I encourage everyone to take the time to go and register at John Edwards' blog and leave comments commending him for standing up to the dishonest shock troops of the right. He just released this statement:
The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me. It's not how I talk to people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from anyone on my campaign, whether it's intended as satire, humor, or anything else. But I also believe in giving everyone a fair shake. I've talked to Amanda and Melissa; they have both assured me that it was never their intention to malign anyone's faith, and I take them at their word. We're beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can't let it be hijacked. It will take discipline, focus, and courage to build the America we believe in.
Amanda and Melissa also posted statements.
This is such a coming of age moment for the liberal blogosphere and we should rejoice.
One thing to watch for: if any other Democratic candidate attacks Edwards for standing by us, we have to do whatever we can to end that candidacy. God help me, but if anyone puts the shiv to Edwards for this, it will become my personal mission to expose every weakness in that campaign. And I hope you'll help out.
Update [2007-2-8 15:28:46 by Mike Stark]: This from Donohue and the Catholic League
February 8, 2007
JOHN EDWARDS TOLERATES ANTI-CATHOLICISM
Presidential hopeful John Edwards issued a statement today explaining why he is not firing Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan for making obscene and anti-Catholic remarks.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue responds as follows:
"John Edwards has apparently decided that there is more to be gained by aligning himself with the cultural left than by standing on principle and firing the Catholic bashers on his payroll. Had anyone on his staff used the ‘N-word,’ he or she would have been fired immediately. But his goal is to loot the pockets of the Soros/Hollywood gang, and they—like him—aren’t offended by anti-Catholicism. Indeed, they thrive on it.
"When Mel Gibson got drunk and made anti-Semitic remarks, he paid a price for doing so. When Michael Richards got angry and made racist remarks, he paid a price for doing so. When Isaiah Washington got ticked off and made anti-gay remarks, he paid a price for doing so. But John Edwards thinks the same rules don’t apply to him, which is why he has chosen to embrace foul-mouthed anti-Catholic bigots on his payroll.
"Edwards said today that ‘We’re beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can’t let it be hijacked.’ I have news for him—the Catholic League—not Edwards—will decide what the debate will be about, and it won’t be about the nation. It will be about the glaring double standard that colors the entire conversation about bigotry.
"We will launch a nationwide public relations blitz that will be conducted on the pages of the New York Times, as well as in Catholic newspapers and periodicals. It will be on-going, breaking like a wave, starting next week and continuing through 2007. It will be an education campaign, informing the public of what he did today. We will also reach out to our allies in the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist communities. They worked with us before on many issues, and are sure to do so again. What Edwards did today will not be forgotten."
I'm still mulling it over, but at a minimum, letters to the editor that bring up Donohue's colorful bigotry.