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McCain sticks up for his supporters

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor October 13, 2008 05:38 PM

Republican John McCain might have talked some supporters back from the edge when they said they were scared of Democratic rival Barack Obama.

But that doesn't mean he's going to apologize for the vociferousness of their support.

Asked on CNN this afternoon, about some at his rallies calling Obama a terrorist and worse, McCain said they are part of a "fringe element" and said there's similar name-calling of him at Obama rallies.

More than 99 percent of people at his events are "decent and patriotic Americans," McCain said.

"I'm proud of my supporters," he said, saying that criticism of them as an unruly mob is "unacceptable and insulting." "I won't stand for it."

McCain also isn't accepting criticism from Representative John Lewis of Georgia, who over the weekend said some of the Republican attacks on Obama remind him of the hate of segregationists.

Lewis, a veteran of the civil rights movement, seemed to compare McCain to Alabama Governor George Wallace, asserting that while Wallace "never threw a bomb" or fired a gun, "he created the climate and conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights."

McCain said he deeply respected Lewis, and that why he is so disappointed in the remarks -- and that Obama has not repudiated them.

"It's so beyond the pale that it stuns me," McCain said.

"I never believed that John Lewis, who is an American hero, who I admire, would every make a comment of that nature. He even referred to the bombing of a church in Birmingham. That's unacceptable. It is totally unacceptable. And of course I'm not going to accept it and I'm going to reject it."

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What a crybaby.....check McCains recrd on race, confederate flag Kings holiday, Bob Jones University.....Louis isn't far from the truth

Posted by fred October 13, 08 06:29 PM
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McCain's "MY FELLOW PRISONERS" was his first Alzheimer's moment on TV.

There will be more. Let's make sure they are in the kitchen in Arizona and never in the White House.

Posted by Bruce Becker October 13, 08 06:31 PM
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I just saw McCain on CNN ... he told the reporter that he's heard the same kind of comments (Terrorist! Kill him!) at Obama's rallies. Are you kidding me? Has he lost his mind?

If this is the case, why haven't we heard from his campaign about the slurs.

Posted by small town girl October 13, 08 06:33 PM
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lewis, obama frank, pelosi, reid, rangle peas in a pod. dangerous socialists/communists!

Posted by larry October 13, 08 06:38 PM
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About FREAKING time. Wake up, OLD MAN

Posted by Bill October 13, 08 06:44 PM
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John McCain, who only discovered last year that he even liked Martin Luther King, jr., thinks he knows more about Wallace and Segregationist mobs and rhetoric than John Lewis does?

Posted by aleks October 13, 08 06:44 PM
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Wasn't it Barack Obama who encouraged his supporters to "get in their face"? Have you seen the video of the McCain supporters walking down the street in New York with everybody cursing them? Have you seen the picture of the people in Philadelphia wearing the t-shirts calling Sarah Palin the "C" word?
You can't get any lower than rabid BO supporters!

Posted by MissSherry October 13, 08 06:55 PM
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Lewis is an old hag of the Dems here in Atlanta. He's jumped on the bandwagon of smear because he just wants his little 'ole voice heard. Despicable and totally in character for what he stands for; which of course is the obvious race bait agenda.

Posted by Tcarr October 13, 08 07:05 PM
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Socialist/Communist? Who is forcing the government bailout? When you can't defend your side, let's just name call and change the topic. Typical. Heard same name calling for 8 years with Bush and see where that got us.

Posted by Walter October 13, 08 07:07 PM
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What the heck's wrong with Lewis?

George Wallace?

Really?!?

Posted by John October 13, 08 07:15 PM
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Small town girl is correct. If there had been name calling or slurs at Obama rallies directed at McCain, the right wing talk show hosts and McCain's own organizers would have raised hell. When Palin says "He is not one of us" in referring to Obama, what is she trying to do if it is not to incite the crowd? Pathetic.

Posted by hibud October 13, 08 07:35 PM
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The mainstream media refuses to cover this so I guess it's ok for Obama's supporters to yell out or to carry signs calling Governor Sarah Palin a C*NT.

Obama has not once asked his supporters to quit using such vile language or to put away those signs. Apparently he thinks it's ok and maybe even funny.

How would you feel if your daughter, wife, girlfriend or mother were called a C*NT for voicing their opinions? If you think that's ok then go ahead and call them up and tell them that.


Posted by db October 14, 08 09:38 AM
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Obama has met Vice-President Cheney; they have been in the same buidling and room. In addition, the two are blood relatives. Since Vice-President is conservative-reactionary individual, therefore Senator Obama must be too. Obama had been indoctrinated by the Vice-President and he must be conservative-reactionary!

Great! We did not need another conservative-reactionary now. Did we?

Posted by Saint Michael Traveler October 14, 08 04:17 PM
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