McCain Becomes a Vertebrate -- Finally

At a rally in Lakeville, MN today, McCain started to acknowledge that the "pitchfork wavers" at his and Palin's rallies lately have been over the top ferocious with their anti-Obama words. Spurred on by candidates who are silent in response to this rage, it has grown to the point where viral videos threaten to upend the push McCain is making in these last few weeks.

Here's an example:

An audience member teed up a great big softball that could totally hit a dark side home run, asking, "We want you to fight at your next debate... we want to see s REAL fight at the debate, we want a STRONG leader for the next four years." That is Minnesota nice for "RevWrightACORNAyers," etc.

But then something weird happens: He acknowledges the "energy" people have been showing at rallies, and how glad he is that people are excited. But, he says, "I respect Sen. Obama and his accomplishments." People booed at the mention of his name. McCain, visibly angry, stopped them: "I want EVERYONE to be respectful, and lets make sure we are."

...

Crazy base-world gets to bring up Ayers and whatever else, really, and he gets to say, "Be respectful." But I think he means it.

UPDATE: Indeed, he just snatched the microphone out the hands of a woman who began her question with, "I'm scared of Barack Obama... he's an Arab terrorist..." "No, no ma'am," he interrupted. "He's a decent family man with whom I happen to have some disagreements."

I relish the opportunity to have McCain acknowledge this at next week's debate. He'll come across as gentlemanly, and maybe even a little sincere... and he'll totally alienate his rabid base.

Game over.