Why do some people hate Obama's guts?

[msallied]

I just don't get it. What has he done to earn so much ire among certain Clinton supporters? Disagree with some of his policies, I get. But hate his guts? How? For a politician, he has largely avoided mass doses of negativity in his campaign, he has an overwhelmingly positive image and message. So why do some people hate him so much? I'm asking this honestly, because I don't get it. I can say without much bias that Hillary has done a lot to earn my intense dislike, and I'd feel the same way about Obama if he'd conducted himself in the same manner as the Clintons.

I understand people's ambivalence about the man, and maybe even some resentment if he wasn't your first choice, but it's the hatred I don't get...

[NYCGirl]

1. What has he done?

He got more votes and delegates than their chosen candidate.

[gbrenna]

45. Obama has one very major problem...

he is defeating the 'Goddess Of Peace'-how dare he! I guess he didn't get the memo about Hillary's inevitability in terms of the presidency. Hillary supporters are furious because it's Hillary's turn. Sen. Obama ruined everything!

[dchill]

2. They are professional "victims."

:shrug:

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

3. He spoiled what she thought was going to be HER big chance.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. He dares to tell the truth unlike some others. That's all it takes

sometimes.

[RazBerryBeret]

5. he's trying to change the game...

and he got in the way.

[brentspeak]

6. I think people loath some of Obama's supporters, not Obama himself

The constant cries of "racism! racism! racism!" from some of Obama's supporters justifiably pi$$es a lot of decent people off. The never-ending snarky comments don't help, either.

[msallied]

8. Neither do the constant cries of sexism from HRC supporters.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

13. BINGO

[movonne]

21. Don't you think that a lot of this racist stuff has been hillary and bill's

doing..and then we who feel like we have to defend Obama get a little mean and then the hillary supporters get a little more meaner and on an on and on...we should try and keep it down a little..

[mcctatas]

33. I couldn't agree more...

when I took a break from DU (and therefor rabid supporters of both candidates) I realized that while there are things that bug the shit out of me about Hillary, it is only the over the top nastiness of a small number of hillary's supporters that makes me froth at the mouth about hillary. (I'm sure the same can be said in reverse about a tiny fraction of Obama's supporters as well)...

[doc03]

52. Amen, his supporters accusing anyone that criticises

him as racist is what has totally turned me against him.

[HughMoran]

60. Thanks for putting things back into perspective

I like Obama and roll my eyes when I hear Hillary speak now, but I still can't stand the arrogance of so many of the Obama supporters here. This thread is a perfect example of the obliviousness of so many.

[depakid]

7. Talk about projection....

:crazy:

[msallied]

10. Care to elaborate? Or is more snark the answer?

[depakid]

20. I never see any "hate his guts" posts

but I'm guaranteed to see a dozen about Hillary every day....

So, yes -that's projection.

[msallied]

23. I just READ one, fool.

Feel free to feel stupid.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5890394&mesg_id=5892357

[depakid]

36. Try acting your age

(whatever that might be).

Sure, you can find an occasional post like that on any forum. DUH. That wasn't my point- and I think you know that.

The ratio of Hillary hating threads and posts here is probably 200-300:1

which make insinuations of the contrary emotional projection (which, interestingly enough, is a well honed tactic used by far right radio and TV hosts too).

[msallied]

39. You have missed the point.

It isn't about the quantity of haters on this board, it is about the quality. And I believe I said that Hillary has EARNED a lot of the ire she's receiving. And she has. If you don't believe that, you're simply deluded. My question is what has Obama done to receive the ire he receives from the Hillary camp on this board. You haven't answered that, and if you don't see it, then you are reading very selectively.

[depakid]

41. He hardly EVER recieves any "ire" personally

and unless you're overly sensitive- I don't know how in all honesty you can say that.

Are a small select few going to spew out some non-sense (or go ragging on a person because they're standing in their candidates way?) Of course. DUH. Its a message board.

The fact of the matter is, however- that the overwhelming bulk of this goes the other way- and some it's utterly irrational.

(and reflects VERY poorly on the campaign).

[Lucky 13]

9. He took something that was "rightfully" Hillary's. He didn't get the memo the nomination was hers.

Either that or uppity black man don't know his place.

[msallied]

14. I really hope that isn't the only case, but it sure seems like it.

Because I am really trying to see this from an unbiased perspective, but maybe that's not possible. I see nothing inherently unlikeable about the man.

[Lucky 13]

43. I didn't really start out liking him.

I was an Edwards supporter and I kinda thought, "Who the hell does this guy think he is?" The IMPRESSION was that he lacked experience and therefore was a little full of himself to think he's ready for this.

It wasn't until Edwards dropped out and Hillary absolutely DISGUSTED ME that I gave Obama a second look.

And once I opened my mind just a crack, I got it.

He is the real deal. And yeah, he IS ready for this.

And YEAH, he's a guy I'd be friends with or want to work for. He's inspiring and lovable and good looking. He very clearly loves his wife and children. And YES he's black. I get teary thinking about that man in the white house and two little black children playing on the White House lawn.

And he's witty and logical and he just makes so much damn sense.

I can't imagine how you couldn't like him. But they won't allow themselves. They are so stuck on "Hillary the Victim". It's messed up.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. Envy

[Nitrogenica]

12. The behavior is quite right wing troll-esque.

[grantcart]

15. he took her place in line

If he had come in a close second and helped her get the White House he would have been the 2nd greatest living American


And they would have believed every word of it.


They know that they will never ever have a chance to see a woman Prsident in their lifetime and they were told by the pollsters a year ago it was a done deal. They made hotel resevations for Jan 20 2009

They thought that it would be glorious 8 years of the First Woman President


Followed by 8 Years by the First African American President


A golden age of Democratic Leadership



All taken away because somebody got too ambitious.




I think that about captures it.

[msallied]

22. A very good point.

I saw someone on here say as much too, that if it weren't for his ego, he could have gone for the VP slot. What nonsense. There will be a female President one day, and I'm sure it will be in my lifetime.

[grantcart]

32. well thats why it gets more strident the older you get

but it also is like she is their MLK their Jackie Robinson she is the one they became invested in.

She was more like their Marcus Garvey.

(now that last line I am completely opposed to and renounce it completely - however my fingers dissented and they have taken control of the keyboard temporarily).

[RaleighNCDUer]

40. And having it the other way around won't satisfy them?

Boxer '16!

[knixphan]

46. so it seems that they could...

...get behind another female candidate for '16?

[PassingFair]

61. I'm sure that it had been PROMISED to her by her colleagues at the DLC.

I don't blame her for going off the deep end.

They PROMISED!!!!11!!

[GarbagemanLB]

16. He STOLE the nomination from Princess Hillary. This was supposed to be a CORONATION.

[NashVegas]

17. I Don't Hate Obama's Guts

I don't know the guy.

I hate the things that were done to pave the way for him to be in the position he is right now.

[msallied]

24. Such as?

[movonne]

25. What was that???

[Asgaya Dihi]

18. He got in the way

A lot of people have "known" Hillary was destined for the Presidency since before Bill left office, she took the Senate seat amid plenty of speculation that it was nothing more or less than a step toward another goal and for years now it's been taken as inevitable, even owed.

When someone deprived her of that they became the villain and few are able to give up long held dreams without some amount of hate for the one who deprived them of that dream.

He did nothing wrong, he simply campaigned for office just like she did, and in my opinion with a lot more of the grace and style we always claimed a dem should act with than she or many of her supporters had. That's enough though, just getting in the way of the dream.

[wrando]

19. I don't hate him

I just don't think he can win, and he's a bit thick.

not W thick, but no matter what the question he's stuck for a real answer

he speaks not so fluent politician

bill from ct

[msallied]

26. I don't trust an overly-fluent politician.

edited to add: Thank you for the most cogent response by a Hillary supporter yet. I appreciate it.

[movonne]

28. I guess he was fluent enough to get all the collage people..hillary

appeals to older...

[digidigido]

30. WTF are you saying? The most articulate politician we've had in years, a

Harvard educated man who sounds like he's Harvard educated, who comes from the Chicago school of politics, and "he speaks not so fluent politician"
Is english your first language?

[RaleighNCDUer]

42. I think you are conflating glibness with intelligence.

As a constitutional scholar, Harvard Law grad (and editor of the Harvard Law Review) he's certainly not 'dense'.

He 'hmms' and 'uhs' a lot, but anybody who knows speech pathology will tell you that those are placeholders as a very deliberate mind searches for the exact word needed to say exactly what he wants. It is, actually, a sign of high intelligence - a not wanting to just blurt out any old thing.

Case in point: you will never see a used car salesman going 'umm' or 'ah' - because he doesn't want to let you have time to reflect on what he's saying. He's counting on glibness to overwhelm any response, and by the time you can frame a question, he's three statements beyond you. Glibness is the tool of the snakeoil salesman.

[Harry Monroe]

49. "He speaks not so fluent politician"

And WHY is that such a bad thing?? I'm SICK of fluent politician (aka bullshit). Barack Obama speaks to us honestly and like adults. I find it refreshing that he does not speak fluent "bullshit" (aka politician).

[cornermouse]

62. He's trying to think of what he can say that doesn't promise

anything to anyone and won't leave a record for anyone to attack him over. That's my assessment of his entire political career. A big fat zero.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

27. I have a whole list

-He's a compulsive liar.
-He hasn't won any primaries. He cheated on all of them.
-He's a racist.
-He hates women.
-He hates gays.
-He's a hypocrite.
-He won't let Michigan or Florida's votes count.
-He's sat in the pew of an America-hater for 20 years.
-He's a Muslim (when he's not sitting in the hateful Protestant church).
-He wants to take your guns away.
-He consorts with evil criminals (Rezko).
-He consorts with evil self-murdering criminals (Ayers & WU).
-He's been called Professor when he really just emptied the garbage at the university.
-His middle name is Hussein.
-He promised Timmy he wouldn't be president.
-He stole "yes we can" from the little train that thought it could.
-He didn't have the guts to take out any snipers at Tuzla.
-He's too liberal.
-He's not a real liberal.
-He's voted present too many times.
-He lied about wanting to be president--we have his kindergarten records, you know.
-He caused Lake County's votes to come in really late, and there's something fishy there.
-He's not for universal health care.
-He wants to take away $30 in gas savings from hard-working blue collar Americans.


Oh...you weren't looking for anything of REAL substance, were you? In that case, I don't know. I'm on his side.

[msallied]

29. LOL...

You ALMOST had me until I got to the snipers. ;)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

31. You beat me to it -- I was about to ask the same question

because I don't get it either. Certainly, some of his supporters on DU (and probably elsewhere) have indulged in some pretty over-the-top douchebaggery from time to time (as have some of Hillary's people), but anyone who allows the rude behavior of a few dozen asshats on an internet message board to influence their opinion of a candidate probably shouldn't be allowed to vote at all because they are apparently incapable of making an informed and intelligent decision based on facts, not on whether somebody is mean and hurts their feelings.

That said -- I'd like to know what heinous thing Obama has allegedly done to inspire some of the vitriol I've seen here. He wasn't my first choice, or even my second, but I am supporting him now because I think he has the better chance of kicking McCain's ass; and he's managed to inspire a lot of enthusiasm among the young voters who are going to have to live with the long-term consequences of this election for much longer than I will. He has also conducted a basically positive campaign. He has flaws; I don't agree with everything he says; and I certainly don't idolize him. But even considering the most critical view of him, I can't find any good reason why anyone could rationally *hate* the guy. Disagree? Sure. Prefer other candidates? Sure. But hate?

[Solon]

34. I don't hate him, but I don't faun over him either, that's enough to make me a hater...

this remark brought to you by Obama's most reluctant supporter on DU.

[SlipperySlope]

35. Hillary's Destiny

It was Hillary's destiny to take the nomination, have the party unite around her, and then go toe-to-toe with the Republican nominee. Her whole life was lived for this moment, the sole purpose of the party was to create this moment, and her supporters were living in anticipation for this moment.

Obama screwed it all up. It wasn't Hillary's fault that her advisors didn't understand the proportional primary system. Wasn't Hillary's fault that her advisors didn't understand the caucus system. And now this upstart Obama is going to get in the way of all these glorious plans.

Obama can't defeat McCain, only Hillary can. Obama can't embrace and extend Bill's legacy, only Hillary can. Obama can't keep us in Iraq for the sake of saving face on the war vote, only Hillary can. And now this man has come along, screwed everything up, and you expect Hillary to sit down and take it?

Never! Hillary must be the Nominee. All this talk the last couple of days about it being "over" is bullshit. It is over when Hillary says it is over, and that is when she is nominated. And any Democratic backstabber who thinks about endorsing Obama is going to learn just how cold and heartless Washington DC can be once Hillary is in office and remembers who her friends are.

It ain't over until Obama concedes or the party hands Hillary the nomination. And if the convention comes and Hillary doesn't get the nomination, well, then I expect that the party is going to see Hillary in court.

[alcibiades_mystery]

50. Exactly fucking right: They're pathological

:thumbsup:

[Harry Monroe]

54. Nothing is over until Hillary says it's over!!

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
"German's?"
"Forget it, Hillary's rolling!"

[mmonk]

37. He stood in her way. That wasn't supposed to happen.

This is my opinion. Otherwise, there's an irrationality to it as he hasn't been real underhanded in his campaign (certainly no more than others who ran).

[DesertFlower]

38. i actually lost a friend because of

my support for obama. my former friend lives in chicago. she voted for him for the senate. she's says he's done nothing. she went from disliking him to hating him. i don't know what she'll do when he becomes prez.

[xchrom]

44. we're not all hill supporters that dislike obama. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

47. It's their PRIDE talkin'...They really thought she was gonna win

They'll get over it.

:rofl:

[Mass]

48. Crime of lese-majeste

At least for some of them, this is what it looks like.

[Lucky 13]

51. Minds are like parachutes.

They only work when their open.

They closed their mind to the idea and they won't allow even one unbiased look. I didn't start out liking him either, but John left, and Hillary went all scorched earth on me, so I gave him a second look. Turns out he's the real deal. Damn you Barack Obama, you pretty motherfucker! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6viAqJTyP7Y

But they shut their mind to this long ago. Really I think if anyone really gave a damn about Hillary they'd be telling her to drop out now while she has this SMALL window of opportunity to leave this thing with any friends or dignity left.

[dsc]

53. He invited David Duke to give a concert for him in South Carolina

sorry, but McClurkin is David Duke to me. That said, I don't hate him but am fed up to my eyebrows with hearing racism 24/7 from supporters of a man who used a total bigot to introduce himself to the most important state in the primary season for him.

[TK421]

55. I don't hate his guts at all...but what HAS he done?

Really...besides give pretty speeches to get people all fired up over the possibility of his presidency?

What has he done? He is too green to take on McCain and the Repub slime machine, he will fold like origami in the GE with his vague message of hope and change

Before you blast me for that, however...I think that he will make a fine president, but not come November...he has just gotten his feet wet in dirty poltics, and after you are "elected" you are prone to numerous attacks from the opposition...and we all know Republicans LOVE to play dirty....so how exactly can he stand up against these attacks? They WILL come from McCains campaign slimeballs...

[democrattotheend]

56. I "hated" Kerry for a couple months after Dean dropped out

I had been a Deaniac since March of 2003, and when he dropped out I was bitter, disillusioned, and did not want to lift a finger to help Kerry. I eventually came around and went all out volunteering in the last few weeks, though I wish I had done more sooner. I wouldn't say I had to hold my nose to vote for him, but I wasn't overly enthusiastic either. Ironically, I like Kerry a lot better now than I did when I voted for him.

[sniffa]

57. It's probably my fault

I apologize, and I denounce and reject myself.

[usrbs]

58. You're amusing

"You can state without bias that the Clintons have earned your dislike" but you honestly can't see what people have against Obama.

Well, for a start consider that perception is individual, and your statement above is an oxymoron. Your bias caused you to put the worst possible interpretation on everything Hillary did, and made you blind to all of your candidate's faults. Your bias means you're incapable of seeing it through my own perceptions, which are diametrically opposed to yours.

I have dislike, resentment and hatred.

I dislike Obama because I consider his campaign a disgrace on many levels, especially the accusations of racism against the Clintons, but also his constant disassembling - Wright, the nuclear bill, Rezko come to mind. The statements coming out of his campaign about HRC being divisive and untrustworthy but then the huge outrage about the perfectly legitimate 3am ad, and the (true) pointing out of his lack of experience. The pretense that he's different and above regular politics, while acting like any other politician, including taking money from lobbyists, and spinning. I was watching him since 2004, and was unimpressed the whole time, especially when he posted his scoldings about the Left Netroots being upset about Robert's confirmation at Daily Kos. His praise of Reagan, his rumblings about privatizing partially social security.

I have a sea of resentment about the unfair treatment Hillary received, from most of the Left Netroots, from KO, from Air America. I don't mind somebody choosing Obama over Hillary, there are valid reasons for that, but to take 2 centrists and arbitrarily demonize one while sanctifying the other is unacceptable to me.

As for hate - I hate hundreds of Obama supporters here at DU. I kept a list of jerks and assholes, not too diligently and not every day, but it grew and grew, and now numbers more than a hundred. I suppose I should be grateful. How else would I have known that I'm old, poor, ill-informed, stupid, ignorant, a liar, deluded, racist, and a Republican-lite if not for them. Oh, I almost forgot - a traitor to my party. You're not on my list of ever saying such things, so I'm bothering to answer you.

By the way, I started out not being a HRC supporter and only chose her when there were but 2 left. So I'm well aware of her faults, and although I've grown to admire her, I have no illusions that she's not a centrist and a politician.

[usrbs]

59. self delete - dup

"