The right-wing mob rule business is now even getting air time on Fox News (if only through an Obama spokewoman - that is, for now).

This is the emerging story of the campaign, and rightly so. Today we have someone yelling “traitor!” about Obama at a McCain rally; the good Senator, of course, declined to correct his fervent partisan.

Let’s be crystal clear here. If in fact the right-wing mob mentality does explode into violence, there will be lots and lots of blame to go around. Hannity and Fox and the others that have stoked these hatreds will deserve a good portion of it. Sarah Palin will deserve a tremendous amount of the blame.

But the buck will stop with John McCain himself - war hero, “putting America first” by permitting his campaign to incite hatred and perhaps violence against other Americans. McCain talks a lot about honor, but unless he personally and specifically seeks to put a stop to this, it is the most dishonorable thing I’ve seen a campaign do in modern times.

His campaign at least recognizes this is happening:

John Weaver, McCain’s former top strategist, said top Republicans have a responsibility to temper this behavior.

“People need to understand, for moral reasons and the protection of our civil society, the differences with Sen. Obama are ideological, based on clear differences on policy and a lack of experience compared to Sen. McCain,” Weaver said. “And from a purely practical political vantage point, please find me a swing voter, an undecided independent, or a torn female voter that finds an angry mob mentality attractive.”

But by now it doesn’t matter. McCain has loosed the beast; and unless he specifically calls what Martin terms “visceral anger” back into its cage, that beast remains on the loose. And lemme tell you, if you think the partisans on the left side of the fence would simply let right-wing violence pass - I think you are very, very wrong.