Palin’s Turn to Apologise
A few weeks ago I was decrying the smear attacks launched by the left against Sarah Palin by the likes of Dailykos. I felt that they were unwarranted, unfair and a degradation of political culture. I argued that it was precisely the sort of behaviour that gives politics a bad name, and commended the candidates at least for staying above the mindless sectarianism, sticking to the issues at hand. In the process I suggested that Dailykos should apologise for its part in continuing the disreputable trend that ultimately damages public life as a whole.
It is therefore with a certain degree of dismay that I discovered that Governor Palin herself has now made a gutter attack on Barack Obama. She accuses him of being supported by a domestic terrorist because he once made the acquaintance of Bill Ayers, the founder of the notorious Weathermen terrorist group. She did this on the flimsiest of evidence.
When the West is on the edge of its seat looking for leadership over a financial crisis, the best she can offer is a personal attack. The continuation of the facile meme that anyone who does not sign up to the GOP line on foreign policy is a terrorist sympathiser has reached its final, and ultimately absurd, conclusion. “Below the belt” does not even begin to decribe it: this was a calculated, vicious attack that has no place in civilised political discussion. It is totally unbecoming of a serious politician. This is the sort of politics that both campaigns were supposed to offer a change from.
It would be utterly inconsistent and textbook partisan of me to decry the smears of one side while simultaneously ignoring or justifying those of the other, and I have no intention of doing so: Palin must apologise. If the McCain campaign want to restore integrity to Washington they could start by getting their own house in order. It’s not even fair comment. It went beyond the usual levels of personal attck into something much more sinister and revolting. McCain of all people ought to know better, particularly given the Manchurian Candidate line of attack spun by Bush against him eight years ago.
I am not an Obama supporter, but after this incident I don’t think I can continue to back the McCain-Palin ticket in good conscience. Unless they apologise for this loathsome stunt, I am going to climb back onto the fence. What a let-down.
Sphere: Related ContentComments
Leave a Reply
