A Good Question by Ezra Klein
Along with the Spitzer story, the Wright story is one that I've noticed being forced into the role of a big deal and exciting story while personally finding the Celebrity Rehab Reunion far more interesting...and I didn't think that was possible. :)
I really don't care in either case. But I don't pick the news cycles.
Anyway, Ezra Klein stuck a cord of incredible common sense on this matter and asks a good and simple question: (emphasis mine)
Does anyone believe that Barack Obama shares Jeremiah Wright's political views?
So far as I can tell, no one really thinks Obama agrees with Wright. They just know that Wright's comments are going to be politically troublesome for Obama. And so they're covering them as if they're a huge problem for Obama. But there's a disconnect there. Such views are supposed to be troublesome because they signal that Obama agrees with them. But if no one believes that Obama agrees with them, then they're just the views of some dude who knows Obama, and talks to him about spirituality. The controversy rests on everyone's ability to treat it as something no one seems to believe it is.
And so be it. I also think Wright's views will be trouble for Obama....But in the worst plausible scenario Ross can imagine, what is the precise issue? That Obama believes these things? That he knew about them and didn't feel the need to break with the pastor? Everyone who believes Wright to be a political problem is assuming the existence of a large group who believe him an actual problem. But what exactly is that problem supposed to be?
I think Ezra hits the nail on the head with a very persistent and tenacious question. If the Wright affair is such a problem and nobody really believes Obama shares the controversial views Wright, then what exactly is the real problem? Logically, outside of the laughably pathetic and low grade realm of partisan politics, it's not a problem at all....and we all know that. In most matters of real life, we'd be embarrassed to be seen as believing that there is any there there. But this is politics and there is ALWAYS a there there...even when we know full well that there isn't.
So, does anyone what to tempt to explain what the real and notable "there" is there?
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Comments :
Demonstrate that he is sufficiently patriotic
God Damn The King
Guilt by association
It seems that Obama is as clean a politician as we've seen in awhile and the worst anyone can damage him is to play the guilt-by-association card.
That's about as far as it goes.
I never broke the law; I am the law! --
George W. BushJudge DreddI'm listening to...
It matters who the President associates with
I think you are wrong to dismiss "guilt-by-association" attacks. It's not as if we are discussing some abstract topic and these are irrelevant ad hominems--we are discussing who we want to put in a position of power. In such a situation, the person's character matters, as does the character of his associates (who may gain power by this association).
For two concrete examples, the next President will be appointing many people to prominent roles in our government -- ranging from judges and ambassadors to bureacrats and members of "special advisory panels" (many of which will be appointed indirectly). These appointments will confer power and prestige (and a little money) on the recipients.
So it is legitimate for electors to ask themselves
"You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man." --Frederick Douglas
Wright is a backdoor excuse
for people to slam Obama as a dangerous uppity negro, by questioning his patriotism and his religion, instead of his race. (See I told you all those black people were alike.)
The powers that be want you to see Wright's face every time you see Obama's. Why do you think they ran that clip one hundred thousand times in the last few days.
If you don't understand the history of racism, it is hard to make any sense of Wright's rhetoric. But black folks actually were injected with diseases like syphillis in the Tuskegee experiment. There are still folks alive who remember.
It isn't over the top to say that men who had the raw courage to stand up for human rights and free the slaves, then guarantee that their rights were upheld were murdered, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, and Bobby Kennedy. Why do you think GoRight asked if Obama would be assisinated.
The fear of empowering these 'nasty black animals' that have cleaned up and speak well that have the audacity to run for president, is what is being played on here.
Stirring this racial stew into a frenzy for political gain, is unwise. Throw in a little religion and you can awaken old fears of masses of black people coming together to cost the old plantation owners their riches.
Whether Obama wins the nomination or not, I hope that today he gives the best 'speech' he has ever given in his life...... to address these long held biases in our culture and elevate this dangerous dialogue that is trying to imply that white men should fear blacks.
It is the economy, stupid.
Democrats snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
I fear this race-baiting is what is going to be the one thing that loses the Democrats the election ... again.
I think Hillary would rather McCain win over Obama so that she has the inside track in 2012. She's not stupid; she knows that if she can't win the nomination, she'd better damage him enough so that he can't beat McCain.
Both parties are going to be in disarray come the conventions. I think whomever does a better job of bringing their party together will end up winning in November.
I never broke the law; I am the law! --
George W. BushJudge DreddI'm listening to...
You say Democrats.....
I say the Clintons are destroying the party.
I don't consider it, 'the Clintons' to be Democrats. They are willing to burn down the house, so they can claim the victory ashes.
(good to see you spot posting again, btw)
It is the economy, stupid.
wrong about Tuskeegee, syphilis
Nobody was injected with Syphilis; they already had it--the doctors refrained from treating it (when they could have cured it easily).
"You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man." --Frederick Douglas
okay, thx.
It is the economy, stupid.
Without believeing that Obama's views are similar to Wright's,
...you could still look at this as a leadership issue, because you could see this as evidence that Obama is reluctant to make waves and prefers to "go-along-to-get-along." I think that is somewhere close to where the real question lies. My answer is that 99% of people would not have spoken up in protest against the pastor, considering that the congregation seemed to be eating up everyhing the Reverend had to offer. So, if Obama failed here, it's a simple matter of caving to peer pressure, which every single one of us has done a few times in our lifetime.
skymutt: wise and powerful... enlightened...