STOP THE PRESSES - After days of watching in silence, McCain calms the crowd at his Minnesota town m

Source: TIME - The Page

After days of watching in silence, McCain calms the crowd at his Minnesota town meeting.

“I want everyone to be respectful. And let’s make sure we are, because that’s the way politics is done in America.”

Tells one supporter who says he’s scared of an Obama presidency: “I have to tell you, he is a decent person, a person that you do not have to be scared as president of the United States.”

After a woman calls Obama “an Arab,” McCain interrupts to say: “No, ma’am. He is a decent family man, citizen.”

Read more: http://thepage.time.com/2008/10/10/stop-the-presses/

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His spokespeople blaming Obama for McCain's crowds chanting must have backfired big time.

All this will accomplish is to turn the wackos off of McCain. They're not going to hate Obama any less.

He can't be seen as endorsing this or everyone but the right-wing crazies will get turned off.

On the other hand, the right-wing crazies are his strongest base of support, and he's turning them off by acting above the fray.

and Palin MUST issue a strong statement condemning hate speech and he must repeat it frequently.

He needs to make a major speech rebuking the wingnuts and the wild rumors (Obama is a Muslim, etc) apologizing to Obama and the American people and pledge there will be no more character assassination coming from his campaign - that anyone who does it will be fired. And he must do this immediately - as soon as he can get network time - this cannot wait. If he does this he can at least finish the campaign with some dignity.

The terrorism stuff was not testing well with focus groups. Or, it's a concerted strategy to get the issues out there and then make McCain out to be a nice guy.

Certainly, the campaign implied that Obama is an Arab ("he's not one of us," "he doesn't see America as you and I do").

McCain and all Republicans (and many modern Democrats) are reptilian militarists who have no moral principles whatsoever.

This campaign has been flip-flopping all over the place on issues and on PR/marketing strategies. Without the help of a largely friendly mass media that allowed him to flip-flop at will, this campaign would have never gotten off of the ground. I predict this campaign will be legendary to political scientists and historians after a few cycles.

it has no driving focus and seems highly reactive. It's bizarre, but good for us.

<>

It was backfiring so badly that they have finally decided to try to find what few scraps of dignity remain and patch them together. I am glad to see it and if McCain stays true to this and reins in Fertilla the Huntress, I will not despise him anymore.

Source: AFP

LAKEVILLE, Minnesota (AFP) — Republican John McCain Friday urged his supporters to stop hurling abuse against Barack Obama at his rallies, saying he admired and respected his Democratic rival.

"We want to fight, and I will fight, but we will be respectful. I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments and I will respect him," McCain said at a Minnesota rally.

"I want everyone to be respectful and let's make sure we are, because that is the way that politics should be conducted in America."

The tone at the rallies of McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin has become increasing inflammatory in recent days with shouts of "terrorist" and "liar" from the crowds directed against Obama. At one Florida rally, someone even shouted "kill him."

The stream of vicious attacks against Obama, who has left McCain trailing in the polls ahead of the November 4 vote, was ramped up at the weekend by Palin who accused the Chicago senator of "palling around with terrorists."



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5itVBHZWkVuZh7VopW_QPbsx7DoOQ

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this won't fly after his own campaign has defended it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3538178&mesg_id=3538178

Sometimes I just sit here shaking my head in amazement at the truly wild and crazy stuff that's come out of him, Palin and his campaign.

The campaign said they were going "negative" to distract people from the issues...

The only reason McCain is even pretending to rein in his hate-monger groupies is because his spread the hate campaign is backfiring on him

Re The only reason McCain is even pretending to rein in his hate-monger groupies is because his spread the hate campaign is backfiring on him.

It was actually funny (in a sick sort of way) to watch McCain trying to suppress the booing hyenas when he mentioned Obama's name. They were SOOOO disappointed! They were working themselves up for another Klan rally and then he put a lid on it...or tried, anyway. You could still hear a few scattered boos.

What, and Arabs can't be decent family people?

While I'm glad to see "that one" finally taking some steps to calm the most rabid of his supporters, it's clear that he can't help constantly revealing his true nature.

Piece.
of.
shit.




TG

Even in "calming down" the filthy rabble that makes up his hatefilled audience he still spews racism.

Whatever legacy this asshole ever would have had has been completely destroyed now. His name will forever be remembered as a synonym for racial hatred.

that all kinds of people from Arab countries, countries that are primarily Moslem such as Turkey that aren't Arab, Iran/Persia have been living in this country for decades. Decades - raising families, paying taxes, inventing, teaching, employing -just like us. We are dealing here with utter and desparate ignorance.

Some came through Ellis Island - some as students who stayed, some as exiles. We once boasted about our melting pot. Some peole from those countries are Christians?

What the heck is wrong with the haters in this country? They never go out of their county boundary? They only communicate with other people descended from Northern European countries?

I am ashamed. And they're the ones who should be ashamed of their mouths and their ignorance.

Maybe they think Kenya is Kuwait?

Obviously they also have a memory problem - Mother white Christian. Child half Northern Europe descent and half Africa descent, Kenya not Arabic, child raised Christian, child into adult - never converted his religion. When are they going to reset their brains?

for the same reason, and agree that in trying to fix one blunder he made another one.

But the urge to try to calm the threatened violence was a good one.

It pisses me off (beyond the surface bullshit) that someone would have to defend the word "Arab" or "muslim". It shouldn't even matter if Obama was of Arabic descent or a muslim. We're such a fucked up ignorant isolationist country.

I just saw the clip On Tweety... and the crowd BOOED at McLame

So they are all inflamed and ready to go lynch somebody, I don't think they care WHO at this point. They just want blood,

and a mob who wants blood is a dangerous thing.

Are the troops that were brought home to use on Crowd control for these freaks? I think maybe so.

He cannot decide whether he's a fascist or a conservative. Apparently, he's just a plain old opportunist. The right-wingers should truly feel had. He'd do nothing to advance their agenda. If I were a rightist, I wouldn't fear his victory in fact.

today! Here's a copy:
Senator John McCain
2211 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(703) 752-2515

October 10, 2008

Dear Senator McCain,
Please put an end to your campaign’s negative and dishonorable tactics. I believe that only you can do this.
Your campaign seems to be deliberately trying to incite violence and hatred between Americans at a time when our nation is in peril.
Clearly this strategy is not working at all. In fact it is hurting your chances of being elected. What possible reason could you, or your campaign staff, have for continuing the lies, smears, personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric?
If you were to publicly call a halt to this hate mongering, I believe it would actually bolster your chances. And would go a long way toward salvaging your increasingly besmirched legacy.
Sincerely,

I was going to urge everyone I could to do this. Maybe we still should.

When he's showing character, like today, that's something.

Of course, if McCain or Sarah Palin or the rest of the campaign push the Obama-likes-terrorists angle more in the weeks ahead, I'll retract the credit I'm giving McCain right now.

the ONLY reason this was even addresed is because the MSM finally did their damn job in reporting this crap. they realized that trying to blame Obama for this was nothing but a big fat turd. this is a PR move and has nothing to do with the character of mccain.

I LOVE it! His whole "new strategy" was based on raising doubts that Obama was a decent, patriotic person. But he JUST NOW stated that it's true and that no one need fear him as president!!!! We SHOULD make it a commercial perhaps.

It is about time that you realize how sh*tty you have been.

He needs to apologize first.

I think what he has done is enough to leave his campaign.

Over on Freerepublic.com, the posters are spitting mad that McCain acted "like a sissy." They are tearing each other apart over there. Many comments openly insulted McCain. One said, "Why doesn't McCain just endorse Obama and drop out of the race?"

I would be alright with it if McOutOfTouch endorsed Obama and dropped out of the race.

that's hilarious!

Sarah to be respectful?

His silence and smirks this week, IMHO, implied agreement and it encouraged more hate. Now moderate republicans are disassociating with his campaign and he lost a couple of endorsements. Now he is left with a vile, hate fulled base. He created his own reality although I am glad he finally said something.

But.. hellooo.. he's in Minnesota, where McCain KNOWS that the same mob tactics do not work as well as they do in the other areas.

Too late, McCain. We've all seen what you're made of!

You're saying that shit now for show. your people are STILL attacking Obama in the media today for insulting those thugs.

Arab is the opposite of decent family man?

Grampy, I think you just lost what Middle Eastern emigre votes you might have had. What an asshat.

secondly, all the 'arabs' I know are staunch republican.

total BS.

They've riled up the crowds for weeks now with the "he's not one of us" garbage.

To say what he's saying today means squat. He let it fester long enough to allow the anger to boil over in his backers. They're not going to listen to him now and he knows that.

This is just a ploy in the hopes that enough people will fall for the newer, nicer John McCain. I won't be one of those people.

He riled up the crowds, and now he's forced to say good things about Obama. This move can only hurt McCain now.

I drive a delivery truck and listen to a lot of radio. When NPR gets boring I switch off between Randi Rhodes and the fanatic haters, Limbaugh and Hannity. The Bill Ayres bullshit must not be getting any traction so today it was the economy and how could we trust our country to a socialist and the democrats are entirely responsible for the meltdown and Obama shot John Kennedy and kidnapped the Lindbergh baby and got my Aunt Sallie drunk and took advantage of her. Same old tired bullshit. Do you know Obama is going to raise taxes on the rich and is proposing a trillion dollars in new spending? Where will the money come from?! And don't forget voting fraud and ACORN is even now planting bombs all around the country. Oh, save us Daddy John! It's like these asshats have forgotten the billions we spend on Iraq every fucking week. Truly the leading assholes in the nation.

When I go home after 9 (and NPR has switched to music) I do the same thing (different show - but same trash). Last night was all the Ayers,"fake" Hawaiian birth certificate, ACORN, and Muslin crap. It will be interesting to see if they have similarly switched gear.

I kept looking for a link to The Onion - odd. Very odd.

Are there any Ararb citizens? Even when McCain is trying to be decent he's a fuckface.

The man is shameless. Because after 6 rallies of basically putting a target on Sen. Obama, now McCain decides that he needs to tame the crowd. The man is insincere and a threat to civility and setting the US backward instead of leading forward.

I hold John McCain entirely responsible for the past few days of fanning the flames of racism and hate.

we failed to notice the new brown shirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6YKOkfFsE

At a rally late today in Minnesota, John McCain addressed the heated comments, including calls to violence, coming from some supporters at his rallies this week:

"I am enthusiastic and encouraged by the enthusiasm and I think it's really good," McCain said. "We have to fight and i will fight but we will be respectful. I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments and I want to be respectful.
Here's the (updated longer version) video of a portion of McCain's remarks:

Late Update: Ana Marie Cox is on the ground at the rally and reports:

Indeed, just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..." "No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."

Later Update: In the expanded version of the video above, I don't hear any reference to terrorist when the woman calls Obama an Arab.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

Not a word of this. I don't think this was part of the strategy. I think this might have been a moment of sanity. Maybe he should leave his campaign. It may be the only honorable way for him to apologize.

He don't backslide, cheat or chase white women anymore than usual.

out to BushCo.

Perhaps a glimmer of the John McCain who used to live inside that skin, but forced to the moment less by conscience than by bad numbers. The downcast eyes, his whole demeanor, the whole package screaming in frustrated and too-late recognition that his decision to trade honor for expediency was a bad, bad decision.

The John McCain we used to know would say to this John McCain, "I told you so."

i've heard from his campaign in i don't know how long. will he call off his pit bull now? cause she loves it - she just thrives on stirrin' up the shit.

That's what Ed Rollins was saying last night on CNN which is why you saw retiring Congressmen like Re. LaHood (an IL kingpin
during the DeLay days) today, and no doubt many others behind the scenes, fretting about McCain's "tone" because it was/is
turning off everyone but the the Rabid Right, including those all-important independent swing voters as well as undecideds.

he didn't do it because it's the right thing to do (i just finished reading the rolling stone article). nonetheless i welcome the drop of decency because things have gotten so ugly that i've had some concern about people getting hurt or killed due to the frenzy. i give him no points other than that.

and tho the "he's an arab" from one supporter -no he's decent idiotic remark is also an indication of just how sick the repukes are - I am GLAD he said this because it was the decent thing to do, no matter what.

The reich wing must be neutered.

They're going to run Palin for president in 2012 and she needs to be called on this b.s. too, if she doesn't say something... and/or if she continues her attacks. Her attacks just make her look like scum - if that's how she wants to present herself to the world, then that's how all but the 25% fascist minority will see her.

anywhere the press ain't they'll be using the same lines...

You can't just incite people to violence without having a repercussion.

He didn't refute the Arab label.

He should had said "He's an American not an Arab." "His father was born in Africa not the Middle East." Probably better without the father part.

let out of the barn and there is no way they can be corraled.

The look on McCains face when he hears that guy say he's gonna be afraid of an Obama presidency and when that old lady called Obama and arab. Its like its just dawned on him that he's sold his soul and this is what he has become. I'm sure his campaign must not have liked that.

You're right. It is Dr. Frankenstein and the mob and he can't control them.

:wtf:

That's what he was responding to. That, and the idea that Obama isn't really American.

I'm glad he confronted these bigots.

Fear mongering at his rally's!

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/187621/october-09-2008/campaign-personal-attacks---david-gergen

And again today on CNN!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x211528


Gergen: McCain and Palin Need to Cool Their Crowds
By Ben Craw - October 10, 2008, 11:24AM

Here's CNN analyst David Gergen, saying last night on Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees that with the anger whipping around at Palin and McCain rallies we're "not far from" violence, and that it is imperative that the candidates try to calm people down:



COOPER: There's also the question of ruling after this, and bringing the country together. It's going to be all the more harder to do that whoever wins with all this anger out there.

GERGEN: This -- I think one of the most striking things we've seen now in the last few day. We've seen it in a Palin rally. We saw it at the McCain rally today. And we saw it to a considerable degree during the rescue package legislation. There is this free floating sort of whipping around anger that could really lead to some violence. I think we're not far from that.

COOPER: Really?

GERGEN: I think it's so -- well, I really worry when we get people -- when you get the kind of rhetoric that you're getting at these rallies now. I think it's really imperative that the candidates try to calm people down.

what happened? Did hell freeze over?

and a Return to the Values that Made John McCain Great! When the voters see the Decent McCain they all remember, they will come flocking back to his prodigal campaign in droves and He will Win the Election and become President!

He's already come back once from a dead campaign. He's trying to do it again.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n03a7cLf0M

sling mud to win. Too bad they can't take all that political ad money and repay the bailout.... :crazy:


Sometimes I think our country has gone insane.

He appears to his most ardent supporters to have a split personality!

It's possible he had a talking-to.

and sets the unhinged straight in future rallies. Somehow I doubt it...

She probably hasn't had a chance to act all cutsey and winky and mav'ricky and whip up a large crowd since her beauty contest days. Politics disguised as pole-dancing (or maybe it's the other way around).

He knows its over and I welcome this tone from him.

I wonder if McCain ever wonders to himself, "what kind of racist, bigoted, stupid-ass motherfuckers am I running for, and should I be ashamed of myself that THIS is my base!?"

to rid yourself of that vile filth he has embraced. If he has any decency left, he has to be wondering exactly what you referred to...every fuckin' day.

and am extremely grateful to the Senator for trying to damp down the insanely extreme tone of his rallies. When the guy yelled "TERRORIST", McCain looked genuinely pained. He actually winced as if he were recoiling from the sound of the word. Unfortunately, at that critical moment, he let his craving for the crowd's approval overwhelm his sense of decency.

Trying to put myself into his shoes, I think of the man McCain as someone who really really does love his country and who believes that he should be President because he could do the job and do it right. Let's face it, his rallies B.P. (Before Palin) were pathetic. Now he's become a superstar again because of the delirious xenophobia and demagoguery of Sarah Palin. Her virulent magnetism has juiced McCain's crowds to a fury. I'm sure that at first the new fervor was exhilarating and energizing in the extreme. But now, those rallies have actually become ANTI-AMERICAN. The jingoistic patriotism and prejudice of those hordes of angry, screaming zealots is now at the point where the evil intent is palpable. There is no UP WITH AMERICA theme there anymore. Now it's become a HATE FEST.

I'm not one who believes in God or who very often prays to whatever spirits there might be, but right now, I am praying deep within my being that the decency and genuine pleading of John McCain when he was trying to calm that audience were real. For someone who has a knack for making the genuine seem totally contrived, I felt McCain was 100% for real today.

If you are a good person it must be a sobering and wearyingly heavy burden to know that you are inciting people to think evil things and to perhaps do evil things. After hearing the lunatic rantings of some of the so-called "party faithful" at his hatefests maybe even John McCain is wondering if winning the Presidency is really worth THAT.

So, for right now I'm going to suspend my own negative campaigning against John McCain and wait to see if this latest dramatic turn was an epiphany, or merely a tactic.

:thumbsdown:

I'm just hoping that was a turning point toward more rational campaigning. We'll see very soon.

Source: Star Tribune

By Bob Von Sternberg, Star Tribune Staff Writer

Struggling to contain an emotional fire his own campaign kindled, Republican presidential nominee John McCain spent much of a town hall meeting in Lakeville on Friday trying to cool his supporters' growing hostility toward Democrat Barack Obama.

Responding to repeated questions about Obama's truthfulness and personal background, McCain urged backers at a packed gym at Lakeville South High School to be "respectful" toward his opponent.

McCain found himself in the odd and uncomfortable position of defending an opponent who is pulling away in many polls at the end of a week when he and running mate Sarah Palin stepped up their own attacks against Obama -- often inspiring outbursts at raucous rallies, complete with cries of "terrorist" and "off with his head."

The Minnesota gathering lacked that kind of harshness, but sustained booing greeted many of McCain's attempts to discourage the crowd's fear and anger. Of the 21 questions posed to McCain during 45 minutes of give-and-take, one-third challenged him to take on Obama more aggressively, with a few making incendiary comments.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/30747614.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUs

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Later in the story, one of McCain's supporters calls Obama "an Arab." Does McCain correct it? Not exactly: "Taken aback, McCain shook his head and, taking the microphone from her, said, 'No, ma'am. He's a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.' "

ETA: Here's a thread in GDP about it with a YouTube link; I apologize if this is a dupe.

And then the gops will proceed with a Newt Gingerich-styled hate campaign against him.

you end up getting a lot of stupid stares, embarrassed shrugs, and "you knows" - sort of like you do in that Ohio McCain mob video.

horrible

in the National Consciousness DOESN'T GO AWAY ONCE IT'S CALLED FORTH.

It has to be beaten back, lawfully if possible, but the Bushies have increasingly corrupted Law Enforcement, just as the Nazis did, so it is questionable whether that is even an option these days.

Plus, I am virtually certain that the Ruling Elements of the Bush Cabal know this and have no desire to put the Nazi-mind jack-in-the-Box back in the box.

McBush is just doing what he is told, and providing the usual Plausible Deniability that works so well in fooling 99% of the Amerikan Subject Populace EVERY SINGLE TIME.

But it's a lie. McCain doesn't matter, he's just a doddering figurehead who the Bushies will murder as soon as it is expedient and there's enough Plausible Deniability to fool 99% of the Amerikan Subject Populace.

Even now, not much is required. Not much at all.

The Bushies don't WANT to get rid of the Inner Nazi they have unleashed. It is FAR too politically helpful to have a bunch of fanatics who will perform any ciminality without question because it's the Greater Good to "stop those Liberals and Jews any way we can".

Only difference betwen Bushies and Nazis today, other than violence (which ends the day they get their "permission from authority") is that Nazi says "Liberals and Jews" bu Bushie just say "Liberals" (and I am sure they are pissed at Hitler for ruining their fun for them and making it so it's Bad Marketing to say how they REALLY feel about Jews.

--- Quote From the OP ---
Later in the story, one of McCain's supporters calls Obama "an Arab." Does McCain correct it? Not exactly: "Taken aback, McCain shook his head and, taking the microphone from her, said, 'No, ma'am. He's a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.' "
--- End Quote ---

IMO this is revealing of either outright racism or intentional trying to feed racism. Either one should be completely off limits for a modern election. This is one of the saddest things I have seen out of any candidate.

The implication is clear.
No correction on the fact.
Implies Arabs are not decent.
Implies Arabs are not/should not be citizens.

If that was not his intent... it is up to McCain to buy the air time to correct the impression. This is not good leadership. A good leader doesn't leave that kind of room for racism.

Racism is NOT o.k.

arrive at this realization on his own. Democrats call that a epiphany. Republicans call that that finding Religion.

He is stoking up his crowds with rhetoric and then trying to cool them down. He's like Hitler saying, "hold on, the Jews aren't THAT bad".

But hey lets all be honest here. These crowds are opposed to one thing in particular, Obama is black. They are pretending they are not racists so they channel this into rhetoric about him being a terrorist.

You can be sure that the translation to all this is "hang that nigger".

is Bush country. Thank goodness for the metro and the northern part of the state.

:sarcasm: