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Tennessee GOP Links Obama To Black Scandal-Plagued Mayor
We bet this will blow up into a big story today. The Tennessee GOP -- which has hit Obama with previous incendiary attacks such as that video hitting Michelle Obama's "proud of America" quote and that effort to tie Obama to anti-semites and Farrakhan -- has just done it again.
They're out with a new video linking Obama to Kwame Kilpatrick, the mayor of Detroit who just landed in the slammer for violating the conditions of his bond:
It's unclear when this took place, though it's all but certain that it was before Kilpatrick was publicly embroiled in scandal. And of course, that's all beside the point -- the question will be the degree to which folks discern a racially-charged attack here.
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I'm so glad my fiance is moving out of that state!
August 13, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Obama cared about Tennessee, he could run an ad linking McCain to Rep. Rick Renzi, his national campaign co-chair who was just indicted. If he cared about Tennessee, which he doesn't.
August 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe this was the speech Obama gave to the Economic Club in MI shortly after announcing for President. This was prior to MI starting that pre-Feb5th manuers for voting in the primaries. This was where Obama told the auto makers they would have to sacrifice.
In short, it was LONG before the text message scandal was made public but after the $8M dollar settlement the city made that was due to the Mayor being embroiled in the sex scandal that he denied under oath at the trial for the police officers fired for knowing about the affair with his married manager Christine Davis.
The irony is that they attempt to associate Obama with Kilpatrick when his mother Carolyn who was chair of the CBC endorsed HRC over their own member!!
Kwame is a jerk and everyone knows it.
August 13, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Those folks at the Tennessee GOP are nuts. There isn't a politician around who couldn't be "linked" in this way to some stinker or other, including St. John McCain.
August 13, 2008 2:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
" There isn't a politician around who couldn't be "linked" in this way to some stinker or other, including St. John McCain."
True...which makes me wonder about the last line in the article:
"the question will be the degree to which folks discern a racially-charged attack here."
Is every negative ad about Obama going to be called a racist attack?
August 13, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
well ones that tie him to another black politician for no apparent reason other than they're both black. um, yeah. we'll call that a racist attack!
August 13, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
So again...tying McCain to another politician just because he's white...racist?
August 13, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Are you for real?
August 13, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
He is--he's one of the more reasonable Republicans on this blog. He's not a troll like fogu2, and some of the others.
August 13, 2008 3:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just using the same logic that has been used to explain to me why every John McCain ad is really a secret coded message to all racists (especially in the south) that Barack Obama is black...
August 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
it's with the attacks on Barack Obama's patriotism, and calling him "exotic" which are subtle racial codes as for "not being white enough or American enough."
August 13, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
When did McCain call him "exotic?"...
August 13, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Other Republicans have called him "exotic."
August 13, 2008 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
who...Rush Limbaugh?
August 13, 2008 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is no link between Obama and the mayor of Detroit. There is a link between John McCain and George W. Bush.
August 13, 2008 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wallace, you can't be serious. Really. You're not a moron, like theCleverBulldog or fogu2 or some of the other tin-hatters around here. I think you're just trolling for yuks.
But, just in case...your "logical extension" fails miserably here.
John McCain endorsed George Bush in 2004. He's running for Bush's current job. He accepted Bush's endorsement, and accepts Bush's fundraising help. He voted with Bush 95% of the time last year.
Now, keep in mind, all this was AFTER Bush slandered McCain out of the 2000 GOP primary with, among other things, the rumor that McCain's adopted child was born out of wedlock to a black woman. Strong and principled, that Maverick is.
Now, let's see the connection between Obama and Kilpatrick. Obama hasn't endorsed Kilpatrick. He's not running for Kilpatrick's job. He hasn't voiced support for any of Kilpatrick's initiatives. Kilpatrick does not raise money for Obama. Kilpatrick doesn't operate on anywhere near the same level Obama does.
Gee, looks like Kilpatrick and Obama don't have much politically in common, except they're Democrats. So, what else do they have in common? Hmmmmmmm........
And, who made the ad again? Oh yeah....the Tennessee Republican Party - the same outfit that brought you "Obama the Muslim" (wearing SOMALI tribal dress as part of a CODEL).
August 13, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Beg your pardon, I'm just here for the laughs too. Y'all crack me up every day.
August 13, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Beg your pardon, I'm just here for the laughs too. Y'all crack me up every day."
..you must be here for the "laughs", because your sorry ass sure doesn't supply substantive arguments.
August 13, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Right. Because the cultural and social context is exactly the same when you reverse it. No difference at all.
Just like, say, a black guy asking a white guy whether he wants some fried chicken and water melon would have exactly the same social and cultural connotation as a white guy asking that of black guy.
August 13, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
is there really a need to knock down this retarded straw man argument?
so, let me guess... you're gonna claim that Obama ties McCain to Bush who also happens to be white and scandal plagued and so this is somehow racist on Obama's part?
I hope that isn't what you have in mind since the difference between that and this would be rather large. we'll just start with the fact that McCain is running to replace Bush in his current position and doing so on a platform that consists of largely continuing Bush's policies. That would mean there is a connection to the two other than they're both white politicians.
What would be the connection between Obama and Kilpatrick? Is Obama supporting Kilpatrick's policies? no. Is Obama running for mayor of detroit? no. Is he black? Yes! Is Kilpatrick black? Yes! Ding Ding Ding!!! We have a winner!
Forgive me for being presumptuous. Did you have another white politician Obama has tied McCain to?
August 13, 2008 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't see this as a race based attack per se (though I'm sure that may be an unintended consequence(benefit?)). I think this is just your standard guilt by association attack.
Which means that McCain's associations with any number of Republican-scandals is fair game on this one.
Frankly i'm not sure why they wasted time on this ad. Is anyone suggesting that Tennesse is in play? I'd be surprised if the Obama camp responded to this at all (beyond the usual cursory dismissive statement).
August 13, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is a race based attack in that the entire Kwame scandal has racially polarized the State of MI and pitted the heavily white suburbs and out state cities vs. the predominately black city of Detroit. That racial polarization could make it difficult for Obama to win the state of MI.
Right now, Gov. Granholm, who along with Carl Levin was instrumental in moving up the primarie dates and disqualified MI, is in the process of ruling on removing Kilpatrick from office. That will create serious racial turmoil. Although, perhaps not as much any longer given the felony assault charges recently brought against the major after he was released from jail on a bond violation.
In TN, it will be racially polarizing simply due to the long standing racial animus in the state.
I think it is soooo disingenuous to link Obama like this to the mayor...after all can't McCain be linked to that Senator who tried to arm twist the US Atty General, Inglesis as well as the GOP Senator recently indicted in Alaska and lets not forget all the Abramoff linking that can be done along with Cunningham to McCain, no?
August 13, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahh...now we figured it out...the Southern Racist GOP in Tennessee are sacrificing themselves (since McCain will win there anyway) to save their closet racist cousins in the North...by running this ad they'll turn the racial tension focused on Kwame and use it to flip MI red this cycle...see you thought those Rednecks were stupid...
August 13, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
They also shook hands.
August 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I gotta say, slow your role on the charges of "racism" here. Honestly guys.
This ad might be misleading and disgusting, but it muddies the water (at least at this point) to associate any negative ad involving Obama appearing with another black politician as "racist". The ensuring conversation is one that plays into the hands of the GOP, as long as they can stay within a certain level of plausible deniability. This ad just barely falls within that level.
Best thing to say is that John McCain has met with, and had kind words for many people that have done much worse than Kilpatrick. After all, he's had to cancel a fundraiser with a guy who basically said all women enjoy rape, is attending a fundraiser with a guy who's been charged with rigging elections and bribing public officials. McCain has more than his share of political skeletons that he's associated himself with, including his lockstep support and embrace of George Bush.
Let them establish an undeniable pattern before jumping into the racism debate, please.
August 13, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps learning about what constitutes a "racially charged attack" would help you to recognize it when you see it. It can described as:
“What exactly is the difference between implicit and explicit messages? First consider what makes an appeal explicitly racial. By my definition, a racial appeal is explicit if it uses racial nouns or adjectives to endorse white prerogatives, to express anti-black sentiment, to represent racial stereotypes, or portray a threat from African Americans. An explicit messages uses such words as “blacks,” “race,” or “racial” to express anti-black sentiment or to make racially stereotypically or derogatory statements.”
“…Jesse Helms, for example, charged in 1984 that his Democratic opponent in the North Carolina senatorial contest (Harvey Gantt) was colluding with Jesse Jackson to register hundreds of thousands of black” who would vote as a bloc against him (Luebke 1990, 131)
“… we must define an implicitly racial appeal as one that contains a recognizable -- if subtle racial reference -- most easily through visual references. People can debate at length the question of whether a verbal reference has racial associations. But a visual image is much less ambiguous. Of course, the racial significance of a black image can be ambiguous and it is this ambiguous significance that allows the image to be used with deniability. But once the visual image is noted in a conscious way, and linked to a violation of the norm of racial equality, its negative racial reference becomes much less ambiguous. [Cite: Tali Mendelberg, The Race Card: Campaign Strategy, Implicit Messages and the Norm of Equality.]
So yes, McCain or the Tennessee GOP makes a reference to Kilpatrick, whose connections to Obama are thin, and we can look to an implicit negative messaging as the root cause, and call it what it is: playing the race card.
August 13, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
"So yes, McCain or the Tennessee GOP makes a reference to Kilpatrick, whose connections to Obama are thin, and we can look to an implicit negative messaging as the root cause, and call it what it is: playing the race card."
Of course John McCain and his campaign have nothing to do with this ad...but that's a small detail...slap him with the scarlet "R" we know deep down he's really a racist...they all are!!!
August 13, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
So Obama said something good about a Democrat before he was accused of a crime? Oh no! Do we REALLY want to start playing that game? Really? Who do we want to start out with, DeLay, Abramoff, Vitter, Stevens, Libby, Craig? Should I go on?
August 13, 2008 2:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wouldn't that be racist on Obama's part...showing a commercial with McCain praising another scandal plagued white guy? Wouldn't that be a blatant "dog whistle" to all of the black voters that were "not really racist" but uneasy about McCain?
August 13, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
If there were any blacks in the republican party, he could link McCain to one of the black scandal-plagued republicans. But, since there are no blacks in the republican party . . . he'll have to stick with Delay, Abramhoff, Foley, Stevens, Ney.
August 13, 2008 2:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
there IS Alan Keyes, a famous black Republican. Also, Blackwell.
August 13, 2008 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
There's actually one or two more:
http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican
August 13, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah, but they're at the state government level, not at the federal government level.
I do think you're missing the subtle racism in this ad, and TN GOP has a history of these video attacks against Obama.
August 13, 2008 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Funny. I didn't know they were involved in scandals. Remember, the objective is to tie the candidate to "scandal-plauged politicians." Find me a black scandal-plagued republican and we'll gladly tie McCain to him/her.
Since there are only 3 black republicans, finding one with (a) a scandal and (b) a connection to McCain is a pretty tall order, don't you think?
August 13, 2008 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your fascination with race amazes me almost as much as your ignorance of the demographic make up of the party you hope to defeat....maybe that's why y'all keep losing the unlosable races.
August 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Have you ever spent any time in Tennessee? It is easily one of the most racially charged environments in the US. There are plenty of people who look too deeply for racial attacks against Obama, but this is pretty clear cut to me.
What do you want, a GOP ad with burning crosses in it or images of black men raping white women? Even in the deep south, racism is so socially stigmatized that it must be subtle racial attacks. This is an example of that.
August 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually it's the Dems who use cross burnings as a scare tactic in their ads...talk about racists!
August 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're not suggesting a double-standard here in the bizarro universe are you?
August 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
ZING!
August 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
..republicans are reeling.
August 13, 2008 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you think the GOP is above using racial prejudice to try and win an election?
August 13, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you think the Dems are...?
August 13, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cite a general-election example where Dems have done that.
Now, let's think of the GOP examples. (It's even happened in presidential politics. See: Horton, Willie.)
August 13, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Missouri NAACP ad 2000: "Elect a Republican and another cross will burn"
National NAACP ad 2000: "George Bush vetoing hate crimes legislation was like having my father dragged to death again..."
August 13, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
When did the NAACP become a franchise of the Democratic party? That's like saying that the KKK is a franchise of the Repu....never mind.
August 13, 2008 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
nice try but that is a outside entity not a state chapter of the national party. while the NAACP certainly supports the dems much more so than the repubs, they are not an actual state branch of the party as the TENN GOP would be.
try again.
August 13, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, the race card in American political life only holds advantages for the white politician. Tali Mendelberg explains it for you:
"Politicians convey messages implicitly when two contradictory conditions hold:
(1) they wish to avoid violating the norm of racial equality, and
(2) they face incentives to mobilize racially resentful white voters.
“White voters respond to implicitly racial messages when two contradictory conditions hold:
(1) they wish to adhere to the norm of racial equality, and
(2) they resent blacks’ claims for public resources and hold negative racial stereotypes regarding work, violence and sexuality.
“Today these conditions hold for most Republican politicians and for many – arguably most – white voters. The contradiction among these conditions can be resolved most effectively through implicit racial communication. … In fact the racial reference in an implicit message, while subtle, is recognizable and works most powerfully through white voters’ racial stereotypes, fears and resentments.”
There is no advantage to the black politician -- in fact it is far more likely to backfire and solidify support for his/her opponent.
August 13, 2008 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent post and citation.
Bill Clinton well understood this conflict and banked on the white racial resentment with Obama which was the whole reason for considering him an 'upstart' calling him 'naive' which is southern racial code for 'boy' when referring to black males.
August 13, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
"...calling him 'naive' which is southern racial code for 'boy' when referring to black males..."
Or it could mean he has no foreign policy experience... and thinks if we'd just inflate our tires we'd save more oil than we could ever drill...
August 13, 2008 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two things:
1) The TN GOP is insane.
2) I do wish Kwame would resign already.
http://strategy08.wordpress.com
August 13, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's pretty much the weakest ad ever.
August 13, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Something we agree on.
August 13, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
There you go again, Greg, playing the race card. From the bottom of the deck, no less.
August 13, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
beat me to it...
August 13, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
With the number of scandal plagued Republicans out there, I'm a little shocked they went this way. Do they REALLY want to open this door? It's not like Tennessee is even in play.
August 13, 2008 2:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Two democratic politicians during an introduction are supportive? Small potatoes. That is really pushing it.
August 13, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kwame is three times wider than Barack.
August 13, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I resisted the temptation!
August 13, 2008 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Which means Kwame's IQ-point-per-pound distribution is 1/12th of Barack's.
August 13, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can someone please tell me what the hell the TN GOP is doing?
TN isn't even in play.
Shouldn't someone just tell them to STFU.
The typewriter was hella annoying.
August 13, 2008 2:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because they're psychotic assholes? Just a theory, mind you, but it explains all observed facts and has predictive value.
August 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
because if they can get a reaction to it, then some other idiots outside tennessee GOP might notice them and also decide 2+2=10. people love debating whether it's a ridiculous stretch to claim that 2+2=10.
August 13, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't be hasty. Dubya has recognized the importance of resolving this issue, and he's ordered the EPA to get crackin' with multiple studies to gather all the facts. It's important that this issue be seen as having been resolved in a totally non-partisan fashion.
So just hold yer water. Dubya's on the case.
August 13, 2008 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I notice they didn't specify a date when Kwame introduced Obama. I'm pretty damn sure it was before the text messaging scandal broke, before the corruption stories broke, before the assault charges broke.
What a ridiculously misleading ad.
August 13, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Republicans misleading? NEVER!!
August 13, 2008 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course. Since they look alike, they must be alike.
please just shoot me -
August 13, 2008 3:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's only the beginning. It's going to get ugly.
August 13, 2008 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're not lying dude. That's is a little fish!
August 13, 2008 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll take that as a compliment
;)
August 13, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
SFCWallace strikes again. You just do not get it at all.
August 13, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do actually get it...you hope to scare off any question of your guys jugement, readiness or ability by pointing and screaming "Racist!"
August 13, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please. How is pointing out that this ad is a ridiculous overreach on the part of some sad, bitter Republicans in Tennessee scaring off questions?
I mean seriously, SFC. This ad is B.S. You want to have a discussion about judgment, stop defending this total B.S. ad from a state party that has a well-documented history of trying to smear Obama and his family.
August 13, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, please show me what this ad has to do with Obama's ability etc? All I can see from it is that it points out that Obama is not a psychic.
August 13, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Waiting patiently.
August 13, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
My point is that y'all act like there's a bunch of rednecks out there who'll see this and say "Oh my God! Look!! Obama looks loike that black guy!!! Wait a minute...I think Obama's black!!!! We gotta do somethhing about this!!!!" It's nuts!
August 13, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is not about the rednecks. At all.
Again, you just don't get it.
August 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not nuts. Why THIS mayor, SFC?
Why not link Obama with Edwards, for instance?
It would make more sense, given that Edwards has been in the news, and far more so than this person. So why choose this person?
Seriously.
August 13, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
You put him in a commercial that has a white girl in it...that's racist...
You put him in a commercial with a black guy in it...that's racist...
How about we run an ad where it's him and Barney the freaking dinosaur? ...or is that racist too?
August 13, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
"You put him in a commercial that has a white girl in it...that's racist..."
I know that one of the main strategies in the felonious act of calling someone on using the "race card" is playing ignorant, I know that.. But in doing so, you don't advance your cause one bit, you just simply come across as intellectually dishonest. Having Obama in a commercial with women women who say how "dreamy" he is, is just a subtle version of the "Call me harold!" ad - the "beware of Obama because he will fuck the living shit out of your white daughters" scare tactics.
"You put him in a commercial with a black guy in it...that's racist..."
Especially since the commercial is implying that all black politicians are the same, hence the racism.
August 13, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, SFC, putting him in a commercial with a dinosaur wouldn't have any racist connotations.
The head of the Tennessee GOP just said "Kwame has nothing to do with Tennessee".
So again: why was he included in the commercial?
'Cause of the scandals? Well, as noted below, and repeatedly by others, Edwards seems like a pretty good scandal source these days, and I would bet that the people of Tennessee might be more familiar with Edwards than with Kwame.
You haven't put forth a good reason for this commercial. You've just labeled every person who has questioned it as being too suspicious about the motivations...but you haven't offered much of a plausible explanation for THIS ORGANIZATION: The Tennessee GOP, putting this ad out.
August 13, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
If that's your point, you've missed the real point entirely. Here's a clue: it's not that Obama's black. This is well known and obvious.
The ad is smear by association - "Look, there's Kwame Kilpatrick shaking hands with Obama. They must be friends. Isn't that the guy who's got like 10 felony charges against him and just got out of jail? Boy, Obama must do that too." The race connection isn't stated - but that's the whole point of a dog whistle, to be UNstated.
Really, this is brutally obvious to even the most casual of observers. That's why even MSM outlets have started to call out the GOoPers on this nonsense.
August 13, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was particularly lame, even for you, SFC.
August 13, 2008 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Contra Peter Beinart today, this is the sort of thing Obama's vulnerable on when it comes to soft racism opposing his candidacy, not affirmative action. There's a widely held perception that Black politicians are more corrupt than white ones, and a widely held perception that Chicago politicians are hopelessly corrupt. Obama's both of these, and if he wants to avoid the ire of people who (wrongly) decry Black city mayors for sapping the wealth of farms and suburbs for their corrupt and hopeless education systems and urban renewal programs, he needs to refocus the debate on the good he's done to end corruption (Black and White) in Illinois and in Washington DC.
August 13, 2008 3:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Huh? WTF are you talking about?
You got any evidence of this "widely held perception", or is this "perception" held by you, so you assume everyone else must share it?
Seriously?
August 13, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure how I feel about this ad. Part of me thinks it's outrageous and offensive. The other part of me thinks it's obvious, pathetic, cliched, weak, desperate, not worthy of attention.
August 13, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why chose the mayor of detroit instead of john edwards????
August 13, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cuz John Edwards doinked a staff member...he didn't get locked up for a fight with his own police force...
August 13, 2008 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
What does either event have to do with Obama?
Nothing? Oh. OK.
August 13, 2008 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama shook the man's hand and made a speech in his city...as he does in cities all over the country. The ad is saying electing Obama = electing Kilpatrick.
If the ad is not a racist attack then what other similarity is there between the two men?
August 13, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes stupid ad, but TPM Readers are not the audience.
People on this blog can decry the racism, immaturity, and hypocrisy in McCain's ads all the want, but at the end of the day, McCain and the Republicans know how to make A+ ads. They know how to speak to an audience. They know how to micro-target.
Obama? Not so much. He may be taking the higher ground, but the Republican attacks have only just begun. Give him another 3 months, and McCain will be able to convince the 3% of voters he needs that Obama is unfit to be president.
Obama's ad team needs to be fired if they can't come up with an ad strategy. Otherwise, they're going to face an electorate with low morale and even lower turnout.
Who wants to donate money or support someone who can't fight back?
August 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not sure I understand how criticism of Obama's ad team comes into discussion of this ad. How do you "fight back" against obviously racist appeals? The most you can do is express outrage. My advice, though, would be to ignore this entirely. I suspect it's attention the Tenn. GOP wants.
August 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup. Clinton would have body-slammed McCain by now.
People may decry the "old politics". But there really is no "new politics". Soetoro can cry foul all he wants or claim to be above it all. And then he can hold his head up high when he's lost.
Clinton.
August 13, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Yup. Clinton would have body-slammed McCain by now."
Clinton didn't even have the courage to make a definitive decision concern her campaign strategy - she wouldn't have slammed anyone.
August 13, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
As they say, there are no accidents in advertising.
August 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Somebody should be turning the tables on the media and asking why the TN GOP has any credibility to have their blather covered at all!
August 13, 2008 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow....more proof that reality DOES have a liberal bias. Unfortunately for you, I lived just across the river from MO in 2000, and I know about this situation.
Did Bush veto hate-crimes legislation? Yes.
Did it result in more hate crimes, as predicted by the NAACP, who lobbied him to sign? Yes.
You are failing to distinguish between racism and truth. Whether that's voluntary or involuntary is an exercise for the TPM reader.
August 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was a reply to SFCWallace up-thread.
August 13, 2008 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
You said cite one...I cited 2...whether you agree with the ad or not makes no difference. They were racially chagred and specifically designed to foment racial tensions. Bush supported the death penalty for the killers of James Byrd...not sure if Hate crimes legislation would've increased their punishment to "Double death" or not but who knows. Since you're aware of the MO commercial I don't know why you'd have even thrown out the challenge.
August 13, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Considering the shooting of the Ark. Democratic party chairman today, I'm wondering if racist fearmongering this year is not only unethical but dangerous.
August 13, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obviously since the victim of the shooting was black...it had to be racism...
August 13, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, you are here just to be a jerk, aren't you?
You're guilty of the same crime you've been accusing other people of. They're jumping to conclusions, according to you, and you're jumping to the conclusion that every comment is a veiled reference to racism.
You might want to use the Googles and google Bill Gwatney before you comment.
August 13, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Careful - just because all shootings of African Americans aren't racially motivated, that does not mean that none are.
You just posted a logical fallacy - but then, racism is a logical fallacy.
August 13, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Gwatney is black?!
http://www.arkdems.org/assets/chairman.jpg
Can I have some of what you're smokin'?
August 13, 2008 4:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Erline is the one who claimed that it was the racial tension in the campaign that led to this...I was being fecicious about the race of the party chairman...afterall it doesn't matter what race the victim was, what race the shooter was or why the shooter did it....it was obviously caused by the racial tensions that are a product of the McCain campaign and Talk radio...both should be outlawed before anymore damage is caused!
August 13, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
And this is a ridiculous argument that only works in a vacuum. But for the sake of argument, IF Obama were tying McCain to another scandal-plagued politician specifically because he was white (as if that fact has ever been considered a political liability) then yes, it would be a racially-based attack. I think the point here is that you are willing to bury your head in the sand and assert that Kwame being the target had NOTHING to do with the fact that he is black.
August 13, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was also a reply to SFC Wallace up-thread. I just don't know my ass from third base about posting yet.
August 13, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am from TN and I would sincerely like to apologize. We’re sorry.
August 13, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
O no need, my dear- we aren't quite so shallow as to think that everyone in TN feels this way, any more than we think everyone who looks alike thinks alike.
Besides, I'm from Texas and I'm just damned grateful that every once in awhile one of these stories turns out to be from somewhere else.
;)
August 13, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
That reminds me of one of my favorite Molly Ivins' quotes
"We consistently rank near the bottom by every measure of social service, education, and quality of life (leading to one of our state mottoes, "Thank God for Mississippi")."
August 13, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember people here voted for Bush twice and Marsha Blackburn. But we here in Memphis voted for Steve Cohen too.
August 13, 2008 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP found tape of Obama hugging Kilpatrick and saying nice things about him. I don't find this ad racist - weak, yes - but not racist. Kilpatrick is a lousy mayor, a crook and most important, in the news. If Kilpatrick was white as the driven snow the ad would still run. It would still be weak. If tape exists of Obama hugging my former Governor Spitzer, also a lousy official and a crook, then that will be part of another add. It will not be anti-Semitic or racist, just weak and annoying. Coming soon to a GOP ad near you : Obama hugging John Edwards.
August 13, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tennessee is a lost cause.
August 13, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wonder how much money did they waste on that trash.
August 13, 2008 5:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
These guys think that people are blind and wouldn't ask for a time line.
This was before the scandal, and at that time, the Mayor was still popular.
August 13, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
For christ sake, this is Tennesse the home of KKK. I don't expect any good thing from TN. "Can any good thing ever comes from Tennesse?" The answer is, No. It is just another PR stunt
August 13, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wouldn't worry. Yo can read any of that copy anyway. White type on a washed out background? Is ciarascuro to ethnic for them?
August 13, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
CAN PEOPLE PLEASE STOP REPLYING TO SFC?!?!?!
HE IS A TROLL AND A RACIST.
IGNORE HIM. (JUST AS I AM GOING TO IGNORE HIS PETTY BULLSH*T RESPONSE TO THIS POST).
August 13, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know what floats peoples boats in TN but this ad sucks donuts. If the Republicans want to waste their money, God bless them.
August 13, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink