Richard WarnickGayle Quinnell and McCain’s Big Problem
Lately, McCain/Palin events have attracted lots of angry white racists. The reason for this probably has something to do with the fact that their campaign is spending almost its entire ad budget on dishonest attack ads, and the candidates themselves are questioning Barack Obama’s patriotism and accusing him of “palling around with terrorists.”
McCain is now embarrassed because his extremist supporters are starting to attract media attention. At raucous rallies, they loudly call Obama a traitor and a terrorist, and shout “Kill him!” and “Off with his head.” At a town hall meeting Friday in Lakeville, Minnesota, the presidential candidate was booed by his own supporters as he tried to distance himself from right-wing lies being spread by McCain/Palin campaign workers.
Late in the town hall meeting, Gayle Quinnell of Shakopee called Obama “an Arab.” Taken aback, McCain shook his head and, taking the microphone from her, said, “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues.”
After the rally, Quinnell was unrepentant. “You can’t trust Barack Hussein Obama because he is a Muslim and a terrorist,” she said.
Via Talking Points Memo: Uptake.org has video of an interview with Gayle Quinnell just after the rally. She is a 75-year-old McCain volunteer, and she has sent out 400 copies of a letter accusing Obama of being an Arab terrorist.
This is amazing. How many votes does McCain lose every time these people talk to the media?
UPDATE: Today in the New York Times, McCain’s top adviser Mark Salter dismisses the senator’s supporters as “the occasional nut”, and says the campaign is not responsible for their outpourings of hate against Senator Obama.
UPDATE: Time Magazine’s Karen Tumulty listened to Virginia state GOP Chairman Jeffrey M. Frederick give a pep talk to a group of McCain volunteers yesterday, comparing Senator Obama to Osama bin Laden.
With so much at stake, and time running short, Frederick did not feel he had the luxury of subtlety. He climbed atop a folding chair to give 30 campaign volunteers who were about to go canvassing door to door their talking points — for instance, the connection between Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden: “Both have friends that bombed the Pentagon,” he said. “That is scary.” It is also not exactly true — though that distorted reference to Obama’s controversial association with William Ayers, a former 60s radical, was enough to get the volunteers stoked. “And he won’t salute the flag,” one woman added, repeating another myth about Obama. She was quickly topped by a man who called out, “We don’t even know where Senator Obama was really born.” Actually, we do; it’s Hawaii.
UPDATE: In an interview with a Virginia TV station, Senator McCain appeared to defend Frederick’s comparison of Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden. TPM has the video.
“I have to look at the context of his remarks. I have always repudiated any comments that have been made that were inappropriate about Senator Obama. The fact is that William Ayers was a terrorist and bomber and unrepentant. I don’t care about that. But, Sen. Obama ought be candid and truthful about his relationship with Mr. Ayers in whose living room Sen. Obama launched his campaign and Sen. Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood.”
October 12th, 2008 at 7:11 am
What the diff between Gail and Ken?
October 12th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Cliff
Obama’s father is part Arab. So that makes Obama also part Arab but that doesn’t mean he is a terrorist. It is not Obama’s race or lineage that is a concern rather it is the fact that Obama’s mentor is an unrepentant terrorist. Some people are saying that the problem with Obama’s relationship with William Charles Ayres (for now on that is how he is to be referred since traditionally we refer to notorious criminals with their full names) shows a lack of good judgment on the part of Barack Hussein Obama, but it goes much deeper than that. Obama’s relationship was one of mentor and protege, master and apprentice. William Charles Ayres is the man behind the curtain. He is the Manchurian and Barack Hussein Obama is his candidate.
October 12th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Obamas father is part Arab. So what. My father 100% German. So what.
Ayers was never Obamas mentor. That is a lie. How do you feel about lying?
October 12th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Cliff
I already said that Obama’s race and lineage is not a factor. What is a lie is Obama claiming he barely knows Ayres when that has been utterly disproven. I am not lying about William Charles Ayres being Obama’s mentor because the evidence is so strong to support my and others contentions.
I have a question for you Cliff. If it could be proven that William Charles Ayres ghost wrote Obama’s “Dreams of my Fathers” for Barack Obama, would that be a cause of consern for you?
There is strong evidence to support this and people are looking into it.
http://www.cashill.com/natl_general/did_bill_ayers_write_1.htm
“I picture the street coming alive, awakening from the fury of winter, stirred from the chilly spring night by cold glimmers of sunlight angling through the city.” Bill Ayers, Fugitive Days.
“Night now fell in midafternoon, especially when the snowstorms rolled in, boundless prairie storms that set the sky close to the ground, the city lights reflected against the clouds.” Barack Obama, Dreams From My Father.
Sounds familiar doesn’t it. Also Ayres uses many sea analogies and references to shipping and sea themes in his writings because he was once a mariner, and coincidentally there are sea analogies and references in Obama’s book even though he has no sea faring experience.
Also “Dreams of my Father” bares no resemblance to Obama’s past or post “Dreams” writing style but bears astonishing resemblance to William Charles Ayres writing style.
If this is the case and Ayres wrote Obama’s book this would indicate a connection that goes way past being a mere acquaintance of Ayres but a follower that shares the same world view as the unrepentant terrorist.
October 12th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Is that all ya got Ken? Ayers. Anything else we should fear as much as another Republican president out for his rich buddies?
October 12th, 2008 at 8:55 am
So Ken,
Just being really objective for a moment. Since you were such a big Bush supporter, do you really think you deserve any credibility anymore?
“George W. Bush has passed Nixon and Truman, and become the least popular President of all-time. According to the Roper Center, here is the worst net approval / disapproval result for every President in the Gallup poll since it began public polling in the late 1930’s:”
October 12th, 2008 at 8:57 am
After reading the above argument I realize how we are not using the same standard for Senator Mc Cain that we are for Senator Obama. If we were, we could not help but mention that years ago Senator McCain was hopping a personal jet to Bermuda for a luxury vacation offered by the un-repentent John Keating who went to jail for his scandalous attempt to buy politicians. The “Keating Five” is not a rock band, but a group of men that took favors from the corrupt owner of a Savings and Loan Institution. Senator McCain was one of those men and…he got in trouble for it. Embarrassed and aggrieved at such an association I think that the Senator is laughable for running attack ads that try to link Senator Obama to the despicable activities of William Charles Ayers. Especially since the Senator was 8 years old at the time. If we were holding the same standard then we must assume that John Keating is the mastermind,mentor and protege to John McCain . Especially since the McCain camp has recently been linked to a dirty Fannie Mae executive who spent alot of money to lobby Senator McCain in to believing that Fannie was doing a good job and should be left alone. The Senator left Fannie alone showing the kind of judgement that post John Keating embarrassment says a lot. To pit the judgment of an 8 year old boy against a grown up Senator screams double standard to me. But hey welcome to politics in 2008.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Okay, Ken, I have to remark:
1. There is no similarity in the two paragraphs you quote except they are both a bit Falknerian in style. And there are hundreds of thousands of similar paragraphs in other books. Did you do this cross analysis of writing styles you mention, or are you again quoting wild accusations from WND or other wacko right-wing web sites (sorry I don’t have the time or patience to look it up myself).
2. Obama’s father is not Arab, he is African. Specifically Kenyan of the Luo tribe. His father WAS Muslim. But Muslim does not equate to Arab. Though that distinction is obviously lost on the wild-eyed lunatic fringe who attend McCain rallies. And by the way, even if his parents had been full-blooded Arabs and Muslim, would that fact alone make you afraid of him? Come on, Ken.
3. “bares . . . resemblance” should be “bears . . . resemblance” (which you used correctly later in the same sentence. If you insist on copying and pasting, please at least correct the spelling. It’s getting irritating.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:26 am
It is well-documented that Senator McCain was a very close friend of several unrepentant convicted criminals, including Charles Keating (fraud, racketeering, and conspiracy) and Ahmed Chalabi (bank fraud, espionage).
Any list of Senator McCain’s associations with unrepentant convicted criminals would also have to include G. Gordon Liddy (conspiracy, burglary and illegal wiretapping). McCain and Liddy are old friends.
Ken, did you know that William Ayers was never convicted of a crime?
October 12th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Elizabeth and Cliff
As you know I have not been a big fan of Bush in his second term (except for the surge). However, Bush is now irrelevant because he is not running for President and McCain will be a far different President than Bush. I agree with one thing we have two very flawed candidates. If only we had Romney to choose from. We have to choose the lesser of two evils. McCain’s lesser for Obama’s evil. You talk about McCains link to Fannie Mae but you fail to mention Obama’s connection to Franklin (90 million golden parachute) Raines. Imagine the firestorm if McCain had similar ties to Enron’s Ken Lay. The only difference between Ken Lay and Franklin Raines is that Raines has strong Democrat connections and thus is protected by the party machine.
Obama may have been 8 years old when William Charles Ayres was planting bombs but he was in his 30s when Ayres lamented that his reign of terror did not go far enough and in his 40s when he served on boards together and announced his political career in Ayres home.
I have never heard McCain lie about his connection to Keating, but Obama has never come clean about his connection to the terrorist William Charles Ayres.
Richard Warnick
Ayres beat the wrap on technicalities. He has since proudly admitted all his crimes.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Ken, you say “McCain will be a far different President than Bush.” Got anything to back that up? All his policy proposals are either the same as Bush’s policies or worse.
Point of fact: Raines has no connection to the Obama campaign, and never did.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:35 am
Ken,
How about McCain’s Meg “eBay” Whitman whom he says he likes as a Treasury Secretary option? Great idea in this particular economic climate, huh? Just what this country needs. Put greedy corporate CEO’s in charge of the U.S. Treasury.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:52 am
From Fox News
Richard Warnick. citing the Washington ComPost, who is clearly in the tank for Obama, is not very credible.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Ken,
Your hypocrisy is astounding. “Bush is now irrelevant?” you say? Wrong. Bush is far more relevant now AND tomorrow. I wonder if we counted, how many times you’ve mentioned Clinton over the past 5 years.
HYPOCRITE.
Bush is relevant because now we can finally institutionalize the marginalization of the dangerously wrong Americans who supported him.
You have played a very major role in the destruction of American. You are by your actions subject to and deserve serious criticism both intellectually AND morally.
Being a nice guy doesn’t change that. You are not innocent Ken, you are bad bad bad Evil lurks in you and you know it.
I suggest you start listening and stop talking.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Goodby oneutah.org, I’m sorry I offended you Cliff.
October 12th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
You don’t offend me Ken, you offend the idea of intellectual vigor and personal courage.
Feelings hurt? Going home? Wherever will we get breaking right-wing talking points?
I assume you have decided to take my advice and stop blogging and focus on your education. It is certainly in the best interest of America and the world.
May I assume that walking away is easier for you than admitting how loud and wrong you have been and still are?
October 12th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Ken says Obama’s father is “part Arab.” I would ask, first, what part, considering Obama’s father was from Kenya, not the Middle East?
Second, I would ask, is there anything wrong with having either Middle Eastern ancestry or African ancestry somehow linked to the Middle East? Arab Americans have made wonderful contributions to America. Arab Americans or Americans with at least some of that heritage and ancestry have served in the Congress, both as Republicans and Democrats, in the cabinet, in the military, in business, in entertainment, sports, etc. See this link.
Eight years ago I voted for an Arab American for President, Ralph Nader. It was a bit of a protest vote, and I voted in a state that Al Gore carried easily, but if, by some miracle, Nader had been elected, we would not be in the mess we are in now.
By some counts, there may be as many as 3.5 million Arab Americans.
70% of Arab Americans are Christians.
52% of Arab Americans are pro-life.
They have been roughly split between the two parties.
See this link.
October 12th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Ken has issued his GBCW comment, so maybe he won’t read this. The Washington Post was the original source for the McCain campaign’s claim of a Raines-Obama connection. It’s illogical to rely on the Post’s reporting, and then dismiss their later clarification as not credible.
Cliff– Breaking right-wing talking points are available 24/7 at the Utah Bloghive.
October 12th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Ken doesn’t care about truth, he cares about tribe.
Its not his fault. His family, wherever they are from, probably lack some more evolved trait that suppresses tribalism. Could be Arab blood. Could be American hick genes. Who knows.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I’m listening to Biden speak in PA and I am reminded of Ken. “False and ridiculous attacks on Barack Obama are attacks on America.”
That’s why Ken is a bad person (and doesn’t know it). He is attacking America by perpetuating the right’s desperate lies.
But is IS KEN’s fault KEN does not know the difference between an Arab and a Muslim.
These people must shut the fuck up :)
October 12th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I just saw someone hand Hillary an Obama branded Hand bag to sign. Not campaign crap. A nice-looking functional one.
And I had a vision. Obama will fulfill part of America’s need for a Monarch-esq’ leadership. Obama becomes our African Prince.
During the second term, Congress revokes the presidential term limit. Obama serves longer than Roosevelt and history books for ever after speak of the man Obama as America’s Messiah.
Just saying, it was a vision. But we ARE having a populist revolution.
Pick your rooming house now.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I don’t know about a vision, but what you describe sounds more like a psychotic break.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Cliff– Huh? The dynastic model might have gone like this: Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton. By giving the nomination to somebody other than Hillary, we got out of that trap IMHO.
I’m willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt, however let’s not forget that he abandoned his promise to filibuster on the issue of warrantless surveillance. Instead, he voted for the bill, telecom immunity and all.
We shall see what we shall see.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
That certainly was visionary. Cliff, I figure you are either trying to really scare Ken, or you’ve been hittin’ the sauce (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). But wouldn’t it be wonderful if peace really did reign in our country after the election?
October 12th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I thought Cliff’s romantic fantasy was kind of calming, but then you get jolted back to reality. White racists booing at their own candidate because he was trying to bring the level of discussion out of the sewer at town hall meeting is something I am horrified to see happen. It reminds me of the Jerry Springer show, but this time it’s real.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Did Ken really bid us all adieu? Perhaps the ‘rapture’ came and we heathen didn’t even reco’nize it.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Ken is going to miss knitting our eyebrows, but OneUtah becomes less silly.
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
[...] intellectually superior”, than what does the right think about themselves? Remember Gayle Quinnell? Who is HER intellectual [...]