Obama handled it perfectly correctly.

Distanced himself from the most controversial analogy - but stood behind the gist of the argument - an argument that is perfectly correct and on target.

As a lifelong resident of Alabama, as someone who all my life listened to the story of George Wallace saying he would never be "out seg'ed" again, I am all too familiar with the racist codewords. McCain knows that the GOPer base (after months of viral emails) was like dry tinders. So he sends in "Napalm Palin" to say she's "fearful" of Obama and that he's "not like you and me". And then McCain has the gall to stand back and act shocked that his campaign stops have turned into Klan rallies.

George Wallace, Jr. speaks before McCain's Iowa rally today in the form of a prayer (Source AP):
Unhelpful for establishing the tone McCain sought in Davenport was the Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church. His prayer before McCain arrived at the convention center blocks from the Mississippi River appeared to dismiss faiths other than Christianity and cast the election as a referendum on God himself.

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god - whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah - that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," Conrad said.

"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day," he said.

I love Obama's response.

I would hope that all this means a resurgence of decency in our political discourse. I would hope that now that it's gone this far, it will finally turn our discourse away from people like Rush, Coulter, Hannity, Malkin - the hatemongers. That our mainstream pundits will finally say about thos people that it's not acceptable any more.

They've spewing hate for years. Enough.

OT: Philly boos Sarah Palin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4wQd_gbj8

Hilarious. Philly hates you lady. You're going to get CRUSHED in Philly.

The Obama Camp also sent the following with their response posted by Eric above -

Recent Comments on McCain Campaign Rhetoric:

Former Top McCain Strategist John Weaver: "As A Party, We Should Not And Must Not Stand By As The Small Amount Of Haters In Our Society Question Whether He Is As American As The Rest Of Us." "John Weaver, McCain’s former top strategist, said top Republicans have a responsibility to temper this behavior...’We should take that agenda on in a robust manner. As a party we should not and must not stand by as the small amount of haters in our society question whether he is as American as the rest of us. Shame on them and shame on us if we allow this to take hold.’" [Politico.com, 10/10/08]

Former Republican Michigan Governor William Milliken Asked "Who Is John McCain?" And Said "He’s Not The McCain I Endorsed. ... His Campaign Has Become Rather Disappointing To Me." "But, now, who is John McCain? That's what William Milliken, former Republican governor of Michigan and a supporter of McCain in the party primaries this year, is asking about a candidate who, in Milliken's view, appears to have lost his way in this fight for the White House. ‘He is not the McCain I endorsed,’ Milliken, reached at his Traverse City home on Thursday, told the Grand Rapids Press for today's editions. ‘He keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me.’ ‘I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues.’" [Chicago Tribune, 10/10/08]

Republican Rep. Ray LaHood Said Palin Should Cool Her Rhetoric Toward Obama. "Republican Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois said Friday that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin should cool her rhetoric directed at Barack Obama. ‘This doesn't befit the office that she's running for. And frankly, people don't like it,’ LaHood said during an interview on WBBM, a Chicago radio station. Palin has accused Obama of ‘palling around with terrorists’ and of putting ‘political ambitions in front of doing what's right for our troops.’" [Politico, 10/10/08]

WSJ -- "Some McCain Campaign Officials Are Becoming Concerned About The Hostility That Attacks Against Sen. Obama Are Whipping Up Among Republican Supporters." "Top McCain campaign officials are grappling with how far to go with negative attacks on Sen. Barack Obama in the final weeks of what is turning into a come-from-behind effort. Sen. John McCain has allowed a series of increasingly harsh broadsides in new campaign ads and in speeches by his wife, Cindy, and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin. But the Arizona Republican has rejected pleas from some advisers to launch attacks focusing on Sen. Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Some McCain campaign officials are becoming concerned about the hostility that attacks against Sen. Obama are whipping up among Republican supporters. During an internal conference call Thursday, campaign officials discussed how the tenor of the crowds has turned on the media and on Sen. Obama." [Wall Street Journal, 10/10/08]

So wingnuts spouting off about Rep. Lewis without mentioning any on the list Obama sent out obviously have an agenda to push. If they quote Obama's response, it means they got the list of Republican and independent sources commenting in pretty much the same light and tenor as Lewis did.

McCain is trying to make this an issue to bury Troopergate. I would have liked Obama to point out that Lewis doesn't have any role, official or unofficial, in his campaign and furthermore Lewis was one of the "three wisemen" McCain named when asked at the Saddleback forum to name three people who's advice you'd look to as President.

I don't know what to decide about the Lewis statement yet, but I do like Obama's response. A lot. Perfectly handled. Plus, people will talk about it the next couple of days, inevitably linking it to the mob McScum/Palin have been inciting. That's not a bad thing.

I sorry, John Lewis is not Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. It would be a very bad mistake for FOX news to try to tar John Lewis as a being a racist radical like they like to tar Sharpton and Jackson and every other AA pol as.

Of all of them, John Lewis has damn well earned to right to call out McCain for what he knows could happen when people are incited to violence. He bears the scars. I know to some his scars aren't the same as McCain's, but he earned them honorably.

BTW, I'd go back and read Obama's statement, Obama did not reject Lewis' statement, just the comparison to Wallace. Besides, I respect Obama for not "repudiating" Lewis's statement. Lewis damn sure deserves more of Obama's respect than McCain wounded ego.

Obama was pitch perfect. This is the second comment from McCain about hardworking Americans who come to his rallies, and it feels like he's trying to insinuate that its okay for these hardworking Americans to be racist, to telegraph that any doubts they have about voting for the BLACK MUSLIM TERRORIST are perfectly natural and okay.

John Lewis is right on the merits but he made a rookie mistake by giving the McCain campaign an out to talk about racism.It's not in the Dems interest to scold McCain on race at this point in time.Lewis shows his lack of political skill,It's the kind of mistake you would envision of a rookie congressman not someone like Lewis who has been at this for many, many yrs.Hence.I am puzzled as to why Lewis would play this card at this time.

Headline should be "McCain Advisor Compares McCain to George Wallace". I mean that's what they tried to claim Lewis was at one point.

I agree that the best thing would have been if this didn't NEED to be brought up.

But at some point we have to balance good strategy with common sense. There is a demonizing of Obama that needs to be addressed. Did you see the look on McCain's face when the old lady started saying that Obama was an Arab (which, of course, is code for "terrorist")? He was like, wth?

Yes, John. She thinks that because you and yours are hinting that Obama is an America-hating terrorist that he actually IS one.

Do you not see how that works?

King was also called a socialist, a communist, and a hater of America.

Do we have to wait until shots are fired?

And everyone should check out the video of the guy TODAY with the Curious George monkey with an Obama sticker on his head. When he realizes that he's being filmed, he slyly takes off the sticker and gives the monkey to a little boy that he doesn't know. It is creepy. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/11/politics/fromtheroad/entry4515246.shtml

McCain has lost total control of this train.

Fully off the rails

http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/we%e2%80%99ve-gone-from-silly-season-to-hate-week-what%e2%80%99s-next-kristallnacht/

its all good bro.liam its just whateva little tactics GOP's is pullin its backlashing on mccukoo and palin,also they booed tha shit out of sarah palin tonite at tha philly hockey game

Reality Check.

Who was winning the fight, and was way ahead on points. Obama or McCain?

Which one was getting pummeled and having to back peddle in the last day or so. Which one had even some in his own corner saying that he was fighting dirty, and hitting below the belt.

If your guy was winning on all the score cards, and the other guy had his own corner, telling him to stop fighting dirty, then why the hell would you want some guy jumping in the ring to help your guy beat up on the guy that he was already destroying. How would that help.

Senator Obama has issued a statement saying that John Lewis should not have done it.

Get the message people. He is our candidate, and he has run the best campaign that I have seen in the past four decades. So, if he says, that what John Lewis said, did not help him, that is good enought for me.

Never help me when I am way out in front, and I have not ask you to rescue me. Common sense is what matters most in the closing days.

You know what guys, it was already a racial story. We all know it, the MSM and Faux News know it, so let's not try to tiptoe around the issue.

That crazy " he's an Arab" lady at McCain's rally and all the other crazy video of people at McCain's rallies, just gives visual soundbite evidence that the "lynch mob" is feeling what McCain/Palin is trying to convey.

The most amazing thing I've learned from this election is how naive many non-minority, I'll just say it :white people truly were oblivious about how much subtle racism can truly be. As an African American, we were/are always told not to be so overly sensitive. This subtle racism as always been there, it just that now with the arrival of Obama into people's hearts and mind more people are seeing and actually feeling it.

Well, all I can say is "Welcome To Our World..."

But at some point we have to balance good strategy with common sense.

Well said.

I've always wondered, what happens if Obama wins? Does that mean god votes for Obama?

John Lewis is 100% right and totally appropriate. We don't need to apologize for calling out this dangerous racial rhetoric. The MSM were too cowardly but not the Democrats nor the swing voters who have been turned off by this.

Not only does McCain get it. There is proof. And Obama was nowhere to be found. No surprise.

http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=letter050506ceg0.jpg

I don't see why Obama should repudiate anything. McCain is the one who lied and said he consulted all the time with Lewis, when he never even spoke to him. He got caught pandering with that statement, and now he's caught trying to incite a race issue. I'll bet the phone lines were sizzling to the McCain camp, what with all the repub candidates likely to lose their races.

Bullshit. I find Lewis' comparisons measured and correct. I agree with Synchronicity in thinking Lewis should somehow be rebuked for standing up to hateful speech and violence inducing atmospheres is wrong. Why are Democrats always worrying about "escalating" things? That's how they always get walked on, because they usually never stand up against overbearing right-wingers. Obama's remarks were likewise sound, even if he had to dissociate himself from the more extreme aspects for political reasons. The message still came across: the tone McCain and his campaign have been setting at their events and the fear and hate they've been inciting are inappropriate, dangerous and must be stopped. I'll give McCain credit for trying to reign things in (even if done for practical reasons, a.k.a. the attacks aren't really working, and not moral or common-sense reasons), but he still deserves to be slapped for inciting such behavior in the first place.

Bollocks to "increasing tension". Call it like you see it.

I can't say whether Lewis's statement helps or not. But I know for sure it is released only with agreement from Team Obama. Lewis is a measured, talented politician and has been in politics for decades. To think that he would simply release such potentially game changing statement without Team Obama having a reason for it sounds incredible to me.

So then the question becomes why would Team Obama want this? How is this going to help them?

This statement from Lewis compares McCain to Wallace and in doing so diminishes McCain's stature and alienates those independents who don't want to be associated with Wallace/McCain.

It is an answer to the Ayers association. That is, now McCain is associated with Wallace.

it occurs to me that there is a staggering irony here.

mccain/palin, in using their bullshit ayers commercials, in suggesting that obama is "palling around with terrorists," in not correcting all of the hateful, mob-like sentiments at their rallies, are actually engaging in terrorism.

Diane McWhorter, who won the Pulitzer-Prize several years ago for her history of Birmingham's [Alabama] civil rights movement, wrote a letter appearing on the Op Ed page of the NYT on October 8th. In this letter, she cautioned Governor Palin about "overexciting the old base of George Wallace's 1968 run for President . . . " It is an excellent letter and I urge those interested to read it.

The late Dr. Gary Chase, nationally renowned medical researcher, having co-authored well over 100 case studies for the betterment of human kind both physical and emotional conditions provided the answer to combating hate. He told me the cure when I lamented to him over the sorrow and waste hate has caused history. I said, Gary with all your vast experience, education and insight, how do you reverse hate once it is sown into the thoughts of people? Dr. Chase smiled, and said without hesitation, "Put a microphone in their hand and turn up the volume."

McCain knows this secert too. He grabbed back the microphone from the 75 year old woman supporter at his rally. She had just told him, "Obama is an Arab," McCain pulled it back from her as fast as he could, saying, "No he's not, he's a decent family man, citizen who I have fundamental differences with and that's what this campaign is all about."

But later after the rally was over this same McCain supporter spoke openly. She said she was given a three page letter by a fellow campaign worker at their local McCain Campaign office. The letter she said told the true story about Obama, and it made her and all her friends afraid for America. She said she personally has sent out 400 copies of the letter randomly to people listed in her local phone book.

The womwn said she believed McCain brushed her off and took the microphone away because he didn't want to say publicly all those bad things about Obama that were written in the letter. But when at the actual rally, she saw how McCain's memory seemed to lack the letter's details, she became determined to get that microphone and help McCain get his own straight talk correct for the benefit of the uninformed rally's crowd.

The white haired 75 year old lady reminded me of the fast food restaurant 1970s TV commercial where the little old lady demands from the counter attendant, in this case McCain, "Where's the beef?"

Indeed, let's all demand that answer from McCain. We need to know of the existence of hate letters, their sources, methods of distributions, who is paying for such efforts and their connections to any political figure. All should be made public ASAP. Now is the correct time to turn the volume up loud and clear and not later.

On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you Dr. Gary Chase for your wisdom.

Voting has already started in many places, and with every passing day the pool of people who may be swayed by *anything* that's occurring is shrinking. Urge everyone you know to VOTE EARLY.

I agree with Brooklyn Bill. This is all just the last permutation of something that began a long time ago in right wing, email hate factories. Is there any way to find out where all the pass-around wingnut emails originate, and has anyone ever tried?

I found this article at Daily Kos, regarding canvassing in Prince William County, VA. Frederick is the VA GOP chair.

With so much at stake, and time running short, Frederick did not feel he had the luxury of subtlety. He climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points — for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden: "Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon," he said. "That is scary." It is also not exactly true — though that distorted reference to Obama's controversial association with William Ayers, a former 60s radical, was enough to get the volunteers stoked. "And he won't salute the flag," one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, "We don't even know where Senator Obama was really born." Actually, we do; it's Hawaii.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1849422,00.html

my god when are democrats ever gonna develop enough balls to call BS when they see it? liam are you kidding me? a race war will not help obama, but mccain and company have gone over the deep end...this is no longer fun and games....someone is going to get hurt....j lewis was 100% correct and obama's response was just brilliant.....what saddens me is the fact that MSM is pretty much mum on the implication of these incendiary comments coming from the mccain/palin camp....i just dont get it from some of you so-called obama supporters! it is not ok to create an environment that encourages hatred and violence...an assassination is not what we need! mccain and palin knew exactly what they were doing...it just so happened to backfire on them, so now mccain is being all mavericky and backpeddeling....HRC did the same thing...she flirted with the bigots not bc she is racist, but b/c she needed their vote...mccain's campaign reminds me of HRC's campaign, only more erractic and more hateful towards the end.....

we are always so concerned about what the other side will say....well, i have news for you buddy, the talkings points will never be favorable so long as the other side is controling the rhetoric!!! be a man or woman and speak up for what you believe....it helps no one if we end up with a dead obama! now that mccain/palin has been called out on it, hopefully their supporters tone it down a bit before someone gets hurt!!!! being constantly wimpy and running with our tails tucked behind us is exactly the reason why we ended up with bush not once but twice!!!

oh and something else--why is it we never think it is appropriate to call out a white person on his/her racism, even when it's blatant???? mccain and palin are racist towards arabs/muslims and we never challenge them on that score!!! and i take offense to mcccain's asking obama to repudiate lewis' comments...obama is a not '"boy" taking commands from his "massah"! secondly, obama supporters are hard-working americans too....the racist and the bigots are not the only ones hard at work!!!

Didn't Sen. McCain tell the assembled multitudes at Saddleback that he would seek advice from Rep. John Lewis? Maybe Mr. Lewis thought his views were welcome?

Well, I wrote the idiot Jeff Frederick today. He's the one who instructed his Virginia canvassers that Obama was like Osama because both had friends who bombed the Pentago. Here is his stupid fucking reply:

"Thank you for your message.

I appreciate your concern for comments where I recently quoted radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh
(http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_100808/content/01125108.guest.html).

I'm outraged too -- that in America today, we have a major party nominee for president of the United States who has an association with a known
terrorist.

These are the facts; don't shoot the messenger for delivering them.

True or false: Osama bin Laden has friends who bombed the Pentagon? True.

True or false: Barak Obama has a friend who bombed the Pentagon? True.

You don't agree? Check the facts:

The friend of Obama's we are referring to is Bill Ayers. It is a known fact that "Ayers participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, the United States Capitol building in 1971, and The Pentagon in 1972..." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Ayers). The New York Times has even confirmed this.

The other day, CNN gave us a partial glimpse into Obama's past association with Ayers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvROBLortBQ). Ayers to this day refuses to apologize for or renounce the domestic terrorism he engaged in
when attempting to blow up the Pentagon and overthrow the U.S. government.

It is also well-known that Obama launched his political career at Ayers' house in the upper-class Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago (also see end of CNN clip above).

There is far more information out there regarding Obama's friendship with Mr. Ayers if you chose to read about it.

Again, these are the facts. If you don't like them, then don't vote for Obama. I don't like them either. They are scary, but unfortunately true.

-JMF."

And after his own experiences--many of them violent--this sudden gasoline-pour-on-the-flames of this noxious pair likely has him concerned.
=========

Actually, I think Lewis is the gasoline spiller. He could have stayed out of it. Obama was doing FINE without his "help."

I can't help but think that some people are going to see Lewis as some sort of Sharpton character and it will cost Obama.

I wish he'd shut up.

John, there are two parts to wisdom.
Knowing what to say and knowing when not to say it!