A number of people are afraid that the ugly tactics of the McCain-Palin campaign are going to incite violence, maybe assassination. Joe Klein, Andrew Sullivan, McCain’s former adviser John Weaver—even the ultimate sober-sided moderate David Gergen last night on CNN. I hope they’re wrong. It’s a big leap from hateful talking points and shouted epithets to vigilantism and the lone gunman. What’s undeniably true is that Republican rallies and the incendiary language of party leaders are stirring up the darker, destructive mob passions that have a long history in American politics. At the very least, the Republican ticket is making sure that, if Obama wins, he’ll be regarded as an illegitimate and dangerous President by thirty or forty per cent of the country.

Palin is too shallow to understand the weapon she’s playing with; she’s just thrilled to be the birthday girl and the object of so much semi-erotic devotion. But McCain knows better. His manner in debates and at rallies tells me that he’s conflicted about the forces his campaign is unleashing. Win or lose, he’s already damaged his cherished reputation beyond repair. But there’s still time for him to show leadership and do what’s necessary. The responsibility lies with him. In his speeches and at the final debate next week, McCain should say: “Barack Obama is a decent man and a good American. I deplore his policies, I doubt his judgment, I don’t think he has the experience to lead the country. But no one who supports me should question my opponent’s patriotism or his right to stand alongside me in this race. I would rather lose than win with the votes of fear-mongers or bigots.”

I understand that saying this would make a mockery of the past three months of the McCain campaign. Still, if McCain did the right thing I’d be the first to salute him. And if he’s sunk too low to recover a piece of his honor, what about his friend Joe Lieberman, who likes to think he’s the last bipartisan statesman? Does Lieberman want these smears and incitements on his record forever?

Posted by George Packer

• Interesting Times

Could you guys be any more transparent?

shot.

You think Flaming Liberals are above reproach now?

Conservatives on the other hand allowed President Clinton to live, even after he got his Dick Sucked in the Oval Office by someone other than his Wife, and then lied about it.

Good idea, but they forget about the damage they have done to WH and Presidency..They will be swallowed by their own deeds and hypocracy.

the other day as Palin incited the crowd in Florida. Reasonable and rational voters from not only both parties - independents, fence sitters, and the undecideds alike - watched in horror as the shouts came from the crowd. "Terrorist", "kill him", came the shouts as she smiled and smirked. Nasty campaigns are the norm every four years, but this harkened back to the days of George Wallace. This was going too far.

Not a peep in the form of restraint came from the Palin/McCain camp until it became clear that the majority of Americans were repulsed by what they saw, until it became public that the Secret Service was poking around in increased concern for Senator Obama's safety.

Anyways, Frank Rich broke it down spectacularly in his excellent piece you posted last night.

In think there's a very real possiblity of such a thing at least being plotted and prepared for.

Hey, I use the old adage of "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" notion and so throughout the day I'll take some time to tune into Limbaugh, Hannity, Ingraham, Beck, and O'Reilly and I can tell you that the highlighting of McCain and Palin as being responsible for the GOPerv 29%er base coming unglued and making threats against Obama is only the tip of the iceberg.

The last few weeks I've been tuning in and between the last two weeks especially the poisonous, cancerous, vile, violence inciting garbage that passes for "talk" on those shows that so many at those rallies listen to and watch every day is ten times worse than what Palin and McCain have said on the trail to those crowds.

In fact, I heard Palin using a few lines, what are called "talking points" and are sent around or available online at their respective websites, her staff obviously copped from a couple of those shows.

And, to underscore the above, I also heard almost verbatim a couple of those more notorious crowd members using "talk" radio/FOX News lines at McCain in particular.

An awful lot of the blame, if not almost all of it, lies at the odious feet of those talking heads who spew hatred and racism on a daily basis 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.

I'm all for the 1st ammendment and all, but I don't think the founders took into consideration that someday in the nation they founded there'd be a whole media industry devoted to the Hitlerian/Goebbelsian style of insidious propaganda that would be directly responsible for leading this nation dow the road to destruction.

While all Flaming Liberal Obama Supporters had to go out and get Jobs to Pay for all the Prisons and Americans locked up in them?

What a switch.

Pretty much your answer for everything...Do both involved parties get the DP?

they have done to our political system and common fiber of this country. God help the Democrats if we get hit again like 9/11 on their watch. This country will tear itself apart.

Merely Impeached..... for not telling the truth.

One might think that to be a damn flimsy reason for impeachment...as every politician...certainly every President and indeed, every human, has at one time told a lie.

However...no one "allowed" Bill Clinton to live...except of course Hillary. She was the only person wronged. You were not.

You post your Flaming Liberal Opinion.

Usually hate spewing racist opinion...but you mostly post sheer unadulterated nonsense. You will most likely answer this post with a classic example of the aforementioned nonsense.

like you so very often are on this Board.

I believe it is why so many on the Board do not Post back to you.

Now, it is a fact that President Clinton was Impeached.

It is a fact that President Clinton was not Shot while in Office.

You, once again, have nothnig.

So...you would say this is fact, not opinion:
Could you imagine having all Americans put in Prison
by HellFire
10/12/2008, 7:11 PM # Favorites Reply

While all Flaming Liberal Obama Supporters had to go out and get Jobs to Pay for all the Prisons and Americans locked up in them?

You without fail will resort to calling me...and anyone else that challenges you, anti-American, anti-military...and most likely, niggers. You will do so no matter what their argument....and you will then ask for their death...simply for their views.