It is not clear whether Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin did, in fact, hear an audience member shout "Kill him!" in response to Palin's criticism of Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama during a recent McCain-Palin campaign rally.

What is clear is that Palin did not respond. More troubling, this one shout is not an isolated occurrence. 

If nothing else, the increasing level of violent reactions in their audiences should alert the McCain/Palin campaign to tone down the delivery of their message, and to be extremely certain of the accuracy of any accusations they make.

To John McCain's credit, he did try to calm an angry questioner at a very recent rally. His response commendably praised Barack Obama as a good person, and pointed out that Obama was not, in fact, Arab. McCain was booed for his efforts. 

Still, McCain's remarks failed to address a growing atmosphere of hatred against all Arabs -- a popular hatred that transforms any claims, false or otherwise, that someone is an Arab into an assumption that the "accused" is also, automatically, a terrorist.

Whoever becomes the President of the United States must address this hatred, as well as the other hatreds that threaten to rip the country apart. In an era of climate change and economic upheaval, the spectre of violence grows large and gains solidity. 

And, should the unthinkable occur, our future Vice-President must be ready to bear the challenge, instantly and without a misstep. 

Today (October 13, 2008), the McCain/Palin team has noticeably dialed down the vitriol. But they took no questions from the public.  To date, Palin has yet to address the violent undercurrents that have arisen on the campaign trail.  We await further developments. 

For now, the question remains: How well is the McCain/Palin team equipped to handle this daunting challenge, if they were to win the White House? 

On the McCain/Palin ticket, the Vice-Presidency is of unusual importance, not just because of candidate Sarah Palin's gender but also, to be brutally frank, because of her running mate's age and known medical history. If the ticket is successful, there is a higher than normal chance of a McCain Administration becoming a Palin Administration.

Sarah Palin has served as mayor of a small Alaskan town (Wasilla), and is now Governor of the State of Alaska. An examination of her record should shed light on how a President Palin would resolve the weighty issues that come to the White House on a daily basis.

We've heard much about Obama's associates, with the most strident criticism coming from Gov. Sarah Palin.  A look at Gov. Sarah Palin's associates is also appropriate, and illuminating.

One organization keeps popping up in any examination of Sarah Palin: The Alaskan Independence Party (AIP). The AIP is committed to the secession of Alaska from the United States. It is also part of a loose confederation of secessionist parties across the U.S. A favorite quote of AIP's founder, Joe Vogler, is:

"I'm an Alaskan, not an American, I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."

Gov. Palin has never been listed as an AIP member. Her husband, Todd Palin, was a member from 1995-2002. But the connection between AIP and the Palins is long and remains strong.

Gov. Palin attended AIP's annual convention in 1994. At this convention, AIP drafted a resolution calling for secession from the United States of America.

Gov. Palin later attended the 2000 AIP Convention. She gave the keynote address at their 2006 convention. For the 2008 convention, she backed off a bit, limiting her participation to a video greeting.

This is not a friendship with someone who committed violent crimes when Gov. Palin was 8 years old. Nor is it an association with someone who had paid for their crimes years before. AIP is an organization created for the purpose of promoting secession, and it has never wavered from that purpose.

Bill Ayers is being used as a smokescreen. Racial and political tendencies towards violence are being stirred in the name of achieving high office at any cost.

Like any elected official, a Vice-President must take an Oath of Office. It is the same oath taken by members of Congress. Among other promises, the Vice-President swears to "... support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic ..." Secession would seem to have no legitimate place in the Vice Presidency, or the Presidency.

Nor do incitements to violence.