This might sound strange, but I'm actually applauding John McCain for something he did recently (not enthusiastically, just a golf clap). I'm very skeptic about how sincere he is about it, or how far he will go. Apparently, McCain disagrees with how his campaign has been run so negatively, which means he's not the person actually running it.
Then again, it could just be another part of the act. Maybe he's putting out the fire he started with one hand, while fanning it with the other?
McCain Tries to Tame Flames He Earlier Fanned
McCain Pushes Forward With His Campaign Of Hate
Most insiders agree that his campaign managers Rick Davis (lobbyist) and Steve Schmidt (Karl Rove pupil) are the ones really running the campaign, and McCain doesn't really have much control. Either that is the case, or this is just McCain's reaction to polls that show the negative campaigning isn't working. Is this a good thing for McCain? Not really, because it shows how John McCain would run his White House. But at least McCain has done something good, and I applaud the effort.
As you may know, McCain's people - Sarah Palin, McCain advisors, and now even Cindy McCain - have been saying some very nasty things about Senator Obama recently. McCain rallies have been getting pretty ugly, with supporters being angry and screaming unpleasant things about Senator Obama. There have even been incidents of racism against others, such as a McCain supporter yelling at an African-American press member, "N***er... Sit Down, Boy!"
After weeks of negative attack ads, brutal comments by McCain advisors in interviews, and many hateful comments from the leaders of the Republican party (including McCain and Palin), McCain supporters are pretty worked up against McCain's opponent. They don't seem to understand the basic idea that Barack Obama is a US citizen, elected US Senator, a nominated candidate for president, and you don't have to HATE the opponent just because they have differences of opinion and policy. But most of this hatred can be traced directly to the GOP using the politics of hatred, fear and racism for decades.
The lack of respect and outright anger against Senator Obama has many people troubled about the disturbing and potentially dangerous situation. A McCain supporter yelled out "Traitor" at a McCain rally, and another screamed "Treason" at a Palin rally. At least one McCain supporter has been investigated by Secret Service for yelling "Kill Him". But after a few days of even angrier and uglier rallies, John McCain, to his credit, asked people to stay "respectful" of his opponent, although the crowd was not happy with this response.
Another McCain supporter said he was "scared of an Obama presidency" because of his "connections". McCain told him he should not be scared, and said, "I have to tell you, he is a decent person, and a person that you do not have to be scared as President of the United States."
One woman at a rally also said "I don't trust Obama... he's an Arab." John McCain, shaking his head, took away her microphone. McCain replied, "No ma'am, no ma'am. He's a decent family man... a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. That's what this campaign is all about."
So I say - Good for you, John McCain. It's good to see that you can speak up against all the nasty things... that have been coming out of your campaign for months. But McCain advisors are still saying the same nasty things and McCain's ads are still dirty and negative. Now let's see if McCain can stand up to his own advisors and lobbyists and stop the negative campaigning.