B.S. delivered to my answering machine

I received the following robo-call yesterday.

"Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, whose organization bombed the U.S. Capitol, the pentagon, a judge's home and killed Americans. And Democrats will enact an extreme leftist agenda if they take control of Washington. Barack Obama and his Democratic allies lack the judgment to lead our country. This call was paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and the Republican National Committee."

Now... I hardly know where to start. First off, I don't want that crap on my answering machine. It's a distraction issue, a wedge issue and a distortion. Anyone who pays attention knows why this "association" is a complete non-issue. But, the point I want to make is that this illustrates exactly what it looks like when a party is completely out of ideas.

I have been making phone calls and knocking on doors for the Obama campaign and our instructions are to emphasize the positive. If allowed to engage in conversation we are asked to relay a personal story of ours in the context of Obama's policies. My story is about my mom and my son. I talk about how my mom has been failed by our health care system and had to wait four years to have her knees replaced and now has a bowed femur as a result of a "pre-existing condition." I talk about how my son deserves to have a chance at an education. I talk about how Jacob's generation doesn't deserve to have to pay down George W. Bush's debt and that we need to reign in the budget. I also talk about how we need to reject the immoral policy of pre-emption and torture in our nation because I don't want Jacob sent into an unnecessary war or to be the victim of retaliation torture. Although the next president won't have Jacob to throw into a war, the very idea of pre-emption must end, and this is a step in that direction.

What do the Republicans offer? Associations. Accusations. Angry Mobs. Cries of anti-Americanism. Robo-smear calls. Rallies that apparently include torches and pitch-forks at the gate. I have also received the kinds of e-mails that give me chills.

Why is that all they offer? Because the party is out of ideas. For six years, they held all levers of government, and have held the presidency and it's veto pen for eight years. Only two of those years did the run-away train have a brake. We have been in a political standstill for two years while Democrats get vetoed into oblivion and Bush gets stonewalled. All will remain frozen until we have a new president.

The campaign has gotten negative. There is no doubt about it. And both sides have done some things they wish they could have back. But, only one side has displayed ugliness that could actually inspire violence.

When people in a crowd shout "terrorist," or "kill him," or "off with his head," or "treason," a speaker has an obligation to stop and set the record straight. McCain has done that, but Palin has not. It is disgusting.

This robo-call is just another attempt to whip up the emotions and fears of the populace. Look at the focus. Bill Ayers. Leftists. They aren't dumb enough to outright say communist like Senator McCarthy back in the 50s, but the same fear triggers are being pulled.

The RNC called tonight to talk to Jen and ask if they could count on her support. Her answer was just "no."

It's time to say no to appeals to fear. Ever since I announced on this blog that I would support Barack Obama, I said it's time to reject fear and embrace hope. The polls indicate that, by and large, the people are not convinced that a Kevin-Bacon-like association matters one bit when the 401K statement comes in the mail.

I respond to every hate-e-mail I receive and I always will. I am not shy about engaging anyone who wants to make these appeals to fear. In fact, as we get closer to the election, I'm almost looking for a fight.

It won't work this time!