Republican Congressman Criticizes Palin Rallies

Veteran Republican Congressman Ray LaHood criticized his party's vice presidential nominee Friday, saying that Sarah Palin's vitriolic campaign rallies ""don't befit the office she's running for."

Rep. LaHood, who has represented Illinois' 18th district for seven terms and is retiring in January, told WBBM Radio that Palin should control the racially-charged heckling at her rallies:

"Look it. This doesn't befit the office that she's running for. And frankly, people don't like it."

Some of the names Obama is being called, which include "terrorist" and "traitor," "certainly don't reflect the nature of the man," LaHood said to WBBM.

LaHood supports John McCain's candidacy, but warned that the heckling could backfire on the Republican ticket.

Comments

[Vantunow]

All descent human beings are being repulsed by SP's vitriol.

God Bless us all. God Bless Obamas. God Bless America.

[NYCdowntown]

Any Republican that stands behind her is disrespecting women and the USA

go to jedreport.com and watch the clip of 3 Republican women who say so!

she is a cancer

[ceesaw]

Wow ! people are really seeing Mcbush for who he truly is.All of this is a distraction.These are the same old tatics employed by the Bush govt. Mcain is trying to destroy the country by inciting violence.He wants to disrupt the election by letting a civil war break out. Somebody better stop this man right now. This was their October surprise. As for Palin she is a pure disgrace. More disgraceful are the people who are edging her on.Mcain and Palin are the real terroists that AmericaNS should be afraid of. They are trying to destroy the country from within. We cannot sit back idly and let Palin/Mcain destroy the country.They must be stopped! The country sat back and let Bush destroy America now we are all suffering. The world is pissed off at our stupidity ! No more! b

[booker52]

Sen McCain is a nasty little man and Gov Palin is just coming across and a bit*h. Inciting folks to hate is just plain wrong. Is this anyway to run a campaign?? I think not. People want to hear about real issues, not about made up crap and that is what John McCain is running on, empty.

[psbintl]

I just spoke directly to a Secret Service desk field office at the Washington, DC Secret Service office.

It appeared to,m although he did not say specifically, that they aware of the recent events at the rallies. He did say specifically the Secret Service is investigating all threats made but they cannot impinge on free speech.

Here is the link to the official Secret Service site. You can call the Secret Service office in any State.

http://www.secretservice.gov/

[gabrielenesta]

I just wrote them an email as well.

[tammany]

I just sent an email about my concern for Senator Obama's safety. Here's the contact URL:

http://www.secretservice.gov/contact_usss.shtml

[NicasioKid]

Let Election Day be our referendum against intolerance and hate.

[mountainmama]

Nicasio Kid,

Perfect idea.

[johnnygoodwud]

hooded sheets, get your hooded sheets here

[PeepingTom]

ha. I bet Wamsutta's making a huge profit on white sheets nowadays.
On sale now. Two-for the price of one

[dawnbc1]

Excellent comment. It feels surreal....a revolution.

[sparafucilli]

I will not be surprised to see outright violence at one of these rallies cum born-again events. If that happens and gets it you-tubed you can be sure that McSarah will blame it on Obama's agents provocateur.

[iluvsam]

Sarah...hello...we know about your AIP connection....

[Jezreel]

Picking Sarah Palin was only the beginning of the demise of John McCain. Not only is Palin's vitriolic, hate filled, fear stoking rhetoric hurting McCain's campaign and heightening the dangers posed to Obama and Biden, it is damaging the chances that anyone on the Republican down ticket might have had to win an election. When all is said and done, McCain will be considered worst than a pariah by members of his own Party. This will be McCain's legacy; a loser and a coward; a man who was unable to chose his preferred VP running mate, a man who brought down his entire Party because of impulsive gamble; a man who, unlike G.W. Bush, personally ran the sleaziest, most racially divisive, xenophobic, hate filled, political campaign in our nation's history.

[erinm]

Thank God... final an adult weighs in! I wrote my Republican Senator, Warner of Virginia, asking him to put a stop to this. Did not want or expect him to do it publically, behind the scenes is fine with me... but McCain's campaign has become an obsenity, and is only further damaging a broken party. I don't agree with Warner on a lot of things, but he is a good man and I think will listen. I enourage everyone to write or call their Republican representatives, and *politely* express your concerns and ask for their help. As much as I like that this tactic clearly isn't moving voters to McCain, and perhaps even turning them away from him, this is too dangerous a time for this stupidity. Please... write or call your representatives!

[cynhome]

Yes, what a good idea erinm! We should all write and calll our Republican senators and ask them to speak out against what is happening!! Also write your Democratic senators and ask them to speak out, hold press conferences. Call the media and ask them to spend more time with this real issue rather than going on and on about the Bill Ayers thing -- especially when both McCain and Palin have questionable associates that are very seldom discussed. If they're going to discuss Ayers they should spend equal time discussing how Palin was paling around with the Alaskan independence group which said it hated America and the flag!

[rose london]

Mcain and Painly are COWARDS.

[Veeve]

And TRAITORS.

[elz]

And most importantly LOSERS!

[hotstuff]

Didn't I tell you? Now that two republican politicians who talked against mccain/palin hate baiting loudly in public, while Sen. Hagels wife endorsed obama! it's starting folks!

[scandinavian]

thank you! hope to hear from hagel and powell next. peace.

[thatonetoo]

What all people,Republican or Democrat need to worry about is that,should McCain/Palin win,the administration would be one of such bias and anger,it could easily spill over into every area of our daily lives. Who would benefit? Who in the world would would be alienated?
Hate is systemic,it seeps from the pores of the person who posesses it and in this world,we all lose.

[candlepower]

Are they just doing this in the hope that Oliver Stone will make a movie about them?
Something like NBK-part II.