by Blue Stockings | The ones who don't go on the internet really may not know their own. Quite a lot of voters simply dismiss the "Obama is, or at some time, may have been associating with a known terrorist" [now a university professor] attack ads. A Fox poll says 2/3 of voters say that the Ayers business makes no difference to their votes.
Just to hammer home the point, though, there’s one more poll that McCain should really take a look at. It says that two thirds of voters just don’t care about the Ayers story, and it’s not influencing their vote. The remaining third are Republicans who wouldn’t vote for Obama anyway. The poll was put out by Fox News.
I can’t think of any other way to get the point through McCain’s head; people could care less, they want to hear talk on the economy! (Comments from Left Field)
It's what I'll call, because I'm an elitist, the lower third---the hard 'n crazy core---who are scaring sane people, including Republicans. Among the lower third, the level of rage is getting scary.
Videos taken of people heading into McCain-Palin rallies have shown individuals who label Barack Obama as a terrorist, a communist and a threat to the well-being of the country. At a town hall meeting in Wisconsin on Thursday, several attendees urged the Republican nominee to attack his opponent on the Ayers issue and Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who McCain himself has said should be off limits.
The rabid nature of the scene has startled longtime political observers and even former associates of McCain himself. (Sam Stein)
At HuffPost, Stein noted:
Veteran reporter Dan Balz has opined that "McCain's tactics are over the line, with no restraint in sight, and threaten to provoke reactions among partisans on both sides that will continue to escalate."
Frank Schaeffer penned a solemn and critical column (first published in the Baltimore Sun) personally addressed to McCain himself: "If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as "not one of us," I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence."
The US Secret Service is conducting a probe of an allegation by Dana Milbank that someone yelled "Kill him" at an Obama rally.
Federal law makes it a crime to threaten to kill, kidnap or harm a presidential candidate.
Milbank reported Tuesday the shouted threat came after Palin, quoting the New York Times, told the crowd Ayers was "one of Obama's earliest supporters," and "was a domestic terrorist and part of the group that launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol." (TBO)
So John McCain is trying to walk back the anger and panic his campaign is trying to stir up.
Polimom says: "Has McCain waited too late to dial it back? For all our sakes, I hope not."
Ta Nehisi-Coates said:
I don't think pushing the Ayers line is so bad, as in, arguing that Ayers is a despicable guy who Obama didn't distance himself from. I don't buy that line, but I'm not supposed to, I'm an Obama supporter. But when you start accusing homeboy of "palling around with terrorists," you've gone too far. Think about it logically--terrorists caused 9/11. And we basically believe that they are worthy of death. From that perspective, what do we think should happen to people who are friends with them? From that perspective, what do we think should happen to Barack Obama? Think there aren't some crazies out there who are connecting those same dots. These guys need to watch what they say.
One of his commenters says:
Call me when the pitbull is back on her leash. I'm not buying a walkback yet. McCain has a debate next week to prepare for and I'm not convinced this isn't simply to give him something to toss out if he's asked about the anger at the rallies.
Nelson M. at The Liberal Journal expresses skepticism:
I think the damage has been done. The mob is too strong to be controlled now. McCain unleashed the beast, and it will be the legacy of his campaign, especially if some unspeakable act were to occur.
Earlier at the event, McCain also said something else of note...
I'd almost like to thank McBush for attempting to restore decency, but a) he's likely doing this out of self interest because moderates and independents are turned off by the garbage, and b) as far as I know, his lowball campaign ads are still out in full force.
skippy says:
it's one thing to disagree w/your opponent. it's another thing to whip crowds into frezies of hatred. after days of both web ads and veep nominee maggie o'connell stating explicitly that obama hangs out w/terrorists, the mcmuffin campaign is shocked - shocked! - to see their supporters express rage.
Sadly, the McCain campaign doesn't seem to have got the memo that McCain is going to be trying to douse the hate-fire his ads have been fanning.
"Barack Obama's attacks on Americans who support John McCain reveal far more about him than they do about John McCain. It is clear that Barack Obama just doesn't understand regular people and the issues they care about," read a statement from spokesman Brian Rogers. "Even worse, he attacks anyone who dares to question his readiness to serve as their commander in chief in chief. Raising legitimate questions about record, character and judgment are a vital part of the Democratic process, and Barack Obama's effort to silence and shame those who seek answers should make everyone wonder exactly what he is hiding." (Sam Stein)
Lawyers, Guns, and Money draws attention to the level of stupid that is required for anyone ([cough/]TheCorner[/cough cough]) to give credence to the Ayers claims or even to pretend to take them seriously:
The success of the Ayers claims -- and its filial guilt-by-association narratives -- depend upon one's ability to disregard everything that Barack Obama has said and done for more than two decades in public life....
MEMEORANDUM BLOGGER DISCUSSION HERE.
RECENT POSTINGS AT IDLYE & BN-POLITICS
Troopergate: Out of Little Transgressions Grows the Disposition to Commit Greater Ones....
McCain Fights Back Against Anti-Obama Rhetoric from Supporters
Meanwhile, as the Economic Crash Continues, What Are Furious Conservatives Angry About?
Colbert Nation: Joe Scarborough Tells Stephen It's Too Late for McCain
Obama Talks to Charlie Gibson About Alleged Association with Ayers; McCain's Cowardice
Before we make a choice we may regret for the next four years, the accusations against Barack Obama should be carefully considered, as they are here:
http://www.FairAndUnbalanced.com?http://www.testimoanials.com/blog/blog1.php/2008/10/10/the-difference-between-jefferson-davis-a
Posted by: Burr Deming | October 11, 2008 at 09:39 AM