McCain Campaign: Obama started it!

I'm sure you've heard about John McCain's comments regarding the I-35W bridge collapse. During a conversation earlier today, a McCain spokesman blamed Democrat Barack Obama for bringing up the bridge collapse first. McCain's camp even directed me to a YouTube video showing Obama's comments from last Saturday.

Even though I was calling to get questions as to why McCain made the comments regarding the bridge collapse, McCain's spokesman kept bringing up Obama's comments from last Saturday (and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's support for Obama). He even followed up with this e-mail:

Timeline:

12/12/07: Rybak Endorsement Noted In This Obama Press Release:

4/26/08, among other times: Obama Uses Minnesota Bridge Tragedy As Defense for Opposing Gas Tax Holiday (ignoring the fact that McCain's Gas Tax Holiday has no effect on Federal Highway Fund):

4/30/08 John McCain responds to a question about Obama's assertions on the stump.

5/1/08 Obama Supporter Rybak Accuses John McCain of Politicizing a Tragedy, Yet He's Silent on the Fact That Barack Obama Has Been Using the Minnesota Bridge Tragedy for At Least 5 Days

The problem is this isn't the first time McCain made these comments on the Minneapolis bridge. The New York Times reports that he made similar comments in August.

When pushed on McCain's comments, the spokesman said "The Senator stands by his statements."

Apparently McCain didn't stand by those statements for too long since the AP says McCain softened those comments while campaigning in Iowa.

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