Grover Norquist: Obama "John Kerry With A Tan"

LA Times:

John McCain has been trying hard of late to link Barack Obama with Jimmy Carter in the public consciousness, hoping that the "ineffectual" label that many voters affix to the former president will prove transferable.

Anti-tax activist Grover Norquist touts Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota as prime vice presidential prospects for presumptive Republican presdiential nominee John McCainBut Grover Norquist -- the conservative activist who specializes in promoting an anti-tax agenda and, more generally, revels in the role of agent provocateur -- is offering a different comparison.

Norquist dropped by The Times' Washington bureau today and, as part of his negative critique of Obama's liberal stances on economic issues and other matters, he termed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee "John Kerry with a tan."

Read the whole story: LA Times

Comments

[JMorgan]

This is racist. Why?

Because all Norquist had to do to make his point was to say, "Obama is John Kerry Redux".

What does his skin color have to do with his ideology?

Norquist wants to remind everyone, "Obama's not only like John Kerry......He's an African-American!" -

You can substitute the n-word, too, because that's what Norquist wants voters to think whenever they think about Obama.

Norquist is a disgusting creature.

[dvdpt]

IIf you have to ask why you will never understand. Dah !

[rooks]

Read the entire post please!

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Well stated!

[init]

I thought this guy went to jail? Oh o.k., that was Jack Abramoff, whatever his name is. Fearless they are. But every time they come out of hiding and open their mouths; they get clobbered.

[Chillinout]

Racism:

Sometimes, it is like a hair across your cheek. You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep brushing at it because the feeling is irritating. - Marian Anderson

That is how I see this comment of his. Subtle racism.

[illinoisan]

Great quote from a great woman. Thanks!

[StillIRise]

Wonderful quote. Sometimes that hair is so fine that others cannot even see it, and when you tell them that it's there and that it's irritating you, they will look for a moment and tell you that it's not there at all, that you're just imagining it. But you can feel it nonetheless; you just can't grab hold to it to show them what you're feeling or even to describe to them what it feels like. And they walk away, shaking their heads, saying, "There she goes again, playing the hair card!"

African Americans and other minorities have experienced racism long enough to know it when we see or hear it. We know what it looks like, what it sounds like, and especially what it feels like. Others of the majority race cannot and will never experience racism, and will often tell us that we're just imagining it or making it up. But those who can extend themselves beyond their own experience, and just for a moment, slip into our shoes, will see what we see and hear what we hear, and understand our irritation.

[wmbear]

AND GROVER NORQUIST...

Is Karl Rove with a beard....

[GolfingDevil05]

Norquist is Britney Spears without the penetrating insight.

[whatsthatsound]

The thing about these guys is that they think they're so clever, and so they can't resist the urge to say something that will sound cute and clever to their amen crowd. Then they reveal themselves to be insensitive, possibly racist, etc. But what do they care? They get to sound cute.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

This is racism pure and simple and I hope the civil rights community goes after this horrible man, Grover, who is another one of these unelected rich people who get to set the agenda for the United States -- Child Protective Services just saved a 2 year old girl in Sacramento from an extremely bad situation -- her mother died and she lived on cat food for days before anyone checked on them -- the "government" that Grover hates so much saved that girl's life -- he wanted drown government -- he loves the Empire though, and the Oil Corporations and the Banks, and the help "government" gives them -- I bet he likes enforcing contracts in court too, which is the government again. How about we put Grover on a desert Island and let him survive alone and see how long he lasts.

[SeriousBlack]

Heck, all you'd have to do is put him in some urban community and make him work a minimum wage job (with that being the only financial resources available to him). I'd like to see how long he would last in that situation before crying uncle (or any conservative blowhard like him, for that matter).

[illinoisan]

Yes, and they can have him censured and run a primary challenge against him and, and . . .

Oh, wait, he's just a lobbyist who can say any fool thing that pops into his racist little mind.

[ebanks84]

Who is this NOBODY who talks bad about O. He don't know him and should keep his unkindly dumb thoughts to himself.

[theone718]

He is a jerk but I didn't really take this as overtly racist and I'm African American.

[RedWolverine]

I agree, are we so uptight about race, that we can't say someone has a tan if they are black?

What if he had said, he's the Black John Kerry? Can we not say that either? What are we allowed to say today so that Keith Olbermann won't call us a racist?

[mannemalon]

How about speaking about the issues and not referring to race. Or is that too hard for you?

Boo hoo, they won't let us speak racist in code.

[SeriousBlack]

Hold up. I don't see anything necessarily wrong with "the Black John Kerry". But referring to ANY African-American as ***insert name of white person here*** "with a tan" is at least tasteless and classless if not borderline racist.

Consider this analogy. Say it was the first Asian-American candidate who was the nominee and Norquist had said, well, he is just "John Kerry with squinty eyes". How would that be any different and would you not consider THAT to be offensive?

Be discerning enough intellectually to really look at what people say and analyze it critically, instead of just spouting some blanket sentiment about being "us" just being "uptight about race" and NOT being able to criticize behavior or statements when it is in fact deserved. That is a ideologically single-minded mentality that is all too common of conservatives.

[lotuslike]

The reason it is insulting and not reasonable to say that a black person (or any person of color, for that matter) is just any white person with a tan is because it's not true. Black people are not white people with tans, wolverine...or did you not know that?

It would be the same as my saying that you are an albino Alan Keyes, or Alan Keyes dipped in bleach, or a primer paint, Frostee Freeze, Casper the Ghost of an Alan Keyes. Like that.

[rooks]

Why don't you stop classifying people by their race. Call and by their names. English has a lot of adj. so use one that is appropriate.

[StillIRise]

Why did he have to refer to Barack's race at all. We all know he's black! Norquist was comparing two men who share a similar ideology. That conversation had nothing to do with race! Even if he said that Obama was the "Black John Kerry," it would have had the same impact, and it would have been just as irrelevant to the conversation.

When one speaks of Senator Obama as the first African American nominee for president from a major party, that's different, because it's referencing a historical phenomenon. But when one is speaking of Senator Obama in the context of his values or his vision for America, whether they agree with him or not, why is it necessary to refer to his race?

[onlinesavant]

John Kerry was a superior candidate to anything that the regressives could have offered and so is Obama.

[xmw]

yes, I have to agree with you. I'm Black and I take it as him saying the only difference between them is skin color but I'm known for being too generous. he paid kerry a big compliment actually.

[StillIRise]

The color of their skins should not constitute a difference at all in discussing their ideology. Had he said or implied that the only difference between them is that Barack is younger or more charismatic, or that Kerry was more experienced, that would be a legitimate distinction. But in referencing Barack's race in discussing the difference between two men who share a similar ideology was unwarranted, and that one little phrase spoke volumes about how Mr. Norquist sees Senator Obama: He sees him first and foremost as a black man, and to him that distinction is the only distinction!

Yet, I do agree ... it was a compliment for Kerry.

[happypup]

I white and although I don't believe it was overtly racist, he did unnecessarily inject race into his comments. This was uncalled for and he should be stopped. If we let the little things go by, before we know it they have gown into larger, more overt issues and racism wins out. I do not expect to hear comments about AAs, whites, women, Hispanics, or even blonds from elected officials - it is all bad.

[SwingVoter]

I don't think he was being racist, though he was suggesting race. It is really just a silly statement. I didn't vote for Kerry, and looking back, what a huge mistake I made. I hope to get it right this election.

[dvdpt]

you keep on think thats silly. Dah !

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Doesnt racist mean suggesting race? Anyway, swing voter, your are welcome--our tent is VAST!

[NoOneSpecial]

Take a good look at this guy and remember his face.

His influence and the political constituency he represents contributed to government continually failing the people of this country over the past decade.

He admires the Gilded Age when government was of, by, and for the rich. Only back then things were even better because there wasn't such a thing as worker protections, labor laws, 40-hour work weeks, overtime pay, and such. And injustice and cruelty to the working classes? A left-wing myth.

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Sorry! You ARE someone special! (Nice post!)

[Patrician]

Why would anyone listen to this major Bush advisor on the economy? He is the one who said we should make government small enough to drag into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub, or some such. And look what happened to government under the years of his advisement? Mountains of debt, decaying infra-structure, nothing innovative I can think of unless an illegal, costly war is.

[NoOneSpecial]

Take a good look at this guy and remember his face.

His influence and the political constituency he represents contributed to government continually failing the people of this country over the past decade.

He admires the Gilded Age when government was of, by, and for the rich. Only back then things were even better because there wasn't such a thing as worker protections, labor laws, 40-hour work weeks, overtime pay, and such. And injustice and cruelty to the working classes? Nothing but a left-wing myth.

[wearyvoter]

Grover Norquist: The proponent of our borrow and spend war in Iraq, which got us so deep in debt as a country that we will never climb out.

[RedWolverine]

He's not a proponent of Iraq, do you even follow politics?

[freshnotbitter]

While I agree that Obama has a great tan, I don't agree that he is John Kerry. Obama is Obama. Actually John Kerry has been one of Obama's best spokesmen. I love listening to John Kerry on the issues. I don't think identifying Obama with John Kerry will hurt Obama one bit. I would take it as a compliiment if I were Obama.

[illinoisan]

I'm sure Norquist regards the Kerry reference as the real insult. The "tan" part is just priviledged white male insensitivity.

[TotobiAyokoh23]

Those who are trapped in color coded purview of American politics will continue to belch out comments that could only be brewed from the darkest corner of the thinking processes of political nincompoops.

[Javani]

"Those who are trapped in color coded purview of American politics"

Which includes the national media outlets and the Democratic Party establishment, both of which revel in racial/ethnic labeling and explanations. The "tan" comment is odd, but the John Kerry comparison has some merit, at least recently, with Barack's flipp flops. People like stable messages.

[Cheryllou]

Man, I'm so rolling on the foor. Let's talk about flip-flops why don't we. Who better to direct it too than McSane. I'm still rolling!!

[dwillisno1]

Which includes the national media outlets and the Democratic Party establishment, both of which revel in racial/ethnic labeling and explanations. The "tan" comment is odd, but the John Kerry comparison has some merit, at least recently, with Barack's flipp flops. People like stable messages.

People like stable messages? So what would be an appropriate stable message for you? How about "Watch where you step, horseshit zone."