Racebaiting and fearmongering
So, two days ago, we found out that a McCain volunteer disfigured herself to paint the picture of an evil black man attacking a white McCain supporting woman. This just happens to be in Pennsylvania, the state where McCain absolutely has to win.
Then we find out that the Pa GOP party spokesman was not only pushing the story, but also adding politically useful facts to the racebaiting hoax.
Now we find out that this same Pa GOP party is sending out letters to Jewish voters in Pa,
I don't even know what to say here.
Then we find out that the Pa GOP party spokesman was not only pushing the story, but also adding politically useful facts to the racebaiting hoax.
Now we find out that this same Pa GOP party is sending out letters to Jewish voters in Pa,
"Jewish Americans cannot afford to make the wrong decision on Tuesday, November 4th, 2008," the e-mail reads. "Many of our ancestors ignored the warning signs in the 1930s and 1940s and made a tragic mistake. Let's not make a similar one this year!"
I don't even know what to say here.
posted by mikevotes at
7:07 AM
6 Comments:
Hard to see how they can go any lower.
By
Anonymous, at 8:59 AM
I think someone in the Pennsylvania campaign was offered a plum in the McCain administration.
By
Lew Scannon, at 9:42 AM
What would you expect from a party that courted the voters that fled the Democrats when the D's accepted Civil Rights in the 60's?
When you build your base by courting racists and extremists this is what you get in a push-comes-to-shove election race. The appeal to fear of Jewish voters is interesting since the Fascist regimes of Europe were well supported(spiritually and financially) by the US political elites.
By
matt, at 10:54 AM
someone needs to do an expansive, post-election article on the dirty-tricks aspect of the Republican approach to this election.
or a whole book.
By
r8r, at 10:54 AM
Will this be remembered as "the Willie Horton episode" of this year's campaign?
The media isn't finished chewing on the bone of the campaign's involvement in this disaster. It could end up being a real defining moment. A lot of the wingnuts got bit in the ass by running with this tale, and it could cost the Republicans significant credibility with the wingnut base in the longer term. The "cut nut" will continue to be thrown in their faces whenever they make wild claims in the future.
The "freepers" are saying that this woman is an Obama "plant" to make McCain look bad.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 11:01 AM
I think it's important also to frame this as Pennsylvania, the ONE blue state the McCain campaign claims they need.
This isn't just happening in South Carolina, where it's just racists going nuts, this is happening in PA, the top McCain focus state which makes it seem far more intentional.
Also, important to note that there's nothing linking this to the McCain campaign or the national party. Doesn't mean they're not involved, but you can't really attach blame beyond the local without some kind of proof.
(I'd be really curious what some of the national Pa Republicans have to say about all this, like Tom Ridge, for instance.)
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Anon, we're not yet to them telling the black population to go to the wrong polling places.
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Lew, I really don't doubt it, but again, no proof thus far.
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Matt, yeah. I also think the group overlap with "evangelicals" is interesting.
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r8r, Maybe. The one hope is that the GOP civil war might lead to some of the more rationals trying to tar some of the dirtier folks.
However, I would not be surprised to see something like an opus on the whole thing from the viral emails to the talk radio to the racial smears and lies.
First black man getting elected will spawn alot of interest in that among academics.
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Todd, I don't think this is Willie Horton because the first incident will be blamed on the crazy girl, and the emails are low, non-public distribution.
Yeah, I saw somewhere the crazies talking about her being a plant. They also said the crazy lady at the townhall who called Obama an Arab was a plant.
It's what they have. It's how they separate themselves.
By
mikevotes, at 11:39 AM
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