Comments on: Dear John & Sarah: We’re Still Waiting

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:38:22 +0000

kritt, it's possible they didn't hear it; mic placement doesn't always duplicate the live environment in terms of where the audio goes. I HOPE they didn't hear it, because if they did, and said nothing then it's just flat-out shameful.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:34:31 +0000

I heard Obama called a traitor by a rabid supporter at a McCain rally on tv– and John and Cindy just stood there and smiled. If I heard it, they had to hear it.

By: RHM

RHM — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:07:31 +0000

It is absolutely astonishing that McCain and Palin have not called for civility. It should scare the hell out of people.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:52:12 +0000

Both Palin and McCain are trading in their decency to appeal to the lowest common denominator. They can't condemn what they are actively inciting.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:51:06 +0000

I agree with you christoofar. Remember all of the ruckus over Moveon.org's characterization of General Betrayus?? And that was in the form of a question not a statement or a threat.

By: JSpencer

JSpencer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:49:29 +0000

PWT, it would be nice to think John and Sarah were taking steps to discourage their more rabid supporters from reading too much into their message, but when the message consists of things like, “palling around with terrorists” and the like, then we can see there is no such concern to begin with – all rationalization notwithstanding.

By: christoofar

christoofar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:43:28 +0000

Whether it was one or two people who shouted the epithets at McCains rally, the fact is that it did apparently really happen & got reported in the media.
The fact that neither Republican candidate said anything to distance themselves from it seems kinda sad. I am sure if it had been the other way' round, they'd be calling for heads to roll.

By: PWT

PWT — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:01:32 +0000

Here is an interesting take on that rally:

http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon1009jl.html

By: Slamfu

Slamfu — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:37:48 +0000

The far right rank and file are just plain bigots. From Rush to O'Reilly to the “Macaca” guy who lost his seat to the douchebag shouting Terrorist at the rally. McCain can't slap him down because that's a slapdown to his base.

By: mlhradio

mlhradio — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:53:39 +0000

Check this article out (found via The Daily Dish):

FORMER MICHIGAN GOVERNER UN-ENDORSES McCAIN

Go, read: http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/200...

As small quote: “”He is not the McCain I endorsed,” said Milliken, reached at his Traverse City home Thursday. “He keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me. I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues.”

It also includes some damning stuff from Lincoln Chaffee, who has also switched from McCain to Obama, and hints at several other Republicans that are doing the same.

By: crosspit

crosspit — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:14:57 +0000

OT, but.
Maybe this is silly but with these kinds of tactics, do we really want PBS saying the country supports Palin?? At 1:00 p.m. CT, it was at 49/49.

"Please read and do quickly.

PBS has an online poll posted asking if Sarah Palin is qualified.
Apparently the Republicans knew about this in advance and are flooding
the voting with YES votes. Currently at 49% yes 49% no.

Results will be reported on PBS, picked up by mainstream media and can
influence undecided voters in swing states.

Please take 20 seconds and do two things
1) Click on link and vote yourself.
Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html

2) Then send this to every single Obama-Biden voter you know, and
urge them to vote and pass it on.

The last thing we need is PBS having to say our viewers think Sarah
Palin is qualified."

By: timr

timr — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:55:56 +0000

the problem is that what they are doing is right out of the rove playbook. Demonize your opponent. Go for the “low hanging fruit” voter, the “low information” voter” what I call the “sheeple” John Oliver of The Daily Show puts it this way(listem closely when he says that come nov 4 the election will boil down to who these people vote for
http://www.crooksandliars.com/silentpatriot/dai...

By: JWeidner

JWeidner — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:48:25 +0000

I'd only say that by McCain and Palin's silence, they are tacitly condoning these people. Do I think that either of them, in a normal, non-election, non-campaign situation would endorse or condone these people? No. But the longer they remain silent while these crazies are spewing this hatred, the more these comments will belong to McCain and Palin.

If they want to salvage their reputation at the very least, they need to take a stand against these people, and soon.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:45:28 +0000

“W]e are on the edge of some real serious craziness here and it would be nice if McCain did the right thing and told his more bloodthirsty supporters to go home and take a cold shower. But McCain hasn’t done the right thing all year. His campaign is appalling . . .”

Must be because he thinks its working. Sorry but I remember similar outcry in the media against these kinds of tactics in other elections. When the perpetrators won it left a deep division between the two parties and hurt our ability to attack our very real problems together. How is this putting “Country First”? Even if he wins he will have a very difficult time reaching out to Democrats.