This Just In: President Obama Names Willie Horton Secretary of State!

I’m thrilled that the polls are looking so good for Obama but I’m not taking pleasure in watching John McCain sink to such depths during the final weeks of this endless campaign. I had a lot of respect for Senator McCain during the 2000 primaries and was disgusted to see his “Straight Talk Express” derailed by the dirty politics of George W. Bush and Karl Rove. At the time I thought McCain really was a “maverick” who thought for himself even when his beliefs weren’t politically expedient and I truly believed he’d make a good President. I was shocked when he made nice with Bush so soon after he pulled out of the race that year considering the viciousness of Bush’s attacks and I was sad to see McCain trying so hard to appeal to the fringe elements of the extreme right—people whose actions and statements he had rightfully decried during the primaries. But that’s politics, I sighed, of course he was going to try to shore up his support among all elements of the Republican Party.

But I am beyond sickened by the latest attempts of the McCain campaign to reverse their fortunes in the current polls. With his full approval, McCain’s honchos are waging one of the most blatant campaigns of fear since Joseph Goebbels served as Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. The latest automated “robo calls” aimed at swing state voters have all the subtlety of a Der Stürmer political cartoon. McCain’s final, desperate gasp in this grueling campaign is an unvarnished attempt to appeal exclusively to the basest fears of voters, hoping to scare the bejeesus out of them and convince them that Barack Obama is planning some kind of radical leftist coup despite his flowery words. It is truly despicable and in my opinion, has permanently damaged McCain’s reputation and any memories of his bucking-the-establishment “maverick” past.

Here are the words thousands of unsuspecting swing state recipients will hear when they pick up their phones this week:

“Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, a judge’s home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee."

It’s even creepier when you hear the actual voice:

I cannot believe the McCain camp has sunk this low. This, just a few days after the candidate declared during the final debate that he didn’t care about some “washed-up terrorist” and emphatically denied that he was running a negative campaign. Even some GOP leaders are condemning the fear-mongering calls but McCain spent yesterday defending them. Is this what it looks like to sell your soul to the devil?

Speaking of desperate Republican moves that are NOT helping McCain’s slipping poll numbers, have you heard this exchange from last Friday between Chris Matthews of “Hardball” and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachman. Do not adjust your computer screen—this is not archival footage from Joseph McCarthy, these are statements from an actual member of Congress made in October 2008:

Bachmann is running for re-election in Minnesota. During the 48 hours following her asinine comments (how was this woman ever elected to office in the first place?), her Democratic opponent received more donations than he’s been able to raise during the past several months. It's possible that Bachmann is ignorant enough to believe the B.S. that she's spewing but John McCain is not. He knows his campaign is resorting to lies and propaganda to appeal to the lowest level of fears in the electorate—and to me that makes it all the worse. Overall, Americans are not buying the brazen fear-mongering—and that may be the best news about this country that we've had in ages.

Two weeks and one day until November 4th. Perhaps there’s one sentiment that even the most polarized members of both sides would agree on: WE CAN’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S OVER!

Update on 10/22: As of today there's a new "robo call" circulating that's just as reprehensible and misleading as the one above:

"Hi, this is Rudy Giuliani and I'm calling for John McCain and the Republican National Committee, because you need to know that Barack Obama opposes mandatory prison sentences for sex offenders, drug dealers, and murderers. It's true, I read Obama's words myself. And recently, Congressional liberals introduced a bill to eliminate mandatory prison sentences for violent criminals -- trying to give liberal judges the power to decide whether criminals are sent to jail or set free. With priorities like these, we just can't trust the inexperience and judgment of Barack Obama and his liberal allies. This call was paid for by the Republican National Committee and McCain-Palin 2008."

Disgusting. As if Rudy's smirking speech at the Republican National Convention in which he spent most of his time making fun of community organizers wasn't bad enough. The only thing left in the McCain campaign's bag of tricks during these last days seems to be FEAR. Why don't they just cut to the chase? "Vote for Obama and you will be raped, your kids will become drug addicts, your sister will become a prostitute, and the U.S. will become a haven for terrorism by Islamic fundamentalists!"

Comments

[La Framéricaine]

"Are you now, or have you ever been, an anti-American?"

You'd think they'd learn...

[Jane]

Oh Danny.....I live a few miles from Bachmann. She's scary, and there are many like her. Although MN is a liberal state by and large, much of that is due to the Twin Cities proper. Out here in the burbs, the colors are much more blurred.

I've been stunned by McCain supporters in my district, and have interviewed several of them. While I normally have no problems with differing political opinions, I did this year, in a big way. The supporters I spoke with were simply not informed and did not want to be informed. They had their rhetoric, their religion, and their radio talk shows -- those were their facts, and it didn't matter if they were wrong, hypocritical, or even flat-out lies. They were going to continue to wave the Republican flag, support the war, and forget the massive debt -- they were going to support WHATEVER their Republican politicians did.....even if it was totally contrary to the original tenets of Republicanism.

I believe the rise in these types of brainwashed people is the result of media deregulation and the proliferation of right-wing programs. Before the deregulation, a program had to present both sides of a political argument. Now, people are getting one side only -- and believing it as the truth.

[Gordon]

Dear Danny,
I have nothing but disgust for McCain and Palin. They are so desperate that they're digging up old lies that were already disproven during the primaries. Notice that they never say much of anything that is pro-McCain. They tend to concentrate on character assassination, fear and lies. It may have worked in 2000 and 2004, but it won't work this time. The lousy economy has got the voters screaming for change.

Michele Bachman. What a freak. She's a cross between Katherine Harris and Ann Coulter. Hopefully, the voters in Minnesota will have the good sense to give her the boot.

[churlita]

The sad thing is, that people are starting to act on that hate. A friend of mine from Chicago, took some people to Wisconsin to canvass for Obama, and at one of the houses they went to, a man physically attacked one of the canvassers. That fear gets embodied as violence. It's so dangerous and irresponsible.

[Neil]

I agree. The whole thing is scary. I think it just shows the desperation in the McCain camp.

I do think there needs to be some overhaul on the way these campaigns are run -- and not just the iffy campaign finance reform that McCain suggested. There is too much money and too much crap going on -- like these phone calls. I think there should be stricter rules on how campaigns are allowed to run.

[Bobbie]

Yes, there should be much stricter rules. No more slanderous lies. I don't suppose it will ever happen, but I would like to see NO comments about the other guy - just information about what the candidate hopes to do if elected. And definitely, a limit on how much money can be spent.

I'd really like a limit on how long they can campaign!

[ludovic]

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