Krauthammer: Racism “last refuge of the liberal scoundrel”
posted at 6:20 pm on October 15, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Last night, Charles Krauthammer and Fred Barnes ripped the Barack Obama campaign and its supporters for the repetitive, unsubstantiated charges of racism against John McCain’s campaign and Republicans in general. Krauthammer in particular excoriated those tossing this rhetorical bomb, at length. However, Barnes summed up exactly why they keep doing it:
When John McCain runs an ad with a white woman, Paris Hilton in it, he is accused of racism. He runs an ad with Franklin Raines, the former head of Fannie Mae in it, who is African-American, and that’s racist. And then he runs an ad with William Ayers, who is a white male in it, and that’s racist.
If it weren’t so comical, these promiscuous accusations of racism, it would be tragic. …
And to accuse preemptively McCain of racism even before there is any evidence of it, and there has not been any evidence of it before or since, is scurrilous.
They say patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel. Accusations of racism is the last refuge of the liberal scoundrel, and it has been used again and again on the part of the Obama campaign.
So why do they do it? It works. And why does it work? Barnes explains:
Right, because when they use it, it neutralizes an attack, and then you don’t have to answer it.
Rick Moran made the same point yesterday. It’s a particularly vicious smear, simply because it attacks presumed motives, not actual actions. Somehow mentioning Ayers, who is white, is racist not because of Ayers himself but because the critic supposedly operates from hate and therefore every possible criticism is racist. And because it’s racist, the criticism requires no answer.
I wish journalists around the nation had paid attention to this when they could have effectively rebuked Obama and his supporters for doing this — say, when they smeared Bill Clinton as a racist hater. I don’t blame him a bit for his resentment over those tactics, nor for the silence from the previously-toadying media over it. Once in power, we will see that card get played over and over against critics across the spectrum, regardless of whether they supported Obama or not. Or, even more insidiously, the media will factor that into their editorial decisions and simply decide that criticism isn’t worth the “racist” blowback.
Like Ed Whelan, I’m not so sure about it being the “last” refuge, either. This sounds like the natural evolution of the political correctness movement of the 1980s and the speech codes that followed.
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Actually, it’s the first and primary.
progressoverpeace on October 15, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Brave new world.
Benjamin9 on October 15, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Murtha, when referring to racists in his district, admitted they are Democrats.
jgapinoy on October 15, 2008 at 6:22 PM
check out Ace http://minx.cc/?post=275707
jp on October 15, 2008 at 6:23 PM
has Obama answered any of his critics, ever, with specifics? I think not.
custer on October 15, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Fixed
jgapinoy on October 15, 2008 at 6:25 PM
A quote from 1984 which seems appropriate (only slightly edited):
m064404 on October 15, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Yes!
Why just today, he specifically blamed Fox News for hurting his poll numbers.
jgapinoy on October 15, 2008 at 6:26 PM
I do. Sarah is able to take the heat. Perhaps Bill should retreat to the kitchen.
jgapinoy on October 15, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Obama is a study in Black Racism. Hispanics, Asians, and other minorities are immune to this crap. For some reason, this is the White Kryptonite.
The day that Whites emerge from centuries of guilt over slavery will be the day that America finally grows up. November 4 could be a big step in that direction.
EMD on October 15, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I’m extremely skeptical of polls, particularly this cycle, but I can’t help but notice that some of them have tightened lately and that it coincides with increased use of the “racist” cry by Democrats.
If (and it’s a big IF) the direction of these polls are to be believed, perhaps it’s backfiring.
McCain should elevate this issue further by hitting Obama with it hard in tonight’s debate.
thirteen28 on October 15, 2008 at 6:30 PM
As with Samuel Johnson’s quote (”false patriotism” and not patriotism istelf), let’s make it the “false cry of racism.”
Which complicates matters, it seems to me, because I’m quite sure that most on the left believe their charges.
SteveMG on October 15, 2008 at 6:31 PM
Charles Krauthammer is The best conservative columnist and most eloquent advocate we have on our side period. Despite his misgivings about Palin, I wish the McCain campaign paid more attention to him and how he frames issues.
titus_pullo on October 15, 2008 at 6:31 PM
I am so tired of PC land it is disgusting.
Why can’t I say white, black, brown, grey, red, or purple without having my head bitten off?
upinak on October 15, 2008 at 6:32 PM
O/T: Meet the RNC ACORN Squirrels. They’re the dolphins of ‘08.
amerpundit on October 15, 2008 at 6:33 PM
They have soooo over played that card. I don’t care.
christene on October 15, 2008 at 6:35 PM
I did not watch the news story last night but the lead in was
I took that to mean that the local media was taking a break from sucking the barry-o-baloney poney to tell all of us not lubing ourselves up for the barry-o-probe-a-palooza that we were a bunch of racists.
jdkchem on October 15, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Does the racism charge mean anything outside of the Dem party and MSM? Who falls for that crap anymore?
JiangxiDad on October 15, 2008 at 6:38 PM
This is pissing white people off! People are sick and tired of being called racists and are sick and tired of being blamed for every failure in the Black Community! All of these rich black leaders (Jackson, Sharpton, Wirght, Meeks, Cosby, etc…..) along with the rich blacks on the Congressional Black Caucaus havent done sh*t for “their” people, except get rich off of them and reelected by them. All while launching the blame at whitey at every turn and at every opportunity. Give me a break!
“You’ve been here 500 years and your still marching and complaining that you dont have anything, after 500 years!”
OSUBuciz1 on October 15, 2008 at 6:38 PM
It spawns them.
csdeven on October 15, 2008 at 6:40 PM
My husband and I have been wearing a large scarlet “R” on our shirts. When asked why we tell people that since we are not voting for Obama that makes us RACISTS. We then tell them that we are racists and that racist stands for:
Reformers
Against
Communism
Infiltrating
Society
Today
mrsmwp on October 15, 2008 at 6:40 PM
When pressed for an answer in his interview with O’Reilly, do you remember Obama’s concluding answer?
“What can I tell you?”
That said it all, unless he wants to explain in detail his reasons for hanging around with such lowlifes–en masse and not merely here or there.
BuckeyeSam on October 15, 2008 at 6:41 PM
jdkchem on October 15, 2008 at 6:35 PM
I’m sure they were referring to ACORN’s voter fraud. Although, come to think of it, they are the same.
flytier on October 15, 2008 at 6:43 PM
It’s outragious. But I’m not sure it is working.
He’s played the racism card so much it doesn’t mean anything. When you say the same thing to John McCain that you did to Bill Clinton that you did to Gerry Ferraro that you did to, etc, people start to think you’re full of shit.
Spirit of 1776 on October 15, 2008 at 6:43 PM
The irony of the party of the KKK, the party of Jim Crow laws and the party of segregation now has a new weapon — Calling the rest of the people racists.
Now that’s what you call a strategy based on ignorance.
tarpon on October 15, 2008 at 6:43 PM
It has gotten to the point that if the GOP wants to show a picture of some liberal that they dare not if he is black. If he is white that is ok. I suspect if this goes on long enough then eventually if there is no picture that alone will be enough for a charge of racism.
Jamson64 on October 15, 2008 at 6:44 PM
McCain: Stop screaming “Racism!” every time you’re challenged or rightly criticized, you sissy little S.O.B. What kind of a pathetic wuss are you anyway?
Only in my dreams.
whitetop on October 15, 2008 at 6:45 PM
I agree. Keep Chuck and throw the other babies out with the bathwater.
Sapwolf on October 15, 2008 at 6:45 PM
This Hispanic woman is quite pissed off at all of it!
newton on October 15, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Sadly, it’s because all of the effort gone through by Republicans to UNDO all that crap put out by the Democrats of old has been forgotten. What has replaced it is the culture of race and class envy propigated by the very people who started the problem in the first place.
Democrats don’t want freedom unless it’s freedom from someone else. They want you to be their slaves, no one else’s (including God).
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on October 15, 2008 at 6:46 PM
I really hope Krauthammer stays on as a regular contributor after Brit Hume goes.
I find his straightforward analysis to be unsurpassed.
The Ugly American on October 15, 2008 at 6:49 PM
When does Whitey get to riot?
Perhaps we can start flipping tables over at a Starbucks, or doing donuts on local soccer fields. Maybe even, dare I say, we could knock over a knock over a basketball hoop (but only the kind on wheels, not the ones cemented into the ground).
cannonball on October 15, 2008 at 6:49 PM
Well done – I’ll have to pass this on to my husband. He’s about at the end of his rope as well.
Actually, he and everyone we know.
tru2tx on October 15, 2008 at 6:55 PM
It became codified during the 1980’s, but doesn’t this go waaaay back to Marx & Lenin?
Buy Danish on October 15, 2008 at 6:57 PM
I’ve recently told some of my democrat friends that this election has pretty much taken the sting out of bring called a racist. I told one that some people have not been called racist yet only because they haven’t communicated their positions clearly enough.
They don’t like having their favorite weapon laughed at.
snaggletoothie on October 15, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Ed, I watched that segment, and the words you attribute to Barnes were actually said by Krauthammer, at least the first part. I’m not sure who said the part that follows (starting with “Right…”).
I was very happy that he said it. It needs to be repeated, on the air, everywhere.
sloopy on October 15, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Mailbox baseball and cherry bombs down the commode must be included.
csdeven on October 15, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Bill Clinton isn’t a racist hater? Wow.
unclesmrgol on October 15, 2008 at 7:02 PM
Gee, those of us who said “don’t back down” cuz of the monkey man at the McCain rally were told we are part of the problem by some conservative bloggers.
Now, apparently, we were right. I’ll await those apologies.
lorien1973 on October 15, 2008 at 7:03 PM
I think we all must become racist. Just accept our racist within and don’t let it bother us. Today we are all racists. When you have to races the latinos and the blacks actively ganging up on your race for safety measure you must embrace your race. At least that is the argument of the blacks and lations. It is time we accepted that arguement and embraced it.
unseen on October 15, 2008 at 7:03 PM
Ah… the 91/92% of the Americans of African decent, and 100% of other voting age liberals/collage students.
I could be wrong.
Over.
1GooDDaDDy on October 15, 2008 at 7:04 PM
Interesting link regarding Michelle O. and racism.
http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/275675.php
Jamson64 on October 15, 2008 at 7:04 PM
I would love to see Bill Clinton come out for McCain….if he had any balls left he would.
Obama did smear him with the racist label and it would be a sweet bitchslap of the metrosexual Chicago freak.
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on October 15, 2008 at 7:06 PM
How do you defend a racism charge? Simple, you throw it right back at them, call them racists for trying to smear you using race. That’s what I would do. Then it is a standoff, nobody wins, nobody loses. Its neutralized.
mustng66 on October 15, 2008 at 7:08 PM
When did Obama stop being the post-racial candidate? He’s worse than Al Sharpton.
Cicero43 on October 15, 2008 at 7:12 PM
I would love to hear McCain say in the debate, “enough with these stupid racism charges”
Spirit of 1776 on October 15, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Careful there, Ed.
You sound racist.
Oh what I wouldn’t *do… for the good ‘ole days of hope and change and first class temperament and first class intellect and first class classy and first class cleanliness and first class speeches and first class toilets….and…. and… first class everything…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
*Can I stop ragging you now, Ed? It’s getting old.
*sniff sniff*
Sorry, I need to get a dark double chocolate mocha… then I’ll feel better.
Mcguyver on October 15, 2008 at 7:17 PM
I am not so sure that people don’t see through this. That does not mean they will vote for McCain, however. I wish it did.
Terrye on October 15, 2008 at 7:18 PM
It was never effectively opposed. Whether or not Obama wins or loses it will be bad for the black community in the ling run.
If Obama loses the reaction will be like when those cops who beat up Rodney King beat the rap and drive a lot of people (not just blacks, all liberals) crazy.
If Obama wins it will be like the triumphant reaction to O.J. Simpson’s acquittal for four years.
aengus on October 15, 2008 at 7:22 PM
Terrye on October 15, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Maybe they will think this is racist:
Accusing API of colluding with American internet bloggers in an effort to bring down her husband, Mrs Obama said she decided to call API because of what she termed, API’s help to spread rumours created by American bloggers and other racist media outlets in their efforts to damage a black man’s name, saying she hopes African Media was mature enough to be in the front to give unwavering support to her husband, a man Africans should identify themselves with. When API told her that our online news media was only relaying what the American Bloggers and other media outlets had discovered through their investigations, Mrs Obama was angered and she came out loud with the following: “African press International is supposed to support Africans and African-American view,” and she went to state that, “it is strange that API has chosen to support the racists against my husband. There is no shame in being adopted by a step father. All dirt has been thrown onto my husband’s face and yet he loves this country. My husband and I know that there is no law that will stop him from becoming the president, just because some American white racists are bringing up the issue of my husband’s adoption by His step father. The important thing here is where my husband’s heart is at the moment. I can tell the American people that My husband loves this country and his adoption never changed his love for this country. He was born in Hawaii, yes, and that gives him all the right to be an American citizen even though he was adopted by a foreigner; says Michelle Obama on telefon[sic] to API.”
http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/275675.php
unseen on October 15, 2008 at 7:23 PM
I think we need a new Godwin’s law for accusations of racism.
That, or we just need to start pointing out that the biggest racist in this race is none other than Barack “White Man’s greed” Obama.
ClintACK on October 15, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Who would have thunk? Oh, what would we do with out east coast elitists like chuckie to guide us with such original wisdom?
Blake on October 15, 2008 at 7:27 PM
aengus on October 15, 2008 at 7:22 PM
If Obama wins I think we will see a come back of skin heads, KKK, miltia’s etc in the MSM. they will want to paint the right movement as a racist movement. Like the socialists are trying to do to the anti-islamic movement in europe and like they tried to do with the anti-amensty movement here. It will be ten times worse.
unseen on October 15, 2008 at 7:27 PM
ClintACK on October 15, 2008 at 7:27 PM
It is the true racists like Obama that see racism in everything. It’s called projection.
unseen on October 15, 2008 at 7:29 PM
When did he start?
ClintACK on October 15, 2008 at 7:30 PM
It’s working.
spmat on October 15, 2008 at 7:31 PM
I should say, it’s working for this reason: you don’t have to make the racism charge stick for it to work. You just have to accuse it and require the target to defend himself. In the process, the original line of attack is diffused.
spmat on October 15, 2008 at 7:36 PM
No. It goes back to the Frankfurt School – a group of German neo-Marxist social critics who fled to America in the 1930s to escape Nazism.
The History of Political Correctness Part 1
The History of Political Correctness Part 2
The History of Political Correctness Part 3
I studied these intellectuals in college and wrote essays on their critical theories.
aengus on October 15, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Not exactly. It goes back to the Frankfurt School of the 1920s – a group of neo-Marxist German intellectuals. They from fled Hitler’s Germany to the US in the 1930s.
Watch this documentary:
History of Political Correctness Part 1
History of Political Correctness Part 2
History of Political Correctness Part 3
I studied their theories in college and wrote essays on them.
aengus on October 15, 2008 at 7:42 PM
spmat on October 15, 2008 at 7:36 PM
It’s working because we allow it to work. We are afraid of being called racists. Blacks are not afraid of being called racists they embrace it. Black power you know. Latinos are not afraid of it. La Raza ring some bells.
But we are. time to embrace our race not run from it. It was white Europeans that conquered the world, it was white europeans and westren civilization that ended slavery, it was white europeans that brought millions upon millions out of poverty. It was the work ethic of whites, the drive of whites, the inventions of whites that allowed the world to be a better place. It was whites that gave the world democracy, republic forms of government, it was whites that discovered life saving medicinces, that defeated smallpox and polio.
I say this in tongue and cheeck but we of european decent must be aware that many of our enemies are extreme racists that would like nothing better than to subjucate the white race. We are the tolarant race and should defend that.
unseen on October 15, 2008 at 7:57 PM
It’s going to get worse. When Obama is president and he starts proposing programs to rectify the supposed inequity between blacks and whites, such as more welfare programs, income transfers from mostly white rich people to mostly black or hispanic poor people, or a host of other programs, any criticism thereof will be met with charges of racism. In fact, any criticism of the messiah will inflame the thought police and probably direct the FBI to your doorstep.
NNtrancer on October 15, 2008 at 8:04 PM
Oh, please. Anyone who’s out in the everyday work place knows how this game is played. It’s amazing that the media talking heads are just now catching on.
The PC rules we average nobodies have had to live by when it comes to this sort of thing have been in place for awhile. Don’t ever say anything critical about a minority employee, don’t say anything remotely flirtatious or that could be misconstrued as an overture (especially to a female co-worker), don’t mention anyone’s age or anything about their religion or their background or their family, how they dress, wear their hair, talk, walk or eat, even something you mean as a compliment or that is totally innocuous.
Because someone might be offended or hurt or angered by what you’ve said, sometimes not even the person to whom you addressed your remarks. And you will be the one reprimanded or demoted or even fired.
So yeah, Charles and Fred, welcome to the real world.
Bennett on October 15, 2008 at 8:12 PM
None of this is difficult to refute.
My disappointment here is the head of the ticket, as the previous head, has no public speaking skills, seems unwilling to learn any, and neither can articulate their way out of a paper bag.
Further, the current candidate seems unwilling or incapable to parry the infantile statements of an empty suit.
Starlink on October 15, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Anyone seen Howard Dean lately?
mylegsareswollen on October 15, 2008 at 8:30 PM
I think the question we need to be asking ourselves is how the hell did we get to the brink of a Presidential election with a candidate so unqualified, with such dubious acquaintances, with such disdain for the country, and with a questionable history.
Find me an answer for that and the rest becomes moot.
Texas Rainmaker on October 15, 2008 at 8:54 PM
“I don’t blame him a bit for his resentment over those tactics, nor for the silence from the previously-toadying media over it. ”
I could give a sh*% about Clinton as he reaped the benefits of the “politically correct stifling of free speech” throughout his career. He practically perfected it. Him whining about it when it FINALLY bites him in the a$$ is way way way overdue
America1st on October 15, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Onl because we have a bunch of PC morons in this country.
Cr4sh Dummy on October 15, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Fixed.
Cr4sh Dummy on October 15, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Gee, thanks, Charles. Now back to your grave concerns about Gov. Palin … I mean, there’s less than three weeks to do anything about it, please share with us some more of your thoughts on what we should do with this unwashed Alaskan.
argos on October 15, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Correct. And if he loses, we will see it in every analysis of why he lost. The Obama cult will grow and grow, and there will be lots of resentment from some African Americans.
So, either way, the country is in for tough times. Is Obama post-racial? Hell, no. He is using race more effectively than ever, bringing the use of political correctness to its zenith.
PattyJ on October 15, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Wow…2 folks who live on Fox News talking about what is and what is not racism. That’s like David Duke, Jesse Helms, and Trent Lott saying it ain’t so…
TOPV on October 16, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Remember, every time you pay your cable bill, you support the MSM.
ronsfi on October 16, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Are saying that Fox News is racist? How? Any examples?
ronsfi on October 16, 2008 at 9:41 AM
OOPS. Sorry MC. Not for you.
Really TOPV. I think you are claiming that Fox News is racist. Which would be heartbreakingly, Kool-Aid drinkingly, Mind numbingly, stupid.
ronsfi on October 16, 2008 at 9:44 AM
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