It’s part of American presidential politics that the vice presidential candidates are usually the attack dogs. So it makes sense that Sarah Palin has described herself as a pit bull with lipstick. And Joe “That’s Not Change. That’s More of the Same” Biden is no slouch either when it comes to chewing up his partner’s opponent.

     But sometimes all that barking — all of that incendiary yapping — can produce nothing short of mob rule. Take the situation that the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank writes about that just occurred in Florida, where Palin boosters screamed at members of the press and waved thunder sticks. Even worse, one Palinite verbally abused an African American network sound man with racial epithets and told him, “Sit down, boy.”

     This needs to stop.

     When Palin pushes a crowd with lines like “launched his political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist!” she’s whipping the crowd up into a frenzy, and the Florida incident is just the beginning. Keep pushing the hateful rhetoric — keep yelling “Fire” until someone lights a match.

    Who knows who let the dogs out, but McCain needs to bring this one in.