A polite phone call to the McCain National Campaign Headquarters spawns a shocking response from its staff: You must be a communist and want a communist in the White House.
For two decades, I have observed, studied, and analyzed American politics. By its own standard of class, politics breeds negativity among those who engage in the process. To some extent, I expect that the candidates in this year's presidential election will engage in negative attacks based on personal and/or policy differences.
However, I have never been witness to the vile and inexcusable attack just tossed at me, a registered voter in the State of Indiana - until yesterday.
At approximately 5:30pm EST on Thursday, October 9, I phoned the McCain Campaign Headquarters to speak about their present course of action against Democratic Party Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-IL). I genuinely wanted to know what their justification was for ignoring the economic crisis as a narrative. In order to maintain a professional level of civility, I did not identify my party affiliation or phrase my question in an inflammatory manner (I even spoke in a pleasant voice to the best of my ability and was friendly to the end). The entire conversation, from beginning to end, was as follows:
Q (me): I would like to express a small note of concern regarding the present strategy of the campaign. As a registered voter in Indiana, I am very concerned about the present economic situation. Could you please pass on my suggestion that Senator McCain push harder with a positive message about economic solutions for the current crisis?
A (staffer): We believe that Obama's connection to Ayers hits at the heart of his credibility and needs to be brought out into the open - otherwise no one will know about his lack of character.
Q (me): But I'm pretty worried about the economy. I would like Senator McCain to focus more on his ideas to fix the economic crisis instead of simply using a negative character message.
A (staffer): We feel this is the best way to address Senator Obama's lack of credibility as a leader. Are you a communist? Do you want a Communist in the White House?
Q (me): Am I a communist?
A (staffer): Yes, a communist. If you can't see that he is a communist, then you must be a communist as well. If your family doesn't see it that way, then they weren't Republicans in the first place.
Q (me): My family?
A (staffer): Yes
Q (me): You just lost my vote
A (staffer): Well, if you want a communist in the White House...
At that point, the staffer hung up on me.
This conversation took place subsequent to calling the following McCain Campaign Contact Number:
(703) 418-2008
I know that some will read this and say, "Of course...why not? This is who the Republicans are". When it comes to demonizing political opponents, I would tend to agree. However, this was a polite comment from a self-identified registered Indiana voter. Would our side call a registered voter a Nazi for suggesting a particular concern? Regardless of our differences of opinion, the Obama campaign would never sink to the depths of Hell and insult a voter and his family as McCain's campaign did yesterday.
There was a time when I applauded Senator McCain and the honorable manner by which he conducted his campaign. That honor has seemingly been replaced with a sleazy, Nixonesque campaign worthy of the lowest form of politician. His national campaign office just called me a communist for suggesting a more positive strategy.
John McCain may not have gotten my vote in November, but he at least would have had my respect due to his service to this country in the past. Now, he won't even have that.