The discussion Obama didn’t want — to take responsibility for
posted at 9:30 am on September 22, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Politico must have tried transforming itself into The Onion over the weekend. Ben Smith and Avi Zenilman try to make the case that Barack Obama didn’t want a national conversation on race during the election, but in doing so, they deliberately ignore all evidence to the contrary:
When the Democratic primary descended into a charged debate about black and white and Sen. Barack Obama’s racially polarizing pastor last spring, Obama took the stage to address the question of race head-on.
“Race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now,” Obama told those assembled at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center and a nationally televised audience in March.
His campaign, though, didn’t follow his lead.
Instead, his aides have steered clear of any explicit discussion of racial inequality or of his pioneering campaign as they try to woo swing voters, some of whom may be discomfited by the notion of the first black president.
They have to be joking, right? They didn’t want a national conversation on race? How then do they explain these attacks on Republicans and the McCain campaign that took place all summer long?
Far from not wanting to have a conversation on race, Obama and his surrogates have been unable to go three weeks since the end of the primaries without race-baiting. Team O has made the supposedly racist motives of his critics the main pushback against all criticisms, with the media’s complicity. The candidate himself has made the accusation more than once, signaling leadership on this smear tactic, a signal that his followers have gladly received and amplified.
Obama tried to avoid the issue during the primaries, understanding that he had no hope for unity in his party if he openly accused Democrats of racism in their opposition to him. He shows no such reluctance in the general election, hoping to marginalize Republicans and John McCain by transforming us into drooling racists who couldn’t possibly have any other reason to oppose a doctrinaire liberal product of the Chicago machine. The inability to prove a negative makes the “We’re not racists” response sound defensive and oddly confirming of the smear — which is why smears are so effective.
Smith and Zenilman are an example of the other reason why it’s effective. The media has allowed Obama to get away with it, perhaps because their own hostility to Republicans allows them to believe it. It’s what allows Politico to report with a straight face the notion that Team Obama has ‘avoided race’ when they’ve talked almost non-stop about nothing else.
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A good laugh for the start of the week
anniekc on September 22, 2008 at 9:34 AM
do as I say, sure as hell don’t do as I do…I AM THE MESSIAH! You shall submit!
SDarchitect on September 22, 2008 at 9:35 AM
I’m only mildly concerned about Obama winning in November. I think he’ll be a terrible executive and will be so leftist that Republicans can take back the house in 2010. I’m concerned, yes, but not overwhelmingly so.
I’m more concerned that if he wins the media will think they can pull this crap in every single future election. 2008 will seriously be the year the journalism died (P.S. -Someone needs to write a book on that, I think it would make a ton of money).
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Bubble Alert
D0WNT0WN on September 22, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Wow. What are those guys smoking, and did they bring enough to share with the whole class?
Bruce in NH on September 22, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Obama is the epitome of a human chameleon. He will say or do anything that will put him in the position to gain power. He is the biggest scam since ethanol.
volsense on September 22, 2008 at 9:40 AM
from the analysis of the AP story:
but of course, that was not even MENTIONED. pfft.
unmeritedfavor on September 22, 2008 at 9:41 AM
No mention about Astroturfing.
JammieWearingFool on September 22, 2008 at 9:42 AM
which is why smears are so effective
Where’s the evidence for this assertion? Boy. Cry. Fox. Say it enough times, and people tune out the message.
This election will hinge on two things: the economy ie reform (of which Hussein has exactly -0- experience), and terrorism (ditto). Iraq is under control, but now we have to deal with AQ moving into Pak.
Do you think Americans, in the privacy of the voting both, are going to pull the lever for Barry when push comes to shove? Right.
kuhio on September 22, 2008 at 9:43 AM
He wants a conversation on race, the sort where he lectures people and where they meekly nod at all of the stupidities and inanities he continually utters.
How could anyone who sat in Rev. Wright’s church and who donated $20,000 to him, lecture ANYONE on a post-racial America? Obama took his daughters to a church where racial hatred is preached.
Obama is a fraud and a liar. Obama needs to resign from his campaign, resign from the Senate and emigrate overseas. That would be best for all involved.
NoDonkey on September 22, 2008 at 9:45 AM
what race is Obama? mother white,father black 50/50.RIGHT?
steviedfromnc on September 22, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Barack Obama…Above the fray. Better than you. Better than me. Better than all of us.
whitetop on September 22, 2008 at 9:46 AM
you’d be amazed how many people want the government to take care of them, and are looking for a messiah (of course not the real messiah)
right4life on September 22, 2008 at 9:47 AM
Politico is right – Obama doesn’t want to have a national conversation about race. He wants to have a monologue about race, by himself, on his terms.
Mr. D on September 22, 2008 at 9:48 AM
I think Ace is onto a better smear.
Coronagold on September 22, 2008 at 9:48 AM
From the author’s biography:
Well, I guess that explains it…
ErikTheRed on September 22, 2008 at 9:50 AM
I would GLADLY vote for a black man….as long as he’s conservative! JC Watts would be great! Allen Keyes would make an incredible president imho but liberals say that these men at Uncle Toms, so who’s really the racist?
According to the liberals if he ain’t democrat, he ain’t black!
Vntnrse on September 22, 2008 at 9:52 AM
Every speech he says the same stupid line about not “looking like all those other presidents,” and tries to pass it off as “not having the same backstory or upbringing.”
Abby Adams on September 22, 2008 at 9:53 AM
NoDonkey on September 22, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Well said.
We’re having a discussion about race. It’s just not the one BO expected.
Frankly, I don’t care what color he is. I’m sick of the guy, his whining, his manipulation, his frightening wife, his creepy past/current connections and everything about him. The guy is so toxic it’s hard to understand why anyone can find him acceptable.
Cody1991 on September 22, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I’m not! I’ve lived long enough to know that, given a choice, the majority of people want someone else to take care of them.
OldEnglish on September 22, 2008 at 10:00 AM
I’ve never understood why “conservative” pundits have given politico so much credibility so quickly and judge them objective. Reading them it is obvious that they tack left. Where did they come from and how did they become so prominent so quickly? Where did their backing money come from? I’ve always suspected that you turn over enough rocks at politico you will find george soros.
peacenprosperity on September 22, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Let’s make this election simple:
Barry- “I’m black and I’m OWED”-”your not black, so prepare to PAY”.
“Oh by the way, PAY is an extremely broad term”.
jjshaka on September 22, 2008 at 10:08 AM
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Good comment about the media; it seems they’re perfecting a template to see how far they can go with their coverage. If it works for them this year, you can only expect it to get even worse in the future.
Bishop on September 22, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Because he said the “funny name” line a few times he’s wants to have an “explicit discussion of racial inequality”?
crr6 on September 22, 2008 at 10:12 AM
ASTROTURF DIRTY TRICKS? Dr. Rusty Shackleford says that smear videos aimed at Sarah Palin look to come from a P.R. agency associated with the Obama Campaign. Dan Riehl comments: “Politics aside, if this was the professional manipulation that it appears to be, it is not good for blogs, Left or Right. It undermines their credibility and makes them no better than a propaganda tool become smear merchant for whatever candidate they happen to support.” Stay tuned.
UPDATE: From the 2004 election, a warning about “black blog ops” that’s seeming kinda prescient.
http://www.pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/archives2/024721.php
Mr. Joe on September 22, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Run Michael Steele for Pres and we’ll show you how racist we are.
Herb on September 22, 2008 at 10:21 AM
politico is a joke. Almost as funny as snl.
jdkchem on September 22, 2008 at 10:22 AM
It’s not that the Politico is conservative, it’s that they are the MSM’s biggest ass kisser, (with a few bones thrown to the conservative punditry), so that they get a lot of mention on air, etc.
They do in fact get the most mention on TV.
As I said, the Politico keeps the MSM’s anal bacteria count below the legal limit.
Mcguyver on September 22, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Obama’s entire public identity is a myth.
The “post-partisan” candidate — whose voting record shows that he has voted with the Democratic party 97% of the time.
The “reformer” who is the protege of the most corrupt political machine in the nation — and who has never once challenged that corrupt Chicago machine but has instead willingly used it and benefitted from it.
The “post-racial” candidate who has spent his entire life being obsessed with race and racial identity — as evidenced by his autobiographies, his 20-year membership in a racist, Black Liberation Theology church, and his political career (for example, as head of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge [the purpose of which was to improve public school education in Chicago], Obama authorized $200,000.00 for a “Juneteenth” [freeing of slaves] celebration, but denied funding for a program to improve students’ algebra skills).
AZCoyote on September 22, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Politico is like the rest of the media: they don’t even see their liberal bias. Yes, they are a bit fairer, but it’s articles like this that give it away. Barack Obama is anything but post-partisan. In fact, he is so hyper-partisan that when he talks about ending fighting in Washington, what he really means is that the Democrats win and the Republicans lose.
mbabbitt on September 22, 2008 at 10:45 AM
For the record Obama wouldn’t be the first black president, he’d be the first multi-racial president. It’s a distinction that the media and Obama conveniently forget. Were it a multi-racial Republican candidate, however, the narrative would be completely different in the media with all sorts of talk about the candidate not really being black.
highhopes on September 22, 2008 at 10:46 AM
$20,000 in donations to the church whose minister campaigns for said contributor from behind the pulpit…
Is this illegal or no?
ynot4tony2 on September 22, 2008 at 10:46 AM
The Politico allows unmoderrated (for the most part) comments, which I think helps offset their political bias.
Flake Crapper, I mean Jake Tapper, with his ABC blog, edits out comments that go against his column. CNN often closes comments by the time the stories get linked to sites like Hot Air. New York Times just loves not allowing comments.
ynot4tony2 on September 22, 2008 at 10:51 AM
The left and the media (same thing, I know) are not just advocating for Obama or simply glossing over his potential shortcomings like we saw in 2004 with Kerry.
They are actively infantilizing Obama. Their paternalism has gotten disgusting and dare I say it, racist, via their complete unwillingness to treat Obama like a man capable of fighting his own battles on his own terms. If anybody’s mean to whiny baby Obama on the playground his army of media mommies steps in to protect “their” fragile little snowflake.
But of course Obama is more than happy to be treated like a child. So it’s win-win for all of them I guess.
Gilda on September 22, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Is Politico owned by NBC?
It feels that way.
John on September 22, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Democrats are the true racist. I refuse to be a victim!!!!!
pukara61 on September 22, 2008 at 11:18 AM
That seems to have been their tithes for a singular year. Can’t remember which but it wasn’t this year.
baldilocks on September 22, 2008 at 11:27 AM
When I first heard Obama at the ‘04 Dem convention, I knew he was going to be a big part of the Dems future. I didn’t expect him to run for prez quite so soon, but I guess they decided to strike while the iron was hot.
As I watched him throughout the primaries, I was very taken in by him at first. I knew I would never vote for him, but did think he was a person of integrity.
Now that I know so much more about him, and I have seen how he operates, I can’t even stand to see or hear him anymore.
I used to joke with a friend “Look away from the light!” as she was similar to me in our initial reactions to him. I don’t have to do that anymore, familiarity has bred contempt.
Jvette on September 22, 2008 at 11:27 AM
I guess Democrat is the new black… that ought to last about a week at the rate we keep on replacing black…
ajacksonian on September 22, 2008 at 11:43 AM
The BO people are deeply puzzled and disappointed because they expected racism, were relying on it, and didn’t receive it from the conservatives. Their stereotypes failed to match up with reality. This forced them to try to manufacture racism.
They truly do not understand conservatives– or anyone who lives between the two coasts– at all. How in the world could they possibly expect to govern?
obladioblada on September 22, 2008 at 12:44 PM
I’m not a racist and would easily vote for any qualified black poiltician with whom I shared the same political beliefs. Easily. But with that said, if there are that many whites out there that won’t vote for Barack simply because he’s black, I’ll accept their votes begrudgingly because this man is not qualified, and, I believe downright dangerous for national security. I do believe though that the stats are over-hyped. Sure there are still racists out there but not as many as Obama and his media would have you believe (at least I hope not).
Big John on September 22, 2008 at 1:01 PM
I just finished watching Oslime-a tell lies in Green Bay. He had the audacity to say McCain is reinventing himself for political gain and then admitted he didn’t ask for earmarks last year and also has pulled back his requests for past earmarks! Every complaint he leveled against McCain were lies and in fact were perfect descriptions of his record.
It’s obvious his tack is to try and hide in plain sight. He accuses McCain of exactly what he himself does. Here’s a short list of Oslime-a’s accusations…..
1) McCain is neck deep with Fannie and Freddie people
2) McCain fought for the policies that created the mortgage mess. Oslime-a is the one who wants all Americans, regardless of income to own a home. He repeats this on the stump every day. He wants money to bail out the same people who couldn’t afford, and should not have been allowed, to purchase a home.
3) McCain is part of the Washington culture of corruption. Yet, just moments before he admitted that McCain has never asked for earmarks.
That is as far as I could watch. Oslime-a is so full of crap, little balls of doo-doo roll out of his mouth when ever he opens it.
I feel sorry for those poor misguided sheeple that were cheering him on in his obfuscation of reality. It was pathetic to watch.
csdeven on September 22, 2008 at 2:21 PM
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