What worries me the most is how much the non-blogosphere folks really don’t care about the hatemongering. It seems the sole purpose of the violent speech is to convince “Joe Six Pack” to get off the couch and make it to the polls. I don’t think as many Americans as the media reports have really not made up their minds about which of the two men they would prefer to be president, rather they have not decided if they will take the initiative to vote. By appealing to those who think less but do fear people who are ‘different’ Palin is trying to get McCain over the finish line. As someone who works in a community college in Colorado, it genuinely frightens me to see how disenchanted people have become with the campaigns, and McCain’s hate speech further disenchants fair-weather Obama supporters from the whole process (maybe even makes them fearful) and gets the blood pumping in the Joe Six Packs that don’t like being around colored folk such as the Senator from Illinois who McCain so lovingly called “that one”.

You're right about Burton, MJ. He's understated but on-message and effective. He's also a symptom of how disciplined the Obama campaign has been all along.

You give Bush too much credit.

He also called our wars a "crusade" and continues to demonize "Islamic fundamentalists" while he is a violent, murdering Christian fundamentalist himself.

See footage of Obama in Asheville and Rednecks for Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr03WpZdhJo

and read Everything Matters, a liberal progressive comedic blog

http://blueintheblueridge.blogspot.com/

thanks.

DCastro

The Obama campaign HQ in Chicago and the satellite office I volunteer at are the most professional organizations I have ever worked at in my entire life, both as a volunteer and back when I was a corporate slave.

Since the despicable, hateful, bigoted and incendiary comments have intensified from the McCain campaign, I've seen a remarkable new interest in volunteers coming in to offer their services in whatever way - canvassing, phone banking, fundraising, anything they can possibly do. I would say it started with the bailout and McCain's campaign "suspension" but this week has been much busier. When I've done phone banking to undecided's in Ohio the response has been quite positive - They for the most part are now 100% on board for Obama. People stop me on the street and ask where they can get an Obama button - So I always just have a few extras and give them away.

I trust Axelrod and their entire group, but still wonder - When, if ever, will some decent republicans such as Lugar and Hagel come out and publicly rebuke McCain and endorse Obama? Am I being too naive?

I've been out of the news cycle for a couple of days, does anyone have an example of despicable, hateful, bigoted and incendiary comments besides one guy yelling "treason"?
I certainly hope so, or else the charges I've seen are bogus.

MJ says;

I am too, and not just about Obama but about the GOP stirring up dangerous hate against minorities and liberals.

When Timothy McVeigh bombed the federal building and people learned who he was and what he stood for, attention was turned to conservative talk radio, especially Rush Limbaugh, and their mantra of hate and 'government is the enemy'.

Limbaugh, of course, pleaded innocent.

1. Hypocrisy. McCain served on the board of an organization with right-wing Anti-Semites. Palin in her convention speech quoted a right-wing zealot who called for the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. They have associations as unsavory as Obama.

2. Responsibility. They know the false rumors radicals have spread about Obama and the interaction of those with their phrases "palling around with terrorists". McCain and Palin are personally witnessing the savageness and mob mentality of their crowds. If they claim to be leaders, they have a responsibility to open their rallies with a statement welcoming enthusiasm but rejecting hatred and asking for civility towards McCain's senate colleague.

A little historical correction, MJ: George Wallace did not even come close to making amends for his devout racism until well after his 1972 campaign, when he was shot by a would-be assassin and left crippled for the rest of his life.

I don't wish anything like that on anyone. But let's face it: profound suffering is often what it takes for a lot of people to develop any sympathy for those they've hated or dismissed. Introspection and self-examination are not common traits. They are rare qualities, and not ones I have ever seen in McCain.

It so happens they are qualities that Barack Obama seems to have, judging by his writings, his public statements and the observations of many who have known him. It is one of the reasons I've supported him for more than a year.

Joe's back - I just got an email "Getting Ugly".

"The McCain campaign is on the ropes, and sadly it's no surprise they're responding with attacks and outright lies. I've heard some pretty unspeakable things 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...."

I sent in quite a bit more than $25 - and I'm sure many others did as well. I'll just have ramen for dinner for another month.

"George W. Bush went out of his way after 9/11 to make sure Americans did not take out their fury on random Muslims. He attended mosque (the first President to do so) and emphasized that the dark skinned or turbaned folks in our midst were not the enemy."

Then he directed the federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies to racially profile Muslims who were thrown into jail without legal recourse...

I see the distinction you want to draw MJ, but Bush is as "us vs. them" as anyone out there. If anything, McCain is a malignant mutation of the flat out evil that Bush represents.