The human condition is such that it's very difficult for us to avoid projecting our emotions on other people, using our stress to paint their words into something that amplifies what we're feeling. It's an unfair tendency, and extremely difficult to avoid. The stronger the emotion, the more powerful the projection, and the more likely we are to put ourselves (and those other people) into difficult positions.
It's not just engineery girls who find themselves in this position, though. McCain's supporters, right now, are angry and afraid - and the McCain campaign has allowed many of those supporters to rev themselves into a frenzy. I'll note that McCain has never called Obama a terrorist, but these frightened supporters are projecting their fear/anger onto his words and blowing them way out of proportion. I'm pleased to hear that McCain has started talking those people down. We're already in a situation where people are terrified about the economy and our country - situations less dire than this have caused violent outbreaks in the past. Adding terrorist fear to this climate, and attaching that to your opponent is not just bad manners - it's dangerous and stupid. Unfortunately, when the projection is happening on such a massive scale, it's much harder to sit down and clarify your position. I think McCain has started to see this tactic spinning out of control, and I hope that he's strong enough to rein in his supporters.
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