to see through Rossi’s Whining B.S!!!!!!!
jddavis on October 25 at 9:41 p.m.
Peaches, didn’t Boeing HQ move to Chicago under Murray’s watch? Isn’t much of the 777 / 787 parts outsourced overseas and shipped here for assembly? Seems a lot of Boeing in-state jobs or potential jobs were lost to other states or overseas; anyone have numbers on that?
Jimmy on October 25 at 11:04 p.m.
Add me to the list. Already voted Rossi. Haven’t heard that from any of the Murray backers yet.
misjustice on October 26 at 6:59 a.m.
Jimmy; why would Murray supporters vote Rossi? There’s a reason you haven’t heard that!
; )
Tell the 2 time loser, DiNO! NO! AGAIN! Make him a 3 time loser!