Republican presidential candidate John McCain has become embroiled in a war of words with racial undertones after clashing with a civil rights icon.
John Lewis accused Mr McCain's campaign of "sowing hatred" against opponent Barack Obama and said he was reminded of 1960s segregationist George Wallace.
Mr McCain, who recently said Mr Lewis was one of his most admired Americans, called the reference "beyond the pale".
Mr McCain has also tried to cool his supporters' resentment of Mr Obama.
In Minnesota on Friday, Mr McCain defended Mr Obama after some at the town hall meeting labelled him a "terrorist", "an Arab", a "traitor" and a candidate who inspired fear.
The Republican's campaign has also suffered from a legislative probe in Alaska that found his vice-presidential running mate and state governor, Sarah Palin, had abused her power.
With just over three weeks to go to the election, she has again denied any wrongdoing in the affair.
Rally boos
Democratic Congressman Lewis is considered one of the key figures of the civil rights movement.
He said: "Senator McCain and Governor Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all."
My statement was a reminder to all Americans that toxic language can lead to destructive behaviour
John Lewis
Economy may deflect Palin probe
Mr Lewis said the "sowing of seeds of hatred and division" reminded him of Alabama Governor Wallace's rhetoric in 1963 that was blamed for a church bomb attack that killed four young girls.
Mr McCain reacted angrily, calling the reference "shocking and beyond the pale".
"I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character," he said.
Mr Lewis later said his reference was not a direct one, but was simply pointing out that "toxic language can lead to destructive behaviour".
He also welcomed Mr McCain's attempts to cool angry supporters at Republican rallies.
At the Minnesota meeting, Mr McCain said Mr Obama was a decent family man and voters should not be afraid of him, but drew boos for defending him.
The Obama campaign quickly said it did not believe Mr McCain's campaign was in any way comparable to Wallace.
Abortion attack
The McCain campaign has targeted Mr Obama over his alleged links to 1960s militant William Ayers.
Mrs Palin said Mr Obama was "palling around with terrorists".
On Saturday, Mrs Palin defended herself against the findings of the Alaskan investigation.
It found she had abused her power by allowing her husband to put pressure on officials to sack her former brother-in-law, a state trooper who was in a bitter custody battle with her sister.
Asked by a journalist in Pennsylvania if the accusations were correct, she said: "No, and if you read the report you will see that there was nothing unlawful or unethical about it."
The report said Mrs Palin failed to act to stop her husband contacting the officials in the case known as Troopergate.
Mrs Palin on Saturday stepped up her attacks on Mr Obama, calling him a pro-abortion radical.
"He hopes you won't notice how radical, absolutely radical, his ideas on this and his record is until it's too late," she said.
DO you believe these are fair questions McCain and Palin are asking about Obama? Or is it uncreditable hate? Why do you believe this....?
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11 comments:
Well I believe that both Palin and Mc Cain are attacking Obama very harshly without looking at their doings. Basically what people think their doing wrong like abbusing their powers. I also believe thats very bad for them and looks bad on their part because I know many others have seen this go on and it would make them loose the campaign. I truly believe that most of their questions weren't fair towards Obama.
-Jennifer silver
I believe that McCain and Palin are extremely pressuring Obama with these questions. With every right to do so both McCain and Palin can ask questions to Obama. I mean yes, its a win or loss to who ever wins presidential, and there will be competition for both. However with Palin calling him a " pro obortion" radical, she kept her words and hopes on that we wont notice how radical his ideas are. That I believe isnt't fair on Obama. I dont think its called uncreditable hate but i feel like both McCain and Palin aren't giving Obama a chance. So far with these facts, I believe that they should let Obama do his part and not pressure him so much with so many ideal questions.
*Clariza Gutierrez*
I think mc cain is trying to do what ever it takes to win. Even if it means making his rival obama look bad. Politics they be twisting things around to. If u try to say something good they'll turn it around and make it seem bad. When you run for president you have to be ready for everything ur rival trows at you and the more u make ue apponet look bad the easyer it is to win.
I think that Palin and McCain are are coming onto Obama to strong. I think that Mccain only focuses on winning the election rather than the actual problems going on. I feel like Mccain just want to win just to win and not feel like he lost. I think he knows that Obama has a Higher chance of being president then he does. Obama is a great speaker. Just like Palin and Mccain get a chance to speak so should obama. Asking Pressuring questions makes them seem like they are truely desprite to not become to sore loser.
-Yaniry ORtiz
I believe that McCain and Palin aren't being fair. The questions they are asking Obama are harsh. However, McCain is doing whatever it takes to become president. It doesnt concern him whether or not he's hurting Obama or making him look bad, he's going to do whatever it takes. Like Yaniry said maybe McCain feels that Obama has a greater chance of being president. This can be a way of him showing that he's intimidated.
Charlene Vega
Politics in general are not fair. Things are going to be said about each candidate to make them seem un favorable for the country. Sarah Paulin and John Mc Cain always seem to go in two different directions, for example Sarah Paulin goes out of her way to say Obama is a terrorist. Mc Cain; on national TV said that those accusations werent true. Every time Palin decides to make a statement, Her running mate has to act like a verbal
"pooper scooper" to clean up what she says hence the terrorist comments....Sarah paulin's actions were un ethical.
~Desteny Bodrick~
Mc Cain is trying to hard to win. I think he is going about the wrong way to win this election. The way he attacks Obama is just not right at all. He is trying to make Obama look bad and was just asking him unfair questions to make him self look good. Think about it would you want a president who goes to the extreme like this and who isnt playing fair to be president of the united stated. The way Obama approaches things and do things he makes it look like this is easy for him and it comes natural. For McCain on the other hand he is trying to hard and it seems like he have to go to the extreme or go very low just to get people attention and try to win the title as the President or the United States.
( Mr. Ross i told you the reason why my last two blogs wasnt in on time is because my computer was acting up and wouldnt let me send it in. I even showed you i worte my blog on paper and showed you that i did it)
I think that mc.cain and palin are going too hard on obama . They should instead be looking at what they do and the problems they got.they are pressuiring obama too much with those questions. To me obama should come up with some questions to ask himself to mc.cain and palin im sure he will find many things to ask about them. They dont give obama a chance to express his ideas and reasons. I also think by the things that i have seen on t.vthat obama is the one whose going to win. Especially because he has many things to offer for everyone.
!!ERIKA GERMAN!!
I agree with Clariza. I think that both McCain and Palin are putting way too much stress on Obama with these questions. They should just run their campaign as they were and let Obama do his thing in the presidential election. I think it is hatred because Palin and McCain see how well Obama is doing.
RAYSA ROJAS*
palin an mcCain are really trying to pressure obama.but in stead of pressuring him they need to look at their own wrong doins and try to correct them.we dont need someone running that counrty that is goin 2 bash someone else.its just not fair their botha ganging up on him its 2 against 1.their really trying to make obama look bad my asking these questions.
jenneth phillip
I think that there are over it with asking him these questions even tho there are allow to question who there going against but at the same time they should not try to pressure him.however when palin called obama a"pro obortion" she didn't recognizes how racial she had become at this moment both of them shouldn't have approached the scene that way and should have rephrase there words.
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