Frank Rich: The Terrorist Barack Hussein Obama

IF you think way back to the start of this marathon campaign, back when it seemed preposterous that any black man could be a serious presidential contender, then you remember the biggest fear about Barack Obama: a crazy person might take a shot at him.

Some voters told reporters that they didn't want Obama to run, let alone win, should his very presence unleash the demons who have stalked America from Lincoln to King. After consultation with Congress, Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, gave Obama a Secret Service detail earlier than any presidential candidate in our history -- in May 2007, some eight months before the first Democratic primaries.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[MadJeffersonian]

Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind.

-- Julius Caesar

[TXfemmom]

McCain and Palin are inciting hated and violence in their crowds. However, they should be very careful about that, as most people who are vehemently against them are not going to be bullied and take it from their crowd.

I have never seen such determination among the Dems and Independents for Obama about being bullied and threatened by the right wingnuts which respond to McCain's dishonest and disgusting rhetoric. We have all lived through eight years of hell with Bush and we are angry, mad as hell in fact, and as the old saying goes, we aren't going to take it anymore. If they resort to violence or attempt to steal this election, they are going to get a reponse they did not anticipate, because most Americans realize that this election is about the survival of this country, that the country is circling the drain, and McCain and Palin and their goons would see that it is sucked down the drain.

[Xenopus]

McCain knows very well what he and Sarah Palin are doing. To act like this is politicking as usual is ridiculous. They are saying what they do about Ayers and Rezko because they want the reaction of instilling fear about Obama. For my two cents, that is pretty rotten. Nothing about McCain or Palin that I am seeing now says they are the type of people I want as my President and V.P.

[geneven]

And why didn't Rich point out that McCain recently responded to someone saying that they were afraid of Obama by saying there was no reason to be afraid of Obama, and that he was a good family man, they just disagreed on some ideas on how to run the country?

Could it be that he didn't mention that because it would have made the alarmist tone of the column less effective?

I'm an Obama supporter, but had to point this out.

[Snowball]

Well, considering McCain is still running TV commercials calling Obama a terrorist, his fine words seem a bit hollow. If he wants to stop running those ads and make a public apology, it might be a different matter.

[botan]

What is so disappointing about all of this is that no matter how far we think we have come as a society, as a nation, we find we are still lacking. I do not think I can find the words to describe the depth of my rage at what McCain and his crew are playing at. It is disgusting, it is dangerous, and it is a threat to us all. I cannot fathom nor understand why anyone would think of playing with this form of fire. Sheer desperation alone cannot explain it. What I do know is that Mr. McCain"s rallies have started to look like an episode of the Jerry Springer show. The only reason people come is to see the fights or to get into one. I mean has anyone stopped to think of what would happen if America fought a civil war over issues such as race and religion? Personally, I believe it would make Bosnia look like a boy scout outing. This is the fire that McCain and the G.O.P. are playing with.

I am an American. I believe in her with a love and a fanaticism that would make a jihadist do the turtle tuck. I do not believe that our allies nor our enemies appreciate or even understand that love, that belief. At this point I feel it is every Americans obligation, no our duty to vote for that one, Barack Hussein Obama. Our personal honor alone requires nothing less.

[StyleSista]

Excellent article, although I did NOT like the title, there are people who won't read the article closely and just see the title and assume that it validates their erroneous beliefs about Obama.

The McCain campaign doesn't have a leg left to stand on, they can't win on the issues, so they are turning to race-baiting and labeling Obama as the "other". It's racism, pure and simple. I believe that McCain's half-hearted attempts to defend Obama at that rally are just him trying to cover his behind; in the event that--God forbid--some nutcase does the unthinkable--then McCain can say, "well I told them Obama is no one to be afraid of".

But if someone in the MSM feels like doing some real truth telling, how about an article called "The Secessionist Sarah Heath Palin," which exposes her and her husband's ties to the AIP once and for all? How dare she run under the banner of "Country First," when she's supported a group that doesn't want to be a part of this country?

[Deni]

The people that just read the title and assume Obama is a terrorist aren't viewing articles at Huffington Post. They're all over a Fox Noise or some other wingnut blog having their wrong-headed assumptions validated.

[milo9]

McCain-Palin tactics are stimulating my own "Eurapean Hater Gene", and it is directed at them.

[Gardinia]

Thank you Mr Rich for speaking the truth. I find Ms Palin rhetoric offensive and has no place in our civil society. The title though, I find inappropriate. "The Terrorist "word will confuse people who read just the headline news.

[mskttylttr]

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself....and that is ALL we are getting from the McCain/Palin team. These are extraordinary times and they call for a leader who seeks to unite us, inspire us and lift us up. Obama/Biden - Yes we can!

[cdlryan]

America deserves better than this. Demand better than this from a potential leader.

McCain deserves to lose.

[nivek]

Torches and pitchforks and rabies, Oh My!

[JasText]

People are hurting. People are scared. People are confused, and want someone to blame.

This is why the current attacks by McC/Palin are so very irresponsible, and are reaping such a bitter harvest for all of us.

[ExpatNL]

If the majority of Americans were truly half way educated and decent people, the numbers would look something like this.

Obama 90 percent

MacPalin 10 percent

Unfortunately, America is not like that anymore, or was it ever? since 1945?

[darthdarcy]

The Republican party will be the ruin of this nation...!

[nivek]

They shall fall before it.

[progressivelady]

yes, they have and of course MSM. does'nt really go there like they should.