The Washington Post describes an angry crowd at a Republican political rally in Wisconsin — angry at Obama for what they believe he represents — and more interestingly, angry at McCain for waltzing around with him in the ring like a sawdust dummy.
WAUKESHA, Wis., Oct. 9 — There were shouts of “Nobama” and “Socialist” at the mention of the Democratic presidential nominee. There were boos, middle fingers turned up and thumbs turned down as a media caravan moved through the crowd Thursday for a midday town hall gathering featuring John McCain and Sarah Palin. “It is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama, that you hit him where it hits, there’s a soft spot,” said James T. Harris, a local radio talk show host … The crowd of thousands roared its approval.
“I’m mad! I’m really mad!” another man said, taking the microphone and refusing to surrender it easily, even when McCain tried to agree with him.
“I’m not done. Lemme finish, please,” he said after a standing ovation. “When you have Obama, [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and the rest of the hooligans up there going to run the country, we have to have our head examined.
“It’s time that you two represent the rest of us. So go get ’em.”
Ya think?
As I’ve written elsewhere this election isn’t entirely about McCain vs Obama, nor even Democrat vs Republican, or even Liberal vs Conservative. For many of those who have lost confidence in the political, economic and cultural elites that have long led the nation it is really about us versus them. The election may simply be the setting for a far larger wave of disillusionment that is beating not just at the doors of Washington and Wall Street, but also against the towers of academia and the soundproofed studios of the mainstream media. Ask not for whom the bell tolls — the jangling you hear is a four alarm fire. And even John McCain may be just one more bystander.
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