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How the GOP Ticked Off African-Americans Today
It's April 8, 2008 and it's time for the daily update on the GOP's continuing effort to slap black Americans in the face.
At a GOP rally for Senator John McCain, a former U.S. Army officer who
introduced Senator McCain made the following statement: "You can have
your Tiger Woods, we have Senator John McCain." African Americans
hearing this get a little peeved at the implication of interchangeable
multiracial dark skinned individuals. Republicans are seen as just
racially stupid.
Speaking at a college, former US Attorney General John Ashcroft
confused Senator Barack Obama with Osama bin Laden when discussing
approaches in Iraq. The college students responded by booing. In
actuality, mixing Osama and Obama could be explained away by linguists
who deal with the neuroscientific aspects of their field of study.
When thinking of national defense and the Middle East, 9/11 comes to mind and Osama is
pictured in the brain. A true slip of the tongue. But this is John Ashcroft. The man is an awful
singer who wanted to cover up the breasts on a statue. Ashcroft also
supported differential sentences for drug cases. The man does not get
the benefit of doubt.
Bill O'Reilly feels that in the current atmosphere, discussing race is
too dangerous to discuss. His solution, for all of us "guys" in the
African-American community to stop using the term racist. This applies
to all the race hustlers and race baiters who thought his commentary
about Sylvia's Restaurant and making a lynch mob reference to Michelle
Obama was over the top. Yes, I realize he's an idiot, but he still has
a daily TV show.
The Politico.com has a story today that indicates that Senator John
McCain as an extremely limited relationship with Arizona's
African-American community. Even Organizations like the Greater
Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce are never heard from the good
Senator. Apparently McCain's Arizona Senatorial colleague, John Kyl,
is more responsive To the Black community.
Finally, Senator John McCain himself continues to confuse Sunnis and
Shiites. As one other blogger has stated, the McCain stream media
always gives him a pass. McCain's mistake does not just impact
African-Americans, but he still the guy who lied about supporting The
National Martin Luther King Holiday.
I realize that in the full scope of things, these events are relatively
small. However, African-Americans do have a higher incidence of
hypertension. Many studies suggest that societal stresses may play a
partial rule in the higher blood pressure. So, I'm just getting this
off my chest for my health.
I'm also exercising and eating fruits and salads.
My hospital checked blood pressure cuff measured my pressure at 115/75 after finishing this post. No I'm not taking antihypertensive medication. Hey, this is working!
Comments (26)
These are all good points, but strikingly similar in order and content as Keith Olbermann's show tonight.
You could have saved some typing and just pointed everyone over to the videos at MSNBC.
April 8, 2008 11:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh crap. Where's my blood pressure cuff?
The context of the Conservative commentary was what got me concerned about my blood pressure.
Did Olbermann cover the story about Black Arizonans? Did he refer to the bogus story about McCain supporting a Federal MLK Holiday? The record shows that McCain always voted against establishing and funding the national holiday?
Was an explanation regarding neurolinguistics made for the Osama/Obama slip?
Did he connect O'Reilly to the Michelle Obama lynch mob statement?
Short answer.
No!
But thanks for commenting.
Now, I'm reminded of the fact that Pat Buchanan was a guest on one show comes to mind. Good old Pat actually told a female African-American analyst to shut up as Dan Abrams stayed silent. I'm sure Olbermann covered that as well.
April 9, 2008 12:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
The "shut up" comment occurred weeks ago, not today.
But it's another always in the back of my mind and comes rushing forward when I see Buchanan's image on TV.
April 9, 2008 12:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, had just finished watching KO and the main topic of the paragraphs on the Sunni/Shea, Ashcroft, Tiger Woods, O'Reilly had just been covered - including the Sylvia's part.
I was in a hurry but looking for a fresh tidbit or take on something between tasks that pay the bills, So I must apologize for being so abrupt - totally out of character for me on that sort of thing. No sniper-fire either.
I had just come from a site that expanded on the bit about the Illinois Assemblywoman that ridiculed and attempted to order a witness out of chambers because he was an atheist. Obviously, I hadn't removed my pissed-off-prick hat yet.
I saw the Pat Buchanan incident you referred to and I did think it was pretty low. Then, on other MSNBC shows during the malign Wright ordeal, the prick repeatedly went overboard with his opinion to the point where he was encouraging whites to think negatively on the incident. Carlson did too.
I participate in a periodic survey study of NBC/MSNBC News programs and I did blast 'The Verdict' on their recent survey on that show.
In a slight reprieving moment though - he did have a helluva show last night where he just let Phil Donahue keep busting Carlson's chops on the war, even canceling a segment or two so it could go on.
I'm white myself, and I had no problem with the Wright thing. His church - the UCC - actually founded and is still affiliated with an esteemed liberal arts college in my town, Heidelberg. The branch of the denomination at the time of its founding was 'The German Reformed Church'. I kind of figured the video was a gross distortion and I did then watch two of the sermons in full.
McCain is weak and vulnerable on a number of issues that would lay him to waste in any GE match-up.
I found John Conyers interview on the MLK anniversary last week, hilarious in the way he cut McCain up.
April 9, 2008 2:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Understood, GW as a lot of people waking up irritable.
Add in idiots like Mathews and Scarborough who express man love for McCain, and you are ready to punch someone even before you hear any news story.
April 9, 2008 8:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
tpartier
I saw that Conyers interview as well. It was great! He skewered McCain and the news analyst had to just cut it short. Conyers threw salvo after salvo and she was clearly confused and unable to pivot to any other point.
Kudos to Conyers...representative from my home state.
April 9, 2008 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
For what it's worth, Tiger Woods made his name by being the mind-boggling, previously unimaginable, drop-dead, best at what he does--and the comparison works nicely for Senator Obama. The creepy guy wasn't just worried about Tiger and Barack being multi-racial. He was also worried that his pasty little smart-mouthed self didn't stand a chance against actual achievers.
April 9, 2008 12:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. I took it as Tiger is a golf phenom with an incredible winning streak and Obama is a political phenom with an incredible winning streak. Both are masters at what they have done and how they have accomplished it with such dominance of the field of their competitors.
I felt him saying they have their John McCain was like a golf announcer saying and we have our Ernie Els.
"At the start of the 2007 season Ernie Els laid out a three-year battle plan to challenge Tiger Woods as world number one.Els has finished runner-up in six majors and most notably for his runner-up finishes to Tiger Woods. Els has finished runner-up to Woods more than any other golfer and has often been described as having the right game to finally be the golfer to beat Woods in a major."
This weekend is the Masters...be sure to watch.
April 9, 2008 2:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I'm sure the reference from this republican McCain supporter was actually a compliment to Barack Obama. I'm sure that it wasn't a reference to his half-blackness, or anything like that. I'm sure it was an effort to compare Obama's intelligence, accomplishments, and general "winningness" to those of Tiger Woods.
McCain probably wanted to show how much he respects Obama: his youth, intelligence, his better ideas, his ability to control his temper, his lack of ignorance. Yeah, that was probably why the guy got called on.
April 9, 2008 7:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey if Obama can be like Tiger Woods I'm all for it.
April 9, 2008 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, great job of supporting McCain sports fan. I wonder if next time he might compare Obama to Michael Jordan -- he's certainly blacker than Tiger... (snark snark)
April 9, 2008 6:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is not limited to the GOP. Anyone who doesn't vote for Obama is a racist, period.
From Ben Smith:
Obama advance: 'Get me more white people'
From the account in Carnegie Mellon's paper, the Tartan, of a Michelle Obama event in Pittsburgh:
While the crowd was indeed diverse, some students at the event questioned the practices of Mrs. Obama’s event coordinators, who handpicked the crowd sitting behind Mrs. Obama.
The Tartan’s correspondents observed one event coordinator say to another, “Get me more white people, we need more white people.” To an Asian girl sitting in the back row, one coordinator said, “We’re moving you, sorry. It’s going to look so pretty, though.”
“I didn’t know they would say, ‘We need a white person here,’ ” said attendee and senior psychology major Shayna Watson, who sat in the crowd behind Mrs. Obama. “I understood they would want a show of diversity, but to pick up people and to reseat them, I didn’t know it would be so outright.”
I'm not sure there's any real reason for outrage here; every campaign, at least implicitly, includes race in the staging of events like this -- even a campaign whose supporters chant "race doesn't matter." But they don't usually get caught doing it this explicitly.
And (if you didn't pick it up from the bowling) it does give you a sense of the community Obama's trying to reach in Pennsylvania: whitefolks.
April 9, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
The ice cream cone head guy wrote:
This is not limited to the GOP. Anyone who doesn't vote for Obama is a racist, period.
----------------------------------------------
Nope, this post directed at the GOP. Hope that helped.
Speaking of arranging ethnic settings, isn't it interesting how GW can always find a Black baby to pose with when he needs one? Laura can force a smile when she has to pose with one as well.
And now other GOP gems.
It was really quaint to see that doddering old liar, "Flip-Flop" McCain, concealing the fact that he always voted against the Federal MLK Holiday. The guy standing next to him in the ran holding the umbrella, a Black guy. Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words. It said everything about where Conservatives want Blacks in their society.
My favorite Conservative-Black interaction this year was Mitt Romney at an MLK rally. he and his camera crew drew down on a Black family trying to enjoy the celebration of a noble life. Romney's response "Who Let The Dog's Out. Woof. Woof." Romney went on to call a toddler's crown (she was participating in the parade), "bling". Talk about a party that's just clueless.
ICE head Julie Myers didn't realize immediately that blackface "might" be offensive, and has no diversity in the agency hierarchy. Conservatives instinctively do the wrong thing.
Ice cream cone head, you just don't realize what a caricature you are. On the plus, laughing at your idiocy does wonders for my blood pressure. Now if we could just get recently demoted White Affirmative Action MSNBC hire Tucker Carlson back in his bow ties, even more humor.
April 9, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maureen Dowd was at a Hillary event as a journalist with so few people in the audience that she was asked to go on stage. When will the media start showing the size of Hillary's audiences?
Obama came to Eugene and drew 9,000 with 3,000 who couldn't get in. Clinton came and got 2,500 into a hall. Lower than the those turned away from Obama. And you're worried that they're trying to get some white faces on stage?
April 9, 2008 9:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Hey babygirl, you need leave that lame
come over here and let me give you some game."
LOL! GOP = stupid.
April 9, 2008 9:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
"McCain-stream media."
I like it.
April 9, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dan Abrams was referring to him as "Teflon John" last night, which I thought was fairly clever as well. It's also the first time I've seen anyone in the media directly say McCain is getting a free ride.
April 9, 2008 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
News flash: African Americans were already ticked off. So-called "black anger" has been on the increase for decades.
April 9, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
And for absolutely no reason, either.
Well, there is the little matter of more African Americans in prisons than whites because they routinely draw longer sentences among other disparities.
But we'll put that aside and move on to - 2000 people drowned in their own homes, then more shot as "looters" while the national press smears them that way. And then they get welcomed to Houston by the president's mother, who reminds them that they have never had it better.
Naw, nothing going on there.
April 9, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, you can't criticize Otto about race... he has two black best friends! If you had any black friends they'd tell you that black people are only angry because racists like Wright exploit the legacy of slavery.
April 9, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Move along...
The utter lack of outreach is how the GOP makes Blacks angry.
This statement is fumbled and doesn't make any sense in a political context, unless Tiger Woods is running for office.
Barack Obama compared to Tiger Woods -- I'll take that.
April 9, 2008 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Re:Lack Of Outreach
Many in the Black clergy who were courted by the GOP in 2004 note a total absence of contact with the GOP in 2008. The GOP has done major damage to itself in he African-American community. You don't fool with the Black church, just like you don't fool with mMother Nature.
The race pimps in the GOP like Shelby Steele, John McCwhorter, and Armstrong Williams have become parodies. Steele, along with fellow Conservative Glenn Loury, believes Obama can't win. Reading between the lines, both Steele and Loury predict that Obama won't win because White Americans are just too racist. That's right these "Social critics" believe Caucasians won't elect a Black candiadate just because of his race!
Black conservatives are useful to Conservatives as critics of the rest of African-American society. The rise of Barack Obama has caused them to state openly that they believe US society is racist. They recognize that their role is to absolve White Conservatives of considering themselves to be racists by providing cover. It's a lucrative job.
If Obama wins,Steele and Loury's books go to the go to the 75% off table.
Larry Elder, another Black Conservative, was so confused that he wrote an article on how Obama was creating a new dynamic that was making Jeese Jackson uncomfortable. Before the ink was dry and the article sent to the printer, Jesse Jackson had already endorsed Barack Obama for President.
Black conservatives are helping my bood pressure so much that I just sprinkled a ton of salt onto my lunch. I'm having another great day.
April 9, 2008 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
"They have their Tiger Woods, but we have our Howard Cosell!"
* famed sportscaster Howard Cosell saw his career come to an end following his comment during a 1983 Monday Night Football game where he said "Look at that little monkey go!" about a black player. Cosell had referred to smaller, lithe white players the same way in the past, but others saw this as a racial slur.
April 9, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
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April 9, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Chris Pennyhead - quit spamming. You've posted the same damn comment on every thread on this site.
You're spamming. Knock it off.
April 9, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP doesn't care because AAs don't vote for them. However, people that hate them do!
April 9, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
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