The Obama campaign released this video earlier in the week, perhaps in part to answer the question “Who is Barack Obama” often posed by McCain and Palin at their recent rallies, just before someone yells “Kill Him!” or “Terrorist!”

It is a pretty moving piece, full of moments “between” the moments.

In a political environment where his opponents and their supporters attempt to dehumanize him, it’s important for people to see this. Please share it with your friends…

As VP candidate Sarah Palin discussed Barack Obama’s alleged ties to William Ayers at a rally in Clearwater, Florida (surprise) today, one of her fervent supporters shouted “Kill Him!” Palin failed to rebuke them and moved on with her allegations. It’s now abundantly clear the McCain campaign is happy to foment it’s base into an angry frenzy to get them to get out and vote against Obama and his “terrorist pals“.

And earlier today at another rally, McCain allowed one of his supporters to call Barack Obama a terrorist without so much as a blink.

I’m not asking the candidates to control their supporters, I know that’s pretty much impossible. But at least call them out when they make such outrageous and incendiary statements. But they can’t even bother to do that. Just imagine the outrage on the right if something like this had happened at an Obama rally.

This is what the race has boiled down to. And we all may suffer for it.

The following analysis by Charles Babington came across the AP wire while Obama’s speech (more from me on that tomorrow) was still in progress. Is this guy really watching the same speech? Or is this a partisan hack job courtesy of AP Washington Bureau Chief Ron Fournier, friend of Karl Rove and John McCain?

Barack Obama, whose campaign theme is “change we can believe in,” promised Thursday to “spell out exactly what that change would mean.”

But instead of dwelling on specifics, he laced the crowning speech of his long campaign with the type of rhetorical flourishes that Republicans mock and the attacks on John McCain that Democrats cheer. The country saw a candidate confident in his existing campaign formula: tie McCain tightly to President Bush, and remind voters why they are unhappy with the incumbent.

Of course, no candidate can outline every initiative in a 35-minute speech – especially one that also must inspire voters, acknowledge key friends, and toss in some autobiography for the newly-interested. And Obama did touch on nitty-gritty subjects, such as the capital gains tax and biofuel investments.

He said he would “find ways to safely harness nuclear power,” a somewhat more receptive phrase than he typically uses for that subject.

But most of his address echoed and amplified the theme that dominated the four-day Democratic nominating convention here: George Bush.

The final and revised story can be viewed here.

Barack’s amazing speech below… you decide.

Truth be told, I’ve never been a bumper sticker kind of guy. Sure I’ve laughed and poked fun at bumper stickers on other cars (and in the SF Bay area there’s a plenty), but I’ve never adorned my own vehicle with one.

Recently while browsing the web I stumbled across an interesting image with the slogan “McCain – 100% Recycled Bush”. I laughed and thought to myself, “that would make a great bumper sticker” and then promptly forgot about it. Until yesterday. After Barack Obama secured the nomination I considered buying an Obama Support Pack, a collection of goodies that included, among other things, bumper stickers. And then I remembered the image and catchy slogan.

Long story short I recreated the image in bumper-friendly format and posted it on CafePress in my new online store. I of course will be buying one for myself. And I’ll also be donating half of any proceeds from the sale to the Barack Obama campaign.

Comments and purchases of course, are welcome.