John, John, and Barack

Civil rights leader John Lewis made some comments about the McCain campaign that generated some heated back and forth. Here's what Rep. Lewis said:

"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 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 were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama. As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. 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."

Understandably, John McCain didn't take to kindly to Lewis's remarks and obviously unappealing comparison:

"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Gov. Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale. The notion that legitimate criticism of Sen. Obama's record and positions could be compared to Gov. 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."

The Obama campaign responded by saying that "Senator Obama does not believe that John McCain or his policy criticism is in any way comparable to George Wallace or his segregationist policies." However, they did agree with Lewis's assessment of the increasingly negative and angry tone of McCain and Palin rallies. McCain brought the situation back up during the third presidential debate, accusing Obama of not repudiating Lewis's comments.

So the obvious question is, "What does Dan think about it?" And that's the right question to be asking. Lydia and I talked about it a good bit (well, I kept talking so she couldn't get back to what she was doing, but she engaged as well) and I think we're in agreement on some major points.

1. Obama should have emphasized his criticism of Lewis's comments at the debate: Obama had an opening to show bipartisanship and a desire to rise above exaggerated accusations at the debate and he tapdanced around it. A simple, "Senator McCain, Americans know, as I know, that your beliefs, viewpoints, and policies could not be further from those of George Wallace. He was a monster - you are not." Doing so would not necessarily mean McCain would refrain from accusing Obama of doing nothing, and Obama's campaign did essentially repudiate the linking of McCain with Wallace in their statement. But with millions of people watching, it just reaffirms the appearance that he isn't interested in prolonging irrelevant discussions.


2. McCain and Palin do need to accept some responsibility: During the same debate McCain made the astonishing claim that his campaign had been focused on the economy. Though not an outright lie (I'm sure the economy came up in stump speeches) it is no secret that the bulk of his ads, surrogates, and rally speeches centered around one questions: "Do we really know Barack Obama?" When Palin claims he thinks America so imperfect that he "pals around with terrorists" that target their own country, and that he doesn't "see America" like we do, is the response at these rallies truly surprising? What's been even more bizarre are McCain's efforts to defend these "fringe" people at his rallies. Folks like these...

At the end of the day both sides need to calm the rhetoric coming out of their respective camps. And, given John McCain's position in the polls and the current electoral map, I think the onus is on him to change the tenor in these last days, if not to begin to heal the divisions then to protect his own reputation and standing.