BBC NEWS | The Reporters

Low blows

Gavin Hewitt
14 Oct 08, 04:08 PM GMT

TOLEDO, OHIO: Barack Obama is preparing in a hotel up the road for tomorrow's debate.

Moving around the country involves a series of casual encounters. We're sitting having breakfast and ZZ Top are here.

Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Philadelphia (image Ian Sherwood) What's curious is that none of these "casual" conversations ever touch on the candidates' economic plans. There's a reason for that. The financial crisis is moving so fast that it's leaving the candidates behind. Almost nothing they say now may have any relevance come January.

So no-one on the road gets into the detail of McCain's or Obama's plans. What they do talk about are the "low blows" of the campaign.

In Pennsylvania at the weekend, I was at two events with Barack Obama. When he mentioned John McCain's name, the crowd booed. It was instant, immediate. It seemed to me the "boo" of a ball game, tinged with a little irony. I did not detect any hatred.

Obama immediately told the crowd that he respected John McCain's service to his country but that he disagreed on the economy and on other issues. He added that we can disagree and still respect each other.

Last week at a Sarah Palin rally in Ohio, the feelings were different. Many of the people there detested Barack Obama. "Detest" is a strong word, but I felt their dislike of the Illinois senator was visceral. Nearly everyone I spoke to doubted his patriotism.

One conversation went like this: "Do you think Barack Obama is a patriotic American?" "No. No, nothing in his background indicates that." The man went on: "I think he's got too much Marxism and black power in his background."

The man, on camera, added a bit of analysis; he thought Obama was angry because he had some white blood in him.

Another woman told me: "I just believe he is not an American. I just think he's angry."

A younger woman had a poster with a picture of Adolf Hitler on it. Hitler's face had been replaced with that of Obama. We did not use this in our coverage because we did not think it was in any way typical of the Republican crowds. Yet the people around her did not challenge her.

An older man was explicit in that he thought "race" was an issue. But what caught my attention was "patriotism".

In our conversations, many of which were on camera, I struggled to find someone who felt Barack Obama was "patriotic".

I tried to nail down what lay behind this. Many people were disturbed by Obama's associations with the radical William Ayers and with his former pastor, the Rev Jeremiah Wright.

Yet I felt the concerns ran deeper than that. It was the fears of "otherness". Many of those we spoke to just felt he was not like them, he did not share their values. They spoke about lapel badges, saluting the flag and, above all, about the military. For some, being patriotic was about supporting the military.

I asked a question as to whether it was "patriotic" to oppose the invasion of Iraq. Some agreed - reluctantly, I thought.

These may be superficial encounters but the "boos" in Pennsylvania seemed different to the comments in Ohio.

Comments

1. At 5:33pm on 14 Oct 2008, jsygrl wrote:
The Democrats can afford the irony in their heckles - they have the momentum and they've spent the last eight years angry.

The real anger is always there on the fringes of the losing side in American elections.

What is worrying is where the McCain team have focused the anger. Though no one on stage says it, Obama's race is a factor in this election, and the un-subtle McCain/Palin hints of "palling around with terrorists" and questioning his American credentials, were only ever going to be interpreted one way by the Republican hard right.

They knew what they were implying - I don't think they know how to control the anger of the response.

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2. At 5:55pm on 14 Oct 2008, neil_a2 wrote:
The discomfort in political views will be directed internally after the election.

How long before we see the "Impeach Obama" or "Impeach McCain" signs in front yards?

Once again, 1/2 of the nation will feel deprived of a qualified President.

I am curious if they were pushing burning trash bins into police cars. The actions at the Republican convention still carry a lot more weight than heated words.

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3. At 6:19pm on 14 Oct 2008, LondonElk wrote:
I'm feeling an increasing sense of excitement, that Obama will win (by a landslide) in November. I say this, having been an Englishman residing in northern California for the past 25 years. (Not a bad place to reside !)

Gavin's take on the differences between Obama and McCain supporters is depressingly accurate. The one consolation, is my belief that Obama will do his best to heal such polarising divisions in the country, by being inclusive, . . by rejecting the "You're either for us, or against us" rhetoric of the Bush years. Who knows, maybe even by offering McCain a job looking after Veterans' concerns.

Maybe it's naive of me to hope that the USA could think of itself as a "community" any time soon, but for its sake, (and the world's), it's citizens really need to start respecting each other as fellow human beings - read the Gettysburg Address, if you're so fond of honoring the Founding Fathers.

To that end - hope over fear - I wish Obama all the best.

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4. At 6:55pm on 14 Oct 2008, Stephen Derry wrote:
This just illustrates the fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives, liberals are pretty tolerant of anything, even people they completely disagree with; whereas conservatives are terrified of anything different from that with which they are familiar.

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5. At 8:19pm on 14 Oct 2008, usaabroad wrote:
Gavin

you have hit the nail on the head.

As a Tennessean living in the UK, I feel well placed to comment on the vitroil shown from the republicans in contrast to the democrats.

No-one really ever addresses the issue that the republican perspective is based on a sense of freedom that only applies if you agree with them. heaven help you if you choose to disagree with them!

In reality we all know the colour issue of this election. Shame on anyone who allows colour to sway them in their vote.

Finally is it only me who found the comments from the republican crowd about Barack being an Arab deeply offensive?

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6. At 9:48pm on 14 Oct 2008, clueduprock wrote:
#2 neil_a2

Hopefully this time round there will be a qualified election without the outright theft of votes (2000, Florida) or the more subtle messing around of voting centres (2004, Ohio). Even better there will be a clear victory which will mean even if one large state was messed around with, if wouldn't have made a difference.

That said, it's looking increasingly unlikely that McCain will get in, which is likely to encourage the same party who stole the last two elections to try anything behind the scenes that will count if it goes down to the wire.

Even without any wrongdoing, a McCain victory by 51% (or less) will not only enrage Democrats for being close, it will be doubly frustrating considering the last 8 years... (in which case McCain would need to truly reach out across party lines to unite America, and coldshoulder Palin and the fundamentalists she now represents - an IMPOSSIBLE task).

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7. At 9:56pm on 14 Oct 2008, LAshutterbug wrote:
#4 Stephen Derry:

Absolutely spot-on correct. But of course this is to be expected when you have a right wing who is convinced that G.O.P. stands for "God's Ordained Party", and who conveniently overlook the fact that the Founding Fathers made it quite clear that Church and State do not mix. And who endorse the idea of America as the great melting pot, so long as the melting doesn't take place anywhere near them.

Soft, unimaginative, easily frightened and easily manipulated people--this is the Republican base. These are the people who buy the poisonous words of the likes of Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh hook, line and sinker. It would be sad if it weren't so utterly dangerous.

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8. At 11:09pm on 14 Oct 2008, joemboston wrote:
Hi, The Republican response is simple. For 20 years now the republican base have been getting there news from Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Shawn Hannity and the rest of the extreme right wing. These people spew hate and half truths along with out right lies with no one countering them. Talk about an AXIS of EVIL. These commentators are an AXIS of HATE. IT can be seen in any Republican ralley.

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9. At 03:55am on 15 Oct 2008, Y_K_Hui wrote:
Mr. Hewitt,

Would you take some time to read the book The Case Against Barack Obama ... the Media's Favorite Candidate by David Freddoso?

It seems to me your reporting carries some of your own preconception and presumptions.

However, I appreciate your work. No one is perfect.

In any event, I bet 90 percent or more of the Obama supporters know little if any of the facts cited in the book.

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10. At 07:28am on 15 Oct 2008, SpeleoKarst wrote:
Unfortunately I predict that a few days before the election, a “terrorist incident“, whose perpetuators will never be identified, will sweep the Republicans into office.

Soon into his presidency McCain will insist on piloting Air Force One himself, pulling rank on the regular pilot.
The resulting crash will make Palin President.

Unpatriotic behaviour will soon be made a felony and all those not saluting the flag will be arrested.
Slowly but surely, registered Democrats, among others, will be rounded up.
In order to achieve “victory” in Iraq, nuclear attacks will be carried out on Iraqi cities, until the Iraqi government unconditionally surrenders.

The Republican dream?

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11. At 07:35am on 15 Oct 2008, Geospiza wrote:
Y_K_Hui (#9) . . .

If there was anything more substantial than conspiracy theories (as in your book), don't you think we would have heard them from McCain et al by now?

I hope Obama wins. But the legacy of his victory will be a highly divided nation, divided between his Obamaphiles and Obamaphobes. There are large numbers in each camp.

I guess this is the case with all close elections, but particularly acute here given the depth of feelings associated with this election.

The reunification process will take some planning, and more than a good speech or two.

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12. At 09:40am on 15 Oct 2008, Schwerpunkt wrote:
4. StephenDerry wrote:

"This just illustrates the fundamental difference between liberals and conservatives, liberals are pretty tolerant of anything, even people they completely disagree with; "

No, sorry not buying it. The liberals were sharpening their knives for Bush 43 even before he went into Iraq.

My view of what we have now is a third of the country very entrenched with one ideal world view, one very entrenched with a different world view and a third in the middle that moves with the tide.

If the proprortions entrenched increases I fear then there will ither be deadlock in government or worse.

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13. At 2:06pm on 15 Oct 2008, AQdeCdeUS wrote:
It puzzles me that the media is so quick to point out and insinuate that anti-Barack voters are inherently racist and bigoted. While one might not agree with their comments, their concerns of Obama's questionable associations and lack of patriotism aren't unfounded.

And at the very least they aren't engaging in blatant acts of civil disobedience like the protesters that we see at every Republican National Convention (as someone else pointed out). In my view, their offensive remarks and actions near didn't receive near as much coverage as the concerns of ordinary Americans that Obama isn't presidential material.

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14. At 2:35pm on 15 Oct 2008, SpeleoKarst wrote:
AQdeCdeUS - 13 wrote:

"And at the very least they aren't engaging in blatant acts of civil disobedience like the protesters that we see at every Republican National Convention"

It's interesting to see how the spirit of Thoreau and Emerson survives in today's neo-con "thinkers"...

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15. At 6:25pm on 15 Oct 2008, Stephen Derry wrote:
#12 Schwerpunkt

No objection to the second part of my comment then?

Anyone who is intolerant, whether of political or religious beliefs or any other personal choice, cannot be a liberal by the very definition of the word.

Perhaps you need to find a new term to demonise those ultra-partisan Democrats who display illiberal attitudes towards their political opponents?

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16. At 5:50pm on 17 Oct 2008, gflim1940 wrote:
Watching the rhetoric in the elections from the safe confines of Victoria, BC, I am constantly depressed at how democracy is used as a shield to defame, slander and tarnish the name of an erstwhile candidate simply because of irrational fears and undiluted bigotry.

Inspite of it, I am glad that Obama is streaking ahead and will probably emerge victorious. I am hopeful that his victory will serve eventually to exorcise the evil spirit that lives in those who fear the black man in the US.

As it is, there is much for Americans of all colors and beliefs to do in the economy without fantasising about how how a black President might demonise them.

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