Shameful outbursts now common at McCain/Palin rallies

Partisan loyalty is normal.   Folks don't typically go to campaign rallies unless they support the candidate and some will, obviously, have extreme loyalty to that candidate.  But at what point does that partisan loyalty become a blinding hate of the opponent?  At what point do the candidates have a responsibility to denounce hatred and villification of the opponent?

There have been a couple of disturbing events at recent campaign rallies for Senator McCain and Governor Palin.  Even more of a concern than the outbursts is the lack of response from McCain and Palin.

At a Palin rally in Jacksonville, Florida, as Governor Palin was denouncing Barack Obama for what she claimed were comments denigrating U.S. actions in Afghanistan, a crowd member yelled out "Treason".  The video is here.

At another rally yesterday, John McCain was speaking in New Mexico, attacking Barack Obama's character as usual and rhetorically asks the crowd "Who is the real Barack Obama".  Someone from the crowd calls out "Terrorist".  The Senator pauses, the crowd laughs and, without a reaction, McCain continues his speech. 

At another rally Monday, a Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound technician for one of the television networks and told him "Sit down boy".

And yesterday, at a Sarah Palin rally, a crowd member can be heard yelling "Kill him" when Barack Obama is mentioned. 

It's continuing today.  At Governor Palin's rally today, a crowd member calls out "Treason" to describe Barack Obama.  Video is here.  No response from the Governor; she continues her speech.  It's business as usual.

The McCain campaign is making a choice here.  The Dow just fell another 500 points today.  The McCain campaign, with Sarah Palin has chosen, rather than doing whatever they can to reassure Americans the economy is not in complete freefall,  to spend all their campaign time demonizing their opponent.  And, by following that course, encouraging exactly the kind of outbursts that are now becoming commonplace at their campaign rallies.  And doing nothing to discourage it.  And it will continue.  In fact, it will get worse.

This is now the Republican Party.  And the truly sad part; they're not ashamed.

Comments

[Karen Harper]

What you describe here is frightening. It seems to me that it is just another symptom of the divisiveness our country has undergone since GWBush took office. It isn't only frightening, it's sad. I used to consider myself a relativist. I tried to respect other people's views and beliefs but when they are so angry, and so obviously want to force their views down our throats, it's hard to be a relativist.