Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Democrats now have two choices; a racist or a sexist… It just cracks me up!
Except, its really true. If Obama were not African American he would be fighting a lot harder to get the vote counts he is getting. Call it racist if you will-but it seems to me this is such a big deal because there is a grain of truth to it.
In my opinion this election year has been odd to say the least. You have your typical “jabs” from both parties but I personally am not pleased with any of the candidates that are there to choose from but I tend to be more Libertarian in my own political opinions and really there is never the “perfect” candidate for everyone. There are going to be things we just have to reason with according to our own interests as the voter.
“Hey, the King’s naked!” More than a grain of truth I think.
I love the smell of schadenfruede in the morning!
The thing is that Obama has not made an issue of his race. Hasn’t run on it. The only people making it a “black thing” are the entrenched identity politicians of the Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton variety who wonder whether he’s black enough, or blue collar trumpeteers like Ferraro who can’t see past the color of his skin.
It’s ugly.
I think she’s at least partially wrong. Obama is winning not because of his race (or half of it, anyway), but because of the horrible candidate he’s running against, which ironically is exactly how Bush was re-elected in 2004.
Over confidence bred from arrogance and a supportive press running interference to cover the sins of the past just doesn’t cut it anymore in the Internet world. It was a close call with the equally unlikeable, arrogant, and entitlement-minded Kerry, but the unfiltered news easily available today isn’t going to allow the press to protect Hillary, even if they chose to do so.
Obama may have the arrogance, but it has not yet led to the off-putting sense of inevitability and entitlement exhibited by the onerous Clinton Clan. The press has shifted their allegience from the bristly shrew and her heavy, well-known baggage to the “agent of change,” and will do their utmost to suppress general knowledge of his Chicago Democratic Political Sleaze Machine history. Time will tell if they can keep a tight enough lid on during the general election or not. Probably not.
Yes, there’s something helping Obama, but it’s not his race. At least not to a sufficient degree to explain his tromping of the Clinton Politcal Machine. The explanation for that is the constant reminders of just how despicable and disgusting the Clinton’s actually are.
Capt. Lex,
You are correct that Obama has not made an issue of his race, but he is very quick to jump on anyone else who makes an issue of it. Probably rightly so, the best offense and all.
He’s got a great speech going right now… “Some say I’m not black enough, some say I’m too black. What is the correct amount of blackness to run for President?”
Some camps think the more the Democrats scrap the better it is for McCain.
We’ll see in November.
“It’s ugly” …and ugly can be funny too. Only difference lately is that the fight spilled out into the street.
Lex,
You are correct. To his credit, the Obamamessiah does not run on his race. He is much smarter than that.
Whether you like his politics or not, you must admit that he is intelligent and very well spoken.
But here is the thing, and Ferraro nails it: If Barak Obama were “Bill Olson”, same brain, same talents, same background, different skin, he would be a well respected lawyer (I know, oxymoron) somewhere, but presidential candidate? Senator? With his empty resume and “present” voting record in the Ill state senate. No F’n way.
I’m also pretty sure he wouldn’t have gotten into Harvard, but that is another kettle of fish…
It’s ironic that the one person on HRC’s staff that speaks the truth has to step down.
If Obama were white -based on his career and abilities- he’d be John Edwards.
And we all know how well John Edwards has done in the past two contests, don’t we?
I have to say I think the Obama organization has upon occasion been shown to be quick on the trigger when it comes to accusing their opponents of racism, even when it comes to valid comments with respect to the senator from Illinois.
Democrats want to avoid charges of racism, and are hence afraid to criticize a black politician. I cite Jesse Jackson’s affection for Louis Farrakahn, as well as his “Hymietown” crack. I also cite Democratic Party leaders’ affection (at least in public) for race-baiter Al Sharpton. The Dems wouldn’t be caught within a million miles of a white politician who cuddled up to David Duke, and talked about “Hymietown.”
One of the reasons that Obama is different is that after taking away race, he could still be considered a legitimate contender, although he’s kinda light in the loafers on experience.
On the other hand, so is Hillary…
or this from Marshall McLuhan: “Politics will eventually be replaced by imagery. The politician will be only too happy to abdicate in favor of his image, because the image will be much more powerful than he could ever be.”
Good point Lex! Your always gonna get an earful from the Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton Variety though it is just their “Style!”
In the meantime, Obama’s pastor has been making racist comments of his own…
He notes while popping popcorn and enjoying the show.
Jim C
I don’t think Obama is John Edwards in blackface – Edwards was all about “two Americas”, while Obama wants to tell us he’s all about a common reach for change. And hope.
But for 200 years in this country a man couldn’t get elected without being 1) a man, and 2) white. So I’m not so sure that the reverse argument on race now holds much water.
And I still think it’s just a wee bit ironic that a three term congressional mediocrity like Gerry Ferraro – who was lifted out of a crooked NY borough to run as a Walter Mondale’s VP running mate for no better reason than that she was female – has the temerity to notice that Obama isn’t, you know: White.
Oh, but Jim, Pastor Wright “isn’t a member of the Obama organization,” so that makes it all right…
yeah… {/snerk}
And I still think it’s just a wee bit ironic that a three term congressional mediocrity like Gerry Ferraro – who was lifted out of a crooked NY borough to run as a Walter Mondale’s VP running mate for no better reason than that she was female – has the temerity to notice that Obama isn’t, you know: White.
Surprised me, but I heard an clip of her saying in defense of her statements about Obama (paraphrased), “Mondale wouldn’t have picked me if I wasn’t a woman.”
How can Obama have sat in the pews and NOT assimilated some of what he heard? That’s the whole point: sit, listen and learn. My years as a PK taught me that much.
Jim C. and Casey… have a gander at this YouTube clip!
Any cause for concern here. I think so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzhl-endvco
Ah ha… it would seem quite a few other people have opinions on the same subject. After reading quite a few, here’s one that I found:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120536677319031953.html?mod=rss_opinion_main
Oh, yes… here’s another bit of interesting reading I came across:
http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/03/07/chicago-backroom-politics/
A quote from the WSJ article PG linked:
And the suggestion that saying so aloud betrays racial animus implies that only the Illinois Senator can discuss the issue of race in regard to his candidacy.
Ok, how is this different from the ChickenHawk argument WRT Iraq, and who wants to give it a catchy name?
Lex, I didn’t mean to imply that Edwards and Obama have the same policies; only that they share many characteristics. They’re both young lawyers, good-looking, speak well, are intelligent, successful, and so on.
Oh, and they’re both Democrats.
And I hope you’ll excuse me if I point one skeptical eyebrow skywards when I hear about how a politician from Chicago is gonna introduce hope, etc., to America.
Casey,
A politician from Chicago introducing hope isn’t that unbelievable. However, a politician from Chicago introducing change is quite another story.
Peter,
I’ll tell you, as a Christian and a regular church attender I find Wright’s message extremely offensive. He seems to be twisting Christianity the same way that that “Baptist” preacher Fred Phelps (the one that protests at soldier’s funerals) does. Furthermore, I don’t see how Obama could have been a part of that church for 20 some years and disagree with what is being preached from the pulpit… as he now claims.
Jim C