The Hate that Never Dies

Yesterday I made the "mistake" of watching the video posted here on Crooks and Liars: depressing and repulsive stuff. In just a few short minutes I noted the following from these McPalin supporters:

• "you're stupid"
• "hangs around with terrorists"
• "he's a terrorist"
• "Obama's a Muslim; he's a terrorist himself"
• "here it is" [giving the finger]
• "commie faggots"
• "get a job"
• "go to Russia"
• "socialist swine"
• "screw Obama"
• "die"
• "European socialist"
• "he is a Muslim"
• "I don't know what he is"
• "sleazy scum of the earth" [of ACORN & Obama]

Watching it I had a weird déjà vu experience. I had seen this crowd before, but where? Then it hit me, during the POV special about the Chilean judge investigating Pinochet there is a scene during Pinochet's funeral where his supporters taunt victims and opponents of Pinochet with nearly identical epithets: faggot, terrorist, etc. You can get a feel for these Pinochet fans by checking out this clip on YouTube.

One of the readers of this blog noted below that the issue of McPalin mob hatred and vitriol is "not being properly addressed by the major media." So when ATC on Friday covered just this topic I wondered how they would cover it. The title of the web post gives a clue: "Anxiety Rules at McCain Campaign Stops." Anxiety?

Melissa Block opens the piece with "Republican John McCain held a series of rallies and town hall meetings with increasingly anxious supporters. It's not just the slumping economy that has them worried..." Anxious? Worried? That's interesting because I've been around a lot of anxious and worried people in my time, and they don't usually scream at people, calling them liars, terrorists, faggots, etc.

Scott Horsley takes over and tells us the following about the McMob: They are "outspoken in their dismay" and "there's more defiance than celebration" in them. Outspoken? Defiance? And then after not really addressing the fundamental - and dangerous - issue of McCain and Palin cultivating this viciousness, Horsley wraps it up with a plug for McCain: "McCain and NPR has been embracing his underdog status."