Nothing Wrong with the Photo Like There's Nothing Wrong with McCain Adopting a Dark-Skinned Child

[Emit]

There's is nothing "wrong" with either. That is obvious. It's the intent, stupid. And to feign ignorance about what is "wrong" in this present matter is disingenuous, to say the least.

Recall?

Rove invented a uniquely injurious fiction for his operatives to circulate via a phony poll. Voters were asked, "Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?" This was no random slur. McCain was at the time campaigning with his dark-skinned daughter, Bridget, adopted from Bangladesh.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080128/banks



IIRC, at the point in the primaries back then, McCain had beat Bu$h in NH, and was leading in South Carolina. Bu$h & Co. must have been pretty desperate.

Regardless of the source of "Hillary sent Obama photo to Drudge," it's obviously less about the actual photo and more about the underlying intent. It is a sleazy smear campaign playing off the fear and prejudice of people, just like what was done to McCain. Need it be explained repeatedly?

And Clinton's response? "Why are you -- why is anybody concerned about this?"

Come on Hillary, you know what the concern is about.

[babylonsister]

1. Thanks for connecting those dots I had forgotten about. And

Clinton accused Obama of using Rove tactics? Pinch me! :crazy:

[Emit]

18. .

Straight out of Rove's playbook

[goldcanyonaz]

2. I, like many others think Obama released this photo. Wouldn't put it past him or his supporters.

Crazy? Not anymore so than those accusing Clinton of doing so, and using Drudge as their partner in crime.

[Windy]

11. I've have never heard a more ridiculous statement. HRC has been courting drudge!

If you do a simple google, you will learn that Hillary has been cultivating Drudge for quite awhile.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/oct/23/usa.hillaryclinton1

[Emit]

17. Obama released this photo?

I honestly don't think the broader issue here is one that Obama would bring upon himself. It plays way too much into the Repug's hands in the GE.

[Raine]

24. That would be stupid and risky

for any campaign to do themself, cause you never know how something is going to go. Obama is too smart for that kind of dumb stunt.

[sandnsea]

3. "no comment"

"Asked if she (Self) has contacted the DrudgeReport to seek a correction to its claim that the Clinton campaign is the source of the photo, she said, "No comment."

So they won't deny it and they won't contact Drudge to find out who leaked it. That about says it all.

[gateley]

4. Agree. But....

[Spiffarino]

12. Have you sent that to Drudge?

:rofl:

[gateley]

13. No.

I only associate myself with legitimate news outlets, as is evidenced by my previous posting.

[Emit]

15. lol!

deadpan funny!

[Spiffarino]

22. .

:rofl:x2

[Honeycombe8]

5. It wasn't McCain's ADOPTING that was the problem. It was that it was illegitimate and black...

meaning that he'd had probably a long-term relationship with a black mistress...two bad doublewhammies in Republican-world.

[Emit]

6. Yes, but I couldn't fit that in the title

and I wanted to compare the truthfulness of the matters at hand.

[goclark]

8. Seriously, who did adopt the baby, Mcshame and his

Stepford wife or his first wife? The one that had the car accident and he divorced ~ then married the Blank Stare One the next month.

He is really a ladies man if all this stuff is true.

Huum, just don't see the sparkle.

[Spiffarino]

23. Then why did they keep re-electing Strom Thurmond?

Oh wait, I remember; Strom hid his actual illegitimate child quite effectively.

[BuyingThyme]

7. Want to see the best post on this subject? Look here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4764935

[Lyric]

9. The difference is that stoking bigotry actually works in Republican primaries

because most bigots are Republicans. That sort of tactic isn't very effective in a Dem primary.

If Obama suffers actual political damage due to a photo that stirs "fear and prejudice" in a Democratic primary, how the hell is he ever going to win the general? Seriously. This photo thing is a good barometer as to whether or not Obama has a shot at winning the general. If people who identify and vote as Democrats can be swayed by their "fear and prejudice", how much more so will Independents and potential Republican swingers be influenced by it?

I personally think the picture is a total non-issue because I don't believe that most Dem voters really care, and Dem voters are all that matter in a primary. If anything, the photo leak helps Obama--it gives the Indies and the moderate Repubs who might consider voting Dem in the general a chance to get over any "fear and prejudice" they feel in response to the picture. It's actually better to get these things out in the open now. If Clinton's staff leaked it on purpose (and I personally don't believe that they did) they just did Obama a favor.

[Emit]

14. As much as I would love to believe that this sort of tactic isn't very effective in a Dem primary,

and only works in Republican primaries, I can't. When I see long-time DUers referring consistently to 'Barack Hussein Obama', I lose all faith in the matter.

I could go into further detail about my own family calling me and questioning the Obama/Muslim thing, or his church being all about "Black Supremacy", but I no longer have the energy to try to explain it. I've met other HRC supporters who are prejudiced against Obama because he is black. I recently received a call from a neighbor who was a delegate for Obama and she was extremely upset because one of the Hillary delegates at our recent county convention tried to convince her that Obama was not a good choice because he is black and has too many close relationships with the Muslim community. I'm done.

Edit typo

[Emit]

19. I forgot to mention, too, have you noticed the number of Louis Farrakhan posts

what is up with that?

[DearAbby]

10. Good point and well said...

Mrs. Clinton accused the Obama Campaign of Rove tactics. Look in the mirror Mrs. Clinton.

[TexasObserver]

16. It was the photo + the Somalia storyline because Somalia = Muslims/Al Qaeda/Blackhawk Down

If the story had simply been "Obama in native garb in Kenya, the homeland of his father" that would not be much of a smear story.

Cui bono?

[workinclasszero]

20. Yes the intent was to stir up racial and religious hatred eom

[Scurrilous]

21. Race-Baiting and the Obamas

<snip>

"White people are so predictable. I should know. I've been one for a long time.

And, although not all white people are racists by any means, all white people know racists. We get to hear what they say when African-Americans aren't in the room (that's pretty much all the time).

And the latest slur against Obama from people uncomfortable with his candidacy is to say something like this: "He's fine. I like him. But Michelle! That woman has an edge."

The Michelle thing is a new twist on a very old theme.

Fact is that Michelle does have an edge (like many Jews, Latinos, Asians, and other minorities do. It comes with the discrimination). He doesn't. He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. He's mixed race. His father was African not African-American.

He's easier to take for people uncomfortable with African-Americans. He does not seem like one of those civil rights activists or freedom riders. She does.

She seems like an "uppity" black woman and just the thought of her as First Lady sends shivers down some white spines.

With 8 days to go before Ohio and Texas, get ready to see more of Obama in tribal dress, more about his being a Muslim, more about his advisers not liking Israel and Jews, more about Farrakhan and Jackson. And more about Michelle's "edge."

And count on the Republicans to be even more resourceful on race in the fall. We need to be ready.

Postscript: Cynical as I am, I am still amazed that someone in the Clinton campaign not only circulated a photo of Obama in Muslim garb but that the campaign argues that there is nothing wrong with it. A campaign spokesperson argued this morning that "If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed."

Yeah right. And if during Joe Lieberman's campaign, the GOP circulated a photo of him in tallis and yarmulkah, that would also have been fine on the grounds that there is nothing "divisive" about a photo showing "him wearing traditional Jewish clothing." Or JFK clutching rosary beads. (The Obama slur is even worse. Obama is not a Muslim while Lieberman is a Jew and JFK a Catholic).

Sickening. The Clinton campaign needs to get a grip. This is not a good way for the campaign to end. And it's not Obama who is being hurt."

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/25/the_safe_way_to_racebait_obama/

[Emit]

25. And count on the Republicans to be even more resourceful on race in the fall

Perhaps that's why Mark McKinnon will have no part in it all if Obama wins the nomination:

McCain Adviser Won't Fight Obama

February 13, 2008 6:48 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports: A top adviser to John McCain said Wednesday that he will step down from the Arizona senator's presidential campaign if the presumed GOP nominee faces Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in the general election.

"I would simply be uncomfortable being in a campaign that would be inevitably attacking Barack Obama," said McCain adviser Mark McKinnon in an interview with NPR's "All Things Considered." "I think it would be uncomfortable for me, and I think it would be bad for the McCain campaign."

McKinnon, who was a Democrat before serving as President Bush's ad maker in 2000 and 2004, said that he plans to be behind McCain "100 percent" no matter who the Democratic nominee is. He explained, however, that if the Democrats nominate Obama, he will be supporting McCain "from the sidelines."

While saying that he does not agree with Obama on every issue, McKinnon gushed about the Illinois Democrat.

"I met Barack Obama, I read his book, I like him a great deal," said McKinnon. "I disagree with him on very fundamental issues. But I think, as I said, I think it would a great race for the country."

~snip~

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/mccain-adviser.html
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=4611070

[Lyric]

27. I really wish that Obama's supporters would stop

equating "Muslim" with "slur".

And if during Joe Lieberman's campaign, the GOP circulated a photo of him in tallis and yarmulkah, that would also have been fine on the grounds that there is nothing "divisive" about a photo showing "him wearing traditional Jewish clothing." Or JFK clutching rosary beads. (The Obama slur is even worse. Obama is not a Muslim while Lieberman is a Jew and JFK a Catholic).

Being mistakenly called a Muslim is not a slur. Muslim is NOT a bad word used to describe evil people. The only people who think that Muslim equals Evil are people who probably aren't in the Democratic Party anyway, and even if they ARE, they shouldn't be. We don't cater to racist, xenophobic pigs. We're Democrats. If some assholes want to bolt the party because of a picture of Obama in a turban, good fucking riddance to them. As for the ones who will vote Repub in the general--do you really think a photo is going to make a difference? People who trust Obama will believe him when he says his religion is not Islam. People who don't trust Obama weren't going to vote for him anyway.

God, get a grip. Some of these comments are getting downright xenophobic.

[Emit]

28. Obama's supporters are not equating "Muslim" with "slur".

And I think you know that. I understand your point, here, but I think you are being naive, for reasons I already noted to you in an above post. We've had an administration that has painted the word 'Muslim' in such a negative, evil light -- a group to be feared -- that it is no wonder many Americans are fearful of Muslims. The point of many posts here discussing this is that, based on the past few years of this brainwashing, the general public might be inclined to think "Muslim=Bad".

"Being mistakenly called a Muslim is not a slur..."

Of course it is not. But being purposefully called a Muslim in order to rile up the masses and play into their fears and prejudices is a slur, regardless of the fact that any decent person knows that "Muslim" does not equal "Bad."

[boppers]

26. Should people who drink the kool-aid...

... wear a turban?

I'm not sure if I mean this as a joke, or as an idea for a national civil protest. Maybe both.