As McCain Fades Away

While not counting chickens before they are hatched, an Obama supporter should be inclined to a bit of optimism after last night's debate. Senator McCain offered yet another spectacular portrayal of the walking undead, as he creaks and groans his way toward the inevitable.

It is not necessary to gild how bad the Republican campaign has become; the Senator from Arizona knows. It would be a challenge for George W. Bush to not know. Rove is apoplectic, and even the Republican party's traditional friends on Wall Street appear to be choosing apathy over action in droves.

The Republicans have had their juju come back on them in the form of outspoken supporters advocating assassination in public fora, while maintaining silence in light of such offensive and gratuitously divisive displays.

Is it possible that after Governor Palin's support of inquiry into Obama's relationship with Wright and Ayres, and suggestions that Senator Obama, Michelle Obama, and progressives in general, hate america, that Palin is throwing stones in her glass house?

If one feels that guilt by association is justification for not voting for Obama, then it should be quite good enough for a ticket which includes Sarah Palin.

While Reverend Wright has been vilified for his inflamatory "God damn America" speech, there has been little accountability for Pastors Paul Riley and Ed Kalnins of the Wasilla Assembly of God, and their sermons suggesting that the salvation of Democrats was in question. The last that I know of, the Bible has not mentioned the Democratic Party specifically, and the Republicans have just as many points of working contrary to scripture (partcularly when it comes to issues of compassion and social justice) as the Democrats.

Too many who have based their social conservatism upon Scripture, just as those who have allied their calls for economic justice with a Christian subtext, suffer from disconnects between scripture and political efficacy. These are questions which need to be answered privately, while reflecting in one's closet, as St. Paul instructs one to pray and worship privately.

Should one look hard enough, Governor Palin has no real room to talk about domestic terrorists, nor Michelle Obama, given her husband's membership in the Alaskan Independence Party. This secessionist group has ties to the KKK, Minutemen, and has endorsed the Constitution party candidate, himself no paragon of tolerance or inclusion.

The advocacy of secession puts the Alaskan Independence Party in direct conflict with article III of the Constitution, by adhering to the idea that the United States should be broken up.

Finally, the Republican campaign has tacitly recognized the support of conservative radio hosts, specifically Sean Hannity. One is justified in questioning the value of his opinion when one considers his relationship with neo-Nazi Hal Turner of North Bergen, NJ.

But one really does not wish to throw these points back in the face of the Republicans. One merely should watch them hew close to their talking points as their policies crumble beneath the clay feet of their moribund governance. And one waits for the questions about the motives of the Alaskan Independence party directed to Governor Palin.

But one will not be holding his breath.