Obama’s Race Cards

It seems a large number of people are upset and shocked by Sen. Barack Obama “playing the Race Card” during a campaign event on July 30, 2008 in Springfield, MO.

Nobody thinks that Bush and McCain have a real answer to the challenges we face. So what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me. You know, he’s not patriotic enough, he’s got a funny name, you know, he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.

— Sen. Barack Obama
Stump speech in Springfield, MO
July 30, 2008

Obama’s claims that the GOP would use racial fears against him has angered a lot of people. People seemed shocked that Obama – the post-racial Uniter – would cry racism and attempt to further the racial divisions in this country over something that even his claim admits hasn’t happened yet. But it’s not the first time Obama has pulled the mantle of race around his shoulders in order to attack his adversaries.

They’re going to try to make me into a scary guy. They’re even trying to make Michelle into a scary person. Right? And so that drumbeat – ‘we’re not sure if he’s patriotic or not; we’re not sure if he is too black.

— Sen. Barack Obama
Fundraiser in Chicago, IL
June 12, 2008

I can understand people’s anger over this racist tactic, but not the surprise or shock that many people are exhibiting. Crying racism and foretelling of racism by his opponents is not a brand new weapon in the Obama campaign arsenal. It’s a tried and true weapon that Obama and his campaign have wielded with the finesse of a sabre.

We know what kind of campaign they are going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young. He’s inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And, did I mention he’s black.

— Sen. Barack Obama
Fundraiser in Jacksonville, FL
June 20, 2008

These statements, these bits a fear mongering and race baiting have long been an integral part of Barack Obama’s campaign strategy. He has used them effectively against Sen. Hillary Clinton and now over the last months he’s a turned them against Sen. John McCain.

Obama’s campaign staff describes these comments as “applause lines” and proudly claims that the Illinois Senator has used similar statements throughout his campaign.

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6 Responses to “Obama’s Race Cards”

  1. lm Says:

    This is laughable. Everything Obama is denouncing IS being spread about him by fearmongers and those used as fools. And IS being used directly by the McSame campaign.

    I think I know which category you’re in.

    Not that I can possibly expect any facts to influence your preconceived ideology.

    Ooooh, ooooh, Obama is scary. And he might not be CHRISTIAN! And he’s definitely not BLACK!

    You haven’t bothered to look at ANY of my posts documenting the charges — stay in your own li’l fantasy world.

    http://loomisnews.wordpress.com/

  2. jonolan Says:

    I looked at all of your post regarding Obama and waded through your delusion and paranoia that seems fueled by an unreasoning hatred of Whites and conservatives in general. There were NO creditable sources for any use of Race against Obama by the McCain campaign.

    You are like so many other fanatics who have accepted Obama as their personal Marxist savior. You respond to any criticism of your new messiah with the rabid fury of Spanish Inquisition.

    What amuses me about that is that such behavior is straight of of the Rove political handbook.

  3. teach Says:

    If you want something bad enough, you will play all the cards in your hand- so if he did, why should anyone blame him.And why is ‘the race card’ always black? Hasn’t McCain played the race card too, the white one?

  4. jonolan Says:

    “If you want something bad enough, you will play all the cards in your hand”

    That’s disturbingly close to “anything it takes to win” or “the ends justify the means.” I’m not exactly sure that’s an attitude I want in the POTUS, especially one with an sweeping agenda.

    No, McCain hasn’t played the race card at all during the campaign and has chastised other members of the GOP who did. All he did was rightfully complain about being obliquely accused of planning to do so.

  5. Apophatic Says:

    Have you been living in a hole in the ground? You’ve not come across conservatives questioning his citizenship, constant insinuations that he is a Muslim, tongue in cheek comments about his “unfortunate” name, the attempt to connect him with Palestinian terrorists through one of his campaign advisers? “Obama played the race card” indeed. Obama brought the GOP racist whisper campaign against him into the light, and that is why the Republicans are pissed. Karl Rove’s tactics don’t work properly when they are openly challenged.

  6. jonolan Says:

    Apophatic,

    One – Most of the things you’re describing weren’t started by conservatives or the GOP; they were started and propagated by the Clinton campaign or her supporters, the Clintonistas.

    Two – The racist tactics used by some of the GOP were soundly denounced by Sen. McCain.

    Now the attempt to associate Obama with Palestinian terrorists did come from the McCain staff, that’s true. It’s hardly racist though to show that – at that pre-AIPAC meeting time – the Palestinians preferred Obama as the next POTUS. It may be nasty politics, but it’s not racism.

    Perhaps you should think long and hard about how much you want a candidate to be held responsible for what people in his party and people who support him do. Shall we all hold Obama accountable for the vile nastiness and vitriol that his supporters spewed – and continue to spew – at the Clintonistas?

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