New York Times: Politics of Attack

[Cali_Democrat]

Editorial
Politics of Attack
Published: October 7, 2008

It is a sorry fact of American political life that campaigns get ugly, often in their final weeks. But Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have been running one of the most appalling campaigns we can remember. They have gone far beyond the usual fare of quotes taken out of context and distortions of an opponent’s record — into the dark territory of race-baiting and xenophobia. Senator Barack Obama has taken some cheap shots at Mr. McCain, but there is no comparison.

<snip>

Ms. Palin, in particular, revels in the attack. Her campaign rallies have become spectacles of anger and insult. “This is not a man who sees America as you see it and how I see America,” Ms. Palin has taken to saying.

That line follows passages in Ms. Palin’s new stump speech in which she twists Mr. Obama’s ill-advised but fleeting and long-past association with William Ayers, founder of the Weather Underground and confessed bomber. By the time she’s done, she implies that Mr. Obama is right now a close friend of Mr. Ayers — and sympathetic to the violent overthrow of the government. The Democrat, she says, “sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country.”

Her demagoguery has elicited some frightening, intolerable responses. A recent Washington Post report said at a rally in Florida this week a man yelled “kill him!” as Ms. Palin delivered that line and others shouted epithets at an African-American member of a TV crew.

<snip>

Read more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/opinion/08wed1.html?ref=opinion

Edit:

I guess you need to link from Google News to avoid the subscription crap.

Here's another link (click first article):

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=Politics+of+Attack&btnG=Search+News

[orestes]

1. She's leading Klan Rallies now

Any pretense to being "Political" Rallies is going out the window. And with how badly McCain did in the debate, I'm sure she'll ratchet it up. Wouldn't be surprised if she stopped just shy of lighting a cross on fire during her stump speeches.

[Median Democrat]

5. Nah, She Will Probably Just Have Supporters Burn Him In Effigy

[Chovexani]

8. She certainly is.

Honestly they've got everything but hoods and robes on. The one in Florida in particular made me sick.

[AndyTiedye]

9. They Were Going to Try That, But It Went Kind of Wrong in the Rehersal

[Cali_Democrat]

2. Hmmmm.....

guess you need to link from Google News to avoid the subscription crap.

Here's another link:

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=us&q=Politics+of+Attack&btnG=Search+News

[ej510]

3. Republicans have had their trump card, and the trump card is race.

[Median Democrat]

4. Thank you NYT! It Is About Time The Media Dispenses With The False Neutrality

The bulk of MSM stories would discuss the ugly tone taken by the McCain camp, but the stories would always chicken out at the end with an obligatory, "Obama also run negative ads." It is about time the media actually notes that there is quite a difference between misleading characterizations, and saying that a candidate is a terrorist sympathisizer, while also intimidation of the media, as well as refusing to respond to ANY questions from the press.

The McCain campaign is managing to set new lows when you thought the GOP could not get any worse.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. It's quite refreshing how the MSM is beginning to call McCain and Palin on their tactics. n/t

[Maccagirl]

7. Yes, I'm sick to death of the MSM acting like jaywalking and

murder are equal crimes, just for the sake of appearances. Obama hasn't come close to the level of McCain/Palin. At least he'll be able to look at himself in the mirror when this is mercifully over with.