Following CNN's projection that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) would win the Iowa Democratic caucus." Bennett added: "[Obama] never brings race into it. He never plays the race card. Talk about the black community -- he has taught the black community you don't have to act like Jesse Jackson; you don't have to act like Al Sharpton. You can talk about the issues."
Now the stage is set for the next polls to see if what Bennett said will be just rhetoric or truth.
Now the stage is set for the next polls to see if what Bennett said will be just rhetoric or truth.
27 comments:
I'm not sure I understand your comment. Do you anticipate Obama playing the race card without provocation?
As for Bennett, why anyone should value what he has to say escapes me. While he always has an opinion on everything, he lacks credentials and expertise on government, politics, history, economics and society. So his opinions are so much worthless CNN filler, too often erroneous and hypocritical.
I well recall Jesse Jackson's campaigns, which occurred in a different period. The wounds of racial suspicion and division were still open and raw in many parts of the country.
Jackson did try to use the race issue to his advantage, but that wasn't the only feature of his campaigning. He also hammered out a rousing populist message with potential appeal to people of all races and ethnic groups who weren't wealthy and well connected.
I think if race is brought into the campaign, it will be done by the GOP, like they did with Harold Ford in his Senate race, with the suggestive ad.
I don't think most people on the left really give a hoot about their candidate's skin color, particularly if he is showing that he might be able to take the "inevitable" nomination away from Clinton (a candidate less likely to win the general election, in my book) and also if he is capable of keeping the GOP out of the White House for four more years.
The folks on the right will try to say that the Dems DO in fact make a big deal of Obama's blackness and play a "race card", distracting millions of us while THEY play the RACIST card.
More victories by Obama should have the right wing spinners sweating. They have all that ammo to use against Clinton, but so far their sneaky attempts (or Clinton's attempts?) to link Obama to Islam (and thus, subliminally, to terrorism) have been pathetic at best. So what if his first name rhymes with Osama, his middle name is Hussein, and some people erroneously think the bulk of his schooling took place at a religious Islamic school? I think he will be able to successfully fend off attacks from any GOP candidate... but how will he do once Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh, etc. start in on him, should he genuinely become the front-runner?
I do fear the GOP propaganda machine, regardless of who the Dems nominate.
snave, you might want to consider this.
I have not forgot about what has been said by both Fox and even Clinton.
Fox and the cartoon Bennett.
There is also Ann Coulter starting back in June of this year http://movies.crooksandliars.com/H&C-Coulter-Obama.mov
Great link you posted and I do very much concur, but I am somewhat reluctant about where this nomination will carny us during the next nine months.
Sorry about the Ann Coulter link: Coulter
The idea that race is even an issue in the 21st century is what baffles me.
Fran, race shouldn't be an issue. We've come a very long way in the past 40 years, but there are still some people who resort to knocking others down to make themselves feel big. There are still people who harbor bigoted notions acquired from parents and others decades ago.
There are 10,000 sneaky ways for Republicans to seek political gain by playing on the prejudices and fears of diehard racists and some insecure, clueless people.
I don't think Democrats should shy away from nominating Obama for fear of this. In fact, the best outcome for the country, where progress against racism is concerned, would be for Obama to run and win in spite of what Republicans will inevitably do.
My reservations about Obama concern his relatively light experience. I had been rooting for Biden and Dodd, largely because of their exceptional experience.
As I've said elsewhere, though, if Obama wins the nomination, I'll support him without reservation, as if he had been my first choice. He's an exceptionally smart and good man. On his worst day he'd be about 1,000 times better than what we've got now.
Snave, I basically quit writing about Coulter and her vile nonsense quite awhile back. I feel that commenting on her just helps feed her need for constant publicity.
The more outrage good and decent people express about Coulter and what she writes/says, the more the worst elements of the far right idolize her, buy her books and advance her "career." Her game is getting money and free publicity. Her far-right fans' game is spite.
the GOP and Coulters will start their propaganda maching the day after it becomes apparent he is the nominee -- problem is Ann and Rush might also have to deal with having Huckapoo as THEIR nominee - a man they loathe
watch what happens --- Rush and Ann will be in the Valley of Wilderness and be pushing for a 3rd party candidate -----
Ann and Rush know they are fucked right now...stay tuned
I find Bennett's comment to be racist and condescending.
The black community is quite capable of choosing their own leaders. They don't need his approval. It isn't any of his business.
I agree Distributorcap, they will be the first to start and as you stated they are stuch between a rock and a hard place if Huckabee is the Republican nominee.
Fran, because of the powers that be. This race will become nasty, very nasty.
There's the powers that would like to hold on to what Bush and the Republicans have given them and business want be as it was.
The Coulter's and Limbaugh's are already starting.
I agree ThomasLB, but they all stand to loose a lotbyhaving Obama and Huckabee as the nominations for both parties
The race card will be played if he wins the nomination, you can count on it. In the past, they usually brought up the Muslim stuff, but he will be hit on his race...the right wingers are a very dirty bunch of thugs and will pull out all the stops.
Obviously, race was a complete non issue in Iowa, one of the whitest states in the union.
Bennett's comments were, imo, a veiled way of saying, "Obama showed that if a black guy acts white, he can get ahead," which of course is the most insidious kind of racism.
Obama always takes the high road, and if he keeps to that, then maybe we'll actually get down to discussing issues instead of race or religion for the next 11 months.
Glad to see you back, LT!
The right wingers would hit any nominee with all they've got. For Obama it will be race or his name, for Edwards, the old "trial lawyer" stupidity, and for Hillary...the list is the longest.
I'm glad Obama took Iowa.
I hope the Right doesn't play the race card, but if they do, Obama (or his campaign staff) should play it right back. From what I understand, John Kennedy -- without being too blatant about it -- convinced a lot of voters to prove to themselves they weren't prejudiced against Catholics by voting for him. Hopefully Obama can pull something like this, if the need arises.
Who Hijacked Our Country
I agree with you Marry Ellen, at some point the Republican will play the race card if Obama is the nominee.
Candace, this guy Obama has amazed me with his smart wit and style. He's a new breed of a nominee.
Mauigirl, I think you have hit the hammer on the nail with that comment, I agree.
Well said Tom Harper, I didn't think of that and I'm a Kennedy buff.
"[Obama] never brings race into it."
Not at all. He just has the most famous covert racist in the world, campaign for him. I'm sure All Poo Ra is gonna back a white person any second now!
The Future Was Yesterday, I guwss time will tell this story and all.
He's talking a lot about change, and people are listening. But when I go look at his voting record, I am sorry to say that I am skeptical in the extreme. He's reminding me a lot of Gary Hart and his "new ideas" slogan from 1984.
Huck, in all reality, has laid out a more concrete populist agenda.
There's a lot about Obama that's just not none right now. I'm sure the Republicans shall introduce the unknown to us very soon.
We'll know tomorrow!
American Power
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