Violence and potential assassination are topics folks avoid, either because it’s too awful to comprehend, or because their minds and hearts resist it, but it was a question asked about Barack Obama during a teleconference with Charles Ogletree, Harvard University Professor and member of the African American Leadership Council, Flo McAfee, Senior Special Media Advisor, and Rick Wade, Senior Advisor, Obama for America held on Tuesday, August 26 at the Democratic Party convention. That was a question asked about the failed assassination attempt on Barack Obama intercepted by both Federal and State security personnel. Wade was asked specifically about it and the potential for an attack on Obama either during the time of the Convention or during the subsequent campaign.

Even though the incident had passed, Wade talked about tight security in Denver and that would continue to exist during political campaigns where there are high emotions and unique candidates like Barack Obama but didn’t want to go further with the question asked by one of the media participants about potential assassination. That response and evasion likely reflects not just the Obama conference leadership but members of the media as well, even though one correspondent was willing to ask the question head-on. Although the incident was given short shrift, it tells us of the potential violence that exists, and our reluctance as a national community to face it. It must be faced today and any time there are controversial candidates and people who exacerbate the divisions in this country and make them worse. That potential to increase violence and threats has increased since the nomination of Sarah Palin whose provocations with accusations of treasons and other statements go beyond common sense and reasonable argument. It is behavior we need to be concerned about, especially during difficult economic times.

During the Democratic Party Convention and afterwards caucus groups and political groups have tried to concentrate on the major issues related first to the economy, then to energy, health care, and other key concerns and not sink into the mudslinging that could deny people what they need to know to vote reasonably. People have been oriented to get involved in outreach programs to get out the vote. Still in the back of the minds of many there are lingering worries from those terrible 1960’s memories when some of the best and brightest of our leaders were killed as they tried to assume leadership during difficult days. And these are difficult days, where controversy continues to grow; and anyone in the Presidency will face the stress and strain and panic of economic difficulties and the people’s reactions surrounding these concerns. Our next President will be blamed not just for his failures but those of his predecessors, and the rhetoric of the campaign will heighten emotions that may linger and create serious problems now or some time when personal emotions have reached a peak of explosion.

The risk to our democracy is the din of voices that chant refrains about treason, and kill, and drill, and that cry “Yes, kill him” and other statements meant to foster extreme emotional response. During stressful times, this only serves to exacerbate problems, and we have started to see behavior in our country that looks like some of the forces that have assumed control in other parts of the world. Those of us who believe in the goodness of man and the strength of our country need to stay above the fray, assume the responsibilities of helping others, and help the emotional climate be calmed so that the worst doesn’t happen, now or anytime.

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It’s the very near future and Sarah Palin has been elected president. Her vice president is Glenn Beck. The country goes through drastic changes under her administration, including more war and a closer working relationship between church and state. Her cabinet will be filled with right wing radicals. Congress will be under her control. The full consequences of a Palin government are examined in this 55 page report. While relying partly on satire, this paper … More >>

SARAH PALIN: OUR FIRST BEAUTY QUEEN PRESIDENT

Now it’s her turn! Wednesday night Sarah Palin will speak for herself. The press has been all over what was initially thought to be a pure as snow, no skeletons in the closet, tough as nails woman. Since that introduction just a few days ago (5 to be exact), she’s been accused as being a bad mother, someone who hid her pregnancy until the seventh month, not watching over her seventeen year old pregnant daughter, and involved in what’s known as Trooper-gate. 

Ah, who wants to ever run for public office, let alone the second-highest office in the land?

Wednesday night is the night that the vice presidential nominee speaks and that means that Sarah will have her say. She will get to tell her story. Sarah Palin has dominated the Republican convention for days without saying a word, but on Wednesday she takes the spotlight with a prime-time speech that will introduce her to American voters and try to answer questions about her experience and life story.

Since John McCain made the nearly unknown Palin his choice for vice president, the Alaska governor has been at the center of a media storm fueled by disclosures about her unmarried teenage daughter’s pregnancy, a probe into her role in an Alaskan official’s firing and questions about her political record.

I’m not sure that having the father of the unmarried Bristol Palin there is a good idea though. It seems to me that it comes across as saying to the rest of the world, that getting pregnant while in high school, and unmarried is cool. Look at all the attention Bristol is getting.

But, the speech will give her a chance to move past the issue of her 17-year-old daughter’s pregnancy and the probe into whether she abused her power in having a public safety commissioner fired, although it is unclear if she will directly address either topic. One more day of the Conventions and then the two sides get it ON- literally.

Are you ready for some smash-mouth politics?