Melissa McEwan Quits Edwards Campaign

Melissa McEwan has resigned from the John Edwards campaign. Lindsay Beyerstein reports that her sources told her neither Shakes or Amanda Marcotte were fired by the John Edwards campaign.

"This was a decision I made, with the campaign's reluctant support," wrote Melissa. "Because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign, and making me increasingly uncomfortable with my and my family's level of exposure." What that might be about is the death threats both bloggers have received from these Christian followers of Donahue.

The ramifications of Bill Donohue and the Catholic League's reckless rhetoric has materialized in the form of death threats to bloggers Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. This is what happens when the ultra-right wing is given the megaphone of mainstream media. It is also a complete break down in the responsibility that the media has in vetting those who are given a platform to spread a message.

This is also evidence that ultra-right wing organizations that create messages based on hate and fear find sympathetic audiences with people who think more like citizen-militia than the loyal Catholics that Bill Donohue claims to represent. It is no wonder that there has been no mainstream Roman Catholic group, nor the Church itself, to step forward to support Donohue in his illegal, unethical scalp-seeking tirade against Senator Edwards' bloggers.

Huffington Post blogger Lane Hudson is challenging Bill Donahue to rescind his comments and ask people to leave Melissa and Amanda alone. That is more than fair. Considering that both bloggers are no longer with Edwards. Considering Donahue's long history of hateful comments - I doubt he will show the leadership to ease up on the bloggers. It's not only the right thing to do. It's what Jesus would do. I hope otherwise.

You can call Donahue's office at 212-371-3191. Tell him to lay off Amanda and Melissa.