McCain/Palin supporters call out racist BS at rally
Credit where credit is due. McCain/Palin supporters confront a fellow supporter who is disseminating anti-Muslim propaganda outside a campaign rally:
An official with the campaign tells the anti-Islam guy that he doesn't believe in the constitution, because if he did he wouldn't be spewing his hateful crap about Muslims. Another guy asks Mr. Anti-Islam whether he's purposely trying to lose the election for McCain/Palin. Good for them.
Thanks for posting this. Following your lead, I did the same and gave you a H/T.
Posted by: (O)CT(O)PUS | October 21, 2008 at 02:30 PM
I wonder if that video is legit.
Posted by: Maineiac | October 21, 2008 at 05:52 PM
I believe it's the real deal because my colleague Spencer Ackerman vouches for the videographers. He's worked with them before.
Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein | October 21, 2008 at 05:55 PM
you wonder if it's legit...in what way? the anti-muslim mccain supporters? the ones who made that supposedly clever bumper sticker with the "c" in change as the moon & star of islam? is that what you doubt? if so, really? 'cos there are many videos of mccain/palin supporters spouting hate about senator obama being a muslim, and towards people who are muslim in general. as if being a muslim should mean that a person can't run for president. it's really no secret that many conservatives fear a president that happens to be muslim would equal the u.s. being taken over by muslim fundamentalists. which i'd find amusing, if it wasn't so frightening. we're so close to being taking over by christian fundamentalists, yet where is the furor over that? i, personally, do not want any type of religious fundamentalist, regardless of the religion, taking over the government of the united states.
or, are you questioning the people confronting the bigot? i doubt you are, 'cos there is no point to that. i've yet to see any republican speak out against bigotry against muslims. so, it'd do the right no good to fake a video, as if they care about muslims facing prejudice from republicans.
have you seen pbs' recent documentary about the religious vote? watch that, which you can watch on their website, then decide if stories about anti-muslim republicans are faked. this so-called american, tracy kerlee, so proudly displays her bigotry, her fear of many things - most ridiculously having a president with the last name "obama". see...this is what enlightened americans (enlightened merely meaning those of us living in the reality of the present, the 21st century) are up against.
Posted by: betty brown | October 22, 2008 at 05:49 AM
The elements in the video are all plausible, and perhaps it's an artifact of the editing, but it did feel staged to me. How true a picture of what occurs at McCain/Palin rallies nationwide is this? Wasn't it a bit convenient that there just happened to be a Muslim campaign organizer? How about the way each of the (demographically representative) objectors came up in turn and clearly made their points?
Still, as you say, credit where it's due. At least there are Republicans prepared to make these points and go against the worst excesses of the base. But note that none of them said, for instance, that the accusations about Ayers or against ACORN were worthless.
Posted by: someone | October 22, 2008 at 07:53 AM
betty brown - The part that seemed unnatural to me was when the man with the hard hat and flannel shirt stuck his head in and seemed to be speaking his part. He had a costume (hard hat, shirt) and lines and then he receded to the back ground.
Lindsay vouches for it so perhaps it is just the editing that gives it elements of theater.
Posted by: Maineiac | October 22, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Yes, it was a staged event for the benefit of the two bloggers that are actually talking about this thing
Posted by: The Phantom | October 22, 2008 at 10:02 AM
No, you silly, Phantom. It was staged (if it was) for the 71 thousand or so people who've watched it. That assumes that there's only one copy of the video on youtube, that it's not on other video services, and, admittedly, that no-one watched it more than once. It's not the sort of thing one would watch ten times because it's so freaking funny, mind you.
Posted by: someone | October 22, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Moon and star of Islam? Islam's iconoclastic; the moon and star have to do with the Ottoman Empire, not Islam.
I don't think this is staged, but I do think it suggests exactly why the McCain campaign is having a hard time. Their own ostensible supporters include a lot of dangerously crazy people who the campaign proper wouldn't want hanging around. And yet he needs their votes, and Palin is all too happy to dog-whistle for them on occasion.
But good for the McCain staffers and supporters who called out the bigoted dimwits.
Posted by: Joe Propinka | October 23, 2008 at 11:52 PM