Sense and Sensibility

See.  This drives me nuts.

John Lewis, Democratic Representative from Georgia, wrote a "harsh appraisal" of the tone that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin's rallies have taken of late.

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.

McCain was hurt by these comments, most likely because at the Saddleback Church Forum held earlier in the summer, he specifically referenced Lewis as a person he admired.

This is understandable.  To have one's object of admiration criticize one's behavior is bracing.  Accordingly, McCain issued the following statement:

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

This misses so many points, it's hard to know where to begin.

Rep. Lewis is a grown man with his own opinions.  To call on Sen. Obama to "repudiate" them is ludicrous.  Why should he?  Because they are both in politics?  McCain has defended himself ably.  Because they are both male?  Again,  McCain emphatically and Palin winkingly, have done nothing but express the conviction that he is manly enough to drill and bomb, if that be the measure.  That, of course, leaves one other ludicrous option.

That McCain would call for Obama to repudiate another adult leveling criticism McCain's way is astonishingly obtuse.  Lewis, as witness to what can happen, admonishes the danger of doing nothing when your supporters are calling for unfathomable things, when it is within your power to do so.  Must it be expressly said that McCain's argument is with Lewis, not Obama?  To lump them into one category calling for one to be responsible for another based on a gene gives credence to the frenzy; McCain believes one is the same as the other.  That he doesn't see that is maddening and indicative of the kind of thinking that says these things and allows them to be said.

No one's arguing that criticisms of Obama are out of bounds.  Lewis is taking exception to McCain's standing silent and doing nothing while the vocal behavior of his supporters becomes dangerous and threatening.  His point is that all Wallace had to do was allow the worst to emerge and do nothing.  If McCain has, as he professes, the true understanding and respect for what Lewis endured then he should not be surprised at Lewis' reaction to the verbal aggressions expressed at his rallies.