I know, I know, we all expected the Republicans to sink insanely low, to try everything they could, to bring the heavens down on all our heads. But let’s be honest – that was an intellectual and frankly esoteric expectation.
The McCain campaign has heralded the most disgusting campaign of my lifetime. The campaign of 1964 is the only one in American history I consider dirtier (and it was our team that made it dirty – don’t forget that). The McCain campaign is intentionally conflating Obama with terrorism and terrorists. They’re playing the associations game, and we need to remember this down the line.
The most recent McCain attack that raised the bar for incredible filth was the “guilt by participation” ad. Folks, think this through. What are they implying with that construction? They’re implying that Barack Obama participated in terrorism!
These people have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they will say anything, ANYTHING at all, in the hopes of winning. This lesson is all the more painful when we consider that none of us can likely name a prominent Republican who was better disposed towards running a clean campaign and this is still where we wind up. Again, that’s not praise for McCain. Just try to think of somebody who had a shot of winning (and no, Huckabee did not have a real shot) who might have been less dishonorable. Ain’t easy, is it?
They’re poisoning the well. At the rate we’re going, something like a quarter of Americans will absolutely distrust and hate our next President. They’re willing to do that, they’re eager to do this. There is a silver lining, but only one:
Several of my intellectual conservative friends are walking away from the Republican party. One just donated to Obama’s campaign! No, it’s not all of them, but a steady trickle are bugging out. They aren’t welcome and they know that. We can’t let them forget this race either. They need to remember because we need those people, the ones we can get. If they lose their brain trust they’ll never be much of anything again.
Yes, I want the Republicans to survive and indeed even win again, but we need to hang on to power long enough for them to grow up. I’m sorta quoting someone, by the way, when I say the “hang on” bit. I wonder who’ll catch the quote…
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