McCain And The Politics Of Hate

My friend Robert Greenwald at Brave New Films has produced a powerful, infuriating and frightening new web video that truly crystallizes just how low the McCain-Palin ticket has taken this presidential campaign.

Take a look:



Rather than talking about the compelling issues facing our nation -- and perhaps knowing they have nothing whatsoever to offer -- McCain has spent weeks going after Obama with fear-mongering and race-baiting rhetoric that has whipped the most despicable elements of his core constituency into a rabid frenzy.

It has gotten so out of control that even conservatives are calling for a halt, including Frank Schaeffer, who wrote this on Friday in the Baltimore Sun:

"John McCain: If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as 'not one of us,' I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence.

"At a Sarah Palin rally, someone called out, 'Kill him!' At one of your rallies, someone called out, 'Terrorist!' Neither was answered or denounced by you or your running mate, as the crowd laughed and cheered. At your campaign event Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa., the crowd was seething with hatred for the Democratic nominee - an attitude encouraged in speeches there by you, your running mate, your wife and the local Republican chairman."

Greenwald is asking you to sign an open letter calling on McCain and Palin to reject the politics of hate. It will also help if you send this video to yours friends, and post it on your blogs and networking sites like Digg, where it will effectively reach as many people as possible.

Those of us hoping for a new beginning in an Obama presidency already worry enough for his personal safety -- and so much of that racial and cultural hatred should not be coming from the Republicans at the top of their ticket.