After a week of sowing the seeds of hatred and division -- so successfully that even he was embarrassed by the excesses of his supporters -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain got called on the carpet by Georgia Congressman John Lewis.

This was more than just the usual campaign-season criticism from a a civil rights movement hero turned Democratic congressman. After all, McCain described Lewis at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church forum earlier this year as a man whose advice he would always seek.

McCain did not take the scolding well.

Here's Saturday's give-and-take:

FROM LEWIS:

"As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.

"During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate. George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.

"As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better."

FROM McCAIN:

"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Gov. Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale. The notion that legitimate criticism of Sen. Obama's record and positions could be compared to Gov. George Wallace, his segregationist policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign.

"I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track.

"I call on Senator Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election. Our country must return to the important debate about the path forward for America."

FROM THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN:

"Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies. But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for President of the United States 'pals around with terrorists.' As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together. That is the kind of campaign Senator Obama will continue to run in the weeks ahead."

AND A FINAL WORD FROM LEWIS:

"My statement was a reminder to all Americans that toxic language can lead to destructive behavior," he said. "I am glad that Sen. McCain has taken some steps to correct divisive speech at his rallies. I believe we need to return to civil discourse in this election about the pressing economic issues that are affecting our nation."

Make no mistake on this one: Lewis is sincere. I've covered him for years, in many challenging circumstances. Well recalling the beatings he took as a young civil rights campaigner, he does not play games at the intersection of rhetorical and actual violence.

And, this fall, he is giving voice to concerns that are broadly spoken of within the community of civil rights-movement veterans.

The ugly turn that this race has taken is especially, and understandably, unsettling for those who remember times in the not-so-distant past when the violent language of southern segregationists was heard by the most unstable of their followers as a justification for acts of unspeakable cruelty and outright horror.

John Lewis is a militant defender of freedom of speech.

He does not seek to silence John McCain.

Rather, he requests that the Republican presidential candidate who promised to turn to Lewis for advice and counsel might ponder the power of words that may be spoken merely to win an election campaign -- but that tear at deep wounds not yet healed in a republic more fragile than our weaker leaders dare to imagine.

Comments (56)

1. I could be wrong, but I'd bet that McCain is trying to dial it back through the final debate - he's probably scared shitless of being confronted to his face, even with Schieffer moderating the debate. A week from now, he and his corrupt and utterly ignorant VP choice will, with their surrogates, be back into character assassination. Again, I could be wrong, but McCain has a pretty long history of dishonor, so...

   Posted by jmusolino at 10/11/2008 @ 11:22pm

2. It took pretty much all of ten minutes today for Grandpa to talk nice about Obama then get right back on the Ayers canard.

   And BTW did TN take most of today off or something? The Lewis incident is practically old news now.

   Posted by yutsano at 10/11/2008 @ 11:25pm

3. CHENEY CHENEY CHENEY ---- has gone bunkers! He is the SINGLE WHITE BALD MALE reminder that McCain = CheneyBush, 4 more years.

   Stoking hate on the trail ain't nothing next to the blood spilled in Iraq. McCain wants your vote, his chance to do the same in Iran.

   Posted by winyahn at 10/12/2008 @ 12:22am

4. There is plenty of hate to go around. To pretend it only exists on the right is silly.

   Posted by bleedingheart at 10/12/2008 @ 01:43am

5. McC/Palin are as bankrupt as ... well, fill in the blank.

   The election is over, they know it. They have to perform for "the core," lest the core dissipate between now & '12, and all the GOP gets left with is ... well, bankruptcy.

   The Secret Service harasses McC/Bush critics near the vicinity of any McC appearance.

   But where were the SS when cries of kill & decapitate Obama were shouted?

   Bit late to investigate after the audience has left & the shock is bouncing around the Internet.

   Posted by sloper at 10/12/2008 @ 02:02am

6. There is plenty of hate to go around. To pretend it only exists on the right is silly.

   Posted by bleedingheart at 10/12/2008 @ 01:43am

   Really? Anyone on the left calling for McCain's assassination, bleed? Anyone? Of course not. But we always manage to hear the same bullshit from righties - "well, ya know, you guys do it too, ya know". No we don't, pal. The right wing has been engaging in an orgy of hate since Goldwater 44 years ago. Nobody does hate quite like rightwingers. 'Twas thus in Germany in the 1930s. 'Tis thus in America over the last 4 decades.

   Posted by jmusolino at 10/12/2008 @ 02:09am

7. bleedingheart-You aren't very good at pretending to not be a republican.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 10/12/2008 @ 02:10am

8. 'Twas thus in Germany in the 1930s. 'Tis thus in America over the last 4 decades.

   Posted by jmusolino at 10/12/2008 @ 02:09am | ignore this person | warn this person

   .

   Oddly enough, we are approaching the anniversary (November 8, 9) of...

   ...Krystal Nacht.

   Posted by Lillian at 10/12/2008 @ 02:41am

9. Hate-speech is not good for McCain, but it may be good for Palin. I figure this is just the beginning of her longer-term run for a fascist Palin Presidency. It will of course be crammed with hate-speech - a la all fascism - and will be driven by the anger and desperation that the coming Depression will breed.

   in 2012, if they don't make it now, expect lots of flags, lots of hateful innuendo, and the creation of the internal 'other' (liberals, blacks, science, whatever) around which to unite the faithless faithful. Expect also an appeal to fascist family values (Kinder, Küche, Kirche) and to the most intolerant and violent forms of 'Christianity'. Expect these to be wound in with militarism, and f*ck-you nationalism in foreign policy.

   Posted by mikecope at 10/12/2008 @ 03:02am

10. calm down folks.......

    Posted by frosty zoom at 10/12/2008 @ 03:33am

11. Cons out to pick strange fruit.

    ---

    McCain talks out of both sides of his ass. One night he is asking people to calm down, and getting booed for it! The next he is calling the same words " A personal attack on Sarah Palin."

    Want to know what a personal attack really is...

    Sarah Palin lacks ethics!

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/12/2008 @ 07:06am

12. forgive the cut/paste, but too funnee:

    (A couple things I'm still having trouble with regarding the will of God: I knew it was God's will that I win the Grammy in 2007 for my last record, but Bob Dylan won. This is clearly the work of Satan, but shouldn't my will/God's will have been strong enough to override that? And this Alaska pipeline--if it is God's will to have the pipeline built, then why isn't it built already?...)- Rossane Cash

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/12/2008 @ 07:09am

13. Pastor R...

    Could you comment on Rev Lewis hatred of Christians?

    Posted by crabwalk at 10/12/2008 @ 07:11am

14. McCain thought he could be a "little bit pregnant" with Palin inciting the Rabid Right.

    Now he finds himself metaphorically like Bristol....he's going to be married to them whether he likes it or not and the Moderates and Independents (who he vitally needs) will see the wedding!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/12/2008 @ 07:23am

15. "McCain, Palin "are sowing seeds of violence." Sowing, nurturing cultivating. Is this stupidity or wanting to win at all cost? I created distance from the Republicans during McCain's run against Bush and now this. Are they, McCain Palin, stupid or just plain mean? You can't intentionally torch a community then apologize for all the people that died. This is not meant to be sexist, but I think that Palin is just parochial and shallow and McCain is just ill advised.

    Posted by lachatte at 10/12/2008 @ 07:44am

16. Actually, what few transcribed words from der Fuhrer's speeches I've read are NOT typically filled with what we would today recognize as "hate speech." They were snide, innuendo-filled "talking-points" ramblings, a lot like some of the stuff some of the righties post here and what we hear from the likes of *many* of our repub candidates to local and national office. Watch out, SJ, they'll be pulling out their armbands and goose-stepping around any day now.

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/12/2008 @ 09:24am

17. Speeches may be filled, not words. Lousy English.

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/12/2008 @ 09:29am

18. If one does some checking into the AIP then you will understand why Palin takes to hate mongering like a duck to water.Many of her friends, and her husband, are just as anti US government as Ayers was back in the 60s.These people hide guns in their back yards,support anti government right wing terrorists,and are connected to theocratic groups as well as other anti American groups.They are the right wing version of Ayers.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/12/2008 @ 11:56am

19. For John McCain, at repeated campaign rallies, to pose the question "Just who is Barack Obama?" and then when his not-so-subtle stoking of fear and hatred reach beyond its desired crescendo have to pull back and tell his angry, ill-informed audience that Senator Obama is an honorable man say far more about how unstable and ill-equipped McCain is to be president than anything provoked to say by those poor pathetic souls repeating disinformation and spewing venom at these gatherings. He should be reminded (again and again) of his civic responsibilities for setting and maintaining a just, intelligent and civil tone so that important issues can be discussed and better understood by the citizens of this great nation.

    Posted by WeldonRobeson at 10/12/2008 @ 1:25pm

20. John McCain had better pray that nothing untoward happens to either Barack Obama or to anyone in his family. He should also pray for Bill Ayers' safety. In fact, the next time an egg is thrown at an Obama volunteer John McCain should take the blame.

    Posted by WeldonRobeson at 10/12/2008 @ 1:59pm

21. beat the Wall Street mess - invest now in torches and pitchfork futures!

    Posted by leftofcenter at 10/12/2008 @ 2:17pm

22. Listening to Hillary... Hey, I don't hate her anymore!

    Posted by winyahn at 10/12/2008 @ 4:09pm

23. Posted by winyahn at 10/12/2008 @ 4:09pm

    I guess everything is relative, huh?

    Posted by Malcontent at 10/12/2008 @ 4:41pm

24. Listening to Hillary... Hey, I don't hate her anymore!

    Posted by winyahn at 10/12/2008 @ 4:09pm

    I honestly never hated her in the first place, I just didn't want another Clinton in the White House and having Bill skulking around being a shadow President (think First Dude, but slightly chunkier).

    Posted by yutsano at 10/12/2008 @ 6:54pm

25. DO YOU LIKE APPLES?

    http://i37.tinypic.com/2j2dhk0.jpg

    Posted by bobforer at 10/12/2008 @ 7:44pm

26. please ask the congressman to join us all, one fine evening. i'd be interested to hear if he or any of his like minded colleagues took umbrage at highly flammable remarks made by jeremiah (g-d damn america) wright, lewis (crooked nose jews) farrakhan jesse (hymietown)jackson al (i'll never endorse a politician whose wife's name is hadassah)sharpton maxine (the cia is importing crack cocaine into my district)waters? am i mistaken, or does the good congressman elect to express his outrage selectively?

    Posted by andal at 10/12/2008 @ 9:43pm

27. Why don"t you ask him yourself?

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/12/2008 @ 10:20pm

28. andal-Can you,please,tell us at what Obama/Biden rallies that those people said that?Can you,please,tell us on what national stage did they repeat such things?In other words,do you have anything relevant to say,other than,these people said something,too.What McCain/Palin are doing is,quite possibly,inciting violence against a POTUS candidate.Can you show that these people did that?

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/12/2008 @ 11:34pm

29. andal-If you wake up and pay attention you'll discover that Sharpton,Jackson,and Waters did not get very far in the democratic party after saying such things,but McCain/Palin still have much support amongst republicans after stirring up hatred.See the difference?

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/12/2008 @ 11:50pm

30. I don't recall anyone screaming out "Kill him!" at any rallies...ever. The Repubs have a first they can be proud of.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 12:33am

31. Well, it's not really a first. Conservatives have long been the traditional practitioners of the care-free sport of lynching. I guess they are just waxing nostalgic for the good old days, when the darkies knew their place.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 12:40am

32. As alarming as the rhetoric coming out of the McCain-Palin campaign is, I think we should keep some perspective of what it seems we 'on the left' deem as an appropriate response. Some of the language and explicit implications on this board go completely overboard.

    John Lewis is a good man, and his words should certainly be heeded, but to start discussing all republicans as if they want to start lynching minorities or should be equated with the Nazi movement is dangerous and hateful in its own way. Of course these elements exist in Conservative political ideology, and Sarah Palin may be the closest thing to a major party candidate espousing such ideas that we've seen in a while, but the intentions of most republican party members is much more benign than what some people want to suggest.

    I for one appreciate the enthusiasm for Barack Obama and his campaign, but I think a number of posters on this board need to understand that this over the top vitriol often goes both ways - and in either case it is anything but constructive.

    Posted by intentionally_uninformed at 10/13/2008 @ 01:36am

33. Sarah Palin in Pictures:

    [recommend that you view in sequence]

    1) http://i34.tinypic.com/sv18gx.jpg

    2) http://i33.tinypic.com/34e9rhs.jpg

    3) http://i34.tinypic.com/29f8cbc.jpg

    4) http://i35.tinypic.com/10y4f49.jpg

    5) http://i33.tinypic.com/2r2vsxd.jpg

    6) http://i37.tinypic.com/2cmxjy8.jpg

    Posted by bobforer at 10/13/2008 @ 05:16am

34. Sarah Palin in Pictures:

    [recommend that you view in sequence]

    1) http://i34.tinypic.com/sv18gx.jpg

    2) http://i33.tinypic.com/34e9rhs.jpg

    3) http://i34.tinypic.com/29f8cbc.jpg

    4) http://i35.tinypic.com/10y4f49.jpg

    5) http://i33.tinypic.com/2r2vsxd.jpg

    6) http://i37.tinypic.com/2cmxjy8.jpg

    Posted by bobforer at 10/13/2008 @ 05:16am

35. Prisoner don't make good leaders,but they make good liars.

    Posted by legion at 10/13/2008 @ 09:34am

36. From our local paper, the San Diego Union Tribune, yesterday...

    SAN DIEGO

    Has political speech really come to this? I have lived in Scripps Ranch for seven years, in my current home for four and have never had a problem until about two weeks ago.

    I am a supporter of Barack Obama and had a yard sign in my front yard. The sign was about 25 feet from the street on a small hill. The sign was stolen from my yard. I chalked it up to kids. I put a new sign up above my garage. Recently someone threw an entire bottle of beer through the back window of my truck, which was parked in the driveway under the sign. Were they aiming for the sign? Or maybe it was the Veterans for Obama bumper sticker on the back of my truck? That's right, I served 20 years in the Army protecting the rights of Americans to vote for anyone they choose. And to display political signs appropriately on their property.

    I have seen McCain/Palin signs and Yes on 8 signs displayed prominently throughout the neighborhood, lo and behold, none missing or damaged.

    If someone would like to discuss politics with me, may they have the courage to knock on my door and discuss it face to face, not by throwing full beer bottles into the back of my truck. Is this the world of Republican scare politics?

    JOHN HANCOCK Scripps Ranch

    Posted by Lillian at 10/13/2008 @ 10:13am

37. I think there are a few clarifications that are necessary here, because there's developing a rather dangerous fusion of truth and idiocy.

    Truth: What McCain/Palin rallies are producing is dangerous. This is absolutely the case. Though I'm glad that McCain finally (somewhat; the "not Arab, family man" thing is still disturbing) stepped up a bit, Palin is still very much contributing to an extremely toxic environment that makes me extremely nervous. It's also, by the way, an additional factor that in and of itself (even if there had been no other factors) lost McCain and Palin my vote.

    Idiocy: conservatism= racism. This is patent nonsense. First off, it's a touch ironic that those who attack McCain for imposing guilty by association have no difficulty painting conservatism with the broad brush of the few (though more numerous than they ever should be) who scream "kill him!" at rallies. Second, though it's completely untrue, it's dangerous in that it further impedes any substantive political discourse.

    Picture the following scenario. Some Palin rallies and perhaps some McCain rallies feature screaming radicals among all the others who are there. Moderate conservatives see this and are uneasy. Then supporters of Obama come out and declare that these rallies "expose the racism underlying the conservative position" (assuming there is any monolithic "conservative position" any more than a monolithic "liberal position"). What do you think the reaction of moderate conservatives will be?

    Posted by Thrawn at 10/13/2008 @ 10:27am

38. Republican's have been sowing the seeds of hate for 40 years now. There is a whole generation of bitter people out there who have been spoon fed Republican rhetoric for so long they live in the twilight zone. The sad part about it. They have shown in the past they are capable of violence when they don't get what they want. There are several abortion providers dead today as a result of this type of hate rhetoric. People need to start tuning this type of venom out. That's the only way to put a stop to it. It's only done to incite and inflame people.

    Posted by ganddw42 at 10/13/2008 @ 10:33am

39. Posted by Thrawn at 10/13/2008 @ 10:27am

    THRAWN, McCain obviously knew what Palin's words ("palling around with terrorists") would incite. He just hoped the TAINT of it wouldn't touch him and he could act all "bipartisan" and "honorable".

    When it did start to effect him, he had to try to back away from it.

    McCain is likely no racist or Islamophobe or paranoid...but he's happy to USE folks like that to win.

    Posted by Maskdelta at 10/13/2008 @ 10:40am

40. I honestly think that leaders in the GOP, like McCain, have no clue what they are doing when they try to link Obama with terrorism.

    There are many...uneducated...Americans that are still very scared, confused and angry about what happened on 9/11 and I fear that the GOP and their supporters have successfully convinced a segment of this population that Obama (as well as other Democrats and liberals) is in some way linked to those attacks.

    So, tell me, if you sincerely believed the potential President of the United States is a terrorist, would you not be inclined to do something about it? Maybe something violent?

    Let us not forgot that the deadliest terrorist attack on United States soil before 9/11 was the Oklahoma City bombing, perpetrated by a United States citizen angry at the federal government.

    At the very least, what McCain and the GOP are doing is making it harder for the country to come together and solve the numerous problems we face. That would really be the best outcome I foresee. Obama and his family have Secret Service protection, most of his supporters do not.

    I'm really worried that innocent people may be hurt or killed because the GOP is clueless about the atmosphere they are creating.

    Posted by metinker at 10/13/2008 @ 11:02am

41. well put metinker.

    Posted by geddy20 at 10/13/2008 @ 11:07am

42. Thrawn-You are correct,in that, one should separate your standard conservative from the Palin far right loons.Even on here we can see that it is your more extreme righties who support this,but Mask does make a good point when he says that McCain is willing to use them to win and is allowing Palin to continue to incite her lunatic fringe base...She and her supporters are a danger to our free society and it is unfortunate that McCain picked her.He should have picked Huckabee in order to get religious rights votes.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 10/13/2008 @ 11:18am

43. I think we should keep some perspective of what it seems we 'on the left' deem as an appropriate response

    Posted by intentionally_uninformed at 10/13/2008 @ 01:36am |

    To post a historical reminder of the contemptable actions that some on the right have performed is entirely appropriate. Those that dragged blacks behind trucks, strung them up from trees, or denied them the right to vote weren't Democrats. To deny this is to deny history. To deny there are those in the Republican party that still think this way is to deny reality.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 11:22am

44. People need to start tuning this type of venom out. That's the only way to put a stop to it. It's only done to incite and inflame people.

    Posted by ganddw42 at 10/13/2008 @ 10:33am

    People need to do more than tune it out - people need to condemn it for the contemptible crap that it is.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 11:24am

45. By their very silence, the leaders of the Republican party are encouraging this crap. Palin was SMILING when her supporters were shouting "Terrorist" and "Kill him". Neither she nor McCain have explicitly condemned those statements. They need to be called on it, and they need to be called on it in the strongest possible terms.

    If it makes conservatives uncomfortable to be linked to such lunatics, then maybe they should join the chorus of condemnation and demand the party leaders repudiate the loonies ...or change parties.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 11:41am

46. thrawn clearly hasn't seen the "sidewalk to nowhere" youtube video......that's more than "just a few" radicals....

    Posted by darladoon at 10/13/2008 @ 12:20pm

47. Secondly the comments by you and others that I think I'm G-d is just complete nonsense.

    It just speaks to both the arrogance and the ignorance of those who mock people who try and serve G-d.

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 10/12/2008 @ 10:23am | ignore this person | warn this person

    Liver, your strawman is bogus. The key difference is CONSCIOUSNESS. You are mostly unaware of the problem as you prove in this response. You ignore the specifics, the merits, the evidence (following)

    --------------------------------------

    1- LV's G-d knows Mask's mind... LV knows Mask's mind.

    2- Both LV's G-d and LV know what a man loves, hates & lies about.

    3- LV's G-d knows who real soldiers are, and their deepest intentions...

    4- LV knows who real soldiers are, and their deepest intentions...

    5- LV's G-d knows Obama's mind... LV knows Obama's mind-

    6- LV's G-d knows Ghandi is condemned, LV knows Ghandi is condemned...

    ad infinitum/ ad nauseam. Post in & post out.

    ----------------------------------------

    THEN you invent a strawman, and counter the strawman you invented (projected on to others).

    On this it is true, for the most part you do not think (are not consciously aware) that your opinions are those of that you call G-d. Yep, you're right.

    Finally, for icing, of course, you toss an ad hominem.

    Liver, only you have the key to this mess... takes a hero to stake the first step. Call for help. Be a hero.

    Posted by winyahn at 10/13/2008 @ 12:33pm

48. Balrog writes: "To post a historical reminder of the contemptable actions that some on the right have performed is entirely appropriate. Those that dragged blacks behind trucks, strung them up from trees, or denied them the right to vote weren't Democrats. To deny this is to deny history. To deny there are those in the Republican party that still think this way is to deny reality."

    You don't know history very well. The south was dominated by the Democratic party during the civil rights era. The Republican party was incredibly unpopular with whites in the south due to reconstruction and the civil war. There was a shift from the Democratic party to the Republican party in the south but it mainly occured in the Reagan ere.

    Posted by Guiles at 10/13/2008 @ 12:55pm

49. You don't know history very well

    Posted by Guiles at 10/13/2008 @ 12:55pm

    I repeat: Those that dragged blacks behind trucks, strung them up from trees, or denied them the right to vote weren't Democrats.

    It wasn't a Democrat that said :"Today I have stood, where once Jefferson Davis stood, and took an oath to my people. It is very appropriate then that from this Cradle of the Confederacy, this very Heart of the Great Anglo-Saxon Southland, that today we sound the drum for freedom as have our generations of forebears before us done, time and time again through history. Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny . . . and I say . . . segregation today . . . segregation tomorrow . . . segregation forever."

    You have any evidence to the contrary?

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 2:27pm

50. Mea Culpa...Wallace was a Democrat.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 2:30pm

51. Regardless, I stand by what I said earlier:

    By their very silence, the leaders of the Republican party are encouraging this crap. Palin was SMILING when her supporters were shouting "Terrorist" and "Kill him". Neither she nor McCain have explicitly condemned those statements. They need to be called on it, and they need to be called on it in the strongest possible terms.

    Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 2:31pm

52. <i>Posted by Balrog at 10/13/2008 @ 2:31pm</i>

    And that's what worries me the most. To be completely honest, McCain should never in a million years have picked Palin. However, I actually don't think he likes this. My suspicion is that his campaign has run roughshod over him, and he doesn't have the will to stand up and say this is unacceptable. Of course, this doesn't really improve him as a presidential candidate, because it makes one really wonder what a McCain administration would look like. As I said before, if I hadn't found adequate justification to vote against him before, I certainly have now.

    Posted by Thrawn at 10/13/2008 @ 2:57pm

53. Guiles has a point. In fact, that's the reason Condaleeza Rice is a Republican today. When her father went to register as a Democrat, he was denied that right by the Democrats unlike the Republicans. Since the Republicans welcomed his entrance into the party, he joined and the rest is history. Guiles is wrong on one point. The switch to the Republican party came alot sooner than Reagan. I think it was around the time Kennedy was elected.

    Posted by k330k at 10/13/2008 @ 2:58pm

54. Posted by intentionally_uninformed at 10/13/2008 @ 01:36am

    You have a point. I will say that you don't hear outburts like "kill 'em" at Obama's rallies. Although that might be because Obama addresses issues moreso than his opponent at his rallies.

    Posted by k330k at 10/13/2008 @ 4:38pm

55. Posted by intentionally_uninformed at 10/13/2008 @ 01:36am

    I think most would agree these are the predominant rhetorical strains heard from many (not all) of the mainstream repub leadership. And very different from the gentle, populist and efficient republican woman who used to be our town supervisor, the only republican I ever voted for in my life, I believe.

    Romney ROMNEY: America is under attack from almost every direction. We have been attacked by murderous terrorists here in this great city. Our employers and jobs are threatened by low-cost, highly skilled labor from abroad. American values are under attack from within.

    Huck Let's face it. In our lifetimes we've seen our country go from "Leave it to Beaver" to "Beavis and Butt-head," from Barney Fife to Barney Frank."

    "If someone tries to tell you I'm soft on crime, that would be real news to the 16 people whose executions I carried out.... (sic) They didn't think I was being very soft."

    More money for mental health would be a good national investment imho

    Posted by A_Pax_On_Your_Houses at 10/13/2008 @ 5:07pm

56. k330k, you are correct that the switch from the Democratic South to the Republican South came before Reagan. LBJ admitted that his support of civil rights would cost the Democratic party the southern members, and he was right.

    Wallace was a Southern Democrat, and that part of the party was quite different from the one I grew up in as a member of a very liberal East Coast family. When the Republicans became more of the party that shunned "the other," which in many cases is anyone who's not a white, conservative male, southerners joined in droves.

    Reagan added to this movement with his fake folksiness and jingoistic patriotism. Joe six pack and lower middle class families erroneously saw him as their champion.

    But no matter where the roots of the problem lie, this current race baiting, ethnic slurring, and rabble rousing is ugly, vicious, and potentially very dangerous. The sounds from Palin and McCain's crowds were scary, including the booing when McCain, however feebly, defended Obama as a good person.

    There are a lot of ignorant people - not stupid, but singularly uninformed - who will believe anything bad about a person of color. Palin obviously knows this, as I'm sure McCain also does, and they are playing to fear and uncertaintly. It's the Republican way. It has worked for the better part of 25 years even including the Clinton presidency when a lot of folks believed in the horror stories perpetuated by the rightwing noise machine.

    The McCain campaign took a chance with their hate mongering, and I hope it backfires on them without creating a devastating effect with a great deal of collateral damage.

    Posted by LeeAnnG at 10/14/2008 @ 12:47pm