I felt the need to get this off my chest. I've moved from exasperation to anger to discontent back to anger to bewilderment.
How did it get this far? The shouts of "terrorist" or "kill him" and barely a peep from the Republican leadership?
When will they do what's right?
One. We need just one. Just one Republican senator to put his or her foot down and say:
"Enough!"
Just one to say, "Enough of this! Enough of demonizing your fellow senator as 'The Other.' Enough with the racism. Enough with the specious associations. Enough of sending your embarrassing choice for Vice President and your wife out as attack dogs.
"Enough!"
Isn't there one man or one woman from across the aisle who worked with Barack Obama in the Senate to say: "I've worked with Barack Obama. He is no terrorist. He is as American as you or I. While he and I may disagree on many issues and will continue to do so, I can not idly sit by and watch my friend John McCain allow his campaign sink further into a moral abyss.
"This is not the John McCain I know. The Barack Obama currently being described by Mr. McCain's campaign is not the Barack Obama I know.
"I'm risking a lot by doing this, but this isn't about me. This goes deeper than re-election or a committee membership or facing down constituents angered by what I'm about to do. This is larger than you or I or John or Barack. This is about us all. This is about America.
"America isn't only about what we are, but what we can be, what we should be. As Americans we should never expect less than the best from our public servants. I know perfection is unattainable, but striving for perfection of that American ideal -- morally, ethically, fiscally -- is as noble as anything anyone has ever done as long as people have been on Earth.
"We aim to be better because we know we can be better than who we've been and what we are.
"That's what makes me disappointed in my good friend John and the current tenor of his campaign. I realize now, as I make this public statement, I may be alienating a friend and my party, but as I said before, the situation demands we rise above personal and professional associations and realize this is my country. This is our country. And we are better than this.
"So, today, I'm making an announcement. I am endorsing Barack Ob..."
I'm not naïve enough to think that Claude Rains as Senator Paine will come bursting into the Senate chamber (or through your TV) to salve his soul and save Sen. Jeff Smith.
I would like to think some of McCain's colleagues and Obama's senate opponents may be sickened enough to find the courage and speak out against what McCain has turned his campaign into. But I doubt that will happen. Heck, I know it won't.
But one, just one Republican senator speaking out against what has happened in the past few days would put an end to the filth and bile.
Where are you Olympia Snowe? Where are you Chuck Hagel? Senator Warner, won't you say something? Is it too much for you, Susan Collins, to buck your party?
Where have all the decent Republicans gone?
We already know John McCain has lacked the courage and conviction to call for end to those vicious slurs.
Will the rest of them continue to do so too?
Just one.
One.
Updated...
More and more of these stories of Republicans calling out McCain-Palin's petty hate machine are trickling in. Good, but more is needed.