John McCain isn't the first Presidential candidate to seek votes by appealing to hatred, racism, and fear. He won't be the last. But almost always that has been a surefire way to obtain less than 40% of the votes. The McCain-Palin approach increases the possibility that the Republican Party will be defeated down to the bottom of each statewide ticket, as most Americans find repugnant these blatant attempts to plumb the depths of the human soul.

For those who choose this walk on the wild side of politics, the usual result is electoral disaster and a lifetime gig as a talking head on the rightwing cable shows. Governor Palin, even if she is caught short by Troopergate or the Taxman, can count on television as her ticket out of Alaska. I see her going from an interview by Greta von S to a seat on Greta's side of the table. And watch out Katie Couric, the Governor may not have shown a big heart but I'm sure it's filled with revenge. Doubtlessly, Sarah Palin will play Tina Fey on SNL. Probably she will fill in for Pat Buchanan on the Rachel Maddow show -- indeed she is more or less following in that nativist's political footsteps, although she was a mere child when Buchanan began his own long odysssey through the Heart of Darkness. (Nixon and McCain have proved to have a great deal more in common than anyone would have thought.)

I suppose Americans could conceivably fall for the McCain-Palin brew of rabble-rousing, racism, and revenge. I doubt it. If that happened, we'd have reason to fear for our democracy. But we are not mere bystanders. With three weeks and change to go, we can each in our own way aim for some orderly approach to our national decision-making. In that vein, I would encourage every television station, cable show, and newspaper to give serious consideration to the need to retain balance, calm, and decency in our national discourse. This is an election, not an out-take from the Jerry Springer show. Even if the McCain-Palin ticket is bent on destroying their own honor and the chances of others on their ticket, the media can do us all a big service by dialing down the heat and refocussing the contest on the issues that voters actually do want to hear about.