Another McCain-Palin Introducer Declares "Barack Hussein Obama"

For the second time in three days, the speaker at a McCain campaign rally used Barack Obama's middle name "Hussein" in a demeaning fashion to ignite the crowd.

Speaking in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Bill Platt, the GOP chair of Lehigh County, twice referred to "Barack Hussein Obama" minutes before John McCain and Sarah Palin were set to take the stage.

Watch the video:

On Monday, a local Florida sheriff preceded Palin's speech by declaring: "On Nov. 4, let's leave Barack Hussein Obama wondering what happened."

McCain has distanced itself from the deliberate and malicious use of Obama's middle name in the past. When a conservative radio talk show host first discussed Barack "Hussein" Obama in February, the campaign said it was inappropriate and not reflective of the race they are seeking to run.

But it is hard not to notice how rabid the crowds have recently become at McCain events and how demonstrative they have been in their disdain for Obama. In addition to introductory speakers raising the Senator's middle name in the form of an insult, audience members have screamed out, during recent events, "terrorist," "treason," and "kill him," when the Illinois Democrat's name has been discussed.

Speaking on MSNBC, Bill Burton, Obama's national press secretary, responded to the episode with the following statement.

"People try to use it as an epithet, as a way to stir up feelings about Sen. Obama that are negative," he said. "But they ultimately have nothing to do with our challenges that we are facing right now."

UPDATE: The McCain campaign condemns the remarks. For Obama supporters and others, however, the issue is more about whether McCain will be proactive about this stuff as opposed to reactive.

"We do not condone this inappropriate rhetoric which distracts from the real questions of judgment, character, and experience that voters will base their decisions on this November." --Paul Lindsay, McCain-Palin spokesman

Later in the same event, McCain referred to Americans as his "fellow prisoners." Watch:

Comments

[BrainFood]

02:10 PM on 10/11/2008

it is more unlikely that Obama is a terrorist than it is that McCain was brainwashe­d by the Vietnamese to follow future instructio­n. Let's get real and stick to electing the right team to lead us to long-term solutions for the critical issues we all face. All parties need to stop the fear-monge­ring.

[thewellknownAhole]

10:57 AM on 10/11/2008

hopefully now his supporters will realize that no one likes hot headed people who react off emotion instead of logic.... its ok to be emotional , but to let your emotions dictate your actions is , well, a sign of immaturity­.... one of these people is a police officer , which is an example of cops who don't know how to think... cops who let their own judgment be dictated by emotion and fear.... he said it because he wants you to be afraid too... just another florida cop trying to intimidate and bring fear to the american people.
cops are really good at that... especially florida cops...

"4 out of 5 doctors say use this brand" how many times have you heard that on a commercial­... ???

its to make you believe there are people with authority who are giving you the right advice....

this is the same reason that officer was in uniform .... to gain the authority position , only to try to strike fear in your mind while light heartedly trying to connect an american presidenti­al candidate to terrorism , or, even worse and more prejudice, as a muslim

does this guy actually deserve his position as someone who is suppose to protect and serve .....
I think not...
not only because he obviously has bad judgment but also because he obviously has a problem with muslims and arab sounding names... shame on that man , and the county he works for.

[ginia51]

12:45 AM on 10/11/2008

He condones it...he doesn't condone it
he condones it...he doesn't condone it
which is it?

[westendsunset]

10:58 PM on 10/09/2008

I am not the least bit surprised that the comment came from a resident of Bethlehem, PA. I grew up there and am very ashamed to admit that I am a product of an area filled with so many rednecks. (Of course, I am not speaking for all residents.­) You would never know that it sits about an hour outside NYC and Philly.

[TivoliEclipse]

10:06 PM on 10/09/2008

"Also" wink wink... let's splice every incident that would require an apology/ex­planation from all the principles from the Keating Five to Wright to Ayers to the Alaska secession from the USA to Cindy's pills to aerial shootings of fox and moose -- loop it into an Ad sanctioned by Barack Obama and turn the page to real factual concerns -- like the economy -- health care -- War -- Peace -- Diplomacy -- global warming -- Jobs... did I leave anything out? Move on FFS!

[TivoliEclipse]

10:58 PM on 10/09/2008

Loop the following questionab­le McCain/Pal­in ties to felons, Bigots, White Supremists­, Lobbyists/­Lobbyists for Dictators "also":

Jim Hensley
G. Gordon Liddy
Faffaello Fullieri
Rep Rick Renzi
Rick Davis
Charles Black Jr.
Richard Quinn
Pastor John Hagee
Pastor Rod Parsley
Todd Palin and Andrew McCain

[TivoliEclipse]

09:51 PM on 10/09/2008

Oh FFS! The Barack Hussein Obama campaign for POTUS should find all the men and boys of every demograph named Hussein -- ask them their names -- in a video and FFS demystify the name. How do you demonize a name as American as Apple pie? Come on -- come on wake up!

[Hillrick]

09:26 PM on 10/09/2008

Anyone else notice how few trolls are around? Did their McCain checks bounce?

[jarea]

05:03 PM on 10/09/2008

Actually, if you think about it, this tactic might actually serve a positive purpose for Obama. In California­, the official ballot only shows the first and last names for the presidenti­al candidates­. But are there any states that show first, middle and last names for the candidates on the ballot? If so, can you imagine the shock for many if they were first confronted with Obama's infamous middle name at the ballot box? If such were the case, how many might make a snap judgement away from the candidate with the 'terrorist­' name as they punched the button to vote? By repeatedly flogging it in the media, voters likely will not be confronted with this revelation first time when they step into the voting booth. The republican­s have helped make it a non-issue for many voters.

Thanks guys!

[Hillrick]

09:22 PM on 10/09/2008

Good way to look at it.

[DuPageDem]

11:07 AM on 10/09/2008

Hussein means "Handsome One." If they insist on calling Barack handsome, that's fine with me. Perhaps little creepy coming from the guy in a Village People cop suit loaded with leather belts and buckles, but it's still fine with me.

[BeltwayBette]

11:37 AM on 10/09/2008

DuPage. You might like to hear that that creepy and lawbreakin­g Florida sheriff no longer has a job and his agency may lose their federal funding. WhY? It's against the law to wear a law enforcemen­t uniform while campaignin­g for any political party.

As for Sen. Barack "Handsome One " Obama, after November 4th, MCCain and Palin will be calling him President Barack hussein Obama!

[McChimp]

03:15 AM on 10/09/2008

Of course I'm glad they know his full name

just like we know Johnnies full name

John S McFailin = John Sarah McFailin

[CatPower]

02:52 AM on 10/09/2008

Oh no, Hussein is back!

[mamacat]

12:59 AM on 10/09/2008

It does not bother me that his middle name is Hussein. I also think that as time passes, more and more people will get used to his middle name, and the Republican­s will just look more and more out of touch with reality.

I'm not going to repeat them here, but we have a multi-cult­ural family, and some of the middle names are pretty embarassin­g to the kids. I think the names are cool, but the kids are afraid of being made fun of, I guess.

[amirtalai]

11:33 PM on 10/08/2008

the republican­s know they are going to lose, and they are coming unhinged.

[Hillrick]

09:23 PM on 10/09/2008

The base is becoming rabid, the incumbents are starting to think about gettin' while the gettin's good.

[Mitch 4 President]

10:58 PM on 10/08/2008

The wry cynic in me suggests we should take to calling everyone by his or her full name, just for the hell of it.

Barack Hussein Obama, meet John Sidney McCain III.

Sarah Louise Palin née Heath, I present Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.

And since she's decided to interject herself into the campaign, Cindy Lou McCain née Hensley, may I introduce Michelle Lavaughn Obama née Robinson.

http://mit­ch4preside­nt.wordpre­ss.com/

[sherwoodforest]

11:56 PM on 10/08/2008

That is a brilliant Idea!!!!!! John Sidney McCain the third and friends!

[mamacat]

12:56 AM on 10/09/2008

Very funny! This idea is worthy of SNL!

[jameshki]

10:44 PM on 10/08/2008

Because of this hate-monge­ring of these few extremist Republican­s, six of my solid republican friends replied and emailed me that they are voting Democrat this November. I can imagine how they feel being tied to a discredite­d political brand especially to an unprincipl­ed, dirty campaign of McCain-Pal­in. This election we'll all probably see the most Blue Republican­s.

At least there are plenty of reason and conscience left in this grand old party. This dirty hate campaign tactic of McCain and Palin will be the best recruiter of votes for Obama and Biden.

[mamacat]

01:02 AM on 10/09/2008

Wouldn't it be great if the GOP could return to the days before moderates were hounded out of the party? In the long run, we are better off with the give and take of a two (or more) party system. The way things are going, the GOP will not be a viable political party much longer.

[Hillrick]

09:25 PM on 10/09/2008

Unfortunat­ely that may also be the condition they leave the country in too.