As much as I would love to pin this entire "skinhead" plot to McCain's tail...

[Curtland1015]

...I find it herd to believe that racist groups wouldn't be planning to assassinate a black man running for President no matter who he was running against.

Don't get me wrong, McCain is a gigantic asshole who has done quite a bit to stir the "exotic and unknown" pot. But it's kind of childish to think BS like this wouldn't be happening if McCain wasn't running negative ads. Bottom line is, there are a lot of racist assholes in this country. There always has been and likely always will be.

These pieces of garbage would be plotting something with or without McCain.

[ck4829]

1. Yes. This is probably the work of Bill White, not John McCain.

[justiceischeap]

2. I think some of the blame can be laid at Palin's feet

Using all her whacko right-wing fundie language just encourages these idiots. McCain* or Palin not dismissing this kind of language when they know it's happening at their rallies makes them complicit.

[endarkenment]

3. Sorry - failed post.

You have your campaign run around the country for the last 6 weeks stirring up hate and division and you get part of the blame for acts like this, even if there is no direct connection.

[Curtland1015]

7. Obama is a black man running for president.

All I'm saying is, these freak jobs would have been planning something regardless. McCain could have spent the entire campaign calmly talking about Obama with respect, and there still would have been skinhead KKK members in this country that would have been planning crap like this.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. McCain is a racist, running a racist campaign.

Play with the bull, mess with the horns.

[endarkenment]

19. They might, and then again they might not

But we do know that they did, or at least they are alleged to have, planned and carried out overt acts to further a mass murder and assassination for political reasons in the midst of the McCain Palin Hate Fest. McCain and Palin share the blame for creating the environment that encourages such acts. This is on their dime. They paid for the media time to robocall and spot ad blast their bullshit across america. The fallout is theirs.

[leftofcool]

8. But this happened during the Dem convention

[endarkenment]

11. Plot hatched starting last month.

Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tennessee and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena were charged in a federal complaint last Friday of illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun, conspiracy to rob a federal firearms licensee, and making threats against a major candidate for the Office of President.

According to the complaint, Cowart and Schlesselman met via the Internet through a mutual friend last month, with both men claiming to have very strong beliefs regarding "White Power" and "Skinhead" philosophies.

The complaint said the pair discussed robbing a gun shop in order to gather weapons and ammunition to use in a 'killing spree.'

According to the complaint, the defendants further discussed their killing spree to include targeting a predominately African American school, and to continue their spree until their final act of violence, which would be to attempt to assassinate Obama.

http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9246347&nav=men...

So I reject your assertion that it happened last July.

[Curtland1015]

13. They mean a DIFFERENT assassination plot was broken up during the DNC...

Not this exact one.

[endarkenment]

16. And I am supposed to be psychic?

This plot, the one in the news, was hatched and acted on this month, right in the middle of the McCain Palin Hate Fest.

I am astounded at DU'ers here who insist on NOT CONNECTING ANYTHING TO ANYTHING ELSE no matter how obvious the connection, on the off chance that it might be UNFAIR.

"On October 20, 2008, Cowart allegedly traveled from Tennessee to Arkansas to pick up Schlesselman in order to carry out their plan.

According to the complaint, the defendants further discussed their killing spree to include targeting a predominately African American school, and to continue their spree until their final act of violence, which would be to attempt to assassinate Obama.

Officials said Cowart and Schlesselman stated that they would be willing to die during their attempt.

The pair was arrested on October 22, 2008 by the Crockett County, Tennessee Sheriff's Department."

http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9246347&nav=menu67_2

[Strawman]

4. I'm curious when it actually happened. The timing of the story raises suspicion

I don't believe McCain's campaign had anything whatsoever to do with the plot. But what I question is the timing of the story. Given the way Bush has politicized every corner the executive branch, I don't put a timely unsealing of court documents past them to scare some people who might like Obama into not voting for him. Not saying that's what I think happened, just that it wouldn't shock me one bit.

[ellacott]

5. You are correct, they would have planned this regardless of the McCain camp said

They disrupted an assasination plot just before the Dem. convention.

[JuniperLea]

6. Oh please...

They have been whipping the bigots into a froth for weeks! Yes, there are a lot of racists in the US, but McCain/Palin have been trying to make bigotry acceptable for some time.

"These pieces of garbage would be plotting something with or without McCain." I don't think so. I think they have been given permission.

[holiday]

10. I blame Palin.. I absolutely agree she was race baiting

[JuniperLea]

15. And McCain by virtue of his allowing her to do it... eom

[OneGrassRoot]

17. Absofrigginlutely. n/t

[DeschutesRiver]

12. I know I am too pissed off right now, but they got encouragement from Sarah Palin

her AIP membership ideas, her not so overt race baiting at rallies, refusal to tone down her message in the face of "kill him" and "because he is an ~n~" shout outs that she either heard, or has heard about after the fact, but refuses to address this at the start of any of her rallies.

She is a proud redneck, I heard today, and I don't believe she means that in any good sense.

We are talking about whipping up people, exactly like George freaking Wallace did (thank you, John Lewis, for calling it as you saw it) to the point where they were ready to not only kill Obama, but KILL AND DECAPITATE young children, for god's sake.

Sarah Palin is a race baiter, and deserves to leave this campaign with her reputation in shreds. Gonna happen, too.

[Rocknrule]

14. This is another reason why we HAVE to win

If McKKKain and his Grand Wizard sidekick steal it, I fully expect to see lynchings and cross burnings make a comeback

[Vektor]

18. You're right to some degree. But the McCain camp has egged these people on.

They are not innocent here, either. Sure, these skinheads were wastes of life to begin with, but the McCain campaign is definitely stirring the pot and instigating these assholes.

They are encouraging violent behavior in people who are loose cannons to begin with.

[JuniperLea]

20. If anyone gets hurt... McCain/Palin have blood on their hands...

No question in my mind.

[Vektor]

24. Nor in mine.

They have encouraged this sort of behavior in their rabid followers, and they should be held accountable.

[JetCityLiberal]

28. Agreed

no question in my mind either.

Paul

[Curtland1015]

21. I can see that. But my point is...

...these are KKK members we're talking about. Acutal KKK members and skinheads. McCain's hate speech crap my push people who are on the fence to act more racist than they normally would. But these guys were already way over the fence crazy racists.

White supremacy groups would have been thinking "kill Obama" if McCain was in the picture or not.

[Vektor]

23. Oh, I agree. I know these people were nuts to begin with. I also think

that the dangerous rhetoric spewed by the MCCain campaign is making matters 100% worse. I'm sure there are people who would consider criminal acts without the push from the McCain campaign, but what Palin and McCain are doing is dangerous, grossly irresponsible, and encouragement for these sickos.

They need to be held accountable for their race baiting behavior the same as anyone else would be.

[JuniperLea]

26. How many black people have they actually threatened recently?

Who gave them the empowerment to go so far over the edge? That's what I'm saying.

[endarkenment]

27. And the catalyst that pushed these terrorists to act was?

It is a perfectly plausible theory that the media and robocalling hatefest was the catalyst.

[uppityperson]

22. Palin has encouraged them. end of message

[ecstatic]

25. Not one time has McCain or Palin shown leadership on this issue

Neither one of them has tried to tone down the hate speech.