That’s right.
Greg Sargent over at TPM has the scoop:
John McCain’s Pennsylvania communications director told reporters in the state an incendiary version of the hoax story about the attack on a McCain volunteer well before the facts of the case were known or established — and even told reporters outright that the “B” carved into the victim’s cheek stood for “Barack,” according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
Pathetic.
The McCain spokesperson’s claims — which came in the midst of extraordinary and heated conversations late yesterday between the McCain campaign, local TV stations, and the Obama camp, as the early version of the story rocketed around the political world — is significant because it reveals a McCain official pushing a version of the story that was far more explosive than the available or confirmed facts permitted at the time.
Follow me for more, after the trip.
Before the internet this sort of thing would be taken as TRUE for weeks and even when debunked (if ever) the damage would have been done already.
40 or 50 years ago a young black man would have paid for this lie with his his life in many parts of this country.
What a McCain aide did might have been a rogue operation. If so, the aide should be exposed and canned.
Should McCain himself apologize?
Maybe not for pushing this story, but he sould defintely apologize for creating an enviroment in which a campaign staffer thinks race baiting is appropriate behavior.
Dear McFailin,
You are ultimately responsible for all the hatred and potential violence that your thoughtless accusations are encouraging. After this is all over, AND WE HAVE WON BY A LANDSLIDE, we will have to continue to work extra hard to protect Obama and his family from those crazy motherfuckers you egged on.
The only satisfaction will be that you will have to live with the ruin that your political career has become.
Honor?
You may have had honor once, but you lost it with this campaign.
I don’t think this is what America is about and I think Americans reject race baiting and race hatred.
This attitude (if not the details) TRICKLED DOWN FROM THE TOP ……..
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