Jackson Free Press

Bizarrely, the McCain campaign announced to media over the weekend that it was going to launch personal attacks on Barack Obama to try to turn attention away from the economy, which is helping drive national and battleground state polls way up for Obama. Sarah Palin is already on the campaign trail trying to tie Obama to terrorists, prompting the Associated Press to warn that McCain may pay deeply for this tactic:

By claiming that Democrat Barack Obama is "palling around with terrorists" and doesn't see the U.S. like other Americans, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin targeted key goals for a faltering campaign. And though she may have scored a political hit each time, her attack was unsubstantiated and carried a racially tinged subtext that John McCain himself may come to regret. [...]

In her character attack, Palin questions Obama's association with William Ayers, a member of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground. Her reference was exaggerated at best if not outright false. No evidence shows they were "pals" or even close when they worked on community boards years ago and Ayers hosted a political event for Obama early in his career.

Obama, who was a child when the Weathermen were planting bombs, has denounced Ayers' radical views and actions.

With her criticism, Palin is taking on the running mate's traditional role of attacker, said Rich Galen, a Republican strategist.

"There appears to be a newfound sense of confidence in Sarah Palin as a candidate, given her performance the other night," Galen said. "I think that they are comfortable enough with her now that she's got the standing with the electorate to take off after Obama."

Previous Commentsshow

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Puck

Oct 6 2008

If Palen fails at becoming the first female vice-president of the United States of America, she likely won't have any problem becoming the first female to head that other nameless organization that drove blacks away from the fruits of Reconstruction and back into peonage, servitude and denigration for several more decades or nearly a century. She would be perfect as the first female leader of that fine organization, from what I can see and hear. All she needs is the tar, feathers, and a match. Wink, wink and wink! Thrust, thrust, pose and grin. LOL.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

Electing the first MILF vice president might have great entertainment value in these hard times, Walt. She can move Jed and Granny Clampett in to help with the pregger 17-year-old.

HardTravelin

Oct 6 2008

Since you guys seem to be in a humorous mood, check out this video. Here's a clue for you: HHEEHH?!?!

LatashaWillis

Oct 6 2008

LW that comment by McCain did make me laugh! Republicans could run a frog for vp and I would hear little old ladies and old men talking about how qualified the frog is versus Walt or someone like Walt. That's how far the repugnants have gone off politically. I don't expect much from the RNC - Really Nasty Commies who are intent on killing or destroying America. I happen to know that the Contract on America is still looming. Gingrish has written a new book to prove it.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

While she's out slinging mud, Palin has all sorts of problems on her homefront (where folks are angry that the McCain campaign is running the governor's office. First, a bunch of state employees have reversed course and decided to follow the law and testify in the Troopergate (probably realizing they don't want to go to jail for her). And big questions are raised about her taxes and all that taxpayer money she and her family got for eating at home and traveling around the state on the state's dollar: Now that tax attorneys have had a chance to review Gov. Sarah Palin’s tax returns, which were released late last week, a new round of questions are being raised on tax-related websites. One big issue that tax attorneys are pointing to is the fact that the Palins did not report as income the $43,490 that the state gave the family to cover travel expenses for Mr. Palin and the Palin children. Had the Palins reported these payments as income, the couple would have had to pay taxes on it. These tax attorneys note that neither Mr. Palin nor the children were employees of the state. Nor were they traveling on behalf of the state. There was some discussion that perhaps some portion of Mr. Palin’s travel expenses might be excludable as income if there was a bona-fide business reason for his presence and if he assisted Mrs. Palin in her official duties. But there was also uniform agreement that it would be hard to make a case for the not reporting the payments to the children as income. “The children’s travel payments are clearly taxable income,’’ said Jack Bogdanski, a tax professor at the Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland and a former advisor to the Internal Revenue Service. “The money paid for Todd Palin’s travel might possibly turn out to be tax-free, but it would be quite a stretch.” Mighty mavericky to take advantage of her own tax payers, eh?

DonnaLadd

Oct 6 2008

Palin is no maverick, she's just "averick". Too average to be vice president or guvner, I think. Wink, wink, pose, arch, bend, thrust, grin; then, talk loud yet say nothing. Don't get me wrong, we will look though! A vice preidential candidate of her form deserves a good look, and another look.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

My apology to all. I'm just having a little fun without stooping too low, I hope. I try to joke tastefully, but I've been told I don't have any taste or sense of when to stop. Since Biden and Obama won't castigate Palen I decided to do it for them.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

The fact of the matter is that republicans expect the people to wake up one day soon and declare republicans totally full of crap as I have already done and turn on them as a party. The facts and legacy are there to prove my conclusion. Since republicans know the window for their snow job is closing in fast they're willing to do anything to get a another run or two on screwing us dearly before everyone with any sense turns on them. After a while boys and girls who formerly followed their dear love ones despite their glaring flaws and backward ways are going to wake up and say daddy and mother, granddaddy and grandmother, uncles and aunts, et al, your day and time have passed. I will from this point fprward think, choose and vote to satisfy my goals and interest, not your deadhorse ways of yesteryear.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

For two people/"mavericks" that claim they want to reform Washington, they have an odd way of going about it.

Jeff Lucas

Oct 6 2008

Based on the last 8 years I believe the so-called maverick and averick (Palin) are planning to further deform Washington. Would any of us let a wild bear into our houses to establish peace within. Peace will likely be established but no one would be around but the bear to practice and enjoy it. Palin and McCain are all about survival of the fittest which will leave the majority of us poor, suffering and holding the empty bag. Go Democrat and take back our country form corporatism and/or rule by the rich and devilish.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

No I didn't, Baquan. I have read about, studied and watched republicans since Reagan. I don't know that anyone can tell me anything about them at this point that I don't already know.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

Today Palin was out on the stump using those famous code words: "He doesn't think like us", "He's not like us". In my part of town, we call that hidden racisim.

lanier77

Oct 6 2008

I'm still waiting on Palin to let the N-word slip out or refer to Obama as Sambo, uncle Remus or something similar. You can only bs so long before the real person shows up. I know they have all been told and trained that the n-word is one word they can never use publicly before winning the election.

Walt

Oct 6 2008

"He doesn't think like us", "He's not like us". In my part of town, we call that hidden racisim. In my part of town, too. This is truly disgusting. She's worse than at first glance. McCain, too, for authorizing this mess.

DonnaLadd

Oct 6 2008

More from that AP story: Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false image of a black presidential nominee "palling around" with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white audience that he doesn't see their America? In a post-Sept. 11 America, terrorists are envisioned as dark-skinned radical Muslims, not the homegrown anarchists of Ayers' day 40 years ago. With Obama a relative unknown when he began his campaign, the Internet hummed with false e-mails about ties to radical Islam of a foreign-born candidate. Whether intended or not by the McCain campaign, portraying Obama as "not like us" is another potential appeal to racism. It suggests that the Hawaiian-born Christian is, at heart, un-American. The fact is that when racism creeps into the discussion, it serves a purpose for McCain. As the fallout from Wright's sermons showed earlier this year, forcing Obama to abandon issues to talk about race leads to unresolved arguments about America's promise to treat all people equally.

DonnaLadd

Oct 6 2008

It is disgusting. It also shows that McCain doesn't believe in his own "country first" mantra, flimsy though it is. I just hope that people see McCain and Palin for the desperate much-raking political prostitutes that they are. It's a sad day in America if McCain and Palin are the best of what a major political party has to offer. These kinds of coded messages are old and worn. I think more people will reject them than will accept them.

Kacy

Oct 6 2008

For two people/"mavericks" that claim they want to reform Washington, they have an odd way of going about it. What a maverick really is

LatashaWillis

Oct 6 2008

And this is the man who said he wanted to run a clean campaign? Much easier to say when the chips aren't down. That's what I call flip-flopping. Lest I forget, the sheriff of Lee County, FL (Ft. Myers) referred to Obama by his full name. Hmmm...

golden eagle

Oct 6 2008

BTW, even as disgusting as the personal attacks on Obama have been and will be, I welcome them. In the end, it will benefit Obama even more.

golden eagle

Oct 6 2008

It's sad, so much of the American psyche is about racism and contempt for other human beings.

HardTravelin

Oct 6 2008

Palin is linked to those who hate our country and allied with Islamic extremists in Iran: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/10/07/palins_unamerican/print.html

FreeClif

Oct 8 2008