Axelrod condemns Rep. Lewis’s comments
The Hill:
A senior adviser to Barack Obama said Sunday that the Illinois Democrat does not agree with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who drew parallels between John McCain and former segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace.
A senior adviser to Barack Obama said Sunday that the Illinois Democrat does not agree with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who drew parallels between John McCain and former segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace.
In the past week, stepped up rhetoric by Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and, to a lesser degree, from Sen. McCain (Ariz.) has overlapped with seemingly more aggressive crowds at their rallies.
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The Hill exaggerates the terminology. Axelrod never used the word "condemn". In the story is only the phrase "does not agree."
But: "Axelrod said the ads McCain is running have directly led to recent instances of violent rhetoric used by McCain supporters at rallies." Not as if he is really saying Lewis was wrong in his main point, (because Lewis is right).
October 12, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please. A cause-effect relationship is bullshit: it can't be proven that McCain's ads have incited anything in anybody. You can't even prove that people have seen the ads. Half of them don't air on TV. They are internet ads.
Axelrod is a master slimeball.
Instead, you could make a plausible argument that Sean Hannity is inciting people. I hear the electorate reiterating Hannity verbatim.
But John Lewis attacks John McCain, not Sean Hannity.
October 12, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll concede the point about Lewis, but maintain that the article's title is unsupported by the reporting in the story.
October 12, 2008 1:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
He toted the Obama camp line, we disagree about comparing him to George Wallace BUTTTTTTT everything else he said was right. F the Hill and their overexaggeration.
October 12, 2008 1:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Interesting. Thanks for posting this.
This is clearly a game each campaign is playing (i.e., push beyond the boundaries, then accuse the other side of instigating just such behavior). It's disappointing (again) that John Lewis is playing along.
October 12, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Alexrod condemns Rep.Lewis's comments" is a patently false headline. As I read the article on the Hill's site, it didn't say condemn one time.
This is like the old telephone game. Someone tells you something and you tell the next person and they tell the next person and so on and so forth. Except this is worst because the actual words are before us but what is typed is mendacious.
October 12, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Granted it appears the reporting in The Hill is wrong.
Sorry to completely disagree but I do think the the rhetoric of the McCain and Palin campaign inlcuding the speeches in their rallies has contributed to, not saying they are solely responsible, feeding and furthering people's fears and anger mostly based on ignorance from lies they have been told over and over again.
When the crowd started yelling out 'terrorist' and 'kill him' I was furious that McCain and Palin did nothing but kept putting gasoline on the fire. It was a demonstration of their very poor leadership skills which would include running for the highest office of the land in order to serve the people and protecting and looking out for the best interest of the people you serve.
I am glad John Lewis went as far as he did because McCain needs to understand where all of this could lead... to innocent people being hurt or killed. As far as I am concerned no matter what party, you can't take something like this seriously enough!
If John McCain was furious about it, SO WHAT!!
He should be jarred into reality! So I am writing to Lewis to thank him for what he said. From my persective understanding Rep. Lewis' perspective, he had every justification to say exactly what he said.
October 12, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink