McCain Campaign Getting Ugly

Cultivating Prejudice, Racism, Fear and Ugliness.

The McCain campaign is on the ropes, and sadly it's no surprise they're responding with attacks and outright lies. Some pretty unspeakable things have been said in the past few days -- deeply offensive smears that we'll hear over and over again until Election Day. John McCain and Governor Palin are setting a new low in presidential politics with their dishonorable campaign.

Some of the comments by McCain supporters are not things for the faint-hearted. At a campaign rally in Ohio with Sarah Palin, one supporter make the clearly racist remark that "Obama has the bloodlines of a terrorist."

At a Clearwater, Florida rally with Sarah Palin, one supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."

At another rally, a McCain supporter called out "kill him" akin to the crowd in Jerusalem asking for Barabbas' release (so much for pro-life).

In Wisconsin, supporters at a rally with McCain used obscene gestures. A man having a temper fit was applauded by the crowd.

One commentator noted that "If [McCain strategist] Steve Schmidt and the other architects of this increasingly disgraceful candidacy didn't anticipate such an outpouring of violent, racist bile, they are imbeciles. If they did, they are worse."

The Washington Monthly's Steve Benen writes: "McCain/Palin have reached a point where they have to decide whether whipping right-wing activists into a frenzy, based solely on lies, is the responsible way to seek national office. The Republican candidates are not literally calling for violence against their political rivals, but they're nevertheless standing by, saying nothing, while their supporters are shouting words like 'kill,' 'terrorist,' and 'treason' at their rallies. And given that this rage-filled hatred is in direct response to the McCain/Palin campaign lying to their supporters, now would be the ideal time for these candidates to take a look in the mirror and consider the consequences of a relentlessly negative, breathtakingly dishonest, anger-driven campaign."

John Cole observed: "The base is reacting. Whipped into a froth by their venomous cheerleading vice-jingoist in chief, a self-styled pitbull in heels, they are now shouting 'treason' and 'traitor' and even getting one fellow inspired enough to yell 'kill him."

• The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates says: "[McCain and Palin] should be shook by the people they're attracting. We are getting a good look at the elements of the base now. These are not people just posting anonymously in internet forums -- these are people who literally believe Obama is a terrorist and showing up at rallies. [McCain and Palin] need to watch what they say. Somewhere, slumbering in this country, there are men who aren't clued in that this whole 'terrorist' thing is mere strategy. They have guns, and all their lives they've wanted to be famous. Don't give them a reason. This is still America. We are never that far from the past."

Blogger Jack Turner writes: "I was at Obama's rally at Independence Square in Philadelphia back in April. When he mentioned Hillary Clinton's name, the crowd booed, and he told them to stop. Barack Obama intervened when his supporters booed his opponent. He called for civility. Yet, when faced with supporters who label senators terrorists and call for their assassination, John McCain and Sarah Palin said nothing. This is how evil spreads, from domestic violence to genocide. People in a position to stop it choose to do nothing."

and "Everything we need to know about John McCain and Sarah Palin is summed up by their reaction to these incidents. [...] Not only do they bring out the worst in people, but they feed the worst in people. They are basing their campaign on painting Obama as a terrorist and monster. They are cultivating prejudice, racism, fear and ugliness. America has been down this path before, and it is the exact opposite of what this country needs right now."

As Catholics for Obama - Biden, this is a time for us more than ever to turn to the comfort of our faith and prayer. We need to respond to this hatred with love. We need to seek strength from prayer -- the Daily Office, the Rosary and, above all, Holy Mass -- and from meditation on Scripture and the spiritual works of the Church Fathers.

It is likely to get worse in the coming days. But the answer is to return hate with love.