From a letter to the editor of the NYT today:

As the lead federal prosecutor of the Weathermen in the 1970s (I was then chief of the criminal division in the Eastern District of Michigan and took over the Weathermen prosecution in 1972), I am amazed and outraged that Senator Barack Obama is being linked to William Ayers’s terrorist activities 40 years ago when Mr. Obama was, as he has noted, just a child.

Although I dearly wanted to obtain convictions against all the Weathermen, including Bill Ayers, I am very pleased to learn that he has become a responsible citizen.

Because Senator Obama recently served on a board of a charitable organization with Mr. Ayers cannot possibly link the senator to acts perpetrated by Mr. Ayers so many years ago...

William C. Ibershof
Mill Valley, Calif., Oct. 8, 2008

Short McCain: Obama is deflecting attention from trivialities to focus on important issues

That's the Obama we love. "...failed economic theories..." - seriously, this man needs to be our president.

Until a few months ago, although I've been a registered democrat all my voting life, I'd held a grudging respect for McCain....No more sir. You lost my respect when the negative ads started. Charges and statements you know are not true keep coming from you and your minions. You are in charge of your campaign...You are at fault. We don't need, want, or deserve more lies and liars in OUR White House sir.

Your use of the word "Alas" is I'm sure a joke. If they were bright they would be much more dangerous.

As your wrap-up from yesterday included those frightening clips of those loyal American rednecks, I'm getting very frightened by these attack ads. I'm worried that these idiots may really try to shoot Obama. The consequences of that act scare the crap out of me!

Apparently McAce is driving his campaign very much like he drove his airplanes: Recklessly, erratically, and carelessly. All of which caused him to crash and burn a number of times. I guess it is tough to teach a very old dog new tricks. Let's also hope he keeps up the good work...

. . .that Obama was talking about the economy in order to "deflect" attention from McCain's "legitimate criticisms."

Words fail me at seeing that statement.

However, that line alone handed the Obama campaign yet one more tool to use against McCain. Honestly, his campaign just keeps providing them.

Oh, that's rich. The economy as a dodge. I knew McCain and Palin were dumb and incurious, but I didn't know they were legally bind.

Bob Shieffer should ask McCain next week, "We're expecting an audience of up to a hundred million Americans tonight, and perhaps another ten to twenty million more from around the world. Would you look into that camera and tell them whether you would rather spend the next ninety minutes talking about the economy or Senator Obama's relationship to William Ayers."

The McCain campaign responded that Obama was talking about the economy in order to "deflect" attention from McCain's "legitimate criticisms."

That's right, John. Leave it to an irresponsible terrorist sympathizer like Barack Obama to blow this whole mess into proportion!

Meanwhile, as always, Obama has struck precisely the right tone.

Danp,

Perhaps you know a different Bob Schieffer than I do.

I'm expecting questions more like, "John, now that Obama has ruined our economy, what kind of table would you sit at to fix it?"

I think it's past time for the Secret Service to have a little meeting with the McCain campaign. They are clearly inciting violence with both their campaign events and the ads. Their failure to react when an audience member shouts out something identifying Obama as a "terrorist," or "kill him" is dangerous in the extreme. While most who participate in this mob mentality are probably harmless, you know damn well there's going to be a few who get so riled up that they well MIGHT resort to absolute violence.

Alas, the McCain campaign isn't very bright.

Why give himn the benefit of the doubt? Truth be known, McCain probably isn't very bright.

The McCain campaign responded that Obama was talking about the economy in order to "deflect" attention from McCain's "legitimate criticisms."

That is just fucking priceless. Coming soon to a stump speech and a TV ad near you...

There have GOT to be Democratic moles in McStain's campaign. They coudn't really be this totally clueless. Could they?

Qualifier for Obama - Presidential

Qualifier for McCain - Jim Crow

nuff said! -Kevo

Danp, Perhaps you know a different Bob Schieffer than I do. -doubtful

Sadly, your question is the far more probable. But in a year where CBS's Katie Couric may be TV's toughest interviewer, one can still fantasize..

Since when did incendiary racist and xenophobic rhetoric become legitimate criticism? It's hard to believe that McCain/Palin don't understand that if one of the people whom they've whipped up with this rhetoric acts, or attempts to act, on his rage it will not be good news for McCain/Palin or the Republican party.

The McCain campaign responded that Obama was talking about the economy in order to "deflect" attention from McCain's "legitimate criticisms."

And take another look at those criticisms. They involve the economy: "At a time when hardworking families face uncertainty and a historic decision in November, they expect more than Barack Obama’s self-interested calls to stifle any inquiry into his record or his past.�

IE: Hardworking families who are worried about the economy should ignore Obama's stand on the economy and focus on McCain's personal attacks.

Lesseee, divide by zero, carry the 2...

Again, Obama sums up the chief concerns of the American people. I hope and pray that voters will be so disgusted and outraged at McCain's race-baiting, anti-Muslim smears, inflamming anti-terrorist fears, and inciting crowd violence that the backlash deals him the final blow.

All media broadcasters and pundits need to end their claims that "both sides are equally responsible for negativism." There is no comparison between the nasty tactics of the McCain-Palin campaign and Obama-Biden calling their opponent "erratic," "uncertain," and "out of touch." Americans cannot accepts crowds being whipped into a frenzy and calling out "Kill him!" "Terrorist!" "Traitor" "Socialist," while the representatives of the "values voters," McCain and Palin, continue to smile and laugh.

All media need to expose this for what it is and rebuke these tactics as unAmerican. The potential to incite mob violence is strong. The American people deserve better from a man who claims to be an American patriot.

Can't wait for Steve's update on the McCain campaign's conference call on Obama and Acorn. Ayers is so yesterday.

If John McCain goes negative and nasty at next weeks debate he will see his pol numbers fall through the basement. The only people this is resonating with is a dangerous fringe element. If this continues I think the Republican Party will look out at the crowd showing up for McCain's and Palin's rallies and be terrified. The message is being sent, word is out and a truly foul element is showing up. The GOP can't afford to be associated with that if they want to survive.

Those rallies have become a horror show played on the nightly news. They are being reported with palpable disgust. I honestly believe, we will see some prominent Republicans publically separate themselves from this, if not outright endorse Obama. In the aftermath, Sarah Palin will be blamed and John McCain will be quietly put out to pasture. Politically, both will be finished.

Oh, and SNL...no way should you let her on the show.

Danp wrote: "Bob Shieffer should ask McCain next week ..."

More likely he will fawn all over McCain and have to make an effort to restrain himself from literally getting down on his knees and licking McCain's boots.

If McCain brings up Ayers in the debate, Obama should simply say:

The fact is that I served with Bill Ayers on the board of an organization headed by a personal friend of Ronald Reagan, who served in the State Department under President Reagan, and is in fact one of your most distinguished supporters, as your campaign proudly announced last week. I had every reason to believe that Mr. Ayers had been rehabilitated. Even the Federal prosecutor who prosecuted Mr. Ayers for his actions says that he has been pleased to learn that Mr. Ayers has become a responsible citizen.

Senator McCain, you very well know that I have denounced the activities of Bill Ayers -- which occurred when I was eight years old -- as reprehensible.

So let me ask you directly: do you believe I am lying about that? Do you believe that I am a terrorist sympathizer? After all, you are running TV ads every hour of every day, all over this country, that make those insinuations.

Forget about saying these things to my face -- will you stand here and tell the American people, to their faces, that you agree with what your supporters have been shouting out at your rallies -- that I am a "terrorist" who should be "killed?"

Education Week puts the whole Chicago reform movement into perspective.

Good grief, McCain is even screwing up the hate thing.

Republicans usually leap at the opportunity to hate an enemy, whether real or contrived. But when fellow Republicans (Gergen, etc.) tell Senator McCain they don't support his hate campaign against Obama you know you're inept.

Connect a few more dots (link at my name).

This is an initial skirmish in fomenting a civil war.

The Republicans are using McCain and Palin to rev up the Future Fighters of America (FFA is an acronym for Future Farmers of America, and the related Farm Bureau is as violent and neocon as they come).

Who profits from a civil war?

Bush
Cheney, military/industrial complex
top 1% earners
corporations
Republican party
Pentecostals/televangelists

Really now, it's hidden in plain sight. Just defog your glasses and it all comes into clear view.

if one of the people whom they've whipped up with this rhetoric acts, or attempts to act, on his rage it will not be good news for McCain/Palin or the Republican party.

It will bad for AMERICA as a whole. I was talking with my mom on the phone yesterday and she was very worried that we as a nation are heading back to the riots of the 60s only instead of the hippies it will be the rednecks in streets.

She honestly believed that as a nation we had moved beyond much of our racial hatred and bitterness of the past. That it was largely confined to a fringe few who were looked on with digust and pity by the rest of the country. McCain is now using that rhetoric and hatred and bringing in back to the mainstream.

For a man who keeps claiming to put 'country first' McCain is doing everything he can to ensure that a large segment of Americans will view an Obama victory as illegitimate.

Gergen is right we will see violence before this is done.

Let's hope America is strong enougt to get through this.

As someone else stated on this or another recent thread, where are the Secret Service and other Federal authorities when blatant threats are made against a "legitimate" Presidential candidate and member of the Senate? I once experienced the power of authority in response to some inappropriate remarks made over the phone to an IRS employee. We are talking more immediate and dangerous threats, with no apparent response by Federal police officers. Peace activists are being targeted in MD, but violent threats to sitting Federal elected officials are being ignored/condoned. What if we started calling the FBI, Secret Service and local police departments demanding they respond to these blatant threats? On second thought, maybe that would get us investigated and arrested. Never mind. Just shut your mouth and hope for the best.
peace,
st john

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH2iufUU1f4&eurl=http://juancole.com/

Thanks, Juan Cole.

Good moon rising

Barack:

Now is not the time for fear. Now is not the time for panic. Now is the time for resolve and steady leadership. We can meet this moment. We can come together to restore confidence in the American economy. We can renew that fundamental belief -- that in America, our destiny is not written for us, but by us. That's who we are, and that's the country we need to be right now.

Those of you who demanded its return should be happy. Because here it comes: A return of the politics of Hope.

I knew he would do it. I knew he was just saving it up for the last few weeks. How did I know? Because ultimately Barack is a writer. A very good writer. He would not write a campaign that did not return back to its sources in the final moment.

Are you folks ready for this?
Because Barack is just warming to the task...

"McCain."

"Legitimate criticisms."

That would be an oxymoron---yes?

New slogan:

"Republicans! Destroying parody one campaign statement at a time."

In America, viral internet media blog marketers troll the false words and image of Obama on the internet blogs and media polling sites.

In Soviet Russia, Obama assassinates YOU!!

Annie, a civil war? Heck, who would fight against secession by the original Confederate states? Let 'em go..........and Alaska can go with em.

We're keeping Hawaii, though.

Civil War? Virginia won't go! We're blue now .