by Damozel | Are they furious with their very own elected officials and party for the acts and omissions that led to this? Why, no!No, they aren't worried (yet) about that. They're partly in a panicky fury over the rumors being diligently fanned by Sarah Palin and John McCain----that Barack Obama, whose record has been before the public for two years, is secretly supportive of terrorism (and, no doubt in many cases, because he's openly black). (Benen) "Treason!" one supporter shouted during one of Palin's mob-inciting speeches.
They don't seem concerned that Palin's husband Todd was openly a member of an Alaskan organization that supports secession of her entire oil-rich state from the US of A. Huh. I guess "treason" is all in the eye of the beholder. Of course, the angry mobs consist mainly people who are angry and scared ALL THE TIME.
What on earth is the matter with these people?
The unmistakable momentum behind Barack Obama's campaign, combined with worry that John McCain is not doing enough to stop it, is ratcheting up fears and frustrations among conservatives.
And nowhere is this emotion on plainer display than at Republican rallies, where voters this week have shouted out insults at the mention of Obama, pleaded with McCain to get more aggressive with the Democrat and generally demonstrated the sort of visceral anger and unease that reflects a party on the precipice of panic....
"Terrorist!” one man screamed Monday at a New Mexico rally after McCain voiced the campaign’s new rhetorical staple aimed at raising doubts about the Illinois senator: “Who is the real Barack Obama?”
"He's a damn liar!” yelled a woman Wednesday in Pennsylvania. "Get him. He's bad for our country."
At both stops, there were cries of, “Nobama,” picking up on a phrase that has appeared on yard signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers.
And Thursday, at a campaign town hall in Wisconsin, one Republican brought the crowd to its feet when he used his turn at the microphone to offer a soliloquy so impassioned it made the network news and earned extended play on Rush Limbaugh’s program.
“I’m mad; I’m really mad!” the voter bellowed. “And what’s going to surprise ya, is it’s not the economy — it’s the socialists taking over our country.”
After the crowd settled down he was back at it. “When you have an Obama, Pelosi and the rest of the hooligans up there gonna run this country, we gotta have our head examined!” (The Politico; emphasis added)
Yeah, we wish. There's more.
Activists outside rallies openly talk about Obama as a terrorist, citing his name and purported ties to Islam in the fashion of the viral e-mails that have rocketed around the Internet for over a year now.
Some of this activity is finding its way into the events, too.
On Thursday, as one man in the audience asked a question about Obama’s associations, the crowd erupted in name-calling.
"Obama Osama!" one woman called out.
And twice this week, local officials have warmed up the crowd by railing against “Barack Hussein Obama.” (The Politico; emphasis added)
Members of the McCain campaign who are sane---unlike, for example, the rumor-and-hate-fanning and increasingly deranged and panicky bloggers at The Corner---are allegedly wondering how to contain the whirlwind that they and their enablers have unleashed among America's population right-wing crazies.
John Weaver, McCain’s former top strategist, said top Republicans have a responsibility to temper this behavior.
“People need to understand, for moral reasons and the protection of our civil society, the differences with Sen. Obama are ideological, based on clear differences on policy and a lack of experience compared to Sen. McCain,” Weaver said. “And from a purely practical political vantage point, please find me a swing voter, an undecided independent, or a torn female voter that finds an angry mob mentality attractive.” (The Politico; emphasis added)
But the angry mob constituting the Republican base wants McCain to "bring it on." And Limbaugh, more irresponsible than ever, is egging them on. From The Washington Post:
"It is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama, that you hit him where it hits, there's a soft spot," said James T. Harris, a local radio talk show host, who urged the Republican nominee to use Barack Obama's controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., and others against him. (WaPo)
But, as noted, when are these people---whose elected representatives have been running the country INTO THE GROUND for the last eight years---not boiling over with fury, with a sense of being ill-used, with feelings of entitlement, and most of all, and with panicky fear?
It's time that you two are representing us, and we are mad,” reiterated the boisterous Republican at McCain’s town hall in Wisconsin Thursday. “So go get 'em!”....
“Yosemite Sam is having the law laid down to him today in Waukesha, Wis.,” quipped Limbaugh on his show Thursday, referring to the GOP nominee. “This guy, this audience member, is exactly right,” the conservative talk show host said of the first individual...."It's time to start naming names and explain what's actually going on, because, Sen. McCain, the people of this country are dead scared about what we face if you lose.” (The Politico; emphasis added)
Not being top dog anymore? Having the tables turned? Losing jeering rights? What? What do these morons think is going to change so very drastically? Do they really NOT understand that Obama is a centrist Democrat---most disappointing to progressives---who is corporate friendly, committed to carrying on the war in Afghanistan and pursuing "the war on terror," etc., etc.?
No. No, they don't. He's black, you see. And to people of this mind-set, all black people are the same and all of them are liberals. I doubt any of them can hear a word Obama says. As for Limbaugh, he makes his living filtering everything for the dittoheads to keep them in a state of blind panic and fury. But what about others?
"McCain is behind in the polls, and the Republicans have no chance of regaining control of Congress,” [ a political science professor at California’s Claremont McKenna College and former Republican operative] noted. “Republicans are facing the prospect of unified Democratic control of the government for the first time since the first two Clinton years. And even then, Clinton’s agenda had moderate elements (e.g., [the North American Free Trade Agreement] and deficit reduction). With Obama, [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid and [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi in power, Republicans worry about a hard push for a hard-left agenda.” (The Politico)
Oh, Mr. former Republican operative, how I wish. But no. No, Obama is anything but "hard left" or progressive. Sadly he is not. As for Pelosi...please. Pelosi, who took impeachment off the table? Pelosi, who helped implement telecom immunity?
These people really don't know anything about Obama. He's not the sort of Democrat any members of "the hard left" were hoping for. Obama means what he says about bipartisan action (which is all the "change" he was really talking about, ever). But they can't hear this because it's not in the interest of anyone they listen to to let them know.
Scary. Meanwhile, McCain is clearly conflicted about his own tactics, or so it seems. He won't bring the Rev. Wright---possibly because he doesn't want Dems to bring up his own disavowed "pastors"---and the Ayers association looks thin to anyone who bothers to examine it, particularly since McCain is trying to raise it without appearing to be the one raising it, a side-stepping of responsibility that is getting him charged with moral cowardice and taunted by Joe Biden.
Marc Ambinder writes dispassionately about McCain's tactics:
Peremptorily cutting off talk of Rev. Wright displaces the conversation onto Ayers and raises expectations. And time and time, McCain doesn't go there. He mentions Ayers in a speech or interview, or gives the tough talk to Sarah Palin. He neglects to speak about Ayers in a debate. He says that Ayers isn't relevant. Anger mounts. McCain is trapped. Some in campaign blame the media, again, for putting McCain into a box -- when something doesn't work, the media gets the blame. But that hoary old axiom in politics -- timing is everything -- applies. (Ambinder)
As a tactic OR a strategy, the current negative campaigning seems to be back-firing for McCain and his aspirations (though that doesn't mean that the angry mob is going to disperse if Obama wins).
Ambinder reflects:
Suddenly dumping on Obama's character and associations in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the great depression smells cheap and desperate. And it creates a spectacle that is becoming easy for the media to dismiss McCain is aware of this -- he's flinched at times and reminded his audiences that he has to be optimistic, but his campaign advisers don't agree on the wisdom of angry crowds becoming the story; some hate the effect this is having on independents and others are trying to pump liquidity into the Republican base. (Ambinder)
"Pump liquidity." Good one, Marc Ambinder!
Memeorandum has more blogger commentary here.
RECENT POSTINGS
Olbermann & Salon: Palin Pallin' with Terrorists?
Yeah that's right! We can only deal with one issue at a time! If libs say X matters but Y doesn't, then we must accept the wisdom of authority!
And why is it we know more about Todd Palin than we do about Barack "Tell me what to say, Axelrod" Obama? Isn't it odd that the New York Times runs more front page stories about Palin's alleged associations than it does about Obama's admitted associations?
Finally, we've got the question wrong. It's not, What did Obama see in Ayers et al? The correct question is, What did Ayers the Proud Terrorist see in Obama?
To answer that is to understand why some people so hysterically say - "Don't talk about Y; we can only talk about X!!!"
Posted by: Close Observer | October 10, 2008 at 03:45 PM
These guys couldn't touch sane with a 700 mile long, $700 billion pole. Their rallies are filled with fellow loons. Their platform was constructed by drunken, minimum wage elves from middle earth. Who is going to call them on this crap? I know you are and I salute you - I am doing the same as well, but the silent masses of semi-sane people have to say ENOUGH!
(Hopefully they will get crushed come election day - but they really need to be called out now!)
Posted by: SplendidMarbles | October 10, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Obama is a lefty and a Progressive, he just doesn't campaign as one. As a former Progressive, I know one when I see one. But it's clear that Obama has triangulated his campaign right as soon as it was clear he had beaten Edwards and Kucinich.
Posted by: Cobb | October 10, 2008 at 07:28 PM
HI cobb,
I disagree that Obama is a true progressive. I'M a true progressive, and he hasn't been progressive enough for me.
I'm still voting for him, because I think he's a better bet for McCain on certain issues.
Posted by: Deb Cupples (Buck Naked Politics) | October 10, 2008 at 09:10 PM