BTW, there is nothing wrong with being an Arab or Muslim. But of course no one is speaking out against that. When political leaders on both sides can not directly address this fundamental racism and hate without fear of alieneating voters in a crucial campaign, then that tells you a lot about the idiot prevelance and demographics of a nation. For the Obama side, I think most people understand that it is more about the bigger picture. But for the McCain side (instigators), there is just no excuse with the 'terrorist' robo calls, lynch mob like rallies, and **** like this from Republican groups and McCain supporters... http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_webbuck1.e7982b.html
For the record, it started a long, long, LONG time before the current election cycle. The last time I can recall actual political debate on a national scale was the mid 1980s. Since then, it has degenerated into the poo flinging contests we see today. We...as a nation...as a society...are hopelessly screwed.
You are correct, but that is why it is more important to call it out, and stop it now, instead of encouraging and defending it. When Palin says that Obama thinks so little of AMerica that he would pal around with terrorists she's instigating it. When the McCain campaign defends the people who shout out threats and racism by going after Obama when he points out the shouts and attacks they are condoning it. When a McCain worker actually did the right thing and came out and told the hate mongers that the McCain campaign wouldn't tolerate that stuff, and that any religion could support McCain that was great. But then the campaign wouldn't allow that worker to do any interviews afterward. While some Obama supporters have certainly gone over the edge, their attacks weren't rooted in racism, or how un-American McCain is, or anything like that. And furthermore Obama stops his crowds from simply booing. When he does he's cheered. When McCain says Obama is decent, he's booed by his own supporters. The McCain/Palin campaign needs to come out strong against this and preserve a little honor.
I haven't sifted through Youtube video but I've heard similar sentiments to Garafalo's expressed by Obama supporters. Heck people here on Clutchfans have made disparaging remarks about McCain's age, his sanity, and mocked Sarah Palin.
It certainly doesn't but I don't think Obama supporters and Democrats are completely innocent either. As I said before to a certain extent this stuff is to be expected and passions are running high. What will be very critical is what is said by McCain, Palin, Obama, Biden, their campaign staffs and key supporters on Nov. 5th. Consider during the Democratic primaries all of the hate and venom being spewed then and yet the Democrats have come back together. On Nov. 5th (provided we don't have a 2000 situation again) the whole country is going to have to do that. If we are still seeing a widespread vitriolic rhetoric like we have now and the leaders of the two camps aren't taking serious steps to address that then we have some serious problems.
I understand. I have seen things like that both on TV, and on Clutchfans. But I don't think it matches up, and again if it does, the level or offense doesn't match up to racism. Furthermore, the candidates aren't out there saying things like McCain needs to go in the old age home, or that he pals around with Matlock DVD's. I just want to understand, are you saying that bad things happen on both sides(which I agree with) or that both sides are equally bad and offensive(which I disagree with wholeheartedly)?
That's a cop out answer. 'Both sides do it' Show me any evidence where Obama supporters are using name calling on par with a terrorist, communist, etc etc. We've heard that people are yelling 'kill Obama' at McCain rallies. Yes, there are misinformed people on both sides ...but one side seems to have many many people dangerously misinformed.
again, the 'both sides do it' argument is a cop-out answer. McCain's age and Sarah Palin's public appearences are LEGITIMATE reasons to be concerned about their ticket. Obama 'paling around with terrorists' 40 years ago is a manufactured argument that bears little, if any, relevance to his performance if he's should get elected today. again, the 'both sides do it' is a weak argument and should not be used to condone racist and misinformed voters.
And curiously enough, the mid-80's was when the back-benchers led by Newt began making hours long speeches to an empty House just so they could be broadcast for free on CSPAN... speeches in which they developed the rhetoric of divisiveness that served them well electorally for 20 years, but which did incalculable damage to the country... particularly when people indoctrinated into that language reached a position where they could actually put it into operation. That was the first concerted effort to paint Dems as weak and traitorous and pathetic... here's the GOPAC memo Newt sent out in the 1990's... Contrast indeed. That mindset is very much alive today. If you care about it, reform your own damn party first, Don't expect Dems to unilaterally disarm when this kind of crap continues to be hurled at them. We've tried that before and it does not work.
You'd think at some point the public would start tiring of hearing it all and fatigue would kick in, but Obama's campaign just keeps on ticking like the Energizer Bunny. He drew almost 100,000 a week ago in St. Louis.
For instance, when stuff like this is sponsored by and distributed for the Republican Party, it makes it difficult to have substantive political discourse. This stuff poisons the well not only during the campaign, but also for the period of governing that follows. When you have one party talking about the problems with McCain's health care proposal and the other party implying that Obama will murder millions of Jews, that's a big difference that makes it difficult to let go after the elections. For the record, there's also a difference between the Republican Party saying something like that and having someone who might happen to vote Dem, but has no policy or operational role, make an inflammatory statement. Edit: This email would be like the Dems sending something to Native Americans claiming that John McCain will distribute blankets covered with Small Pox.
Keep fighting the good fight trying to reason, but I doubt it works. The lopsidedness between what the national GOP and their operatives are spewing vs. what the Dems are doing this year is a big reason why Obama has such a lopsided advantage with independents. If there was a way to splice out right-wing and left-wing independents and get the results for those who truly don't lean to either party, I bet it's something like 80/20 for Obama. Karl Rove's pipe dream of a permanent or long-standing GOP majority may end up spawning the exact opposite, especially if Obama doesn't turn out to be a communist, America-hating, terror-loving Muslim who hates Israel and wants comprehensive sex education for kindergarteners.
I don't think anyone has any sort of statistically sound polling on which side says more bad things about the other side. My point is that neither side has covered itself with honor. My other point is that to certain point this is to be expected in a heated race and what will really be important is what happens what after the race.
Sure those are but at the same time doesn't the tone of how that is engaged in matter? Is calling a McCain a senile old coot legitimate? At the sametime what about some other things thrown out there about McCain and Palin? Is calling McCain a "psychopath" legitimate? Is calling Sarah Palin a "c(nt" legitimate? I agree and I've argued against that accusation regarding Obama's relationship with Ayers. At the sametime though waht about accusations that McCain is mentally damaged because of his POW experience or that Sarah Palin's youngest child was actually her daughter's child? My issue isn't that that both sides do it too is to condone those but at the same time it is important to recognize that both sides do do it and in a heated campaign such things are to be expected.
I agree that is a terrible email yet you will note in the article it does say that the campaign repudiated the email and the staffer who wrote it was fired.
