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CUNNINGHAM: I believed at the time that his confirmation and one of his names was Mohammed, and I rescinded the statement.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?
Do you think all news media should openly report and follow stories like this, or not?
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