My guess on why McCain talked down the "fear" today.

[dem629]

McCain is all about McCain. Someone told him: You're going to lose. It's over. Do you want your legacy to be entirely about your failed presidential candidacy that centered almost exclusively on trying to plant the seed in the voters' minds that your opponent was a terrorist-sympathizer? Is THAT what you want your legacy to be?

Again, I don't think his motive is pure -- it's all about him, and his legacy, and the legend of him always putting "country first."

Just a possible theory. And IF (big IF, I know) it's true, someone deserves credit for talking him off the ledge and trying to save our country from disastrous further division and hate.

[1corona4u]

1. Sounds about right.

But I think the hate he created isn't going to go away for a while.....if it ever does.

[dem629]

2. Oh, I think you're right about that. And he still deserves FULL blame for starting this in the first

place. No doubt.

Basically (and oddly) all he did was distance himself from something he created.

[frogcycle]

22. he didn't "create" it

its been there since humans started walking upright

[Bicoastal]

3. I think McCain got a phone call this afternoon:

"John? It's Barack. Cut out the Bullshit or else."

[Bobbieo]

5. His Republican Party may have had a hand in his decision to

lighten up.

[Trajan]

4. NOT just about that ....

I am sure his 'legacy' figures in (too late though), but I am getting the impression that cooler heads in the GOP are outraged at the venomous behaviors expressed at the rallies this week, and how 1) It will sully the entire party, and 2) It could lead to REAL riotous behavior, of which both the GOP AND McCain will be held responsible in the history books ....

THEY are getting scared of the reaction ....

[Thrill]

6. To be fair. I think he actually feels uncomfortable doing it.

[winga222]

14. Exactly. He debate Obama again in a matter of days.

I think he's played mind games with himself that allowed him to think "hey, I didn't call him a terrorist". Now that he's been taunted to say it directly to Obama, he found out that he just doesn't have it in him. Call it cowardice. Or some vestiges of the man he was at one time. Whatever. He knows that he can't do it and he has to start talking down the crowds now or be belittled by them in a few days when he doesn't "take it to him", as one of the wingnuts so pungently said.

[sunnybrook]

20. I agree with that

I see this in two different ways. Politically he can try to redeem himself with moderates somewhat who are uncomfortable with the Klan rallies by evoking some of what many remembered McCain for in the past, being willing to take on his party. After all, he did come out and criticize the religious right, he did things that made the Limbaugh wing of his party absolutely hate him, he did, at least at times, have some of that (insert M-word) streak. So he knows he is turning off the moderates and he is smart politically and he does not want to go down in history as the George Wallace of 2008, especially if something happens from this.

But I think he also does have a part of him that is deeply uncomfortable with this, he has not fit in with the ULTRA social conservatives in his party. He is a more sophisticated person than Palin and her worshippers. So it could be just a tiny itsy bitsy drop of dignity left in him. Probably the political one more, but you hope that people at least sometimes do the right thing.

[KeepItReal]

25. It was point-blank range and he had to nip it in the bud or else approve it

I agree deep down the dude knew the right thing to do was stop the B.S.

He was was kickin and screaming as he did it though....

[BuyingThyme]

7. I think he just painted himself into a corner and finally had to take a leak.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Which is fine...it shows he has some decency

Selfish motivation or not, he showed a good side of himself today. And, trust me, he'll be despised by the same people we can't stand for doing so.

[mth44sc]

9. Nope

this was all about maing McSame seem sane and providing some news cover for Palin.

[Quixote1818]

10. He absolutely had to. The country was looking at those rallies and saying WTF!

Also, I think he might have been talked to by the Secret Service and he may have started to worry that if Obama was assassinated he would ultimately be fingered as someone who fueled the fire. He absolutely had to take back control of those insane rallies. He simply had to.

[JI7]

11. i disagree, it's either because it hasn't worked or he is going to get others

to do it while he tries to appear above it in order to appeal to moderate/indie types.

[WindRiverMan]

12. I think the SS had a little talk with John

and told him it was getting too ugly and they would start responding. I think he decided that watching rally members cuffed and escorted in waiting cop cars would look bad in the media.

[Quixote1818]

13. Yep. I said something similar above. nt

[Arkana]

15. No. He was boxed in by horrible racist supporters

who forced him to do one of two things:

1) Address their horrible questions directly, implying that he agreed with their racist assertions, or

2) back away and defend Obama from his horrible racist supporters after realizing the level of xenophobic fury he'd whipped them into, looking like an impotent jackass who is merely the anti-Obama.

He chose #2--two bad options for him.

[Quixote1818]

17. Well put. He had to do it. nt

[quaker bill]

16. I think it is fairly simple

A) "John, you are going to lose, and this will make it worse"

B) "John, you know that if any act of violence arises from this, you will not only lose, but take the rest of the party down with you"

[Corgigal]

18. I also thought it was possible

that Secret Service informed the campaign that they will start having their members stand in line for these events, in civilian clothes, and arrest people on the spot. Could you imagine those headlines?

[Paulie]

26. I would think it was his protection team

the people that will take a bullet for you would have more sway. I bet they were getting worried and said so.

[Tribetime]

19. I think you're right, he knows he'll lose and wants to save his image

[Aussie leftie]

21. I truly believe that McCain is now starting to realize from all his and Palin's rantings to

the looney right, that there is a real possibility of Obama being assassinated by an extremist. He is just distancing himself from responsibility.

[crankychatter]

23. McCain is a rich kid, rage-o-holic, misogynist, wife beater, vain, sense of entitlement having......

.......egomaniac, sociopath and career victim...

...that's the good part

[Cresent City Kid]

24. This was the flip to the negative flop

McCain is all over the place. He makes "bold" moves he thought of at breakfast, and when that doesn't work he does the opposite. Unlike Obama, he doesn't have a grand vision of the future and policies to make it happen. He just has wild tactics from day to day. If the mob was helping his poll numbers, you can bet he'd keep doing it.