In the last week or so, we've seen an even greater slide into mud-slinging by the McCain campaign, with Senator McCain enlisting his wife Cindy and running mate Sarah Palin to do his dirty work. By invoking the names of radical left wingers from decades ago or Obama's affiliations with politically outspoken pastors, Cindy and Sarah are subconsciously painting a picture of the stereotypical "angry black man". Why? Simply put, they are desperate to halt the impending wave of voters deciding Obama will bring the necessary change needed to stop the bleeding in the U.S.
McCain, who abandoned his promise to run a "clean" campaign when he chose to employ Rovian-style tactics beginning with his VP nomination, has run out of options. McCain knows his only hope is to scare those swing voters — like the person I described above — into sticking with the status quo.
That doesn't mean McCain is a racist, or his wife Cindy, or even hockey mom Sarah Palin. But it does mean McCain and his advisers know that there's still an invisible line in America and, with the right amount of fear-mongering, they might be able to tip the balance in their favor. Let's face it, despite what the polls show, this race will be tight. There are pockets in this country who can't see that Barack Obama, regardless of what you might think of his policies or efforts, is a black man who has transcended race.
Fortunately, Barack and his camp know this and they have a few cards up their sleeve too. Michelle Obama revealed this last night during her interview with Larry King:
King: How do you react when people talk about the Tom Bradley effect? Tom Bradley was mayor of Los Angeles [and was black]. He ran for governor of California. The polls had him 65 percent. I think he was practicing his acceptance speech and he lost. And the Bradley factors become people who were afraid to say [in polls], 'I'm against a black.' Do you fear that here? An anti-black vote?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Ruvy
Dawn,
The amusing thing bout all of this is that Barry Obama is a black man by skin color, but a white man by culture and upbringing. Indeed, for all of his negative traits, he is very much a citizen of the world, a fellow in the mold of Bill Clinton in some ways.
Those who fear his skin color can't see that fact. There are plenty of good reasons not to vote for Obama if you are an American - any disciple of Saul Alinsky is a fellow to be kept out of the Oval Office at any cost, unless you really want to see change - of the worst kind - overtake your country.
But whatever the other reasons are not to elect Barry Obama, race is not one of them.
2 - Dawn
I totally disagree with you Ruvy. While Saul Alinsky may have had radical ideas, his underlying principle of bringing power to the masses is a good one. I'd say it's safe to assume that Obama isn't a radical who advocates violence as a means to an end.
Also, by identifying a person as either or white or black, as you have in your comment, you are depriving that person of the rich entities of both. Obama is in many ways the ideal individual to bring about change in America, as he can identify with both the minority class and the majority.
I know some radical loonies think this makes him the anti-Christ or what have you, but I choose to think this makes him the right man at the right time. I am not one those panty-creamer Obamaites who loses their mind in his presence. I just appreciate intelligence, a calm nature and a novel thinker.
Imagine that.
3 - Dan
"The amusing thing bout all of this is that Barry Obama is a black man by skin color, but a white man by culture and upbringing."
Not accurate at all. Unlike any of his policy positions, Barry makes it clear in his autobiographical writings that he embraces a strict black identity, and all the victimhood he can glom onto, despite his privileged upbringing.
Those whites who personally reject the notion that todays blacks have a legitimate claim to victimhood after decades of black privilege through white dispossession, will certainly vote their interests in November.
The "Bradley effect" is mostly a measure of the coercive conditioning whites have had to endure while a politically corrected society struggles to make an egalitarian principle a reality.
Whether they are right or wrong, more than a few whites have realized, sometimes just through experiences of sheer economic survival, that they must profess one thing in public, and believe another in private.
A pollster is public, and a voting booth is private.
4 - Dan(Miller)
Ruvy,
Once again, we agree on something. It would be absurd and un-American to vote against Senator Obama because he is Black. I have made that point in several articles here on BC, and firmly believe it. Here is one of them. There are others.
Some will doubtless do so, regardless.
What I found conspicuously absent from the present article is the notion that there may well a far higher percentage of Blacks who will vote for Senator Obama for the simple reason that he is Black. That is, to my mind, no less disgraceful. Racism is racism is racism. White racism is no better, and no worse, than Black racism.
There are many reasons to vote for Senator Obama and, for that matter Senator McCain, which far transcend race. The article mentions a few of the latter in passing, but essentially ignores them. They are viable, and transcend race.
OK. Here is my politically biased spiel. Senator Obama has been far from forthcoming about his associations, past, present and possibly future, with Mr. Ayers, ACORN, et al. Sure, he has, to a minor extent, thrown Mr. Ayers and has other dubious associates "under the bus," but neither forcefully nor with effect. Senator McCain has been quite candid about his past derelictions, including his (quite minor, I think) involvement in the Keating problem years ago. When he behaved less than appropriately, he has acknowledged it. He did so because of his concept of honor.
I just finished reading two books about Senator McCain, Robert Timberg's John McCain, An American Odyssey and Senator McCain's book, co authored with Mark Salter, Faith of My Fathers. The theme of both comes through loud and clear: Duty, Honor and Country. Somehow, I find these concepts missing in Senator Obama.
Merely being a POW for five years no more qualifies Senator McCain to become President than did George Washington standing up in a rowboat crossing the Delaware River. However, crossing the Delaware River was not George Washington's only qualification, and simply being a POW is not Senator McCain's only qualification. There was more to George Washington than that, and there is more to Senator McCain than that. Among other things, Senator McCain's behavior as a POW is an important factor. Again, Duty, Honor, Country.
Read Senator Obama's autobiographical work. Read the cited books by and about Senator McCain. Then make up your mind. I ask no more. This seems, to me, to be a modest and reasonable request.
Dan(Miller)
5 - Baronius
The strongest evidence this article puts forward is a friend of a friend. Well, I know someone whose cousin said that the Richard Gere story is true.
This article is terrible.
6 - Dawn
Yes, Baronius, I am NOT going to out people who were candid in their discussions. Not everyone is proud of their racism, intentional or otherwise.
I mean really, it's an opinion piece, not a friggin news article. Oh and your comment is terrible. Possibly the worst.
As for Obama's associations, well, I don't have any real problem with those individuals viewpoints. People who question the powers that be are ok in my book. Far as I know, Obama's never been accused even remotely of engaging in or advocating violence to achieve objectives.
Albert Einstein helped in the creation of the atomic bomb, but I don't think anyone considers him a terrorist.
Now that the polls show Obama's lead is growing even greater, McNasty is resorting to have "surrogates" bring up Barack's past drug use. Like they have any room to talk. Cindy McCain was a walking pharmacy. I'd say talking candidly in a BOOK about what you did as a teenager is being forthcoming, not so much with McCain camp.
Let's talk about McCain crashing three jets, or leaving his crippled wife, or humping anything that moved, or graduating at the bottom of his class.
Do the conservatives have any dignity left or has it been robbed in the last 8 years as you've watched your chosen leader W ruin this country, lie to the people, and destroy our children's future. The legacy of the great Ronald Reagan has een flushed down the toilet because of a bunch of bigoted evangelicals.
Or how bitter the pill must be to swallow.
I won't rub it in your faces any more, I will take the high road. Like Barack Obama has the last six months. You people have my pity.
7 - bliffle
Good article, Dawn.
This, paricularly, is well said:
"So that leaves us with people who like what Obama says, feel he's the most qualified, want a change in leadership, but simply can't bring themselves to vote for a black man."
Yes. I've encountered such people in the past few months. It always sets me back on my heels, because some of those people are my friends. And they will insist that they are not racist.
They seem not to even regard their position as peculiar, or notable in any way.
It implies that, after all the other considerations, race is really the most important thing.
8 - Dan
"I won't rub it in your faces any more, I will take the high road. Like Barack Obama has the last six months. You people have my pity."
that's OK. There are still a lot of us Bush supporters who are relatively happy with his job performance. Certainly, we don't need pity from the misguided, easily herded, Obama worshipers.
If Obama wins, it will be tragic, but conservatism will survive and be vindicated. Of course it will be a lot harder on all, but that's the price we pay for collective stupidity.
9 - Baritone
Obama never lived a privileged life as a child, unless you mean a black child living a middle class life is "privileged."
Dan is obviously drawn to all the old school ra-ra bullshit. If John McCain lived by a "duty, honor, country" code, it is painfully obvious he has abandoned it now. He has become a total sleaze bag. His campaign is morally bankrupt (and, I understand, on its way to financial bankruptcy as well.) There is NO honor in his campaign. It is now banking on creating an element of fear and distrust by innuendo. And the basis of it is racial. More and more McCainsters are openly stating their belief that Obama is a terrorist and that he is "foreign" in some way.
As noted above, there is no evidence - none - nada - that Obama has adopted any anti-American beliefs or any tendancies to violence. Is he a left winger? Yeah, I'd say so. Last time I looked that's not illegal in this country. I know all conservatives would like to follow Ann Coulter's suggestion that ALL Democrats should be arrested and tried for treason.
As to the article, what is now refered to as the "Bradley effect" is a real concern. I would love to see Obama's numbers nationally rise above a level that would likely be accounted for by the Bradley effect. That probably won't happen, though, unless McCain continues to self destruct.
McCain has no business being president. Not only has he sold his soul, but he has become spiteful, erratic and obnoxiously condescending.
I know that all you conservatives count most of those as positive characteristics. Well, that's largely the difference between the right and the left. McCain's small mind is largely reflective of those of his following.
B
10 - El Bicho
Dan,
what dictionary are you using because you don't appear to understand the terms you are using. Blacks voting for Obama strictly because he's black isn't racism. They are not doing it because they feel superior to whites. They are doing it because they can see Obama would identify more with their life experiences.
I admittedly have no proof, but I would bet my life that if given the chance, Obama would have voted for honoring MLK with a national holiday unlike the allegedly honorable John McCain. If you can't see that, then I don't know why you think any of them would care about what you find disgraceful.
11 - El Bicho
"There are still a lot of us Bush supporters who are relatively happy with his job performance."
Speaking of "collective stupidity."
12 - Ruvy
While Saul Alinsky may have had radical ideas, his underlying principle of bringing power to the masses is a good one.
Dawn, I'm a socialist. I don't have trouble with Alinsky's ideas. But your husband is an entrepreneur and a businessman. He might. For me, Obama is just what the doctor ordered, for reasons that benefit me in Israel. But those reasons do not benefit you at all.
Also, by identifying a person as either or white or black, as you have in your comment, you are depriving that person of the rich entities of both.
In the doctor's office a couple of months ago,. I read an article about Obama's mother. From it, it was clear that he was raised as a white kid with white values in a multi-racial society (Hawaii).
But it was also clear that unlike most of us, he is truly a citizen of the world, which has lots of advantages over being from any particular race.
Obviously, as an adult, he has embraced a black identity. And it has been particularly effective in helping him in politics. But it's the stuff you get as a kid that usually rules your mind and heart in the end.
And finally, Dawn, Obama is very intelligent. But considering the types who hang with him, I'd say that his intelligence is a lot more dangerous than you can perceive.
13 - bliffle
The argument that blacks voting for blacks is as much racism as whites voting against blacks is a popular one. In fact, I used to use it myself.
But this is a unique instance. I bet a lot of people just want to get past this point in the history of racism and see Obama as a fit person to carry the ball. He seems ordinary, non-racist, not even really black. And maybe he can even do the job. After Bush he could look pretty good.
I bet more whites will vote for Obama because he is black than will blacks.
14 - Paul
A budding excuse for losing an election? This race would be far more interesting and significant if it were Palin-McCain vs Obama-Biden. I would be the first to admit that Palin has not put enough OJT(on job training) to be president"but neither has Obama. Her rhetoric, which is very good and folksy, has not earned her a place at the top of the Presidential ticket and Obama is no exception. The top of the ticket is the thing and it’s McCain and Biden who have put in the appropriate OJT. Think Experience! Hillary would have been a slam dunk for the Dems as I now think back. Too late. There are not enough white racist to overcome the minority vote (Black+Hispanic+Asian, Americans) + white Democrats. So this would be a whopper of an excuse.
15 - diana hartman
after all the race rhetoric i've heard, it's a wonder there isn't a bumper sticker that says "If Only Obama Were White..."
the ongoing division (overt or covert) is further evidence that we are not a melting pot...we are not a blender drink or a glob of non-color that came about by way of mixing paints...we are all pieces of a puzzle, and no one piece changes even as it is placed in the picture...rather it enhances and contributes to the completeness of the picture...so what if there are a bunch of edge pieces that refuse to join in and would rather stick with each other...let them stay out there somewhere...at least we know where they are...
i rather like it when some dumbass suggests a black president would lead to some kind of black revolt and/or black superiority over whites...it gives me a chance to pull out my white trash argument...for all the white presidents we've had, not a one of them got all of our white trash off the couch or out of the bar...lazy, uneducated people with few teeth and an uncanny ability to procreate will always be that way (and probably not even vote) - regardless of race, creed or color...
16 - Doug Hunter
Wow, leftist garbage keeping the race war alive to garner votes. Very sad. Making blanket accusations of anyone who votes against Obama as racist... also a new low.
If it were Republicans stopoing to this level you'd see how sick and evil it was. Unfortunately, most people are so stupid they simply cannot see the dirty tricks being pulled by their side, or like the author of this piece, actively participate in them.
17 - Dawn
I am going to try and remain calm in the midst of some these laughable accusations from the right. Clearly, you are angry. I understand, I was angry the last 8 years too, it's difficult to watch your country go into the crapper at the hands of president you did not elect. Lucky for you, if Obama is elected, at least it won't happen without a fight.
Ruvy, I get where you are coming from, but you are trying to divorce democracy from capitalism and they are one in the same. If the majority of the people want to try something new and they are given the opportunity to implement it, that's progress. I don't think you have to be "conservative" to be a business person or entrepreneur, you can care about the people and democracy, while still providing for your family. They are not mutually exclusive, and in fact, work better when done in concert.
It's kind of the founding principles of this country. And those conservatives who wanted to keep all the power, are now doling out socialism in compact billion dollar handouts.
One final note, if people really, truly, honestly believe that silent racism doesn't exist, or has no baring on this election process, that's some blinding ignorance right there.
It does NOT however mean that Obama won't still win, it just means we haven't come as far as a society as we should have.
For every person who is afraid of a "black" man being in charge, there are people like myself who are more than willing to give a qualified person a chance to make a change. And I happen to believe the opposite from the person I cited in this story. What better way to cut racism charges at its knees than to put a man who is perceived as black in the most important position in the world.
The implications of the global and social impact this could have are innumerable, and from my perspective having that man be Obama, all positive.
18 - Cindy D
Great article dawn!
So, if there are enough of these types of voters who are reluctant, but willing, to articulate their deep, silent racism, imagine how many more are out there who tell pollsters, "Sure, I like Obama," but
won't be able to bring themselves to vote for him simply because of his skin colorhe's associated with a terrorist.It's handy to smear someone with the "terrorist" brand, then say things like they don't see America like you and I do. It gives a convenient out to those who were uncomfortable with his race and can now refuse to vote for him for some other reason.
19 - Cindy D
To those who think it's racist for blacks to vote for Obama, simply because he's black:
I'm not sure how fair of a measure that is. We'd have to see if "simply because he's black" is even a valid variable. This presumes these voters don't know anything else about Obama (like his positions, even in their most summary form, which seem to make a lot of sense to black voters). I think you need to throw Thomas Sowell up there instead and see how many votes he'd get.
20 - Clavos
I think you need to throw Thomas Sowell up there instead and see how many votes he'd get.
He'd get mine in a heartbeat.
21 - Cindy D
Clav,
Sorry, your vote wouldn't count. :-)
22 - Clavos
It never does, Cindy.
23 - Matthew T. Sussman
So is "silent racism" where someone makes a video mocking Obama, followed by full screen subtitles?
24 - Dan(Miller)
Here is an interesting link to a video containing comments by Louis Farrakhan. Here is another link just in case the first one gets pulled.
Dan(Miller)
25 - Lisa Solod Warren
Dawn, i wrote two such opinion pieces here at blogcritics weeks ago and was castigated for them, too. I actually spoke to real voters (some of whom were Democrats who were having a hard time voting for Obama solely because he was black) and looked at the real polls that has just come out highlighting my state of Virginia... People still don't want to talk about race openly and people still have a hard time believing that the U.S. has racists, open ones or those who say they aren't but may well go into the voting booth and be unable to pull the lever for a black man, no matter what they tell a pollster. The subject came up again last night at synagogue when a well-meaning but naive young man said that he could not believe some of his relatives (he is a new convert) told him that they could not vote for Obama because he was a black man.
As I said in one of my articles, I grew up in the South and was subject to much anti-Semitism, which some people still refuse to believe when I tell them.
But listen, listen, to what is happening now. Listen to Sarah Palin stirring up the old stuff about Obama being a Muslim, a terrorist. Hear people being interviewed say that he IS a terrorist because of his "name" and his "heritage." Hear right ring radio hosts say that Obama will "start a race war" simply by running for president.
Hear the hate, the fear, the confusion... the sheer ignorance, which is what I have been writing about for months now. And know that there is no underestimating some people's ability to be swayed by ugliness and their own innate fear of the unknown.
We WANT to believe all Americans are good people and we are better than the rest of the world--those awful ugly middle easterners and the the cowardly French and so on and so forth (and some people do) but people are people and there are stupid, ugly, ignorant people everywhere who will act without thinking, boo and hiss and shout out terrible things in a crowd and follow someone just because he or she says something that makes them feel superior for a moment.
This race and the McCain/Palin horrorific nastiness of the past few weeks has highlighted more than anything how truly ignorant people can be. And that, more than anything, may turn this race into a race ABOUT race.
When it needs to be about so much more.