How would you interpret...

[KungFooMasta]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25952213/

"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," Obama said. "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.'"

(the last sentence of the quote)

Obama strategist Robert Gibbs says its not about race, but how else can you really interpret that? Thats a pretty cheap shot, trying to throw in racism into the mix.

[haffax]

So there have been a hundred disgustingly cheap shots by the McCain crew and you argue that Obama is being cheap by pointing it out.

McCain did a lot of vile attacks that turned out to be not true, he attackes Obama for doing thing he requested from Obama to do only a few months back, he throws every piece of shit at Obama he can find and here we are parsing Obama's words instead...

Wow, the media' liberal bias bias seems to be working quite well. Isn't what McCain did much much more vile? Oh well.

Anyway, race plays a role in connection with "Obama's past". If he wasn't black I am pretty sure the subtle accusations of being a muslim were much harder to make stick. He has this suspicious middle name and he has been shown in this suspicious dress, this mysterious african past. All these subtle accusations only work because he is black. On a clean cut white kid none of it would stick.

But well, seem McCain's crew is right, it works perfectly well. They don't have to attack his colour, they only have to mention a few things here and there and everything makes perfect sense for some parts of the voter pool.

[KungFooMasta]

I only brought it up as I read it on msnbc. I haven't really seen any articles that show mccain in the same light, although I don't actively browse multiple sights either.

Off topic, but last night I went to Fry's, a huge electronics store in my area. There is a long waiting line to check out at the store exit. An african american guy walked right into the front of the line next to my dad, giving off an intimidating look. My dad continued to move forward, but he cut behind us, in front of some asian woman. Out of the 50-100 people in the line behind us, nobody said a word. Doesn't that kind of crap (what the guy did) promote racism?

[xavier]

Only if you assume that all black people act the same way. If you deal with people individually, then the guy's just an ass, regardless of color.

And having been to Fry's myself, and seeing 47 checkout stations (with only 6 manned), I'd be pissed off enough to do the same.

[warmi]

So there have been a hundred disgustingly cheap shots by the McCain crew and you argue that Obama is being cheap by pointing it out.

What are you talking about ?
I don't remember any ... I think you must be talking about Hillary Clinton crew..

They don't have to attack his colour, they only have to mention a few things here and there and everything makes perfect sense for some parts of the voter pool.

Some people don't like Obama not because of who he is ( that's actually plays to his advantage) but because of what he stands for.

[warmi]

Obama strategist Robert Gibbs says its not about race, but how else can you really interpret that? Thats a pretty cheap shot, trying to throw in racism into the mix.

Yeah, he did that in Germany as well .... he said ...

I know that I don't look like the Americans who've previously spoken in this great city.

There were plenty enough before him ... say Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.

[reptor]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25952213/

"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," Obama said. "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.'"

(the last sentence of the quote)

Obama strategist Robert Gibbs says its not about race, but how else can you really interpret that? Thats a pretty cheap shot, trying to throw in racism into the mix.

I don't think its about race. Obama's comment, that is. It is about the tactics his opposition has used against him.

I have noticed that 'cheap shots' have been thrown at Barack Obama. And his response to that is good.

His opposition can't come up with better tactics... of course it makes a lot of sense for Obama to point that out. I would do it as well if I was in the same situation.

People have tried to ridicule the person Barack Obama instead of focusing on his ideas and opinions. They have tried to question his name, his origins and his religion or 'faith' among other things. That is a strategy which deserves no votes from me.

[reptor]

On another note, there are people alive today whose surname is 'Hitler'.

What do you say about them. What do you say to them. Would you tell them that you hate them because of their name? That makes absolutely no sense at all. Any attempt to question Barack Obama's name with a similar tone is equally stupid.

[reptor]

I only brought it up as I read it on msnbc. I haven't really seen any articles that show mccain in the same light, although I don't actively browse multiple sights either.

Off topic, but last night I went to Fry's, a huge electronics store in my area. There is a long waiting line to check out at the store exit. An african american guy walked right into the front of the line next to my dad, giving off an intimidating look. My dad continued to move forward, but he cut behind us, in front of some asian woman. Out of the 50-100 people in the line behind us, nobody said a word. Doesn't that kind of crap (what the guy did) promote racism?

I gotta say that I have never been treated badly by non-white people. I only met a handful though, we here in Finland don't have so much cultural diversity as you do there in USA. But we do have people from Turkey, Iraq, Somalia... we take refugees every year and some non-refugees move here as well...

Every single person who treated me badly (some very badly and caused irreversible damage) has been white.

[syd]

This quote from Obama is actually pretty accurate, it can't be denied.
Broadcasting fear is the specialty of the republican party.
Here is plenty examples from republican spokemen: http://foxattacks.com/

Some people don't like Obama not because of who he is ( that's actually plays to his advantage) but because of what he stands for.

so, what is rejected in what he stands for? I'm curious...

[syd]

for those who like Stephen Colbert: http://foxattacks.com/blog/46750-nas-on ... raid-of-me

[Zool]

Off topic, but last night I went to Fry's, a huge electronics store in my area. There is a long waiting line to check out at the store exit. An african american guy walked right into the front of the line next to my dad, giving off an intimidating look. My dad continued to move forward, but he cut behind us, in front of some asian woman. Out of the 50-100 people in the line behind us, nobody said a word. Doesn't that kind of crap (what the guy did) promote racism?

Um, are you suggesting that the guy was being an asshole because of his race ?
No chance of a white guy doing the same, right ?

[warmi]

Broadcasting fear is the specialty of the republican party.

Hehehehe.
You are a funny guy.

so, what is rejected in what he stands for? I'm curious...

In one word : statism.

He has a solution for every problem it comes in the form of a "caring" bureaucrat.

As far as his whining .... he is the one who keeps brining up the issue of his race - he has done it over and over again.

[Jabberwocky]

In my opinion, race has hardly been brought up at all. Neither candidate's campaign mentions it nearly as much as the media, and when they do, it's mostly in an off-hand way, like Obama's recent remark of "not looking like the other presidents". That remark could have been aimed at Obama's young age as much as his race. Americans are so hyper-sensitive about race that the merest mention of it gets completely overblown. Then again, the media can spend an hour long segment with top-tier political analysts discussing the relevence of John McCain's shoes, so I guess "overblown" is their expertise.

I think it's a credit to both Obama and McCain that neither campaign has made race an issue at all.

[lithander]

Funnily my impression about you americans is that many blacks like to play with all the stereotypes (just listen to rap music) and help keeping the skin-color-based distinctions alive. Just like what Obama said in your quote... he doesn't want to rest the issue either. So who can really complain if the racism-zombie still lurks around?

I wish I could cry racism-alert too whenever my girlfriend is picking on me for being so pale and she'd just have to shut up. Sorry for being silly but this race-issue is boring me to death. It's quite the same with our nazi history in germany. *yawn* If people could just draw a line and get over it and wouldn't nag about it constantly there wouldn't be an issue...

[KungFooMasta]

Off topic, but last night I went to Fry's, a huge electronics store in my area. There is a long waiting line to check out at the store exit. An african american guy walked right into the front of the line next to my dad, giving off an intimidating look. My dad continued to move forward, but he cut behind us, in front of some asian woman. Out of the 50-100 people in the line behind us, nobody said a word. Doesn't that kind of crap (what the guy did) promote racism?

Um, are you suggesting that the guy was being an asshole because of his race ?
No chance of a white guy doing the same, right ?

I'm guessing you don't know the nature of long lines? People don't let others cut, if they can help it. I suppose you'd wait in line for an hour at a theme park ride and let somebody cut in and board the ride in front of you without saying anything? This guy walked into line not caring at all, as if the rules did not apply to him, and he had a very serious face on. Maybe I'm not describing the situation well.

[xavier]

I'm guessing you don't know the nature of long lines? People don't let others cut, if they can help it. I suppose you'd wait in line for an hour at a theme park ride and let somebody cut in and board the ride in front of you without saying anything? This guy walked into line not caring at all, as if the rules did not apply to him, and he had a very serious face on. Maybe I'm not describing the situation well.

I guess the point is, why do you think the fact that he was black made a difference?

[Kencho]

I guess the point is, why do you think the fact that he was black made a difference?

I don't think KungFooMasta is racist or xenophobe. I just understand him, as we have the same problem here. Most non-white people here use racism as an excuse to avoid laws and rules, supported by social hypocrisy. When a white person cuts into the line (for example), people soon stops him and points to the end of the line. However, with non-white people the problem is different, for any or both of these reasons:
- The non-white guy starts yelling "You don't let me get into the line because you're racist"
- Or the white guys don't want to be treated as racists and ignore the fault "just for this time"
I've seen this happen even in an hospital ER, so guess

Hehehehe.
You are a funny guy.

This is a serious discussion about politics. Use again such a cheap, lacking of respect comment and I won't ask before deleting it. If you think a statement is funny, keep it for yourself; to debate it, be serious and adult.

[xavier]

Most non-white people here use racism as an excuse to avoid laws and rules

Again, it's the projection of the actions of a few onto an entire segment of the population. I know just as many rude, belligerent whites and Hispanics and Asians (although not Indians, oddly) as I do blacks. I'm not calling anyone anything -- I'm simply asking him if (a) he thought the guy was rude because he was black, or (b) was he rude because he's a rude person?

[Kencho]

Ah! I think we're speaking about different things here. In my case it's clearly B. I've said many times here that over the time, learned to evaluate the individuals, and not the whole collective.

However, regarding your first sentence, unfortunately isn't the case here. I've met only very few non-white people worth living here (and interestingly, the ones I'm less concerned are black people; what concerns me the most is that mafias and bands are quite common amongst hispanic, moslim and eastern Europe people). This has to be read carefully though. As everywhere, there are exceptions. I know spanish people that should go straight underground to hell (terrorists, for instance) and foreign people worthing their weight in gold. In such a global society like nowadays', racism or xenophobia doesn't have a place IMHO.

[Zeal]

'He doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.

I didnt find that comment THAT racist. Maybe only 5% racist. My first impression was, yeah this guy looks nothing like the other presidents on the dollar bills, this guy looks young, full of life, has big goofy ears, ect...

*but then again, like my good friend Mr Stephen T Colbert I am color blind, I dont see race.

[Jabberwocky]

like my good friend Mr Stephen T Colbert

Colbert's speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner was one of the most brilliant (and ballsy) bits of political satire I've ever seen. Bush looked like he was about 15 seconds away from leaping on stage and biting through Colbert's jugular.

[KungFooMasta]

I'm simply asking him if (a) he thought the guy was rude because he was black, or (b) was he rude because he's a rude person?

I have many black friends, and I've grown up in many diverse atmospheres including black people. In direct response to your question, I do not believe he was rude because he was black, that is ridiculous. After thinking about the incident more clearly, I believe he was simply trying to intimidate people into not giving him any trouble when cutting into line.