Just Wait Till Obama Gets Home

Cross-posted from KerryVIsion

He's a little busy right now.

From the moment Barack Obama stepped on the plane to visit Europe and the Middle East, McCain has taken every opportunity to trash the Democratic nominee. Yesterday was the last straw, as the McCain camp attacked Obama's visit to a holy site and used the solemn occasion in Israel in a desperate effort to promote McCain's failed strategy.

We wrote yesterday about the disgusting comment Sen. McCain made questioning Barack Obama's patriotism. At that point, I didn't think he could say anything more vile.

But he did.

Senator Obama visited Yad Vashem yesterday, and wrote an eloquent and touching comment in the guestbook at Israel's Holocaust memorial.

I am grateful to Yad Vashem and all of those responsible for this remarkable insititution. At a time of great peril and promise, war and strife, we are blessed to have such a powerful reminder of man's potential for great evil, but also our capacity to rise up from tragedy and remake our world. Let our children come here, and know this history, so that they can add their voices to proclaim "never again". And may we remember those who perished, not only as victims, but also as individuals who hoped and loved and dreamed like us, and who have become symbols of the human spirit.

Barack Obama
23 July, 2008

In response to this statement of hope and remembrance, the McCain camp attacked Senator Obama's heartfelt message with a stunningly disrespectful rebuttal.

Congressman Wexler called McCain's attack "shameful" and "unconscionable", and added:

"using Senator Obama's somber visit to Israel's Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem as a backdrop to score cheap political points instead of focusing on the security needs of the nation."

Congressman Wexler wasn't the only one to find McCain's comment beyond the boundaries of decency.

Now, I understand McCain doesn't know how to use a computer and is just catching on to the whole sound and moving pictures thing, but someone needs to tell him that the people in other countries can hear what he's saying. The leaders of Israel know that McCain used the Yad Vashem visit to try to score cheap political points. Just like the people of al-Anbar know that he diminished their successes against al-Qaeda in Iraq and just like folks in Belarus know he belittled their country when he suggested banishing Phil Gramm there. Now, I don't think McCain intended to insult the memorial or the memory of the leader of the Anbar Awakening, or even the folks in Belarus. That's the point, though. He just doesn't realize that with his attempts at Obama, there is collateral damage to our international relations. After eight years of a president who couldn't leave the country without insulting someone, the last thing we need is another who we'd be afraid to put in front of a camera for fear he'll cause an international incident.

Senator Kerry spoke with Imus the other day about Barack Obama's leadership and about McCain's confusion on foreign relations and the economy.

On a side note, McCain surrogate Senator Joe Lieberman embraced anti-Catholic Rev. Hagee this week after McCain was for/against him.

If McCain's goal was to alienate Jews, Catholics and Muslims this week, I'd say he did a world-class job.