2008 Race and the Race
posted by on August 1 at 12:20 PM
Maybe it’s because it’s a sunny Friday, but I’m having a hard time staying interested in all the finger-pointing over who injected race into the Obama-McCain contest first, what it all means, and what Paris and Britney have to do with any of this.
I’m sure my lack of interest also stems from feeling like I’ve seen this episode before. The McCain camp is very clearly trying to ignite (without being too overt about it) the same kind of white backlash against Obama that Hillary and Bill Clinton, circa March through May 2008, were trying to ignite.
Here’s how it goes: Inject race into the campaign. Then, when everyone starts to wring their hands about it, claim that it was actually Obama who injected race into the campaign first. (This is not very hard to do since Obama’s presence ipso facto injects race into the campaign.) Then, take it a step further: Claim that Obama is “playing the race card,” position yourself as the victim of reverse racism and white-guilt-tripping, and then wait for the disgruntled white masses to say: “Yeah, me too! I hate it when that happens!”
If it’s not obvious to you that this is the game that McCain is playing right now, watch this clip:
It didn’t work very well for Hillary Clinton to morph from the tough Commander in Chief who was Ready on Day One into the symbol of all working class whites everywhere who feel they are victims of reverse racism. I’m not sure it will work for McCain, either.
But he does have one thing going for him that Hillary Clinton didn’t have going for her: There are far more people in the general election pool of voters (as opposed to the Democratic primary pool of voters) who might be receptive to a white candidate pretending to be the victim of reverse racism and/or race-card-playing.
I noticed it right around January
http://www.thestranger.com/gyrobase/IssueArchives?oid=479740
And in case you didn't notice..he's black.
i can't watch this shit. it makes me sick to my stomach because i know america is filled with utter idiots.
Never underestimate the racist attitudes of really old Americans.
Let's hope they forget to vote ...
Few things are more hilarious than watching Rich White Men discuss racial issues.
A good rule of thumb is: whenever someone says "reverse- racism", they are about to say something really really stupid, and they have no fucking idea what racism really means.
We won't support spine-less NO-Bama and will re-defeat him in November!!!
Eli,
I agree with you. Especially the last paragraph. The object of the game is to win the election. Language, subtle or not that hints at playing the "race card" could benefit McCain. I just read today that Sen. Obama was heckled in Florida by demonstrators claiming not enough attention is being paid to issues that address African-Americans. Indeed, "Obama's presence ipso facto injects race into the campaign"
will, really old americans are the most reliable voting block. they may crap their pants, but they never forget to vote - they have nothing else to do.
and they're typically bigoted, filled with fear, and gullible as fuck.
McCain walks into a drugstore.
"Hi, Senator!" says the druggist, "what can I get you?"
"Depends ..." says McCain.
"Depends on what?" says the druggist.
"I need some adult diapers!" yells McCain, furious, and almost strangles the poor pharmacy owner.
@9 I agree with your assesment of older Americans. The day before, it was McCain who declared himself against Affirmative Action. Arizona has a ballot measure to end preferences in hiring. So, if anyone was paying attention, it was McCain who actually injected race into the campaign.
Fuck it, they're going to whine no matter what- play the fucking race card.
There is plenty to play if McCain really wants to bring it up. McCain has a terrible record when it comes to racism- opposing the MLK holiday, opposing divestment from apartheid era South Africa. This is stuff that is too recent to be written off with the "racism ended in the mid 60s" bullshit Republicans always play. McCain was loudly in favor of racist policies in the 1980s, without even the cheap cover of code words like welfare reform and Willie Horton.
Play the race card, middle America will be sickened by McCain's racist history.
I remember when Sen. McCain had a black lawn jockey figure in his driveway.
Yeah, he's THAT old.
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