BASELESS!?

Baseless!?

John McCain called a statement by a Georgia congressman Saturday, which compared the feeling at recent Republican rallies to those of segregationist George Wallace, "a brazen and baseless attack."

Congressman John Lewis said:

"What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse."

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."

John McCain's response was:

"Congressman John Lewis' comments represent a character attack against Gov. Sarah Palin and me that is shocking and beyond the pale...I am saddened that John Lewis, a man I've always admired, would make such a brazen and baseless attack on my character."

Perhaps John McCain's memory isn't firing on all cylinders. Or maybe he missed his running mate's rallies. Or maybe he's forgotten his own strategy of late.

CNN contributor David Gergen, who has advised Democratic and Republican presidential administrations, said Thursday that the negative tone of these rallies is "incendiary" and could lead to violence.

"There is this free floating sort of whipping around anger that could really lead to some violence. I think we're not far from that."

The attacks on Obama have been disgusting. The rallies, especially Palin's, have been appalling. And Palin hasn't done a thing to stop the calls for "kill him." But what do you expect from a woman who purportedly said -

“So Sambo beat the bitch!”

So no, John, the remarks today by Congressman Lewis were not baseless. Just look at the news.


Pic: Five months after vowing "segregation forever" at his 1963 inaugural, Gov. George C. Wallace tried to block the admission of two black students to the all-white University of Alabama.