« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
Comparing scandals
Here in the swing state of Michigan, there have been (serious) news reports on the (supposed) possibility that voters will identify Barack Obama with the misdeeds of another black man, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick's days in office are numbered because of a scandal that included firing law enforcement officials for investigating his own alleged misbehavior.
The opposition is trotting out video of Kilpatrick introducing Obama at a campaign event as, I guess, evidence that the two men are connected.
This is, of course, patently ridiculous and borderline racist.
But what really bothers me is reading the posts here and in Alaskan media about Sarah Palin's incident involving, at least on the surface, similar transgressions to Kilpatrick.
Logically, if Kilpatrick taints Obama in some way, wouldn't Palin taint John McCain even more?
Comments (7)
I'm so sick of that guilt by association bullshit.
We need a commercial that shows McCain with that pervie grin on his face wrapped up in a Confederate Flag signed by Jesse Helms and have him fitted for a white robe by his good butt-buddy Richard Quinn who licks David Dukes boots each evening and top it off with an MLK speech on the PA system in the background. How's THAT for guilt by association?
August 31, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think so. The troopergate scandal is not going to work for political reasons. The person in question there deserved to be fired. All the republicans will have to do is repeat that he tasered his stepson. Then they will point to Kwame and all the shit is suddently flying in the opposite direction then we were hoping for.
August 31, 2008 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am ignorant of the details you refer to. Who did the tasering? Monegan or the trooper? And the papers there are still following the story.
Kilpatrick is not the VP nominee. A major difference, n'est-ce pas?
August 31, 2008 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Then do some reading, there's plenty on leftist blogs. The point I'm making is that by questioning her judgement in troopergate you are inviting people to take sides in the actual scandal, which involved a trooper who deserved to be fired.
And if Kwame is not relevant, then I have no doubt they will roll out Wright and Rezko and accuse you of double standard.
It's not a winning argument, imho.
August 31, 2008 7:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
You list a "fact" that I have not heard, and won't exlpain it. Support your assertions, don't expect me to hunt down your evidence.
But while I don't think Kilpatrick has legs, I agree we should not attack Palin. Alaska papers are doing that job as in:
http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html
Or:
http://www.anchoragepress.com/site/basicarticle.asp?ID=748
No mention of tasering in either Anchorage paper, unless I missed it.
August 31, 2008 11:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have read that the tasering involved the son asking him father what it felt like, the father turned it to the lowest possible setting and letting him find out... no abuse involved.
August 31, 2008 8:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Would you go on Hannity or Rush and make that clarification while insisting that Palin's judgement was terrible and that father's wasn't?
August 31, 2008 10:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment