John McCain and Sarah Palin's tactics of desperation (San Jose Mercury News editorial)

[struggle4progress]

Article Launched: 10/08/2008 08:00:00 PM PDT

The schizophrenic campaign of John McCain is getting uglier. Losing ground as the economy tumbles, he's betting on innuendo and vilification — tactics of desperation — to defeat Barack Obama. Voters should expect better from a candidate who boasts straight talk and bipartisanship, even if he is behind in the polls.

In campaign stops, McCain repeatedly asks, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" — implying there is a suspicious past to a man whose life has been thoroughly chronicled. But so far, McCain has steered clear of direct attacks, leaving that to spurious ads and to vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. She has whipped up crowds this week by claiming that Obama pals around with terrorists and can't be trusted because, "This is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America." ...

McCain can vouch for the effectiveness of the politics of aspersion. George Bush upended his presidential bid in 2000 with a vicious whisper campaign, with racial undertones, in the South Carolina primary, saying McCain was emotionally unstable and had fathered a black baby out of wedlock. That makes it all the more disturbing for McCain to use the tactics now ...

McCain is pledging to demand higher ethical standards and to rid Washington of corruption. Voters should judge his campaign by the same standard.

http://www.mercurynews.com/elections/ci_10672032?nclick_check=1