There's plenty of reason for concern and while there always will be fringe groups saying things, both parties need to make it clear to their supporters that hate and fear mongering in the party's name is not acceptable.

so whats the point? that there are obviously negative mailers coming from some republican committees? I have gotten a few from democratic sources aimed at smearing McCain, I just recycle them!

You cant pick apart every negative ad/flier , it will drain you out of intellegence and energy for sure!

The Osama bin Laden and Obama bucks fliers are just disgusting. These people need to be ashamed of themselves.

I'm sure the dems aren't completely innocent in this, Liberty. Are there any examples of awful Dem fliers?

For once I might agree with you, Stephley. It doesn't do any good to pander to stupidity. Reduces credibility.

The thing that gets me about the food stamp mailer is that they didn't care to offend their members. They didn't even think about them. They probably thought they would turn a blind eye to the e-mail and spread the funny.

I guess it was okay to offend people who are working with you and not caring how they would react.

CG i'd like to see what dem. ads you compare these too....they are just disgusting. especially the obama bucks. wow. Goes to show how ignorant people are.

It's kind of unfortunate for McCain that stuff like this will, in our minds, be tied to him even though he has nothing to do with it. It's all about "their side" vs. "our side."

I was trying to think of equal nutjob emails or pamphlets that I might have gotten - I think CodePink is the weirdest I get, but even they don't go so far as to ridicule McCain as the food stamp pamphlet, nor does anything I get ever question his patriotism, his citizenship, his name... Everything I've seen from the left criticizes McCain's policies, not him as a person - and certainly there are plenty of liberties an angry liberal could take with McCain's temper.

I'm with TS. I've been feeling a bit sorry for McCain because I feel like he is truely a better person than he is coming off as due to the negative ads. And especially stuff like this that he has absolutely no control over.

The food stamp one was not just about Obama but it showed the sterotypes that people have on a race.

I do not think this is in any shape leading to Mc. I am sorry the thing that was so disturbing was the news story of the faux food stamp - the lady had no remorse or thought she did anything wrong. While members of her organization was deeply hurt and offended.

Agreed, Steph. I know I may have my Obamaniac blinders on, but when they were talking about who had what percentage of negative ads out there during the debates, I wanted to be like, yeah, but there's a difference between a smear ad and a negative ad based on policy differences.

Biden said he thinks McCain is not happy with how negative his campaign has gone. I know technically he approves all the ads, but I guess I want to think he's doing it while holding his nose.

When the campaign started, I was thinking, I hope Obama wins, but if McCain wins, well, that will be okay. Now, though, my opinion of McCain has taken a nose dive.

" It's kind of unfortunate for McCain that stuff like this will, in our minds, be tied to him even though he has nothing to do with it. It's all about "their side" vs. "our side." "

Now that IS sad. Especially since McCain has pretty consistently asked his supporters to play nice (that I know of).

I thought that Obama was all about working across the aisles (that's what the commercials in my area are saying at least). Guess that supporters not sticking to the party line works both ways.

I personally have seen some highly offensive Palin-related t-shirts (the 'C U Next Tuesday' one and 'Drill Baby Drill' one with McCain and Palin in flagrante come to mind immediately.)

Maybe it's because I am not a Republican, but I in way hold Obama or your average Obama supporters (like the nice folks on this blog) responsible for all liberal wackadoodles out there.

It's all inappropriate. And if the Dems are doing similar things it's inappropriate also. I wish marketing and politics could somehow be seprated but people have realized that fear is one of the strongest emotions and they just can't stop playing to it.

Sorry - sub Democrats for liberal in the final sentence... not trying to offend any third-partiers out there.

in way = in NO way

(I still hate typing.)

Momma most I glance at and throw away, i am not sure if they are from the local democrat party or what.

I do know there was a flier from "vietnam veterans against McCain" that was awful.

Very inappropriate and nasty way. I'm mad that people go this low.

That is awful, CG! Stuff like that makes me so mad. These groups couldn't care less about politics, they're just running around fear mongering for the entertainment of it.

"I've been feeling a bit sorry for McCain because I feel like he is truely a better person than he is coming off as due to the negative ads. And especially stuff like this that he has absolutely no control over"

Agreed Mariner...I am offended by some of this stuff and its unfortunate that people are still so ignorant...it is also unfortunate that it is endorsing a man that probably (and hopefully) wouldnt be supportive of an ad like this to begin with!

I also agree that its not tied to McCain...Politics play dirty but not that way.
The foodstamps one is all about being black and thats just gross.

FYI most of the people I get food stamps for? young white people.

>I do know there was a flier from "vietnam veterans against McCain" that was awful.

What did the ad say? I don't say anything inherently awful about veterans being against McCain. He's received low ratings from a number of military advocacy groups.

CG - that is true but that is not what the perception is with some people. Hint's the watermelon, Kool-Aid, and fried chicken.

I can't believe the fried chicken one. I agree that it is unfortunate that McCain will be tied to that, despite the fact that he had nothing to do with it. I haven't received any fliers, but I tend to disagree that the left only criticizes policies. Maybe the fliers don't do it, but the pundits and other media outlets have criticized McCain's age, his divorce, Palin's family situations, her accent, her past pageant life. I've even seen people on this site question whether McCain was ever actually tortured. It has been pretty nasty on both sides. Maybe it hasn't been from the candidates directly or from their fliers, but there have been supporters on both sides that have said and done some pretty asinine things. It makes you not want to put yourself in league with any of them. I think it is incredibly unfortunate that all of the race stuff has entered into the picture. A few morons taint the view of an entire party, but that happens with any political group, religious group, race, etc. The stupidest comments, for some reason, always tend to be the most resounding.

I guess I still see a pretty big difference between talking about age or divorce and sending out photos of bin Ladin manipulated to look like Obama.

Why is there no mention of the negative mailers about McCain?! Nobody can tell me that some of this stuff isn't completely biased. Nobody.

I'm not buying the 'poor John, this isn't the campaign he wants' line...
McCain can't control all the crap that goes out allegedly on his behalf, but he hasn't knocked himself out to control his campaign's or message or the RNC - and if he can't or won't control them, how can we believe he would control things as president?
He sets the tone and we know McCain isn't shy at expressing himself when something displeases him. Given the opportunity to speak out against negative campaigning at Wednesday's debate, McCain's first words were about how John Lewis hurt his feelings, then he told Obama that Obama supporters had said things too. It never gets past the 'I'm rubber you're glue' argument.

Suga, we've asked here for examples...

Thats part of their flyer

They are a 527, who claim that McCain sold out other POW's to save himself. That he is a traitor. Its the same people who were against Kerry. Apparantly the guy who runs it is the only honorable Vet.

I think all this is horrible. I am sorry though but giving stereotypes about a race of people and trying to make it hurtful and funny. Someone said this on one of their blogs earlier that the SP was being targeted as a stripper - which is horrible and nasty. But when they call her names it is not calling all white women wh*res. The food stamp was stereotypes that I have heard throughout the years and I am upset about this one being used for a race of people.

Here is the story: www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_buck16.3d67d4...

I also think in order to stop this, when people forward these things they should not be trashed or laughed off but confronted.

I agree. There is a difference. There is no question. My point is that the left hasn't kept the criticisms to policy only. Nobody is clean here. I know that this is the way it always is, but it seems like the hostility has been amped up a notch this goround. I think its awful, and everyone comes out smelling like s*@#.

Stephley, I have tried to find examples other than that and although i have recieved them in the mail, i cannot find pictures online. Doesnt mean they dont exist!!!

Disgusting and pointed this out in my TeamSugar blog. This sh*t has to stop. Seriously.

I don't think Republicans are racist, but why instead of accusing me of painting all Republicans of being racists, are you not outraged and speaking out against your own party?

I quit being a Democrat and criticize Dems all the time because I was disgusted by alot of what they say. So instead of being overly sensitive about this, stand up and do something about it. Every time I find a piece of racist cr*p from the republican party I will post it. Feel free to share your comments. And if you're a Republican, please don't accuse me of thinking your racists because I don't. I expect you to see the ugliness as well and stand up against it!

I agree that people shouldn't be up and arms about every political flyer coming out and the ones that are shown aren't coming from the McCain campaign. However I think people are going to take issue to these because the tone of some of them are racist. It's one thing to attack a candidates tax plan, health care plan it's another thing to accuse someone of being evil, and associating them with some of the most ignorant stereotypes around.

i hate to say it but as a swing voter, these things just turn me off more and more from the campaign in general. i know that obama has tons of money to send these things out - but come on - i don't think that they really have any impact at all on what i'm deciding to do on election day. i think that things are truly getting out of hand, but i guess if we look back at the last few elections, we can probably say the same thing.

I feel badly for all of the trees that had to die to produce this garbage.

"They are a 527, who claim that McCain sold out other POW's to save himself. That he is a traitor. Its the same people who were against Kerry."
Is this a 'liberal' group if it went against Kerry too, or just against vets in politics?
With the anti-Obama stuff, we're not going to the far fringes to find hate - we start with state GOP ads and fliers.

Steph, how do we even know if McCain has any knowledge of this crap?
You are right, though. Everyone addressing their supporters about this kind of garbage would help things.

"I've been feeling a bit sorry for McCain because I feel like he is truly a better person than he is coming off as due to the negative ads."

Mariner I have no doubt that McCain isn't associated with anything in this post and I was feeling bad for him too but he is walking a thin line while he has repudiated some comments " he's and Arab" some of the worst ones he hasn't "kill him", "terrorist" , "treason" and the robo call still bringing up the Ayers issue went out the day after he said " I don't care about some washed up terrorist". The tone of his campaign is sometimes unclear and I personally don't fault him but the people running the show.

CG although that is a bad ad you cannot sit there and compare that with the "fried chicken and kool-aid". Or even the Osama ad.

the flier you just put up basically talks crap about McCain...these fliers about Obama not only puts him down because he's black but also puts down the whole black race. The other calls him a terrorist. Comaparing him to Osama Bin Laden...thats too much.

McCain's been directly questioned about this stuff for weeks if not longer - if he's unaware of the anti-Obama stuff, he's out of touch.

CG, it doesn't mean they don't exist but it does strongly support the argument that the anti-Obama stuff is more in the mainstream than anti-McCain. I would say that Palin has been mocked and criticized, but so far, no one's brought out a mailing from a state Democrat group making fun of her.

Palin has been mocked because of the things she's said and the things she hasn't. I haven't heard anything about her being put down as a woman. I haven't heard anything about her being put down for something she cant control...Obama is being put down because he's black and because he attended a committee with Ayers years ago so that makes him a terrorist.

Even if McCain doesn't know about every single negative attack out there about Obama (and I'm sure he doesn't, and vice versa with Obama and negative McCain ads), I'm kind of inclined to believe that phrase "you reap what you sow". If you and your running mate are going to question the identity of "the real Barack Obama", and throw around the "terrorist" word, well...be prepared for morons with too much time, paper, and computer skills on their hands to take that and run with it and make of it what they will. Not saying this is all his fault, of course, since morons exist no matter what, but...like I said. People have too much time on their hands.

Its a waste of breath to go and call these "republicans" and tell them they are a disgrace. It gives them fuel for the fire. the best thing to do is to vote using your head and not based on smear tactics.

CG your right but your talking to us and most people in here are going to vote on policy. However these smears on either side aren't really playing to people who discuss politics as much as we do in here. It plays to the people like the lady McCain had to snatch the mic from last week and correct.

CG, great point, and I hate to be pessimistic, but some people (hopefully not most people...) just like the easy way out. Easy way = believing stupid smear tactics = uninformed voting.

Palin has been mocked more than just for the things she's said, but it's really not worth arguing about. The point is that it is bad. It is all bad. It all needs to stop. The stuff about throwing around the word "terrorist" I think is in regard to Ayres. I think that an association to an unrepentant, unapologetic, admitted terrorist should raise an eyebrow, but, if Obama says that he has nothing to do with him now, then ok.

As per your comment momma:

"Palin has been mocked because of the things she's said and the things she hasn't. I haven't heard anything about her being put down as a woman. I haven't heard anything about her being put down for something she cant control..."

Please refer to my post - #13. These are not flyers, granted. But, there is lots of infamatory stuff out there about the Repub ticket that has nothing to do with policies. Not to mention celebrities entering the fray (did anyone else hear Sarah Bernhardt racist comment about Palin getting raped, Madonna, Matt Damon saying she didn't believe in dinosaurs...?).

In terms of others pointing out that the Repubs are condemming these attacks - I'm seeing lots of conservatives saying these things are awful. Are you reading all the posts?

"I think that an association to an unrepentant, unapologetic, admitted terrorist should raise an eyebrow,"

Obama explained his "association" very clearly at the Debate and previous to that as well.Secondly William Ayers is a professor at the University of Chicago so that means everyone of his students, the president of the school, and anyone who assisted him in getting hired is "pals around with terrorist" too. I mean there are a lot of unsavory relationships McCain has had like that of a Mob bosses son, but Obama hasn't brought that up because that's not the type of campaign he's running.