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October 10, 2008 at 18:15:33
Promoted to Headline (H3) on 10/10/08: by Robert McElvaine Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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We already knew that she was stunningly ignorant. Now she has shown herself to be shockingly evil. John McCain is someone who has totally lost his moral compass (Sarah Palin may never have had one). He and everyone in his campaign have become what Mrs. Palin's prototype, Spiro Agnew, called (in William Safire's words), "nattering nabobs of negativism." We have long known that many Republicans will stoop to anything to win. Karl Rove's 2004 success in depicting a man wounded in the Vietnam War as an anti-American coward and Rove's own chickenhawk president as a brave, patriotic American was disgusting.
But what the McCain campaign is doing now, principally through its winking, nose-crinkling Spiro Agnew/Dick Nixon, has gone beyond the lowest levels of Lee Atwater and Rove.
The patently false charges linking Barack Obama with terrorists not only tear the country apart, but are certain to lead some unhinged people to draw the logical conclusion. Some dupes of these reprehensible statements by Palin and McCain are going to think that a patriot must act to stop this "terrorist" from taking over the presidency.
Their shouts have already been heard from the mobs at Palin and McCain rallies this week: "Traitor!" "Terrorist!" "Kill him!" Mrs. Palin nods and winks.
When does character assassination cross the line and begin to encourage physical assassination?
Were, God forbid, the unthinkable to happen, it would not be unreasonable to charge Sarah Palin and John McCain as accessories before the fact.
They would rather lose a country than lose an election.
We knew John McCain. He was, we thought, a friend of ours. And you, McCain version 08, are no John McCain.
Have you at long last, sir, no sense of decency?
If you do, stop this evil line of campaign lies before it's too late.
{Historian Robert S. McElvaine is Elizabeth Chisholm Professor of Arts & Letters at Millsaps College. His latest book is Grand Theft Jesus: The Hijacking of Religion in America 
.}
www.GrandTheftJesus.com
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
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| 11 comments |
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No, she is not evil.
This smear campaign against Sarah Palin is what's evil. And all that Palin and McCain are doing is pointing out that Obama did have some kind of past association with a domestic terrorist. (Sorry, that term describes Bill Ayers' past actions to a T.) Turning your spotlight on a tiny handful of crackpots at these rallies and using them to smear the whole campaign is disgusting, and it's a lie. by Scott (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 744 comments [30 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 10, 2008 at 11:53:02 PM  (0+)
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Reply: Pailin beyond the pale....
Just because she seemingly doesn't know how to take care of or raise her children with any real or effective guidance, doesn't make her evil. Her comments to churches that God wanted us to go to war in Iraq, makes you wonder about her moral compass and possibly her sanity, but do not necessarily imply evil. Her use of innuendo, code words and phrases, winks and so on to assure "her" people (those identifying with emotion-not-intellect gut-level living and suspicion, if not hatred, for those who are 'different') that it is ok to hate another candidate for president, and that it is necessary to "stop" him, rather than simply not vote for him, and implying how his presidency would be a danger to the country, however, goes WAY beyond the pale of political campaigning, and seeks not only votes for her ticket, but to stir up hatred, nastiness and trouble and divide the nation without using any common sense or factual information. They ignore, cannot even conceive of, the facts that this Bush/CheneyCo Administration has been the largest ever danger to America and has brought America financially, morally, politically to its knees, leaving through its policies, hundreds of thousands homeless, wouinded or dead here in the US, New Orleans, your neighborhoods, and in the world beyond. by alan k (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 36 comments [6 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 11:10:15 AM (0+)
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Reply: ...oh, I forgot to mention....
oh, and I forgot to mention... You said: Turning your spotlight on a tiny handful of crackpots at these rallies and using them to smear the whole campaign is disgusting, and it's a lie. NOT denouncing that "handful" of crackpots and saying that their words were inadmissible, yes, makes Palin herself complicit with those ideas, and thus, part of the evil they wish to enact. by alan k (12 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 36 comments [6 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 11:20:11 AM (0+)
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Reply: Evil as Hell
How about Palin's recent association with the Alaskan Separatist movement, speaking at their coventions within the last couple of years. This is a group that has called for violent separation from the United States and has strong ties to white supremist groups like the Sons of the Confederacy. Palin speaking at their convention condones their anti American views and radical right agenda. This is a real link in idealogy to home grown terrorists not a casual relationship through membership on the same committee. by Dave Peter (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 26 comments) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 2:08:31 PM (0+)
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Secessionist
Obama was on a board with Ayers, three decades after Ayers' terrorist activities were over. Palin was, and still is, married to someone who supported Alaska's secession in the 90s . Which association is the closest, Scot? Which is the most recent? by francine (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 385 comments) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 4:06:02 AM (0+)
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Can you say hypocrit?
It's not just McCain pallin' around with Liddy. Palin's lobbyists, Arctic Power, wanted him as a spokesman for opening ANWR to drilling: by Kiko (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 29 comments) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 7:04:27 AM (0+)
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Character Assassination
It is hard to know how people will react to charges that Obama is connected to domestic terrorism. It is not inconceivable that someone might think it a public service to assassinate Obama. I think it is a particular danger in the case of Obama because of his race. I think he faces a much higher danger of assassination because there are virulent racists out there. Connecting him to terrorism might put someone like that over the edge. It is interesting that McCain is now seeking to dampen the hatred that has been generated against Obama. His remarks defending Obama and even his suitability to be president at the town hall meeting where the sentiment was viciously anti-Obama were a positive step. He was booed by his own supporters, but kept making the same points nevertheless. He needs to go a further step and reign in Sarah Palin. He needs to take responsibility for the role his own campaign has played in inciting hatred. by Bill Samuel (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 445 comments [14 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 8:53:11 AM (0+)
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Reply: 4 or 5 drunk good ol boys
Bill, You have put your finger on what is my greatest fear. Palin's inciting her audience to scream, "terrorist", and (God forbid), "Kill him, kill him," is equivalent to inciting them to assassination. Unfortunately, we know all about assissinating Democrats in this country, included the attempted anthrax assassinations of high profile Democrats and the near certain assassination of Senator Wellstone -- which we should NEVER forget instantly redefined the congress for the Republican assassians. The real danger is that Palin doesn't have to convice hundreds or even tens of thousands of psychopaths in the audices to follow her suggestion. All she has to do is to get through to 4 or 5 gunrack, pickukp good ol boys (like her hubby) to get beered up and do the patriotic thing, i.e., assassinate the Muslin terrorist Barack Obama. I'm not worried about the thousands of nutcases -- I'm worried about the 4 or 5 drunk good ol boys. Bill by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 7:40:35 PM (0+)
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Evil is just a word
Makes no difference what you call Palin, she is beyond the stretch of any imagination to be VP. That is supported by people like David Brooks and many other Republicans. Evil, stupid, mean, etc. are just words and off the real topic---------NOT QUALIFIED. by virginius "gin" arnold (18 articles, 7 quicklinks, 47 diaries, 516 comments [22 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 11:45:21 AM (0+)
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Palin's viciousness; McCain's reaction...
It's too bad to be this cynical -- but I can't help seeing McCain's very late disavowal of Palin's extreme rhetoric as another political move on his part. To wit: Palin is told to go berserk, so McCain can be seen to try to modify her stand -- and thus show himself to be Mister Reasonable by contrast. At this point, I do not trust anythingsaid or done by any Republican candidate. That is a sad place to be. by Wisewoman (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 11:51:26 AM (0+)
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Reply: smacks of Rove
Hmmm. Plausible, very plausible. Smacks of Rove. Bill by W. Christopher Epler (Bill) (291 articles, 59 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 763 comments [44 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Oct 11, 2008 at 7:43:09 PM (0+)
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