Campbell Brown Pleads: 'Don't Let This Devolve Into A Campaign That...We Are Sickened By'

Hey everybody! What do you think about the ugly turn the presidential campaign has taken in the past forty-eight hours? Truly, it has managed to degenerate considerably beyond the ugly turns that have gone on for the past 4,800 hours. It helps, of course, when one candidate tells the New York Times, "Hey, yeah, well, we sure hate your gollydarned guts, but here's an exclusive for you: WE'RE GOING CRAZY NEGATIVE." And so now it's all William Ayers and Keating Five Webisodes and pretty soon, no one in the country will be in the tank with anyone except for maybe Tina Fey's imitation of Sarah Palin, which is one of the few things you can see on teevee these days that actually takes the American people by the hand and whispers, soothingly, "This is not your fault."

CNN's Campbell Brown mounted a spirited call for a return to some degree of politesse and decorum at the top of her newscast last night. Brown termed Palin's "pallin' with terrorists" line "outrageous," but also accused Obama of dredging up past McCain issues that he once averred were "not germane to the presidency." Then, Brown took up for everyone in America who's not looking forward to their eyeballs bleeding from all of the vitriol:

There is just one month left. Please, please, don't let this devolve into a campaign that you are sickened by, that we are sickened by, and that you are embarrassed to be part of. I mean, here is a purely practical reason. The negativity you are spewing now is only going to make your job harder after Election Day. Bipartisanship is really tough to achieve when everyone on both sides is left with a bad, bad taste in their mouth.

Look at this new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. When asked how are things going in the country today, 80 percent said badly, 80 percent. Pollsters have been asking that question since 1974 -- 80 percent is an all-time low. People want to hear solutions from you. They want to hear how you are going to get us out of this mess. And one of you is going to have to. Don't you want to be able to walk into the White House with your dignity intact and your head held high?

[WATCH.]

I've noted that during debates, ordinary citizens tend to ask questions that eschew the typical idiot obsessions of the professional political press. So Brown may yet get her wish, if whoever selects tonight's questions will allow us the pleasure of something other than a televised geek show. Fingers crossed, Campbell!

Comments

[krocklin]

Peggy Noonan, Campbell Brown and David Broder and their ilk will always painstakingly moderate their views even while the brownshirts are taking over. Brown's husband has Republican connections so don't expect her to be too much of a rebel.
Palin's "rallies" - never ventured except in the most screened and rightwing venues - are increasingly becoming brownshit rallies.
In one of them a uniformed police chief of the town attempted to whip up the crowd. Is it legal for a paid public servant IN UNIFORM on duty or not to speak at a political rally? Biden, Katey Couric and others besides Obama are increasingly being denigrated by crowds close to violence.
Brownshirts are coming.

[alvdh1]

McCain started the smears with issues that have nothing to do with the election. Handling of the economy is an issue and McCain's record going back to his days in Congress is dismal at best and therefore, fair game.

[HalR]

Campbell maybe you should write about how McBush/Palin should talk about what there solutions for American Citizens problems would be. Obama/Biden have been trying, they of course can't wait thru a swiftboating, an condoning violence at their rallies. Therefore the Keithing Five is true and McCain was a major player who should have been charged along with Keithing's. This is not the made up lies of the McBush/Palin. Place the blame where it belongs, negative campaigning lies with McBush.

[goofy2]

I still say Obama can't win a mudfight against McCain's handlers. That's just playing where they want to play and where they want the discussion to be.

[paidinfull23]

This OBSESSION with maintaining a balanced view of things is why I can't stand CNN anymore. They are so scared to come off as pro-Obama or pro-McCain, that they will some how group together what these two campaigns have done. HELLO! Call a spade a spade! We won't judge you. You know damn well what McCain is doing by associating Obama with terrorists is as fowl and desperate as it comes. What did people expect Obama to do...keep it civilized ala John Kerry? For some reason I thought the MSM would step up to the plate this time and not allow McCain to get away with this nonsense.

[Gardinia]

Miss Brown
If somebody accuses you of being a terrorist what would you do?
tell them I forgive you.

[barelyhere]

Campbell, why didn't say anything when Mc Cain and his running maid Palin started telling lies about Obama. Now Obama counterpunches by telling the truth and you finally ....aaa... wake up?? If something negative is mentioned about Mc Cain, you and your MSM bedmates are very quick to call for decency in the campaign. Yet Obama has been receiving worse than negative punches since the primary days about Rev Wright and others from Chicago; and all you did was show it on TV and talk about it over and over and over. Give me a break!!

[Liberoservative]

Adorable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_oPtsX2ew&feature=related

[UncleSamb]

I agree with Campbell too, but I also think that the Keating 5 scandal should be fair game. We are in an economic crisis, and John McCain played a role - even if small - in a previous financial crisis. Just because McCain says that he is sorry does not mean that it is irrelevant. He did after all get sited for having "poor judgment." I also fail to see the parity between this and McCain's ridiculous attacks on Obama (re. Ayers) that truly have no relevance. With Keating 5 Obama is still playing fair, while McCain is foul, foul, foul.

[JFaye]

I agree, particularly because "judgment" is an important issue that both candidates raise. To answer the question what has Mr. Obama done, it is only fair to ask what has Mr. McCain done and respond with the facts. His judgment, as noted by his colleagues, his voting record on bills affecting women, veterans, taxes, etc.. All fair game.

[Mikeeee]

I'll agree with Campbell if she makes sure to point out that mccain/palin are lying. BTW, how is Obama bringing up Keating a smear? It happened, there was an investigation and Keating went to prison.

[JFaye]

Four years ago when John Kerry ran for president, his sincere endeavor to maintain a decorum fitting to honor the American voter resulted in all probability him losing the campaign..­. which resulted in Mr. Bush failings. He only decided to respond to the swiftboating after poll numbers reflected many of our citizens were believing the Republican lies. Eventually, he answered and by every pundit account then and perhaps even now it was too late.

It is my firm belief, Mr. Obama wants to honor the American people with a respectable campaign. However, whatever lie Mr. McCain and his surrogates tell, it's the headline until a bigger misrepresentation of Mr. Obama hits the airwaves.

The onus is Ms. Brown and her colleagues to stop reporting the garbage in a competition for greater ratings and believe me the mudslinging will stop. Mr. Obama has demonstrated his willingness to run a clean and honest campaign, including during the Primaries. If he does not respond, the media spin is he isn't tough enough. If he responds and does so without the emotion they need, "he's cool" and disconnected. Make no mistake Ms. Brown, if the MSM practices responsible reporting, including verifying accusations, the tone of this campaign could change and we could get back to real people issues. It's the economy ... (you fill in the blank).

[bola47]

great post.

[Mikeeee]

Bravo, Bravo!!

[magneato]

She seems disingenuous.
She knows perfectly well that what McCain and Obama are doing are completely different.
To lump them both together robs Obama's legit complaints about Keating 5 and gives McCain a pass on the gross distortions he's currently spewing.
Wait, isn't she married to a former Bush speechwriter?

[ohohyeah]

Agree!
The Keating Five stuff is LEGIT!

[RadhaColalurver]

I think she is just trying to seem balanced w/o bias; that's the entire theme of her segment "No Bias, no bull". She obviously brought up this topic because McCain and Palin's attacks are outrageously negative, less so because of Obama's milder attacks.

[Cynde]

I totally agree. What McCain is spewing is disgusting. Keating Five is about McCain's judgment and no way negative in comparison. When I hear the media trying to make apples be oranges I wonder what is behind this. These statements today brought Ms. Brown down to McCain level. No longer a fan.

[grf67]

Too late. I am already disgusted with the imaturity and vindictiveness of palin and mccain.

[NYBumpyJohnson]

I agree with Campbell: Not fostering animosity with the other political party is going to be crucial to getting things done come January 20th 2009. It think it will also be strategically advantageous for Obama to come to the debate today and be magnanimous and presidential by stating something to the effect that he is saddened by the tone and tenure that the race as taken and he is sorry whatever part he played in taking it there. In fact, he should say that "whomever wins the White House will have to work with the other side and I for one don't want to create and environment where our resentments and emotions may get in the way of getting things done. In the past these swift boat tactics have been effective and this is why many in the Democratic side has been asking me to push back but I think this only keeps us divided. So I want my Republican and Democratic colleagues to hear me when I say from this moment forward, regardless of what Senator McCain may choose to do, I want to focus on the issues and keep it friendly so that regardless of what happens in November both parties can work together for the American people." This will force McCain to agree and drop his only remaining strategy in this race and this will most likely win points with Independents.

[PitbullCatcher]

THEY DON”T WANT YOU TO SEE THIS!!

http://mudflats.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/palin-2006-vetting.pdf

[tangelan]

You keep posting this link for a 65 page document. Who has that kinda time? Can you give us the highlights?

[Archivist1000]

Campbell .. I am sure you're a very nice lady, and smart to boot ... but come on ... you aren't seriously comparing McCain's 'terrorist' insinuations with a reminder of the Keating story are you ? That's just palin silly! (Pun intended)

If McCain is doing a 'guilt by association' with someone whose' wrongdoing' was when Obama was 8 yrs old ..... that is way different than Obama talking about something that McCain participated in.

I asked CNN months ago to revisit the Keating 5 scandal .... it's part of the McCain record.


AND >>>>>>> IF CNN IS SO SICKENED< WHY ARE THEY COVERING THESE LIES AND RACIST COMMENTS MADE BY PALIN ???

[MsYellowDog]

I,too wrote CNN weeks ago,asking why they never referred to the Keating thing in McThug's background,and that was BEFORE the financial "bailout" that happened for the same reasons the S&L scandal did!!I guess I was right,CNN is also "in the tank" for McCainasaurus.

[Brillig]

The problem with the MSM is in the drive to be FAIR, they make it seem as if the actions of McCain and Obama are the same.

One is telling LIES and grossly distorting the truth - the other is telling the TRUTH, and trying to ignore the lies.

There is a difference.

[Archivist1000]

Exactly.

There is no comparison here.