An Obama Supporter Not Outraged by McCain
There is a lot of outrage amongst us Obama supporters about the campaign that John McCain is running and the intensity of his crowds' hatred for Obama. Given his campaign's use of dishonest robocalls, attempts at voter suppression, distortions, and outright lies this is understandable. It is also understandable that the shouts of "Kill him!" and "Treason!" outrage us. However, while they are indeed vile and disgusting, and they do make me angry sometimes, they do not elicit outrage in me.
In my mind the term outrage contains within it an element of surprise and disbelief. I was outraged when the Democrats folded on warrantless wiretapping because I expected more from them. When I read about it on the el - the train here in Chicago - in the New York Times on my way to work I loudly exclaimed "Are you kidding me?! Those pansies!" on a crowded train (it might have been more... graphic than "pansies"). That's as big a faux pas as I have ever made on the el; I did it because I was so surprised and angry, i.e. outraged. I don't feel this way about McCain's campaign or the way the crowds at his and Palin's rallies behave. None of that surprises me.
Why not? It's not because I knew all along that McCain was a total scumbag and that he'd run this sort of campaign, I didn't. Although I stay pretty well informed about politics my knowledge of McCain coming into this primary season was limited to what happened to him in the Republican presidential primaries of 2000. I knew that he had called some of the worst parts of his party and political movement out for what they are, e.g. "agents of intolerance." I knew that the Bush campaign had slimed and lied about him. I could sympathise with that. Seeing as how he's a Republican I did expect negativity and some dishonesty from him in this election but I cannot claim to have expected it to go as far as it has. That's not it.
So why am I not surprised and therefore outraged by his lies, tactics, and especially the passionate hatred that pours out of the crowds at McCain/Palin rallies? It's pretty simple, really.
Did any of you ever honestly believe we were going to get a black president without a fuss?
In my mind the term outrage contains within it an element of surprise and disbelief. I was outraged when the Democrats folded on warrantless wiretapping because I expected more from them. When I read about it on the el - the train here in Chicago - in the New York Times on my way to work I loudly exclaimed "Are you kidding me?! Those pansies!" on a crowded train (it might have been more... graphic than "pansies"). That's as big a faux pas as I have ever made on the el; I did it because I was so surprised and angry, i.e. outraged. I don't feel this way about McCain's campaign or the way the crowds at his and Palin's rallies behave. None of that surprises me.
Why not? It's not because I knew all along that McCain was a total scumbag and that he'd run this sort of campaign, I didn't. Although I stay pretty well informed about politics my knowledge of McCain coming into this primary season was limited to what happened to him in the Republican presidential primaries of 2000. I knew that he had called some of the worst parts of his party and political movement out for what they are, e.g. "agents of intolerance." I knew that the Bush campaign had slimed and lied about him. I could sympathise with that. Seeing as how he's a Republican I did expect negativity and some dishonesty from him in this election but I cannot claim to have expected it to go as far as it has. That's not it.
So why am I not surprised and therefore outraged by his lies, tactics, and especially the passionate hatred that pours out of the crowds at McCain/Palin rallies? It's pretty simple, really.
Did any of you ever honestly believe we were going to get a black president without a fuss?
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We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. They stole it from us. Sneaky little hobbitses. Wicked, tricksy, false!
October 23, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think I was, and continue to be, outraged (your definition) at the selection of Sarah Palin for VP.
Even before we had any idea what a trainwreck she was going to be, I was aghast (good word) that McCain would have so little concern for the country (if anything happened to him) or his administration as to select someone he'd met once, for a very short period of time. You just don't do that -- I wouldn't hire someone to housesit or to petsit my dogs without knowing more.
I don't know why anyone kept supporting him after that --- he's just *shown* how little he cares .... and it's our future he with which he is being so careless!!
October 23, 2008 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink