Jack,

I don’t know if Mccain is correct in that statement because I don’t know what that statement means. I suspect neither does John Mccain.

Jack -

McCain is out of touch with reality.

$4 a gallon gas (and rising), credit crisis, record foreclosures, dropping home values, rising unemployment, decline in high paying manufacturing jobs, increasing “under employment” for many with jobs, no healthcare for millions, and no concern by McCain.

He is doing ok with his wife’s Billions. What about us folks?

4 more years? Hell no.

McCain is delusional if he thinks the fundamentals of the economy is strong. His knowledge about the economy is zip. His expertise is in wars because he was in one, like many others. Doesn’t he watch CNN?
California

That’s a question for an economist…are we feeling a new pinch at the gas station? Yes. Are we worried about the resale value of our cars about homes? Yes. Re we worried about our retirement accounts? Yes. Does that mean the sky is falling? That’s unclear

Who’s economy is McCain referring to? China’s? India’s? He is just removing all doubt that economics is foreign to him on all levels.

If the fundamentals were indeed strong, we wouldn’t be in a recession, thousands wouldn’t be out of work, the price of gas either wouldn’t be as high or wouldn’t be our prime fuel option and on and on. When any candidate makes such a blanket statement, there’s so much more to be explained and without explanation it’s just so much air. McCain has a talent for blanket statements and for not coming up with solutions for problems he addresses.

He’s got the tense wrong; they WERE very strong a decade ago. Bush changed all that and MsSame has vowed to continue the debilitation of our economy. I mean, he is the guy who admitted he doesn’t know crap about economics, isn’t he? Well that’s the only thing he does know – nothing.

The trickle down economics the Republicans love won’t work in this economy. Nafta has reconfigured the outcome. The idea that by giving big spenders tax cuts, they will reinvest in companies and provide people with jobs used to work well. But now those companies just send the jobs overseas for cheaper labor. To make matters worse, we have seen that by building other countries up in the trade arena, they have needed more energy, causing our energy prices to spike. The economy is working great for the big spenders in the USA, but the average worker is competing with workers overseas who will do their job for $4 an hour and forced to pay higher gas because of them.

This must be some use of the word ’strong’ I am not aware of. Maybe it’s like in the 80’s when everything ‘bad’ was good. But then again, maybe not. Presuming this isn’t opposite day, McCain is dead wrong (again) on the economy. Sure, there may be certain sectors of the economy that are doing well, but by no means are they ‘fundamental.’ Someone needs to get this guy into an Economics 101 class, and pronto.

Absolutely, Jack. You take away the economy crippling price of fuel, the budget busting price of groceries and the bottomless moneypit called Iraq and our economy is doing “FANDAMTABULOUS”!

How would he know, he admitted in his own words, “I must admit, i know very little about economic issues.” BTW, what planet is he on? Because he may be talking about mars or jupiter.

I think that it depends on which side of the “money” that you fall on. If for instance you are in oil the ecomony is great . . . however, if you are on the consumer end of it, the economy stinks. I know that oil is only one portion of the equation, but it looks as though that is what is driving our economy into the pits right now.

What has McCain been smoking. If he really believes that the economy is still in good shape,then he really has no clue about anything.

May be in some areas. But those fundamentals are good for the last century. This is a new world we have and a with a new global economic trends. So those old fashion fundamentals needs to be revised in many areas, if American still wants to be the leading economy in years to come.

Nuwan from Houston, TX

No Jack, the fundamentals are only good for the 1% of the top who own 1/2 of all stocks. Everyone sees the fundamentals differently, painfully…

I don’t know which fundamentals McCain is talking about. I’m quite sure he hasn’t a clue either.

The fundamentals of the economy are strong; they’re not booming but they are still sound. The news media loves to hype “recession” talk constantly and if it’s said over and over again, people begin to believe it. Try going to a restaurant on Friday/Sat nights; they’re packed. The same for movies. Traffic on the Memorial day weekend was not down from previous years. The jump in the unemployment rate which threw Wall St into chaos on Friday was mostly due to kids graduating college and being in the job market. The price of oil is being fueled (pun intended!) by speculators. Oh, and the foreclosure “crisis”… most of them are people who had absolutely no business buying a house out of their reach but being lulled into those “interest only” and sub prime mortgages.. Let’s just all get a grip!

“The fundamentals of our economy” are like beauty They “are in the eye of the beholder”. If you are married to Cindy McCain they probably appear to be ” very strong”.

To the average person who buys food and gasoline every day “the fundamentals of our economy”"appear to be terrible.

Bob
Louisville, Ky

He is absolutely right! History has shown us,as recently as the Clinton Presidency,that with the right policies the economy can change for the better in a heartbeat.And that is because the fundamentals are strong,but needs to be used to advantage,not to fund wars that benefit only the oil sector.

Maybe for the elite. Let them come down to my level or some one who is worse off than I and let him see that he speaks with forked tongue. We are in a recession and have been and nothing is right.

No. Oil prices and the housing market are the two big variables which are out of control. The markets hate uncertainty, and they have that now in great abundance, which contradicts any ideas about the economy being ’strong’.

McCain has little choice but to say what he did, but he is wrong. Neither candidate has much of a grasp of economics, sadly.

Talk about out of touch with reality. This man has no business sense at all. We are losing more jobs to overseas than ever before and these are the jobs that pay the bills, manufacturing. His idea is to send people back to school to learn a new trade but we won’t need them to learn anything as the jobs are not here to work in. This man should get out in the real world and look at what is really happening but he would still say things are great, just like the current president.

This is Bush speak again from McCain. I doubt the 1 million folks loosing their homes and those folks that are part of the 5.5 percent unemployment in this country buy what McSame is selling.

I think he’s right. When you’re married to the heiress of the Anheuser-Busch fortune, what’s $4.50 at the gas pump (as it was here today in California?) What’s a health care crisis? What’s unemployment?

Like his buddy, George Bush, McCain experiences the world through the security and stability of wealth and privilege.I’m not surprised at all that he has no understanding of the financial stresses and hardships that are affecting so many of us right now. Why would he?

Jack: McCain is fundmentally flawed in his statement. If fact any statement or message that McCain will say or deliver from now until the general election will always be linked to the Bush Administration. And with all going on today in the nation……well you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that our economy is in trouble and it is affecting each and every one of us.

Yes if he is referring to big businesses like Exxon and rich corporate executives. No if he is referring to the working men and women who are struggling to buy the gas that Exxon and other oil companies are selling at record breaking profits.

What can I say Jack. He’s a Republican and he too lives in LA LA land. We have 2 candidates now who are a few bricks short on knowing whats going on in the real world. There’s no telling whats going to happen if either one of these guys get elected. Guess I’ll just cross my fingers and pray to God!

Larry in Florida

I think that statement is a perfect way to view this whole election.

It is true that the US economy has historically always been strong. However, the world is changing. The assuption that the US economy is “fundamentally strong” negates the fact that the world economy is changing. Look at the failing dollar. Is our economy still going to be strong when the Euro becomes the world currency? I doubt. Is a lot of the world talking about switching? You bet.

I think it makes him look like what Obama is going to paint him as, out of touch and too old.

This is the MBA approach to governing. Focus your evaluation on a narrow set of criteria and then declare victory. Republicans evaluate the economy on growth. Doesn’t matter if one person gets all the growth and everyone else eats bugs. So McCain is right if you like beetles and grasshoppers.

Jack
John McCain needs to take a nap, if the fundamentals of our economy are so strong why is my chevy in the garage with an empty gas tank and why am I eating oatmeal for breakfast, lunch and dinner ? Is this what the GOLDEN YEARS are like?

Jack,
Even John McCain doesn’t yet know how badly Bush has sold us out yet. Only occasionally do we get a glimpse of the fire sale of American assets that has been going on for the last 7+ years. For McCain to say our economy is sound is to admit that he only reads the Sunday funnies. Either McCain is lying or stupid.

the fundemental basics of our economy are strong but rampaging speculation in oil and energy, unethical lending practices and manipulation of the oil and stock markets by greedy, along with complete lack of oversight by not only bush but the pathetic excuse for congress is what is causing the trouble.

I guess by fundamentals he means Capitalism. I’d say Capitalism is very strong. We just don’t seem to be very good at it lately.

Let’s see, Jack:

We have a huge deficit that is getting larger everyday.
We have a trade deficit that is making the dollar weaker.
We have high gas prices that keep getting higher.
We have high unemployment that is getting higher.
It’s called “stagflation”, and it’s NOT sustainable.

This proves that John McCain doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about!

It must be senile dementia setting in, Jack. There is nothing good about this economy, fundamental or otherwise. Of course, if I owned multiple homes, had a private jet at my disposal and a fabulously wealthy spouse I might not know or care milk has gone up 40 cents a gallon in less than a week . We’ll be fighting the cat for the Fancy Feast before long.

Of course he’s right Jack, when it comes to his economy. He and his wife are so wealthy they can’t be touched by economic downturns, unless people stop drinking beer. That won’t be happening anytime soon.

The Middle Class is the backbone of our country not the aristocracy. Look at our history and you’ll see that the nation’s health, in the World Health Organization’s definition of the word, was best when we had a strong Middle Class. A shrinking Middle Class is a threat to America’s spiritual, economic, physical, and societal health.

We’ll suffer cultural whiplash going from Bush to Obama but he is our only life raft on the water.

How is it possible this man is running for the highest office in the land? McCain is so out of touch, as to make him pitiful. Of course with the riches he and his family are sitting atop how would he ever know the difference.

His ignorance of our economy is further proof that McCain is out of touch with America. But I’m not surprised. This past weekend I listened to Senator Kyl talk about how the economy isn’t in a recession and is better than what’s reported on the news and I wondered if any Republican has a clue. Maybe they just don’t care as long as they and their rich friends get richer while the rest of us work ourselves to death trying to buy the necessities in life. I so look forward to election day.

Whether or not John McCain is technically correct seems irrelevant. The statement is designed to be misleading and it suggests that he will not take much action on the economy as president. If he truly cares about the people suffering from high gas prices and home foreclosures, then he will have to offer more than these vague suggestions.

I’d say it’s becoming pretty apparent why he finished almost at the
bottom of his class in college. He apparently was never very good at
fundamentals, especially math.

Maybe if you are in the upper 1% that the GOP favors. The answer is NO to the remaining 99%. The man is scary. This proves how out of touch he and his advisors are to the needs of the common citizen. God help us if he wins the general election.

Jack,

If John Mccain means fundamentals as the American people, then yes the fundermentals are very strong.

However, the mismanagement of the US economy and the increasing national debt (helping to lower the value of the dollar) is only going to burden more US citizens with increasing fuel and food costs.

I’m from the UK and until recently I was pretty much set to live in the US. Not no more! To do so would be financial suicide at the moment.

Fundamentals? very strong? well yeah, to him it is because the economy doesn’t’ affect him. Him and his wife have millions. what exactly does he mean by that anyway… i would love to know

Jack,

He’s just as right as when Bush says the fundamentals of the economy are strong, or when they tell us that Iraq has WMD’s and has strong links to al queda. These are just more lies and half truths from the republicans because they know that John McCain is seen as weak when it comes to the economy. With all the reasons you’ve listed, it’s definitely issue #1 right now, so the republicans are trying to down play how bad things really are so they can focus on more important things like banning gay marriage or taking away a womens right to choose, or that if we leave Iraq “the terrorists” win. Hopefully this year voters won’t be distracted by these tactics.

Someone around him need to to tell the old man the truth about the economy.

jonh mcbush is stupid his economic plan is the dumbest plan ever .
it is basicly bush in the white house all over again. if we want the same as bush years we should just let bush run again.

Jack, Of course he is right , to him “our” means me and Cindy.I can not understand how people believe John McBush feels “our” pain when they own many homes ,corporate jets and a beer company. I bet you five bucks Mrs. McCain does not get her clothes at Walmart either. OBAMA all the way.
Connie

Jack,
What this statement from McCain just means is that he is either out of touch with realities on ground or he is just a hypocrite. Maybe both.
I can’t just understand these republicans who call themselves conservative christians. The truth is that there is nothing about Christlike in all of them. They do not have conscience and are simply wicked. Period.

Atlanta, GA

This man is already showing signs of Reagan in his later years. McCain doesn’t have a clue about the economy. The fundamentals are not strong when unemployment, foreclosures, energy prices, and food prices skyrocket. However, wages continue to be stagnant or decrease. The fundamentals should be balancing budgets not trillion dollar wars, not billion dollar buyouts, not stimulus packages that don’t work, not losing thousands of jobs oversees, not being dependent on foreign oil.

Wildwood Crest, NJ

One of the fundamentals in an economy is the supply of energy. Without that, all other economic activity grinds to a halt. Clearly we are not in a strong position on energy, so McCain’s statement is fighteningly wrong. I’m terrified that anyone who says this would be considered for the highest office in the land.

Jack-McCain see the status of our economy from a Global standpoint -that is international trading is strong, but it is hurting this Country,
McCain needs to put an end to catering to the Lobbyists. If McCain wants to lead this Country, he better start listening to the American people and paying attention to where our Monetary System is headed.

Hi Jack:

It’s the old shell game, a play in words. If McCain really feels that way, he is in denial about he condition of the economy. He needs to wake up and smell the coffee.

Ron San Diego

Jack,

The spouse of a multi-millionare would hardly know how the fundamentals of our nation’s economy are doing. Especially one who admits that this subject isn’t his (Mr. less than a C student’s) strong suit. We simply can’t AFFORD to have John McCain and his cluelessness on a matter this importance in the White House.

He readily admits the economy is not his strong suit. This is the only thing he’s said that I actually believe him. Listening to him talk about Iraq, I don’t believe Iraq is his strong suit either like he says it is.

Apparently he is more secure in his current job than I am in mine.

Hey Jack
McCain is talking to those that he plans to look out for if he is president. The “haves,” the rest of us he could care less about! What kind of fool would make a statement like that today? In other words, “let them eat cake!” If this man becomes president I will seriously have to think about being an American. I may just have to “follow the money” and leave the country. There are millions of good white americans, black, yellow,red and brown, but the nuts are taking over and the quality of life here is sinking like the Titanic. Americans wake up! The nuts are taking over! and the “haves” are behind it all, we are all being used!
Cinti Ohio

John McCain only considers his “personal” economy and doesn’t take into account that of the nation. Who wouldn’t, with a billionaire wife! What he fails to notice is the state of disarray this country is in and of the millions of Americans that are now suffering. I’m thoroughly convinced this man is in the initial stages of dementia and has no grasp of “strong fundamentals”.

Can you trust someone that admitted to be weak in knowledge about the economy? He has even said that our economy is doing ok although most Americans know we are in the midst of a recession. I know I wouldn’t trust an arsonist to extinguish the fire.

Oh my Lord no. He is complety out of touch and missing the grand picture of a bleak ecomonic future. Energy and agriculture prices are out of control and they are not going to ‘correct’ anytime soon, if ever. With the introduction of wealth in enormous population centers like China and India, consumption of energy and food will only get worse. If something fundamental is not done in our country to address our reliance on foreign oil and the lack of adequate food production, then our ecomony will suffer badly. McCain’s attitude about ‘fundamentals’ may be correct at this point in time, but he is missing the big picture; i.e. “the future”.

My economy is doing outstandingt but I planned for events like this. Hurry up and fill those tanks I need the money for my portfolio.

John McCain is right as long as you have the same fundamental belief he has, which I don’t, so truly don’t fundamentally agree or understand anything he’s talking about.

He is obviously living in another country because the US’s economy is screwed up. I guess if my spouse was a multi-millionaire then I would think that everything is fine as well.

Jack I think that John McCain is showing some signs of um….delusion maybe (trying be nice). Maybe for him, Bush along with other rich Americans the “fundamentals of our economy are very strong”. He only shows how out of touch he is from the majority of us Americans. He thinks that his proposed gas tax holiday is going to give Americans money for school supplies in the fall or maybe we can go out for a nice dinner. First of all being in college my school supplies run up into the hundreds of dollars, so gas tax holiday won’t help there…Second what does he want? Me to go to dinner by myself with the $30 I would be saving. That won’t take anybody’s family to dinner except maybe at McDonalds. Maybe they could even go 2 nights in a row, wow he will help the obesity epidemic. Doesn’t he have people around him who know enough about the economy to stop him from saying such foolish things? You know what, let him keep up with these really ignorant comments they just make it easier for us Democrats to take the White House back come November. So keep up the great work McCain.

Yeah Jack!

I bet he still swear’s by his old victrola!!

i’d like to visit that la la land the republicans live in. they really pretend not to get it.

He’s talks about Obama being an elitist - sounds more like he is. He is really out of touch with what your everyday average citizen if facing. Just like is suggestion with the gas tax holiday money - take your family out for a nice dinner - Jack where can you go for a nice dinner on $28.00?

Was John McCain’s first job to relocate the deck chairs
on the Titanic?

Jack, I support Senator McCain and he is dead wrong, but both presidential candidates are weak, when it comes, to the economy. After 30 plus years, of economic degradation and the constant outsourcing, of American jobs supported, by both political party’s we have no industrial base, to bounce back, from a recession. Corporate greed and feckless politicians are destroying our nation, in the way Marx and Lennon predicted.

Don’t buy the hype, Jack. Our economy is very strong. Despite Obama’s ranting, we are in part of the natural business cycle. But, don’t take my word for it, look at the unemployment rates in other countries, especially Europe. For that matter, look at our historic annual growth in comparison with European countries. Public sentiment may be at a low point, but since when has the public been experts on economics?

The country may be fundamentally economically strong but the Captains of industry and the stewards of the country are an abomination. Their naked greed has replaced honor, respect, and dignity and have betrayed the trust of law abiding American citizens. Sure, the Bush Administration is guilty but so are the 535 incumbent “Stewards” in Congress. Bush has to go; Congress needs to go. Make it happen.

Very stong, very strong? Yah I could say that if my wife was doing as well as his. Mine however, works for a florist in the low teens per hour bracket but I’ll tell when she complains about fuel that the economy is very strong not once but twice.

Are you kidding me??? This further proof that he needs to find a nice retirement village and move in. Then he won’t have to worry about that darn troublesome economy. The only decisions he should be making is whether he would like to have green or orange jello.

He has admitted that he is weak in the subject of the economy. Ifn fact he has also said that we are doing Ok, even though we are in the midst of a recession. Would you trust an arsonist to estinguish a fire?

The medication McCain’s taken for the past 8 years has turned him crazy!

Jack

It’s obvious that 28 % of the population are pleased with the economy.John MCain is one who beleives the Emporer’s Clothes look great and will probably fit in November. Richard Nixon stated 6% unemployment was desireable. A statement which I will never forget.
It’s a matter of perception. Either, your the bear or the food for the bear. I fear we are not in a recession because this is surely much much worse!!

Jack,
I love your segment on The Situation Room but your questions regarding McCain are starting to get a little redundant. We all know McCain doesn’t get it. Every American who’s net worth is under 250k per year is fully aware that John McCain is just another anti-middle class rupublican who likes to hide behind fear tactics and empty promises. McCain’s ideas are so outdated I’m suprised anyone even knows what he’s talking about. I can’t wait to hear his concession speach after losing by the biggest landslide in U.S. history.

Yes, the fundamentals are good if you are a member of the Republican 3% Club at the top where the fundamentals include the Bush tax cut.

Why do people think that McCain is talking to the average voter when he says that Obama will raise taxes? The average voter doesn’t make more than the $250,000 that Obama ways will be his dividing line.

John McCain needs to stand at a gas station some afternoon and get input from the gas customers instead of the gas companies. But I’m not sure even that would help. McCain is reality-challenged and it’s too late for a crash course. He and his heiress wife live in a different America.

even if all prices went back to prebush (food, gas, utilities ect) it will take decades for the middle class to recover. this is another example that mccaiin is actualy bush and hasn’t got a clue. why is it republicans dont understand, evidently they have more money than brains or maybe theyre master plan is coming together. doug in knoxville arkansas

Jack,

Yeah they sure are if you are a political animal based in the 1970s and think that inflation is a good thing. The man admits he knows nothing about the economy…on the bright side if he keeps campaigning on the economy it is likely that the US will see a totally new administration in the fall.

Jack, what do you expect? John McCain spent all his life in either the US Navy as an Officer or in the US Government as a Legislator. I doubt he has the slightest idea what the average American family is going through right now because I doubt he has ever had any worries about money in his personal life.

As a stockbroker I point out that the S&P was up 326% under Clinton but is actually down from the day Bush took office. This is the worst domestic market going back to Truman and yet Bush wants to replace Social Security with stock market investments. If we do that, let’s hope that there isn’t another Bush in office. Who is going to invest in a country that believes only two things, borrow from other countries to pay for running our government, and war is the only tool available for running foreign policy?

Al
Fairfield CT

He also thought it was good to talk to Keating back in the time of the savings and loan failure so this goes to his bad judgement.

Sounds like Bush-politics to me. Is he not paying attention or just trying to be funny? Sounds like Bush-politics to me! While the rest of the country is suffering from family members dying in the war and people losing their jobs.
We need to stop spending so much in Iraq and help the citizens of US.

Ha ha ha. Sorry I can’t stop laughing (or crying) long enough to answer the question!

Does John Mc Cain live in the same United States of America that the rest of us do?

While my family can weather the current situation, many families cannot. The sharp rise in unemployment should be enough to get anyone’s attention. Rising prices and no jobs does not exactly equal “strong.”

Jack

If I was the Iraqi leadership, I”d sooner buy a used car from Dick Nixon than trust any deal cobbled together by George “Walkaway” Bush. He is a high smellin, low down, yellah bellied, flannel mouthed, four flusher, and his word ain’t worth a plug nickel. And thems his good points

Paul in Tejas

it shows you what wealthy people think. harry truman once said ” it’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job. it’s depression when you lose yours!” maybe john mccain should be in the same depression as i am to understand economics a little better!

Jack, That’s why Sen. Barack Obama should be President!! He Get’s It!!! Furthermore, Who Ever Is Sen. Obama’s Campaign Treasurer Should Be Hired As The Manager Of This Nation’s Finances. Why??? John McCain’s Campaign Is In Debt, Ask Yourself Do You Really Want Someone Who Can’t Run A Campaign Without Going Into Debt To Be President Of The United States??? Sen. Obama’s Campaign Is Not In Debt. That’s As Real As You Can Get.
Patricia
Palmdale, Ca.

If he keeps talking like that they’ll be chasing him out of those townhall meetings.

Jack: Yes John Mc Cain is right when he says the fundamentals of our economy are very strong—-As in Strong Smelling. Our economy stinks to high heaven and John McCain’s lack of economic experience will very likely make it reek even more. We need the breath of fresh air and change that the Democrats and Barrack Obama will bring. We need a better America for our kids that we will get by fumigating the current administration and not making the same voting mistakes in 2008 that we did in 2004.

Jack,

Carly Fiorina is one of McCain’s top economic advisors and being touted as a possible VP. She was fired from her last job where she saw the value of H-P cut in half on her watch and was personally responsible for more job losses in her company than what McCain’s policies will be able to bring back to the country! Of course, she got a $21 million buyout when she was ‘fired’. I guess “strong economics” to a Republican is taking care of their own CEOs while screwing the workers when the man/woman at the top screws up.

Ron
Washington, PA

McCain is living in the past Jack

The fundamentals of our economy are strong if you are in the upper 20% of income. If you are not a professional or Tech business owner supplier you are out in the cold. Not just fundamentaly but actually.

These are the ones who can take advantage of the downturn in the housing market and soon the consumer markets. They will build wealth, unfortunately on the backs of those who are now fundamentaly screwed. Thanks to Bush Mccain economics.

3 Billion dollars a week for Raytheon, Halliburton, General Dymamics,
and other war suppliers for Iraq while we lose our homes.

Bushonomics

John McCain is out of touch with real working pwople who know that the economy is NOT! strong. Hard working people have lost their homes through no fault of their own because of rising economic prices which they are not allowed to control. Property taxes, flood insurance, home owners insurance.

Also the national unemployment rate only tracks those currenly fileing or receiving unemployment. If your unemployment has run out, you are no longer counted. If you did not qualify for unemployment insurance you are still unemployed but are not counted.

Jack. No, because those fundamentals are flawed when large corporations can receive government financial bailouts and thereby escape the basic market corrective forces that punish bad company policies while smaller businesses, on the other hand, who make good policy decisions suffer because they are caught in the negative downturn created by these same larger, multi-national businesses. McCain’s view on the economy matches that of George Bush, who also thinks the economy is sound but simply going through a few minor bumps. They also think the Iraq invasion was a good decision.

the fundamentals of our economy are very strong??? It seems like Mccain is just make a generalized statement about economic growth and not about the state of the economy. The statement is typical meaningless political rhetoric. Mccain can’t win if he keeps saying nonsense like this.

This is more proof that McCain will be 4 more years of Bush. This is the same strategy they always use, state everything positively even if you know it’s false. The media will print it and if you say something often enough, it will come true. Create your own reality. Maybe they’ll make a cabinet level position for the Ministry of Propaganda.

You show your own ignorance when you make fun of this, Jack. The “Fundamentals” of the economy are the ideas behind it: Free Trade, a laissez-faire free market economy, and entreprenuerism which have allowed the country to become the economic powerhouse it is. To use these defining fundamentals as the reason why the economy is falling now is akin to saying that the flour in your bread makes your jelly taste bad. McCain is 100% correct in saying this.

Are you serious??? This question is a bad joke - right?? I’m the same age as he is and if I stated to my family that’s struggling to make it that the economy is good they’d be admitting me to a Long Term Care Facility in short order.

Kendall Hewitt

Putting her on the ticket ias Vice President the best way to get Hilary’s supporters. I am one of them and if Obama is not wise enough to do this, I am voting for McCain. My family and my partner will do the same thing. And I will bet you $5.00 that many others will do the same thing!

Gail from Arizona

Scott - Wichita, Kansas - the flour in your bread is making your brain overheat. The issue is not about the fundamentals of the economy. It is about the mismanagement of those same fundamentals. Bush didn’t have a clue, and McCain can’t find his way around Wall St. Stop repeating the same old generalties without dealing with the specifics.

The U.S. economy has slipped so far into uncharted territory that it is highly unlikely anyone even knows what the fundamentals are anymore, let alone if they are sound. We appear to be in deep mud at the moment, but problems inspire innovation, and innovation results in new products, new markets, and better ways of doing things. In a few years we may have a much stronger, greener economy. No pun intended.

Fort Collins, CO

Yes Jack, fundamentally to far to the right.

Von from Louisiana

The only way Obama will get my vote is if he add’s Clinton to his ticket.

I really believe he lives in a “Fairy Tale Land” ! Of course he and his wife live on millions every day, I bet he does not even know how much a gallon of milk cost! He needs to think of people who live on minimum wage and are dealing with gas, food, and medicines.

After hearing Sen.O’Bama today, McCain comes across as completely out of touch. Jack, it’s even more reason why I’m an Obamacan.

Ffist John McCain tells us the U.S is “winning” the war in Iraq. Now, he tells us the economy is “fundamentally sound”. The more I listen to this guy the more I realize he really doesn’t want to be President of the United States. Either that or it’s time for the men in the white coats to take John McCain away.

Jack;

McCain has spent too much time listening to Bushs’ denials, and the right-wing spin machine. Like Bush, He is out of touch with reality.
At least in that respect, He’s acting like a conservative.

ES

It scares me to think that someone running for the most powerful office in the world doens’t have a clue what’s going on around him or in the world..

Actually, it shouldn’t scare us as we should be used to it after electing another ‘idiot’ twice in a row, but it should really scare us now…Just look at this country and the economy…

If this country elects McCain, he needs to change his name to McBush..

McCain is looking through Bush’s rose-colored glasses and couldn’t be further from the truth.

I think the country has had enough of the so called ‘trickle down economics’, it seemed to trickle just to the wealthy and stop. I just listened to john mcwar say he wants further corporate tax cuts and they should trickle down to the lower classes. How elite of him. I think I like Obama’s from the bottom up strategy better. we can’t afford mcwar.

We should listen to McCain only when he substantiates his talk about economy with quotes from at least some economists. If he consulted with some economists, we should check on the economists themselves. McCain should get his talk checked beforehand. We don’t deserve to be misguided. We haven’t done anything wrong to him. We’ll not do anything wrong to him if we vote for Obama on November 4th.

Shafi Alam
Austin, Texas
Now Tokyo, Japan

This comment is beyond comprehension. Makes me ask, does McCain have “intelligence we can believe in”????

I think that everyone who believes that the stimulus rebates, which John McCain supported, were a bad or worthless idea (since most people are using the money to pay off their bills rather than to stimulate the economy) should donate their rebate check to the Obama campaign. That should provide a good reality “check” for McCain.

John McCain should actually “fund- a -mentally” compentent economist to make his statements.

Jack,
Sen. McCain is retreating back to this Bush leadership approach where if you only say positive things maybe it will actually come true. Spin, Spin, Spin…this corrupt government’s wheel. People are losing jobs by the thousands. Any type of job creation is at McDonald’s. Gasoline and food cost an arm and a leg. People are losing their homes and their faith in the American dream. Our economy is strong?? You know, people question how could Obama be a part of that church and not do anything about that crazy pastor? I want to know how Sen. McCain could be a member of congress all these long years and not do anything about the direction of this country?

The fundamentals of the economy are very strong for the wealthy. It’s just the middle class and the poor who are struggling. McCain doesn’t get it. This morning on American Morning you all had Carly Fiorinia, the ex-CEO of HP, on to defend McCain’s economic policies. That’s like George W. Bush sending Dick Cheney over to defend giving no-bid contracts to Halliburton.

Joe
Missouri

McCain says the fundamentals are strong? Is that why yesterday the European banks expressed their anger at us and are asking for new regulation of our banking industry?

McCain’s a fool wanting to continue the policies of a fool.

Obama 08

Well, he did say that he doesn’t understand economics!

Like most Republicans, he doesn’t understand it if it doesn’t have any personal experience with it. McCain has loads of money, no foreclosures for him, $5/gal is no problem in the McCain household, and he has health insurance (and WE pay for the bulk of it).

Sen. Connie Mack denies that there is a health care crisis because his family is very well cared for - again, on OUR dime!

Give me a break!

Jack:

I believe that McCain was trying to say that the American economy is very resilient, which I also would like to believe, but with the way things are going, vague optimism will not be enough to meet current and future economic challenges.

Alex,
Washington

Fundamentals? It is possible that the fundamental ideas of the economy are good. But it isn’t the fundamentals that are important. It’s implementing those basic fundamentals to the CURRENT economic situation and producing CHANGE! Its always good to have a starting point, but I think McCain is trying to make voters feel better and unless we see change, that’s not going to happen.

John McCain acts and speaks like a man who is completely out of touch with reality. To me he is looking like he is confused and is in his own little world. Is this the man we would want in the Oval Office?He acts like he would probably use the Red Phone to order a pizza. Would we be electing him or Cindy? I have not watched a Bush speech in years because I could not stand that smirk. McCains stupid grin is the same thing. The economy is BAD!

The economy is strong, we are winning the war in Iraq and should stay there as long as it takes, no matter how much it costs, and we should make sure not to communicate with anyone who doesn’t see things our way so we can get ourselves into a similiar quagmire in the not so distant future? Experience doesn’t mean anything, if you don’t learn something along the way!!

Its sad to see how far John McCain is actually going to appeal to his base. A statement that ignorant should only be coming from the lips of George Bush, and the fact that there is another person so blind to the world around him and the piles of evidence being presented on a daily basis scares me politically as an American and intelligently as a human being.

Dash
Hibbing, MN

Keep in mind he’s a republican. They tend to use a different metric to measure these things.

McBrain,

Has done it again! This statement proves that he is only speaking the same priveleged rhetoric of the rich. He wishes to have town hall meetings debates with Senator Obama I just want to know if he will give me a ride to the venue! Please keep your 10 percent views within your circle of cigar smokers and silk tie wearers.

Darnell

With Mccain,counituing the war.united states have no good economic future.

I believe McCain was correct when he said that the economy is not his strong point. It was Republican thinking(even as far back as Reagan and his deregulations) that has caused us to be where we are today.I am hoping that we citizens will wake up and finally realize that the Republican philosophy of small government only causes us large headaches. Like everything else Senator McCain needs sit back and let the Democrats do what they do best. Clean up Republican messes.

Too bad, Jack, Sen John McCain is not living in reality. He seems to ignore the fact how economy is getting worse and poorer.

I am one of the million in our state struggling since the Iraq war.

I believe, it is time for a change, real change including the leadership in Washington

McCain has it right. The fundamental economy is strong. Individual
income, the housing crisis et al are the result of mistakes made by individuals who failed to get a good education, fail to do due diligence
when being courted by ambitious realtors and lenders, and above
all always sitting around waiting for the Democrats to take care of them
from cradle to grave.

The fundamentals of McCains economy are GREAT! How much is his wife worth again? I think he needs to start taking geritol and double the daily dose!!

By the way….If I move to Phoenix, do you think he would rent me a room in his (excuse me) her mansion, at a reduced rate??

The economy is like Iraq. Its fine in the green zone. If you have the green, commodity prices are negligble and its a good time to consolidate real estate holdings.

Ray Murphy
California

Jack since 22% of Americans think the econemy is fine maybe they should just vote for MCain, the other 78% of us that know its falling apart will vote Obama and then we can go about the serious work of starting to fix it.

McCain says the fundamentals are strong?

He not only looks like a crazy old man, saying things like that also makes him sound like one!!

Yeah, it’s strong like a skunk!

John McCain is asleep at the switch as are most Republicans in Washington! They are rolling around in Millions while the rest of the country is wallowing in a pit of depression trying to make ends meet- -OF COURSE THE ECONOMY LOOKS GOOD——-TO HIM!

No, he is as far wrong as it is possible to be. It’s moronic

John McCain has lived his entire adult life supported by American taxpayers. 1st in the Navy then in Congress. He has a wife with sufficient wealth to shield him from the realities the 90% of rest of us face. How can he have a grasp of the economy?
As an aside. I wonder who payed for the coffee he had at that Richmond coffee shop. I didn’t see him reaching for his wallet. Or was it on the house? If I had his perks the economy would be fundamentally sound for me too.

Yet more proof that the deindustrialist s on the right don’t have a clue. I believe that the Republican agenda is to create a society with 3% rich and 97% poor. Where are the guillotines when we need them?

Jack-

McCain is right. Fundamentally our economy is strong. Every few years the economy experiences a recession. Just like we are in now. And as for oil prices…can you say price bubble? Just like the tech stocks in the early 2000s, and then the home market more recently, oil is in a price bubble and its just a matter of when that bubble will pop.

–Joe
Omaha, NE

HIS economy is in good shape - his wife is rich!

Jeff,

It’s funny that McCain is saying the same exact thing Bush said in 2007. This just prove he is out of touch with reality and in touch with bringing in four more years of Bush policies which lack economic understanding. Further more, if you McCain can’t see the devastation here on his own American soil, how can we trust his judgement for foreign issues?

Jack,
What he said was “the fundamentals are strong” Do you not know what that means. ?

Most are suffering from the cost of oil, the War, unemployment, stock market losses, and the mortgage crisis to list a few. …so who really cares if the ” fundamentals” of the economy are strong or not. “fundamentals” aren’;t helping to lower gas prices, unemployment or mortage rates so who cares?

Let grampa McBush keep talking, he’s as out of touch with reality as W is.

Obama 08

Jack,

You should have a one-on-one interview with him and show him what the ordinary folks are going through! When was the last time McCain filled gas in his SUV?

Sam
Syracuse

Senator McCain is completely lost. He will be more lost after the November elections after the democrats demolish his bid for president. I have a dream - the republicans will be out of office for at
least the next 8 years. What relief!

Jack , any democrat that votes for John MCain will wake up a year or so from now with the same worthless feeling that those of them did when they voted for Bush in 04. They’ll complain, whine, and grumble and hide the fact they should of voted for Obama.

I’m sure that if I had a wife with a couple hundred million in the bank, the economy would look pretty good to me too! To the 99% of us who actually have to figure out how to pay our bills, the picture is a little less rosy.

Jack,

McCain can’t be honest about the economy. It is the policies of the current administration that has caused most of the calamity we find ourselves in. If he admits that the economy is in the gutter, he would then have to answer questions about why - and the last thing he wants to admit is that his own party has detroyed the US economy.

You can trace the price rise of oil from the date the tax cuts went into effect. I know that McCain has said he doesn’t know anything about economics, but it is pretty easy to understand that as the US borrows money to finance the gap in the budget, the value of the dollar decreases - and the price of oil, based on the dollar increases…

Yes, I would agree with Mr. McCain that Mr. and Mrs. McCain’s economic fundamentals are very strong indeed.

Oil and housing prices are not, by any stretch of the imagination, “fundamentals” of the economy. Yes, they affect each and every one of us, but let’s think about the bigger picture and realize that he might have a point.

I’m voting for him because “tax and spend” does not work. The dems will stop at nothing to make the U.S. a socialistic mess (we need another boston tea party). Everyone should pay the same tax rate and receive the same benefits of the taxes they pay. Where was my rebate check?

John McCain needs to keep quiet if he is going to say anything that sounds like th economy is strong.

I believe that McCain’s personal economic fundamentals are very strong, as for most of the rest of us, not so much.

Not my place to comment on your politicians, will leave that to the American people. But as far as your economy is concerned it can’t be that good, because being a very close partner of yours to the north, we too are feeling the effects of a slowing economy so something is going wrong. We are loosing jobs and already our gallon is over $6.00, which is pushing the price of everything up. The faster you fix things will be a welcome relief to us.

Not sure what fundamentals Mccain is talking about. People are suffering and its only getting worse. He doesnt live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans. The only thing strong in our economy right now is fear.

I think the race should be over right now. There should be an intelligence benchmark below which candidates for the most powerful and important job in the world cannot pass.

Once a candidate for President of the United States is caught saying something that stupid, they should be removed from the process all together.

This isn’t a race. It’s a trouncing!

Jack
Richmond, IN

for McStain there is no sense of urgency about the economy obviously and that is not someone we can afford to have as president. We need someone ready to make changes and not sit back and pretend things are going to fix themselves.

He must have just read that book on economics. If this is a strong economy then I being middle class would hate to feel McCain’s definition of recession. I do not remember the last time a Republican balanced our budget with a positive surplus either. Oh well.

McCain lives in la la land. No clue. I once had a boss like that, a complete disaster. If you didn’t laugh you’d cry. Sign me an old white woman for Obama.

John McCain is absolutely right, “the fundamentals of our economy”, (I.E. the middle class), is still strong. I guess he wants to change that by giving more tax breaks to the rich, and completely eliminate us stupid middle classers.
Yucaipa, Ca

war, See you at the polls, Nov.4th.

you guys need to realize there isn’t much Obama can do about the economy…the effects of globalization including America’s trade deficit, global warming and growing economic powers (China and India) have only just begun to show their full effect. America is no longer going to be the superpower it once was. Neither McCain or Obama will be able to stop American’s from consuming both goods and resources to sustainable numbers in order to reduce the balance of trade or reduce the dependency on foreign energy.

The economy IS strong. This is true. However, the fundamentals of our economy are poor. Inflation and the falling dollar are worrisome, but the economy really has NOT been affected by it.

We haven’t seen anything, yet.

Just another example of an out of touch Senator McCain trying to whitewash the debacle create by the Republican party in his effort to get elected and continue the decline and fall of the USA begun by his predecessor. I suppose he can claim senility if all else fails - that would be a better sell than outright stupidity!

McCain is blowing smoke at Americans just like Bush did. Hopefully American won’t bite this time.

John McCain does not have to swipe his own credit card to buy gas nor does he have to decide between food or gas muchless medicine. Apparently he is in his own fairytale.

McCain needs to take his head out of his…..pocket! We will pay dearly if he is elected. Thanks for doing your thang Jack!

Senator McCain must reffering to a different US

asmidee from FL

face it … he doesn”t give a squat. he is wizzing on our heads while telling us it’s raining …

Mr. McCain…tell me you’re joking…

Jack,

I wonder if John McCain is in the same country with all of us. As is J. McCain, we are also patriotic. However, our so-called patriotism should not blind us to the harsh realities that face us at this time in our nation. Economically, we need to admit that we are in trouble.

My mother use to tell me if you cannot admit ‘it’ you wont change ‘it’. John McCain, if he wants to be president of the USA he 1st need to admit and the n make a move to change or remedy the situation we face. I am very scared to vote for him if he doesnt.

The people don’t have any bread?? Let them eat cake!!

During the dirty 30s the news forecasters talked doom and gloom but the presidency back then got all the news systems to start talking positive about the economy and it was a turning point for the US economy back then. If you think doom and gloom the that is all you will see. I think McCain is trying the same approach but I’m sure no news system in this country will go along with him because they make their bread and butter on bad news.

I hope Mr McCain is not going to base his campaign on this economy.
Do the words It’s the economy stupid ring a bell.

The scariest thing about all of this is–how many people all over the country say they’d vote for him! That scares me more than what h