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The Race card in the elections

I've noticed a disturbing pattern in the past few days: an attempt by various commentators, mostly on the left, to characterize Barack Obama's failure to "close the deal" in the Democratic primaries as evidence of the deep-seated residual racism of whites, who refuse to vote for Obama simply because he is black. This is a massive and obvious evasion, which John McWhorter argues against in the article below.
In reality, it is black voters—who support Obama by overwhelming margins—who are voting on the basis of race. As for the non-blacks among whom Obama can't seem to win a majority, there is a whole collection of far more obvious reasons why they're not voting for him, from "Bittergate" to Obama's associations with the Reverend "God Damn America" Wright and far-left former terrorist William Ayers.
In their eagerness to evade these facts, the left is building a dangerous new mythology. Obama is being transformed from the "unifier" who "transcends race" into just another one of the bullying litmus tests we have been offered over the years: if America doesn't vote for Obama, we are told, it proves that this is still a racist country. To borrow Shelby Steele's terminology, Obama is becoming the candidate of "white guilt."
So the man whose candidacy was supposed to "heal the wounds of racism" in America will end up reaching into those wounds and opening them up wider. Blue-collar whites will conclude (with justification) that black political leaders are con men trying to exploit an undeserved guilt—while blacks will conclude, when Obama loses the general election, that America is unreformably racist.
Thanks, Barack, for "healing" us.

"Not Battling Racism," John McWhorter, New York Sun, April 24

There are going to be books about this Democratic campaign. Presumably, a few will address a staple question pundits are to attend to these days: "the role of race in the campaign."
What people really mean by that usually is the role of racism: the thinking person is supposed to be dutifully watching for evidence that white people are "not ready" for a black president, or that criticisms from Mr. Obama's opposition are rooted in racism.
What seems to almost frustrate some is that the answer to the question as to what role racism has played in this campaign is: none whatsoever.
Already many are wondering whether Mr. Obama's inability to "close the deal," as Mrs. Clinton has put it, with less educated whites indicates that they don't like black people. To conclude that racism is the issue here is, however, reflexive and even lazy.
What we are seeing is that to whites of this stratum, there is nothing especially magic about Mr. Obama. That is, a considerable amount of Mr. Obama's appeal is based on his charisma, his air of "freshness," and so on. And yes, a considerable part of that is his color. I have written this before and will write it again: many white voters are stimulated by the idea of voting for a black candidate for president, as a gesture toward getting past America's racist past….
But that boost, it would seem, came mostly from educated, collegetown sorts. To this crowd, attendance to the fact that racism still exists, policing themselves for remnants of it, and taking especial delight in diversity are more important than to most blue-collar, small-town whites….
This does not mean that the whites in Pennsylvania don't like black people, are "not ready" for a black president, or are evidence of racism "lurking beneath the surface of polite discussion." It simply means that these people are evaluating Mr. Obama in a neutral way, and find Ms. Clinton more experienced, better prepared to steward a nation at war, and perhaps even having paid her dues in a way that Mr. Obama has not.

By esanch36 on Apr 25, 2008, 05:44 in Off Topic.

Lcacique says on Apr 25, 2008, 18:05:

Wow, esanch36...I never knew you were omniscient. Thanks!

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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slguy says on Apr 25, 2008, 20:10:

obama has pretty much gotten a pass so far from the media on the more offbeat parts of his life (ie -that wacko minister of his, etc).

if/when he becomes the nominee, the gloves come off.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Lcacique says on Apr 25, 2008, 20:50:

yeah, it should be great! Then we can talk about McCain who voted against MLK day, who continues to employ Richard Quinn (a racist nutjob), who raised money for George Wallace's racist son, who is connected to crazy religious extremists like Rod Parsley and John Hagee (a man who ties catholicism to the Nazis and blames Hurricane Katrina on homosexuality). Sure, lets really take the gloves off...bring on the debates.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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christobeldawg says on Apr 25, 2008, 21:57:

and away we go..

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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christobeldawg says on Apr 25, 2008, 21:59:

as if our getting it all figured out on pbh is going to matter, but at least we get to express our thoughts here. never know when somebody might be listening that makes a difference

admittedly, arriving can feel great too

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slguy says on Apr 25, 2008, 22:25:

1. i got no problem w/ his vote against MLK day.

2. catholicism oughta be tied to the Nazis - the Vatican financed much of the Nazi war machine, and ignored the holocaust, even after it held evidence of the atrocities.

but these are beside the point. i didn't mean to imply that obama deserves a trashing - only that i imagine it's coming.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Lcacique says on Apr 25, 2008, 22:27:

Frankly, it amazes me the character assassination that the media has carried out on Reverend Wright. It is not shocking that some of the members on pbh think the way they do about him; however, their comments only prove how misinformed they are about the Reverend and his Church. They place all of their trust on thirty second soundbites designed to frame Reverend Wright in a certain way. None of them have done any true research on the man or his congregation. A congregation that has done incredible things in Chicago. A congregation that is multicultural (including white! and not the guilty college students that esanch talks about. Hilarious that you want to paint educated people in such a negative light, by the way).

Here's the man talking for more than 40 seconds...and if you watch the documentary you can hear the entire sermon that included the deserved condemnation, "God Damn America." It begins at the end of part 3, gets cut-off, and finishes up on part 4.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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slguy says on Apr 26, 2008, 08:41:

thanks for posting those, Lcacique.

took two sessions to get thru them ;) but the guy is obviously bright and articulate. what concerns me most about him is what he ISN'T saying for the camera, but his followers hear...

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Lcacique says on Apr 26, 2008, 09:43:

slguy,

I am just finishing up a course in religion and we had a visiting professor from Chicago University come to recruit students for graduate programs. After 15 minutes of discussing his University, he opened up the presentation for questions. We spent over an hour talking about the UCC and Reverend Wright. He said that the only thing radical about the Church is that it actively cares about ALL (even the jews despite what the media says about it) people who are oppressed. That includes anglos. I have also had the pleasure of meeting people who attend the Church and whose family has attended the Church for years...I am not to worried about what is being said within those walls. I am more worried about what is being said outside those walls.

What is completely offensive and disturbing is that the media knowingly distorted this man's words for the sole purpose of putting a stain on Obama's campaign. Left-wing/Right-wing media, it does not matter...they all chose to edit the sermon so that they could make dishonest accusations about the Church and Reverend Wright. And they continue to hammer this point over and over, sending a clear message that they either have done no research whatsoever, or they are knowingly being deceitful.

slguy: look up information on Pastor John Hagee, who McCain was happy to take an endorsement from, and ask yourself why there has been little to no attention given to this relationship. Specifically, look for his thoughts about catholicism and homosexuality causing Katrina in New Orleans.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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Lcacique says on Apr 26, 2008, 10:21:

By the way slguy, thanks for sitting through the whole documentary. Spending an hour watching a vid on the computer can be tedious...I just wanted people to have an opportunity to listen to the man speak, instead of listening to 30 second soundbites over and over again or watching Sean Hannity scream over the top of anyone who tries to discuss the Church in a rational manner.

I do not expect that anyone who has decided that he is an evil racist antiamerican will change their mind by hearing him speak. But I had to post it.

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

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miamimike says on Apr 26, 2008, 19:46:

The Gloves need to come off in regards to questioning aimed at McCain. Talk about somemone who has gotten a free pass,,,

Election Map Favors a Democratic President in 2008,,,

WASHINGTON - The electoral road to the White House favors Democrats this fall — either Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton — and has Republican John McCain playing defense to thwart a presidential power shift.

A downtrodden economy, the war in Iraq and a public call for change have created an Electoral College outlook and a political environment filled with extraordinary opportunity for the Democrats and enormous challenge for the GOP nominee-in-waiting.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_el_pr/road_to270

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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morphus says on Apr 28, 2008, 06:25:

I guess the name "Obama" does'nt help much either.

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slguy says on Apr 28, 2008, 06:57:

you're right, morph. obama hussein? unfortunate....

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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morphus says on Apr 28, 2008, 07:09:

Obama is doing good despite it all. How far would he get in Canada, Colombia and Europe?

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esanch36 says on Apr 28, 2008, 07:59:

In canada they would make him king

All right, I'll ask: How come it took three seconds to euthanize Eight Belles, but the Womens NBA is starting Year 12???

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miamimike says on Apr 28, 2008, 12:05:

I couldn't belive in that recent past ABC Democratic debate that Moderators C.Gibson and G.Stephonopolis spent 45 minutes questioning Obama on matters concerning this Subject and other inane matters when they should have drilling both Candidates on the Iraq War, The Recession, Healthcare, Free trade Agreements, Iran instead they wasted half the debate on questions of little significance. Hope they don't bring these Mods back again.

BTW, I saw this on Yahoo just a few minutes ago and it seems to indicate a "Seachange" on which Candidate could better defeat McCain in November.

WASHINGTON 4/28-08 - Hillary Rodham Clinton now leads John McCain by 9 points in a head-to-head presidential matchup, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll that bolsters her argument that she is more electable than Democratic rival Barack Obama.

Obama and Republican McCain are running about even.

The survey released Monday gives the New York senator and former first lady a fresh talking point as she works to raise much-needed campaign cash and persuade pivotal undecided superdelegates to side with her in the drawn-out Democratic primary fight.

Helped by independents, young people and seniors, Clinton gained ground this month in a hypothetical match with Sen. McCain, the GOP nominee-in-waiting. She now leads McCain, 50 percent to 41 percent, while Obama remains virtually tied with McCain, 46 percent to 44 percent.

Both Democrats were roughly even with McCain in the previous poll about three weeks ago.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080428/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_race_ap_p...

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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