John McCain is rapidly becoming a laughingstock in America.  Well deserved.

Barack Obama rips him a new one today, with style.

"There's only one candidate who's called himself "fundamentally a deregulator" when deregulation is part of the problem. My opponent actually wrote in the current issue of a health care magazine -- the current issue, quote, "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation." So let me get this straight -- he wants to run health care like they've been running Wall Street. Well, senator, I know some folks on Main Street who aren't going to think that's a good idea. "

"There's only one candidate whose campaign is being run by seven of Washington's most powerful lobbyists. And folks, it isn't me. I don't take a dime from Washington lobbyists and special interests. They do not run my campaign. They will not run my White House. And they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I'm president of the United States. So when John McCain says that lobbyists 'won't even get past the front gate' at his White House, my question is -- who's going to stop them? Those seven lobbyists? His campaign manager? The economic adviser, who got a $40 million golden parachute when she was fired as a CEO? Or maybe the 26 advisers and fundraisers who lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? I mean, give me a break. The same day my opponent attacked me for being associated with a Fannie Mae guy I've talked to for maybe five minutes in my entire life -- the same day he did that -- the head of the lobbying shop at Fannie Mae turned around and said wait a minute -- 'when I see photographs of Senator McCain's staff, it looks to me like the team of lobbyists who used to report to me.'

Folks, you can't make this stuff up."

Obama, quoted on Ben Smith's blog

Here's the video of this statement and more!

More, for your reading pleasure:

Yesterday, my opponent, Senator McCain, gave a speech in which his big solution to this worldwide economic crisis was to blame me for it. This is a guy who’s spent a quarter century in Washington. And after spending the entire campaign saying I haven’t been in Washington long enough, he apparently now is willing to assign me responsibility for all of Washington’s failures. I think it’s pretty clear that Senator McCain is a little panicked, and that at this point, he is willing to say anything, do anything, change any position, violate any principle to try and win this election. And that is sad to see. That’s not the politics we need.

So let’s be clear.

There’s only one candidate who – just this week – said a line he’s repeated 16 times on this campaign – quote – “the fundamentals of our economy are strong.”

There’s only one candidate who’s called himself “fundamentally a deregulator” when deregulation is part of the problem. My opponent actually wrote in the current issue of a health care magazine – the current issue – quote – “Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.”

So let me get this straight – he wants to run health care like they’ve been running Wall Street. Well, Senator, I know some folks on Main Street who aren’t going to think that’s a good idea.

There’s only one candidate whose choice for Treasury Secretary is a man who thinks we’re in a “mental recession” and has called the United States of America a – quote – “nation of whiners.”

There’s only one candidate whose campaign is being run by seven of Washington’s most powerful lobbyists.

And folks, it isn’t me.

I don’t take a dime from Washington lobbyists and special interests. They do not run my campaign. They will not run my White House. And they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I’m President of the United States.

So when John McCain says that lobbyists “won’t even get past the front gate” at his White House, my question is – who’s going to stop them?

Those seven lobbyists?

His campaign manager?

The economic advisor, who got a $40 million golden parachute when she was fired as a CEO?

Or maybe the 26 advisors and fundraisers who lobbied for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

I mean, give me a break.

The same day my opponent attacked me for being associated with a Fannie Mae guy I’ve talked to for maybe 5 minutes in my entire life – the same day he did that – the head of the lobbying shop at Fannie Mae turned around and said wait a minute – “when I see photographs of Senator McCain’s staff, it looks to me like the team of lobbyists who used to report to me.”

Folks, you can’t make this stuff up.

So when you hear John McCain talk about taking on the ol’ boy network in Washington – know this, on the McCain campaign, that’s called a staff meeting.

At this defining moment, when the stakes could not be higher, we need real change – change that’s more than just a slogan, change that actually makes a difference in people’s lives. And that’s the kind of change I’ll bring to Washington when I’m President of the United States of America.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/20/happening-now-obama-in-florida/#more-19535