As New York debate looms, concerns grow over hateful rhetoric on campaign trail
By Marlene Naanes
mnaanes@am-ny.com
As Barack Obama’s lead in the polls grows and the final debate nears in New York, voters and observers say that rhetoric by some supporters of John McCain has produced the worst show of hate during a presidential election in decades.
At campaign events, supporters of McCain have shouted, “off with his head,” “kill him” and “terrorist” in reference to Obama.
“I believe his supporters are reading the polls and they’re losing,” said City Councilwoman Letitia James (D-Brooklyn). “I just think racism is alive and healthy unfortunately…and some people really need to think whether or not they are better off today than they were eight years ago.”
McCain has rebuked his own supporters over the comments. Obama’s campaign has praised McCain for confronting his supporters, but a Georgia congressman and some New Yorkers believe he and Palin are responsible for fueling the negativity. The McCain crowds have been compared to George Wallace’s presidential campaigns in 1968 and 1972.
"I think not only is it his responsibility to put a stop to it, but they [McCain and Palin] were responsible,” said Michelle Davies, 43, of Brooklyn. “They put out misinformation and took information out of context.”
The controversy comes as Obama and McCain prepare for a visit to New York this week, for their third and final debate, at Hofstra University on Wednesday. The secret service they’ll be no extra security beyond the detail already surrounding Obama.
McCain and Palin have continuously mentioned Obama’s connections with Bill Ayers, former member of the Weather Underground, a radical group from the late 1960s and early 1970s that orchestrated bombings in the U.S.
Negative campaigning is a strategy used by both Republicans and Democrats when they are lagging because it fuels the base, a political strategist said.
“They’re in deep trouble…the only way they will get any traction is to let the mob loose,” said Hank Sheinkopf, who worked for President Bill Clinton’s re-election. “Is this going to work? Probably not because what people care about more is the economy.”
After the backlash from their supporters’ comments, both McCain and Palin seemed to shift their focus to the economy. A McCain spokesman said yesterday that sometimes supporters say things the campaign can’t control and that they take attention away from legitimate questions, such as Obama’s judgment and experience.
Rhetoric isn’t the only way anger against Obama that has taken shape recently. The Los Angeles Times and a California theater recently received anti-Obama letters with a substance later determined to be nonhazardous. Some wondered if even McCain could quell angry supporters.
“This kind of rhetoric sets the seeds unfortunately for awful things to occur…historically,” Sheinkopf said.
Amanda Magnus and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
