Civil rights activist attacks McCain for "sowing hatred"

A veteran civil rights activist has criticised senator McCain for his statements against Barack Obama

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Sunday, 12, Oct 2008 12:23

Congressman John Lewis, a veteran civil rights activist, has criticised John McCain for "sowing hatred" during the presidential campaign.

Previously, the McCain campaign has criticised Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama for being inexperienced and has raised doubts over his alleged links to a Vietnam-era underground organisation that conducted bombings in the US.

Congressman Lewis, an Obama supporter, said: "I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign.

"What I am seeing today reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Senator McCain and governor Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse."

He also spoke of segregationist George Wallace, who ran for president in the 1960s, during his criticism of John McCain.

Lewis said: "He [George Wallace] created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Senator McCain and governor Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all."

Responding to the comments, Senator McCain said: "The notion that legitimate criticism of senator Obama's record and positions could be compared to Governor George Wallace, his segregationist policies and the violence he provoked is unacceptable and has no place in this campaign."

He also called the reference "shocking and beyond the pale" and said it was a "brazen and baseless attack" on his character.

A spokesman for the Obama campaign also criticised McCain's attacks on senator Obama's experience and his links to Bill Ayers, who ran the Vietnam-era Weather Underground organisation.