John McCain has created a monster, one he can no longer control. The increasing virulence of his supporters has finally reached a such a pitch that McCain himself has had to backpedal.
Today, a McCain supporter (an older white woman) told the senator how scared she is of Barack Obama becoming president. He nodded, and could be heard to say, “I hear you!” But what happened next demonstrates the dangerous detour McCain and Palin’s rallies have begun to take. “He’s an Arab,” declared the supporter. And, finally, to his credit, John McCain shook his head, took back the microphone, and said, “No, ma’am, no he’s not.” He went on to say that Obama is a decent family man with whom he deeply disagrees on philosophical and policy grounds.
McCain also found himself having to disassociate himself from a warm-up act in which the speaker repeatedly called the Democratic nominee “Barack Hussein Obama,” and continued an impassionated character attack (taking also a few potshots at the Clintons and the media as well). He’s now several times found himself repeating to frantic, booing supporters that Barack Obama is someone he respects and does not want to attack. Huh?
After his rally, McCain insisted to the press that he has repeatedly expressed “respect” for both Obama and Clinton, and called them both “honorable people.” Such a declaration, of course, has no meaning, after a straight week of these in-person and on the air attacks on Obama, and specifically calling Obama dishonorable (notably, for making the same judgment about air raid civilian casualties caused in Afghanistan that McCain once lamented in the air war over Kosovo).
McCain did the right thing by setting that supporter straight who believed Obama to be an Arab (which regrettably has become a dirty word in parts of America). It is a despicable thing to encourage such hateful ignorance among his supporters. But what else should he expect when he whips up the crowds – asking who is the real Barack Obama, and what do we really know about him? But in fact, this has merely served to raise serious and timely questions abut who John McCain really is.
Just how far backward he and Sarah Palin have taken this country in the last two weeks is deeply unsettling. They’ve encouraged people to hate and fear Barack Obama, never contemplating the ugly consequences of their audience taking them seriously. When was the last time you heard an American yell at a rally, “Terrorist!” or “Traitor” or “Kill him!” or “Off with his head!”
This isn’t country first. This is country last.
Inform Your Consent 