U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Atlanta) issued the following statement regarding the increasingly negative tone of Sen. John McCain's Presidential Campaign on Saturday:
“What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. [Sarah] Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
“During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate.
“George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights.
“Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
“As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. “They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better.”
John Lewis lived through the chaos of the Civil Rights Movement and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the height of the movement. What Sen. McCain has allowed to transpire over the last week in terms of rhetoric is divisive and unnecessary during this campaign. On Friday I saw clips of McCain finally defending Obama from these "crazy" attacks, but it may be too late for McCain to salvage his good reputation if he loses this election. Here's a link to the complete article, which also includes a McCain response.
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