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The closer Barack Obama gets to the Democratic nomination, the uglier this thing is getting in racial terms. That Republican-funded North Carolina TV attack ad I saw today that tried to "Willie Horton" Obama was nothing sort of breathtaking. When was the last time in which the racial-attitude cards from the hunkered-down regions were laid more plainly on the kitchen table? The early to mid '60s? As one MSNBC commentator said today, there are people out there who "made up their minds about [voting for an African-American candidate] back in 1957."
Is there any way to interpret Hillary Clinton's strategy but to say she's clearly playing this situation (along with her ace-in-the-hole gender loyalty card) for all it's worth? At the end of the day the ugly-duck reality is that Obama, who has to despise his opponent with every fibre of his being, may have no choice but to offer Clinton the Vice-Presidential spot. You don't have to like or even respect someone to cut a deal with them. But would she take it?
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 23, 2008 at 6:55 PM
comment #1
lazespud
says ...
North Carolina ad? Do you have link?
Posted by lazespud
at April 23, 2008 7:45 PM
comment #2
gruver1
says ...
Wells to lazespud: I just saw it two or three hours ago. I'm sure it'll be You Tube-d in no time.
Posted by gruver1
at April 23, 2008 7:47 PM
comment #3
Indeed
says ...
"If I win, magic ponies to all of you -- I promise!"
Cute, but sounds a lot like Obama as well.
Posted by Indeed
at April 23, 2008 8:05 PM
comment #4
diagf.com
says ...
They are up over at rawstory.com.
Pretty pathetic. Basically, Obama is a pussy because he doesn't want to kill people. Yet, Hillary's "obliterate Iran" remark is seen as a legitimate litmus test.
Standard.
Posted by diagf.com
at April 23, 2008 8:11 PM
comment #5
PoisonSkin
says ...
Tom Tomorrow is the man.
been bloggin a while. he's been trying to get on colbert for how long but they always rebuke him.
http://www.thismodernworld.com
Posted by PoisonSkin
at April 23, 2008 8:23 PM
comment #6
The Bandsaw Vigilante
says ...
If Obama offers any hardcore Clintonista the VP spot, I see it being Eddie Rendell more than Hillary -- he's not only an executive-experience balancer for the ticket, but also the popular gube of a crucial electoral state.
Posted by The Bandsaw Vigilante
at April 23, 2008 8:53 PM
comment #7
Geoff
says ...
Obviously these are frustrating times for Obama supporters. I used to despise the notion of him having to put her on his ticket, but I'm fickle, and this seems like a good idea at the moment.
Posted by Geoff
at April 23, 2008 9:16 PM
comment #8
christian
says ...
Reagan did it get elected back in 1980.
Posted by christian
at April 23, 2008 9:22 PM
comment #9
BurmaShave
says ...
Rendell would be Obama's Cheney, and I mean that mostly in a bad way.
Posted by BurmaShave
at April 23, 2008 10:13 PM
comment #10
christian
says ...
BTW, Tom Tomorrow is far too radical for Colbert.
Posted by christian
at April 23, 2008 10:19 PM
comment #11
Terry McCarty
says ...
Jeffrey asked:
When was the last time in which the racial-attitude cards from the hunkered-down regions were laid more plainly on the kitchen table? The early to mid '60s?
One incident comes to mind: the North Carolina senate campaign from 1990 when Jesse Helms ran the anti-affirmative action TV ad which was meant to smear his opponent--Harvey Gantt, an African-American.
Posted by Terry McCarty
at April 24, 2008 12:47 AM
comment #12
Mgmax
says ...
Definition of ugly: bringing up issues
Definition of not ugly: cartoon that ends by implying a Republican must be in the advanced stages of senile dementia since is is, after all, 71, which is younger than Clint Eastwood when he won his last Oscar for Best Director
Posted by Mgmax
at April 24, 2008 4:41 AM
comment #13
Mgmax
says ...
"When was the last time in which the racial-attitude cards from the hunkered-down regions were laid more plainly on the kitchen table?"
Against Bobby Jindal in the Louisiana governors' race, by the Democrats.
Posted by Mgmax
at April 24, 2008 4:53 AM
comment #14
JaySmack
says ...
Hey MgMax, unless you live down here --which I'm sure you dont!-- don't pretend to know what Lousiana politics are like. Never before has a candidate with so little going for him been so successful.
When Jindal ran for governor in 2002 he made NO attempt to reach out to blacks, --nobody criticized him for this by the way-- and after Katrina he all but mocked black voters. Perhaps you were unaware of this, your not knowing about politcs down south and all.
NEVER did ANYONE try to paint Jindal as the "Indian" candidate. Nobody tried the guilt by association smear on him, even though the only right-wing bigot he isn't personal friends with is David Duke.
Nobody demanded Bobby denounce George Bush for letting New Orleans drown. Nobody derided him for not ripping his crooked lips away from bigoted former governor Foster's ass.
I'll be more than happy to educate you on La politics so you can be informed about it in the future.
Besides, for a guy who's political life has been so horribly hampered by "race" Jindal didn't have any problem becoming Governor Foster's staffer, or becoming part of the Bush administration or winning a Congressional seat only months after losing the governor;s race in 2002. And I'm pretty sure he won that gubenatorial race we had here a few months back.
Not bad for a guy whose ONLY political experience was a couple years in Congress and carrying Mike Foster's ballsack around Baton Rouge for a few years.
Posted by JaySmack
at April 24, 2008 5:36 AM
comment #15
SaveFarris
says ...
JaySmack, we didn't demand Jindal denounce Bush because we were too busy denouncing Kathleen Blanco themselves.
Posted by SaveFarris
at April 24, 2008 5:56 AM
comment #16
corey3rd
says ...
North Carolina wants to think of itself as progressive, but we're a state that is constantly on the edge of a race riot. Think of Duke Lacrosse and the black teens that murdered UNC's student body president. Race is a major issue in this state, but the folks in power live in denial.
Far as Jesse Helms goes, the amazing thing is his main campaign guy was a gay, married, adopted children and lives around Boston. Where's a movie on this guy?
Posted by corey3rd
at April 24, 2008 6:02 AM
comment #17
Mgmax
says ...
The irony of being lectured about "falling for" Louisiana's inexperienced but charismatic slightly-dark-skinned candidate as much of America swoons for Illinois' is, indeed, delicious.
Posted by Mgmax
at April 24, 2008 6:28 AM
comment #18
Arizona Joe
says ...
The race issue is reflected in the polls, and I hear it anecdotally. I guess I should not be surprised. However, I think a lot of the furor and divisiveness in the Democratic Party and electorate is being orchestrated by the Republicans, who want Hillary as McCain's opponent.
Whomever the nominee, come November the issue is still going to be the economy, in a big way, with concerns about Iraq.
Unthinkable gasoline prices, high food costs, and a low dollar signal the good times are over for the middle class. Both Obama and Clinton probably want to say that a restructuring of society is in order, a change to conservation and fairness. However, they don't want to harken back to the dour pedantry of Jimmy Carter.
I hope John McCain takes Romney as the V. P. That would sharpen the choice: more progressive ideas from Democrats, or more of the same society run by MBAs and business.
It's the economy, stupid, an economy dominated by China, and Muslim fanatics who control the oil, and Wall Street hucksters who sell financial instruments few understand and that are totally unregulated.
All this talk about race around the cracker barrel is distracting people from the elephant in the room.
Posted by Arizona Joe
at April 24, 2008 10:17 AM
comment #19
christian
says ...
John McCain toured a New Orleans neighborhood still reeling from Hurricane Katrina and issued a new and scathing critique of the ``terrible and disgraceful'' failure of the Bush administration's response to the disaster.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080424/pl_bloomberg/a1krq5x3pni_1
And he's going up against the standard GOP take on Katrina which is to blame the citizens and the local government. That's how get McCain will get votes. While Clinton attacks Obama and vice versa.
Posted by christian
at April 24, 2008 1:09 PM
comment #20
MrClever
says ...
Is this the meme? McCain is stupid? I hate when the politics turns out this way. McCain is dumb, Obama is smart. Proof not needed. Hilary's smart, too, but it doesn't count for anything, since she uses her intelligence for evil ends.
Posted by MrClever
at April 24, 2008 3:39 PM
comment #21
D.Z.
says ...
Mgmax: "Definition of not ugly: cartoon that ends by implying a Republican must be in the advanced stages of senile dementia since is is, after all, 71, which is younger than Clint Eastwood when he won his last Oscar for Best Director"
Well, Reagan didn't seem to remember that he sold weapons to Iran; McCain didn't seem to remember that he helped ban Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday as national holiday; and Heston didn't seem to remember that he was once a liberal, so if the shoe fits....
"Against Bobby Jindal in the Louisiana governors' race, by the Democrats."
But Rush Limbaugh calling Nagin "Nager" is fine and dandy.
"The irony of being lectured about "falling for" Louisiana's inexperienced but charismatic slightly-dark-skinned candidate as much of America swoons for Illinois' is, indeed, delicious."
The difference is that Jindall's not the first dark-skinned or Asian governor, but Obama's the first prominent African-American presidential candidate.
Farris: "JaySmack, we didn't demand Jindal denounce Bush because we were too busy denouncing Kathleen Blanco themselves."
Get over the "Blanco is a Dem, so she's the one to blame" meme. Even McCain denounced Bush on Katrina. http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080424/pl_bloomberg/a1krq5x3pni_1
Posted by D.Z.
at April 24, 2008 4:15 PM
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