John McCain’s visit to Lakeville Friday saw a lot of ugly allegations from the crowd, which local media outlets here reported. But McCain didn’t “correct,” as reported in today’s Minnesota Daily and an article in the New York Times, Gayle Quinnell of Shakopee, who said that she doesn’t “trust” Obama because she’s “read about him. He’s an Arab.” “No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues,” McCain responded quickly, taking the mic from the elderly woman. Indeed, McCain, by not explicitly setting the record straight, affirmed the allegations. Moreover, McCain implied that “Arabs” aren’t decent family people. What McCain should have done was say this: ‘Now I know there are a lot of rumors out there about Obama’s background–some of which my running mate and campaign fueled– but they’re just that: rumors. Barack Obama is American. He is not a terrorist. He is a Christian. In a free country like ours, however, there’s nothing wrong with not being a Christian. But let’s talk about issues, not tenuous associations.’ Instead McCain minutes later went on to say that “Mr. Obama’s political career was launched in Mr. Ayers’ living room.” Those are the words of a maverick, a candidate who vowed not to run a negative campaign.