McCain reigns in the Knuckleheads
The election is drawing near and as I wrote in my last post, the campaign has gone negative - Obama’s campaign is now running about 30% negative ads and McCain about 90%. The McCain crowds have become increasingly hostile and vocal in recent days, claiming Obama was a terrorist and a liar. Then yesterday, John McCain, at one of his Town Hall meetings, was taking questions from the audience. People made comments that they were afraid of Obama and that Obama was a Muslim. Instead of egging them on McCain set them straight – he said he respected Obama even though his disagrees with him and that Obama is not a Muslim and is a good citizen and that people should not fear him or his presidency should he be elected. That was the John McCain I thought was running, a man with whom we may have disagreements but a person of honor. I was relieved to hear what McCain said about Obama and I hope his supporters will listen as well. Maybe McCain has begun to reign in the knuckleheads who have turned his campaign so negative. Some good news is welcome these days - and this is good news.
Labels: 2008 Election
posted by Berlinbound at 3:38 PM
4 Comments:
I was pleasantly surprised by McCain's honesty and compassion. I did see some really nasty clips from a Palin rally that was .. to be honest ...horrifying but not all that surprising. Hopefully she will take the high road as well.
Barack Obama is not a terrorist, not a belated Weatherman, not a Muslim fundamentalist, not the Antichrist, not the "Manchurian Candidate" who is going to turn the U.S. into a socialist dictatorship. This is what a goodly portion of John McCain's followers would have us believe.
As you write, it's to John McCain's credit that he had the courage and decency to defend his own rival. But he could go further. Among others, when debating, he could look Obama in the eyes, not refer to him as "that one." He could even offer a genuinely warm handshake. The campaign ads against Obama have made outrageous allegations and have helped fuel much of this present lynch mob hysteria. McCain could stop these Rovian tactics.
It might even get him elected.
It will be interesting to see how McCain plays the last debate ... given that all Obama needs to do is run out the clock, if JohnJohn goes negative Obama can only lose by responding, and if JohnJohn stays true to his history, Obama wins ala "the Bush Economy."
I was happy to see McCain correct the voter, but fear he did not and has not gone far enough. I think Sen John Lewis's analogy was more correct than not. The rhetoric in the McCain campaign is helping to stoke a very dangerous flame.
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