AC360: David Gergen Thinks McCain Deserves "Credit" For Not Invoking Ayers At Debate
By Nicole Belle Thursday Oct 09, 2008 5:45am
Even though polls are showing that the American people find the McCain less and less credible as a candidate as he focuses more and more on smearing Obama and not on what concerns them, that doesn't stop the McCain Media Brigade from trying to spin his desperate and flailing campaign choices.
On last night's Anderson Cooper 360, David Gergen tries to spin that while the NY Times (accusing McCain of race baiting) had some validity, really, McCain isn't that desperate, because he didn't bring up Ayers at the debate:
GERGEN: I think the New York Times has a serious point and should be considered. The good news, Anderson, is that over the past twenty four hours or so, there have been very encouraging signs from John McCain himself. You know he did not bring up Bill Ayers last night. He has put Reverend Wright off limits, for his campaign and after the debate last night, his top aides told Politico that he did not intend to bring up Bill Ayers. He wasn't going to go down that road and he wanted to keep Reverend Wright off the...out of the campaign.
The issue has been what's been going on at Sarah Palin's rallies. That's where the real trouble is because it's...it's the combination of her rhetoric -- which is whipping up these crowds -- and these ugly scenes that have occurred at these rallies. When Obama's name came up, has been used it not only brought these boos but, you know we have reports now of somebody yelling out "terrorist!" about Obama. At another rally, someone yelling out "kill him, kill him". And at another rally the...you have people shouting racial epithets.
COOPER: You can't control though what people say in a crowd, can you, David?
GERGEN: Yes. You can, and it's...Yes. It's up, it's up to the, Sarah Palin, at her rally and for John McCain to tell her if she doesn't start doing this to stop right there and take issue with what's been said and say this has no place in our campaign and we do not condone this and please let's show more respect. I think it's up to her.
[snip]
And again I think we should give credit to John McCain for not going down this road himself last night in the debate and for making it clear he doesn't want to go down the road in the next few days.
Give me a break...McCain is running 100% negative ads. His running mate is going out and purposefully agitating up racial hatred and we're supposed to give McCain credit for not being man enough to say all the smears to Obama's face?
And is it me, or does Gergen advocate another "campaign suspension" stunt?
Login or Register to post comments.
He didn't bring it up because they are lies and McCain is a coward. He knows if he brought them up in front of Obama, Obama would destroy him. Possibly with lasers shooting from his eyes straight into the blackened lump of charred soulless flesh that is McCain's heart.
because he's hiding behind the skirts of his female surrogates - his wife, Palin, etc. who are doing the mudslinging for him. Pretty sad when a man has to have his women fight his battles for him. Coward.
You should try writing a book, I can see talent in there.
Absolutely right.
I still respect Gergen, but he gave the bitter, jealous old man totally undeserved credit. Grandpa was AFRAID to bring Ayers up with millions of Americans viewing. McFraud is clearly scared of Obama one on one.
GERGEN: ...after the debate last night, his top aides told Politico that he did not intend to bring up Bill Ayers. He wasn't going to go down that road.
Except he did. He immediately went on Hannity. And surprise surprise!! Hannity brought up Ayers! And McCain agreed the Ayers "connection" had to be fully vetted and insinuated Obama was hiding something.
Yeah McCain is a man of honor alright.
By saying he doesn't want to bring up Ayers, McCain is playing tag-team with the issue. Of course, the same could be said of Obama not bringing up McCain's strong and genuine ties to terrorist organizations, but we're all learning about those from the net.
So Sarah allows her crowd to shout out "Terrorist" or "Kill Him, Kill Him", mcPow alludes to Obamas past dealings but doesn't say the actual words and it's OK?
I say the lid has been taken off the can of stink and now mcPOW will have to smell a lot of it himself.
The case can now be legitimately made, following three days of inciting to violence by these individuals: Sheriff Michael Scott of Lee County, Florida; Bill Platt, GOP Chair, Lehigh Valley, Pa. and even McCain's lapdog herself, Sarah Palin - that McCain's rallies have turned so ugly and so humanly appalling that no american is "safe" attending any of them any longer.
Miss Moosie was damn lucky that she didn't incite a riot during her foul speech on Monday in Florida. Instead, she replied with "you get it, dontcha". This is someone asking us to trust her to be #2 in this country? Are you kidding me?
Now McCain himself is on Hannity doing the same thing with his own current terrorist enabling proof? Combine that with Palin's obvious connection to the AIP - the closest thing to a domestic terrorist group I know (Alaska secessionist party). They hate this country so much they want to seceed from it. Are you kidding me again?
And now, the "scorned wife" (google Vicky Iseman to see why) is out there suggesting that Obama's running a dirty campaign as a "foil or distraction" from the fact that this is precisely what the McCain campaign has been doing all along.
Rove's DARVO tactics may have worked 8 years ago; they are not working now....DARVO = Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. It's what "rapists" use to destroy the integrity of the one whom they've attacked.
People have awakened and are no longer buying the Bush/Rove/McCain meme.
It's over for McCain. His rallies have become terrorist breeding grounds and the people are patently rejecting him for this obvious criminal behavior.
I heard on the BBC Radio that the Police guy is now being investigated and may lose his job. Something about a standing law that someone in the pay of the public while wearing the Uniform of that position cannot go political.
Will justice be done? Does it even still exist in the USA?
Perhaps hell get a slap on the wrist.
"Now dont you go inciting violence and angry mobs again you hear?"
Yeah, its called the hatch act, and it was a very clear violation.
I believe the reference is to the Hatch Act, which forbids public servants from campaigning while performing their primary duties.
The irony, of course, is that if Sheriff Lee had dusted off his white hood and burned a cross to welcome Moosegirl, it'd be freedom of speech ...
The local Sheriff is exposed as a KKK leader when somebody recognizes his boots.
someone at Moosalini's rally shouting OFF WITH HIS HEAD!
WTF??? nasty a-holes!
In all fairness, she probably could not hear what was said in the crowd full of crazies. But I don't think we have to be fair at this point. Beauty Queen is not being fair.
Just a thought, if we could hear the racist comments on T.V. you can "betcha" she heard it at the rally. Come get real!
At the McCain rally when someone yelled "terrorist" you could see him react. He heard it, there is no doubt, that she did too.
Then the corollary is also true - smut doesn't work and is tanking McCain's campaign.
The fact that anyone cannot see through the deceptive tactics of the McCain campaign is astounding. He's fooling absolutely no one.
He's running two separate campaigns under one aegis: The up-front one where he acts like an upstanding citizen and the "dark side" campaign where he uses pitbulls and bigots to stir crowds to violence.
This man is a schizophrenic and David Gergen has just pointed that out for all of us.
Interesting contrast of posts...the one right below this is video of McCain bringing up Ayers and Wright, and this one, with Gergen apparently praising McCain for not doing what he is really doing. :P
In the south, McCain would be called chicken shit for not talking to Obama face to face about these accusations.
McCain deserves "credit" for not engaging in his typical sleaze tactics during the debate? Credit, you say, David Gergen? I say it's high time you get your head out of the sand and stop pimping for one so repulsive and repugnant that to finally act like a man and a real presidential candidate without the smut somehow gives him "credit"?
Shame on you, David Gergen! We thought you were smarter than a comment like this.
To suggest that someone who comported himself with dignity in NOT doing what he's been doing on the stump all week is somehow appealing, I suggest that David Gergen remind himself of what the history of political debates have been all about. Then he can remind himself of how presidential candidates are expected to act. And, while Gergen's at it, he can take a honest look at himself: What does that say about the personal character and integrity of David Gergen? It tells me that he expects SO LITTLE OF MC CAIN that, by Gergen's own standards, to not engage in racial baiting and incitement to violence is somehow a feather in McCain's cap?
What is america not getting about Gergen's comment? What is this telling us about David Gergen?
what does this say about Gergen's impression that abiding by the laws of this country and the Patriot Act is somehow a positive thing for McCain?
What McCain and Palin have been doing is patently illegal. You cannot incite to violence in the public arena - regardless of what Gergen or McCain may think.
It's in violation of the patriot act - no doubt about it.
and people who condone this behavior from their ivory pulpits will find themselves on the wrong side of the law soon as well.
PALIN/mccain is using this stuff as red meat to rile their base and inflame closet racists. Obama needs to ask McCain next time they're face to face about it. McCain doesn't like to discuss it publicly because he knows its shameful and dishonorable so Obama has to force the issue and make McCain either repudiate it to his face,which would make McCain look like a coward to his base or make McCain try to accuse Obama of being an American-hating terrorist in the spotlight which would scare off a lot of the undecideds from McCain.
Not only is this baiting racist extremists, but where is the law enforcement at these violent rallies? Palin and the other McCain surrogates need to be investigated immediately for what they are doing in the public arena. If not, then both our law enforcement is not doing their job in investigating patriot act violations.
I'm all for him suspending his campaign. He should suspend it till 2009.
Are we suppose to believe that the red lipped pitbull is going off the reservation when she makes these attacks against Obama? I can't decide which is worse, that John McCain is lying when he says that he will not talk about Ayers and Wright or that Sarah is receiving her talking points from someone else and John McCain has no control over the content. With Bush/Cheney, it was Cheney that had the power. With McCain/Palin, it may be someone behind Palin that has the real power.
John McCain is a pathological liar....a desperate, pathological liar.
Also, say it ain't so, Joe!
Will McCain and Palin be held accountable?
You betcha.
I like Gergen. He generally knows what's going on. Here he's giving credit to McCain for not following Palin down into the slime. I suspect Gergen thinks McCain is finished and has nothing to lose except the last shred of his dignity. The writing is on the wall.
Usually Gergen expresses sound judgment. The people will not judge him well following this statement.
When the bar is set so low by oneself that to "not engage in sleazy, illegal tactics" becomes somehow a positive about the candidate really tells us about the integrity of the speaker - one, David Gergen.
David Gergen has done more harm to his reputation with this one statement than he will ever comprehend.
To have such gutterball expectations that when one doesn't indulge in these unsavory, dispicable tactics is a feather in his cap tells us much more about the "source" than about the intended recipient of the accolade.
David Gergen's political career as an honest, sound pundit is NOW OVER.
Its like praising Bush as a great president for not invading Iran
So today we see Gergen's career tank into the toilet as he attempts to rescue McCain from his descent into darkness.
Whom will it be tomorrow who tries to stump for McCain only to discover that they've committed political suicide and their careers will tank along with their statements?
McCain's campaign has accomplished one thing: It has provided insight to the american people about whom we can trust to bring us the truth.
It has shown the american people which ones feel they have so much to lose that they're willing to become "human pimps" for McCain only to find that they've lost their careers in the process.
Every day/another career is in the toilet, thanks to John McCain.
The one I find most interesting is the career and future of Mike Huckabee. It was on the morning of the descent of Lehman Brothers when McCain was out there telling us "the economy is fundamentally sound" that shortly after that Mike Huckabee went on national television - mind you, this is occurring when Lehman is tanking down the tubes - and calls McCain the "Master Deregulator". You can't make this stuff up, folks.
Mike Huckabee will have this thrown back in face every time he attempts to run for public office in this country. Mike Huckabee was actually "boasting" about McCain's personal fingerprints on this financial meltdown - Mr. Deregulator - whom along with Phil Gramm "gamed the system" for total failure. Yes, that Mike Huckabee!
I guess communication is not the forte of the McCain Campaign. Where where his handlers when McCain was out there saying the economy was sound? Where where Huckabee's handlers when he obviously didn't get the memo about the economy and made the case against McCain by his DeRegulator statement?
Huckabee = the GOP's latest victim of political suicide.
Sarah Palin, First Dude Palin and the McDrysdales. More of the same corrupt, secretive, divisive, incompetent, dishonest and mean spirited Republicanism.
Change is coming.
Hey John, we don't get special credit for acting like any other normal and decent person.
mick e believes that the Palin rallies are meant to incite some unstable individual to go out and take action against Obama. This is not a joke. It is what Gergen is talking about. You can argue whether he is protecting McCain or not, but the real important stuff is SARAH PALIN'S ATTCK RALLIES, and he is honestly addressing this.
Her handlers are part of the Cheney cabal and know full well the power of this kind of rhetoric. It is the same kind of stuff that inspired people to torch shops and kill people on the street after 911 because they "looked muslim". They are attempting to reignite these fires with these rallies. It has nothing to do with getting out the vote or solidifying the base.
It has everything to do with taking out the opposition. Not a joke.
She's hoping folks will band together to drive the black fella off the stage, just as her witch-hunting reverend buddy did in Kenya.
So in her confused little mind, it's all good, because if something bad happens to Obama, it must be God's Will, and if something bad happens to McCain, it's the hand of Satan.
Right on. Anderson Cooper, who I distrust, stated that there was not much anyone could do if someone from the crowd yelled "kill him" or whatever at a rally. David Gergen immediately corrected him and said Palin could have spoke up against violence. Instead she looks very pleased at the mayhem I`m sure she condons it. This woman is dangerous.
I'm sure those racist pigs Palin and McCain know what they're doing. They are feeding the sickos out there who probably already want to hurt Obama. Someone needs to tell them to stop. Do they think they can win the election by imposing harm on their opponent?? I just hope people see thru their dirty tricks and ignore them completely. But then, those people are not reading this.
I am so glad the Veterans are doing something to point out to the public that McCain is really NO MAVERICK!!! And the speech his wife had made about Obama is disgusting. She needs to stay in the spa and keep getting her old skin exfoliated and her nails done. She is a bad human!!!
It's clear that the McCain campaign and all of it's surrogates have become "human bottom feeders" as the lose this campaign. But the one thing we couldn't have imagined is the depth of sleaze they are willing to perpetuate in order to try to win. This level of human sleaze has resulted in their campaigns being "off limits" to anyone with even a modicum of sanity where domestic terrorists should out "kill him" and "off with his head" in public. They're lucky that a race riot didn't erupt in their faces with those types of disgusting incendiary remarks.
And to think that they're asking us to believe in them - or trust them when they act like KKK members in public? To trust them when they put american lives at risk with their intentional hate language? To believe in them when they are the ones "aiding and abetting" domestic terrorism right there at their rallies?
Folks, this is apparent: McCain and Palin are total bottom feeders who have no business running for the presidency of this country. They have flagrantly violated the rules of the patriot act in our faces and have shown us that they are nothing but "agitators to violence" and totally dangerous to americans.
But the McPOW campaign is pushing the limits.
I will continue to try to control myself and dig deeper into my Thesaurus.
Gee, David "Mr. Washington Establishment Media" Gergen is shilling for the insider's candidate. I'm shocked...SHOCKED I tell ya!
Gergen hasn't had any credibility (if he ever had any) since the Reagan Administration.
David Gergen's useful life as a political pundit has come to a screeching halt. He's said more about his level of personal integrity and expectations for the behavior of a candidate for president than he's even realized.
When he wakes from his stupor, he will see what he's done. Right now his age is his own worst enemy because he probably still doesn't realize the obvious.
Adios, Gergen! You've just shown your degree of callousness to the american people.
When these comments are made, why isn't the Secret Service detail doing its' job and arresting those who make threats ... esp, why wasn't the person who called out "kill him" arrested? Had it been an Obama/Biden crowd, everyone would have been detained, questioned, threatened, polygraphed, etc. Fair is fair, and the law is the law. The Secret Service Agents on duty at that particular event need to be disciplined for their neglect!
Yes, where are our chief law enforcement officers while this obvious incitement to violence occurs during the McCain/Palin rallies?
Where is the fairness in all of this? How does this give americans a sense that these individuals are keeping us safe?
McCain's just lost his national security edge with these overt terror tactics if you ask me. He can't even keep the people at this rallies safe - how the hell can we expect him to keep us safe?
What's even more significant is that Sheriff Mike Scott of Lee Co, Florida was a law enforcement in uniform who saluted the crowd like a member of the Third Reich and obviously used Obama's last name to incite the crowd to violent death threats. This law enforcement officer not only violated the law by doing so in uniform; he aided and abetted the violence and then did absolutely nothing about it.
It's horrible enough that Palin looked like a moron smiling while people were acting like domestic terrorists in public; this law enforcement officer in uniform was right there - helping it along.
It's clear now to many americans that we have no law and order in this country and we have a clear double standard taking place right in our faces at the McCain rallies.
McCain & Palin are baiting domestic terrorist, plain and simple!
He gives the term Responsible Journalism a whole new meaning. I can't even believe he went there! He needs to increase his dosage of valium or whatever else he takes with his martini's. I mean really, listen to him speak.....What a dolt. Give McCain credit for being a coward!
Ker-plop! Decades of responsible journalism in the career of David Gergen descends into McCain's personal toilet today. Hate to see you go, Gergen but go you must. Once you pimp for someone this obviously, your career deserves to be over. You've said that you've lowered your standards of honesty to such a low mark, that we can no longer trust your opinion.
I just caught the last half of an interview with Obama about what McCain is saying. Obama said he doesn't understand why McCain doesn't make these accusations to his face.
That would be a good question for someone to ask McCain.
He doesn't make the case to Obama's face because he knows that Obama will provide facts which will make him look like a low-life jackass.
He doesn't make the case to Obama's face because he knows that HE HAS NO CASE TO MAKE.
He doesn't make the case to Obama because in doing so Obama will have justification for outing McCain's own connections to domestic terrorists. (See McCain's affiliation in support of the domestic terrorist who shot the doctor; see Palin's intimate connections with AIP - the alaska secessionist party)...
that's precisely why he doesn't have the spine to say it to Obama's face.
He knows it will totally end his campaign. It already has done so - something which he's now finally realizing.
This crap makes it incontrovertibly clear: John McCain is even sleazier than George W. Bush.
Give me a break. McCain knew that if he brought up Ayers or Wright, he would be opening the door to Obama's critique of his and Palin's own dubious associates. And with Obama's incisive speaking skills, McCain would have been eviscerated during the debate. Instead, he, Palin and his wife leave that sort of talk for their rallies, where they whip up the torches-and-pitchforks crowd.
I thought that was a disingenuous comment, too, and figured McCain's failure to bring it up was the sudden realization from his people that there are some scary associations both he and Palin have so it might be best not to "go there." Guess that's not the case, however, because they are back at the Ayers thing this morning. I know Obama is attempting not to fire back, but I think he's gonna have to hit them with AIP and McCain's unsavory personal friends to get this to stop.
BTW,is David Gergen okay? Has anyone else noticed that his voice is getting weaker and weaker?
Gergen's going into retirement for many reasons now, not the least of which is his failing health. He's just committed political suicide so even if he was still hearty and hale, he'd be toast now anyway.
Obviously a cornered Grampy riding on his moosegirl is very dangerous.
I think some of you are missing a bigger picture here. Sure, he sort of gave Grampy McFuckup a pass on this, but he called out S-Airhead P-Ailin on it quite well.
He clearly thinks that this sort of campaigning is repugnant and out of bounds. And that is certainly where the bulk of this rancid sputum is coming from.
If it continues, (as seems to be the trend from them) go after both of the imbeciles on the GOP ticket. There are so many skeletons in those closets (Keating 5, Alaska Independence/Secessionist Party, Troopergate, etc. etc.) that the so-called controversy about Bill Ayers doesn't even come close.
I think you may see a different take on this from him (vis a vis the Hannity interview) in the next day or so if he is on any news/talk shows.
No one I know is taking one more precious moment to find out who Sarah Palin actually is - after three disgustingly vacuous interviews and her disgusting personal tactics on the campaign trail, she's become a national embarrassment.
I hope she's preparing for retirement because she will not go back to her governorship with any support at this point. She's totally lost the respect of the Alaskan people at this point.
Most americans have much more appealing ways to spend their time than to watch someone with a high school education sputter and gasp and make a total fool of herself and her abysmal lack of qualifications. I
I call that "horror television" myself as we sit there and cringe not only about the incoherence of what she is saying but the horrendous grammar she uses to make her point.
I've seen better out of the mouths of high school seniors.
Sure but McCain went on Hannity and talked and agreed about Ayers for 2-3 minutes, strongly insinuating Obama is liar trying to cover up his sinister associations with terrorists
And even if its Palin and surrogates doing the dirtiest work its John McCains campaign. Hes responsible. And he approves the despicable ads. If he cant control his own campaign then how the hell hes suppose to run an administration. It seems he even has a hard time controlling himself
At the debate was mcgramps putting on Ayers?
)O(
McCain has a new ad out about Obama and Ayers. It's a dark ad intended to scare the hell out of the feeble minded.
pissed off patricia
McCain has a new ad out about Obama and Ayers. It's a dark ad intended to scare the hell out of the feeble minded.
The Bullshit Express is on a collision course with the Reality Express...the ensuing conflagration will consume this country.
Without a doubt, mccain is a coward.
He was while in 'Nam - selling out his fellow prisoners for a bit of rice, and he is now.
He is all for dirty campaigning as long as he doesn't personally have to get his hands dirty (except on hannity's screed). Like a pussy he sends his wife out to do the dirty work.
I won't say anything about his sending palin to spew her venom here, as she is in a class of her own as a fundamentalist end-times fanatic.
Coward mccain - likely to push the button at any time.
We should write to our congressmen and sentors to ask them to stop this bullshit. There must be something they can do to stop this violent smear campaign. I started with an email to Pelosi. I don't know where it will go. But all this is making me sick.
The comment about McCain deserving credit for not bringing it up in the debate aside, Gergen is definately not part of the McCain spin cycle. over the years he has , in my humble opinion, called out the flaws and errors of any and all political leaders. I think the fact that he called out McCain and Pailin for the lack of response to the hateful and threatening jeers of their supporters coupled with his opinion that they hold responsibility for their crowd far out weighs the "credit" comment. how many other pundents have called McCain out so strongly and clearly? K.O. is the only one i know of. And when a person with Gergen's bipartisan history of service lays the responsibility at your feet, people should listen.
Time to bring up the Keating 5 Scandal...
Colbert knows how McCain can win. He thinks it will be by "magic"
Joe Scarborough was on his show last night and the clip I saw of it was funny. Colbert was naming off those who are in the tank for Obama and one he mentioned was "reality".
I'm sure Palin is asking her Witch doctor to make a bunch of incantations and maybe a little voodoo doll for her to start doing her "cam-pain" work.
Even though Gergen has worked for many Republican administrations he also worked for Bill Clinton. I think Gergen is a pragmatist who views the politician landscape realistically. I may disagree with him but I respect hem. Maybe I am wrong.
McC*nt is like most Republican "heroes." They're content to let others do the dirty work, while they pretend to be above the fray (Page 1 from Lee Atwater's playbook).
McC*nt was never going to confront Obama about Ayers during the debate. He simply doesn't have the balls.
As far as these recent McC*nt-Palin appearances go, the video I've seen is truly frightening. They're like KKK rallies. An audience packed with undereducated, angry rednecks who are yelling out crazier and crazier comments. Nothing good will come from this.
I'm fearful that something violent is going to happen soon.
Go ahead and bring it up McCain.
Then Obama can bring up Pastor Thomas Muthee, and Hagee and Parsley and the $20 million in debt that Sarah Palin left for Wasilla Alaska when she was mayor and the $2 million she wanted in Federal Earmarks to study the mating habits of crabs and the money she kept when Congress killed the Bridge to Nowhere that she continues to LIE about.
Go ahead McCain... I fucking DARE you.
C'mon, guys. This headline is a stretch. Gergen goes after Palin in the second graf, and that's where the blame belongs.
...AND IT GOES BACK TO McFRAUD'S JUDGEMENT, PICKING THIS NO- TALENT "AGITATOR". Gergen fucked up on this one. Now go sit down.
Do not lose sight of the fact that Palin/McShame are speaking to their dwindling base. They hit the most rabid Republican enclaves which are getting smaller and smaller. They get news time because of who they are but do not be misled. They are not winning new voters. In fact they are losing voters. They will get the racist vote but they are losing the ld people vote. They will get the redneck dumbass hillbilly vote but will lose the vote of the people making $35,000 a year.
Gergen has played both sides of the political spectrum so often he has great difficulty keeping his left hand out his right pocket -- or vice versa. Needless to say, the goofy look on his face says it all.
Right. To say, "he knows which side his bread is buttered on" is a misunderestimate! I've always thought he's a pompous and pretentious ass - that's why he can spew crap so well.
Dave has been a member of the CFR and the Bohemian Grove for lo these many years, and has mostly supported and worked for Repugs (Nixon, Reagan, GHWB, etc.), but when it was convenient, he went to work for the Clinton admin.
To all true Republicans and conservatives...I express my sympathy.
For those of you in the Grand Old Party that hold true American values and beliefs. The belief in real fiscal responsiblity, fair play, tolerance and personal responsiblity...you have my sympathy.
If there was any doubt, there is doubt no more. The metamorphosis of the Republican Party, which began roughly 30 years ago is now complete. The GOP is now the party of elitist capitalists who use their control of the media and money to fan the flames of hatred in the other two major factions in the party...the neocon world dominators and the closed minded racists who shroud themselve in the banner of religion to spread bigotry and hatred.
This witch's brew of conceit and contempt of others has burned away all decency from your party, and now threatens to embroil the American People in an orgy of hatred that can consume this country.
This election is more than just an election. It is going to be a referendum on the type of country we are going to be. Regardless of the winner, it is going to be a refrendum on whether or not we can have spirited yet honest debates about policy and where we go as a country.
It is time for good, honest decent Americans...on both sides of the political fence...to call a stop to this. To call a stop to the fanning of the flames of the type of xenophobic paranoia that led to bloodshed, death and the burning of American cities approximately 40 years ago.
There are many, like myself, who lived through those days. Although great advances came out of the difficulties of those times, we know that those times were not easy. It was not easy to talk with friends and family. It was not easy to watch the national catharsis that played out nearly every nite on tv.
There are also many of you that were fortunate enough not to have lived through that time. To those of you I say this. Go back and look at the film from that time. Look at it and understand that what you are looking at was and is REAL. It is not some Hollywood video or movie. Those are REAL people hanging from the trees. Those are REAL people being sprayed with fire hoses and attacked by police dogs. Those are real people being beaten and murdered in American streets. Those are REAL American cities burning.
I never dreamed that this country might have to go through that again. I still pray that it won't, but praying is not enuf. The only way for it to not happen is if WE don't allow it to happen.
Now this is a sane voice in a maelstrom of bile.
Bravo!!! That was BEAUTIFUL!!!
Except for expressing sympathy. We must send this Party back to where it belongs....1910.
It appears that the Republicans will not let us get beyond Viet Nam until everyone that was alive during that time is long dead. Obama was eight years old and he has to deal with it through associations. I am so sick of that piece of crap war. We have lived with it our entire lives. It was a mistake then, it is now, and it always will be. Iraq is the same thing.
What's fascinating to me is that Palin is STILL getting away with not making any kind of criticism towards those in her mobs shouting "Kill him!" etc. Since when in American politics has it ever been OK not to condemn such acts? The last time I recall was Bull Connor in the 1950's.
Palin may claim she "didn't hear it" at the time, but hasn't she heard it played continuously all over the MSM? Doesn't Palin have a TV or newspaper? I thought she read "all of them." There's certainly no excuse for the McCain/Palin campaign to refuse to acknowledge or condemn these remarks now. They are plainly advocating violence, by their refusal to condemn it.
I'll bet the Obamas weren't prepared for this to descend into 1950's Jim Crow hate crime tactics. I pray for their safety always.
Wow, L&P. That was really well written and very moving.
McCain is a coward for not saying to Obama's face, and in front of the nation, what his personally selected and supported runningmate Sarah Palin has repeatedly said publically. Is McCain unable to control what Sarah Palin says? Is she running his campaign? Saying McCain deserves CREDIT for not bringing up Ayers is like saying a person who doesn't yell fire in the dark of a movie theater deserves CREDIT for being a good citizen. McCain deserves scorn for selecting Sarah Palin as his VP, for preventing her from being interviewed on Meet The Press, Face The Nation, This Week or Hardball. McCain deserves scorn for allowing Sarah Palin to speak to incite the worst angels and lunatic fringe of today's Republican Party freakshow. Manufacturing ridiculously contrived reasons to give John McCain CREDIT for the bad things he doesn't do is like trying to credit Custer for not taking a hundred more men with him into the Little Bighorn when he shouldn't have been their at all.
She just wants things the way they were before: Segregated.
She is the kind of leader we once found at lynchings; amazed at the adrenaline rush the mobs gives her, she will feed it as it feeds her ego into all consuming passion until the ensuing violence is uncontrollable and undirectable. Adolescent at best and not fit for public office.
Along with Liberal and Proud, another voice of reason and insight.
And I suppose McCain also deserves credit for not screaming incoherently and exposing himself to the audience?
Every time McSmear's camp brings up Bill Ayers, there should be a matching reference to Joe Vogler.
Does anybody else think Gergen looks like Sam the butcher?
Sorry if others have already posted this, but for god's sake, Palin is f*ing MARRIED to a guy who belonged to a secessionist Alaskan party which has disavowed allegiance to the US.
Why in god's name is this not being addressed through obama surrogates?
Heck, look at the current president: His grand father conspired to overthrow the US government to impose a fascist regime and traded with nazi Germany during the war.
It seems that the Democratic party has been infiltrated by concern trolls for the better part of 30+ years. Why the fuck didn't Gore or Kerry expose that tid bit of info on W? Because it "wouldn't be nice"?
Why isn't half of the Bush clan in jail? Honestly....
Has that in their reserve for future use. They are trying to take the high road. There is one more debate and Obama dosen't want to dump the whole load at once. My own personal opinion is the Obama campaign knows exactly what they are doing. Patience "my friends"
Save it Gergen... What a bunch of hoooie... The old man doesn't have to bring it up... He's got his little pit bull with lip stick and other flunkies to do that for him... Ohh, and I guess I'm suppose to think he's all presidential and a big ol wise sage cause he tries to portray himself as above the fray.... BULLOCKS!! George Bush and Karl Rove has shot that boilerplate strategy all to hell over the last eight years.. Gergen? Noones buying you or any of you other whoring rigthwing spinmeisters bullshit a.n.y.m.o.re. motherfucker!!!! Stuff it up your ass. I could give a rats ass whether McCain brings up Ayers or not! JD
L&P post @8:17am;
Good post dude... Well said....JD
This twit is the most over-rated "pundit" there is on television. The reason McCain did not mention Ayres during the debate was because the Annenberg family told him point-blank not to. Gergen is like some dimwit who would say after a kidnapping, the Lindbergh for example, "Well, at least they had the decency to bury him".
I mean the guy is 72 years old and that debate was waaaaaaaay past his bed time.
And he was there awake for the whole thing, what a true American hero! Praise Jeeebus!
Credit? He must be joking! The Old Man did not raise it at the debate because he's know what would happen to him -- he would have been smacked down so hard he wouldn't have recovered. Obama was asked about Ayers on that God-awful ABC debate during the primaries and that is where he said what happened in the 60s were deplorable acts but he (Obama) was 8-years-old at the time so what relevance does it have to his campaign.
McCain looks like a desparate sorry-ass fool.
you got something to say McCain, say it to Obama's face! What a pussy.
McCain's not only a wussie and a pussy - he's an impotent, spineless wimp. Sure he can spout his bully terrorist tactics at his rallies where like minds attend but he isn't man enough to address Obama to his face.
Do we want 4 more years of a bullying wimp?
He looked sick, old, and confused. Reguardless of what you think of his policies, this crap freaks me out seeing who McCains #2 is.
btw... found a great "Im moving to canda if Palin win's T-Shirt -
http://www.cafepress.com/yourthought/6057112
This is the new McCain motto: I deserve credit for not dying during the debate - not credit for not lying.
Today there is a new call for the removal of David Gergen from CNN. His little comment about the inaccuracy of the polls has not gone unnoticed. Is this man actually working for the RNC? I believe so.
It's time to remove this lying sycophant from any legitimate position he occupies at CNN.
If not, the reputation of CNN will suffer. Gergen has now outed himself as a RNC operative and incapable of fair judgment. How much is David Gergen being paid by the RNC to spout this drivel??
Now when you see Gergen, the liar, on simply turn your channel away from CNN.
David Gergen is no longer capable of honest news - he's a paid operative of the GOP.
McCain is a coward for not mentioning Ayers in the debate. Obama should bring it up at the next one. Take the issue back and deflate it.
McCain has shown himself to be gutter low life and anyone who pimps for him is as low as he is. this time it's david gergin.
While David Gergen was rewarding John McCain on Anderson Cooper for not bringing up Ayers during the debate and taking some artificial high road, one only had to flip channels to "enjoy" the John and Sarah interview exclusive on Hannity. The focus was Ayers, etc. Funny too how Sean never raised the Palin connection to the Alaska secessionist party movement. This interview was on just ONE HOUR BEFORE David Gergen was making his praise worthy comments.
yes, it certainly does nullify Gergen's comments and nails Gergen as a paid operative of the RNC in one fell swoop.
CNN needs to remove Gergen before he becomes totally toxic to their organization.
Hello C&L
I'm hoping those that support the Obama/Biden campaign will help me reach my fundraising goal. I read this site more than I comment but I'm hopeful that the good people here will donate, even if it's $5. I thank you all in advance.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/...
Here ya go L&P, check out today's Blondie
http://www.blondie.com/dailies/index.asp?mont...
)O(
Ohhh yes... That IS a gem... .Naaailedddd it.....JD
Campbell Brown writes:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/08/campbe...
Gergen is just another lemming like Politboro stooge bleating the pre packaged party line. Get into detox immediately David before that Rovian poison destroys you. It already fatally wounded your joke of a party.
I guess he didn't watch Hannity's interview the same night.How anyone can not see through McCain's gutter campaign is astounding
The implied disconnect by Gergen between what Palin says and what McCain wishes her to say is laughable. It's as if she's some rogue VP candidate that can't be bothered to follow her own campaign's directives. Bullshit! She's doing exactly what they want her to do.
BTW, WTF is up with the login system? I created an account, but the password it was supposed to send me never sent. So, I never received the email containing my password, and now it won't send me a reset password. So, I'm locked out.
I hope that after McCain loses the election that he and the slimeballs he associates with are never again welcomed in polite society. From once upon a time respecting the man, I now hold him in the same regard as something I would scrape off the bottom of by shoe.
How ridiculous.
McCain should get credit for keeping the debate civilized?
Next, I will be hearing Gergen say that McCain deserves credit for not using the N-word.
Give me a break.
Ayers is a better man than McCain could ever be.
David Gergen is impossible to take seriously after I saw him getting furious about questions on Bohemian Grove in a Alex Jones documentary.
How can any of you question McCain's courage? Not only has he endured physical torture, he has stood up to members of Congress time after time. He has a LONG record of standing up for what he believes in no matter what side of the fence he is on. Barack Obama voted present many, many times in the Illinois senate instead of taking a side. He also denounced his own pastor and withdrew his membership from his church of over 20 years when it came to the spotlight. Where is the loyalty? Talk about a coward and being afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He obviously had to share the same views and beliefs of the church to have attended for so many years, but he turned his back on them when it was hurting his campaign. That makes me wonder what his actual relationship was/is with William Ayers. He has time after time been associated with people that have anger and hatred for America, and then wants to all of a sudden distance himself from them. I am voting for McCain, the courageous one that will stand up and sacrifice himself for Americans even if it won't get him re-elected.
sen mcCain i can feel your anger it give you great focus use the power of the darkside only then will you defeat OBAMA
Login or Register to post comments.