Sing it with me: This is the way we attack Barack, attack Barack, attack Barack...

Several days ago Liz wrote in "Political Death by Middle Name?"

Case in point, Ohio hate-show...er, talk-show host Bill Cunningham's recent anti-Obama rant at a McCain rally. If his rhetoric is any indication, then the new GOP tactic to defame and destroy using any means necessary is the consistent repetition of the Democratic candidate's middle name:

Barack Hussein Obama.

Low. Low.

Not only is this still going on, but it's spreading all the way (is that 5 centimenters?) to Sean Hannity. Hannity, who picked up Cunningham's baton and ran with it, also appears to misunderstand that a name is just a name, not an insider code for anything.

I agree with Liz: it's ridiculous. It's a low tactic and racism and xenophobia at its finest. It shows what the GOP will bring if they get another term---four more years of:

* hate and fear mongering

* increased cultural anxiety

* good profit margins for drug companies as Xanax, Valium and Ativan use continues to increase.

But, perhaps even Cunningham realizes he's gone too far, after this exchange he had with Alan Colmes (newscast featured Alan Colmes, Sean Hannity and Bill Cunningham):

COLMES: Let me point out that on your radio — what you're ignoring, Bill, is on your radio show didn't you call him Barack Hussein Mohammed Obama?  

CUNNINGHAM: Well, I did call him that once, because Mohammed is the greatest prophet of God according to...

COLMES: I see. So why did you add a name that wasn't his name? Now you're acting like, "I just said his name." You didn't do that. You actually inserted the name "Mohammed" to his name. Why did you do that?

CUNNINGHAM: I believed at the time that his confirmation and one of his names was Mohammed, and I rescinded the statement. I said Barack Hussein Obama.

COLMES: I see.

CUNNINGHAM: I thought at the time. I was wrong. Alan, I made a mistake.

At least Cunningham knows he sounds ridiculous with his allegations:

COLMES: You also had a caller to your radio show refer to him as a terrorist cell. Do you concur with that caller?

CUNNINGHAM: No, I did not concur with any caller. I do not believe Barack Hussein Obama is a terrorist or a Manchurian candidate. I do believe we know nothing about this guy from the daily political machine.

COLMES: You also said it would be a shock if Barack Mohammed Hussein Obama could be elected the president of this country in these difficult terrorist times.

It sounds to me like you're trying to — you're making up names for him, and you're using the word "terrorist" as if you're trying to tie him to terrorism. So you want to explain that statement?

CUNNINGHAM: Very easily. This is the candidate who wants to close down Gitmo, who wants to reinstate habeas corpus, who wants to criminalize — terrorist activities, and he wants to eliminate key elements in the Patriot Act. I'm referring to that, Alan Colmes, and not his name.

COLMES: Does that make him a terrorist? Does that make him a terrorist?

CUNNINGHAM: He is not — no, he's not a terrorist. But I'll tell you what. His policies might encourage more terrorism.

At the Cincinnati rally, John McCain avoided Cunningham, although that might have less to do with Obama, though, and more to do with his own nickname:

COLMES: Your reaction actually — your actions actually caused John McCain to apologize to Barack Obama for what you said. You put your candidate in that position.

CUNNINGHAM: I did not. He's not my candidate. He is not a conservative. I'm a conservative Reagan Republican, and John McCain embarrassed himself. The local Republican Party, Alan Colmes, has received dozens — dozens of calls complaining about John Juan Pablo McCain. They're getting complaint calls.

John Juan Pablo McCain?

So this is the way we attack candidates now: by their names, and by making up schoolyard, childish taunts.

Apparently Cunningham and Hannity hope that employing the George Bush Manufacture Fact By Proximity technique will succeed for them and link terrorism to the candidate. I'm not sure what the agenda is with adding Juan Pablo to McCain's name. A slam on his immigration platform, I presume.

Do you think all news media should openly report and follow stories like this, or not?

Comments

[Lane K Ann Arbor]

I think that Obama can handle this just fine. He may actually take politics beyond the immature, appeal to the lowest instincts ditch it's been run in by the Republican "BecauseIcans." My sister in law emailed me from Ohio last night. She said that campaign workers have all adopted Hussein as a middle name now for the purpose of letter writing, etc.

So I will very hopefully sign myself,

Lane Hussein Kelemen

[Julie Pippert]

Lane, I love it! From your lips to the necessary ears. You know, I just think you may be right: he has tended to keep on the high road.

[Glennia]

Wow, if it's a "terrorist" act to restore habeas corpus, someone needs to tell that to James Hussein Madison, drafter of the US Constitution. I'm sure he and Thomas Hussein Jefferson are spinning in their graves right about now.

[Mom101]

I actually think that Fox should lose their news privileges altogether since they're not actually a news network, they're an opinion network. The fact that Alan Colmes (um, who?) is their token liberal is 'nuff said.

All of this makes me sick to my stomach because you know there's enough asshats out there going, "Yeah! He totally must be a terrorist! Yeah!"

[KL]

Ooooh, it gets even better. Cunningham is reported as saying: "I've had it up to here with John McCain. He's off the list. I'm joining Ann Coulter in supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton." (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Yeah, I'm sure he's just the kind of supporter HRC is looking for. (NOT)

[husseinlien123]

Julie, I'd hope most news media won't give idiots like Cunningham any more attention. We're looking at this negatively and calling it like it is, but all the xenophobic racists out there are probably rallying to his remarks. Good for McCain for apologizing, though I wonder if this is a tactic that allows others to make low blow attacks while he stays above the fray.

[Stefania/City Hussein Mama]

You know, my husband and I refer to Barack Obama around the house as Barack Hussein Obama because it's our way of acknowledging how STOOPID and IG'NANT some people can be. It's a way we honor his name because--it's his name for cryin' out loud.

We should have a "Just Call Me Hussein" Day to point out the ridiculousness of these kinds of attacks. I feel a button coming on.

[debbie - i obsess]

What really twists my panties is that Colmes COULD have, and SHOULD HAVE asked that Cunningham not only apologize to him, but also explain his inappropriate slur of the erroneous name-slander on his *own* radio show - which you know the man will never do, and THAT'S the real crime; that people heard him say it, and then never heard the Colmes apology, and now there are people wandering out there with that suggestable lie just sitting in their gullet, simmering, like an unpopped kernel, just waiting for the heat to really kick in with the GOP's constant noise about this.

It's disgusting, and it's wrong, and these people need to all lose their jobs and possibly be incarcerated for their lies and distortions, and their absolutely unpatriotic behavior toward the citizens of this country, as well as their tarnishing of the characters of good, honorable people who want to HELP us.

*writhes in abject, helpless frustration and anger*

[supertiff]

a rose by any other name is obviously a terrorist...oh, wait. that makes no sense.

gah!