Civil Rights leader compares McCain to Wallace

[Viditor]

Article

John McCain ? who has often praised civil rights icon John Lewis ? called a statement by the Georgia congressman Saturday comparing the outbursts at recent Republican rallies to the rhetoric of segregationist George Wallace ?a brazen and baseless attack? that is ?shocking and beyond the pale.?


This is a guy that McCain has already stated he would like to advise him if he is elected...

"George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama," wrote the Democrat.

I think Lewis has nailed it...well done!

 

[Thump553]

I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

Fair call and a good point...

 

[Taejin]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

The Republican base has been fed so many lies that the ignorant believe in, that their rage is understandable.

If I thought Obama was a muslim extremist, the perfect Manchurian candidate out to destroy America, I'd be pretty fucking mad too.

The problem is that McCain's attempt to associate Obama to shady characters has melded with the insane theories spread around by the Republican media (talking about internet media and talking heads) and now those people at the rallies are at disbelief that a baby eating America hating closet Muslim could be this close to being President.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

To be credible, McCain needs to repudiate Palin's "pallin' wit terrrists" lies first, and also apologize for saying that the "Obama wants children to have sex" ads were true.

When your campaign staff are spreading incendiary lies and you stand by them, yes you are inciting violence by proxy.

 

[Dari]

You reap what you sow.

 

[bdude]

McCain had to backtrack because of what his campaign has been doing. Yet those commercials still run.

 

[ProfJohn]

Wasn't Wallace a Democrat?

 

[techs]

McCain asks Obama to repudiate...

I get it. You are trying to compare McCain and Palins relentess smears against Obama, both in person and in their advertisements with what your link:

a statement by the Georgia congressman Saturday comparing the outbursts at recent Republican rallies to the rhetoric of segregationist George Wallace ?a brazen and baseless attack? that is ?shocking and beyond the pale.?

I think EVERYONE will agree that part is true. Cries of 'kill him (obama)', "off with his head" are certainly the same as what the supporters of George Wallace used to cry out.



And the Georgia congressman then said this:

"What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. [Sarah] Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse," Lewis said in a statement.

Freakin right on. McCain and Palin, as just about EVERYONE knows have been smearing Obama in every way possible for the last month, as McCain has sunk in the polls.

And the Georgia congressman then said this:

"George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama," wrote the Democrat.

What part of this would anyone dispute?


There is no comparison to the issue of what McCain and Palins supporters have done at rallies and how McCain and Palin not just stood by, but actively encouraged it with their political ads and what this thread is about.

Apples and oranges. No, Apples and toothpicks.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Wasn't Wallace a Democrat?

You can't be this stupid.

 

[Lemon law]

In no way is McCain as overtly racist like Wallace was. But still, McCain voted against the King holiday and will garner somewhere close to 0% of the black vote. And unless McCain does far better than he is now doing with Hispanics, those two minorities outnumber the GOP base voter who now are in love with McCain Palin. And its simply the idiotic rantings of those hard core GOP supporters who now turn off the very independent and other groups McCain needs to win.

Not even McCain can turn off their raucous racist celebrations, as they disgust the entire nation.

 

[Butterbean]

Yes - lets ignore the huge multi state ACORN election fraud and the truth squads and the Democrats intentionally causing panics with reports of anonymous insurance and bank failures etc. McCain voters have been portrayed by rainbow mafia media as rednecks and racists for being against the obvious radical insurgency we have going on and McCain just sits around praising the "good family man" who wants rights for cross-dressers and gay camp for kindergartners. It's McCain most of his supporters are angry with.

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: Butterbean
Yes - lets ignore the huge multi state ACORN election fraud and the truth squads and the Democrats intentionally causing panics with reports of anonymous insurance and bank failures etc. McCain voters have been portrayed by rainbow mafia media as rednecks and racists for being against the obvious radical insurgency we have going on and McCain just sits around praising the "good family man" who wants rights for cross-dressers and gay camp for kindergartners. It's McCain most of his supporters are angry with.

funny that these are things the republicans did in 00' and 04'. I think the republicans are just trying to paint the dems in this way, as they always have. They have painted the dems as a "liberal" a "socialist" and a "communist". Why not talk about "truth squads". Like the democrats are any where near as fascist as the republicans. I know that your stupid and this is why you think this way so you personally are excused but the gop talking points that go out to you are laughable. I mean look at what your mad about - cross-dressers, gay camp for kindergardeners and a "rainbow mafia". Do you really think these "issues" should be front and center during any election? These are the issues that turn any free thinking mind off of the republican party. Where is the fiscal conservative?

 

[Thump553]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Wasn't Wallace a Democrat?

Yes. This was prior to Nixon's Southern Strategy which made the white southern dixiecrats the main bulwark of the modern GOP. You see they hated the GOP because the GOP started as a radical anti-slave party and it took over 100 years, and LBJ ramming through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and essentially declaring war on the KKK to make them bolt the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party and the GOP of the 50's and '60s bear little resemblance to what they are today. Barry Goldwater and his like would not tolerate the moral authoritarianism that is the dominant theme of the modern GOP, with reduced taxes, less government, etc. as mere hollow slogans.

But you knew all that didn't you, PJ? A "professor" asking that sort of question is like an airline pilot saying hey, what's this lever for?

 

[techs]

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com...st-walk-into-trap.html

THIS JUST IN:

Lewis is someone who McCain praised as one of the three wisest people in his life at Rick Warren's Saddleback Forum.

 

[Butterbean]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: Butterbean
Yes - lets ignore the huge multi state ACORN election fraud and the truth squads and the Democrats intentionally causing panics with reports of anonymous insurance and bank failures etc. McCain voters have been portrayed by rainbow mafia media as rednecks and racists for being against the obvious radical insurgency we have going on and McCain just sits around praising the "good family man" who wants rights for cross-dressers and gay camp for kindergartners. It's McCain most of his supporters are angry with.

funny that these are things the republicans did in 00' and 04'. I think the republicans are just trying to paint the dems in this way, as they always have. They have painted the dems as a "liberal" a "socialist" and a "communist". Why not talk about "truth squads". Like the democrats are any where near as fascist as the republicans. I know that your stupid and this is why you think this way so you personally are excused but the gop talking points that go out to you are laughable. I mean look at what your mad about - cross-dressers, gay camp for kindergardeners and a "rainbow mafia". Do you really think these "issues" should be front and center during any election? These are the issues that turn any free thinking mind off of the republican party. Where is the fiscal conservative?

If your not on meds yet you will be.

 

[AAman]

McCain has betrayed all of his own principles by hiring the dirtiest of Dumya's crew to run his campaign and then going along with what they want to do- my heart warm's in the glow of the McCain meltdown.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

Which makes an interesting point: Do we really want a commander in chief who cannot even control the crowds of his own fans??

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: Butterbean
If your not on meds yet you will be.

Out of curiosity, what are your meds, and when did you stop taking them?

 

[BMW540I6speed]

So by McCain's response to John Lewis he now feels that it is he and his sidekick who are the victims? He actually believes that Obama owes him an apology and should repudiate Lewis' condemnation of the racist rhetoric coming out of McCain's campaign? That is beyond the pale!.

What does Obama have to do with this? Lewis doesn't work for Obama, is not on his campaign - in fact, McCain implied that he and Lewis had a friendly "advisor" relationship. Oh wait, he's black, and therefore Obama must take responsibility for whatever a black Democrat says?. Plus, it gives McCain the opportunity to start screaming "race card" if he can get Obama involved in the back-and-forth.

 

[BMW540I6speed]

Originally posted by: Butterbean
Yes - lets ignore the huge multi state ACORN election fraud and the truth squads and the Democrats intentionally causing panics with reports of anonymous insurance and bank failures etc. McCain voters have been portrayed by rainbow mafia media as rednecks and racists for being against the obvious radical insurgency we have going on and McCain just sits around praising the "good family man" who wants rights for cross-dressers and gay camp for kindergartners. It's McCain most of his supporters are angry with.

Is this Serious?. This post is pure comedy gold...

Which brings up this persons example of Homophobia. No discussion of homophobia is complete without a mention of the research of American psychologist Henry E. Adams who found that 80% of homophobic men exhibited signs of homosexual arousal. Applying "penile plethysmography" to subjects watching homosexual acts, Adams found that homophobes exhibited a several-fold larger increase in arousal compared to non-homophobes.

We need to remind the homophobes, very publicly and frequently, that they are probably gay (or bi) until these idiots shut up and let others live their lives the way they choose.

 

[HomerJS]

That "rainbow mafia media" is latin for youtube. We don't need portrayals the evidence is slapping you in your redneck...

That guy yelling was probably Butterbean

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Thump553
I'm a firm Obama supporter and I greatly respect Lewis for his sacrifices in the past, but Lewis is all wet on this one. Go back and listen to some of Wallace's famous speeches. Comparing McCain to Wallace is like comparing a jaywalker to a murderer. Wallace intentionally egged on the nuts, McCain is not-he's riding on them.

Do not take this response as an endorsement of the hate filled atmosphere at recent McCain rallies. I think to a certain extent McCain has lost control over his audiences.

I agree that it is wrong and unfair to compare McCain with Wallace. And I'd almost feel sorry for him except that I think that there's little argument that McCain intentionally and knowingly pandered to the "Wallace crazies" and has found he bit off a whole lot more than he bargained for.
Now he's trying to back off and distance himself from these embarrassing peanut galleries of hate and ignorance, but the damage is done. This election is now the Butterbeans against Mainstream America.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: BMW540I6speed
So by McCain's response to John Lewis he now feels that it is he and his sidekick who are the victims? He actually believes that Obama owes him an apology and should repudiate Lewis' condemnation of the racist rhetoric coming out of McCain's campaign? That is beyond the pale!.

What does Obama have to do with this? Lewis doesn't work for Obama, is not on his campaign - in fact, McCain implied that he and Lewis had a friendly "advisor" relationship. Oh wait, he's black, and therefore Obama must take responsibility for whatever a black Democrat says?. Plus, it gives McCain the opportunity to start screaming "race card" if he can get Obama involved in the back-and-forth.

FWIW, at the Saddleback forum in August, McCain named John Lewis as one of the "3 wise men" he would consult as President.

Also, I just read some more articles on the subject, and it appears that Lewis did not equate McCain to Wallace but likened the atmosphere at recent McCain rallies to those of Wallace. Which unfortunately does have some truth to it.
I'm sure this is painful for McCain, who has a proud record of supporting civil rights and equality, to know that these people are his followers.

Obama campaign's reply Text

"Sen. Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies.
"But John Lewis was right to condemn some of the hateful rhetoric that John McCain himself personally rebuked just last night, as well as the baseless and profoundly irresponsible charges from his own running mate that the Democratic nominee for president of the United States ?pals around with terrorists.?
"As Barack Obama has said himself, the last thing we need from either party is the kind of angry, divisive rhetoric that tears us apart at a time of crisis when we desperately need to come together. That is the kind of campaign Sen. Obama will continue to run in the weeks ahead."

 

[GroundedSailor]

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Wasn't Wallace a Democrat?

You can't be this stupid.

He's not stupid, just a stupid spin master. He thinks he can deflect the discussion and others will not notice.

I will refer to Thump553's excellent explanation above as the rest of my post.