The "Real" America

Over the past week the McCain campaign has come under more and more scrutiny over comments made by Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

At a fundraiser in North Carolina, Palin referred to small towns as "real America" and commented on how much she appreciated being in "pro-America" parts of the country - which, by implication, meant that there are anti-America parts of the country as well.

According to Jonathan Martin of Politico today, Palin has now apologized for that implication on CNN.

But the damage has already been done, as the GOP base did its best to stay on message with Palin. Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) accused Obama and his associates of being anti-American and asked the media to uncover anti-American Congresspersons in her now famous interview with Chris Matthews.

Meanwhile, Rep. Robin Hayes (R-NC) said "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God" at a rally in Concord, NC this past weekend.

The implications have all along been that it is liberals that don't represent "real America", but only with the Hayes comment did it become explicit.

If Republican House members still fail to explain that point, then perhaps a representative from the McCain campaign can clarify things.

According to the McCain surrogate, even though northern Virginians pay Virginia taxes and adhere to Virginia laws, they are not part of "real Virginia" because they are metropolitan liberals.

The rhetoric, however, is not helping the GOP. Bachmann's re-election is now in question and Hayes's opponent is capitalizing on the Republican's remarks.

While staying on message is typically prudent, this controversy demonstrates that there are exceptions to that rule.