Crossposted at Wonky Muse and The Blue Voice.
Because they have nothing of substance to talk about, McCain and his wingnut horde are once again engaging in the idle sport of mocking Obama, this time for the set of his acceptance speech at Invesco Field:
Pictures and an aerial film footage of the set being constructed for the speech show a curved backdrop with creamy, gray column-like structures, which could suggest Washington architecture, or a classical structure, like a Greek or Roman temple.
Republicans sent out an edition of their "Audacity Watch" email newsletter which they use to point out perceived examples of hubris by the Obama campaign, titled "The Temple of Obama."
McCain also featured the structure on a blog on his website.
Talk about shooting themselves in the foot.
Here's a clue for the insensitive or the oblivious: today is the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. Here is a photo of MLK, Jr. giving the speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial:
Notice anything? You know, those big Roman, temple-like columns in the back?
As Josh Marshall points out:
I don't want to get in the way of reporter colleagues who can't help getting spun by their Republican sources. But we do all know that virtually every American civic building is based on Greek Revival architecture, right? And that the Obama backdrop actually looks like -- whether intended or not, I don't know -- the Lincoln Memorial. (Remember, they're both Illinoisians.) Perhaps because Obama's speech is on the 45th anniversary of King's 'I Have A Dream' speech.
Josh may not be sure but I think it's pretty obvious.
Today is an historic day. From our painful history of slavery, lynchings and segregation to the triumph of the Civil Rights movement, we as a nation have gone through so much and sacrificed even more to get to this day, when the first African American is nominated for President of the United States.
I don't care about your ideology, today is a great day to be an American. I wish Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive to see this day. There is no better tribute to his legacy.
Yet McCain is only too willing to mock it. Amazing.
We have to fight this smear, Kossacks. This is not a "temple to Obama", it's a tribute to MLK, Jr. When McCain mocks it, he's not mocking Obama, he's mocking this tribute and by extension the significance of this day to the civil rights movement and to all of us.
Pass it on.
Meanwhile, here's a photo of Bush's 2004 temple. What is his excuse?
photo: americaslibrary.com