John McCain, you serve in the Senate with Barack Obama. You serve on the Foreign Relations Committee with Barack Obama. You know that Senator Obama has a deep and abiding love for this country. You know he is a level-headed pragmatic person, a wonderful husband, and a caring father. You know better. Your supporters do not.
I thought I knew you John McCain. I'm a liberal, but I purchased one of your books. I wanted to understand the mythology around your Senate career and see if you were really the type of guy who puts county above ambition. Maybe you used to be.
I live in Wisconsin, in a very conservative county. In fact, I don't live far from one of your latest 'rallies' - made famous for the anger and vitriol. Just north of here we started to see the resurgence of racial hate crimes at a local high school (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=806201):
"The girl had complained to high school officials that eggs were dropped on her Sept. 23 as she walked down a stairway, Keane said.
She also complained of repeatedly being called a racial slur and of some students telling her that Sept. 19 was (racial slur) "kill day" at the school, Keane said."
This is not you, John McCain. I think I know you're a decent man. When John Lewis spoke up, it's because he felt some of that dangerous fringe creeping up and haunting him. Understand that pain; understand that history.
Stop listening to those professional micro-trend people on your staff. This is simple. Anyone who aspires to the greatest office in the land, who aspires to defeat this nation's first African American candidate, who aspires to then lead all Americans, will need to convey a moral authority. Right now, your failure to stand up to this is not only inhibiting your chances to win the Presidency, but perhaps permanently challenging your ability to ever lead it.
You know Barack Obama is a good man, your supporters do not. Our country's unity is on your shoulders -- act like a man.