Rep. John Lewis’ recent repudiation of John McCain’s campaign tactics drew a lot of fire from the McCain campaign, moderate media attention and a mild rebuke from the Obama camp. But is comparing the dirty McCain campaign to George Wallace fair?
Not really, no.
George Wallace, despite his later attempts at revising history, was a douchebag bigot of the lowest order. Even America’s most prominent modern hatemongers, Pat Robertson, John Hagee and James Dobson, pale in comparison. McCain’s 2008 campaign, sordid though it is, doesn’t hold a candle to those mounted by Wallace. The comparison has a shred of truth to it, but only that… and it’s unfair to John McCain, and even to the Rove disciples running his campaign.
That said, you’d better believe that there’s a racist undercurrent to this year’s Republican campaign; there has been in every Presidential campaign since Saint Ron’s 1980 victory. The cornerstone of the southern strategy, itself the bedrock of modern Republican campaigning, is appealing to white bigots with sly insinuations and a firm stand against anything that bigots perceive as favoring blacks. This year’s model is no different – it’s why you see so many ads emphasizing Obama’s foreignness.
