McCain Playing with Fire

Colonel W. Patrick Lang, a retired senior officer of U.S. Military Intelligence and U.S. Army Special Forces, posted this today at his blog, Sic Semper Tyrannis 2008.

Something happened that caused McCain to rebuke a woman at a rally who fumbled in frustration for words and then called Obama an "Arab." McCain drew back from that and insisted to her that his opponent was a "decent man, a family man, with whom I disagree on some things." The mob did not like that. It hissed and cried out in frustration when denied its leader in hatred. The mob had a right to be confused. McCain had made no previous objection to this kind of talk. The mob was puzzled. Appeals to hatred of the "other" have been occurring at his rallies for a couple of weeks. Something must have happened to change his attitude. Did the Secret Service object to this incitement of violence? Did some saner soul amongst the Republicans object? Something happened.