Reply #19: McCain doesn't deserve a pass on this one [View All]

[rontun]

McCain's campaign specifically invited Bill Cunningham to speak at the event in Cincinnati. Anyone who has lived within range of WLW, the 50,000 watt, Clear Channel station on which Cunningham spews his right-wing demagoguery could have anticipated Cunningham's remarks.

This is a guy who has repeatedly referred to Senator Obama as Barack Muhammad Hussein Obama. He's also noteworthy for highlighting on his program crimes committed by African-Americans, defending himself by paraphrasing Martin Luther King Jr., that "it's not about the color of their skin, but about the content of their character."

Just as campaigns are expected to vet their contributors, they have an equal, if not greater responsibility to vet their surrogates. Hillary has taken quite a beating for comments made by her surrogates, including former NH Governor Jeanne Shaheen's husband Billy, BET Chairman Robert Johnson, former Nebraska senator Bob Kerrey, and even her husband, Bill Clinton. McCain should not be exempt from comparable criticism or from being held accountable for what his surrogates say.

Might I also suggest that DUers contact WLW radio in Cincinnati and complain about Bill Cunningham. His producer is Darryl Parks ( [e-mail] ) and/or write a letter to the editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer by linking to http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/EDIT0202/302160003 .

If we're going to put a stop to this kind of behavior we have to be proactive.