Biden: Palin Must Condemn Supporters' Hateful Obama Attacks

Joe Biden lashed out at Sarah Palin on Wednesday, calling her recent rhetoric "ugly" and "mildly dangerous," and expressing shock that the Alaska Governor did not interrupt recent rallies when supporters shouted hateful attacks about Barack Obama, including "treason!" and "kill him!"

"I watched the news and I heard a couple people hollering from the audience semi-vile things about 'terrorists,' things like that," Biden said on NBC's Today show. "The idea that a leading American politician who might be vice president of the United States would not just stop mid-sentence and turn and condemn that -- it's just a slippery slope, it's a place that we shouldn't be going."

Biden repeated the sentiment on ABC's Good Morning America:

"I think it goes way too far. Look, this really is a case where, when you don't have anything to talk about, attack -- and it gets really over the edge," he said. "I mean, some of the stuff she's saying about Barack Obama and the stuff that people are yelling from the crowd, if she hears it, she should be at least be saying, whoa, whoa, whoa, that's overboard. But this is volatile stuff."

A Secret Service spokesperson said on Tuesday that agents were trying to track down more information about the individual who yelled "kill him" during the Palin event in Clearwater, Fl., on Monday.

Comments

[AriUp]

Condemn? Palin's the primary source of them!

[genetiks]

the desparate mCain campaign is a train-wreck -- heading off the rails, who is going to stop all this fomenting of ignorant, angry people?

[Repslasher]

PEOPLE watch out for "obamaprime" - must be undercover McCain campaign. Do not click on links....

[ImVotingforThatOne]

"Mildly dangerous"? "Semi-vile"? Joe, you're being too nice.

[yallkiddn]

'Not gonna happen, Joe.

[odin t]

i am not convinced this is not an elaborate stage show by the republicans; from the well timed shouts, to the fat cop calling obama by his middle name- orchestrated i think-
mc same has entered the mc shame category. and its sad- cos i once admired him.
more and more he reminds me of the emperor from star wars. and the pageant loser (i think thant scarred her for life) is his darth vader.
go phils!

[Choicelady]

Tonight David Gergen said if McCain and Palin don't stop the provocative call out of hate, violence WILL erupt. Question is - who will get hurt? If the mobs don't have Obama to trash, it will be some bystander or person with an Obama sticker on their car. Could be your grandmother. The slavering antagonism they have created by pretending that Obama is not an American and is a supporter of terrorism, is unbelieveable. Brown shirts are alive and well in America.

[9angels22]

They have also been attacking the press, and at one Palin event, they hurled racist remarks at a black soundman, and told him to "sit down boy". The entire crowd booed the press and waved their signs at them. This needs to be taken very seriously.

[mwestorca]

I think it's time to rework that 3 o'clock in the morning ad. What about an ad that gave us two alternate scenarios - McCain, angry and bellicose, as has been shown in recent posts - and Palin, uninformed and shallowed - let them both be sitting by the phone when it rings. Both hands reach out and a voice-over saying, it'll be one or the other if you elect their ticket. Which one would you want to answer the phone.

Then show Barack and Biden, with Biden deferring to Barack's leadership.

I think I should get paid for this idea!

[2sunny]

My votes IN, for your idea! Payment? You have your country back!

[Nancy84]

If anyone thinks this doesn't escalate into violence... remember, not long ago the guy who went in to the church and shot up a bunch of people because the church had the gall to allow gays to worship "his" god.

Recently I saw a post that said a person walking down the street wearing an Obama shirt was shot 3 times. Does anyone know anything about that? I don't know where it happened and even if it was because of the shirt... but the thought scares me. The wackos get motivated by this hate speak!!

[Ladypradege]

I did read about the guy who was wearing the Obama shirt getting shot. This is a prime example of the racism that still exist. The problem is, is if these dummies really think that what happened back in 50's and 60;s is about to repeat itself, they are sadly mistaken.
I grew up around a diverse group of people due to my father being in the military, and it is sad that u still have these kinds of people like this out there.

[Francis 3]

The incident happened in London. But the "conservative" media won't cover the story. It will only report that an anti-Obama author was held in Kenya.

[jeremyemilio]

Yeah, that's right, just like Obama condemned his supporters' hateful Clinton attacks. Yep. And just like he condemns his supporters' McCain and Palin attacks. Yep. Good old Obama, always trolling HuffPo and Kos, keeping those supporters in line, making sure they don't doctor photos to make people look like evil blood glutting monsters, or accusing people of covering up teen pregnancies by claiming their grandchildren as their own, and such. Yep. Good thing he puts a stop to that garbage, unlike that bad, bad woman, Palin.

[jja]

Although no one should be attacking one another with hateful comments, you're point about Obama not going on blogs to police what individuals are blogging/writing is not the same. Palin is spewing hateful rhetoric at lynch style rallies and then stoke the flames by not condeming what is being said back to her by the audience. This should not be taken lightly.

[LegalCat]

So that's the same as death threats, in your view? Interesting.

[Sassys]

The fact is Obama does not need to "control" his crowd...why? Because they tend to be peaceful. My guess is this will get far uglier because when the truth does out McCain and Palin will be jailed along with their hate mongering crowds. How can anyone not see the danger and the difference? Are people really that dumb?

[anniegirl9]

I just sent my letter to John McCain. Not sure I feel much better though.

Some said at the earlier stages of this campaign that if Obama did not win ths election, he would insight race riots. I dismissed these coments for the racial garbage that they were. But I am now seriously worried about what a small fraction of the ultra racist will do when Obama wins. I wasn't around during the Civil Rights movement, so I don't have an accurate comparison. But I have heard how many young people of today are looking at Obama much like that generation looked at JFK and MLKjr. Add the historic nature of this election with the economic tormoil that has everyone more than a little frazzled, and I fear we may be getting set for the pressure cooker to explode.

This is one time that I hope I am wrong.

[dxz]

TACTICAL MISTAKE

Obama is making a big mistake if he trust people's judgement. 3 weeks is enough to poison the mind of stupid people. In all the shows, ALL Obama surrogates are doing is defending Obama. They should be told to go on attack too. The narrative should not be about Obama explaining his association with Ayers. No matter how ridiculous the charge is, if Mccain, Hannity and Limbaugh screams enough and Larry King, Chris Mathews and co. INADVERTENTLY help propagate this by "impartially' interrogating Obama surrogates, it's not good enough. Obama surrogates should throw McCains's association with Abortion Clinic bombing into the fray. McCain's propaganda campaign for the Vietkongs should be brought up. He was not the only person tortured. Cindy's drug use should be thrown in the mix. Alaska Independence party should be included, otherwise the narrative is one sided and if this goes on long enough, IT WILL WIPE OBAMA'S LEAD IN OHIO, PA and the rural states. Obama can rise above this, but they should coordinate the Congresswoman Schulz, Begalas, Gibbs and co. to flip these on the McCains.

[Sassys]

I agree here and another thing that Obama should point out...Sarah Palin married a man that was and still is a member of a group of people that want to have Alaska secede from the USA!! Now who is the traitor eh?

[sikofit]

Your missing the point-Obama is trying to run a clean (trying) campaign. He has integrity.

[PT6]

ITS GOING TO BE A "VERY BAD" DAY FOR SARAH "INVESTIGATION" PALIN FRIDAY:

Just released:

"The Alaska Supreme Court has rejected the effort by Republican legislators to quash the Trooper-Gate investigation, affirming the decision of a lower court last week."

Tomorrow we hear the TRUTH of her Misuse of Power!

[bn4md]

I thought McCain was a different breed. He really is McSame. Just more desperate

[yallkiddn]

I'm sure you're not the only person he tricked into believing he was an honorable man.

[DeanThoreau]

Hurray for Joe!!!
I just wonder what Sarah is going to do on november 5th when she returns to her job as Governor of Alaska...does she really think Alaskans are as racist as she is?
Does she really think Alaskans appreciate her speaking only for white people?
Does she really think, she will get re-elected in Alaska?
Who wants to bet the daughter does not get married if Sarah looses the election?

[LightningJoe]

Many Alaskans (I'm Alaskan) had no real idea of her radicalism. We do now, though.

Many Alaskans ARE racist, and no mistake. But we generally have enough sense to know BS when we hear it.

No, she won't get any second term from us.