Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others.

As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor; let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the charter of his own, and his children's liberty.

Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap; let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and Let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars.

While ever a state of feeling, such as this, shall universally, or even, very generally prevail throughout the nation, vain will be every effort, and fruitless every attempt, to subvert our national freedom.


- Abraham Lincoln, January 27, 1838
  Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

NY Times: The Politics of Attack

Excellent, must-read editorial in the New York Times today, about - you guessed it - the cynical depths to which McCain and Palin are willing to drag campaign discourse:

It is a sorry fact of American political life that campaigns get ugly, often in their final weeks. But Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin have been running one of the most appalling campaigns we can remember.

They have gone far beyond the usual fare of quotes taken out of context and distortions of an opponent’s record — into the dark territory of race-baiting and xenophobia. Senator Barack Obama has taken some cheap shots at Mr. McCain, but there is no comparison.

Also mentioned was a point I made at least a month ago, and that still confuses me today. Who is this dark new, cynical McCain - this McCain that pals around with intolerant hate-mongers?

Is this the same man who called Bush and Rove to task for running a smear campaign against him in 2000? Is this the same man who called out right-wing, religious hate-mongers - the same people who swoon over Palin - as "agents of intolerance?"



Note the answer to McCain's question "Who is the real Obama?" Some guy in the crowd (or more than one) yells out 'terrorist!' Does McCain correct him? No -- he goes right on talking as if it never even happened.

McCain has lowered the bar of dirty politics to a whole new level.

How can one man change so drastically in eight years? Which guy is the real McCain?

We certainly expected better from Mr. McCain, who once showed withering contempt for win-at-any-cost politics. He was driven out of the 2000 Republican primaries by this sort of smear, orchestrated by some of the same people who are now running his campaign.

No kidding. I don't like this McCain at all -- and I don't trust him.

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