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.

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"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

[tomsm]

McCain’s forceful denunciation:

“My friends, it is lamentable that at my campaign rallies a handful of individuals have been inappropriately reminding America that my opponent’s middle name is Hussein. But unlike Saddam Hussein, there is no evidence directly linking my opponent to international terrorism. Similarly, the fact that my opponent’s last name, Obama, is so similar to “Osama” is purely coincidental. I am not aware of any established link between Barack Hussein Obama and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 or any other attacks by foreign extremists against this country that we love so much. That said, it is only fair to remind voters of my opponent’s ongoing association with radical domestic terrorists who have sought to bomb the very symbols of our nation’s liberty and strength. My friends, we should also not condone the implication that my opponent is a disciple of any violent strain of Islam. Although Barack Hussein Obama’s name is not traditionally American, to my knowledge he is not a Muslim. In fact, he has attended Reverend Wright’s church for the last 20 years and is a devoted follower of that ministry. Again, we should be troubled that a handful of individuals have taken it upon themselves to state my opponent’s full name, Barack Hussein Obama, and to imply that he is a Muslim terrorist, or that he consorts with international terrorists, as opposed to domestic radicals and terrorists. My friends, I hope that this clarifies my position once and for all.”

[IcyAlaskan]

Does the name King Hussein ring any bells?

King Hussein of Jordan was an honorable man, a respected world leader, and an ally to the US.

How soon a tyrant named Saddam can tarnish the beauty of a name.

[kjstjohn]

Someone posting to another article today said we should all temporarily change our middle names to "Hussein." Sign me khstjohn.

[CocoGrrrl]

I totally agree.

We are all Husseins today!

Yours sincerely,
Coco Hussein Grrrl

[PeepingTom]

great point.
Hussein is also such a very common name, like Smith or Jones, so a great many people will be affected by McKKKain's hatemongering and bigotry.

[PeepingTom]

And he was married to an American lady, was he not?

[IndependentforObama]

This is an awful name to use on such a progressive site. Even if this is what you do for real and have not yet been prosecuted­... or maybe never will... at least that is the only reason I can think for anyone to use such a horrid handle.

Could you use the handle "Tom" and drop the peeping. I am sure your neigbors know what you do by now. Seeing as you have spewed the news. *GOLLY*

[Chillinout]

I don't know why the pundits don't bring up the obvious when the Republican operatives say, "It is his name after all." The obvious response would be, point to another candidate that has been called by his full name.

[pandaemonia]

Hillary Rodham Clinton

[Groovacious]

A wheel fell off the Straight Talk Express.

[TheAlchemist]

It’s not enough that the use of his middle name seems to be intended pejoratively.

Didn’t we all get called by our first and middle names when we were little and naughty?

Perhaps we should begin to refer to her as "Sarah Louise!"

[CBS]

Everyone knows "that one" is a put down especially favored by sadistic teachers and parents.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

Wow! Can they possibly be this desperate? Polls have overwhelmingly demonstrated that people are becomming more alarmed at these speeches, which are starting to look more and more like a klan rally.

Next thing you know, they'll both show up in a white sheet and start burning a cross in front of the stage.

[LeftofTerry]

He was making reference to the fact that he is a prisoner of the christian right.

[KathyinCT]

HELP HELP. Can anyone explain to me why Obama was in Indy today doing a great speech, and he's up there on the platform, by himself, talking about why America can be a better place if we all work together. Key word: alone.

Flash to the McCain rally. There's the brave war hero -- with his praetorian guard of Cindy, Sarah Palin and daughter Megan. WHY IS THIS BRAVE WAR HERO TOUGH GUY ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY TWO OR THREE WOMEN???

(and did you notice, Obama's outside in cold weather on a plain stage, with his supporters all around him. McCain is inside in a glitzy setting with spotlights flashing all over, like he's some sort of rock concert)

But more seriously -- why can't he show up anywhere and just give a speech, without his wife and/or running mate and/or daughter by his side?

This is creepy. And we still don't have his health records to review.

[CBS]

Reports are that a lot of the crowd left after Palin introduced McCain

[agentforchange2008]

Are crowds still being bused in for their events? What are the estimated crowds like? I have noted that for Obama rallies, we never have a doubt how many people are there (e.g., 20,000 people attended at x location) whereas such as when Palin was in Carson this past weekend, "Palin spoke at the 10,000 seat Home Depot Center" and yet we were never told by the McCain/Palin campaing exactly how many people really are there.

[philopatris]

In Hebrew, not that I know it well, baruch means "blessed", like "barak" in Arabic, and "hasayn" means good (usually of synagogue chanters), like in Arabic. Maybe the Blessed Good Obama is a little extravagant, but I wouldn't say no at this point!
As for "my fellow prisoners," E. M. Forster says in his life of his grandmother Marianne Thornton (1797-1887) that just as King George III was going irretrievably crazy, they let him open Parliament one last time. This was about 1809, and her parents took her to see it. The King came in, sat down on his throne, picked up his speech, and said "My Lords, and Honorable.­...peacock­s."
Shortly afterwards they shut him up in the palace and appointed a Regent.
Of course we're not there quite yet.

[Pegi]

dear, we all know that. and barack is indeed blessed with an ocean of wonderful qualities. however, in this day and age, hussein provokes anger, hatred and bigotry and THAT is the only reason they are allowing the use of the name. you can see by the reaction of the people in the audience that they are doing this deliberately to incite. should be against some law, shouldn't it?

[philopatris]

Couldn't agree more Pegi. Thanks.
As for KIng George III, he was just nuts. His wife Queen Cindi--hehhhh, I mean Queen Charlotte--went everywhere with him as long as she could and fronted for him, but even she had to give up.
Totally different situation.

[ob4meor]

that all y'all got? Funny, they are spending all this money and not saying anything of any SUBSTANCE!

Can anyone out there please tell me how the government can raise home values as McCain said he would do? The only way I can see that happening is if wages go up. I don't see that happening under another republican.

[Georgianna]

Barack means "blessing" "Hussein" means handsome.

Perhaps if people knew what the names mean, they would stop behaving in such an irrational manner.

Timothy Mc Veigh was a domestic terrorist. Yet we don't go around mocking people with the name Timothy.

This kind of intolerance (ignorance) is what has this nation at odds with people all across the globe.

When I was much younger my Grandmother used to say, "Pray for the country. Pray for our leaders."

Can it get any sadder than this?

[VeroucaSalt]

From the Arabic personal name, Husayn, derived from the Arabic hasuna, meaning "to be good" or "to be handsome or beautiful.­" Hasan, for which Hussein is a derivative, was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.


Just a little FYI. Feel free to pass on the "goodness.­"

[TheGeicoCaveman]

This is too SHOCKING! Even FOX NEWS won’t publish it!

“ This is very embarrassing for McCain and the GOP.” quoted by GOP insider.

THE 2006 VETTING OF SARAH PALIN

***** The complete 63 page report *****
http://mudflats.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/palin-2006-vetting.pdf

[Biancadav]

Thanks! I am so tired of that name being associated with with that Tyrant Saddam. This name was given to thousands of good people. Its time to stop giving that name so much negative energy. That name belongs to a good man Barack Hussein Obama. We need to deal with people on an individual basis and give him all of the positive credit he deserves. That is his name as was his fathers and there is nothing wrong with that. He is not ashamed of who he is, that is his name be proud of that.

[Andythelawyer]

I'm always amused when someone wants to compare the candidates' middle names. "Hussein" was a gallant, heroic warrior whose death 1300 years ago is mourned annually by hundreds of millions worodwide. But "Sidney" is the kid that you used to beat up for lunch money in middle school.

[AlphaDoc]

And John Sidney McCain III sounds a tad elitist, don't you think?

[cynicalgal]

Read about the Disgrace of Aerial Hunting of Wolves below:

http://www.Vaboomer.com

Sarah Palin you disgust me.

[Poststep]

At the end of the video Palin says, "Yeah," like she knows exactly what McCain is talking about. Maybe she's rubbing off on him.

[Biancadav]

Palin is an over paid cheerleader!