Forget Sticks, Stones; Her Words Are Bullets

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin was actually on message when she attacked Barack Obama’s relationship with former Weatherman Bill Ayers during last year's campaign, the Atlantic reports. A new book, The Battle for America, reveals that Palin received an email from top McCain staff suggesting she use the Ayers attack. It even specified the approved language. Strategists also planned to run a similar TV ad. More»

(NEWSER) - It's been hard to miss the spate of reports about ugly anti-Obama incidents at McCain/Palin events—a crowd member calling him a “terrorist,” for instance. The media is now playing a game of "find a freak" at GOP rallies and grossly distorting the notion of genuine harm coming Obama's way, writes Sean Collins in Spiked. That these fears have gained traction underscores just how alienated Democrats have become from white, working-class voters. More»

Democrat is protected by his race, not vulnerable because of it

(NEWSER) - John McCain isn’t stoking racism against Barack Obama. If anything, writes Jonah Goldberg in the LA Times, McCain is going easy on the Democrat for fear of appearing racist. When the GOP paints Obama as “different” or Sarah Palin says he doesn’t see America “the way you and I see America,” they’re using the same strategies they have for years—against white candidates. More»

'Wimp' columnist climbs into the mud with 'pig' radio host

(NEWSER) - Going so far as to call him a “pig,” Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell has launched a full-on war of words with Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh called Mitchell a "racist nutball" and ridiculed her and other “drive-by journalists” for saying Sarah Palin and John McCain should restrain supporters at their rallies, some of whom have shouted "kill him" and "terrorist." More»

Candidate rips Obama's 'truthfulness' at angry rally

(NEWSER) - John McCain has attacked Barack Obama for his links to political radical Bill Ayers for the first time, Politico reports. McCain, who had previously left the assault to Sarah Palin, told a raucous Wisconsin rally that booed every mention of Obama's name that the issue went to the heart of whether his rival "is telling the truth to the American people or not." More»