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Obama and the Post-Racial Illusion
Those who believe that electing Obama will somehow absolve America of its racial sins are kidding themselves.
One of the more “noble” reasons why millions of Americans will vote for Barack Obama tomorrow are that his election will, they believe, show that the United States has finally put its racist past behind it. More specifically — at the micro level as opposed to the macro level — many believe that an Obama victory will serve as an example to young black men from troubled backgrounds who might otherwise do badly at school and drift into crime, incapable of holding down a job or being a responsible parent.
The argument that electing Obama will somehow absolve America of its racial sins is certainly compelling, especially for voters who haven’t made a decision based on issues such as the economy or Iraq. But it would be more persuasive were it not for the irony that Obama finds himself within touching distance of the Oval Office not by virtue of his achievements or his ideas, but in no small part because of the color of his skin.
The Obama campaign and its media cheerleaders have done a fine job of rendering discussion of his race taboo: while supporters of Hillary Clinton, notably Geraldine Ferraro raised the issue during the primary campaign, it hasn’t become a factor in the general election battle — aside, that is, from Obama’s repeated and cynical attempts to pre-emptively raise the specter of racism on the part of the McCain campaign. But Ferraro was right when she said in March that “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position.” There’s absolutely nothing in Obama’s resume to recommend him as a presidential candidate: no executive experience (unless you count giving away $100 million to radical groups when he ran the Annenberg Challenge with Bill Ayers); no legislative record to speak of; no achievements beyond his academic success; little experience of anything, in fact, other than college life and corrupt Chicago politics.
Obama is certainly charismatic, a good speaker (when he’s in front of his teleprompter) and a good campaigner. And in modern politics, where image counts for so much, such qualities can help an otherwise unremarkable candidate to punch above his weight. But John Edwards also had these qualities, and he disappeared almost without trace in the primary campaign, despite being a more prominent figure in the Democratic party than Obama on account of having been John Kerry’s running mate in 2004, and despite having served in the Senate for twice as long as Obama. By any calculation Edwards was the more plausible candidate — but, just as the only substantive difference between Obama and Hillary Clinton was gender, the only substantive difference between Obama and Edwards was skin color.
Sure enough, black support was a key factor in Obama’s victory over Clinton. It won’t be a significant factor tomorrow, because black voters have overwhelmingly supported the Democratic candidate in the past several elections. And there is of course nothing wrong with blacks voting for Obama on the basis of his color, any more than it was wrong for Catholics to vote for JFK or Mormons to support Mitt Romney in the Republican primaries. It’s perfectly understandable that, in the absence of significant disagreements over policy, a person should choose to vote for candidate from their own ethnic, racial or religious group. In the general election, however, the number of white people who, caught up in the idea of Obama as some kind of transformational figure, will vote for him solely on the basis of his color is likely to have a significant bearing on the result, and so it’s worth looking at the merits of casting such a vote.
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Mike McNally blogs at Monkey Tennis Centre.
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134 Comments
1. Dennster the menschner:“….problems which decades of rule over America’s big cities by Obama’s party have done nothing to alleviate.”
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:04 am 2. RF:And which the Republican made damn sure would not be alleviated!
There’s too much truth in your letter Mike, hope you have your ‘partisan adherent’ helmet on.
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:12 am 3. Barack Obama On Best Political Blogs » Obama and the Post-Racial Illusion:Any good BHO does will be short lived, re: “tax cuts”/’non-tax-payment checks’, cause it will all be fizzled away by the non-disciplined majority, then prices will trickle down and everything will go up.
Obama’s plan will not bring any long term wealth to the middle to lower class, only hard work and savings will get you there.
[...] Obama and the Post-Racial Illusion Those who believe that electing Obama will somehow absolve America of its racial sins are kidding themselves. [...]
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:24 am 4. Erik:“And there is of course nothing wrong with blacks voting for Obama on the basis of his colour, any more than it was wrong for Catholics to vote for JFK or Mormons to support Mitt Romney in the Republican primaries.”
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:54 am 5. Erik:Of course there is something wrong with it. It’s racism. Unless the defenition has changed, racism is the suspension of critical judgement and basing ones decisions primarily on skin color or ethnic identity. While religion many times follows racial lines, it is primarily a strong system of ethics. Since we vote for those that most closely reflect our ethical ideals it follows that Catholics would vote for a Catholic or Mormons would vote for a Mormon. I believe (or at least would like to believe) that if a devout black Catholic or Mormon ran, white members of the respective religions would have few qualms about supporting their candidate.
Additionally, race has been an inseperable factor in the most dangerous nationalist movements throughout history. I’m a bit surprised this did not register with you when you wrote this.
Nov 3, 2008 - 2:02 am 6. susan:a president elected by affirmative action can only worsen relationships between races.
He’s been granted so many free pass that would never be granted to any white man
Nov 3, 2008 - 2:05 am 7. RE:Americans are about to get a real-life lesson on how much easier it is to destroy than it is to create.
The silver lining in this pending disaster is that more people are waking up to the realization of the Culture War that has been waged against traditional Americans (and Western Civ in general). There are aggressors and there are defenders. The defenders have largely been asleep at the wheel for a long, long time.
Americans are on the verge of being duped into committing a colossally foolish blunder. The entire world will suffer for it.
Ayers, Dohrn, Wright, Davis…. Marx…. Evil.
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:09 am 8. James:If (when?) Obama wins, you guys will call it racism. If he loses, the Democrats will say the same thing.
I personally – previously a long-term, diehard Republican – will be voting for Obama regardless of the colour of his skin. Any sane American will be doing the same thing tomorrow.
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:52 am 9. “Let Freedom Ring” « Mark Epstein:[...] aunt who is living in the US illegally, the Obama campaign’s “race baiting” and race-charged political campaign, Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)MEDIA ADVOCACY NOT NEWS REPORTINGNo [...]
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:55 am 10. Eric R.:Tomorrow, sad to say, America will likely vote freedom out of existence.
A civil war for secession may save the Red States, but Blue State America might as well just run the hammer-and-sickle (or the Crescent) up the flagpole.
Nov 3, 2008 - 4:05 am 11. vivo:Obama is NOT responsible to fix any post-racial illusions: the American PEOPLE are!!
That includes YOU whites, blacks, yellow, brown, green, blue and red . . .
Nov 3, 2008 - 4:06 am 12. Lisa:Given the number of accusations he has thrown around about how every criticism of him is racist.
Given that white voters have been told over and over again for months that a vote against him is racist.
Given that he referred to his grandmother as a typical white woman in one breath and a racist in the next.
Given that he spent 20 years at a racist, anti-Semitic church.
Given all this and much much more, who still has this illusion that he’s the Post-Racial Candidate?
Seems to me that he’s the MOST racial candidate.
Nov 3, 2008 - 4:34 am 13. Lisa:Oh and James, I fail to see how a “sane American”, a “die-hard Republican” COULD vote for Obama.
A vote for Obama is a vote for sexism.
A vote for Obama is a vote for handouts.
A vote for Obama is a vote for a welfare state.
A vote for Obama is a vote for anti-Americanism.
A vote for Obama is a vote for shiny over substance.
No, sir, this life long Democrat, Clinton-supporter, and PUMA is voting for McCain on Tuesday.
Nov 3, 2008 - 4:37 am 14. wpb:Mike: I didn’t realize you were allowed to talk about this. I expect by later this afternoon, someone from the Obama team will be diving into your employment history, examining your bank records, rifling through your tax returns, etc., to punish you for your heretical thoughts.
And as if on queue, James shows up to prove the point that reading and comprehension don’t go hand in hand. (where did you say that electing Obama is an act of racism?) At least he didn’t curse at you.
Well written and thought provoking; I sense you’ll be able to fill in the blanks on a follow up column in next few weeks and months.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:07 am 15. susan:do you wonder how many people unfit for a specific job will do as obama?
throw racist insinuations on anybody, start frivulous lawsuits, demand special priviledges saying “if the president got free pass on anything playing the race card, I can too”.
A disaster.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:08 am 16. M.P.:Here are some things I am actually looking forward to if (when) Obama wins: 1. Being in the opposition. It is far easier and often more enjoyable to criticize than to actually be in charge. The Dems have proved this for the past 8 years. They relentlessly criticize and pat themselves on the back for ’speaking truth to power’ but offer no real solutions of their own and, then, when given some power, do nothing but continue the status quo. 2. Watching the angry left turn itself inside out when they don’t get everything they want. No one could satisfy this blood thirsty bunch so they inevitable turn on each other. We saw this with Congressional Dems and funding the Iraqi War. We will see it again many times over when the same middle of the road voters who naturally lean Dem, want change, but are not thrilled with Obama revolt against Congressional Dems over the next two years. Before the stock market dive, McCain had these people. They are still out there and wary. 3. Watching the inevitable, hypocritical elitism of the Obamas and their gushing, uber wealthy, feudalistic patrons cast into a very harsh spotlight during difficult economic times. Watching those adorable little girls go off to their expensive progressive private school while the multitudes in DC are forced into sub-standard public school without any choice. The list of possibilities on this point is endless! Always looking for the silver linings.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:26 am 17. Rotwang:This is a bullsh** article from its first sentence.
No one is voting for Obama out of a sense of “white guilt.” We’re voting for Obama because conservatism destroyed America, because McCain and Palin are scary jingoist nutbags, and because Obama is the only candidate who’s demonstrated any sort of mature thinking in terms of foreign policy, domestic affairs, the economy and the role of government.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:32 am 18. xyzdude:James, Any any real American spells the word ‘Color’ not ‘Colour’ you lying foreigner!
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:40 am 19. marsouin:The white Dems and black “civil rights” activists have long ago devolved the “War on Poverty” into a business and the “War on Racism” into exploiting white guilt. They have had complete control of all our major cities over the last 50 years. The result: the biggest killing grounds of blacks ever created and that shows no sign of abating for many decades to come. And they have successfully led major parts of society to believe that they and their policies are not at fault. Here in DC, and what I’ve seen of Chicago, there are swaths of blacks seething with resentment and hate against whites. As long Progessives and civil rights leaders escape accountability, race relations will remain unchanged for several generations to come.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:41 am 20. Aedyn:If you DON’T vote for someone because of their race it’s racism and if you DO vote for someone because of their race it’s racism. There’s no difference.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:05 am 21. Peter the Sub Guy:8. James wrote:
I personally – previously a long-term, diehard Republican – will be voting for Obama regardless of the colour of his skin. Any sane American will be doing the same thing tomorrow.
Peter replies:
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:05 am 22. Peter the Sub Guy:James, please explain how voting for someone with no experience, no accomplishments, who has hid his history and background, his grades, his writing, someonw who is still, less than 24 hours before election day little more than an enigma to the vast majority of the American public can in the least be considered sane?!? And yes, I do want an answer to this!
18. xyzdude wrote:
James, Any any real American spells the word ‘Color’ not ‘Colour’ you lying foreigner!
Peter replies:
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:09 am 23. RE:Nice catch, Dude! I missed that completely!
Truth in Advertising would have Obama’s campaing slogan be ‘Let’s make the world like Detroit!’
Obama’s are the same policies. The same mentality. The same disaster.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:13 am 24. Pierre:The Light Worker has not won anything yet…except the award for BS artist of the new century.
Yea I hate the Light Worker for his associations…associating with terrorists, racists, and corrupt Chicago Politicians does not qualify you for President.
Barack got a pass on all of that because he is Black. NO WHITE MAN would have gotten this far with such terrible skeletons in his closet.
McCain supporters…all of these comments you see in support of Obama are designed to demoralize you. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Help others you know will vote for McCain/Palin get to the Polls…we can win this. Minn is in play, Penn is in play. The Light Worker’s allies are saying he has no political courage…google Jerrold Nadler.
Do not let these foreigners influence your vote…get there. Do not listen to the networks tomorrow the final play will be to call the election early for Obama. That is a play designed to get you to stay home.
DO NOT STAY HOME…show these schmucks we know their games.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:15 am 25. Bernard Chapin:Sterling article and sterling analysis Mike.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:19 am 26. RE:I pray the American electorate comes to its senses tomorrow as sees Obama the unaccomplished charlatan for what he truly is.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:20 am 27. James:wpb: I take it you meant to write cue, not queue.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:34 am 28. James:Lisa: I guess our votes cancel each other out, then.
XYZdude: get a life.
Peter the sub guy: sweetheart, the vast majority of the American public can’t read. Or, like you, spell. See ya – wouldn’t wanna be ya! (there: I’m sure you can understand that).
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:40 am 29. Jason:I don’t believe any “die-hard” Republican would vote for Obama.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:55 am 30. misanthropicus:Re #1/ Dennster the menschner: “….problems which decades of rule over America’s big cities by Obama’s party have done nothing to alleviate.” – And which the Republican made damn sure would not be alleviated!”
Dennnster, can you describe the merits of Democrats in Chicago? You can use your own words, if you want so.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:56 am 31. misanthropicus:#28 Re James Re Peterthesubguy Re xyzdude: [...] sweetheart, the vast majority of the American public can’t read. Or, like you, spell. See ya – wouldn’t wanna be ya! (there: I’m sure you can understand that).[..]
Jaime, American me offended of yo comments. Oll American can rid & rit good.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:02 am 32. Mike:Thanks for the comments so far – I figure there will be a few more. There are several issues here that merit a column of their own, and I’ll try to get my head round some of them in the future. For the record I’m white and English (my editors changed all my ‘colour’s to ‘color’!), so I don’t presume to speak for blacks, or Americans. Just my observations, and you can take them or leave them.
A special thank-you to Rotwang at 17: it’s always good to be reminded of the hate and dishonesty that lie at the core of so many on the left. In fact I find it life-affirming.
Over at my blog I’ve left a few links to black conservative blogs, and the National Association of Black Republicans. These guys have guts for challenging the narrative that’s been written by the left, and they deserve our support.
I would love to see ‘Zo’ (the guy in the video) given half an hour on stage at the next Republican convention.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:09 am 33. David Thomson:“James, Any any real American spells the word ‘Color’ not ‘Colour’ you lying foreigner!”
The odds are that you are right in suspecting James is a non-American scam artist. Our election has been greatly influenced by foreign money and activity. Leftists inherently also believe they have a right to lie and deceive on behalf of the alleged noble cause of destroying the fascist scum bags.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:28 am 34. jane:Silly me – I thought the whole concept of being “post-racial” was to vote for the best candidate, not to vote based on the color of someone’s skin.
But IMO Obama and his supporters have made his candidacy more about race than anything else. Their constant cries of racism whenever anything about him is questioned can hardly be interpreted otherwise.
Somehow his election is supposed to prove we’re not bigots and a poster actually has the chutpah to dismiss “white guilt” as a motivator? Anytime people fawn on and on about how an Obama Presidency would make the rest of the world like us better it certainly smacks of white guilt to me.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:32 am 35. tom:what obama will do for his race?
he has polarized the race wars and set them back 30 years
does he care? look at chicago – he gave money to Toni Rezko to build slumlord projects that are now mostly abandoned while they extorted millions
Chicago – bad schools, highest murder rates, highers sales tax, corrupt government
thank God he won’t be elected
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:43 am 36. cat:8. James:
You don’t fool others as being a Diehard Republican (Conservative). You show the total left. It is funny how people say one thing and go to the other extreme. Another Kool-Aid drinker.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:46 am 37. jerryofva:I would like to offer an unusual dissent from this article. Obama is indeed a post-racial candidate but not in the sense that is normally given. Obama is a white man with African genes and that makes the subject of his race irrelevant. Look how he treats his African relatives. His half brother languishes in a slum living on $10 a month. His Aunt, a woman who he says plays an important role in life, languishes as an illegal alien in a Boston slum. His Uncle in Chicago is non-person in his life. He is seeking to banish the black from his persona. He is nothing more then the typical racist Democrat who can hide behind the superficiality of his skin color. In that sense he is post-racial.
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:50 am 38. cat:8. James:
We Americans spell “color” not “colour”. Are you British?
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:54 am 39. Zo & the Politics of Race | Autumn People:[...] this article notes, it is normal and understandable to want to vote for someone who is like you. Looks like you, [...]
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:55 am 40. American Voter:Obama admits in a taped interview from January 2008 that his tax plan would “bankrupt” the coal industry and because of his greenhouse emissions taxes, energy prices will “skyrocket.” (Bankrupt and skyrocket are HIS words.) 50% of our energy comes from coal, btw. Too bad the press didn’t do its job about getting us this info earlier. Here’s a link:
http://politicsandcriticalthinking.blogspot.com/2008/11/cap-and-trade-off-another-industry.html
Nov 3, 2008 - 7:56 am 41. Martge:Remember the British who said America was racist? Well I have gone back thru all the elected leaders in Britian for the last 20 years. I can’t find one BLACK PERSON. Also where are all the blacks and muslims in the House of Commons. THEN go back thru those elected to the American Congress for the last 20 years, big difference huh..
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:00 am 42. ehunter:Blacks know something white liberals dont know.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:02 am 43. John:They know they like racism and do not want it to go away …ever. Racism is their key to power they dont deserve, jobs they cant perform, and money they didnt earn. Why would any black ever want a level playing field?
The spin on this topic gets so boring. The Republicans have played the general race and xenophobia card continually and I see they have finally decided to pull old Jeremiah out of the cupboard. Will it make any difference. Sure there will be some racially based voting in places where you’d expect it like rural GA, western PA, MS that after all is what the southern strategy was about. It might be enough to save GA and Chambliss but it isn’t going to change the outcome. And paradoxically the more Republicans attack Obama on the character issue the more popular he becomes. His favorability ratings are in the stratosphere. Why? Because anyone with a brain in his head can see he’s a very nice level headed guy. Republicans, I used to be one, can try peddling this racist homophobic claptrap they’ve become addicted to but it’s destroying them as a serious national party.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:05 am 44. Tommy:James, you won’t be voting for Obama because you are not a citizen. Sometimes, people like you (and many Obama supporters) infiltrate a blog in order to supress a vote. It ain’t gonna work this time, chief! The Conservatives are FIRED UP! We will vote in HUGE numbers because Obama is an empty suit on almost EVERY ISSUE! He is lacking depth on EVERY ISSUE including his background. Where are his accomplishments in the State Senate or US Senate?? He has NEVER introduced legislation or co-written legislation about ANY OF THE ISSUES HE SAYS ARE BIG! The economy? He WROTE A LETTER IN 2007! That’s it! McCain brought regulation for Fannie/Freddie in 2005 & 2006 only to be defeated by DEMOCRATS WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THOSE GSE’s!! They were in the tank and collecting HUGE SUMS OF MONEY!! Mark my words, Barney Frank WILL BE INVESTIGATED AFTER THE ELECTION!! He had pleaded with Pelosi to wait for more Democrats to be voted in. The Democrats in this country are WRONG ON THE ECONOMY, GLOBAL WARNING (sic), WAR IN IRAQ, CUBA, IRAN, and everything else!! Expect a BITTER LOSS FOR OBAMA AS THE LEFT CALLS FOR OBAMA TO NOT CONCEDE DEFEAT (Gore Vidal in an open letter to Obama)!!! Down goes Barry, DOWN GOES BARRY!!!
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:07 am 45. Ryan:Ferraro was right. Obama would not be where he is today if he were a white male. That goes without saying. What becomes more troubling with a Obama presidency will be the “hands off” mentality that he will be graced with. Unfortunately, we have very weak minded politicians, both left and right, who will not challenge Obama on anything for fear of being labeled a racist. That somehow any critical evaluation of Obama will turn into a “racial attack”. We could have a government that moves radically left or does nothing at all, and nothing will be said. Re-election is a foregone conclusion.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:38 am 46. Jonesy55:“Remember the British who said America was racist? Well I have gone back thru all the elected leaders in Britian for the last 20 years. I can’t find one BLACK PERSON. Also where are all the blacks and muslims in the House of Commons. THEN go back thru those elected to the American Congress for the last 20 years, big difference huh..”
No, we have never had a non-white PM, however we have had a woman and a jewish man. We have a measly 2% of our MPs who are non-white compared to around 8% of the population as a whole so obviously there is work to do here.
Of course the vast majority of non-white people in the UK come from families who have been in this country for two or three generations at the most whereas most African-American families have been in the US since its inception so you might expect them to be more prominent in the upper echelons of the political establishment and society in general.
There will probably be a jump in the numbers at Westminster after the next election as the main parties have been pushing the selection of minority candidates.
The first non-white guy to be elected to the House of Commons in the UK was Dadabhai Naoroji who represented Finsbury Central in London from 1892 to 1895.
It’s true that the US has made great progress in race relations since the 1960s and there is a lot that other countries could learn from this, there are still plenty of racists around though, especially in certain parts of the country.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:44 am 47. Zeno:You know, it’s kind of annoying to read those comments of supposed “long-life die-hard Republicans” that decided to vote for Obama because he’s so cool… Come on, Obamabots, you are not fooling anyone. Hope you enjoy the new free-less America.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:46 am 48. praise americas freedom:John: I John Mccain,
Sarah: I Sarah Palin,
Both: We, the Republican candidates for the presidency and vice presidency of the united states,
pledge which means to affirm, promise, or swear, allegiance, of our loyalty and devotion, to the flag , a flag which is the globally recognized symbol for both religious and political freedom, of the united states, 50 states agreeing in the principles of law and the courage to endure the fight for human rights, of America.
John: and to the republic for which it stands,
Sarah: One Nation, a community of people born of all nationalities,
Both: under god, indivisible, when in need Americans across our great nation unite.
Sarah: with liberty, which is freedom of the press,
John: freedom of religion,
Sarah: freedom of speech,
Both : the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
John: and Justice, which is the quality of being just, impartial and fair,
BOTH; AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:47 am 49. Jim Baker:James,
You have never voted for a Republican and I bet you aren’t even old enough to vote for anyone yet. Just my guess.
John,
My guess is that you are another of the Obama troll brigade. Just my guess.
Now to the subject. This is a very well thought out opinion but, since most of our country has been taught to see only one face of racism, it will not sell. I believe this is evidenced by the response to the article. The only thing that will end racism is to take this limited viewpoint completely out of our government schools. Fat chance folks.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:47 am 50. SAF:Tommy:
Hope you are right but Obama is not an empty suite. He is full of ideas we both don’t like:
* Income redistribution
* Appeasement of enemies
* socialism
* and will no doubt get reparations for slavery passed
* he will make the current affirmative action statutes look tame
Empty-No
Empty would imply he wouldn’t change things. I doubt that will be the case.
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:59 am 51. Karen:I agree with Tommy. I think the support McCain gets tomorrow will be beyond what anyone can imagine.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:02 am 52. view from afar:Did anyone else click on the black Christian conservative link site? The guy is hilarious!!! And very right on top of issues near and dear to conservatives! My teens were equally impressed by the guy!
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:02 am 53. Duhgee:Great article BTW, and true, as most French people that I know basically tell me that voting for Obama will purge us of our (?) racism…This from a nation that still qualifies skin color, and prejoratively(sp) refers to people they don’t like as Arabs. O h the British can talk, and so can the Italians, and Germans, they still throw junk at black and Arab palyers on soccer fields getting games cancelled (imagine US citizens, going to a baseball/football/basketball game and someone throwing something at a player because he’s black?
Anyway great article, and go see the videos, cause there’s more than one, a shame this guy wasn’t used more during the campaign for McCain.
Obama’s first amendent rewrite:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the fair exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of fair speech, or of the fair press; or the right of the fair people peaceably to assemble, and to fairly petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The definition of fair to be issued after confirmation of Obama Supreme Court appointees.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:02 am 54. Dani:I received an email saying that technically Obama only had 143 days of experience in the senate since it’s only in session for a certain # of days out of the year. I don’t know how true this is, but if it is, MAN are we in TROUBLE!!
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:08 am 55. John:8. James:
If (when?) Obama wins, you guys will call it racism. If he loses, the Democrats will say the same thing.
I personally – previously a long-term, diehard Republican – will be voting for Obama regardless of the colour of his skin. Any sane American will be doing the same thing tomorrow.
_____________
You’ve never been a Republican in your entire life. You are a paid Obama-bot. You give yourself away with the insult you just can’t help but throw out there in the last sentence.
Nice try though!
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:22 am 56. Peter the Sub Guy:28. James wrote:
Peter the sub guy: sweetheart, the vast majority of the American public can’t read. Or, like you, spell. See ya – wouldn’t wanna be ya! (there: I’m sure you can understand that).
Peter points out:
As expected, misdirection and doublespeak. Doesn’t answer the question. Doesn’t even acknowledge the question, because there is no real, logical answer. Either you have drunk the kool-aid and must worship The One or you are an evil, racist republican.
James, ANSWER THE QUESTION!!! Please explain how voting for someone with no experience, no accomplishments, who has hid his history and background, his grades, his writing, someonw who is still, less than 24 hours before election day little more than an enigma to the vast majority of the American public can in the least be considered sane?!? And yes, I do want an answer to this!
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:30 am 57. Sheila:view from afar – no need to be diplomatic – they just dont throw “junk” at black players – they throw bananas at them. It’s disgusting and ridiculous.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:30 am 58. CC:As a Dutch Concerned Citizen, the outcome of the American presidential elections will shape the future of the US and the (Western) world for decades in my view.
Living in an almost completely anti-Bush country, I am fed up with all the filth and dirt thrown upon the Bush-administration this last decade (y)our media and politicians.
It seems like Bush and his party have become the devil incarnated.
With mr. Obama there are too many unanswered questions, as to (marxist and pro-Islamic) affiliations and alliances.
His supportes behave like groupies who hate everyone who doesn’t condone their hero, the new ‘Messiah who will bring all the people to the promised (marxist, multicultural)paradise.
However, the mood worldwide will likely benefit mr. Obama and his views, as the world is tired of US-might and (necessary) military interventions. My compatriots for instance, can’t wait for the White House to be held by Democratic idol Barack Hussein Obama.
I fear, a choice for Obama will weaken the US and other western nations and allies, and make the world a much more dangerous place.
Go vote, American people and let not your (irrational) Bush-hate blind you for the real mr. Obama. The whole world is watching you.
a friend of the United States
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:36 am 59. Robert Hurley:Susan:
As ususal you don’t know what you are talking about. “a president elected by afirmative action…” What a stupid assertion!
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:37 am 60. Robert Hurley:Lisa – if you really were a Hillary supporter, you could not have understood what she was for. You must have been supporting her only because she was a woman.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:39 am 61. Robert Hurley:Peter the sub guy – I guess the majority of voter are insane
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:40 am 62. get real:Go back and look at who blacks supported at first way back in the primary. They were largely for Clinton and several continued their loyalty for her throughout the primaries. I was a late convert myself. It was not until Iowa that blacks started to look at him seriously. Also, comments by the Clintons, Bill in particular, did not help matters much.
You see, we remember a certain individual by the name of Clarence Thomas. Blacks supported him because he was black and look what that got us. Black people will not support someone they see as an “Uncle Tom,” because the worst enemy of black people is a black person who is on the other end of political spectrum. For example, the House Negro was no more trusted than the Master because the House Negro would watch out for his position and work against the field Negro to ensure he did not fall from grace. We tend to be much harder on our own than whites are on us.
Am I inspired by a black man’s ability to rise to the highest office in the land? Yes. But I am not a fool, If Secretary Rice were running for president, there is no way in hell her race would have anything to do with my decision making nor would she get the black vote in the numbers that Obama has gotten them.
One more thing, I wonder how many white people are voting for McCain because he is white? You are quick to question our motives for voting for Obama, but you have the luxury of not having your motives questioned, are you voting for McCain because he is white. That is the very definition of white priviledge. Your burden is that you have to prove that you are not racist for not voting for Obama because he is black. Our burden is beeng accused of being foolish and uninformed enough that we would vote for a black candidate simple because he is black.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:43 am 63. Robert Hurley:Poor Tommy – He think that his shouting will change votes
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:46 am 64. praise americas freedom:I just found out that hillary sits on the board of WAL-mart, one of the few businesses that tries to eliminate the mom and pop stores in this nation. think about it,
and i believe that this is what john and sarah stand for:
Godspeed, Mr. President and Mrs. Vice President
John: I John Mccain,
Sarah: I Sarah Palin,
Both: We, the Republican candidates for the presidency and vice presidency of the united states,
pledge which means to affirm, promise, or swear, allegiance, of our loyalty and devotion, to the flag , a flag which is the globally recognized symbol for both religious and political freedom, of the united states, 50 states agreeing in the principles of law and the courage to endure the fight for human rights, of America.
John: and to the republic for which it stands,
Sarah: One Nation, a community of people born of all nationalities,
Both: under god, indivisible, when in need Americans across our great nation unite.
Sarah: with liberty, which is freedom of the press,
John: freedom of religion,
Sarah: freedom of speech,
Both : the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
John: and Justice, which is the quality of being just, impartial and fair,
BOTH; AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:48 am 65. ehunter:INSIDE A OBAMABOT INTERNET ROOM:
Match up this description to the tactics
displayed here. Can you spot the Obamabots?
Pretty easy really.
http://www.rense.com/general83/nrw.htm
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:48 am 66. jonesy55:I wouldn’t be too smug, 25-30 years ago black players would also have bananas thrown at them at football games here in the UK. It wouldn’t ever happen now but that doesn’t mean that there are no racist people here.
Outward expression of racism has become less and less acceptable socially, political correctness can have its uses and the PC phenomenon is far less established in certain parts of continental Europe (Spain for example) than in the UK and US.
Hiding one’s racism doesn’t make it disappear though.
PS viewfromafar, i’ve never heard of this happening in Germany or France, only Spain and ‘New Europe’ did you make that up?
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:55 am 67. daydreaminmeme:Barack Obama would not pass the background scrutiny by the FBI to become a member of his own cabinet nor could he get security clearance to become a police officer in any American city due top his past associations and affiliations,yet he stands poised to become President of the United States of America. Why?
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:56 am 68. attorneygirl:My god.
Obama is a liar.
I don’t know why half the country doesn’t realize this.
Oh wait, yes I do. They are watching ABC, NBC and CBS.
And they’re not doing their research and asking questions.
I believe Obama will help destroy this country.
Obama’s “Amerika” is not the America that I know and love. The America that I call my home, that I am proud of, the America that soldiers have fought and died for through the years.
Under Obama, race relations will be worse.
We will lose rights.
We will be taxed to death.
We will have liberal courts.
And we will have an inexperienced Marxist in the Oval Office representing us in foreign policy.
God help us.
Vote McCain and Palin.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:58 am 69. attorneygirl:No true conservative could vote for Obama for dog catcher.
Vote McCain and Palin.
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:02 am 70. attorneygirl:What kind of idiot would believe that conservatism “destroyed” America? That’s ridiculous.
I would like to see hard core logical evidence supporting that idiotic conclusion.
Conservatism is what has built this country and the only thing saving it. My God. Are people idiots? Really.
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:03 am 71. Robert Hurley:Attorneygirl – You better not let your potential clients see your post here. They might be worried you would lose their cases if you used similar logic
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:10 am 72. CJ:I love Europeans who wagged their fingers at the U.S. for its racism, while their nations remained lily white. Then, as the percentage of people who didn’t look like them grew – surprise! – they began to have problems with…racism.
Most Obama supporters sidestep the obvious: 1. a rational review of this election reveals that the left raised the issue of race, overtly and often, not the right. 2. Obama cynically remained loyal to a racist church and racist church leader for DECADES, because it furthered his political career.
No Obama supporter will touch those facts. Unfortunately for them, a NY Congressman spilled the beans when he thought he wasn’t being videotaped. ENJOY!
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:14 am 73. Bugs:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rB1G0D3r7k&eurl=http://ace.mu.nu/
No one should have any illusions about an Obama presidency somehow resolving all our racial issues. It would be an historic occurrence. After the false promise of Reconstruction, the erosion of African American rights afterwards, and the important but incomplete gains of the Civil Rights era, to finally see a black man running for president and possibly entering the White House is and would be a major event for our country. But that’s what it would be: an occurrence, an event, a landmark on a never-ending road toward “a more perfect union.” All the problems will still be there, massively complex and seemingly intractable. I would hope that an Obama presidence would elate and inspire black people, give them strength to work harder to change the system and their own lives. I would also hope that an Obama presidency would demonstrate to certain white people that a black president isn’t the end of the world – or their egos. Nevertheless, I still expect many slow years of struggle and evolution before differences in color and culture cease to cause us problems.
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:18 am 74. GA going BLUE:HOW YALL LOVE IT???????? NO MATTER HOW MUCH SMEAR ADS AND BLOGS AND ROBOCALLS OBAMA IS STILL LIGHTYEARS AHEAD!!!!! GA, FL, NC GOING BLUE TOMMOROW AND YALL ARE PISSED!!!!
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:20 am 75. GA going BLUE:And oh yeah, Republicans are sore losers!!!! Al Gore got cheated in 2000 and we bowed out gracefully. The Dumbest President of all time got re-elected in 2004, and we bowed out gracefully. In 2006 THE WORLD STARTED TURNING BLUE AND IT HASNT STOPPED!!!! BY THE WAY IM A SIGMA, SO BLUE IS AN AWESOME COLOUR (AND IM FROM GEORGIA SO IM NOT FOREIGN) THATS TO THE MCCAIN NUTS WHO WERE CRACKING ON THE GUY FOR SAYIN HES NOT VOTIN OBAMA FOR THE ‘COLOUR’ OF HIS SKIN AS A FOREIGNER. I SPELL IT HOW THE HELL I WANT!!!!! GO BLUE OR GET PISSED LMAO LOL
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:23 am 76. Ezra:Great piece!
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:23 am 77. GA going BLUE:But as ausual, it’s the left – in alliance woth the media will have done “whatever it takes” to win.
McCain, ever the intimidated pre-Gingrich Republican, actually thought he’d get brownie points from the MSM
for avoiding the most damning talking points about Obama.
Has the GOP FINALLY learned that timidity is NOT the path to winning elections???
P.S. the world is GOING BLUE!!!!! OBAMA WILL WHEN REGARDLESS OF THE TANTRUMS OF MIKE AND THE REST OF YALL
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:27 am 78. Blake Forrest:Pryvet Comrades,
Soon we will be waking up in a new and glorious Amerika. Yes comrades, the change we all so hoped for is upon us.
In our glorious new nation we can finally be done with the outdated vision of the founding fathers, that the government’s job is to protect individual liberty and guard against intrusions on our life and property.
We can now proudly become workers for the government which is now free to take our property to use in bringing about “economic justice.” The fruits of our labor now belong to government … and our grand and glorious government can do with them what it pleases.
For the first time in our history, we can use the police power of the state to collect taxes, not for the legitimate functions of government but, to promote “fairness” in our economy. These bourgeousie will be brought to their knees as they have more money than they need and we now have the right to give that money to those who really do need it.
Amerika will now be a land where every worker will belong to a union, where our schools can now radicalize and politicize our students just as the messiah and Ayers worked so hard to do in Chicago, where we can proudly serve in Obamaʼs civilian corps, were we can do away with people sheltering their retirement funds in 401K and tax them like they should have been from the beginning. And finally, a place where anyone that chooses to have friends and advisors who are communists, terrorists, racists, and thieves is no longer held back and despised, but is propelled to greatness.
Now stand with me and raise your voices and proudly repeat our new pledge of allegiance!
I pledge allegiance to the workers party and to the United Socialist States of Amerika, and to the government for whom we rely on to fulfill all our needs, one nation, under the chosen one, indivisible, with economic justice and fairness for all!
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:40 am 79. Edward A.:We can thank Bush for taking this country down these past eight years. Any Democratic candidate would be the winner. Has Bush’s approval rating dropped below Nixon’s yet? Then the McCain campaign has been so feeble, so disoriented and so unstable guaranteeing Obama’s success.
Nov 3, 2008 - 10:59 am 80. Mass Liberal:” the only substantive difference between Obama and Edwards was skin color.”
One of the problems with the word “racist” is that it is used to define anyone (the author) that would make the above assertion. He’s not racist just ignorant and blinkered to the point that the most important feature of a person is their skin color.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:04 am 81. Peter the Sub Guy:The author resents the fact that some people are going to vote for Obama because he is an African-American. It irritates him that some one would use race as a determining factor in making a decision and his perception that its “black” skin that is now the preferred color is really annoying.
61. Robert Hurley wrote:
I guess the majority of voter are insane
Peter replies:
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:12 am 82. Sandy Salt:I don’t know what time continuum Robert thinks he’s living in, but in MY reality the election hasn’t occurred yet. The only poll that counts is the one on November 4th.
It is sad to see the stupidity of some of the people on here, serious discussion apparently is unnessary just race baiting and assine comments. The outcome of tomorrow’s election will make little difference because of the yoyo’s in Congress. So if Obama wins, he will preside over a crashing economy and an ever more disenchanted public. Of course the pendulum will swing back to the other party, as it has over the last 30+ years, which will just bring back another set of jesters and not solve this country’s problems. We need to push politics back to the middle and dump the two extremist parties we now have. We need to rise up in the middle with fiscal conservatives and social moderates.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:18 am 83. MidlandNJ:It’s so disappointing to see this in America, that on the brink of an historic occasion when the first African-American in history will be elected POTUS, someone that’s been campaigning for 20 months and have been completely vetted and scrutinized, someone who wants to bridge the partisan gap that pervaded and poisoned our society for the past 20 years, someone that can transform and change the politics and direction in this country where over 80% feel that we’re going in the wrong direction, where our belief in accountability should mean that the party who had the presidency and has run our country and economy into the ground should change, that there be people who would assert such ridiculous and hateful predictions and spout so many lies and fabrications, it’s so sad. When Wednesday rolls around, who ever wins, we should fall behind and support that person, and hope that person and his administration and policies may fix what ails this country.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:25 am 84. Sarge:Actually I fear it may just set civil rights BACK a hundred years. We can only wait and see !
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:33 am 85. jane:I’m not suprised that MidlandNJ can type the words that Obama has “been completely vetted and scrutinized, someone who wants to bridge the partisan gap “. Remember here in NJ we consider fraud, corruption & dirty politics a competitive sport – one that has produced regular Democratic wins.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:38 am 86. Bel Air:“someone who wants to bridge the partisan gap”
Anybody with eyes open would know this is a lie when, way back in February, Obama started saying that McCain wants to be at war in Iraq for the next 100 years. Sorry but you don’t say somebody wants war for a day, let alone 100 years, and call that a “bridge” to the Republicans. This isn’t a policy difference: it’s saying your opponent is a monster that prefers war to peace.
“When Wednesday rolls around, who ever wins, we should fall behind and support that person”
I will do this. But if McCain wins you won’t anymore than you did in 2000 or 2004. Righties took notes from 2000 to 2008 and many will use the Dem script on a President Obama, though without the MSM’s megaphone. You made your bed. Deal with it.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:41 am 87. Sandy Salt:MidlandNJ,
Where the heck have you been? This country feels that bigger governement is bad and wasteful spending is bad. That isn’t going to change with Obama as President. Obama is not going to put an end to partisan politics, unless you mean that he is going to silence the other party. He has shown little desire to work with Republicans on any thing and the last two years in Congress show that Pelosi and Reid have no desire to do so as well. As for falling in behind whomever wins that will happen to some degree, but we should continue to raise our voices against wasteful government and higher taxes to cover an even large government. We must continue to fight to be heard that extremism in both parties is running this country into the ground. We need the middle to rise up and say enough. You may think you are doing that by voting for the Democrats this year, but standby for the largest jump in spending and the deepest cuts in the military in the history of this nation. Tell me how great things are in two or four years. Enjoy your delusion of change, but I will be fighting for smaller government, reduced spending, term limits, and paying off the national debt. Grab the pitchforks and the torches and storm the castle Washington. We need to let the corrupt politicians and lobbyists know that the gravy train is over.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:45 am 88. Bill G:The other night on Letterman there was a Black Comedian, or at the very best he thought he was funny. Even with Dave trying hard to shut him up, this guy explained how great it will be that Obama will be preisdent. Blacks will not have to wait in lines, blacks will get credit cards, blacks will be the chosen people and whitey is scared. Even if half of this turkey’s lines are half true we are in trouble. I happen to beliece that Mc Cain askd and got everyone to lay off Obama’s ties to keep the campaign clean. Worst mistake ever. Why didn’t the soft money and pac groups go after Obama?
Call me a racist, but I will not vote for Obama. If his ties to the PLO and Farrakahn are true, I never want te hear any Jew ever say “never again”. I am Jewish, and that makes me more of a racist becuase I won’t vote for him.
Even if 1/3 of what folks are worried about are passed under Obama as a country we are in deep trouble. He will win woth “white guilt”, I don’t have any guilt. I did my part in the 60’s to register blacks to vote in the inner cities, and I lost two jobs to blacks because of affirmative action. I have paid my dues, something Obam has not. We can rant and rave, but this meatball will win, and not only willl we have a black Jimmy Carter, we will have 4 years of bemoaning the fact we elected him.
It is ind of like what the scientists in New Mexico said when the first A-Bomb went off. “My God, what have we created”?
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:48 am 89. cedarford:This isn’t about the failure of conservatism, even the failures (many) of McCain and Palin being considered deal-breakers. Or Bush – he did his part, but also the hundreds of Hasterts, DeLays, Stevens, Right to Life fanatic leaders contributed to the meltdown.
Nor is there great creedence to the idea that the policies of Obama, a man without a track record, really mattered to the average angry voter – he was simply the only medicine left on the shelf to take against a Republican Party
riddling the nation with disease.
Because this will be a top-to-bottom slaughter for us Republicans.
It tells us that we have failed badly in the eyes of the majority of the public – that portions of the Republican Party scare off other voters in the middle. A time when the factions of Republicans, especially the Wall Street crowd and the intolerant Fundies – warred not only with Democrats, but with independents and members of their own Party. A Party of 3-year old stale talking points and pro-forma “wedge issue” blather. It tells us that old ideas like Reaganomics have had their run and been found wanting in many areas. It says that the betrayal by Republicans in power of core ethical principles, commitments to fiscal restraint, no wars unless we had to fight – was seen as a top to bottom Party problem. That the Americans saw their jobs gutted by free trade and globalism without any benefit except to fatcats at the Top. It saw Republicans, convinced government was the problem – both grow it as pork and patronage and yet determine to show it was a problem by the sloppy, inept way they ran it from States to the White House.
This is shaping up to be “repudiation” vote. Republicans can talk all they want about the vote being another anomaly like the 2006 Vote is described by the Religious Right and Corporatists deep in denial. That the only reason they lost was because they weren’t applying enough religious litmus tests to candidates, and weren’t a mile to Reagan’s Right vs, 300 yards from it, and failed to leverage enough mortgagae money or make free trade even more unfettered to help get rid of “jobs Americans were happy to export”.
Sorry, but this is about as expected as the Carterites getting massacred and the Dems in 1994 being cast 12 years in the wilderness out of Congressional control on arrogance, corruption, failed old ideas, and incompetence.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:50 am 90. Peter the Sub Guy:83. MidlandNJ wrote:
It’s so disappointing to see this in America, that on the brink of an historic occasion when the first African-American in history will be elected POTUS, someone that’s been campaigning for 20 months and have been completely vetted and scrutinized…
Peter responds:
I’m sorry, but who are you talking about here, Midland? because Joe the Plumber got a more thorough investigation in the week after the third debate than Obama got his ENTIRE political career!
MidlandNJ wrote: …someone who wants to bridge the partisan gap that pervaded and poisoned our society for the past 20 years…
Peter replies:
Someone who voted 100% with Harry Reid in the (short) time he has been in the Senate, never actually having wrtten any legislation of his own, but then accuses his opponant, a Senator who has actually crossed the aisle to write and sponsor legislation, of being such a bad politician for voting with the incumbant president only 85% of the time for laws that have vastly benefitted the American public.
MidlandNJ wrote: …someone that can transform and change the politics and direction in this country…
Peter replies:
Someone who uses threats and bullying tactics or claims of racism every time anyone opposes him. Who learned Chicago politics at its best from the likes of Ayers, Rezko and Wright…
MidlandNJ wrote: …where our belief in accountability should mean that the party who had the presidency and has run our country and economy into the ground should change…
Peter replies:
In spite of the fact the Dems blocked all of the Republican initiatives when they were in the minority and have sat on their A**es since the day they gained the majority in congress, with approval ratings so low they WISH they were as high as the President’s, whose members such as Frank, Dodd and Obama are most at fault for the current economic situation we are in with root starting in the Clinton and Carter years…
MidlandNJ wrote: …that there be people who would assert such ridiculous and hateful predictions and spout so many lies and fabrications…
Peter replies: Which from my experience are, again, the liberal Dems. They will lie, cheat, steal and commit just about any other crime necessary to get themselves and their party elected.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:52 am 91. Sandy Salt:Cedarford,
You are right on the money. So what is the party of the middle now? What party is going to demonstrate that fiscal restraint? We are stuck with no options and feel 100% betrayed. The Republican party is over and they either need to realize where they went wrong and apologize to the American public for screwing them over. This year is going to be the final nail on the Republican big spending and corruption and in two years the Democrats are going to feel the same. The only thing is who is going to fill the void? Another crop of criminals? We need to reform Washington in a real and substancial way. We need a party of fiscal conservatives that is socially moderate. We need term limits and to pay off the national debt. We need to force the extremist of both parties back to the middle where most of America resides. We want a government that works, but not one that wastefully spends our money. We don’t mind sacrifice if we think it will change things, but we sure and the heck don’t want to be the only ones doing it while others get rich. We are tired of the elite telling us we don’t know what is best for us and that the politicians know best. We need to keep pushing for accountability in government spending and operation. We the people need to throw off the chains of bondage to the federal government that bribes us with our own tax dollars. Who is with me? Who wants a government accountable to the voters? Do you really want career politicians that are above the law to write the laws for the rest of us? Do you really want politicians that cozy up to lobbyists to sell their vote? do you want Washington run by those lobbyists that treat you like sheep to be fleeced? None of this is going to change as long as we keep doing business as usual and voting in Democrats and Republicans. We need a party of the middle that represents the majority of this great nation.
Nov 3, 2008 - 12:16 pm 92. cajunGuy:He is Mabus! Lord help us! He is siad to rule with complete tyrany, but when he “fall”, terrible things is goin happen. A “wave” will take some-a-dem, the rest will be aleft to suffer or fighte with sticks and stones. One great ruler will rise out to fighte valintly but will fall in the End to a great fire.
Laord help us.
Nov 3, 2008 - 12:23 pm 93. view from afar:Jonsey, no I said stuff as it isn’t just bananas, there was a player here in france(my son says he was Brazilian gaolkeeper-and against Milan) who got hit in the head and had to be carried off the field and the game was called. There was another incident a few years back in a regional game in germany, it made the French national news…I am also referring to all the racist slights that are liberally thrown around at national football games, but also here at the local club levels, my sons play football(soccer) and rugby, my husband football, and there is a racism that is horrorifying to me, an American from the midwest, not PC horrorifying just shocking! And I agree with whoever said just çause there is no outspoken racism that it isn’t there, but I grew up having friends from all sorts, and I don’t remember being allowed to say things nor people putting up with these slurs…thus I will stay as diplomatic as I am able to be.
Nov 3, 2008 - 12:44 pm 94. Andy in Texas:Any ‘die hard Repub’ should not be voting for Zero, simply based on party platforms. Likewise, if Zero actually had a platform on which one could render a decision (hope and change are not platforms). He is an empty suit and if elected, you zealots on the left will find out soon enough.
Hey, FREE STUFF for everyone!
Nov 3, 2008 - 12:48 pm 95. Self-hating boomer:Here’s the bottom line: no matter who wins the election, race relations are going to go back to the 1950s. There’s a reason why all the white supremacists are supporting 0bama.
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:08 pm 96. Someone75:susan:
You need to get over yourself. Obama never asked for anything as a “black man”. He’s simply presented himself as a great alternative to McCain.
If you want to talk about someone who thinks they *deserve* to be president, look at McCain. Yeah, he went to war, but that doesn’t mean that, ipso facto, he DESERVES to be president. McCain is the true source of entitlement.
Nov 3, 2008 - 1:21 pm 97. Peter Verkooijen:You missed one key point: Obama is NOT black. Not in any meaningful sense anyway. He’s not a descendant of slaves. His parents and grandparents did not come from the poor and segregated South. He did not grow up in an urban ghetto.
Obama was raised by his white mother and grandparents. He never really knew his Kenyan arab father. He grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia and Kansas. His black identity is a total fraud that he acquired later in his life for purely political reasons.
Obama’s the perfect candidate for elite whites with a guilt-complex; he’s one of them, but with the added benefit of “black” skin, so anyone who dares criticize him is a racist!
Nov 3, 2008 - 2:09 pm 98. The Illusions Of Barack Obama « Tai-Chi Policy:[...] Obama is not a post-racial candidate. He is a racial candidate, as his background associations, his politics, and even his party [...]
Nov 3, 2008 - 2:38 pm 99. Robert Hurley:Pert V – You just don’t get it. You don’t have to be the descendant of slaves to bear the burden of racism. Then again from your name, i doubt if anyone has been predjudiced against you. Most of those who are voting for Obama are doing it not becasue he is black but because he has policies that they believe have a better chance of changing things.
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:02 pm 100. Javelin:Trouble is that this concept has not been part of Mr. Obama;s campaign or plank, but go ahead and repeat the same old stuff!
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:03 pm 101. daniel:#97 is correct. A biracial Kenyan raised in Indonesia and the Hawaii is not black, but a multi-racial brown. He has used his black halfness to steal an affirmative action slot reserved for real black men, but uses the race card illegitimately for convenience sake.
Nov 3, 2008 - 3:54 pm 102. wormburner:Also, JM should have made the jump across parties when he had the chance. It would have done him and Arizona good. Instead, AZ is still a joke to the West Coast: have they decided to honor M.L. King Day yet? Well, maybe that will come after they stop fearing Day Light Savings Time.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:02 pm 103. susan:robert, first i can spell AFFIRMATIVE correctly, unlike yourself.
And obama got into harvard thanks to affirmative action. And silenced any critic and scrutinity with RACIST.
That is affirmative action
someone75 you are just a plain idiot.
I could never be granted affirmative action because i am white, stupid.
Mccain doesn’t say he’s entitled. In his speeches and in palin’s speeches there are ALWAYS words like “if we are asked to SERVE, if we are given the chance to serve”
See stupid75? SERVE, obamba never said SERVE once in his life because he’s an arrogant pompous ass.
And unlike what is in your destorted and demented brain, the POTUS is SERVING the country.
With obamba, YOU WILL BE A SERVANT. BOW DOWN TO THE EMPEROR.
Nov 3, 2008 - 5:18 pm 104. Will Becker:If you think things are bad now,just stick around a few months. We don’t want any complaining either,when Hussein starts his disapointments of change.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:04 pm 105. Self-hating boomer:97, Peter V., Dude, that’s harsh.
It’s accurate, but it’s harsh.
Nov 3, 2008 - 6:58 pm 106. Jimbo:Once Mr. Obama walks into the White House as President America will indeed be absolved of its racist past. After the presidency, there are no more “firsts” for African Americans. African Americans have sat in the Supreme Court, Senate, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Cabinet and just about everywhere else. Even Mrs. Obama admitted that she was finally proud to be an American. Why do you think that Obama was resisted by the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? That’s because a Black presidency puts them out of business. Bill Cosby will have been vindicated since no one will be able to blame whitey any more. After all, a black president would not have been possible without the support of millions of white (non-racist) people. African Americans will now be free of the chains of victimhood. Amen!
Nov 3, 2008 - 8:32 pm 107. MidlandNJ:“A special thank-you to Rotwang at 17: it’s always good to be reminded of the hate and dishonesty that lie at the core of so many on the left. In fact I find it life-affirming.I like it”
This is from the guy who wrote the article. How nice that he turns a little commentary, maybe 50 words at most, into an attack on those who consider themselves democrats, like I do. Wow, you right wing wackjobs have a lot of pent up anger. Not all the posts are “out there”, some of you conservatives have some reasonable arguments re’ why you’re not voting for Obama, although it would make more sense if you were voting for McCain because you thought he’ll stay breathing and coherent for long enough to hopefully get something done positively in this country, campaign reform would be great. But instead, I see a lot of hate and frankly, insanity from some of these posts. Mike, you got a nice troop reading your diatribe.
There’s always opportunity for dissent, that’s what makes this country great. And I’m sure there will be some of you who will take that opportunity, no matter what happens. But hopefully, there will be some of you who will be proven wrong, who will be able to recognize and accept real change when you see it, when at the end of four years, we’re out of Iraq, the economy is under control and the decifit paid down, and when you’re shocked to see how moderate the government is, hopefully some of you can be thankful and appreciative of that. For you other wackjobs, I’m sure you’re happy in your little world inside your head, try not to let that little red guy with the horns out too often, he likes it much better in the steam between your ears.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:25 pm 108. Chicago60641:French author Bernard-Henri Levy, in his book American Vertigo, says as much. He claims that white voters are attracted to Obama as an “African-American” politician because he doesn’t force them to revisit the past.
How can you possibly not deal with the past? How can WE possibly avoid the past?
McCain ran a class-act campaign on the racial side. Unfortunate that Obama supporters often tried to paint their critics with the “racial” brush.
One of the biggest casualties in this election was the media’s First Amendment responsibility, which they gingerly set aside, perhaps lest they appear racist by treating their man with as much harshness and silliness as they treated everyone else.
Nov 3, 2008 - 9:28 pm 109. Marc Malone:#107 MidlandNJ – You’re not paranoid if someone really IS out to get you. Everything Obama spews runs counter to traditional American values. He speaks in generic terms, using bald-faced lies like 95% getting tax-cuts. When you hear any real details come out, when he lets the mask slip, we see the horrible Marxist. We have no doubt what’s coming.
The left mocks Pubs, calling us stupid and uneducated (clinging to guns, churches, et al) but most of us are clear in our values system, and know why we feel the qay we do. We know our history. We know what makes us great. We can clearly see what’s coming. The oh-so-educated left do not understand their history and think like children. Obama spews stuff like “fairness” as a rationale for raising the cap gains tax rate.
So, just because you can’t see what’s coming, doesn’t mean we’re wrong and hateful.
Thankfully, McCain should win tomorrow.
Nov 3, 2008 - 11:10 pm 110. vivo:Bunch of right-wing losers here . . .
Nov 4, 2008 - 3:10 am 111. Tom H:remember that the O is 6.25% black, 1/2 white, the rest Arabic, so technically he is an Arab-American
Nov 4, 2008 - 4:38 am 112. Brian:Either way, its open season on whitey.
Nov 4, 2008 - 4:52 am 113. susan:vivo-morto, and what are you, hanging out with right wing losers? the biggest loser of us all
you must be so retarded vivo. How must be hard to live with 2 neurons in the brain like yourself.
You despise us but you have nowhere else to go
you are the real loser
Nov 4, 2008 - 5:37 am 114. Douglas Bogle:Never fear Obama is here.
I cannot wait to enlist the services of the NAACP to defend mylaw suit based on racial discrimination. Now that “O” will be king all will be equal. No more affirm. action, no more quotas. Therefore the best man/woman for the job.
The problem is I am white. Will I be helped?
Never fear Obama is here.
Nov 4, 2008 - 7:59 am 115. FlyOver:Have you all heard about the Black Panthers blocking polls in PA, according to CNN and Fox news?
Nov 4, 2008 - 11:30 am 116. mnotaro:It’s funny how Obama keeps claiming he’s not a socialist, but yet he agrees with all the definitions of socialism. But he and the liberal illuminati who work for him, just continue to skirt around the questions on socialism and will even lie if they have to. Beware.
Nov 4, 2008 - 11:47 am 117. edw:2002:
Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.
2009:
Dissent is the highest form of racism.
Change We Can Believe In
Nov 4, 2008 - 12:33 pm 118. Roy M:Mike, were you trying to re-inforce a Bradley effect?
Tell whites that voting for a black president is nothing special. Then tell them its OK to vote on the basis of race, their race? Is that what you were going for?
Nov 4, 2008 - 12:49 pm 119. nick:Clinton income tax rates were not socialism Then or NOW!
Nov 4, 2008 - 12:50 pm 120. edw:But hopefully, there will be some of you who will be proven wrong,
I’m more than willing to give Obama credit when he makes the right decision. This puts me years ahead of most democrats in terms of mental age, as the last eight years show.
who will be able to recognize and accept real change when you see it,
Ah, the “C” word–not the one you imminently mature Democrats use to describe Sarah Palin–in all it’s nebulous and self-justifying glory. Here’s another one: cult. Cults of personality promising great and big, yet ill-defined, change tend to produce the sort of change that justifies the 2nd Amendment.
when at the end of four years, we’re out of Iraq,
And it’s a stable and functioning democracy and an ally despite your best efforts. Now there’s a change we can believe in. I also think that the way Americans feel about the war, now that we’ve won, will change a great deal, as people tend to judge worth based largely on success. I also will bet you that Obama will deploy our military into combat sooner or later (almost every president has) and your attitude about war will…change!
the economy is under control
Interesting choice of words.
and the decifit paid down,
Barack himself has said that won’t happen. He’s backed up in this assertion by various non-partisan think tanks (McCain won’t pay it down either). This is the danger of Barack, and an empty notion of change. Everyone fills in the blanks with their own ideas. In a way he’s a speculative bubble unto himself. He’s a baleful of subprime mortgages wrapped in dot-com stock riding atop a Segway.
and when you’re shocked to see how moderate the government is, hopefully some of you can be thankful and appreciative of that.
If he turns out to be a Clinton, I will certainly appreciate that. In fact, that’d be great. But how can a government be moderate while also changing a great deal? Were it now very radical that’d make sense, but rhetoric aside, our government now is pretty moderate, a mixed bag of liberal and conservative ideas, and has been so for as long as I’ve been paying attention. The ugly truth about Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and even Reagan and Carter is that they’re all essentially the same guy politically, and only the moment they occupy really differs. The’ve all been pretty similar. So how is moving from a mixed government to one wholly owned by leftist idealogues going to moderate governance? Oh, that’s right: CHANGE!
Nov 4, 2008 - 1:13 pm 121. nick:the C word came from Mccain
or did you FORGET ALREADY!!!
Nov 4, 2008 - 1:46 pm 122. James:You’re all hilarious – but somehow ridiculously sad, too. For a British bot (ha ha ha!), I did good. Nyeah nyeah!
Nov 4, 2008 - 2:16 pm 123. edw:the C word came from Mccain
or did you FORGET ALREADY!!!
Well, I think that closes this thread. There simply can’t be anything more insightful anyone could possibly add.
Nov 4, 2008 - 2:16 pm 124. nick:close ? not unmti lI post the quote and link
http://www.drudge.com/archive/106692/author-mccain-called-wife-cunt-trollop
author Cliff Schecter claims that John McCain made extremely ugly remarks about his wife Cindy McCain during a tirade witnessed by three reporters and two aides. “At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, ‘You’re getting a little thin up there,’” Schechter writes. “McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, ‘At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt
Nov 4, 2008 - 2:52 pm 125. yolanda the proud one:It may not change the racial tentions in america. but it’s a step toward a change that no one in this nation will ever forget. win or lose this day holds great significance. Because in the eyes of many it’s not a black or white issue , it’s really about knowing where you came from and knowing how far you can go. this nation has been in turmoil for many years and this election just might be the needed prescription. In my eyes the race is already won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov 4, 2008 - 3:04 pm 126. Richard:#8 James. You’re no Republican. You’re not even an American. Colour is a Canadian spelling.
Nov 4, 2008 - 5:54 pm 127. Ellman:Sometimes historical events have unintended consequences.
The presidential election of Nov 4th, 2008 is revealing a division among the electorate which points not to racial harmony or a mitigation of black resentment for prolonged oppression and injustice. The comments I’ve read at various blogs from Obama supporters and opponents suggest that the racial divide and the liberal-conservative divide will be exacerbated once Obama is elected. A reconciliation of the opposing ideologies was never likely but the tension will become more hostile and belligerent after the election.
Those who opposed Obama’s candidacy are doing so with a ferocity that will probably not abate. They see his ascension as a betrayal of the nation’s founding principles and a corruption of the relationship between those who govern and those who are governed. If this opposition is energized and organized we may see a country more divided than at any time since the Civil War.
Nov 4, 2008 - 8:24 pm 128. vivo:Viva Obama!!!
Nov 5, 2008 - 3:56 am 129. HARDBALL:IT GOES DEEPER THAN BLACK. THIS IS THE USA . OTHERS IN THE WORLD WANT US TO GIVE UP OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NONE ,IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.
Nov 5, 2008 - 1:06 pm 130. HARDBALL:THE BRIDGE OUR FORE FATHERS STOOD AT IN 1776 HAS BEEN REBUILT.
Nov 5, 2008 - 1:13 pm 131. HARDBALL:FOR YEARS NOW ,REPARATIONS HAS BEEN THE WORD ,THAT WORD NOW, HAS BEEN CHANGED TO REDISTRIBUTE!
Nov 5, 2008 - 1:20 pm 132. HARDBALL:SAME POO DIFFERANT DAY. DID YOU EVER TRY TO GET AKID TO EAT SPINACH? CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN? ALL THE UNINFORMED VOTERS REALLY BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY MADE POOR CHOICES, THAT EVERYONE WILL FALL IN LINE ? IF ANYTHING, WE ARE MORE DIVIDED NOW THAN EVER. AS A VETERIAN, I FOLLOWED MY PRESIDENT TO PROTECT THIS COUNTRY AND CONSTITUTION WITH MY LIFE. WHY? BECAUSE WE KNEW WHEN HE TOOK HIS OATH OF OFFICE ,HE MEANT IT. IT HAS BEEN THAT IN EVERY CONFLICT. I REALLY THOUGHT 911 WOKE US UP!!!! MAYBE ALL THE LIBERALS NEED MORE FOR IT TO SINK IN! AS AVET. AS A AMERICAN , GOING MRS. OBAMA ONE STEP, I ,FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE AM NOW NOT PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!! OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT TO BE LEFT WEAK AND OPEN TO MORE 911 THANKS TO WEAK PROMISES, MADE TO WEAK VOTERS! YOUR ON YOUR OWN . I SERVED , I DID WHAT MY COUNTRY ASKED OF ME AS DID ALL THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES BEFORE ME. I CAN PROTECT MYSELF AND FAMILY. I WEAR PRIDE, AT LEAST KNOWING I LIVE AS A MAN, NOT A PUPPET OF CHANGE. NO ONE COULD EVER MAKE ME EAT WHAT I DID NOT WANT OR LIKE.
Nov 6, 2008 - 2:34 pm 133. abigail adams:Get over it. We have. It is post racial. Stop dropping Ivy league neutron bombs on people.
Nov 6, 2008 - 10:11 pm 134. Ready to move on:Look we have an AA man in the Oval Office.
Let’s start talking about how when the two women stepped up to the plate they were eviscerated by the liberal left. Sexism has revealed itself.
For everyone with a daughter out there – step up and call it out.
Every woman has a right to run for the Executive Branch.
We are 16% represented in our government and we are 52% of the population.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it – and think of your daughters while doing it.
Hold up.
Nov 7, 2008 - 11:03 amPlenty of right wingers went after Hillary Clinton too. Sexism is a problem in America, period. I saw all of the Republican commentators, Palin included talk about how Hillary Clinton needed to stop complaining about being treated unfairly just to turn around and accuse the leftist media of sexism. I also watched Fox News report the same sexist stories as the more liberal news stations were reporting. I watched over the years as the Right went after her mercilessly. Let’s be honest, sexism is a problem on all sides and we all need to call all those guilty parties on their sexist commentary and behaviors.