Labor warns McCain about crowds

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Boston.com

by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor

The head of the nation's biggest labor federation is joining the chorus of voices warning about the increasingly angry crowds coming to John McCain's campaign events. At rallies this week, McCain's criticisms of Democrat Barack Obama have been met with shouts of "terrorist," "liar," and other harsh words.

"Sen. John McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and the leadership of the Republican party have a fundamental moral responsibility to denounce the violent rhetoric that has pervaded recent McCain and Palin political rallies," said John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, which has endorsed Obama. "When rally attendees shout out such attacks as 'terrorist' or 'kill him' about Sen. Barack Obama, when they are cheered on by crowds incited by McCain-Palin rhetoric -- it is chilling that McCain and Palin do nothing to object.

"In a world where unspeakable violence is too often promulgated by extremists, it is no small or trivial matter to call someone a terrorist -- or to incite potentially dangerous individuals toward violence," Sweeney said in a statement. "John McCain, Sarah Palin and Republican leaders are walking a very thin line in pretending not to hear the hateful invectives spewed at their rallies. McCain should end this line of attack in the strongest possible terms. Anything less puts McCain in the same camp as the racists and extremists who are bringing their angry rhetoric to his campaign events."



Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/10/labor_warns_mcc.html

---

http://www.actblue.com/page/aflcio60?refcode=1010jjs

Help Us Get 60 Pro-worker Votes in the Senate

by the AFL-CIO community

[tblue]

1. Another hero! Wow. McC is being universally condemned.

He has no one to blame but himself.

[patrice]

2. Watch for a chill between Crash and Palin.

[9thkvius]

16. I agree - I see a split coming

From what I have read about her, Governor Palin seems to be the type of person who can quickly turn on people who had been allies. I wonder whether or not she would actually turn on McCain publicly. Even if McCain really has had enough of that crazy talk from his base, I just don't see her stopping her hateful rhetoric, since that seems to be what she based much of her political career on so far. She strikes me as the worst sort of ambitious backstabber, and she thinks God is on her side to boot. McCain is going to regret he added her to the ticket, if he doesn't already.

[mascarax]

31. Turning on each other

I haven't been thinking about post-election because we need Obama - & many more - to win first, but...the post-election viciousness between McCain and Palin will come, in my opinion. Plus the infighting on the whole VP pick...I just don't see them containing this.

[yardwork]

44. I hope it splits the Republican Party. It's time for that unholy alliance to fall apart.

When the corporatists teamed up with the fundamentalists, they created a large voting bloc and a vicious set of values.

[crossroads]

76. Hear Hear! Well said! nt

[jhrobbins]

72. Yeah, I can see the McCain team blaming Palin for not divulging

her skeletons and then Palin blaming McCain for not being thorough. Oh well, I really couldn't care less about them after November 4. She can go back to Alaska and shooting wolves ( I really hope that PETA goes after her about this) and hunting witches and queers - and John can go back to his naps.

[ldf]

74. did you even read what you typed?

the sarcasm tag wouldn't even legitimize it...

:grr:

[jhrobbins]

75. You need to be a tad more specific, so that I can understand your

little fuming emoticon. Or not

[sarcasmo]

80. He obviously doesn't realize it was offensive, what a shame.

[tanyev]

33. And the base would be on her side, which would really annoy him.

[GalleryGod]

37. Well said. I agree completely!

I've noted that History also. This woman is KKK/White Supremacist Dangerous!

[patrice]

39. Yeahh, afterall, they're both mavericks and a split would be REAL mavericky.

[yardwork]

43. It's already here. Palin was chosen to excite the base, who don't like McCain.

On free republic and other right-wing blogs the plants are already calling for McCain to step aside and let Palin take over. This was the Rove plan all along.

You should make this observation a thread by itself!

[madmom]

48. Could this be the birth of a third party?

[Odin2005]

60. IMO it's very possible that Big Money may bolt to the Libertarian Party.

The GOP would be left as the party of Christo-Fascists.

[Nevernose]

67. Big Money will just buy more Democrats

Fortunately, there's not as many for sale, but it does happen.

[Odin2005]

59. IMO this is exactly what Rove did NOT want to happen.

The Neo-Cons' political strategy consisted of keeping a coalition of Big Money and the Religious Right together. The RR is basically telling Rove to go fuck himself and are trying to take over the party. Gramps in Hindenburg and Palin is Hitler.

[ginnyinWI]

49. Oh, those crazy Mavericks!

Remind me again just what is so good about being a Maverick? Seems to me it means being anti-social and out of control.

[Odin2005]

58. A civil war is brewing within the GOP.

The neo-cons can't keep Big Money and the Religious Right together anymore and the RR is trying to take control of the party.

[defendandprotect]

63. While I agree on Palin's viciousness ... I think she has a soul- mate in McCain . . .

and most other in GOP --

this has long been a sexist, racist, homophobic party -- using religion and the flag

as a front cover.

Since when is Chrisitianity free from vast prejudices --

and since when is a nationalistic outlook on the world healthy?

"Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" isn't exactly Enlightenment nor love of humanity.

[IsItJustMe]

78. Palin my ass. McCain is up to his eye brows in this shit. You may buy the msm line of bull shit,

but I have heard McCain insinuating that Obama is a terrorist also. PLEASE!!!

[4lbs]

3. Yes! The AFL-CIO is sticking up for their candidate!

:D

[Judi Lynn]

4. So glad to know John Sweeney has spoken out about this. Republicans should have more sense

than to have taken the campaign in this direction.

Hopefully, some stern words from working class adults will introduce a tone of real seriousness to these fools.

Thank you, Omaha Steve.

[Bobbieo]

7. Yea, Omaha Steve - and thank you for the charming "First Americans For Obama" photo

[Odin2005]

62. I have Chippewa relatives and I like it too!

That kid is adorable, reminds me of a cousin when she was a little kid! We always call her our little papoose!

[TriMetFan]

5. Thats my Union!

[jbnow]

6. Can you edit your post and shorten that ____line?

It is stretching out the page and I have to scroll side to side to read it. I assume that's not just me. Great post and I just want to see it easier to read

[Omaha Steve]

9. You can't edit this message because the editing period has expired

I was going to try. Can mods still edit after the period expires?

[Swagman]

14. cute pic anyway

[robbibaba]

8. We should all contact McCain and demand he stop the hate mongering!

Call, fax or email his campaign. If they start getting an avalanche of letters it will have some effect. Let's not just sit back and hope the pundits do the job for us. This needs to be called out by all of us.
Here's the letter I wrote today:

Senator John McCain
2211 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85016
[phone]

October 10, 2008

Dear Senator McCain,
Please put an end to your campaign's negative and dishonorable tactics. I believe that only you can do this.
Your campaign seems to be deliberately trying to incite violence and hatred between Americans at a time when our nation is in peril.
Clearly this strategy is not working at all. In fact it is hurting your chances of being elected. What possible reason could you, or your campaign staff, have for continuing the lies, smears, personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric?
If you were to publicly call a halt to this hate mongering, I believe it would actually bolster your chances. And would go a long way toward salvaging your increasingly besmirched legacy.
Sincerely,

[humbled_opinion]

23. I think he read your letter... LOL.... n/t

[peacetalksforall]

53. Hate Enablers - Hare Facilitators - They are in a BRING IT ON period.

[lutherj]

10. It shows a lack of leadership and judgment that they do not condemn this kind

of thing. Any other politician would have squelched it. McCain is stupid enough to think this kind of extremism is going to help him get elected.

[magellan]

11. The Repubs coddle the same violent extremism that bin Laden and Ahmadinejad do

The only difference is we don't need a translator to tell us what death threats McSame's followers are chanting.

I'm very glad labor is speaking out against the terrorists among our own people. I only wish the Democratic Party as a whole would do the same. It's years past due.

[Odin2005]

64. Insane hate is insane hate no matter where it is.

We are all human, and that means, unfortunately, all peoples share the same vices as well as virtues.

[EFerrari]

12. Thank God there are leaders somewhere.

Thank you, Steve.

[DUlover2909]

13. These people that are shouting things like "Kill him." and "Off with his head." are felons.

It's totally illegal to incite others to violonce, threaten violence, or threaten a politician. These people should be arrested and prosecuted under domestic criminal law.

[Realityhack]

25. I agree.

The correct response to that is to wave in security to escort the shouting individual into custody, and denounce such words from your position. Then do the same again the next day at a news conference.

No more of this. I don't even want to imagine what a McCain/Palin administration would be like to live under... but I don't advocate or condone killing them. Nor would I condone people calling for them to be killed. This is the kind of rhetoric you see in elections third world countries.

And I will also say this. There are a number of conservative and republican sources who disagree with this and are publicly calling for it to be addressed. I praise that action. We do not agree on everything... but that is the correct action in this case and they deserve credit for it.

[yardwork]

45. I don't understand why they're not being arrested.

The Republicans certainly arrest anyone else they don't like these days. Wear the wrong sticker to Congress and get arrested. Show up on an FBI list of "potential terrorists" and get arrested before the RNC, before the convention even begins! But holler "kill him" about the Democratic candidate at a McCain-Palin rally?

[Deny and Shred]

71. Walk too close to the Republican Convention and get arrested

[TankLV]

61. But mcINSANE's response has been to condemn THOSE DARING TO CRITICIZE THESE YAHOOS!!!

That has been his only public "response" so far.

That and a tepid "both sides must stop this sort of thing..."

BOTH SIDES???!!!!!

BOTH SIDES?!?!?!?!

SO FAR ONLY THE REPUKE ASSHOLES ARE DOING "THIS SORT OF THING"!!!!!

[IsItJustMe]

79. I notice the corporate whore media pressing this bull shit. Both sides my ass.

[Odin2005]

65. Sic homeland security after 'em!

These crazies are domestic terrorists.

[Imagevision]

15. Mccain beginning to self implode, damned if you do or don't with Obama, the fat lady is coming...

[Vinca]

17. McCain officially lost the race yesterday. nt

[LaPera]

18. Labor...aren't they dinosaurs, corporate welfare, destroying our beautiful unions...Oh they hate us....

despise us...cuz the corporate lobbyist tell the fucks you can have it all...fuck the workers, we'll deal with them later....The greed sets in........

[jimmil]

19. The right is showing its true colors.

We have all known since Reagan that the "right" is another name for racists. The worst part is they think they hide their racism by not overtly saying the words that denigrate. Spurred on by talk radio that tries to mask the hate in a flurry of denials they justify their hate for everything that isn't like them. They are truly what is wrong with America.

[Edith Ann]

20. Incitement

Remember, someone incited Timothy McVeigh to kill 168 people. We will never know who these people were.

[Edith Ann]

21. Incitement

Remember, someone incited Timothy McVeigh to kill 168 people. We will never know who these people were.

[fasttense]

22. Who could have guessed that Palin and McCain would use the Salem Witch trials

as their campaign strategy?

[Realityhack]

24. A couple of thoughts...

First off. With regard to the 'kill him' comment. IMO that is a law enforcement matter.
As for the rest of these hateful comments. I think we are seeing how willing McCain and Palin are to entertain hatred. This is IMO a clear indication of their inability to unite the country. An abject failure of leadership.
Obama has made it perfectly clear that he will not tolerate his supporters doing similar things. I can not imagine how much louder the voices of condemnation would be if someone at an Obama rally said that and he didn't say something about it.

[The Wizard]

26. Right wing crack pots

spewing hatred and promoting fear need to be silenced by any means necessary. They are Democracy's enemies and useful idiots for the Nazi remnants who won't accept the results of neither WW II nor the Civil War.
We've heard enough of their shit. The fact that the Republican Party embraces these douche bags speaks volumes of its radical proclivities.
Yelling fire in a crowded theater is not protected by the First Amendment. Yelling theater at a fire is.
One more thing: Fox News must be sued for consumer fraud and charged criminally for participating in the deliberate destruction of Constitutional guarantees.
The Republicans and their enablers in the corporate media have made a concerted effort to loot the treasury and bankrupt the economy for personal gain. We've all been damaged and must be made whole by these fucking assholes.
Bombard them with law suits and criminal charges. Never let the scumbags rest.

[Kolesar]

27. MSNBC TV said that McCain actually "defended" Obama as a "decent" person today

It was a "headline" in the scroll at the bottom of the screen an hour ago.

[Baby Snooks]

28. The 39%

In Texas there are 39% of Republicans who like the "meaner, nastier" Republican Party. Those are the ones who voted for Governor 39%. What's scary is the percentage may be greater in other parts of the country.

[PatrynXX]

29. liar?

Think someones trying to provide an opening throwing that on our side. Liar is no big deal. Terrorist, traitor , treason, and of course kill him (let alone the racial slur which I won't provide here. Because both version of the racial slur are racist.) Could provide an explanation of that, but not right now.

liar I can take, it's the other shit that's not good. And thats the main problem with McCain. He's no leader. Imagine a flock of birds headed south for the winter. Imagine one that has no clue how to keep them in order. they'll be flying everywhere but the fu**ing south.

That was a problem from the beginning when a state issued the first negative attack against obama. Even though McCain claimed he'd stop them. Somewhere in that shell is the honorable McCain. So amid the flames of chaos, maybe he might wake up and realize what he's done. Now will he admit it? I doubt it. But I'm not going to be like the Right wing. I don't HATE McCain. I do feel sorry he became a puppet.

[Algorem]

30. R is for Rabble

[DeepModem Mom]

32. K&R

[fascisthunter]

34. I Knew There Would be Blow Back

McCan and Palin are no psychologically fit for the White House.

[Window]

35. It's about time more people spoke up about this travesty.

I can't believe some of the comments under the article are from people trying to defend the indefensible.

[bulloney]

36. I'm hoping the Limbaughs, Hannitys, et al get reined in somehow from this.

I realize there are First Amendment issues involved, but with these clowns' hateful rhetoric working their knuckledragging listeners into a lather, I don't think it's much different than yelling "fire" in a theater.

[GalleryGod]

38. No Way. Hannity (Punk Ass) Sees this as HIS Mission in 08

After all the suspensions (Schuster) MSNBC went through. Fox's complicity in this conduct is beyond the pale.

[patrick t. cakes]

40. if anyone can organize rallies its

the AFL-CIO. Dont mess with the left.

[Odin2005]

68. Don't mess with LABOR, damn-it!!!

I sent this story to my dad, who is a proud UNION member.

[jcla]

41. After almost 2 years of calling BHO a terrorist, a Muslim,

unpatriotic and other things what do these rethugs think. Their hate mongering will get more people killed. There is no responsibility in that party or their leadership.
McShame should look at the long term of his hateful remarks, trying to calm a crowd who boos hims and still calls for death to Obama even after McShame says Obama is a decent family man is not effective. They won't listen. Been programed by all that time of Osama, Obama, yo' mama, Obama hangs out with terrorists and other Bulls**t.

[yardwork]

42. I love your sig photo of the little boy! Oh, and k&r

[zingaro]

54. I second that comment about the sig pic. I love it! nt

[crickets]

46. Thank you, John Sweeney.

Honestly, whether McCain waved security toward a person shouting 'kill him' or not, the FBI still should be all over someone screaming an incitement to murder a presidential candidate. I don't understand why they haven't stepped in on principle.

Wow, Steve, the picture of the little boy in your sig is absolutely adorable.

[progressivebydesign]

47. Good he ratcheted it down. HOWEVER his campaign HAS NOT!! DO NOT BE FOOLED.

Is it a good thing that McCain tried to defend Obama yesterday? Yes! Anything that can be done to calm things.

However... the Campaign DID NOT give up on their hate mongering activities. Make no mistake. They continued on yesterday, just as McCain was saying those words, and later on. It was reported that a conference call with McCain's advisors YESTERDAY was linking Michelle Obama to Ayer's wife, Bernadette Dohrn. So as McCain was PUBLICLY trying to look like the better guy, his campaign continued and EXPANDED their attacks -- this time including Michelle.

Does that sound like a "decent guy" that we've been hearing about?

How about McCain's campaign going on TV yesterday, and in separate incidents, blaming Obama for "insulting and attacking" McCain's fine supporters, who are only angry about the mess the Democrats got us in. The gall of those people.

AND.. we can't forget Caribou Barbie, who attended two fundraisers and continued the SAME attacks as before.

McCain is PUBLICLY trying to calm the crowds, because the new Rovian strategy is to keep McCain above the fray now, and let everyone around him do the dirty work. It worked for Bush and I'm shocked they hadn't done it before.

It's not a change of heart -- it's a change of tactic, and a response to the widespread criticism of the attacks. The thing to remember is that John McCain DID NOT end these attacks because he felt bad.. he ended them because it was costing him support. He is not an honorable person. He's an angry little man.

[lunatica]

50. It's not a change of heart -- it's a change of tactic

Bingo!

:thumbsup:

[TankLV]

69. blaming Obama for "insulting and attacking" McCain's fine supporters

THAT IS IT IN A NUTSHELL!!!

These are not "fine supporters" they are SCUM, THE LOWEST OF THE LOW, and potential CRIIMINALS for urging assisination!

And the repuke's official response has been to condemn our comdenmnation of these YAHOOS!!!!

[goody2shues]

51. John McCain's Sanity

The reason that John McCain's medical records and history have not been made publicly available is that he is certifiably insane. After his incarceration as a Prisoner Of War McCain was a changed man. Going from his Ivory Tower lifestyle where his parents doted on him constantly and used their positions of influence and power to shield him from prosecution and gave him extreme preference in schools and military assignments of which he didn't have the mentality nor the character to deserve either to a filthy, nasty, cage controlled by captors who didn't care anymore about you than a blood-sucking mosquito was enough to quickly drive the cerebrally weak McCain into a state of mind that will alter his thinking for the rest of his life. After McCain was elected to congress he introduced legislation to classsify everything about the POWs of Vietnam so that his record of cowardice is kept secret till after he dies. Fortunately we know enough about the situation prior to his legislation that reveals what a real wimp and coward McCain was. Several POW's died from their beatings because they would not reveal any information other than what was required. McCain ,at the first inclination of torture, disgorged everything he could tell including classified information. His own words incriminate McCain who said that his main concern was that his Admiral Father and Admiral Grandfather would be disappointed in him. McCain may say that the Keating Five scandal was the most ashamed he has ever been. I guess it was too public to be classified information. McCain has revealed his animosity concerning the Vietnam disgrace by berating and physically abusing family members of POW's who have approached him about their loved ones.My point is that McCain has so much rage and hate in him that he is not mentally qualified to even be in the senate much less the presidency.

[xxqqqzme]

52. It's got his filthy, stubby, grubby hand prints all over it.

'The Return of Rove' - Matt Taibbi

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23482821/the_return_of_rove

"...The reason Rove continues to survive is the same reason that Johnnie Cochran was called a genius for keeping a double-murderer on the golf course — because this generation of Americans has become so steeped in greed and social Darwinism that it can no longer distinguish between cheating and achieving, between enterprise and crime, and can't bring itself to criticize winners any more than it knows how to be nice to losers. He survives because an increasing number of Americans secretly agree with Rove's vision of rules, laws and "the truth" as quaint, faintly embarrassing rituals that only a sucker would let hold him back.

Rove's comeback is evidence that the attack on our civic institutions in the Bush years wasn't an isolated incident, something we can pin on a specific group of now-deposed politicians. It's a trend, a thing that grows in direct proportion to our greed and ignorance. We may be a country at war, facing one of the greatest financial meltdowns of all time. But in the end, the thing that could be our undoing is the kind of generalized boredom with legality and honor that empowers Rovian behavior. If we let it."

[happygoluckytoyou]

55. PLEASE CONTACT john the bush republican mccain AT THIS ADDRESS TO COMPLAIN to him

IF YOU DONT LIKE SOMEONE OR THEIR ACTIONS... UNLIKE THE REPUBLICAN JOHN MCCAIN... TAKE IT DIRECTLY TO THEM IN SPEECH OR NOTES

http://www.presidentialelection.com/Contact_Information/index.htm

drop him a note, here is the contact point, he says he is interested in hearing from you

winky winky, ya-betcha

[nam78_two]

56. Recd.nt

[Hulk]

57. Time to "build a NEW second political party in the US"....

The current repug political party is corrupt and sick to the bone. Living off false beliefs and hatred toward ANY taxation or social programs in this land, the part today has become simply the "neocon-fascist party" today. Ignoramuses or greedy wealthy make up what is left of the once "Grand Old Party". The GOP is dead and gone. Morphed. Lost in space.

I would hope that a new party can be established, less the influence of the hateful evangelical nut cakes and the bigots and greedy wealthy that are out to "grab their share" at the expense of the future of this nation.

The "r" party today is a joke...and a sick sad one at that.

[Poseidan]

66. agreed

The (R) party should be replaced by the Independent party.

[PfcHammer]

70. The US is rapidly shifting towards Socialism. hehe.

Makes you wonder what it actually was all these years.:shrug:

[cui bono]

73. YES! McCain has gone so far across the line it's sickening. I hope he spends his last few years

tearing himself up inside thinking about how he sold his soul and denigrated a fine man to the point of having people call him a terrorist and call for his death in his quest for fame and power.

How does it feel to be such a hollow and foul person McCain? Hm? How does it feel? You will soon find out.

[crossroads]

77. McKlan should heed this advice and stop what he is doing! nt

[OhioChick]

81. K&R

For my good friend, Steve!

:kick:

[BlooInBloo]

82. Just like Khan, hate is all McBigot has left in the end....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGokpLRVWWc

[lovuian]

83. Sweeney has said it welll Palin & McCain are evil

they showed it

[Imagevision]

84. McPalin won't stop until they create another George Wallace moment.