The Perils of John McCain's Open Comments Policy

I think the level of intolerance is most informative.

Our political leaders might be able to mask their animus (with the exception of the Congressman who said you can have your Tiger Woods) but average everyday people feel comfortable in their box.

I'm glad we as a whole are moving away from hate little by little.

JPT the critic is not directed to you in particular Iam pretty sure.. I think The critic is directed to some of the Democratic Party surrogates who are threatening the bloggers with the establishment of a type of a Blogger Police ( The Slur War Room). In my modest opinion is a way to suppress free speech. What kind of a Gestapo is that? I personally thank you and the rest of the journalist who gives us the opportunity to express ourselves freely. Thanks again.

Some of the stuff on McCain's site is not all that different than the racist stuff that I've seen on this site. Given some of the vile and idiotic comments I've seen here, it's no wonder that George Bush has been President for the past eight years.

Sen. McCain said today: “I am going to campaign in all thirteen colonies. My campaign will employ all the latest technology: the telegraph; the carrier pigeon as well as the pony express.”

Sen. McCain said today: “I am going to campaign in all thirteen colonies. My campaign will employ all the latest technology: the telegraph; the carrier pigeon and the pony express.”

Imagine how different the political climate would be if no website, including this one, allowed comments from anyone unwilling to use their first and last names. Of course, traffic would be less, but just imagine how the tone would change.

The average American truly is ignorant. Sen. John McCain is asking the US military to stay in Iraq in the same manner that the US military has been in Korea since the 1950s, in Europe since the end of WWII, in Japan since the end of WWII, and countless other nations for 60 plus years. This is how America enjoys freedom and a safe nation in America. If Sen. Barack Obama has some knowledge about American policy and US National Strategy, he would not make the same ignorant comments that the media and most Americas say daily.

Ali Baghdadi is for Obama. Doa littel research on this guy.

jpt writes:
"somehow I don't think we've seen the end of this."

As soon as they've identified all the "free" speakers, we probably WILL. E-mischief being what it is, I'd advise ANYbody to take Tapper's and AmericaBlog's word for it, but to avoid BOTH these websites.

However, it's difficult to imagine that any comments made on either site are or will be as damaging as the more-elevated crap spewed by Olbermann/Matthews/Blitzer et al. in the last weeks of the primaries.

In your article, this sentence appears:
"For instance, Monday morning, there's a Jemaah Islamiyah for Obama page which seems far more likely to have been penned by a conservative who hates Obama than an actual member of Jemaah Islamiyah."

I agree it is unlikely that this was by an actual member of Jemaah Islamiyah; but what information do you have that makes you think it is "far more likely" to have been penned by a conservative who hates Obama?

jackie "What are the odds that MSNBC and CNN can redirect their efforts fromj partisan tabloids to legitimate news sources?"

They are waiting for Faux news to go first :O

Having an open commentary policy with freedom of expression entails some risks, but the risks outweigh a censorship approach. Adults decide for themselves what to read and make their own assessments. Most of us can recognize the offensive and inflammatory. It's as simple as not reading or watching that which runs counter to our sense of integrity. I agree with Sally people are going to vent no matter what and they may as well do it online than out on the streets.

I see that some in the media are attempting to get balance back in the coverage of this election..

Interesting...perhaps we won't see the total media campaign directed against McCain as it has been against Clinton.

I think that negative slant presented as fact by journalists and cable news shows costs 20 points in any poll to a candidate....Just like positive coverage as Obama has experienced is certainly worth a 20 point gain.

What are the odds that MSNBC and CNN can redirect their efforts fromj partisan tabloids to legitimate news sources?

a sad part, to me at least, is that the vitriol on McCain's site is currently accepted as less "outrageous" than the vitriol on Obama's site. we're conditioned to have a visceral reaction to the ugly on Obama's site, as we absolutely should, but the ugly on McCain's site is somehow sanctioned and silently encouraged in our current age.

oh well. i guess it takes time.

It is kind of like this, I think:
Better to have people venting in your own house where no one sees it, then out on the street for the world to see.
With umpteen-thousand comments who is going to take the time to dig through them?
And if they are on Obama´s or McCain´s website no one will believe the outrageous comments.
And once a person vents his rage or stupid comment, odds are they will not do it elsewhere.
So they somewhat contain it...and can delete it anytime they want. (They can´t do that if it is on some other website....like this one.)