Race as a political issue
 

Ideology aside, I thought the way Barack Obama handled race in the 2008 political campaign was brilliant. He acknowledged his racial difference by appealing to a desire to overcome differences (No red states and blue states, etc.) Whether you think he followed through on that or not, it proved to be a good strategy for dealing with race. He dealt directly with race only after his guilt by association with Rev Wright required him to address it.

Several of us here, me included, have identified what we perceive as a racial element in the level or tone of the criticism of Obama. I haven't really observed that as an acknowledged position of his campaign or staff.

That's why it is puzzling to see Herman Cain throw out his race as a defense to allegations if sexual harassment. Isn't the real reason that he's the target of this type of attention that he is a politician, and better yet, a politician that is getting a lot of attention. What is a better way to get people to read your newspapers or blog than to get some dirt on a highly recognized figure. Why the Hell would anyone otherwise give a second thought to Lindsay Lohan's jailhouse fashions?:confused: We want dirty laundry.

Regards,

D-Ray

I concur that Obama found an ability to be "above" race and was made to appear ethereal by having done so when attempts were made to drag him down.

I found it refreshing as -- not that I agree with his politics -- the only other person I've seen throw the whole race part out with the bathwater was Alan Keyes. Of course, no "true" black man could ever vote for him... (sigh)

Wow, yet another way to talk about Cain's sexual harassment troubles. I bet it's killing you lefties that his numbers aren't falling, and campaign contributions have increased. As far as my tan brothers are concerned, Obama is no representative of them, or the American black man's struggles. His Momma was a trashy white woman, and we think his Daddy was a foreigner. Hell his ancestors were probably the black guys that were selling the blacks to slave traders. Wouldn't that be a hoot. Maybe that's why all the records on him are sealed.:D

TD, I think it's Cain's fumbling of the response that is the issue here. You know that it would be manna from heaven for Obama if Cain were to be the nominee. Romney is the biggest threat.

Regards,

D-Ray

Along with Huntsmann. However, neither Huntsmann nor Romney is looney enough for their base.

Huntsman hasn't been that exposed yet, so I'm not sure. I wouldn't be too surprised for Romney to catch the GOP nomination. I would suspect that there are plenty in the GOP camp that felt the way I did when Clinton was nominated. I converted to the Al Davis school of political theory - "Just win baby."

Regards,

D-Ray

I hope your wrong D. IMO Mitt would basically be a younger McCain.:( My perfect ticket would have Newt and Herman as a team.

That might be mine for a different reason.:p It could be the GOP version of George McGovern.

Regards,

D-Ray

+1 except Mitt's WAY smarter.

I for one never thought Bush the second had a chance the first time around. But he made it through the primaries. So I will have to see what happens now with the Republicans.


On the race issue I think it is an attempt to defect away from the issues.



Barney

May as well go ahead and vote for Obama

Like when he said this:
"“Nobody thinks that Bush and McCain have a real answer to the challenges we face. So what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me. “You know, he’s not patriotic enough, he’s got a funny name, you know, he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.”

That seems damn racial to me. The "typical white woman" comment also seems quite racial.

The level of tone? What was the significance of the "level of tone" in the left's criticism of Bush. Just because Obama has some proportion of blackness doesn't mean that criticizing him has anything to do with his race. His policies aren't bad because he's black, but because they're bad policy. BTW, it was his campaign that set him up as some heroic ideal beyond proportion to anyone's ability. The utter lack of leadership in 2009 and the push for the divisive healthcare policy undermined any chance he had of not being a divisive figure. At this stage, one can't really determine whether this was because of his lack of executive experience or if he thought he was above the messiness of politics.

I'd be interested to see the source and the context of those quotes you attributed to Obama.

Speaking of quotes, My post said "level or tone" a disjunctive. Besides missing the quote, you missed the point. I didn't want mislead by suggesting that no one had ever mentioned that some of the reaction to Obama is race related. Such comments have occurred, and I have made some of them. My point is that I am not aware of any such comments coming from the administration or the campaign.

Of course, you know that I have never suggested that all or even the majority of the criticism of Obama is race based. I'm sure you are only using rhetorical flourish when you suggest that the left considers all criticism of Obama to be race based. I do fervently believe that some of the more hateful comments toward Obama have been raced-based. This is particularly true of comments from that newly converted enforcer of racial political correctness, Rush Limbaugh.:p

Regards,

D-Ray

Years ago, I remember someone in my family wondering aloud if we would ever see a black man in the Whitehouse. I think it was Thanksgiving dinner, 'cuz everyone was there. Anyhow, certain family members expressed disgust at the mere mention of it.

More recently;

After Obama won, they became staunch Republicans. They were probably concerned about his views on corporate tax rates?

Now that Cain is rising in the polls, they are really confused.

Maybe they have misgivings about his stance on gay marriage?

Or maybe they're just concerned country folk who stay in that shitty little town for it's 98% caucasian demographic and will side with anyone they think is going to protect a more traditional power base, much like the one we had in colonial times?

Dave

Everyone in Arkansas who was a player in a very strong Democratic party at the time,
when Bill was the AG, started saying out loud that one day Bill would be the POTUS one day.

I am ten years younger than Bill but through my father in law, and my wifes past law partners who worked with Bill at the AG's office I got to know Bill. He has a personality that makes anyone instantly like him when he walks into a room.

Bill is a brilliant politician and I bet he will play a big role behind the scene of the Obama campaign. Hillary likes her job.

Cain is a disgusting individual. The more I research the people that are running his campaign the more I realize how sleazy they are. Cain makes it clear that he likes being a Koch sucker. I am not surprised that he whipped out the race card and the Liberal card to cover up his past indiscretions. It will work for his base.

I sure hope he wins the primaries. I am thinking of changing my voter registration to Republican so I can vote for him.

Someone whom I love, an early ('65-'67) Vietnam veteran and early questioner of our Bush II policies in the Middle East, told me during the last election that he would be honored -- because our nation would have grown so much in terms of it being a potential reality since his youth -- to vote for a black man as President but, unfortunately, the guy running wasn't Colin Powell.

I have no issues with Cain being black, I have issues with him being unworthy of the mantle of President.

Now, you could say that anyone who is elected becomes, by definition, worthy.

I'll buy that but Cain will NOT be elected. :)

Right. If you want to bring down corporatist fascism, you don't start by electing one of their grinning whores into the Whitehouse. Obama is bad enough. We don't need to go from the pan into the fire.

Dave

You wouldn't say that if Cain were a woman.

Regards,

D-Ray

Think so?:D

Dave

Hell..it only bothered Obama half as much because his momma was white. I believe it bothers Michelle more. :)