Wasn't Barack playing the race card when...

[butterfly77]

he and michelle said that blacks need to get on board. Wasn't he saying that because I am black that I should vote for him because he is...

[R_M]

1. Yes he was.

[jody]

2. Yes. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

3. Yes, and that's okay with me. Just as HRC's being female is a factor....

neither race nor sex should be the ONLY factor, but it's okay to play a role in choice.

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. Would it be OK for Hillary or Bill to tell all the white voters to "get on board?"

:shrug: I don't see that as being OK for anyone of any race to do. Period. You just compared gender to race. You should be comparing race to race instead.

[Captain Hilts]

28. 'Whites' haven't been blocked out of the presidency the way women and blacks have. nt

[VotesForWomen]

73. i agree, but the racism/race-baiting charge should really be used sparingly. nt

[Captain Hilts]

75. Agreed. nt

[1corona4u]

37. 80% of the population is white...

so your point is moot.

[in_cog_ni_to]

56. Of course it is.

:eyes:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. Uh, no.

Soliciting black voters is not playing the race card.

But I think accusing other people of playing the race card when they do not might just qualify.

[butterfly77]

22. You mean like the media ,,

who has been claiming that Hillary and bill are...When the media really is because they want Barack...

[robbedvoter]

5. I don't like this "card" talk - but he was using his race to his advantage - just as he did

to try to paint hos opponents with "bringing the race into it". It's called Sharptonizing - the maestro just stepped into the fray.

[butterfly77]

10. As a matter of fact...

it seems as though Sharpton is slowly jumping onto the Obama train, will he lose votes because of it if he does.. I have been listening to him today and he seems to be there already...

[R_M]

12. I'm suprised he hasn't already done so.

[robbedvoter]

48. He told Clinton to "SHUT UP" - saw an admiring thread here earlier

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4249625

[1corona4u]

6. Of course silly...

;-)

[ecstatic]

7. No. Michelle's comments were in response to a specific question

about how many blacks WERE AFRAID to support Obama because they believed a black man could not win. There are many valid reasons to not support a candidate, but an irrational fear of failure should not be among them.

[butterfly77]

11. But how does she know what all blacks think,,,

they may think that the other candidates are better on the issues, she was assuming...

[ellacott]

13. She knows this because people have said this

She was not saying that if you think another candidate is more qualified then you should stil vote for Barack. She was talking only to those Afraid to vote for him

[ecstatic]

15. more details about her comments:

Acknowledging a certain reluctance in the African American community to back her husband for president, she said that support would come -- but it would take time.

"Black Americans will wake up and get it," Obama said. "But what we're dealing with in the black community is just the natural fear of possibility. When I look at my life, the stuff that we're seeing in these polls is played out my whole life: always been told by somebody that I'm not ready, you know, I can't do something, my scores weren't high enough."

Obama pointed to a specific skepticism about her husband's chances to win the presidency among blacks, who she says have been repeatedly told by society that there are limitations on what an African American can achieve.

"There's always that doubt in the back of the minds of people of color. People who've been oppressed and haven't been given real opportunities that you never really -- that you believe that somehow someone is better than you," she continued. " Deep down inside you doubt whether you can do it, because that's all you've been told is 'no, wait.' That's all you hear."

When Brzezinski related a personal anecdote about an African American flight attendant who had said Sen. Obama couldn't win "because he's black," the candidate's wife sympathized.

"That's right. That's the psychology that's going on in our heads, in our souls, and I understand it," she said. "I know where it comes from. You know, and I think that is one of the horrible legacies of racism and discrimination and oppression."

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Michelle_Obama_Black_America_will_wake_1112.html

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHzYl8Rg8C0&feature=related

[butterfly77]

29. What will we wake up and get...

that I should vote for him just because he's black.

[ellacott]

44. I doubt you would vote for him just because he's black n/t

[butterfly77]

50. You got that right...

He never was my first choice...

[ellacott]

51. So why the question?

[Tarheel_Dem]

67. why the question? i think you & i both know the answer to that..

some people here aren't going to let go of the "race" thing.

[Connie_Corleone]

8. Provide the exact quote.

I don't believe they said that black people "need" to get on board.

[Occam Bandage]

9. Courting black voters is not the same as "playing the race card."

That term is usually used to mean that someone uses race to deflect an attack, or to attack another.

[Kokonoe]

68. ding ding ding

[VotesForWomen]

72. is courting white voters playing the race card? nt

[Occam Bandage]

76. Of course not. If a candidate goes to a St. Patrick's Day parade, and wears a green sweater,

that's courting Irish-Americans, and not playing the race card.

If a candidate goes to a NASCAR event, that's courting NASCAR's predominantly-white audience, and not playing the race card.

[elixir]

81. So, if Hillary wanted to get "the black voters on board" that wouldn't be considered racist by BO?

[Occam Bandage]

82. Why would it?

[EffieBlack]

14. First of all HE didn't say "blacks need to get on board"

Michelle said something along those lines IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION.

It's ridiculous for anyone to accuse Obama of injecting race or "playing the race card" in a campaign in which virtually every word of coverage, every other poll, every discussion - MOSTLY BY WHITE COMMENTATORS - focus on his race. Race has been injecting race into this campaign, but not by Obama.

He has never said that people should vote for him because he's black. Never. His wife never said that. Never.

But plenty of other people keep injecting race into this discussion by obsessing over Obama's race, doing race-based polling (who are black voters voting for, who are white voters voting for, will black voters vote for a black candidate, will white voters vote for a black candidate), devoting endless news discussion segments and newspaper articles to questions about Obama's race (is Obama black enough, is Obama too black, what do "black leaders" think of Obama, what did Obama say about this or that "black leader"), blah blah blah. Yet, for some reason, it is only when Bill Clinton says something that someone somewhere thinks might have something to do with Obama's race, or Obama says something that remotely suggests that he has noticed he is black, that people seem unhappy that "race has been injected" into the campaign.

I call bullshit.

[butterfly77]

31. Of course ...

because Barack walks on water....

[EffieBlack]

33. he doesn't walk on water - you just can't drown him with your lies

So you THINK he walks on water . . .

[butterfly77]

52. No, But some of his supporters seem to think so..

and they also think that he can't be attacked, he seems to be the only one who can attack...and he isn't doing that to well...

[ErnestoG]

17. No, what gave you that idea?

Is that all he said? What was the context of the conversation? Isn't it possible he meant "get on board" the effort to oust the Republicans from power and take this nation in a different direction?

So many questions, and so few answers from the fanatical Obama haters.

[John Q. Citizen]

18. Your OP just reminded me that Hill and Bill tried to paint Obama as only

appealing to voters based on his race.

That pisses me off all over again.

Thank you for reminding me of Hill's negatives. While I don't have a candidate yet (Kucinich was mine) I know that out of the three left, I am most opposed to Hill.

Keep up the good work!

[butterfly77]

26. Glad to to help...

look forward to my future posts, I am sure you will be getting pissed off some more today...:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[1corona4u]

I like your spirit.

;-) LOL

[EFerrari]

19. No.

[bowens43]

20. No, he wasn't.

[styersc]

21. Implying that Barak might be able to make a mistake is

heracy. You are a bigot.

[butterfly77]

24. Thanks,,,

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[EFerrari]

25. No. Mistaking empowering the black community

for "playing the race card" is dishonest. Period.

[butterfly77]

32. Just because he is black and is the president,,,

doesn't mean we as people will be empowered...

[EFerrari]

38. If you can't understand that you are empowered when

the most oppressed people in this culture are, I can't help you.

[butterfly77]

55. When did I ask you to help me...

;-) :hi:

[EFerrari]

58. Thank God for small favors!

[butterfly77]

63. Bless you!

O8) :hi:

[stillcool]

27. the poster.

did not imply the Obama made a 'mistake'. The poster suggested that Obama was using the "RACE card"...It is, by far, the most important factor to some here. Funny, isn't it?
There's your heresy: any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc. :rofl:

[1corona4u]

41. Think you forgot your sarcasm icon...

[stillcool]

23. Pound that race shit home!!

Way to go!! Make sure you get a hold of all those in the dying breed that are shitting in their pants over the very idea of a black president. I love it. More boomerang!

[jillan]

30. I saw Michelle about a month ago on c-Span.

She was addressing a Senior Citizen home and she was talking about how all her life people told her what she couldn't do because she is black and how it's time to change that.

Sounds like she was using race back then.

edit to add link of her saying the same thing
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Michelle_Obama_Black_America_will_wake_1112.html

[stillcool]

34. You have such insight...

into what it's like growing up in this country being black. Really gets to you eh?

[jillan]

39. How do you know what color my skin is? Or what color my husband is?

What gives you the right to say that?

[stillcool]

65. I know

that you stated that Michelle Obama, while talking about "her" life was using the "RACE" card. As I said...amazing insight you have..I never would have thought, that speaking of one's own life experience could be interpreted as "playing the race card". I have no idea who you are, nor do I want to know. I only know what you wrote. Somehow you feel you have the right to ascribe motive cavalierly. And yet you squeal "how dare you", when it boomerangs. Typical.

[Tarheel_Dem]

46. no idea at all. i just try to laugh these things off lately...

this is the party that my african american family has supported for 40 yrs, and to have major figures in the DEMOCRATIC party trying to divide us along racial lines is just plain unforgiveable. If I read the OP correctly, the author says he/she is black. While I understand that we are not a monolith, I don't understand why it's necessary for black people to beat Obama down, to make their candidate look better....

[butterfly77]

59. I am not beating him down....

I want people to think, because a lot of people who I associate with whom are black, ARE just voting for him based on color. A lot of these same people were in Hillary's corner and Edwards until the media started making up lies and beating down the Clintons, the media as far as I am concerned wants us divided and the really want the CONS to continue beating us all down. IF Obama can't take this what in the hell will he do later.

[Tarheel_Dem]

64. when did Obama say that he couldn't take it? that's your narrative...

I think he's doing just fine, and will probably do even better once the veracity of his recent endorsements settles into the American psyche. If you're black, and I say "IF", then don't lay your self-loathing off on Obama, that's something you and your nearest mental health professional need to deal with.

[butterfly77]

69. I am not here to convince you if I am black or not,,,

you seem to be questioning it as though because I AM, I can't not criticize or critique Barack's performance. He began whining once the media told him that Bill was beating him up. My mental health is GREAT! Thank you very much...

[Tarheel_Dem]

74. not to worry...you haven't convinced me of ANYTHING, (eom)

[butterfly77]

35. A lot of these quotes ...

are being written down and will be spun by the Republicons. So Obama lovers don't get angry, we are just getting you ready for the show down if he is the nominee...

[EffieBlack]

36. Yeah - she can't mention race

Hillary can talk all about her experience as a woman.
John Edwards can talk all about his experience growing up poor (even though he wasn't really all that poor)
Kucinich can talk about HIS experience growing up poor (and he really was poor)

But black people can't share their experiences of growing up black.

Right.

[jillan]

45. She can talk about it all she wants - nobody is stopping her.

[EFerrari]

40. Heaven forbid that the black community empower the black community.

[jlake]

42. Of course.

[EFerrari]

43. Wrong. They were encouraging a disenfranchised community

step up for themselves and claim their civil rights.

If you can't see that, you need to read up on American history.

[jlake]

47. I think that in this particular case, it was justified....but it is still the "race card"

Which is the question that was posed.

[EFerrari]

53. The "race card" is code for "don't bring up our long history".

The "race card" is the way we've managed to discount any discussion of race that gets in the least uncomfortable.

Either black voters are in this tent or they're not.

Either we get to talk about this situation or not.

Either you get that this country was built on a genocide and on the backs of slaves or not.

Either you learn how to know, think and talk about this or not.

[butterfly77]

61. Either Barack...

stands up and faces the attacks like others do or not, he knew what he was getting into when he joined this race...Or so I think...

[EFerrari]

85. Last I looked, he's doing just fine.

lol

[Tarheel_Dem]

54. why did Al Gore keep sending Joe Liebermann down to Florida

to all those nice little retirement communities? Who lives there? And what did Joe have in common with them? Everyone does it. Hillary's hoping to trade on the fact that she'll be first woman president, or at least that's what her supporters here lead me to believe; otherwise, why dig up all these primary results telling us how much of "white women" or "black women" or "hispanic women" supported Hillary?

[jlake]

57. I said it was justified. But it is still the "race card".

[EFerrari]

86. Only for people too limited to differentiate between

an open discussion and coercion.

[indimuse]

49. most definitely!

and when Michelle said " Black America will rise up" and when She made the comment about "It;s now or never..Obama won't run again"...OR Light will shine down on me and there will be an epiphany ..When he took the stage he said, “At some point in the evening, a light is going to shine down and you will have an epiphany and you’ll say, ‘I have to vote for Barack.’”
::From a speech a couple of days ago in SC::Oprahs blatant comments...From the beginning The Obama's have use RACE to elevate their campaign...and to RACE to TEAR down there opponents...I used to love Obama.

[Tarheel_Dem]

60. you really should turn on your spellcheck, i think people will take

you a bit more seriously. :eyes:

[EffieBlack]

66. Michelle said, "Black America will wise up," not "rise up"

Of course, claiming she said "rise up" is a great way to scare white folks who already think that an Obama victory would be tantamount to a slave uprising . . .

[indimuse]

87. ooops..lol..

we are both wrong..."wake up"...:)

[EffieBlack]

88. :-)

wake up, wise up, rise up - sounds like a Bob Marley song . . .

[StevieM]

62. The rules only apply if you're Hillary (eom)

x

[VotesForWomen]

70. yes, but nevermind, the frame has been set. the clintons are race-baiters. nt

[Thrill]

71. 'race card'

Funny how Democrats all of sudden embrace this Repuke/Racist Talking point. Sad

[Apollo11]

77. Barack and Michelle Obama NEVER said that "blacks need to get on board"

So the premise of the OP is false, and worse - a deliberate attempt to mislead fellow Forum users and smear the Obamas as a pair of idiots who go around saying stupid things.

Barack Obama is determined that we should not make assumptions about who people will vote for, or who they will not vote for. For proof of this check out Obama's victory speech following the South Carolina primary (see the Political Videos forum).

[Lerkfish]

78. using the term "race card" is all I need to know about you

:puke:

[Perry Logan]

79. Really, if you hear somene talking about race, it's almost always an Obama supporter.

[Politicub]

80. Obama never plays the race card, except when he does

and even then, he really doesn't. Because when he plays it, he isn't playing *it*, you follow? It's like playing the race card, but not. Unless he is, which he isn't.

[butterfly77]

83. yes, I feel you...

;)

[jackson_dem]

84. Yes. It is Obama, not the Clintons, who injected race into the campaign

And it worked wonders for him in South Carolina as Hillary tanked after she and Bill were swiftboated on race.

[StevieM]

89. Hillary doesn't have a racist bone in her body. Shame on the media for their lies (eom)

x

[murbley40]

90. I think so.