McCain calls for Obama to condemn Lewis statement
In a rare statement issued in John McCain’s name, the GOP nominee is personally calling for his Democratic rival to condemn Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) for a statement (below) comparing McCain to segregationist presidential candidate George Wallace.
“Congressman John Lewis’ comments represent a character attack against Governor Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale. The notion that legitimate criticism of Senator Obama’s record and positions could be compared to Governor George Wallace, his segregationist policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign. I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I’ve always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character and the character of the thousands of hardworking Americans who come to our events to cheer for the kind of reform that will put America on the right track.
“I call on Senator Obama to immediately and personally repudiate these outrageous and divisive comments that are so clearly designed to shut down debate 24 days before the election. Our country must return to the important debate about the path forward for America.” –Sen. John McCain
Lewis, a former civil rights leader, issued an incendiary statement earlier on Saturday:
“As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing today reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
“During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate. George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who only desired to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed one Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
“As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Governor Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better.”
Tags: barack obama, George Wallace, john lewis, john mccain
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[...] by Mosheh Oinounou Camp Obama takes the middle path in a statement responding to McCain’s call for a condemnation of Rep. John Lewis’s comments. While Obama disagrees with the comparison to George Wallace but the Democrat supports the [...]
[...] Obama camp condems Wallace reference but says Lewis right on McPalin rhetoric by Mosheh Oinounou Camp Obama takes the middle path in a statement responding to McCain’s personal call for a condemnation of Rep. John Lewis’s comments. [...]
Maybe when mccain repudiates all of palin’s comments. Obama doesn’t control other congressmen, mccain does control palin’s funds.
Lewis is a kool ade drinker, and what about Farrakhan saying Obama is the Messiah? WTF, Americans are SICK AND TIRED OF THIS RACE CARD PLAYED BY Obama AND HIS PEOPLE, THEY WILL SAY AND DO ANYTHING, BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE BOILING OVER ,EACH AND EVERYDAY. Just Stop the race baiting democrat’s, and for all you white democrat’s that are also doing it , well most of us think you are bottom feeder’s anyway. No one Care’s what race anyone is, we are just sick and mad as hell, so stop it. McCain is not a racist, the Clinton;s are not racist, yeah remember when the Clinton’s were called racist. So please try something else for a change message!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And being so jealous of Sarah Palin that you would send 30 lawyer’s to dig up dirt on her is hitting pretty petty don’t you think. The truth about the democrat’s will come out each and everyday before the election. And how do you get a security clearance for president when you would not be able to pass the basic clearance, and you are about to give this man “for your eyes only” WAKE UP AMERICA………………….follow THE MONEY TRAIL…………………………………………..
Now is the time for Obama to prove he is worthy of McCain’s praises of “honor” yesterday. Lets see if he lives up to it.
Now is the time for Obama to prove he is worthy of McCain’s praises of “honor” yesterday. Lets see if he lives up to it.
how dare john lewis resort to such blantant race baiting! it is he who is treading on dangerous territory. campigning against obama does not make one a racist despite what lewis claims. this is clearly an example of telling the big lie. if you say something shocking enough and repeat it often enough the public will start to believe it’s true. i am sorry to say that congressman lewis actually is my congressman. he will never get my vote, support or respect. i am disgusted.
Wow, what would happen if McCain talked about Obama’s trip to Kenya on tax payers dollars. You know, to campaign for his cousin Odinga. There is actual video taping Obama using a bull horn to address the crowd gathered for Odinga. Now what does Odinga want to do with the country of Kenya? He wants to overthrow the US friendly govt. & install and Islamic state with Sharia. There is even an e-mail from Obama to Odingo that was sent from his govt. office. Now why would Obama want Kenya to become an Islamic state? Why is he so wrapped up with ACORN? Why did he participate as Acorn’s lawyer to force banks to accept shaky loans? Why is he so close to socialist like George Soros & Linsky? If you elect him as POIUS, then you will indeed see a changing America. CHANGE, remember those words some are so thrilled about? Well you are seeing the effect of some of that change now & so is the whole world! Be careful what you wish for!
Democrate party seems to be crying alot now since McCain and Palin started raising questions about Bill Ayers. If I was supporting Obama I think that I would come up with any excuse to try to change such an important issue like Bill Ayers. Democrates are extremely nervous about the Bill Ayers subject this is why the discussion on Bill Ayers is getting scrutiniced. Questions on Obama’s past associations needs to be brought up to let everyone know who Obama’s mentors were.
I HEARD MCCAIN STATMENTS. HE DIDN’T MAKE A RACEST STATEMENT. Obama just lost my vote. No body has brought race into this, untill this statment was made BY LEWIS. I THINK PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO WHAT IS REALLY SAID AND COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION.
John and Cindy McCain adopted a black child. Obviously this man has no idea what he is talking about.
Yeah it is scary for the democrats to have their doings come out into the open. They think the people are stupid and they can easily bluff their way out and point at Bush and the Repulicans…but we know….
Obama needs to be seen for what he is.
WOLF IN SHEEPS CLOTHING
We need true Americans in office.
McCain and Palin
WOO HOO!
Remember who Obama’s top 3 financial advisors are….the Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac golden parachute jumpers!!! Obama racked up from their fall too - didn’t he?
Obama is the class warfare specialist. Obama is the one with the racist pastor. Obaman is the one with Farrakhan backing him.
The speeches given by Palin and McCain in the campaign rallies definitely remind me of all the speeches I heard in the 50’s and 60’s from racist and hateul politicians in the deep south like Gov. Wallace. There is no doubt in my mind that their soul purpose of these rants is to incite baseless racist hatred and unbridled fear that were sowed in the segregationist south!!!
i am for sure voting for john mccain now.
Gov. Palin has been unfairly smeared by the left-wing since she was selected. This will be a down-to-the-wire race and moderates and conservatives must unite to avoid four years of runaway socialism. Please consider a gift to the McCain-Palin Victory 2008 fund. This race ain’t over yet! Click “dk” above to learn more!
The only candidate in this race who have placed the “race” or “racism” card is Obama. He is responsible for making it appear that McCain/Palin are turning the campaign into a race issue, when he is in fact the one doing so.
I am very strongly opposed to Obama, but my strong opposition to him didn’t come from the McCain/Palin camp, it came from my own love of America, from looking at Obama’s plans for health and education reform that reek of socialism and from looking at Obama’s associations with anti-Americans. It angers me that Americans have allowed this man to become so close to becoming our next president. McCain and Palin didn’t need to point these things out to us. We, as intelligent conservatives, have discovered them and made these connections on our own.
Is it that far of a stretch. When voters are yelling for O’Bama’s head on a platter, calling him a terrorist and yelling Bomb O’Bama with rhetoric being spouted by the VP nominee, well. Let’s call a spade a spade in this one. When your crowds spouts out violence against an opponent, one must take it seriously as there are some crazy people out there. I’m shocked McCain actually said something for once when all of the other times he hasn’t and I doubt Palin ever will. You want the characterization to be taken off of you ACT like you want it off of you and put the people at your rally’s in check or have them escorted out.
You think that McCain will be beat…don’t count on it! Everyone said Bush would not win his second term…Everyone thought McCain was left for dead during the primary. Well Lord and Behold Bush won his second term, McCain won the Republican primary he came up from behind lake a snake in the grass and clinched the primary. The best think is don’t count him out just yet, remember America always loves the underdog. America will pick him up and will carry him across the finish line…just wait and see!
McCain and Palin can’t say anything negative against Obama without someone trying to turn it into a race issue. I have been doing alot of research on Obama!! I can NOT believe that anyone in there right mind would vote for him. I guess the Dems only know that he is a Dem. NOW! Pelosi is saying that Obama and her are going to TRY to get another stimulis package!! If that isn’t trying to BUY votes. I don’t know what is. They know! If they offer $$ people will vote!! But on the otherside? It wouldn’t be until AFTER the election! Who wants to bet it would happen at all!! WHERE would the money come from? It’s just an attempt to BUY votes with a worthless IOU!
A lesson for McCain! There is NO BIPARTISAN FROM THE DEM period. No matter how nice and sincere you treat them, they will never miss a chance to stab at your heart! Wake up centrists! Wake up!!!
I am sick of obama followers saying anyone is racist! what is racist ??? Asking obama to explain his liaisons with wright.ayers,rezko,frank davis and all the other anit-american terrorist sympathizers. Tell me how this is racist??? Someone please give me some logical and without nasty comments a simple explanation.
Why are there so many comments on Obama to this article and so few about Lewis. Obama had nothing to do with this statement. And somebody mentioned Farrakahn (sp) WTF. How is he even related to this presidential race. My God people. Are we as dumb as we sound? McCain himself has not been too bad although Palin sounds worse and worse every time she speaks. Its obvious that she is only in this race to prepare for 2012. She has not even been loyal to McCain’s views and policies. I’m a McCain supporter and i’m afraid of all of the idiots that are supporting him. They make me embarrassed to speak up for him. his supporters and vp canidate are ruining his chance at the white house.
it is john mccain who should repudiate…himself.
drop out of the race john…your an embarrassment.
Hey Senator McCain didn’t you call O-blame-a “decent guy and don’t be scared of him” just this week?
Stop…being a kitty and speak up like the rest of us Republicans…we would like you to try to win this election if you don’t mind.
Thanks…this message is paid for by an over taxed American who is legally residing in California.
I think John McCain is of honorable charactor. Through this whole campaine dispite all the low shots fired at he and sarah palin he has remained nothing but respectful of all involved. This man is a hero and a true american who would put his life on the line for this country. can obama say the same thing.
This is crazy!
I’m reading these posts and it’s so glaringly obvious that many of McCain’s supporters are total bigots. I’m an independent and until recently hadn’t made up my mind as to who I was going to vote for. Let’s be honest. I am a 37 year old white male and was born and raised in the south. Anyone who says that race isn’t an issue in this election is a moron. It’s pathetic and disgusting, but it is the reality. If you don’t believe me, look at the electoral map…All of the southern states are Red. I know people who won’t vote for Obama because he’s black..Most people say it’s because they are Republican, but the truth lies in what they say. If the Democratic candidate were white, this would be a totally one-sided election. You can go back in time and look at the electoral maps after an un-popular Republican president and see how lopsided it was.
The Republicans are doing everything that they can to link Obama to Radical Terrorists, because they know that there is no way that they can win on the issues. It’s not John McCain himself is drumming up hatred at his rallies, he’s too smart for that. It’s his “Pitbull” who is creating the “Rage” at the rallies. She is a loose cannon and someone needs to put a muzzle on her, before she digs herself and her party any deeper. Those of you who want to dismiss this as race baiting, watch a couple of these rallies and see the kind of reaction that Palin gets from the crowd. It’s disgusting and anything but presidential.
What’s this world coming to? Obama is black, John McCain is white, so what. Haven’t we learned our lesson yet. We are racially divided because that eighter side knows. Grow-up. Be a man or a women and let it go. If John McCain wins all america is raceist. If Obama wins were still races, both sides are like little school kid’s that need to be sent to the principles office, for bad behavior. Sorry but John McCain is about as raciest as a new born baby. If Obama wins were still going to have to walk on egg shells, because we may offend. David Letterman won’t have any political jokes to tell. And the American people black or white shouldn’t have to put up with this kindergarten mentality.. Please act your age or go back to school and learn to stop pointing fingers. Maybe we as American’s should vote out ALL
Its so sad a real war hero like John McCain would stoop so low as to select Sarah Palin who knows more about hockey and automatic weapons than foreign policy, economics, newspapers, doctrines and almost everything key to being VP or president, talk so deep in the gutter, encourage a racist contingent albeit due to his being disconnected from reality, stand behind Sarah and her husbands borderline neo-terrorist group, the AIP, their unethical abuse of the Alaska Governor’s power firing someone for personal reasons, and even consider her for energy policy when she doesn’t even know Alaska has about 1 year of oil at US oil consumption rates which is like a backup, not a solution…and on and on… How could it get so bad… I thought McCain was a reasonable guy… I guess he is just losing it… Can’t vote for somebody already losing it with Palin in line… No way! never… Sad… Very sad! What is happening to America…?
I can’t believe anyone in his right mind would vote for McCain and Palin… This is the scariest ticket ever. Richard Nixon would be a big step up!
I am really surprised that the Democrats are so set on promoting their own party that they have blinded themselves to the real issues. How can they look at Obama’s record and statements and still promote him, much less vote for him? If just half of what he says is true - watch out! And they will not like when they get him into any position of higher authority.
This election year (so far) campaign by both parties has already made me come up with a decision. McCain may be old, but I don’t consider that a drawback. Actually, that’s the only “real” thing that I can find anybody complaining about him. However, Obama has “questionable ties”, etc. etc. etc. And now he is playing the “race” card.
I keep hearing that McCain is down in the polls . . . but I don’t think that is going to matter after the American people have their real say at the voting booths!
DD in OK
From the Master/Messiah on down, the Dem response is to demand purity in the opposition while retaining the right to wallow in and throw any and every kind of filth. Hypocrisy doesn’t begin to cover it.
McCain has more ethics in his NVA-crippled left pinky than Obama and his Inner Circle has ever dreamed of having.
This is why the congressman said what he said: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itEucdhf4Us
Once the racism goes away, we’ll stop bringing it up…
Until then, when McCain or Palin attempt to link Obama to terrorism, we (patriotic, concerned and informed citizens, & voters) will consider their assertion overt racism. Ask yourself this: IF Ayers is a terrorist, why is he teaching at a university or sitting on a board for advancing education in poverty-stricken areas of Chicago, instead of sitting in a cell in GITMO for terrorism? IF Obama is a terrorist, why is he still a U.S. Senator? Why isn’t he in Syria receiving U.S.-sponsored torture, like so many other innocent people who have been wrongfully imprisoned and tortured at the U.S.’s hands — a FACT in violation of ratified treaty!
Oh, that’s right… because the system’s corrupted by liberals, right? That track has already played out, you FOX News crazies. You’ve been beating your drum so loudly that you can’t hear reason now.
Lewis is trying to stir up hatred for a war hero John McCain, that is wrong! He should be ashamed of himself. He makes everything about race, someone needs to remind him that not just blacks were fighting for civil rights we all did. So please stop with this battle of black vs white, because not everyone is black or white. The brown, yellow and red communities need to count too. NOT EVRYTHING IS BLACK & WHITE!!!! Not any more! WE ALL MATTER!
What did Senator Mc Cain think was going to happen when his staff started to go negative?
I am sure the harsh comments were insulting, they were and intended to be. His campaign has turned into one that he should not be proud of, it lacks honor and dignity.
Sarah Palin as the self professed bit bull has directly fueled those flame.
When does McCain condemn calling Obama a terrorist?
The only candidate in this race who have placed the “race” or “racism” card is Obama. He is responsible for making it appear that McCain/Palin are turning the campaign into a race issue, when he is in fact the one doing so.
I was leaning toward Obama, because of Biden…BUT I HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE FOR McCAIN/PALIN because of his SOCIALISTS agenda.
Yes, there will be CHANGE, BUT NOT TOWARD SOCIALISM. IT’S THE BACK DOOR TO COMMUNISM.
This election is a demonstration of how much OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM has DETERIORATED.
If you say a LIE long enough, the UNEDUCATED masses will believe it to be TRUTH.
GOD help us ALL & GOD bless America!!!
The only candidate in this race who have placed the “race” or “racism” card is Obama. He is responsible for making it appear that McCain/Palin are turning the campaign into a race issue, when he is in fact the one doing so.
I was leaning toward Obama, because of Biden…BUT I HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE FOR McCAIN/PALIN because of his SOCIALISTS agenda.
Yes, there will be CHANGE, BUT NOT TOWARD SOCIALISM. IT’S THE BACK DOOR TO COMMUNISM.
This election is a demonstration of how much OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM has DETERIORATED.
If you say a LIE long enough, the UNEDUCATED masses will believe it to be TRUTH.
GOD help us ALL & GOD bless America!!!
“i am for sure voting for john mccain now.”
Like you were ever going to vote for Obama…
I was for Obama until I realized that he is really the one that injected the idea of race being a factor when he made the statement that the McCain people would be trying to make everyone afraid of him because he is different and that he is black… It took awhile for that to really soak in and then BOOM!!! my eyes popped wide open and I realized that Obama must really want this election to be about race… I am now voting for McCain… Sure, McCain is not as suave and as coning as Obama and that is because I believe he really speaks the truth and from his heart… McCain has proved that he loves his Country by fighiting for it and almost dying for it and I looked at Obama and I have yet to find anything that he has done to prove his love and/or devotion for his country and I’m still looking and haven’t found anything he has done yet… I suggest if you are having any doubt about whom to vote for to do some self research on both, Obama and McCain and your eyes are apt to see more clearly and you will be apt to vote McCain… There are crazy and rude people on both sides…Thanks for raeading this and have a great afternoon…
Very foolish and irresponsible statements by this John Lewis character. tsk tsk. Shame on you John Lewis. Would Martin Luther King Jr. be proud of you? I think not. Playing the race card like this has backfired. These comments prove that you, Mr. Lewis, are the racist.
We’ve come so far over the years in regard to race relations.
It sounds like Mr. Lewis wants to judge John McCain by the color of his skin and not by the content of his character.
Isn’t that sad after all these years and all the great strides in this country?
It feels like we just took a step back in time. Only, this bigot, Mr. Lewis, is black.
[...] Camp Obama takes the middle path in a statement responding to McCain’s personal call for a condemnation of Rep. John Lewis’s comments. [...]