Palin's words avoid repulsing voters with overt racism. But is there another subtext for creating the false
image of a black presidential nominee "palling around" with terrorists while assuring a predominantly white
audience that he doesn't see their America?
In a post-Sept. 11 America, terrorists are envisioned as dark-skinned radical Muslims, not the homegrown
anarchists of Ayers' day 40 years ago. With Obama a relative unknown when he began his campaign, the
Internet hummed with false e-mails about ties to radical Islam of a foreign-born candidate.
Whether intended or not by the McCain campaign, portraying Obama as "not like us" is another potential
appeal to racism. It suggests that the Hawaiian-born Christian is, at heart, un-American.
Palin is right; Obama is not like her and he's not like McCain.
Maybe those homegrown White American terrorists are more like her.
Let's not forget that terrorists come in all races and genders:
Palin's attempt to scare Americans by linking Obama's face and name to those spooky dark-skinned Muslim terrorists is one of the most divisive
and overused attacks against Obama this election year. But Palin isn't the only one who used that tactic.
Radical and hateful
Hillary Clinton supporters did the same thing during the primaries; they repeatedly referred to Barack Obama as "Obama Bin Laden."
Maybe Palin can learn a lesson
from those Hillary supporters. Racist attacks didn't help Hillary win the Democratic nomination;
what makes her think racist attacks will help McCain/Palin win the White House?
Update: 6:30pm: McCain discusses negative attack ads. He says that anyone who runs negative attack ads has no vision for the future. Ummm . . . maybe he should have a talk with his running mate.
