McCain Gives Obama Incomplete’ Grade
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) gave President Barack Obama an “incomplete— grade for his first 11 months on the job on Sunday and denied that his recent sharpened rhetoric is an attempt to ward off a conservative primary challenge in 2010. “He said there would be a change in the climate in Washington. There’s been a change — it’s more partisan it’s more bitterly divided than it’s been,— McCain said of Obama on “Fox News Sunday— with Chris Wallace. “I’ve never been asked to engage in a serious negotiation on any issue — nor has any other Republican.—In a recent interview with talk-show host Oprah Winfrey, Obama graded himself a “B+— for his job performance to date. On Sunday, McCain said, “Presidents that I know usually don’t grade themselves, they let people grade them.—McCain also acknowledged that Senate Republican are running out of options to derail Democrats’ massive health care overhaul. The proposal passed a crucial procedural hurdle on Saturday and is expected to be voted out of the chamber by Christmas Day.“What we can do is continue winning the battle of American public opinion,— McCain said. “American public opinion is against this massive new addition to our debt, deficit, and government intervention into health care.—“We’ll fight the good fight and fight to the last vote,— he continued. “We must look back and say we did everything we could do to prevent this terrible mistake from taking place.—The Arizona lawmaker also declined to discuss directly whether his recent shift to the right end of the political spectrum on health care reform, climate change and other moderate planks of his 2008 presidential campaign is related to a possible primary fight for his Senate seat with former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.).“I have always taken every race I’ve run in seriously, no matter who else is running against me,— McCain said.