Yelling Fire in a Crowded Theatre: McCain Campaign Rallies the Base
This Pappy McCracky rally really got out of hand. Pappy asked what he may have thought was a rhetorical question – “Who is the real Barack Obama?” – but he got an answer: “Terrorist!” Then, a few moments later, it slipped into non sequitor territory when another supporter yelled “We are Christians!” This family values crowd was a scarily high octane blend, and the analogy may be apt: high octane enough to explode.
The “terrorist” shout-out seemed to knock Pappy back on his heels. Although the video is a bit out of focus, have a look at his “WTF?” expression. And that ought to be his expression. More importantly, that kind of audience response should have come as no surprise to him. His campaign has taken the lowest road available lately, and has pandered to the electorate’s baser instincts. Why would Pappy be surprised that these comments would follow and with palpable venom behind them? Now that’s a rhetorical question,
Certainly candidates cannot be held responsible for their supporter’s rants. But given the vitriol expressed by crowd members at both McCain’s and Palin’s recent rallies isn’t there a moral obligation for their campaign to at least address the situation? To say, “Look, my friends, we understand your energy, your passion, but we do not condone . . .”? If we weren’t speaking of a campaign run by the likes of Karl Rove protege Steve Schmidt, the answer would be a clear “Yes!” Yet, the campaign now is calculated to appeal directly and forcefully to those base instincts of fear, anger, and retribution. McCain/Palin is trying to shore up the base (“base” in both senses of the word) and to energize its desire to get out and vote.
Also, let’s not forget, that Republican campaign quantifiers have seen the state polls, and have frankly and strategically run up the white flag in most states. Their new emphasis on attack-attack-attack is aimed at the few truly battleground states left, states like Florida, Indiana, Virginia, and North Carolina, once solidly card carrying members of the Dubya coalition, now slipping towards Obama.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but (O.K., I will) they’re trying to rally the racist and bigot vote in those states; “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.” Not that they were ever going to be Obama voters, but they were possible non voters. These are the Dubya coalition folks who early on in the primary season turned their backs on McCain for his less than consistent “social issues”/”family values stance(s), and more recently because of his financial crisis stance(s). These are the voters he hoped to lure with the addition of Palin, but the economy – and the predictably economy-led polls – didn’t oblige. More fuel was needed for the fire, and thus the all out smear campaign will likely take up the remainder of the campaign season.
That the people in the crowd were so blatant in saying those things speaks volumes. The politics of fear has bred hatred. Acting on that fear has become acceptable.This scares the crap outta me