Sen. George Voinovich calls Obama a "Socialist"

[Dan]

How bitter is the rhetoric getting out on the campaign trail and how red is the meat being tossed out to loyalists? Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, told Meigs County Republicans that Democratic nominee Barack Obama is a "socialist."

Here is the quote from Voinovich, reported on first today by the Daily Sentinel of Pomeroy, Ohio, during a visit he made to the Meigs County GOP headquarters.

The paper reported that: "In relation to Obama, Voinovich told the audience: 'He is left of (Democratic senator from Massachusetts) Teddy Kennedy. With all due respect, the man is a socialist.'"

A Voinovich spokesman said what has Voinovich revved up is his belief that Obama doesn't respect states rights, at least not the way Voinovich says they should be treated, under the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

UPDATE at 5:45 p.m.: Isaac Baker, an Obama spokesman reacted this way to Voinovich's "socialist" comment.

“John McCain and his supporters have embraced a smear campaign based on false attacks because they have no plan to turn around our economy and create jobs in Ohio," Baker said. "Sen. Obama will continue to discuss his plan to help middle class Ohioans support their families and stay in their homes, not desperately attempt to tear down his opponent.”


http://blog.dispatch.com/politics/2008/10/voinovich_calls_obama_a_social.shtml