That's the takeaway, so far as I can tell, from this Josh Marshall post, which starts with the dubious claim that this McCain ad - which Ramesh and John Weaver rightly call childish - is actually playing on white America's subliminal fears that Barack Obama wants to sleep with promiscuous white starlets, and proceeds to the claim that any pundit (like Milbank, say) who uses the word "presumptuous" to describe Barack Obama is just playing along with the McCain campaign's vile attempt to caricature Obama as an "uppity young black man whose
presumptuousness is displayed not only in taking on airs above his
station but also in a taste for young white women."
Look, I understand that liberals are frustrated at Barack Obama's inability to pull away in the polls, despite all the favorable tailwinds he's enjoying and the fact that John McCain is running a staggeringly inept campaign. I'd be frustrated too! But that isn't a reason to make yourself sound like a paranoid idiot.
« Can Conservatives Govern? | Main | Britney and Crypto-Racism » Dana Milbank, Crypto-Racist?31 Jul 2008 07:26 am Comments (108)
I didn't understand the point about the white woman, but as far as racism, you bet. How is he being presumptuous just by being a presidential candidate. He is donig what candidates do, and looks confident & competent. The question is, why when he does it, he's being presumptuous, but when McCain holds weekly radio addresses, no one says anything? I think its a function of age and race. 
cycl is right - the presumptuousness claim has the stench of "know your place" about it. Milbank is being foolish in repeating it as though it had merit. Ross doesn't even think Saint Reagan talking about "welfare queens with Cadillacs" had a racist whiff, of course. He's blind in this area, as his odd attachment to white supremacist Steve Sailer shows.
After the ad flashes Britney, Paris and Obama, it flashes two phallic architectural monuments. Every image in that ad was carefully chosen. McCain employs the same guys who created the less subtle Harold Ford ad. Ross is displaying his childish innocence about marketing. Someone explain to me why else McCain would flash the two biggest whores in Hollywood in this ad.
Ross, I don't know if you're from the south, but I grew up in one of the deepest parts of it, and I can tell you, anyone from Dixie would immediately recognize what is going on. This sort of subtle race-baiting has a very long history.
"Paranoid idiot" is going way to far. On a related note, I do think leading young conservatives voices should think through more carefully the role of white nationalism in the Republican party, and in American politics more generally.
Ross knows exactly what's happening. Virginia has a Douthat park. As the possibility of a black president gets nearer, his facade is crumbling. Let's see what Coates has to say when he gets here. should be entertaining.
"If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way." A black candidate is presented in an ad with young white starlets... of course it plays on a racial theme. Jesus Ross, you're a smart guy, stop carrying water for the worst elements of the conservative movements and start calling them out. You're the one who wants to find the path for the GNP, you could start with crap like this. Maybe then the Hispanics wont run as far from the racist GOP as possible.
Shall we start the countdown to the Sailer and acolytes? the crypt must be open by now. Ross never sees any racial effects anywhere - Jesse Helms ad etc were fine. It's only when black people don't get on their knees and sing praise be for affirmative action that he sees a problem. Ross, did you think there was a racial element in South Carolina in 2000 when McCain lost the nomination because people thought his adopted daughter was biologically his? And do you think Jefferson and Sally Hemmings just had a good working relationship? this blog is starting to feel like a petulant resignation letter. Whether it's the book sinking like a stone, or the fear that "In this country in 15 or 20 years time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man." for the intern - that's a quote from Enoch Powell, who is somewhat relevant in matters of race.
"Paranoid idiot"? Isn't there a way to make this point without coming off as a snarky dick head?
TDE writes: "A black candidate is presented in an ad with young white starlets... of course it plays on a racial theme. Jesus Ross, you're a smart guy, stop carrying water for the worst elements of the conservative movements and start calling them out." What has Ross ever written that even begins to suggest that he would ever do this?
Didn't Freud say sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar? I understand that a liberal site like the Atlantic would have its fair share of race baiters, but to think that just because there are white women in a commercial, that it's racist? Are you guys not comfortable with interracial relationships? Its a bit of a stretch to say that this stuff is racist. By bit, I mean a HUGE stretch. As far as the hubris stuff goes, was Al Gore making speeches in Europe as if he were the Head of State? The criticism is that he's acting as if he's already the President-elect. That doesn't involve race. Liberals are always eager to get race involved, as soon as possible.
Sean, Making speeches abroad is something lots of American politicians do, running for president or not. I heard nothing in Obama's speech that sounds like he's already acting like the president-elect.
It's time for you to grow up Ross. You are seriously naive when it comes to issues of racial politics. This is a big boy campaign and history shows us that subtle and not-so-subtle racism will be a major factor in almost any national GOP campaign and this year they are actually running against a black guy. Time to put on your big boy pants and stop eating at the kids table.
Come on. You could pick any celebrity. Tom Cruise to highlight the 'messiah' angle, whatever - you have thousands to choose from. So you choose two. Both are women. Hmmm. Ok. But for pure 'celebrity' - I would think someone like Angelina Jolie would be a bigger celebrity, no? Ah - perhaps she's too exotic Perhaps then it's pointless celebrity - people who are famous without merit? Well, Paris yes - but Britney sold 31 million albums in US alone. So the thing they have in common is white and blond and considered by some to be sluts. Why exactly are they in the video if its not a race thing? Because I really can't see any other reason.
Steve, He's not naïve. This is his gambit. Claim somehow it's all in everyone else's mind. I wonder what he thought of the McCain South Carolina push polling. Was McCain a 'paranoid idiot' then?
Sean, Remember when Obama wasn't "presidential" enough? And now he's "too presidential"? There doesn't seem to be a sweet spot in between the two that he could occupy; if you take those criticisms in the aggregate, they kind of add up to an theme of "This guy? President? C'mon, look at him!" And yes, "presumptuous" is an effort to "put the candidate in his place." I wouldn't say it's flat out racist; it's more an appeal to a soupy sense that age and race and international background and unfamiliar life story make him someone who "shouldn't" assume he can be president. John McCain has, of course, been a celebrity since his return from Vietnam; the guy invented political celebrity. The only way he can throw accusations that someone is too much of a "celebrity" and make it stick is if there's an underlying assumption that celebrity is OK for some people and not for others. So what kind of sense can you make of that idea without its being based on some innate difference between the two men?
Just appeared via Andrew Sullivans blog We just got off a conference call with Camp McCain, defending their new ad comparing Barack Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. They said they thought the ad was legitimate because Obama is a big celebrity..., and Britney and Paris were Number 2 and 3. The problem: Anyone with even a vague sense of pop culture knows that Britney and Paris are yesterday's news. Here's a link to Forbes' Celebrity 100. Paris and Britney don't even make the list any more. Instead, the top 10, in order: Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Angelina Jolie, Beyonce Knowles, David Beckham, Johnny Depp, Jay-Z, The Police, JK Rowling, Brad Pitt. So, they didn't pick other big celebrities, who were either men, or black, or married. What they picked was two sexually available white women.
Racist? Really? Becuase he didn't use Tiger Woods or Oprah in the ad? The ad was about being superficially appealing but not substantial. Britney and Paris are exhibits A and B for that particular category. Oprah is a self-made billionaire. Tiger Woods is the best golfer of all time. Angelina adopts orphans and talks about 'big issues'. Jay-Z - most swing voters probably don't even know who he is. Either way, I can't think of anyone better than Paris or Britney to represent the Obama-as-attractive-but-inexperienced message of the ad. And btw, if the ad had used Tiger, or Oprah, or Jay-Z, the racist accusation would still have been made (ditto for Angelina for different reasons).
Racist? Really? Becuase he didn't use Tiger Woods or Oprah in the ad? The ad was about being superficially appealing but not substantial. Britney and Paris are exhibits A and B for that particular category. Oprah is a self-made billionaire. Tiger Woods is the best golfer of all time. Angelina adopts orphans and talks about 'big issues'. Jay-Z - most swing voters probably don't even know who he is. Either way, I can't think of anyone better than Paris or Britney to represent the Obama-as-attractive-but-inexperienced message of the ad. And btw, if the ad had used Tiger, or Oprah, or Jay-Z, the racist accusation would still have been made (ditto for Angelina for different reasons).
All that said, the ad still sucks; it's just paranoid to call it racist.
If there is an underlying message, it most certainly an age and judgment message. The largest voting bloc in the country is the 45 and up crowd. Obama appeals to a lot of younger voters. For McCain, the best strategy would be to link Obama on judgement issues. Think about it...while Britney and Paris may not be the biggest stars, they are most certainly some the biggest screw-ups. They are also easily identified with the younger under 25 audience. Thats a much more effective link, and I'm surprised no one is talking about it.
If the McCain campaign burned a cross on Obama's lawn the usual suspects would say there was nothing racist about it and that it was just making a positive statement about Christianity and alternative energy sources. The usual suspects swore up until the bitter end that Macaca Allen was not a racist. They lauded the despicable Jesse Helms when he croaked and insisted he was no racist. Why do they do such things? It's because they're racists themselves, apparently. Does anyone have a better explanation?
The ad was about being superficially appealing but not substantial. Whatever she is now, Britney is also the 8th biggest selling female recording artist in the US. That's pretty substantial, whether you like the work or not. Why not Nicole Richie instead? Oh, she's actually mixed race.
Moe, Apparently you never learned that blindly calling people racists was wrong when you were in school?
Sean, See if you can see any contradiction between these two posts of yours I understand that a liberal site like the Atlantic would have its fair share of race baiters and Apparently you never learned that blindly calling people racists was wrong when you were in school?
Moe: Why do they do such things? It's because they're racists themselves, apparently. Does anyone have a better explanation? I think many GOP are willing to use racial electioneering in order to hold onto power. Or at least turn a blind eye to it, and express as Ross has, disbelief that this ad couldn't possibly be racist. Its almost as if the entire GOP south didn't swing from Dem to Rep because of the civil rights movement. Its a shrinking foundation for a political party. The reason I comment on Ross' blog is because I sense that Ross can see the GOP drifting into minority (and it is) but that there is a chance to right the ship. Well, there is imo, but Ross continues to miss the real rot at the heart of the party that is to blame. He's tinkering at the edges when he should be building anew.
"Whatever she is now, Britney is also the 8th biggest selling female recording artist in the US. Do I need to count the ways Britney has fallen from grace? All-time record sales are not exactly the best proxy for how a person is viewed by the public (see Jackson, Michael). The ad clearly is a silly attempt to paint Obama as unserious, like Paris or Britney, but if you are determined to think it's about race and sex, you are entitled to your (paranoid, in my view) opinion.
Do I need to count the ways Britney has fallen from grace? no rab, you don't. But you were saying she was unsubstantial, which only applies to Paris. The only things they have in common is they are celebrities, female, white, and blond. Paris and Nicole - that would make perfect (if dumb) sense. But Nicole isn't white. What I said was, if it's not about white women who are regarded as sluts - then what is it? Feel free to keep tweaking your view until you can find a plausible connection.
Ross, you are so right. It's so FRUSTRATING when my candidate is enjoying a consistent advantage in virtually every poll over a long period time. Ooo, how that FRUSTRATES me!!! Arrrgh, the FRUSTRATION!!! If only I could back that guys who's consistently losing, that would be so much less FRUSTRATING. Thanks for your empathy. It means a lot to me. Really. A lot. Seriously. Dude. I'm serious. Also, you're smart. Really smart. Like, really. Nothing you say is stupid. Ever. Serously.
Ross, you are so right. It's so FRUSTRATING when my candidate is enjoying a consistent advantage in virtually every poll over a long period time. Ooo, how that FRUSTRATES me!!! Arrrgh, the FRUSTRATION!!! If only I could back that guys who's consistently losing, that would be so much less FRUSTRATING. Thanks for your empathy. It means a lot to me. Really. A lot. Seriously. Dude. I'm serious. Also, you're smart. Really smart. Like, really. Nothing you say is stupid. Ever. Serously.
It amazes me to no end how people are so resistent to admitting the reality of real life republican electoral practice. The emperor has no clothes Mr Douthat, please deal with that reality.
James, So are you saying that me posting a reaction to the comments on this thread is actually a form of race baiting? If you look when I actually wrote that second comment, it was clearly in response to something said previously. It just seems that there are an extraordinary number of people willing to say race first here. But I'm contradicting myself, and am actually the race baiter.
Ross: I just read the above comments. Looks like you touched a nerve!
Seems the only person in this campaign that is running a good campaign is Obama. This is the same rhetoric used against Hillary. The truth is that Obama's exposure is extreme thanks to the media. I don't see anything wrong with McCain's campaign and he has certainly defined his stances way more articulately than Obama because Obama's campaign is a smoke and mirrors and run out the clock strategy. Frankly, it is boring me because it is the same old look at my persona and nothing else. I think that is what the ad is trying to portray. I am longing for a debate or town hall meeting where both candidates are asked to give corresponding opinions. That is where McCain will shine and what voters need to base their decisions on.
seanfucious asks: "Apparently you never learned that blindly calling people racists was wrong when you were in school?" (I'm not sure why he put a question mark at the end of a non-question, but then literacy isn't his specialty.) Nothing blind about it, chuckles. Or are you actually denying that Macaca Allen is a racist, or that Jesse Helms was one? As for what I learned in school - sheesh - I've done a little perusing of your little blog and your profile and I believe that if you'd done a little more learning you wouldn't have to work in collections - even if you do "really enjoy it." You should correct the spelling on your profile, though - it's "accounts receivable." If you're going to have a job you should know how to spell it. The Amish look is really snazzy, though. Do you drive a horse and buggy to work?
TDE writes: "A black candidate is presented in an ad with young white starlets... of course it plays on a racial theme. Jesus Ross, you're a smart guy, stop carrying water for the worst elements of the conservative movements and start calling them out." What has Ross ever written that even begins to suggest that he would ever do this? Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | July 31, 2008 9:33 AM ************************* Had the ad run with black ladies in the front the Saint O campaign would have called it racist too by saying " see how they point the Sainted One is black" or " those black girls were too black" or " why did they have to be black, are they trying to point out Saint O is black?' Bottom line with the Sainted One's crowd is that everything the other side does it motivated by race and they will use race at every turn. Heck the Sainted One brought it up again yesterday saying how republicans will be using his blackness against him. That is their battle cry anyone against him is a stupid white racist. Let's see how that works for him.
beck writes: "I don't see anything wrong with McCain's campaign and he has certainly defined his stances way more articulately than Obama because Obama's campaign is a smoke and mirrors and run out the clock strategy." With sentence construction like that I can see why you're impressed with McCain's articulation. But the truth is that he's stumbling all over the country embarrassing himself with his inability to remember his own positions. If this has escaped your attention you're not paying attention.
This is the ultimate Ross Douthat post. Bitchy, hand-wringing, and pointless.
Given he was Buckley's bitch, that makes sense Lowellfield.
Kabookey, if it's common knowledge that Obama will always cry 'race' - then why, knowing that, would you put two blonde women into an advert?
Did Ross see the Harold Ford ad? I mean is there any reason why he thinks that Republican campaigns are above racist attacks? There's just no reason to think that whatsoever, but he thinks that "Republicans would never use race to win elections" is actually the null hypothesis that still needs to be disproved. I was wondering how a guy as seemingly bright as Ross could be a Republican; surely this level of naivete must help.
Kabookey, I'd much rather McCain stuck to the issues, he's not, he's running ads like this. When you assassinate a persons character you will have people pointing out the weakness or motivation of such attacks. I'd rather talk to you about Iran policy, frankly. McCain's going to the gutter with his campaign and there will be push-back, especially on ads like this. The McCain campaign knows [i]exactly[/i] what it's doing.
Hey guys, maybe we should be congratulating Ross for being so post-racist that he is completely unable to detect it. lowellfield: Admittedly, there wasn't any self-promotion or shilling of his book in this one, so it's not quite at the ultimate, ultimate level.
Kabookey types: "That is their battle cry anyone against him is a stupid white racist." I'll let the literacy level of that particular post speak for itself and let each reader draw a conclusion about whether the author is "stupid."
TDE writes: "A black candidate is presented in an ad with young white starlets... of course it plays on a racial theme. Jesus Ross, you're a smart guy, stop carrying water for the worst elements of the conservative movements and start calling them out." What has Ross ever written that even begins to suggest that he would ever do this? Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | July 31, 2008 9:33 AM ************************* Had the ad run with black ladies in the front the Saint O campaign would have called it racist too by saying " see how they point the Sainted One is black" or " those black girls were too black" or " why did they have to be black, are they trying to point out Saint O is black?' Bottom line with the Sainted One's crowd is that everything the other side does it motivated by race and they will use race at every turn. Heck the Sainted One brought it up again yesterday saying how republicans will be using his blackness against him. That is their battle cry anyone against him is a stupid white racist. Let's see how that works for him.
Gum, magazines, single soda bottles, etc. are placed near the register for a reason. Thousands of focus groups are conducted daily to assess how something can be sold to the market. Pols test ideas, story lines, slogans, etc on the public to gauge their affect. You are a test study. The campaigns even watch these comments sections to see what the electorate can stomach. If you get a lot of F**k blacks, push the race stuff, if you get the opposite...! With race such a big issue in America, it would be hard to imagine it not being politicized. Deny it all you like, the GOP has thrived on this stuff. Look into who has run a "southern strategy" before denying it happens.
Mr Crabby Pants suggests: "Hey guys, maybe we should be congratulating Ross for being so post-racist that he is completely unable to detect it." That might work if I could forget the various posts of his that convince me otherwise. Have you met his "welfare duchess" post yet? Here you go: http://rossdouthat.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/12/the_myth_of_welfare_queens.php
The bit at the end where he engages in a bit of taunting because Obama's lead isn't double-digit like it's supposed to be is also I think telling of his skills as a prognosticator. Do yourself a favor Ross, be a defender of Conservative ideas rather than a cheerleader for John McCain's electoral prospects. Neither are good, but the latter are terrible. What upsets me isn't the polls but the incredibly dishonest and cheap attacks from the McCain campaign and the scolding from a college Republican like yourself that we're just being paranoid idiots.
Perhaps my sarcasm was not sufficiently obvious.
It's clever of Ross in a sense. He claims not to see race, and then taunts why isn't Obama's lead higher, having eliminated race as an issue. As I've said before, Ross is high minded when it costs and means nothing. Otherwise he is relentlessly partisan, but wraps it in specific rhetoric tricks, and endless referring to his morality.
Ah ok Kabookey. Twenty minute gap, no response to people addressing you, then repeat the post. You're just a hit and run poster. Perhaps the first Sailer acolyte.
Crabby: "Perhaps my sarcasm was not sufficiently obvious." Oh, I got it. But it was a chance to post the "welfare duchess" link, and that one never gets old. (Because it was stillborn.)
Moe, Yes, They were racists. Thanks for telling me about the spelling error. I appreciate it, and I fixed it. Collections works for me while I'm still in school. Oh yea, and Amish is in. Haven't you noticed all the under 25 beatnik's are doing it?
P.S. That Welfare Duchess pos was pretty wild.
This is just the right wing's warm up for the real racism to follow. This ad lets McCain, and their racism apologists, dip their toes into the waters of racism, before they go for the real plunge. This is just the whore dourve. Pun intended(for the slow witted, and republicans out there).
If Britney and Paris aren't there to represent sexually available white women, then what exactly is their purpose in the ad? Why not pick male celebrities - given that Obama is, you know, male? Why not pick celebrities with half a brain - given that Obama is, you know, pretty smart? Why not pick black celebrities - given that Obama is, you know, kinda black? Why choose to compare him to two stupid white girls? If that was the point, it's an incredibly tenuous analogy. But if the point was to suggest that Obama is running just to get laid, and will sleep with your daughters, well, then it all makes sense.
I do think there's a "dog whistle" to those who cherish racist feelings- and since I've spent a lot of time in white rural Louisiana, I can tell you that the "dog whistle" will stimulate racial feelings there. On the other hand, it's a dumb thing for McCain to do, since people who respond to that kind of subliminal tweaking of racial animosity won't vote for Obama anyway. There's another kind of ugly here, which no one has pointed out- the attack on Britney Spears. This is a young woman struggling with mental illness, who has never done anything to deserve to be publicly used as a symbol of an unworthy person. (And no, I'm not a fan of hers- I've never even heard a recording.) It brings back the time that McCain publicly told the following joke: "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." (Ms. Clinton was in her mid-teens at the time.) Ugly.
"If Britney and Paris aren't there to represent sexually available white women, then what exactly is their purpose in the ad?" TR: To represent young vapid airheads. The idea is more that Obama is a young vapid airhead. There were several ads where Ross didn't see racism, but where it was pretty clear to me. This isn't one of them. The ad is dumb, but it's clear that it's about associating Obama with young idiots. It's possibly playing on his weakness among the old with "He's like every young star you dislike." Also by showing starlets it might be trying to link him to femininity and, by implication, weakness. (Hence the ad might be sexist and I'd be more willing to agree to that)
Shorter Thomas R: I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to the guys who made racist ads full of racist imagery to appeal to racist voters. This new ad, featuring imagery that most will interpret as racist, surely isn't appealing to racism!
Wow...every 3 posts or so, Ross really gets everyone going here (myself included.) Does anyone know how much traffic this blog gets? Does Ross's compare with Matt's or Ta-Nehisi's? Maybe its better to compare it to the Corners?
You're an idiot. Why does everyone have to see racism everytime you people do? I've seen racism in plenty of these ads he's brought up. The might be the one time I failed to. So suddenly I'm some blind idiot? Blonde white starlets are standard symbols of vacuousness and immaturity. Especially if they've been arrested. The only reason you're seeing a racial angle here is because of who made the ad. If it had Salma Hayek you'd probably be screaming that he's trying to scare Mexican voters into thinking that he's after their daughters or sisters. It has to specifically have a black, or part-black, celebrity in it or its racist. I'm not even sure of that though. If he had used black celebrities as symbols of insubstantial people that'd also probably be deemed racist. The ad merely being stupid might make it racist. Still showing a black guy as the opposition candidate is perhaps racist. From now on he should avoid showing his face and Obama's in the same ad. (After all the image of old white guys and young black guys as opponents is clearly racially charged)
The idiot thing was directed at Crabby.
Even on their own terms the hair-trigger racist allegations don't make any sense. There's no need to appeal to racists; they aren't voting for Barack either way. But swing voters might be, and they might be unsure about Barack because of his inexperience and perceived lack of substance. Identifying him with flashy but unsubstantive young celebrities to reinforce this image makes at least some sense. (I'll stick with the unsubstantive charge James; if you think selling lots of copies of 'Oops I did it again' makes Britney substantive in the eyes of likely American voters over 30, we have different understandings of the american electorate) According to the paranoid, McCain's staff is subtle and crafty in their racism, but too stupid to realize that they don't need to appeal to racists to begin with. I'll go with the poorly-executed swing voter as the target of the ad who might be concerned about Barack's lack of experience. It certainly makes a lot more sense than targeting a (hopefully very small) group of racists that would never vote for Barack anyway.
Just google " 'Lee Atwater' 'You start out in 1954 by saying'." OK, back now? Any questions?
Why does everyone have to see racism everytime you people do? Why can't some people see racism even if you and Ross don't?
When your party has a forty-year long record of vicious racist politics, you don't get the benefit of the doubt. The sins of the father...
rab writes: "I'll go with the poorly-executed swing voter as the target of the ad who might be concerned about Barack's lack of experience. It certainly makes a lot more sense than targeting a (hopefully very small) group of racists that would never vote for Barack anyway." I don't see the use of the blondes as a definite racist tactic here, but the whole arrogance/presumptuousness bit sure is. I don't want to lose track of that. As for Obama's so-called "lack of experience," I don't recall conservatives bringing it up when Dumbya was running, and Dumbya's experience wasn't exactly overwhelming. Obama is a more impressive figure than Dumbya on every level. The McCain people can't possibly believe they can win with this approach, so they'll be tossing other crap out there - and the use of racial symbols and codes will inevitably be part of it, because they're behind in the race and because McCain has hired utter scumbags to run his campaign. Republicans swallowed the Dumbya-has-a-ranch-and-is-a-regular-guy nonsense, even though he bought the ranch as a campaign prop in 1999. He's selling it now, and Laura's looking for a mansion surrounded by all of their oil-rich slimeball pals. It's possible that in the midst of Dumbya's wreckage the electorate will be fooled again by such insubstantial garbage, but it's not likely.
"Even on their own terms the hair-trigger racist allegations don't make any sense. There's no need to appeal to racists; they aren't voting for Barack either way." You're kidding, right? Do you really not know the history of such ads? Harold Ford was up in the polls and then the Call Me ad came out... We're not talking about hard core Klan types being swayed into voting for a black man. We are talking about swing voters who can be influenced by uppity negro and black man gonna take your women ads. You folks are simply in denial of the decades long use of race baiting in political ads by Republicans meant to appeal to swing voters.
define substantial however you want rab, the point was that BS has achieved far more than PH. One is famous for being famous and rich, the other came from nothing then self-destructed. As said before, they have nothing in commmon except female, celebrity, white, blond. If it's airheads - then why not Nicole Richie - they did a whole show together on that very conceit? Nicole isn't white. Lyndsey Lohan would fit even better - but she's currently brunette (i guess), so no joy there. The definitive airhead is Mariah Carey - but she's mixed race also. the definitive celebrity for 'messiah' would be Tom Cruise. Cut from Berlin to him jumping on a sofa and preaching scientology. But he's male. if you wanted someone who was big one day, a joke the next - someone like Sanjaya. but male and brown. next. or Madonna - always changing her image to suit the audience. Female, White, blond(ish). But married, and 50. next. A lot of people (Ross included), think George Clooney is full of it, and himself. easy connection for 'charming bullshitter' - but male. if it's just celebrity, it's for a man who is famous for being in a bamboo cage, whose last two-term president before GW was in 'bedtime for bonzo', and current governor for CA is the Terminator and weightlifter. It's nonsense. it's probably because you're decent that you dont think it's being done. I think it was, but in such a clumsy way that a lot of people dont think it was intentional. The people who push polled McCain out of 2000 over his 'black child' are involved in his 2008 campaign. When the Clinton's started it was so subtle that it seemed like mountains were being made from molehills - but gradually you had crack dealing, kid, fairy tale, not a muslim 'as far as i know' etc etc. Let's give it a few weeks. there will be a 'willie horton' level ad, I'm sure.
My first thought was: Damn, Britney is hot! She doesn't look like that anymore and hasn't in a long time. They used an old picture of her when she was a sex symbol to bring sex to the fore. That's advertising 101. Yes, their empty, vapid celebrities who are famous for being famous. But look, what do Britney and Paris really have in common? What does your 80-year-old gramma know about both of them? THEY'RE WHORES! SLUTS! WE'VE SEEN THEIR VAGINAS! CUT TO: Young, arrogant, popular, elitist, stylish, rich, presumptuous, uppity... The ad is brilliant because aspects of it are defensible, it does work on a level that's politically appropriate. It also works on a subterranean, primitive, morally degenerate level that is very effective to very many people. These people know what they're doing.
Paris Hilton is a primarily a sex symbol. Here see is washing a car:
strictly speaking, it would be miscegenation as much as with black women as with white. but sure, that's the thing. and Silly - exactly - if you were highlighting the screw-up aspect, you would go with bald and mad Britney, not 'hot' Britney.
Of course there's a racial subtext to the ad. We paranoids need only turn to Karl Rove for evidence. A few weeks back he described Obama as the guy at the country club with the beautiful date (there was more to it, but that's the relevant part for this discussion). Obama is very much married (and to his first wife!). So why place him with a date? And at a country club? To transform him into the scary black man who's after your white daughter. Rove is an adviser to the McCain campaign. Steve Schmidt, who's the message man, worked with Rove on the Bush 2004 campaign. They can't use anything as blatant as the Harold Ford ad in a national campaign these days, so this is how they stoke those fears. Let's see how many more young white women they try to associate Obama with in coming weeks and months. Read more on Rove's country club comment at http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/201563.php
Critiques of the ad in question would be taken a lot more seriously if the answer from Obama supporters to every little whiff of criticism of their guy wasn't met with cries of "Racism!" Honestly, if you can lump guys like Dana Milbank into the ranks of right-wing racists, I suspect it'll just be a matter of time before everyone but the most hardcore Obama supporters end up in the category. So to make sure I don't inadvertently expose any more of my latent racism, can I please have an Obama '08 button and one of those Secret Racism Decoder Rings that all of you enlightened ones seem to employ at will?
The Obama campaign has been using race, and whining about it since 2007. Politics is hard ball. The cry baby stuff now just make him look even more like a starlet and less like a smart man.. Hey Obama, man up, and take your best shot.
JB, Ross was the only person to use Milbank on this thread. It was a straw man, like your argument also. But nice try.
the same old nonsense.
Hi there Ross. What exactly is the difference between "presumptuous" and "arrogant" on the one hand, and "uppity" on the other? I'd love to read your answer. In the meantime, I'll sit back and watch the entire conservative media machine repeat the mantra that Obama is presumptuous, presumptuous, presumptuous. Funny line of attack, that.
Dude - not racist, just visceral ... All 3 are whores.
At one level, I tend to agree with Thomas R that McCain's ad was stupid, but not racist. However, the problem with that line of argument is that the "stupid" ad was crafted by "smart" people who knew exactly what they were doing. What defies belief is that the McCain campaign and admakers wouldn't have known the kind of dustup that this would have produced regarding race. And if the folks who made this ad really were that stupid, then it calls into question the McCain campaign's utter incompetence and astounding blindness with regard to the history and role of race in American electoral politics. There have been plenty of McCain ads attacking Obama that no one has ever suggested plays into the racial dynamics of our society, because they don't. This ad is not one of them; and I, for one, believe that the McCain campaign knows this.
As usual the liberal commentors show that they won't know a real racist if they stepped on one ... Obama went to a racist church for 20 years ... but you think Wright is just fine ... Obama is the one playing the race card and you all know it ... grow up ...
"If Britney and Paris aren't there to represent sexually available white women, then what exactly is their purpose in the ad?" TR: To represent young vapid airheads. The idea is more that Obama is a young vapid airhead. And, of course, besides Obama, only women can be vapid airheads... or so young Rapeublicans are taught.
Let's see here - are we saying that black Americans cannot possibly be presumptuous or arrogant? It's the left that tells black Americans that they can't get into college without affirmative action, can't get a good job without affirmative action, and now, they can't be arrogant or presumptuous either, since they are so victimized that those negative qualities could not possibly be a part of their character. Who are the real racists here? Conservatives who want to judge people on their attitudes and abilities or Liberals who just want to excuse behaviors and facilitate victim-hood?
everything that josh marshall says in that post is 100% right. This will only become more obvious as the campaign goes on. P.S. it should really go without saying that Marshall is one of the most astute political commentators in the media. the guy is not only brilliant, he is accurate. when he analyzes a political situation, he sees the big picture and gets it. Meanwhile Ross Douthat is a kid who (while smart) clearly does not understand anything about politics, as shown by his abysmal track record of continually wrong assertions on the topic. And hey, if you're going to insist on being an apologist for racists and/or exploiters of racism, at least try not to be so bitchy about it.
Jude writes: "Who are the real racists here? Conservatives who want to judge people on their attitudes and abilities or Liberals who just want to excuse behaviors and facilitate victim-hood?" Speaking of hoods, is yours white and pointy? The real racists here are the ones who insist that the Republican Party hasn't been consciously using race as a whip for the past 40 years. It's funny how Lee Atwater and Ken Mehlman can come right out and admit that but rank & file cons can't even face up to it for a minute - or at least they pretend so.
Sorry cycl06 but Senator Obama did something that candidates don't usually do. He will be elected by the American people not by Europeans. Playing to foreign nations in order to affect American elections may be rather strange to some Americans and may affect people in middle America in a negative way. Only time will tell.
So suppose Obama puts together an ad comparing McCain to the cast (some now deceased) of the Golden Girls, and Obama's team insists that was just to compare McCain to other well-known people who are equally hawkishly-clueless about foreign policy (Estelle Getty being known for wanting to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age). In that case, nobody here will complain about Obama playing the really-old-man card?
zadig, that ad would be a little bit silly, of course, but you seem to be ignoring the fact that age has a significant effect on performance, and John McCain's age does seem to be an issue, what with his repeated gaffes. Whereas ads that subtly link Obama to stealing away the white women have nothing to do with presidential performance and everything to do with scaring people. |
Liberals who are frustrated have no patience, but the candidate does, and so do many of the people on board the campaign. Since McCain seems to be unable to assert what he is about (and is instead doing goofy attacks on Obama), it is possible to expect that after the VP choices and the conventions we will see the mother of all bounces.
Not to count the fact that poll after poll is telling us that Ohio and Iowa are drifting Obama's way, and Virginia and Missouri and Florida are getting competitive.
Posted by the real van mccoy | July 31, 2008 7:34 AM