Obama: Don’t let McCain “hoodwink” or “bamboozle” you
posted at 4:00 pm on October 11, 2008 by Allahpundit
Delivered, with exquisite nuance, within two minutes of congratulating Maverick for toning down the rhetoric yesterday in Minnesota and within a few hours of Rep. John Lewis comparing McCain to George Wallace, a smear for which the campaign is demanding an apology. In fact, Obama used this same rhetoric against the Clintons before the South Carolina primary and was called on it by the New Republic, among other lefty websites. TNR contributor Cinque Henderson:
His use of the phrase is resonant. It comes from a scene in Malcolm X, where Denzel Washington warns black people about the hidden evils of “the White Man” masquerading as a smiling politician: “Every election year, these politicians are sent up here to pacify us,” he says. “You’ve been hoodwinked. Bamboozled.”
By uttering this famous phrase, Obama told his black audience everything it needed to know. He was helping to convince blacks that the first two-term Democratic president in 50 years, a man referred to as the first black president, is in fact a secret racist. As soon as I heard that Obama had quoted from Malcolm X like this, I knew that Obama would win South Carolina by a massive margin.
It’s code, in other words, used by The One when he wants to accuse his opponents of racism but doesn’t want to do it so directly that he’ll be held accountable. I’ll let Jonathan Martin take it from there.
Blowback
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Hmm, I figured he said nice things about McCain before blaming him for the global meltdown…
This is even better.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Oh my goodness! The Messiah using “racial code”? Say it ain’t so!
Bruno Strozek on October 11, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Let me do it he says!
electric-rascal on October 11, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Did anyone catch the boos, grumblings and general unrest in the audience when THE ONE mentioned McCain serving his country admirably? Where is the demand for an apology for THAT!
freeus on October 11, 2008 at 4:07 PM
Barack Obama: There Will Be Bamboozling
…………… need I say anymore?
Seven Percent Solution on October 11, 2008 at 4:07 PM
DRUDGE:
That’s just the first stab. Welfare state here we come.
toliver on October 11, 2008 at 4:07 PM
F*(@ it…
Y’know, at this point, I was pretty much over this election and was resigned to letting Obama win (I was still going to vote for McCain, but I wasn’t going to really care.)
Not now.
McCain’s going to be President whether he likes it or not.
I will not have a race baiter in office.
Obama is wrong for this nation.
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:08 PM
I think we’re seeing the reason so many on the left keep looking for code words and hidden meanings in the utterances of people on the right. It’s because that is exactly the kind of tactics the lefties themselves use.
backwoods conservative on October 11, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Let me take out my secret race-baiting decoder ring!
crr6 on October 11, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Considering how the left has treated Palin I have no sympathy for Obama on attacks on him.
BTW left remember how you said it was patriotic to stand up to GW Bush ? Remember that when we stand up to Obama and confront him if he is elected.
William Amos on October 11, 2008 at 4:08 PM
See McCain, you jack ##%#$@#%… This is what happens when you try ot “play nice”
You should be out there saying that if Barack Obama is elected President, he’s going to usher in an age of socialism the likes of which this country has never before seen. I’d have economists on Fox and every other TV network that you can get on talking about how FDR’s socialism prolonged the Great Depression by 7 years and how awful social security is, etc.
He should then offer his own competing plan to restore the economy that is something well conceived and well thought out, and he should speak with confidence and dominance in WEdnesday’s debate…Then roll it out and GO GO GO.
But, he won’t. He’ll be Mr. Bipartisan nice guy weener… And Obama will win.
I’m just sick about this.
Outlander on October 11, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Is Obama trying to rub salt in Bill and Hillary Clinton’s wounds?
We are 3 weeks out from the election. Aucacity and arrogance on full display.
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Still waiting on that apology?
tru2tx on October 11, 2008 at 4:09 PM
In Soviet United States, circa 2009, everything is racism.
Here we come? Where have you been? We’re here already. The next step is full blown socialism. Then totalitarianism.
The end of this is nigh.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Electing Obama is like electing the town arsonist to be the new fire chief. There’s gonna be lots of bamboozling alright.
Mojave Mark on October 11, 2008 at 4:09 PM
To add to the long list of reasons not to vote for Obama, I’ve decided not to vote for him because he keeps telling me he’s black.
JiangxiDad on October 11, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Where’s the best place to throw money at for the Republicans? The general fund or the McCain Palin victory fund?
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:11 PM
Get ready for 4 years of investigations and trials that’ll make the Clinton presidency look like a Boy Scout jamboree.
gmoonster on October 11, 2008 at 4:12 PM
RNC or http://www.rightchange.com probably
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:12 PM
I’d be happy if that were the outcome!
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Let’s face it the country is hopelessly divided right down the middle and each half hates the other half with a vile passion. Maybe we should also split up the land mass and the resources and each could go their merry ways.
rplat on October 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
Do as I say, not as I do.
Spirit of 1776 on October 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
What about – http://www.mccainpalinvictory2008.com ?
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:13 PM
No need to. As I say, the people on your side already called him on this language. Are you seriously suggesting his rhetoric here is coincidental? Even after he was challenged on it earlier this year by people in his own party?
He knows what he’s saying.
Allahpundit on October 11, 2008 at 4:14 PM
…and don’t forget poverty pimp…
Ozprey on October 11, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Why? Because the Republican candidate says we should work together and the Democrat says “Don’t be hoodwinked by the Republicans?”
Look who’s doing the splitting here!
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:15 PM
A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Over time, with use, you’ll be able to throw that ring away.
JiangxiDad on October 11, 2008 at 4:16 PM
I’m all for that. Let then implement their socialist state and we our capitalist, liberty loving, Constitutional one.
We will have to build a wall to keep them out when their state collapses.
DerKrieger on October 11, 2008 at 4:16 PM
I’m sure you’ve heard Rezko is singing to shorten his sentence. If any of these reports about ACORN are true, and ANY justice remains under Obama, there will be plenty of stuff to entertain us under an Obama administration.
gmoonster on October 11, 2008 at 4:17 PM
I saw a truck today, with the following painted on the back window:
“‘THAT ONE’ ’08″
capitalist piglet on October 11, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Because we are diametrically opposed in our philosophies. One half wants socialism. The other, ours, wants a free market economy with very limited government. To me there is no compromise possible.
DerKrieger on October 11, 2008 at 4:18 PM
But he’s a “uniter” don’t cha know…..
Hog Wild on October 11, 2008 at 4:18 PM
It’s not that simple. You’d almost have to gerrymander two countries at a household by household basis.
Sure you could try to get all the small government types to moves to the gulf states and secede and start all over; but then you’d also have to get the other side to move out as well.
It’s not feasible, really. You fight the government you got.
Anyways, who is going to lead the charge? Republicans can’t explain their economic principles coherently. What makes you think they could form a new country?
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:19 PM
THAT’S THE SPIRIT WE NEED!
I’m 100% serious. People here think I’m some kind of McCain-loving nut. No way, Jose. But I damn sure know that if we don’t defeat Obama we are in for a world of hurt…and the only way to defeat Obama is to get behind McCain and work like hell to get the man elected.
Maybe that’s why I love the PUMAs so much. They are much stronger in their support for McCain than republicans, because they got abused by this SOB months ago. It just amazes me that he’s pulling the exact same stunts he pulled on Hillary.
Next up will he play “99 Problems” at a campaign event?
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01142008/gossip/pagesix/hillary__barack_rap__rock_142152.htm
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Insinuations? No we are accusing you of your past Mr. Obama. No one is insunuating that you were friends with terrorists or that they introduced you to politics. We are just saying it. No one is insinuating that you voted to leave babies in closets to die, we are saying that is what you voted for…
Oh I’m tired of this… there has never been a more corrupt canidate and yet here we are.
OH my poor country.
petunia on October 11, 2008 at 4:20 PM
If Rezko can sing for jan 2009 and ACORN can be prosecuted for RICO prior to that as well…Obama won’t be getting anything done for 4 years.
And that’d be a pyrrhic victory I’d take.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:20 PM
Obama needs to worry about the Thugs on his side of the isle
William Amos on October 11, 2008 at 4:21 PM
How can they portray McCain as both smiling and angry at the same time?
I Malcolm XII, I Malcolm XII, see the man…
unclesmrgol on October 11, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Why. 0 dollars from Obama cost the republicans 2 million.
It’s a win for Obama. Sad. I know.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:22 PM
I’m with you. I sure wouldn’t marry a liberal, and I keep my distance from them as much as possible. Never seeing them would be a blessing in my upcoming golden years.
JiangxiDad on October 11, 2008 at 4:22 PM
It’s wrong for the GOP candidates to use just about any word in the English language that might have racist overtones, but saying “hoodwinked” (as in KKK hoods) is ok if you’re black (or half, at least). Because blacks can never be accused of racism or racist speech.
/sarcasm off.
Wethal on October 11, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Be afraid…be very afraid. The power of words can be much more dangerous than the most lethal weapons. Lets hope that such words are not so effective.
mindhacker on October 11, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Obama likes it both ways. He expects McCain to apologize for every little thing, yet his crowd and his surrogates call McCain racist and he doesn’t do a thing.
I am tired of this double standard.
Enough with this crap. Obama is angering republicans to the point that they will overwhelmingly vote for McCain. And may I add that PUMAs won’t be the only group of liberals that will vote for McCain. This disgusting play of the race card will turn off a lot of democrats and independents to vote for McCain.
jencab on October 11, 2008 at 4:24 PM
How effing GREAT that is. Terrific bumper sticker. Skewers them both. Puts the voter back in the driver’s seat.
Genius.
JiangxiDad on October 11, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Next up?
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01142008/gossip/pagesix/hillary__barack_rap__rock_142152.htm
C’mon conservatives. Show the PUMAs they aren’t the only ones with fighting spirits.
YES–that’s what we need. Seriously.
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:25 PM
God, if there is a god, please let this be right.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Obama seems to be quoting Hall & Oates now. In the debate he was quoting the rock band Travis. Does he get all his lines from music/movies?
Seixon on October 11, 2008 at 4:26 PM
At 22 months, Axelrod is running out of unique content.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:27 PM
If Obama were white, he would be a Daily Kos blogger.
indythinker on October 11, 2008 at 4:27 PM
So Obama is a black Olbermann?
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:29 PM
I noticed this the first time I heard him use it. A few days ago I performed a google search and the only person I could find who had commented on it was a left-leaning Hillary-supporting blogger (MYDD, I think). I know we’re not allowed to point this out, but Obama says in his own autohagiography that his ONLY role models could be black men–among them was Malcolm X. Don’t tell anyone I said this.
Sean68 on October 11, 2008 at 4:29 PM
He goes for these older father figure types–always has. I thought his white father figure is Ayers.
JiangxiDad on October 11, 2008 at 4:30 PM
He’s starting to remember some of those sermons he’s listened to over twenty years with Rev Wright.
Hening on October 11, 2008 at 4:30 PM
No, feed them their own lines… Sell bumper stickers with Obama’s own quotes.
“Every election year, these politicians are sent up here to pacify us – You’ve been Bamboozled.” – Obama/Biden ’08
Have the RNC sell them to Democrats, then use the funding to support the RNC campaign. Double strike.
Let him face his own words. I still have faith in the American people.
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:32 PM
I do wish McCain would run a “racism” ad that asks “do you really want 4 years of this?”
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Taylor Marsh commented on it at the time, as did Rox Populi, as did a few others. I quoted Henderson just because he made the case the most eloquently.
Allahpundit on October 11, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Obama and the Dems and all the MSM would immediately condemn it as “racist.” If you saw Drudge links, apparently MoDo and Rich are going to have NYTimes columns tomorrow on how McCain is firing up the knuckle-dragging racist, yokel supporters to riot (or at least vote).
Wethal on October 11, 2008 at 4:36 PM
I can’t wait till the media reports on the coded language. Should be in the NYT Sunday, doncha think?
*crickets*
PattyJ on October 11, 2008 at 4:36 PM
I saw a really nasty blogger post yesterday talking about McCain’s “short arms.” It was unbelievable.
Connie on October 11, 2008 at 4:37 PM
And may I add that PUMAs won’t be the only group of liberals that will vote for McCain. This disgusting play of the race card will turn off a lot of democrats and independents to vote for McCain.
clemycali on October 11, 2008 at 4:37 PM
He is a manufactured candidate, created to appeal to the pop culture consumer. What’s tragic is that behind the facade there is a hell of a lot of terrifying hatred waiting to explode.
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:37 PM
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:29 PM
FIFY
Akzed on October 11, 2008 at 4:38 PM
If elected, B Hussein Obama will “never” be this old soldiers president and commander in chief.
Moreover, from day one and except for supporting our military, I will not support or respect a media appointed, hollywood approved and ACORN elected B Hussein Obama.
I’ll paint that on the tailgate of my truck and will welcome the attention.
PS Conservative America, it isn’t too soon to start the process of changing the leftist liberal media. Strike back now. Boycott hollywood, boycott the big three networks and their sponsors. Lets put them out of business.
hawkdriver on October 11, 2008 at 4:38 PM
That’s why it should be done. Go on offensive on the racist issue. The louder they squeal, the better.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:38 PM
I am not blaming McCain for the things Obama says.
As for McCain being nice, does anyone actually think the Republican party is helped by people calling Obama an Arab?
I can’t stand Obama, would not vote for the man if you put a gun to my head, but if people do not want McCain to have say Obama is decent or whatever, then don’t call Obama names at townhalls.
Although I do understand the frustration.
Terrye on October 11, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Is there any doubt that McShame is a moron? Please be nice and respectful to Senator Obama, after all I have to reach across the aisle with him and all me Liberal Democrat colleagues. After all, how am I going to be accepted by Ted Kennedy in the senate if I’m not nice to The Messiah. Let us all bow down to the healer of all mankind and kiss his ring for we are not worthy to say anything bad about him for his is above all the rhetoric of division! What a pile of BS!!!!!!!! We need a man with a set of balls who can stand up for the Republic and not the RINO we have. Dump McCain and give Palin the top of the ticket. She is the one who is acting like the man in this pair. Did McShame have his balls removed with his teeth in VietNam?
flytier on October 11, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Why doesn’t McCain make more of this? I mean, the Books on Tape version would make for good radio. I’d pound this to death.
Akzed on October 11, 2008 at 4:40 PM
What is he doing in philadelphia?,,,,,,i thought he was ahead by 15 points in PA……..
rockmom on October 11, 2008 at 4:42 PM
McCain needs to fire it as a counter one-liner in the last debate.
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:43 PM
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/09/the_first_tuesday_project.html
Older news but it’s exactly how well they’re orgainzed and what we’re up against.
hawkdriver on October 11, 2008 at 4:43 PM
McCain does have a history (except for MLK vote which he regrets) on supporting minorities and women. He should run ads where alternates between his record and Team Barry quotes.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on October 11, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Please watch the comments. It’d be an absurd irony if I had to ban anyone in this thread.
Allahpundit on October 11, 2008 at 4:44 PM
heh, heh, heh
Lynn Forrester de Rothschild apparently believes otherwise
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:45 PM
rplat, I like your idea! I propose that we make I-40 the borderline. The USSA (United Socialist States of America) can go norath. The USA will be in the south.
MochaLite on October 11, 2008 at 4:48 PM
The odd thing about this speech was that he was in Philly; he’s in mostly black neighborhoods (don’t know the color of Mayfair right now, but I knew someone who was leaving fast a few years ago because of changing demographics).
If he has the black vote in the bag, why is he riling up the faithful? They will GOTV (“Fast Eddy” Rendell will see to that). (OK, it could be a stop to thank the party faithful.)
Obama needs the Philly suburbs. He needs the working class whites in Philly and the burbs. “White Flight” has been a Philly problem for decades. Rendell can’t necessarily deliver them.
Of course, maybe he thinks voter fraud in Philly will offset the burbs. And the WC whites will vote Dem because of union membership.
I wonder what his internal polling is. Jay Cost once said not to look where they spend money, but where they go.
Wethal on October 11, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Allah, I’m curious. Which post drew your eye as a potentially bannable offense?
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:49 PM
As long as you keep the ‘brown’ at the outerwear level, you should be ok.
trailboss on October 11, 2008 at 4:50 PM
I was curious about that too.
lorien1973 on October 11, 2008 at 4:50 PM
ahchoo … PUMA … achoo
shhhhhh
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Obama is a horrible dem candidate. There is no reason for McCain to NOT be winning the independents. Where is Rove and all the others to advise them?
dmarie on October 11, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Oh hell. Cue the horsemen, lorien and I agree on something.
LOL
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 4:51 PM
dmarie on October 11, 2008 at 4:50 PM
He doesn’t want Rove because that wouldn’t be nice! We have to be nice and respectful while they stick the knife into us and dance on our grave.
flytier on October 11, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Me too AP, was it the Brown Shirts, I’m sorry. In the future I will say…
The “warm-hued blouse wearing, liberty restrictive militant group!”
hawkdriver on October 11, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Problem is, McCain is not all that good a Republican candidate, and the R(trademark) is losing value at approximately the same rate as the Dow Jones Industrials.
He’s in a world of hurt, some of his own making, and a bunch not. I think the “don’t know much about economics” admission has become a meme, a very sticky meme.
trailboss on October 11, 2008 at 4:55 PM
That’s very pc of you.
trailboss on October 11, 2008 at 4:57 PM
I’ve never seen Malcolm the Tenth. I’m betting a whole lot of middle America hasn’t, either. While I know O loves to pull the race card, apart from this thread, I’d have never made the connection to the movie. Unfortunately, I doubt if many clingers will even know they should be upset.
innominatus on October 11, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Please. Tell me where these polls are getting their information- I’m O.K. with them saying Obama is up 6-7, but that registered Republicans are viewing McCain as being “negative”? He’s not near negative enough! The very simple fact is there’s nothing very positive for them to say about Obama. I guess they could start with, “He dresses nicely” or “He seems to quote the Koran properly”.
I’m serious. This garbage from congressman Lewis is typical of the campaign Obama runs- let everyone else do the dirty stuff, and the messiah keeps his hands clean.
anniekc on October 11, 2008 at 4:57 PM
IMHO, the Republican Party appears to be suffering from what the Democratic Party and their media surrogates always wanted in their previous positive attention and support politically of John McCain. First, they must think that McCain is better than most Republicans in general if he were to manage to get elected. Secondly and more insideous and probably closer to the truth, is they knew he had the potential to polerize the party. It was up to us to let that happen or not.
I’m behind him 100 percent. I do wish he had Palins fire though.
hawkdriver on October 11, 2008 at 4:58 PM
McCain — Don’t let Obama ‘jive talk’ you out of voting.
tarpon on October 11, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Barry began to revive the hoodwinked and bamboozled jive talkin’ (that he had used oh-so effectively against the Clintons) this past Wednesday.
Anyhoo, I just can’t wait to have a leader who uses Malcolm “the chickens are coming home to roost” X demagoguery, by any means necessary.
Obama really admired Jean Paul Sarte too.
Buy Danish on October 11, 2008 at 4:58 PM
No, I think it was my self-censored cussin’. Which I don’t normally do… but… I’m ticked…
I’ve got friends and family who spend 99% of their time going about life and ignoring politics until 30 days before an election and then start telling me why I’m wrong about politics and feeding me talking points they just heard the nice man say on TV.
Y’know, Gas prices are high and it’s all Bush’ fault.
The economy sucks and it’s all Bush and the Republican’s fault.
We’re losing in Iraq and thousands of soldiers are dying a month!
Then I carefully explain to them what’s been going on and their eyes glaze over for a second and then they tell me they’re voting for Obama anyway because he seems so nice and McCain is off his rocker…
Then you have to try to explain economics and capitalism and they don’t understand why it’s wrong to have the government give them money to help people.
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 4:59 PM
He has a lovely home!
oh, um, sorry LOL
funky chicken on October 11, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Flying back to Washington to pass the bill that was already on the table didn’t help disabuse people of that meme, either.
Skywise on October 11, 2008 at 5:01 PM
I can see him using code words for racism to get the black Dems in a primary away from Hillary, but Obama needs white votes to win. The only ones who might respond to this are the guilty white liberals who think that anyone who doesn’t vote for Obama is racist. But Obama has the guilty white liberals in the bag. “Vote for me or you’re racist” won’t necessarily get him independents.
Wethal on October 11, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Flip the Republican ticket after the debate on Wednesday nite. Palin and Obama are on more equal turf and he won’t be able to attack her as he would a man whom he considered racist. It will quell the rhetoric. She won’t have to debate Obama but she’s a much better communicator who simplifies her points. And she knows money and budgets on a big scale… Leave the 2 old dudes McCain and Biden as elder never-had-any-executive-experience statesmen to talk of foreign affairs and blah blah.
gracie on October 11, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Hmmmm, this could be some kind of pre-emptive strike on a possible Fitzgerald RICO indictment of ACORNites that’s been rumored around the internet.
“If you’re opposed to ACORN, you’re racist.” Like “If you’re opposed to Fannie and Freddie putting poor [black] people in their own homes, you’re racist.” For the next three weeks, it’s “If you’re opposed to _________ you’re racist.”
Wethal on October 11, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Okay, let’s use Obama supporters’ logic: Obama used the word hoodwink when talking about McCain. “Hood” implying wearing a hood, like a Klan member, thus Obama is using racial rhetoric against McCain. Maureen Dowd, call your office.
Jim-Rose on October 11, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Yeah, that’s why he feels safe to use it. Obama, understandably, is very sensitive about making racial accusations too overt, but this gives him a way to do it under the radar. People who know the phrase — I did, Cinque Henderson did, obviously more than a few lefty bloggers have — will get the meaning. Those who don’t, won’t, and won’t hold it against him. Win/win.
The point is this: There’s no way he stumbled onto this language accidentally. It’s too unique.
Allahpundit on October 11, 2008 at 5:09 PM
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