Katie Couric's Notebook: Campaign Turns Ugly
With less than a month left, this presidential campaign has taken a decidedly ugly turn.
At Republican rallies, some over heated supporters have started to yell things like "terrorist" and "treason" when Barack Obama's name is mentioned. This is depressing and unacceptable.
Freedom of speech is one of our most cherished rights, but words that incite violence should be seriously condemned by all the candidates.
It's no surprise that "civil discourse" is such an oxymoron these days. When I sometimes peruse comments on the Internet, they are loaded with vitriol and profanity. I'm embarrassed for the authors of those comments, and for the readers who stumble upon them.
Words are like weapons – they can damage who we are. This is an important time to remind ourselves that even when passions are high, we can agree to disagree. And we can do so with reason – and respect.
Video: At Republican rallies, some over heated supporters have started to yell things like "terrorist" and "treason" when Barack Obama's name is mentioned. This is depressing and unacceptable.
Freedom of speech is one of our most cherished rights, but words that incite violence should be seriously condemned by all the candidates.
It's no surprise that "civil discourse" is such an oxymoron these days. When I sometimes peruse comments on the Internet, they are loaded with vitriol and profanity. I'm embarrassed for the authors of those comments, and for the readers who stumble upon them.
Words are like weapons – they can damage who we are. This is an important time to remind ourselves that even when passions are high, we can agree to disagree. And we can do so with reason – and respect.
The secrets of tennis legend 
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See all 77 CommentsI never think that the Republican candidate is evil or unpatriotic. I never want to kill or hurt their candidates. I have attended many political rallies, but I have never heard the types of comments I hear coming from the audience at McCain events.
I feel sad. If we cannot respect one another and accept that a different set of ideas from our own may prevail, then Democracy is over. Democracy depends on the willingness of the people to accept the outcome of a free election.
I never think that the Republican candidate is evil or unpatriotic. I never want to kill or hurt their candidates. I have attended many political rallies, but I have never heard the types of comments I hear coming from the audience at McCain events.
I feel sad. If we cannot respect one another and accept that a different set of ideas from our own may prevail, then Democracy is over. Democracy depends on the willingness of the people to accept the outcome of a free election.
Me being just a backwards gal, I am wondering when you last attended a McCain/Palin rally? Are you relying on MSM reporting? You know how unreliable and biased they can be! By the way Katie, thank you for showing us your great intellect during your vice presidential interviews with Gov. Palin and Sen. Biden. I loved your response to Sen. Biden%u2019s foolish comments about FDR''s televised fireside chats in 1929. Wait! You didn''t respond to his ignorant comment and you let it stand leading the American people to believe that his comments were accurate. Were you not aware of Sen. Biden''s glaring faux pas? Could it be that you are the real "airhead in America" and not Gov. Palin? Why are people angry? Maybe it''s because people like you lie and misrepresent the truth. In your unbiased reporting, have you ever referred to the Democratic protesters that claim that President Bush is a War criminal as %u201Cangry%u201D or do you only reserve those adjectives for Republicans? Oh yeah, I am a great fan of Gov. Palin and she has guts and wisdom that you will never understand. She is the only reason I have ever tuned in to your show. How stupid of me to think you would have been half as fair with her as you were with Sen. Biden. Hey Katie...how are those ratings going? Can CBS sue you for malpractice? You are nothing but an ignorant washed up failure! Oops...I hope that doesn''t qualify me as an "angry" McCain/Palin supporter! How does it feel to be replaced as "America''s Sweetheart"?
Also, instead of trying to get quality information from the candidates, the outcome of your interview with Sarah Palin was to make her look bad to the public. She is a smart women who made it to the governor level but you asked questions such as what newspaper do you read? The same unfair treatment that was shown to Hillary is being shown to Palin. Women are not treated fairly and I''m surprised you are feeding that fire.
The money put behind Obama is the reason why he is ahead.
I would respect and watch your newscast if you demonstrated that you weren''t biased one way or the other. That is clearly not the case. Reconsider and deliver unbiased news reporting/journalism so independent voters can decide based on the facts and not the information that biased news organizations and reporters want them to hear.
I hope you will read and consider this.
The panel in Alaska found that Governor Sarah Palin abused her powers. It was noted that Todd Palin has too much power and input as her husband.
Katie, If Sarah does not go to Alaska and testify, she will agree with the findings of the panel. If she does not have nothing to hide she needs to testify. That is the only way to set the record straight.
Katie, should something happen to John McCain we don''t want Todd in the position to run this country.
How about another interview with Sarah to set the record straight. I want to know why Todd had so much power? I want to know who was the governor of Alaska? I want to know why Todd was a member of the Alaskan Separatist Party.
We need to get to bottom of things before the wrong person is put into power in the White House. The American people deserve to know the TRUTH and you can help us bring the truth out.
Suggestion: News media could change this. One specific way -- do a series on propaganda techniques. Show the way people are manipulated without even knowing it.
1. Include some context, e.g., the way propaganda was used by the Nazis and the Communists. ("Back in the day," Florida schools were required to teach a course on "Americanism vs. Communism." A big chunk of that course dealt with propaganda techniques.)
2. Show examples of mind manipulation in U.S. political contests, past & present.
3. Perhaps a contest for kids who can ID propaganda techniques used in 2008 races, with rewards for those sending in examples you can use on the air.
All this negativity is exhausting! Educate kids & adults re. propaganda. The techniques will lose their power. Then, perhaps, we can have a campaign moves toward real solutions to the many problems we face.
They seem to think that calling the media in the tank for Obama and other such nonsense will scare off the media from covering all of the stories-it worked with the lead up of the Iraq war. The NY Times admitted today that they ran that story on the Ayers fantasy because the McCain campaign "pushed them". Well, excuse me, where are your journalistic ethics.
Where are the stories about all of the Americans suffering from the Bush economy, why don''t the news agencies ask follow ups when republicans try to throw this mess on Frank and Dodd??
I wonder and I am watching!!
The term neoconservative was originally used as a criticism against liberals who had "moved to the right".[1][2] Michael Harrington, a democratic socialist, coined the usage of neoconservative in a 1973 Dissent magazine article concerning welfare policy.[3] According to E. J. Dionne, the nascent neoconservatives were driven by "the notion that liberalism" had failed and "no longer knew what it was talking about."[4]
I ask you this, if you are an American and care about your country would you want to help when she needs help? If you are an American and your neighbor is in need, would you help him, if he was political? If your daughter were a republican and was being chased by a rapist, would she refuse the help of a democrat? If your Grandmother was in a car accident and bleeding but could not get help from a republican because she was liberal, would you be angry? I could go on and on with this but I think you get my drift. When this election is all done, no matter how or what is decided, we will have a new American President. I pray he will not be hated because he is black or that he is accused of something so far over the hill that it''s really stupid, dumb and ridiculous, that even a mutant knows better. Spewing hatred is UN-AMERICAN and in no way belongs in 21st century politics.
Lets stop with the dumb, stupid claims that we know are not true. Obama is a Black/White American. He is not a terrorist nor is he on the payroll of the Arab''s. That is really stupid, and you know it. You are spreading hatred and you should be accountable. Not one of US should be spreading trash like this. We are Americans!! Now think about, how you look in the eyes of the world when one of you hollers, "TERRORIST! KILL HIM!" I wonder what they think?
I am appalled and dismayed with our current Government for the Government and by the Government policy.
I ask you what is being done with all of issues occuring and reoccuring in our Nation and the policy makers are not working to safeguard our futures, nor the futures of our children?
Anwwer: Nothing!
Everything from energy to economics to edcuation and security to enviroment to social security to taxes, nothing is being done to help US, the American, the worker, the taxpayer, the Family.
Does anyone remember from American History class what happened to the
British Tax Collectors????
It''s time for tea my fellow American.
God bless you all. God save us and our Country!!!!
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