VIDEO: The McCain-Palin mob in Strongsville, Ohio
Wed, Oct 8, 2008
UPDATE - THANK KOS & WONKETTE & DIGG!! Please donate to keep my camera charged and the gas tank filled for more Ohio fun!
It’s no wonder that the slightest incitement from Sarah Palin or John McCain will turn one of their rallies into a lynch mob. Just talk to the folks who attend.
My camera was rolling for literally seconds before people happily said to me, on camera, that Barack Obama is a terrorist. If I hadn’t spent most of my time at the event inside, waiting for the candidates to show up, I could have gotten dozens of these people on tape.
It appears the McCain campaign has either been told to tone it down by the Secret Service, or is toning it down themselves, because Ayers never came up in the building. Which is good, because if they had invoked Ayers, this crowd, as you will see from the YouTube, would have easily gone to the death threats we’ve heard before, keeping the Secret Service busy for weeks. Of course, Jim Trakas didn’t get the memo, saying Barack Obama supporters are “sinners” and implored the crowd to “pray for their souls.”
Bonus footage of people claiming they know Sarah Palin better than they know Barack, and in fact, never heard of Barack.
I’ve been doing blog video for a while, and presidential rallies a lot longer. And this is the most strange, ignorant, uninformed, angry, up-to-no-good, and gullible group of people I’ve ever seen at a political rally.
Ever.
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Tags: mccain palin strongsville ohio, obama ayers, obama terrorists
October 8th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Kudos for getting that video. Very important. Hope a lot of people see this.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
These people are not ignorant. Please don’t assume they are. They have strong feelings about how slanted the media is and they are. I grew up in Strongsville and the people are not backwards or anything different then many across the country. take a look at your candidate and you can fins many folks out there that have much more crazy, hate filled omments. Please. remember all the coverage and hate she recd and all the comments made back then? Slant..come on.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Go McCain-Palin! Go Strongsville!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
oh dear…. how i really want to try to congugate janet’s sentence and correct her spelling and… and ….
sigh.
okay, janet. we aren’t assuming the people on that tape are ignorant. they ARE ignorant… which is different than stupid.
stupid is a measure of intelligence. ignorance is a measure of a lack of education and knowledge. ignorance can be fixed. unfortunately, for these people, they don’t seem to WANT to correct their ignorance. they revel in it - they proudly shout it out - they wallow in it.
i feel really and truly sorry for those on that tape, especially the narcissistic blonde who kept jumping in front of the camera to proudly display her lack of knowledge. i also feel very sorry for the bigotted woman who tried to insinuate that “bloodline” and “name” meant “terrorist”. the real terror from this clip comes from the blatant racism, ugly hatred and blind stupi…. no, ignorance so proudly displayed to the rest of the world.
i know there are good people in strongsville and i am sure they will cast their educated vote in november - and put an intelligent, competent, qualified and dignified barack obama in office!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Janet–I applaud you for avoiding poisonous rhetoric in your own post. As someone who grew up in Strongville, you may well have had an experience that does not align with what we see in this video. However, I must correct you in regards to your assertion that “these people are not ignorant.” The people interviewed on camera are wilfully ignorant. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “ignorant” as “Destitute of knowledge, either in general or with respect to a particular fact or subject; unknowing, uninformed, unlearned.” The subjects interviewed are destitute of knowledge in respect to Obama and related issues. One woman admitted that she had only learned of ACORN that very same day, although she initially introduced the subject into conversation and used it to support her opposition to Obama; she could not define it properly, or connect the dots to explain why it was offensive. The subjects interviewed who claimed that Obama was a terrorist could not back up their assertions. I admire your willingness to engage in civil debate. As for those interviewed on film, I shall call hate-filled–yes, hate-filled–discourse as I see it. Perhaps you can spread your healthful message of compassion to your townspeople–if so, I would be glad to help.
By the way, I do not support Palin because she could not answer in a coherent manner in interviews, because she opposed divestment from the Sudan (despite her claims to the contrary in her speech), because she advocates for increased vice-presidential power when that has been shown not to have a salutary effect on politics, and because she favors a black-and-white worldview where we don’t make considered, well-thought-out decisions–instead, we “don’t blink” and “don’t second-guess” (her own words in separate interviews. I defend her and McCain against any comments based solely on gender. Likewise, I shall defend to the last the first amendment rights of the people of Strongville, but I shall defend my countervailing right to the same–to call out and protest vicious, unproductive rhetoric.
Thanks, bloggerinterrupted, for opening this up for public viewing. We need sunshine as a disinfectant! You are brave, sir, and we need more such courage to unveil hatred that goes against our great American potential.
Signed,
Church-goin’ (every single Sunday!), family-valuin’ Christian NO LONGER supporting McCain
October 8th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
This is truly frightening and unfortunately reflective of the absolute hatred towards liberals in general. What is sad is even some of these folks realize themselves what they are saying is ridiculous by the looks on their faces. They look embarassed (except the blonde yelling in your lense there at the end). They are so deluded that they cannot face the fact that they are losing or are somehow WRONG. God protect Obama because these people scare the hell out of me.
PS to Janet, give it a rest, no one has done anything to your precious Palin, the woman is a mockery to women everywhere.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Wow, what a bunch of delusional, hateful, whackjobs! That psycho woman is particularly disturbing. It’s interesting that she claims that three years ago, she heard of someone who at the time was an unemployed Alaskan, before she started running for Governor, but had yet to hear of a sitting Senator of the 5th largest state, who had previously given a famous keynot address. Completely believable!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Wow, gullible, uninformed, and yes, ignorant people really don’t need much to get riled up do they? There has definitely been an order to tone it down, or maybe McCain actually became frightened upon seeing what his bullshit attacks from this weekend wrought. What I wonder is. where are all of these people going to be in a year when we’re in seriously shitty shape and the only person they are going to be blaming is the current administration (most likely the democrats)?
October 8th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
I grew up in northwest Ohio and I am appalled, but not surprised, by the ignorant racist crowd captured in this video. I have sent this to almost everyone I know as an example of how dangerous the McCain-Palin ticket is for America.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
What you did was seriously dangerous. Mobs can be easily incited to commit violence and even kill. It’s a good thing and I don’t say this to dissuade you. But do be careful.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
This is the 21st century manifestation of a George Wallace campaign. John McCain, I do not believe, is racist. But he is willing to exploit racism, to use racism to further his own political career. That is the difference. He doesn’t have to utter a word of overt racism. He just needs to instill the ideas of terrorist, and treason, and Arab, and Muslim, into the heads of the willful ignorant, and they’ll gladly trumpet the message he seeks to put out there.
The lessons of the past are learned well, and evil like this rarely shows the same face twice.
This is what John McCain is reduced to: for his own personal glory, for his narcissistic ambitions, he is willing to exploit racism.
His legacy, when he finally dies, will be ruined forever by this campaign.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Thank you for this video. Be careful and keep up the great work.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
people there are not ignorant. just think about it, what kind of experience does obama really have? none. McCain clearly has more experience. people that say that he’s just like bush are wrong. McCain and bush are two completely different people.He was in the army and was held captive in war and could have been set free but to show is love for America he stayed. obama has no experience what so ever. this election is a historical election and no matter who we pick it will affect people like me that are only 15 in the future.And, people that say he’s a terrorist i personally don’t think he is to call him that would make me judgmental. Obama could be one though because he only wants power as most terrorist do. with all the gas prices going on and problems in the economy we really need to vote for someone with experience and will do good at this job.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I am not American but interested in your election since the persons you choose have an impact on the whole world. This video and the mob mentality at Palin’s and also McCain’s rallies are very disturbing. Stomach-churning. This is the worst face of America. I know there are other Americans who would find this offensive and shaming. This should be widely distributed. McCain and Palin and the American media should be made responsible for this hate-mongering before there are more serious consequences. Violence is lying beneath the surface in those rallies.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Well done Tim. Be careful around these wackos. Good stuff though.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
This is the STUPIDEST interview question I have ever heard! “When was the first time you heard about …” I heard about “Confucius” 20 years ago when I was 8 and I still know nothing about him!
October 8th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
In their lifetime the people in this video will eat their weight in boogers.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
To the person who posted under the nom de Web “..Says”–refer to my comment above re: the meaning of “ignorant.” By the way, you would have a better chance of persuading others that those portrayed on film are not ignorant if your sentences adhered to the rules of capitalization and were not so clotted with misspellings and grammar mistakes.
Remember, experience does not equal wisdom or good judgment. In the Bible, Pharaoh had experience, and he used it to oppress; Pontius Pilate gave in to the misguided crowd despite his experience.
As for your comment about power–McCain “only wants power”–by definition, all politicians want power. Check his own words as motives:
“I didn’t decide to run for president to start a national crusade for the political reforms I believed in or to run a campaign as if it were some grand act of patriotism. In truth, I wanted to be president because it had become my ambition to be president… I had had the ambition for a long time.”
These are McCain’s own words, from McCain’s 2002 published memoir, _Worth Fighting For_ (one of several memoirs). He’s power-hungry, and he admits it.
Signed,
Church-goin’ (every single Sunday!), family-valuin’ Christian NO LONGER supporting McCain
P.S.
Confidential to “a”: The cure for ignorance is dispensed at your local library. I recommend _The Authentic Confucius: A Life of Thought and Politics_
by Annping Chin. I take issue with certain Confucian tenets, but believe that we in the West would do well to familiarize ourselves with other traditions.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I congratulate you on your bravery to not only capture this post rally fervor, but to challenge people to their beliefs about what they know about each candidate.
I spent many years living in rural Southern West Virginia and there is a certain ignorance and, sometimes, hatred that comes from group of people that are afraid of change or anything that is not recognizable to them.
Nonetheless, there is also a popluation in those communities that are willing to accept new ideas and plainly know when it’s raining and when people are pissing on their heads. These people I am sure stayed home and decided to have their voice heard on November 4th.
But again, kudos to you on this footage. If anything, let’s hope that it changes the McCain camp campaign tactics.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Next time do yourself, and our cause, a favor and don’t mock them and intimidate them(asking for their full name). It makes you look like someone out to start a fight. They didn’t need any instigation, just press record and let their word and thoughts spew forth. Daily Show does it right.
Just a thought.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
This video is a joke right? Kind of like a “SNL-on-the-street”?
October 8th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
This should be re-titled “Heavy Republican Parking Lot.” Great job.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Talk about ignorance and xenophobia! “It’s in his bloodline.” “Look at his name.” Wow, so anyone with a name they’re not familiar with is probably a terrorist?? Obama’s Kenyan blood make him a terrorist?? Or is it his Kansan blood? (It must be the Kenyan because isn’t that like in a different country that’s sooooo scary).
Obama certainly should have turned down helping improve education because a University Professor who did terrible things to protest the war when Obama was a child was also on the board (the guy appointed by a friend of noted terrorist Ronald Reagan; a guy who works with the terrorist Mayor Daley).
The question is if it it hypocritical for the serial killers in this video to hate terrorists (Jeffrey Dahmer grew up in Ohio, so these people must also be serial killers by osmosis).
October 8th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
This kind of ignorance is incomprehensible. What is wrong with these people??
October 8th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
ignorance is bliss????????????????????
terrifying!
October 8th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
They’re not ignorant, just intolerant of anyone who isn’t just like them.
And quite possibly brainwashed to be that way by their local church and hate radio jocks like Limbaugh and Hannity.
This is brainstem tribal B.S., like a football rivalry gone berserk. Nobody is immune to it, no matter how good their education. Hell, if you want to see football rivalries gone berserk, go visit Old Europe. Hooo boy…
October 9th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Growing up in Berea, and having spent a few unfortunate weeks in Strongsville, I’m not surprised by this video or the incredible display of willful ignorance among those who attended this rally. That said, I find it disturbing that so many people in Ohio and Pennsylvania are willing to embrace the politics of hate and to ignore truth and reason in an effort to keep those who are “different” from them from the White House. Racism? Perhaps. But I think that for many of these voters it is quite simply the fear of the “other” — a fear of those who turn to intellectual thought and discourse rather than a literal reading of the Bible — a fear those who recognize that world is filled with complex situations that require solutions that may not fit within a simple, black and white/good and evil analysis. They reject leaders who have this capability for complex thought, who can examine things with a critical eye just as they reject anything that is from the East or the West Coast or from academia as evil. They are the willfully ignorant — the scourge of progressive society — and they rejoice in their lack of knowledge and despise and dismiss those who dare to challenge their worldview. That Sen. Obama’s skin color isn’t lilly white and that his name isn’t of Anglo Saxon origin are just a few other reasons for them to fear and loath him. I weep for my children if these agents of ignorance get another four years in power. (There should be a basic knowledge test that everyone needs to take before they can vote!)
October 9th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Could everyone please please PLEASE send the link to this to Keith Olberman/CBS News/NBC News/NPR/PBS…
If enough people send it, maybe someone’ll do an editorial piece on it?
Better yet, also send it to someone you know who is “on the fence” and ask them, “Are these the people you want to be lumped in with?”
Post the link to this on the boards where you post.
EVERYONE needs to see this.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Amazing, not only the levels of willful ignorance (to rationalize hate-speech), but the lack of critical thinking skills.
There is no excuse for this kind of stupidity.
And people wonder why Republicans have such a bad rep? Why Americans are loathed globally? Just click “play” again.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:33 am
These inbreds should not be allowed to vote.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:49 am
As I’m sure we’ve all heard by now, as reported by the traveling press corps, the McCain/Palin handlers will not allow credentialed press to leave their corral to go out and interview supporters at rallies.
I think we know why.
I guess they forgot about citizen journalists, and YouTube. Thank you for this, Tim. I look forward to the Obama Rally in Cincinnati tomorrow, but seeing my own fellow Buckeyes behave like this breaks my heart just a little.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:52 am
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1667389
Not to make these poor, ignorant souls look like victims, but when you’ve been manipulated for lifetimes (or even generations)…. I was expecting someone to just start shouting “Four legs good, two legs baaaa’d.”
Also, if Obama’s name makes him a terrorist, then are half of these people’s names Idiot, Gullible, Blindasabat?
October 9th, 2008 at 3:22 am
I think this video and the attitude you take adds to the ideological canyon that divides America. You do no justice to progressive causes by stirring the pot in this way.
To be fair to the people in the video, a camera has a habit of pulling out the ignorance in people. Jackass comes to mind. Add to it that you come off as liberal-baiting people, I expect them to say ridiculous things or act like morons as does the woman jumping in front of the camera demanding you say when the first time you heard of Obama. Not that ignorance is excusable but this is a crowd of people who blindly follow a party based on an ideology they neither understand nor check the policies of. Sadly, the policies of the Republican leadership do more to hurt many of these people more than many of them comprehend or care to check. These are the type of people I grew up with.
Sadder yet is that there are equal numbers of people like this on both sides. 
Your current methods are not effective and come off as contemptuous. I suggest providing constructive forums for debating people and providing educational material and resources to help explain your positions. For example, you can direct people to FactCheck.org which is equally scathing of both campaigns/parties for their inaccurate statements and portrayals of the other. You can also provide information about McCain’s role in the S&L crisis, deregulation of the financial services industry, and recent comments about the economy. Provide independent sources for your material. Direct people to use Internet searches and educate themselves. You may not convince everyone (like the guy who thinks Obama was raised from 1-6 by islamists) but I think you can convince a few outliers or centrists who can go either way. Each and every person who decides on Obama may in turn bring another one or two to their viewpoint.
BTW: Obama gets my vote because I think his team will manage the country much better and respect the Constitution more than McCain and the Republicans.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:54 am
I am from Toledo and Janet, you folks are backwards. Now go buy a dictionary and thesaurus.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Read Rolling Stone’s recent article “Make-Believe Maverick” about McCain. Quite possibly the best insight into a McCain presidency that I’ve read in recent years. He’s a selfish little man who will do and say whatever he must to become President.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Unfortunately for me, I’ve known about Sarah longer than Barack.
But I’ve know about him since he announced for US Senator from Illinois, and who doesn’t remember his keynote speech at the Dem Convention in 2004?
What has just amazed me in the 6 weeks the rest of the country has known about Sarah is just how the wingers accepted her without being able to spell Palin or Wasilla correctly, but still kept on with the “we don’t know who Obama is” meme.
She is a dangerous woman, do not vote for her.
October 9th, 2008 at 7:32 am
DO you guys really think Janet even cares what you think. There have always been people who are like this. Actually, I would feel better if they simply talked about McCain’s own merits rather than resorting to ad hominem attacks. They CHOOSE not to argue IDEAS. I don’t know why this is.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Good video but could have been conducted with more objectivity which puts you less on the defensive and allows them to speak freely and show their true colors.
Confrontation brings the worst out in people, and you don’t want that when your viewpoints are grossly outnumbered.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:39 am
McCain - and especially Palin - are playing to the worst passions of ignorant rural whites. They are trying to make them think that Obama is Willie Horton or something.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:40 am
What in gods name are these people smoking??? I need to know so i can see out of their rose colored lenses?? what have the republicans done right in the last 8 years??? get our great nation on the verge of a depression and ruin our reputation overseas… these people need a reality check!!!!!
God help us and not let this country fall victim to another 4 years of the same bs. policies that we have been in for the last 8 years because as god as my witness we can not handle it!!!
October 9th, 2008 at 8:52 am
I live in Ohio (Brunswick) and am truly ashamed of the level of ignorance that is displayed by people at this McCain rally. But guess what…maybe this is why Ohio still hasn’t recovered from the plant closings in the 70/80’s. I think once in-breeding takes place, the effects are permanent.
October 9th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Nice job Tim.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:26 am
We’ve seen this before. These rallies need to be monitored and exposed lest we witness a repeat of history. Good job - keep up the good work.
(And BE CAREFUL!)
October 9th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Bloodline? Does that mean that all these germanic Buckeyes are related to Hitler. Maybe somebody should set up a war crimes tribunal in Strongville.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I was at the McCain - Palin rally. I was told that there was an estimated crowd of around seven thousand people there to see McCain and Palin. So Russo went there and agitated a few people who should not have spoken while a camera was rolling. Now somehow the entire crowd is painted with a broad brush and described as racist, ignorant, hate filled, intolerant, etc, etc? All those nice buzzwords. I saw a few of the protesters also. How would you describe their behavior, Mr Russo? A few of them were real gems.
I learned something important a few years back. Instead of bashing the opponant of my preferred candidate I expound on the merits of my candidate. I get in a lot less arguments that way. Perhaps a few Democrats here and there could try that same philosophy.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Goodness me, it’s like Dawn of the Dead
October 9th, 2008 at 9:54 am
No, they’re not ignorant. They’re morons. Nazis. Haters. Lynch mob types. But the are not ignorant. They know exactly what they are saying.
I hope each one of them loses his/her job (not that some of them look like they work much between hits of crystal meth), can’t get unemployment insurance, and winds up diseased and starving and begging for change on the NYC subway.
Screw them. They are an embarrassment to rednecks (I am one).
October 9th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Keep up the good work.
Keep your cool.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:01 am
There are stupid people EVERYWHERE! Like George Carlin said.. it’s not the politicians who suck.. it’s THE PUBLIC. We wonder why we’re in 2 wars and the economy is in the toilet? Because mouth-breathing morons like these people get to choose our leaders!
For being the “most powerful nation on earth” collectively we sure have an ignorant populace. Kind of says a lot about the state of affairs today.
I think we’re doomed.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:06 am
These people aren’t even the worst example of ignorance that Ohio has to offer…hailing from the Cincinnati area - a bastion of conservatism that approaches a level indicative of fascist-sympathizers - I can honestly tell you that it could have been a lot worse…a LOT worse…around here, the rumor and whisper campaigns have so thoroughly saturated the populace, that it is common-place for even the most independently minded people to state that Barack Obama is an Arab…just the other day a fellow student of mine at Miami University took note of my Obama for President shirt and told me that his father was an Arab terrorist…yes…you heard correctly…a COLLEGE student…apparently the whole “critical thinking” aspect of college never really sank in for her…
October 9th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Wow. I guess I’d never want to get a blowout here. What a bunch of braindead psychos.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:08 am
this showeds me bad people really are. i think their problem is that they dont want a black president. What i cant understand is why.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:09 am
This explains why Republicans won’t fund education–sadly, it ensures them enough ignorant voters to keep them in office.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Explain to me how this is different from the BusHitler theme that permeates the Left (and even some comments in this thread) and maybe I’ll get a little more worked up about it. Cherry-picking a few folks out of thousands and then broad-brushing them, while ensuring some web traffic, is pretty disingenuous.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Explain to me how this is different from the BusHitler theme that permeates the Left (and even some comments in this thread) and maybe I’ll get a little more worked up about it. Cherry-picking a few folks out of thousands and then broad-brushing them is pretty disingenuous.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I say God damn America!
October 9th, 2008 at 10:32 am
what really does everyone expect? the McCain/Palin ticket is tailor-made for these “typical” Americans. Particularly Palin…she is anti-thought and anti-ideas and really caters to them. Canada, here i come.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Only Democrats are allowed to have angry mobs! Nominating this blog post for most idiotic left wing post of the day.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I grew up in Strongsville and this video doesn’t surprise me at all. I was in high school when the first Gulf War broke out and was shocked by all the teens who knew nothing about the Middle East and were suddenly screaming things like “kill them all.” I left that horrible town the second I could and I’ll never go back.
People in Strongsville are so sheltered from any kind of diversity, poverty, culture, etc. All they know is how to shop at malls and spend money on consumer goods and they’ve had it pounded into their heads from their parents that Democrat will try to take away their money.
If people like this come out ahead in this election again we’ll be in even more trouble than we are now.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Wow. Strongsville must be proud. What’s amazing is if you look at the demographics of the city and it just doesn’t jibe with the level of stupidity you see on that tape. It’s sad people like this exist. My only consolation is that they’ll be weeping on 11/4.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Keep up the good work man.
It’s important to illustrate the danger of these statements.
They’re a hair from inciting violence.
Keep up the good work Tim.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:58 am
This is funny. Ask people a leading question as people are walking to a rally, “Is Obama a terrorist?”. They answer, “yeah, whatever.” and you call them a lynch mob.
October 9th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hi
Am a Brit and am fascinated by US politics.
The video is very scary indeed.
I have seen this sort of cultural pathology before - in Yugoslavia between Tito’s death in 1982 to the outbreak of civil war in 1992 - ethnic division, polarising media and economic problems all lead inexorably to conflict. Someone like Palin isn’t far from the sort of personality types that asserted themselves and shamelessly took advantage of the situation then.
The American Right needs to chill and take a long long hard look at itself. Ditto the (much smaller) loony bit of the Left.
I worry about your future if not.
Anyway, good luck to Obama! Much of the World is rooting for you!
Godspeed
Neil
October 9th, 2008 at 11:01 am
These people.. are 5 miles from my house..Even my neighborhood is FILLED with McCain Palin signs.. Gotta love it. Wowzer.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:03 am
There is a danger in the way that McCain & Palin have chosen to go after Barack Obama. By inciting paranoia, fear and anger in their followers, they increasingly put Barack Obama, his family, and potentially his supporters in danger. I’m sure McCain and (hopefully) Palin do not wish Obama harm, but the extreme reaches of their supporters most certainly do. Listen to the recent rallies, during which McCain and Palin associate Obama with domestic terrorists. Cries of “treason!”, “kill him!” and “terrorist!” can clearly be heard in the audience. In one such rally, McCain himself seems momentarily rattled by the viscous outburst from the crowd. But yet, he does nothing to bring civility to the affair. Show me an Obama rally where this occurs in parallel. It’s just not there, because it’s not the nature of the Obama campaign. There is no need to stir up fear and hatred when you can argue and win on issues. Obama has shown McCain respect, while questioning his judgment and policies. McCain, on the other hand, refers to Obama as “that one”.
Ask yourself this…if Barack Obama had refered to John McCain as “that one” during the debate, what type of response would that have generated on the right?
October 9th, 2008 at 11:06 am
There is a danger in the way that McCain & Palin have chosen to go after Barack Obama. By inciting paranoia, fear and anger in their followers, they increasingly put Barack Obama, his family, and potentially his supporters in danger. I’m sure McCain and (hopefully) Palin do not wish Obama harm, but the extreme reaches of their supporters most certainly do. Listen to the recent rallies, during which McCain and Palin associate Obama with domestic terrorists. Cries of “treason!”, “kill him!” and “terrorist!” can clearly be heard in the audience. In one such rally, McCain himself seems momentarily rattled by the viscous outburst from the crowd. But yet, he does nothing to bring civility to the affair. Show me an Obama rally where this occurs in parallel. It’s just not there, because it’s not the nature of the Obama campaign. There is no need to stir up fear and hatred when you can argue and win on issues. Obama has shown McCain respect, while questioning his judgment and policies. McCain, on the other hand, refers to Obama as “that one”.
Ask yourself this…if Barack Obama had referred to John McCain as “that one” during the debate, what type of response would that have generated on the right?
October 9th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Ignorance is not bliss, it is blinding and scary.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:14 am
As an 85 year old woman, video like this makes me very sad. While the video can not be seen as true journalism, as it did have a biased objective, that does not dismiss the pure anger that resonated from many of the people featured. I continue to hold on to hope that a majority of our population will continue to pride themselves on freeing their minds of such backwards thinking and continue to learn and grow. These are scared and angry people and it is a less full and joyful life they will lead if they continue to let those fears guide them. And frankly - if those are the supporters the republican party is going to embrace - they can have them!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:25 am
The mob mentality is something to witness. There surely is a mob mentality to the rallies for Obama, but it is truly remarkable to note the differences between the crowds. The McCain rallies are full of people who are inspired by hate, fear and ignorance. The Obama rallies are littered with people who have hope for the future. McCain and his campaign are pouring kerosene on the political fires. It is irresponsible and dangerous. They’re not alone, of course, they have enablers in the media, particularly the imbeciles at Fox News whose ill-informed and intemperate remarks continue to amp up the uninformed hatred. Prefer McCain and his woefully unqualified but personally pleasant running mate if you will. But to support them because you think their opponent is a muslim terrorist is to reveal yourself as a moron.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:26 am
My favorite part is the idiot who says, “Don’t answer questions unless he gives them to you in writing.” LMAO This was great, keep it up.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Thank you for capturing this video. It made me smile and more importantly it captures the fact that the current talking points McCain/Palin are saying are aimed at low informed voters and they take the words to heart as truth. This leads to a division of people. Sadly if Obama wins, McCain’s hate rhetoric will thrive in these people and we as a country will be further split apart.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:35 am
god, i hate when one side tries to claim they’re smarter than the other side. i encountered a fellow homo that told me that if we elect mccain, i could be thrown in jail for having sexual relationship with my man. please, let’s get real - there are idiots on both sides.
that being said: hillary 2012, mccain 2008.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:39 am
WOW!!! These people are sick, and a bit racist; they’re just trying to hide it. Anyone who believes Obama is a terrorist, you’re a complete idiot! This is truly funny people throughout the entire country are suffering, and the best McCain and Palin can do is go negative. It shows the lack of integrity and issues they can’t offer.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Good job - next time follow up by asking if they think Muhammad Ali is a terrorist … by their logic, if the name says it all, then he must be a terrorist as well.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:56 am
yes, these people are absolutely, completely and reprehensibly ignorant. they do not know better and we can absolutely fault them for that. if they bothered to investigate all of these claims for themselves they would see that what they are saying is absurdly untrue. mccain/palin are banking on the their thought that the american people are idiots and it’s actually working.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:56 am
This is very brave of you. The psychology of fear and hatred that is so prevelant in these people is soooo apparent and to walk into the belly of the beast. A nation of Sean Hannitys and Bill o’Reilly talking points is at the same time funny as it is scarey. Good job!
October 9th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Great job on this vid. Big kudos to you for having the balls to do this.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
fascinating. scary. was worried for your safety.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
wowie. if democrats in ohio did not have such a massive lead in voter registration i would actually be concerned. but, they do, so instead i am entertained by this. is she stupid? probably not. misguided? who can say. is she a bit of a psycho stalking a guy with a camera at a political event? yes, yes she is and god bless her for it.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Register to vote before your state deadline, find your polling location and get out to vote on 11/4.
If you were wondering who would vote for McCain at this point, wonder no more.
As you can see from the comments, McCain supporters have even convinced themselves that McCain’s association in the Keating Five scandal is somehow not relevant to current events, that McCain is somehow better suited to fix our economy. McCain was seduced by Keating in the 1980s, enough to willingly prevent regulatory laws from passing and will no doubt be seduced again into getting in bed with policies favorable to Wall Street instead of Main Street.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I wish I could say that this behavior is shocking. I would love to be completely caught off guard by this level of ignorant fear and hatred.
Unfortunately it is not surprising— merely sad. I grew up in a military family, and was thinking this morning how lucky I was to have been indoctrinated to multiculturalism and internationalism as a child. I pity people who have not had the opportunity to experience the word and to understand what it is to be human.
I hope that this election is a turning point for the Republican Party. I hope they realize that most of America is tired of this divisive mentality, and that appealing to zealots takes them in the wrong direction.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Register to vote before your state deadline, find your polling location and get out to vote on 11/4.
If you were wondering who would vote for McCain at this point, wonder no more.
As you can see from the comments, McCain supporters have even convinced themselves that McCain’s association in the Keating Five scandal is somehow not relevant to current events, that McCain is somehow better suited to fix our economy. McCain was seduced by Keating in the 1980s, enough to willingly prevent regulatory laws from passing and will no doubt be seduced again into getting in bed with policies favorable to Wall Street instead of Main Street.
McCain’s been operating in the interests of Wall Street his entire political career, why would he suddenly help Main Street as President?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Well, Jose, your “ignorant” friend might not be that far from the truth if McCain gets elected, appoints ultra-conservative supreme court justices, and Lawrence gets overturned. Really, not that big of a stretch. You’d be safe in California, but good luck to gay people in Texas.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Enjoyed the video, but it frightened me terribly. There are a lot of out of touch extremists shouting ‘kill him’ and the N-bomb when Palin mentions Obama’s name. The question i would ask the mob at the next McCain-Palin rally is, “how will you feel if Obama becomes our next president? What will you do?” I want to see if people will dare to say, on camera, “kill him.” Disgraceful….oh, and by the way, ILLEGAL.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
This is the STUPIDEST interview question I have ever heard! “When was the first time you heard about …” I heard about “Confucius” 20 years ago when I was 8 and I still know nothing about him!
LOL! I think I just broke a rib laughing. Here is a suggestion. You may want to read about and investigate the things you don’t know much about. Who knows, you may walk away with an independent and informed opinion, unlike a lot of the people in this interview.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Whats the over / under that this footage finds it’s way onto a cable network report by this evening?
My money is on MSNBC, either Countdown or the Rachel Maddow show.
Keep up the good work man.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
hey, dave - “… don’t mock them and intimidate them…” - what the fuck are you talking about? I replayed the video to try to understand where you’re coming from and didn’t hear anyone asked their full name until 2 minutes in - and it hardly seemed like an act of intimidation. As for mockery, I think b.i. was rather respectful considering how these wingnuts think Obama is or “could be” a terrorist.
and dave, I don’t believe you’re an Obama supporter. you can drop the “our cause” bullshit.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I grew up in Southeastern Ohio and like the other posters with rural Ohio connections, am not at all shocked by the commentary in this video. Frightened by it, yes, but shocked? No. The problem is the undereducated masses in many parts of Ohio are so pervasive that most of us that are more liberal an/or open-minded leave and settle elsewhere, in effect giving more power to ignorant right wing crazies. And these people are really difficult to reason with, also evidenced in the video. Even in my mid-thirties, I still tread lightly on subjects of religion and politics with my family in Ohio. They’re entrenched in this outdated philosophy about politics that’s jaw droppingly infuriating when you try to discuss it with them. And when you present facts, it’s like you just strangled a kitten in front of them and they stomp off, unwilling to listen or engage in any real discourse. What’s more is these are the same people that all shop at Walmart then scratch their heads when all the shops on their local Main Street close up and go out of business - slowly killing their own jobs and local economy in the process.
Unfortunately, I think the people at this rally think like many Americans in rural and suburban parts of the Midwest. Makes me wish I was casting my Obama vote in rural Ohio instead of rural New York this year.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Interesting you neglect to point out that leftist Obama supporters ran roughshod over Denver and Saint Paul. I don’t recall any outrage when cops were being assaulted and forced to use pepper spray and tear gas.
I further don’t recall any McCain/Palin supporters actually inciting any violence.
So we have a group that did commit acts of violence and support a man who associates with a man who committed acts of violence compared to political supporters who’ve not committed any acts of violence.
I see the truth now.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
“I see the truth now.”
No, scott, you’d have to get your head out of your ass first.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
If anyone is wondering why it is so important to get out and vote on 11/4, wonder no more.
Register to vote before your state deadline, find your polling location and get out to vote on 11/4.
As evidenced by the some of the comments here, McCain followers have convinced themselves that McCain would somehow be a better fit for fixing the economy. In McCain you are dealing with someone who has always sided with Wall Street–why would he suddenly side with Main Street as President?
McCain was seduced by Keating in the 1980s and as President he will be seduced again into siding with legislation and policy that will get the American economy driven into the ditch again.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I live and grew up in Strongsville. And I am ashamed of what I heard in that video. Though, I am not surprised. I overheard a man in that very gym, on the cardio machine next to me, say, “I will never vote for some guy with the name ‘Obama.’” Unfortunately, theyARE ignorant people. On the outside they seem intelligent with their white-collar jobs and McMansions. But they are truly ignorant. They are America though, fools who are so separated from reality. The people of Strongsville won’t pass school levies. They tear down every tree to put up malls and other pointless shops (not locally owned). They are self-interested and I fear their attitude is echoed by much of this country. My hometown is an embarrassment.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Oh boy!
I am even afraid of saying that I am a Kenyan lest I be lynched in Ohio.
I don’t believe that these people represent America.I have yet to meet anyone like this since I came here.It was probably good I never went to their town.
Take a page from the Obama man. They are still Americans and all that they lack is a bit of education.It just shows how repubs have been using cheap politics to divide this great nation.
It’s also sad but those are the very same tactics used in poor african countries. Tell everyone that the boogey man is coming and his name is the opposing candidate. They are just scared and all they need is just a bit of education and they too will see the light.
If that doesn’t work, the coming economic crisis surely will.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I was born and raised in strongsville ohio. Today I serve in the marine corps and I am in iraq right now. How dare you call these people ignorant, they merely care about their country and for the future of their children. Do any of you know anything about obama’s policies and positions on issues? He may not be a terrorist but he is more dangerous to the welfare of this country than any terrorist could be. Over here in iraq I am stress free and relaxed, if you havn’t noticed we have won the war in iraq, however, I will fear for my life if Obama gets elected. If you really support the troops, then you’ll vote for McCain and Palin.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Have any of them yet blown up the pentagn?
October 9th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Like Gateway Pundit says:
When radical leftist loons called Bush a terrorist the Left said nothing. When socialists, like those who supported Obama, called Bush a terrorist, the Left said nothing. Maybe if Barack Obama was more honest about his terrorist ties, his close Pro-Palestinian associates, his radical anti-AmeriKKKan pastor or his Marxist support in the ’90’s AmeriKKKans wouldn’t have this problem.
Enjoy the Bush = terrorist pics at the link you stupid hypocrites.
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/10/well-g-d-amerikkka-libs-sickened-by.html
October 9th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
It is frightening! Grateful for your work. Next time please ask the morons, if they heard of the Alaska Independence Party (AIP) that is advocating the secession of Alaska from the USA. Todd Palin was a member from 1995-2002. The Party said, if a Federal official bothers them, they will run him over with a caterpillar and turn mosquitoes loose on him while he dies. Sarah Palin was sleeping with the “enemy” for 7 years. Gov. Palin sent a greeting to the AIG in the spring of 2008.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
sigh: let us know when obama orders bombs dropped on people to instigate “regime change”.
until then, you’re just a boring fanatic who’s too stupid to know what “stupid” is.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Run-DMS, your non-reply is telling. Perhaps you ignored the link because you couldn’t rebut the charge. No surprise.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
“let us know when obama orders bombs dropped on people to instigate “regime change”.”
Cute. You only support regime change when it’s Obama’s buddy Ayers dropping bombs on US citizens.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Obama is not a terrorist, he just hangs out with them. I have seen more ignorance on the floor of Congress than in this video. Nice try though. What really makes me fearful is the far left of this country controlling the Congress, Senate, and Presidency with no checks and balances.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Run-DMS Says:
October 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
sigh: let us know when obama orders bombs dropped on people to instigate “regime change”.
until then, you’re just a boring fanatic who’s too stupid to know what “stupid” is.
———————————————-
So your response is “Bush is a terrorist because I say so.” Nice comeback! Dropping bombs on people to support regime change? Are you describing Obama’s buddy Ayers killing US citizens? Oh wait, you actually support that kind of regime change. Keep up the good work hypocrite.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
rednecks
October 9th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Obama is not a terrorist, he just hangs out with them. I have seen more ignorance on the floor of Congress than in this video. Nice try though. What really makes me fearful is the far left of this country controlling the Congress, Senate, and Presidency with no checks and balances.
Ignorance definition: Anyone who has an opinion that differs in any way from the far left agenda.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
@Janet:
If you can claim, with a straight face, that you never heard of Barack Obama until a week ago, but you heard of Palin 3 years ago, or that there have been more personal interviews with Palin than Obama, or that Barack Obama “is a terrorist…well, I’m very sorry, but that qualifies you prima facie as ignorant.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Run-DMS Says:
October 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
sigh: let us know when obama orders bombs dropped on people to instigate “regime change”.
until then, you’re just a boring fanatic who’s too stupid to know what “stupid” is.
———————————————-
So your response is “Bush is a terrorist because I say so.” and then you feign outrage about a McCain rally. Nice comeback! Dropping bombs on people to support regime change? Are you describing Obama’s buddy Ayers killing US citizens? Oh wait, you actually support that kind of regime change. Keep up the good work hypocrite.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Great job. Thanks.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
More of the same Hillbilly Madness brought on by the daily propaganda from the Conservatives bloggers, Talk Radio. These are the same uninformed and easily-led/manipulated walk-in-lockstep morons that voted for Bush and caused all the problems this country is facing now.
They should all be held responsible and they should not be allowed to vote or pro-create, period.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck suffers from the same syndrome.
The best part - Obama is going to kick Grandpaw’s and Mayella Violet Ewell’s ass all over God’s little acre and it will look good…real good.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
October 9, 2008
============
Gallup Poll Daily Tracking: Obama 52% McCain 41%
Swing States: Obama 157 McCain 11
Solid Blue States: Obama 153
Solid Red States: McCain 139
Leading Blue States: Obama 54
Leading Red States: McCain 24
Electoral Votes: Obama 364 McCain 174
This must hurt to the fear mongers (McCain/Palin) and ignorant racist crowd.
Obama/Biden 2008-2012
October 9th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Andrew Sullivan has the video up at his site, The Daily Dish, too. Getting some traction out of this one. Nice.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Like I said on youtube, I’m disappointed with a lot of the comments I’ve been reading from “liberals.” Calling people racist and stupid for their misinformed opinions doesn’t solve the problem.
True, it’s appalling to listen to some of the stuff coming out of their mouths in this video, but if we don’t remain in the position of the “better” man, woman, or non-specific gender noun, we can’t consider ourselves any more righteous than we consider them to be.
Choose to inform. With facts. Even if they have to be sifted out and highlighted from Fox News stories (they do post snippets of the truth here and there before they start biasing it). If we instead choose to sit back and call our opponents “stupid,” we continue the Bush policy of polarization which only hurts our country.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
More of the same Hillbilly Madness brought on by the daily propaganda from the Conservatives bloggers, Talk Radio. These are the same uninformed and easily-led/manipulated walk-in-lockstep morons that voted for Bush and caused all the problems this country is facing now.
They should all be held responsible and they should not be allowed to vote or pro-create, period.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck suffers from the same syndrome.
The best part - Obama is going to kick Grandpaw’s and Mayella Violet Ewell’s ass all over God’s little acre and it will look good…real good.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Tim Russo at Blogger Interrupted should be Tim Russo at BloggerImportuning. Check out State of Ohio v. Timothy J. Russo, case id# CR-01-414621-ZA.
Claims he’s inactive in the BAR assoc. Don’t they revoke your membership for Sexual Importuning with a Minor? I think so!
October 9th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Wow…I grew up in Akron, Ohio and I cannot believe the anger of the people in Strongsville. Whether they actually believe what they are saying or not, they come across as incredibly ignorant. If you don’t know the issues learn them. Supporting a candidate just because you like them or their party does is a disservice to both candidates who are trying to get real votes. Obama has been properly vetted over the years, and there is plenty of dirt on Palin. She is under investigation, and she even spoke to the Alaska Secessionist part last year. She cannot speak about the real issues. What about the economy? What about foreign policy? What about domestic policy? She resorts to school yard antics that many people in this country and the world we live in find shameful. If she is so honest, what is with the investigation that started before she was picked as a VP candidate? What about Todd Palin’s ties to the Alaskan Secessionist Party? Why did she tell them to keep up the good work? Why are we talking about silly stuff when there is real work to be done. I am disappointed in Strongsville.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI
October 9th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
great video! keep up the great work!
October 9th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
some of these folks just are not that well informed, kinda scary….they get to vote
October 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
This is the result of 12yrs of uninterrupted “liberal” hate by the GOP, media, hate radio, and hate tv (a.k.a. FOX).
Hate radio motivated people to genocide in Rwanda, and is now being used here. A small percentage of people incited to hatred can do a lot of harm. Hitler used very similar rallies to get the people of Germany roused against ethnic and religious minorities.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
John McCain sold his soul in order to pander to these cretinous hobos
who live in a bubble of ignorance that is impervious to reason. They wouldn’t last five minutes talking this way in New York City. Bloodlines? Will the Rapture please hurry up and suck all these “Christians” into the sky.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
The people in this video do nothing but give a bad name Americans. I am currently abroad and I almost cringe every time I speak English in public and people around me notice. I am not ashamed of my country, but I am ashamed of people who have succumb to such ignorance. Clearly the people interviewed here know little or nothing about the issues that matter in this election and will cast their vote simply because of their prejudice attitudes. These are the people that give Americans a bad name in foreign countries.
Although anything can happen between now and election time the way things are going it is looking good for Obama. Hopefully when he is elected the angry group that is anti-Obama will not do anything rash. I am confident that with time even the most ignorant will not be able to deny the good Obama is sure to do for our country. However, in the event McCain achieves a miracle and pulls ahead, I predict the pro-McCain collective will suffer the same regret Bush supporters surely feel today.
A sure way to help Obama is to encourage everyone to vote. It is likely the biggest obstacle to his campaign could be vote turnout.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Great another liberal simpleton “gothca” video
How cliched. Yet another through the roof left wing guy with a camcorder trying so hard to get his soundbites to stroke everything from racism to anything not democrat is somehow evil uncivil, ignorant, etc. Dude you’re a coward. I dare you to go to ANY anti war rally and randomly pic from the psychotics who are there with THEIR nutty conspiracy theories, lack of facts, or plain hatred and bigotry. I’ve been to them and stuff said there beats this all to hell. If you somehow think doing your little self rigtheous camcorder b.s. shows how vile one side is when it is in fact EVERYWHERE you’re either hopelessly stupid or simply so narcissistic with your own painfully obvious partishanship that you’re as corrupt as any politician. Interview me with your little gothcha questions coward.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Great another liberal simpleton “gothca” video
How cliched. Yet another through the roof left wing guy with a camcorder trying so hard to get his soundbites to stroke everything from racism to anything not democrat is somehow evil uncivil, ignorant, etc. Dude you’re a coward. I dare you to go to ANY anti war rally and randomly pic from the psychotics who are there with THEIR nutty conspiracy theories, lack of facts, or plain hatred and bigotry. I’ve been to them and stuff said there beats this all to hell. If you somehow think doing your little self righteous camcorder b.s. shows how vile one side is when it is in fact EVERYWHERE you’re either hopelessly stupid or simply so narcissistic with your own painfully obvious partishanship that you’re as corrupt as any politician. Interview me with your little gothcha questions coward.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Wow this comment system is utter crap. Times out every time so you’re not sure if the reply went through or not.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
videos like this are terrible. anyone could take a camera, go to an obama rally or even bob barr rally and get video clips like this. you’re capitalizing on a select group of people that might not have their facts straight, or might not be making the most informed decision about their presidential candidate of choice. i personally have met a number of people voting for obama simply because he is part black or because mccain is old, and they don’t want the risk of palin in office if he dies, because she’s a woman…no matter what party you pick, there will be uninformed voters, it’s the way life goes…for you to exploit a handful of people to make mccain supporters as a whole look like uninformed hate mongers is disgusting. i’m sure if you go back in time and take some sound bites from the less informed obama supporters, you could get some really juicy anti-woman (ahem Hillary) sound bites.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
“So your response is ‘Bush is a terrorist because I say so.’ …”
No, sigh, that’s not my response.
You clearly have reading-comprehension problems. Find an adult to read my comment and explain it to you.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I think they’re just stupid and not so much ignorant. I don’t want to give them credit for ignorance. The true information is out there.
Ignorance isn’t a perjorative.
I’d rather use a perjorative.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
What is very revealing is their body language. They know that what they think and what they’re about to say is ignorant and irrational, but they still think it.
Notice when confronted with what they’re saying or when confronted with facts they look away, shift their eyes a lot, start walking backwards, and have difficulty answering simple questions. One woman, when confronted with the fact that Obama has had way more interviews that Palin, just shrugged her shoulders. Many turned away, not wanting to be caught on camera, why?
Because they know what they feel, what they believe is not based on fact, on real issues, on anything important or substantive. “He has the bloodline”? “Just look at his name”? I learned these weren’t logical arguments back in 3rd grade. I guess these folks were sick that day.
When confronted, when challenged, they backpeddle to fear-based arguments and willful ignorance. The reason they look away, back up, shift their eyes, tilt their heads down, or just walk away is because they don’t want to be challenged. They made up their minds when they found out Barack wasn’t white. They know they can’t say that, so they look for anything that sounds better than the obvious truth. Or they try to escape the conversation.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
These people are just a bunch of dumbass Ohio rednecks- loaded with ignorance and racism. They are much mnore dangerous to America than the terrorists. All great nations rot from the inside out- these people are definitely the beginning of the internal rot.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
A great site showing the left’s lunacy on full display in pics and vids is here:
http://www.zombietime.com/
The faux outrage over this issue is a joke.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
What sort of video would you get if you asked people at an Obama rally if Bush was a terrorist? Or McCain? Or Palin?
How would the ‘better side’ look? Intolerant? Hateful? Angry?
Oh, but it’s all JUSTIFIED, you think. There’s a REASON you’re so angry!
You don’t persuade people from anger. You don’t call them frothing, redneck morons and expect to get reasonable discourse. Sure, you’re making YOURSELF feel better, feel justified in your actions - and just convincing THEM you’re hateful, intolerant, and unwilling to compromise.
Keep up the good work, party of ‘tolerance’. You sure show how dedicated you are to that concept here.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
“So your response is “Bush is a terrorist because I say so.’”
No, sigh, that was not my response.
You clearly have reading comprehension problems. Get an adult to read my comment and explain it to you.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
people know sarah better than barack because we live with and grew up with people like her.
we did not grow up with people like barack:
the son of an african marxist and a teenage american marxists who grew up in indonesia and can still recite parts the koran from heart (as he did in a kristof interview). a man who since 1987 - at least 1987!- has consorted with avowed and unapologetic terrorists.
a man who ran on the SOCIALIST party line as recently as 1995.
a disloyal man who reneged on his literary contract with jane dystel.
a secretive man who has yet to release his college transcripts or his medical records or his actual birth certificate (NOT THE COLB!).
a “worldly” man who made his first independent trip overseas to PAKISTAN at a time it was off limits to mist us citizens.
a man who admires alinsky.
a man who never EVER took on the Cook County Machine or the Chicago Machine or the Illinois Combine - which means he’s either a corrupt politician himself or a COWARD.
a man who has not written ONE SINGLE MAJOR BILL OR LAW.
not while a PART-TIME state senator and not as a US Senator.
all these things add up, and they present a puzzling picture.
the puzzle: why the democrats would nominate someone so LEFT-WING and so inexperienced who makeup/bio is so weird.
i’ve been a registered democrat - since 1974.
i am proudly voting McCain-Plain.
you should too.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I loved the one comment — Obama is a terrorist because of his name. What a bunch of racist, paranoidm xenophobic hicks. Vote with these people? I’d be ashamed to be associated with this group.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I see the sniveling scum sack deleted the post…
Truth and facts hurt, don’t they?
October 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Keep up the good work and expose these folks for the absolute idiots that they are. Reminds me of “Maccaca.” There should be video bloggers at all of the Palin-McCain events.
I love reading the comments of concern trolls; it smells like Victory.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
An angry man running for President because of deep self-interest will attract people of the same ilk. I agree with Mike. If Senator McCain is “ringing the dinner bell” and the these people are the ones running up to the table, it might just look like a scene out of the LORD OF THE RINGS… “We want meat… where’s the meat…” And Senator McCain just may be calling on all those ugly creatures and outcast men to help him defeat the Elves and Men of Honor.
I’m sorry as I recall… the good guys in the film called on good guys to assist in the defeat of evil not those picture here.
God bless their souls and the souls of those who were not videotaped or may not have shared those fews folks’ opinions, but did share their ignorance and deep rooted pain.
Thank you, brother for your work and be careful…
October 9th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Northeastern Ohio typically votes Democratic. Ohio gets its bad name from the rural areas in the other parts of the State. I am surprised that this video was shot in Strongsville… Oh well.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Why Palin is a Danger to Us All
If we are to succeed as a nation, we all must be in utter agreement about who Sarah Palin is as a person; she is stunningly uninformed and breathtakingly overconfident. Orwellian with an outward, Machiavellian patina is an aptly just description of Palin.
However, her unconcealed, overt certitude is potentially the biggest problem of all. She has mastered the art of flowery platitudes and sneering contempt. All of which, to the low-information, Neanderthal voters we are all unfortunately witnessing first hand from the right wing political spectrum, combined with her tacky, sophomoric charm, actually makes her very attractive, in a very spine-chilling kind of way. She uses blatantly appealing demagoguery to create eerie exultations among a fringe fraction and faction of Americans (shown in this blog video) – the visceral, not cerebral coterie that follows her with frightening credulity.
It is this set of events and actions that concerns me the most. She is a glib, authoritarian person who has a Manichean mindset – a dualist – one who only sees the world as good or evil; no nuance, nothing abstract or ever vague. Moreover, after judiciously studying authoritarian personalities for over two years, I can tell you they are loose with facts but stridently persuasive. They are charming, disarming, almost irresistible, yet completely morally bankrupt and amoral. They are hostile toward intellectuals, takes pleasure in deriding academia, liberals and immense pride in their willful ignorance.
The problem here is they are masters at using base intellect, not intelligence, to plead to people’s pathos. (Many grisly dictators of the past were all “gifted” experts at this tactic.) In essence, they are scheming, devious and capable of anything in order to subvert the will of other people in order to achieve their objectives. And their objectives are not inline or in step with a progressive, balanced America – they are wholly recalcitrant reactionaries.
Here, with Palin, we see the pathology and pattern of someone infatuated and fixated on one’s identity to the exclusion of others – an inborn need for social dominance (often overlooked as merely being “spirited”), personal ambition bereft of circumspection, outrageously aggrandized bragging, arrogant immodesty, and total insensitivity. It is these sophistry skills and nefarious guile that disturbs me greatly. All of these traits are markers identified in one of only two groups of maladaptive, narcissistic personalities – authoritarians and sociopaths.
Do I make these indictments lightly, no, but it has become increasingly clear that Sarah Palin’s confrontational convictions are more than a benign personality tick; it is a deeper insight into how she would govern a nation in every respect: Unflinchingly autocratic.
As to the people interviewed, there is only one description: Deluded and dangerous!
October 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
That’s wild - the type of people Palin/McCain are going to attract - would be in the end - the kind from the thuggish group - low on facts - high on rhetoric - and filled with hate.
Romney was right - McCain is not looking at what he is doing to the Party.
And more how it will recover -
October 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I have some intelligent, well-informed friends and acquaintances who support McCain-Palin. I question their judgment, but at least I know they will be voting from a place of thoughtful consideration. What is terrifying about the mob scene here is not just their total lack of awareness, but their seeming conviction that they do know all they need to know to make a good decision on Election day.
I don’t understand this mob mentality at all. How inflammatory should the question “When did you first hear of Palin?” really be? It’s not complex. If you support Palin, fine. Say why. If you think Obama has ties to terrorism, why not speak confidently and explain the basis for your belief? What’s that you say? Oh, you can’t explain? There is no basis? Hmmm…
October 9th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Why Palin is a Danger to Us All (And her followers)
If we are to succeed as a nation, we all must be in utter agreement about who Sarah Palin is as a person; she is stunningly uninformed and breathtakingly overconfident. Orwellian with an outward, Machiavellian patina is an aptly just description of Palin.
However, her unconcealed, overt certitude is potentially the biggest problem of all. She has mastered the art of flowery platitudes and sneering contempt. All of which, to the low-information, Neanderthal voters we are all unfortunately witnessing first hand from the right wing political spectrum, combined with her tacky, sophomoric charm, actually makes her very attractive, in a very spine-chilling kind of way. She uses blatantly appealing demagoguery to create eerie exultations among a fringe fraction and faction of Americans (shown in this blog video) – the visceral, not cerebral coterie that follows her with frightening credulity.
It is this set of events and actions that concerns me the most. She is a glib, authoritarian person who has a Manichean mindset – a dualist – one who only sees the world as good or evil; no nuance, nothing abstract or ever vague. Moreover, after judiciously studying authoritarian personalities for over two years, I can tell you they are loose with facts but stridently persuasive. They are charming, disarming, almost irresistible, yet completely morally bankrupt and amoral. They are hostile toward intellectuals, takes pleasure in deriding academia, liberals and immense pride in their willful ignorance.
The problem here is they are masters at using base intellect, not intelligence, to plead to people’s pathos. (Many grisly dictators of the past were all “gifted” experts at this tactic.) In essence, they are scheming, devious and capable of anything in order to subvert the will of other people in order to achieve their objectives. And their objectives are not inline or in step with a progressive, balanced America – they are wholly recalcitrant reactionaries.
Here, with Palin, we see the pathology and pattern of someone infatuated and fixated on one’s identity to the exclusion of others – an inborn need for social dominance (often overlooked as merely being “spirited”), personal ambition bereft of circumspection, outrageously aggrandized bragging, arrogant immodesty, and total insensitivity. It is these sophistry skills and nefarious guile that disturbs me greatly. All of these traits are markers identified in one of only two groups of maladaptive, narcissistic personalities – authoritarians and sociopaths.
Do I make these indictments lightly, no, but it has become increasingly clear that Sarah Palin’s confrontational convictions are more than a benign personality tick; it is a deeper insight into how she would govern a nation in every respect: Unflinchingly autocratic.
As to the people interviewed, there is only one description: Deluded and dangerous!
October 9th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever read so much drivel in one collection. Now I really know where all the idiots congregate.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
How in the world could these people not hear about Obama, even if all they listen to is Fox News? The only conclusion I can come to after viewing this clip is that these people do not take the time to research anything for themselves, and they don’t seem to care. Ignorance and apathy. Nice…..
October 9th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
It’s embarrassing that these people used to be my neighbors.
Nice video. This is my first time on your blog, won’t be my last.
Obama/Biden ‘08.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Wow… these people have no issue calling Bush a terrorist but can’t take it when this is directed to their lord and savior who is at least sympathetic to the enemies’ grievances.
Any group of Republicans is a mob? God help us, the great American dumb-down has succeeded thanks to 40 years of liberal dominated ‘education’. Unfortunately they have left their victims with just enough skill to type and post their ignorance.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Who knew such simple questions could ignite that much fury?
October 9th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
wow. these people scare me so badly. can they not see that THEY are the terrorists? they are simply obsessed with fear. obsessed with the idea of terror. they can’t see that the rest of the world feels BAD for us because they see how stupid and childish we act.
wow. im scared.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
So all you people were vehemently denying the innumerable placards and slogans that Bush and Cheney were terrorists, right? Oh let me guess, you’ve ‘conveniently’ forgot these attacks I bet.
Jesus Christ you Obamatons are morons of the highest caliber, no one is falling for your bullshit and faux indignation.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I’d call these people drooling morons, but that would be rather insensitive to actual drooling morons. These people literally have no critical thinking skills.
This is what we end up with when education fails. THIS is why I personally stepped back from a more limited government ideology. Government does have a function - to me, this video is more than enough evidence that education is absolutely crucial to maintaining a free and just society. Without education, these cretins will call the shots.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Let’s be realistic here. I know that there were some nutcases in the crowd, but to generalize that to all McCain supporters is wrong. To further generalize to the population of Strongsville as a whole or, even better as someone does above, to the entire state of Ohio is ridiculous and dare I say “ignorant”.
The fact of the matter is that just because you see it on a video doesn’t mean that you are seeing a live feed. This video was edited to get rid of the moderates in order to get the biggest affect.
Just for the record, I do not support McCain.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
If McCain is going to win, why are he and his execrable running mate holding rallies in Republican strongholds like this hellhole? Clearly, they’re playing defense, not offense.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Wow. So there are racists outside of the South.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I have to agree with FromCleveland. It is shocking that this video was taped in Strongsville, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. Northeast Ohio as a whole have been ground zero for the economic downturn of this country, long before the stock market did the 777 one-day drop, the bailout package, or any of this CNN-level, Issue #1 economic coverage. The economy has always, unfortunately, been Issue #1 in this part of America.
This shows me how out-of-touch and forgetful people are. Seeing how not one of those people could provide any factual evidence or reference to “terror” connections with Barack says it all! They don’t know Palin’s history either .. hell, she doesn’t have one. They are blind and uninformed supporters. I don’t mind a McCain supporter, but I always ask that people come to the table with supporting facts.
And WTF is a “domestic terrorist”?? Haven’t we been governed by one at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the last 8 years? Anybody like illegal war? What about the ones that ran FEMA and watched the people of New Orleans drown? Or, the Attorney General who was complicit in the Justice Department firings? Or, the Vice President whose fingerprints are all over the Iraq (Oil) war, Valerie Plame CIA leak case, and the wipeout of checks and balances? What about the oil speculators ($4.00/gal gas anyone?), the investment bankers, and fradulent lenders that helped create the crisis we’re in. I could go on and on.
These folks in Strongsville are more out-of-touch with themselves and basic reality than anything. McCain has thrown his unending support behind Bush at some of the worst times of this country. Get real!
October 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I just want to say that your inflammatory statements are a lynchpin of your party. I mean, c’mon… “will turn one of their rallies into a lynch mob”? A lynch mob?
1) Play race card - check
“My camera was rolling for literally seconds before people happily said to me, on camera, that Barack Obama is a terrorist.”
2) Make false claims - check (you asked,no goaded, they didn’t offer it)
“would have easily gone to the death threats we’ve heard before”
3) Play the fear for personal safety card - check
You have all of the necessary makings of a full-on democrat. Good thing you’re a part of their party. Close-minded sheeping will get you nowhere in life.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Well, I expected to see a “mob” of rabble-rousers and rampaging anti-Obama loonies. But instead, it’s one-on-one interviews in what appears to be a section of a line waiting to get into the building. And just to understand this correctly: you got people to respond to you on-camera because you made them think you were a journalist — and you did this with what credentials? Journalists carry press passes that hang on their chests to identify them, which are not as easy to get as people outside the news industry think they are. So does this mean you lied to them about your credentials?
October 9th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
This is the most frightening, disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. Do these people live in the same country as me?? What is the matter with them and McCain-Palin for inciting the dangerous biogtry and anger!
October 9th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Thank FUCK i am not an American - you country is doomed! and it is not by terrorists it will by your ignorant folk
bawahahahahahahaha
October 9th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Great stuff, well thought out and damn funny (but scary) all at the same time.
Damn good Job
October 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Very nicely done and very courageous. I attended a Bush rally and a Kerry rally in Minneapolis in 2004 and neither one was anything like this. What’s really very sad is that the McCain campaign is egging these people on.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
This is proof that our education system has been failing for quite some time.
Less regurgitation of material and more on the understanding, the analytical side of information, please.
October 9th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
You know what you need to ask them next time..
“Do you believe John McCain is so weak on National Security that he would not actively stand up and tell the world that Obama was a terrorist.<