As polling-day approaches and McCain's ratings plummet it is disturbing to see how happy the GOP contenders are to resort to personal attacks and gutter-campaigning. But Palin's screechy reference to Obama's relationship with a man who engaged in violent protest against the Vietnam war really brings things to a new low. The fact that the man in question is now a university professor and that Obama was eight years old when these protests took place did not deter her from accusing him of consorting with "domestic terrorists." One hopes that fair-minded Republicans will be appalled by this - but one suspects that many will revel in the sleazy mud-slinging.
However, I imagine that the effects of this bizarre and unfair attack will be more pronounced when it comes to Democrats who are thinking of voting for McCain/Palin (and remember, this is what Hillary was campaigning for when she continued to go for the neck long after her campaign had failed). Whether or not it deters the "McCain Democrats" entirely it will certainly illustrate for them the sort of people they are contemplating getting into bed with.
And what sort is that? My impression is that they are empty people - people without passion, without ideas and without anything real to contribute. They are at their strongest when lashing out. By themselves they are a bland mix of hatred, spite and ignorance.
McCain certainly has displayed bravery and fortitude during his life, though he seems lesser somehow for blowing his own trumpet at the GOP convention. Speaker after speaker made reference to his wartime bravery, which is fine as it makes for a good story which tells us much about the man. But when he spoke he too referred to his bravery, rendering it somehow null by saying it himself. Whatever he once was, he appears to have become something else entirely. And it's not a bit nice.
Palin comes across as an over-excited hick who sees the starry lights of power and celebrity just over the hill. With her you get a sense that she is trying to keep a lid on the darker aspects of her world-view. I think that she would be a grave danger to the world should she ever assume a position of power, and with McCain being 72 that is well within the limits of believability. During the V.P. debate she made an interesting slip. When referring to McCain, she said that he was the man we want "to leave us" before quickly correcting herself by saying "to lead us." Freud would have loved her. In fact, no he wouldn't. He would have disliked her immensely.
The big question is what will happen if this pair win in November. The terrible answer is that there is no way of knowing how far they will go in pursuing Bush's legacy of hatred and war.
God help us all.
