Republicans deny 'sowing hatred' in campaign

Monday 13th October, 06:23 AM JST

ARLINGTON, Va —

Republicans on Sunday pushed back against charges that John McCain’s campaign had been sowing “hatred” against Barack Obama, as they struggled to put their White House bid back on track.

Just over three weeks until the Nov 4 elections, Republican presidential nominee McCain reacted furiously at the accusations leveled against him by 1960s civil rights icon John Lewis.

The latest political turbulence came as Obama, 47, builds a steady lead over McCain, 72, on the national level, and on the state-by-state electoral map.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, on CBS television’s “Face the Nation,” said: “The idea that John McCain and Sarah Palin are conducting themselves like George Wallace is just incredibly offensive.”

He added: “We are not going to take this. We are going to challenge Senator Obama’s record versus his rhetoric.”

Lewis, revered as one of the key figures in the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement, ignited a political firestorm by issuing a statement about McCain’s recent searing character attacks on Obama.

Republicans “are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse,” Lewis said.

He also appeared to suggest attacks on Obama were reminiscent of late segregationist Alabama governor and presidential candidate George Wallace, whose rhetoric in 1963 was blamed for a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, that killed four little girls.

But McCain said Lewis had launched a “character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale.”

He said Lewis’ apparent reference to Wallace was “unacceptable and has no place in this campaign.”

“Where was John McCain when George Wallace was spreading his hate and segregationist policies at that time?” asked McCain spokesman Rick Davis on Fox News Sunday.

“He was in a Vietnam prison camp serving his country with his civil rights also denied.”

Later, Lewis issued a second statement in an apparent attempt to defuse the row, saying he had not meant to draw a link between Wallace and McCain.

“My statement was a reminder to all Americans that toxic language can lead to destructive behavior. I am glad that Senator McCain has taken some steps to correct divisive speech at his rallies,” he said.

New Gallup tracking figures Sunday showed that Obama’s lead over McCain had narrowed to seven percentage points at the end of the past week.

Based on polling from Thursday through Saturday, Gallup put the Illinois senator at 50% to 43% for his rival.

With his campaign on a roll, Democratic heavy hitters Bill and Hillary Clinton appeared at their first joint rally for Obama in Scranton, Pennsylvania alongside vice presidential candidate Joseph Biden.

Bill Clinton, the former president, said he was later traveling to Virginia to stump for Obama.

The New York Times reported Sunday that Republican leaders are worried that McCain is heading for defeat unless he brings stability to his campaign and settled on a clear message.

“You’re starting to feel real frustration because we are running out of time. Our message, the campaign’s message, isn’t connecting,” Saul Anuzis, the Republican chairman in Michigan, was quoted as saying.

But Republican Congressman Adam Putnam, speaking on CBS’s Face The Nation said the Arizona senator could still pull ahead in the race.

“Obama has had a good couple of weeks and has opened up a small lead, but we have a long way to go. And I think John McCain is going to retake that momentum with this upcoming debate,” he said.

McCain Sunday visited his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, a battleground state near Washington. He then returned to his nearby home to prepare for the third and final presidential debate with Obama on Wednesday at Hofstra University in New York state.

Obama was in Toledo, Ohio, also readying himself for the debate. Campaign spokesman Bill Burton said the Illinois senator did not believe in the comparison between McCain and Wallace.

But he said Lewis “was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked.”

Chants of “terrorist” and “kill him” were reportedly heard at recent McCain events and some commentators blamed hard-hitting negative advertisements which claimed Obama consorted with a domestic “terrorist“—1960s radical William Ayers.

Wire reports

Latest 15 of 53 Total Comments Show All

coulrophobic at 09:15 PM JST - 13th October

"Perhaps you could provide some sort of documentation of Obama or Biden uttering the same kind of virulencies which Palin has said"

Virulencies?

She said that Obama pals around with terrorists.

It is true.
Nippon5 at 09:42 PM JST - 13th October

Sezwho2

However, McCain survived, which many other victims--both black and white and might as well add all the other ethnic groups too--did not.

However Sezwho2. many minorities survived and didnt have as hard as others did. It will depend on which oppressed minority person we speak of, Just as I stated some POWs had horrid deaths at the hand of the enemy. Also sometimes it easier to be killed then it is to relive your torture over and over the rest of your life.......

Not argueing about who was treated worse because only those it happened too can say, Im saying to straight out say he didnt have it as hard as all minorities and minorites in the military is just too general and not acurate...

Based on my experience in the US military and those I know who served I will speak from my heart and what I know, Ive never meet a person who thought they fought just for one race or color in the military who joined of his/her own will, and that includes those I know who fought in vietnam..That doesnt mean racism wasnt a part of life(it still is today) but Ive never meet one who said I only fight to save white/black Americans..

I also defended Kerry when they attempted to taint his service... It part of who I am and what I believe, maybe Im foolish to believe Americans fight for America' military because they love their country and feel a duty to protect her intrest, but its what I believe...
adaydream at 09:55 PM JST - 13th October

WilliB - What facts are the democrats lieing about? What are the democrats turning into turnspeak? < :-)
Madverts at 10:45 PM JST - 13th October

"She said that Obama pals around with terrorists"

Keep repeating it. It's got to make it true....

...heh, and I'm sure it's one that will be repeated ad-lib after Nov 4th with others in the support group, murmering and nodding in agreement.
Taka313 at 10:46 PM JST - 13th October

A couple of questions for our resident neo-cons:

1) Who has sponsored more terror in the world, William Ayers or the House of Saud?

2) Who has been responsible for more deaths in the world, William Ayers or the taliban?

3) Where has your outrage been over the last 8 years, knowing that bush has ties to both?

The whole William Ayers thing is simply cheap theatrics.

Taka
Madverts at 10:47 PM JST - 13th October

Z,

Willi said republicans don't sow hate. That's nearly as outrageous as when he claims France lives unders sharia law.

Some comments are often just best laughed at, rather than examined.
adaydream at 11:03 PM JST - 13th October

Madverts, I just wanted to hear the crap from WilliB that was his turnspeak.

I think that WilliB must have just pounding his keyboard in hesteria. < :-)
SezWho2 at 11:59 PM JST - 13th October

coulrophobic,

OK, give me a definition of "palling around with terrorists". If this is defined as serving on the same boards and working on the same community projects with someone who used to be a terrorist, then I'd have to agree according to your definition. It doesn't seem like a very sensible definition though.
SezWho2 at 12:19 AM JST - 14th October

Nippon5,

I don't think I would say that you are foolish to believe that Americans fight in the American military because of a love for country. I would say that you demonstrate loyalty. I would further say that this loyalty is probably merited in the overwhelming majority of cases.

However, if there is even one case in which someone elects to serve for an ulterior purpose--to escape prosecution, to avoid a draft and try to obtain preferred service, to qualify for benefits or whatever--I think it shows that we cannot automatically assume that military service implies love of American citizens. That's the way I see it.

And so, we can only say that McCain served and that he served honorably according to military records. No one can infer from his service his intent in serving. We can listen to what he says and we can believe it, disbelieve it or count it as irrelevant. I have no information to sway me either to belief or disbelief. To me, playing on McCain's patriotism is a cheap trick.

As far as the torture versus racism thing is concerned, I just don't think we can compare an individual to a group. That is why I pointed out that I didn't think it was true that McCain experienced worse than minorities have. He certainly seems to have experienced worse than some minority members--Clarence Thomas perhaps. I'm not sure the same can be said of his experience versus James Chaney's, although the end came quite a bit quicker for Chaney, how quick we really can't say.
goodDonkey at 04:10 AM JST - 14th October

If you want an alternative view of McCain's character read this article:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/makebelievemavericktherealjohnmccain

The article gets into the source of his various methodologies he employees today.
goodDonkey at 04:22 AM JST - 14th October

That should have read:

The article gets into the source of his various methodologies he employs today.
Everton2 at 07:49 AM JST - 14th October

Even though they may seem to try some whites especially those McCain advocates just don't get it. They believe that freedom can be doled out in degrees, and if you get half in the process somehow that is acceptable. That half representing a mitigating factor around which minorities should construct a shrine and be eternally greatful.

That the war service of McCain with its attendant imprisonment and torture stands larger than the quest and realization of social justice. Well it does not regardless of whatever spin you may put on it. Social justice is the moral engine on which real democracy turns, without it we have nothing.

McCain did have a choice when he decided to wear a uniform. His civil rights and freedom were never under threat at home or even abroad, a man who in later years had remained belligerent to the notion of reserving a day to nationally honor the Rev. Martin Luther King. That in itself speaks volume about this man's thinking.

McCain is only a hero to those who seek to deny the manifold injustices that were a reality of the 60s for millions of Americans who just wanted to be treated equality.

If McCain's war service is going to be defined as a measure of character then it must be given the same billing with those who risk lives and arbitrary imprisonment for the cause of freedom at home. How in all fairness can that prolong experience of suffering not be a testament to the battle for true democratic principles.
Nippon5 at 11:16 AM JST - 14th October

One question Everton2..

For those reasons McCain's service must be seen as one that purely representing the interest of a particular class and race, It did represent the interest of all Americans.

McCain can take his war service and insert it not too carefully up his rear end.

Even though they may seem to try some whites especially those McCain advocates just don't get it.

Do these statement quilify as racist or just prejudice?

By the way what is a white? Do I qualify as a white even though I have 1/4 native American in me? Do My kids qualify since they have 1/2 Japanese and 1/8 native American? Just wondering what is a qualified white in your race basing system?

Social justice is the moral engine on which real democracy turns, without it we have nothing.

Sezwho2

I agree with you that some (a very small majority) join only for the reasons you listed, but I think most of those also do it for country too..

Personally I still get wet eyes listening to these http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZZf619DIpo

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=C-o9aCoeGoI

Most the time if someone is in a situation where they can stay state side (he was stateside in the military and could of done a Bush and never seen combat) and they request to go to the front (knowing the risk of not coming back) we can come to the conclusion he is doing it for good reasons, and he has stated such in many articles and books.
Everton2 at 11:52 AM JST - 14th October

Nippon5: These statements are simply observations, and due to a lack of space cursory analysis. Whites are those who along with the broader society regard themselves as white.

Nippon5 With all due respect feel free to declare yourself and family to be whatever you like.
SezWho2 at 07:30 PM JST - 15th October

Nippon5,

He could have "done a Bush" and never seen combat. He would never have seen admiral either.