Buchanan's Creepy Racial Obsessions Continuously Rewarded By Media (VIDEO) [UPDATED]

Yesterday, we highlighted a recent appearance that Pat Buchanan made on Washington Journal, in which he mocked and derided the efforts made by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to master the English language -- a mastery that seems to have been largely successful, given the arc of her professional career and the fact that she did, in fact, graduate atop her class at Princeton. Amanda Terkel of Think Progress very astutely pointed out that having very loudly decried Hispanics for being "allegedly unwilling to learn English," the fact that he'd turn and profess similar contempt for a woman who went to great lengths to learn English bespeaks -- at best -- pure and unadulterated intellectual dishonesty.

Of course, I think there's obviously something even more foul afoot! Let me see if I can put it into words...hmmm...let's see...oh, wait! How does VENAL, JUVENILE RACISM grab you, conceptually? You see, in that same Washington Journal segment, Buchanan goes on at length to echo the substantive and reasonable concerns shared by Jonathan Turley -- criticisms which have no racial component at all, and which critique Sotomayor's intellectual depth in a perfectly honest way. The point I'd emphasize is this: Buchanan knows full well he doesn't need to mock Sotomayor's efforts to learn English -- he just wants to.

It's something that gives him jollies. And it's something that never gets faced squarely by the people who put him on the air, because as far as they're concerned, he's just some charming old coot with some warped views. And I suppose, in the minds of MSNBC, Buchanan is providing great "balance." You know, if, say, Rachel Maddow is on the teevee, being too damned reasonable or something, you can toss Buchanan into the mix, zero the balance, and call the whole thing "great chemistry." But let's be honest, the only thing that separates Buchanan from the racist uncle you long avoided as a child at family get-togethers is that at some point, it was decided that Buchanan should be rewarded for having what Jay Rosen so famously describes as "savvy," his creepy worldview notwithstanding.

Media Matters has crunched together a video that very ably documents how race, in the Sotomayor discussion, has been a pre-eminent obsession for Buchanan. I'd also draw your attention to Buchanan's insistences that "What is happening now to white men right now is exactly what was done to black folks for years" and that Sotomayor's career is literally founded in an anti-white animus. I continue to wonder precisely what ancient ritual the people at MSNBC perform, on a daily basis, that absolves them of the consequences of airing -- and rewarding! -- these sorts of statements.

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UPDATED: I would like to point out that Sotomayor's dissent in Pappas v. Giuliani, which I would hope the media is learning about now, wholly and precisely invalidates Buchanan's longstanding contentions -- repeated just yesterday! -- that "the salient cause of [Sotomayor's] career has been advancing persons of color, over whites, based on race and national origin." Going forward, there should never be an instance in which Buchanan is allowed to advance this idea without being immediately asked to reconcile his contention with this case.

MORE UPDATES: Media Monitor Clayton Fanellen highlights Tamron Hall's efforts to explain how "doors have been closed on [her] because [she's] a black woman." Which is good! Unfortunately, this whole segment ended with Hall signing off by reaffirming how nice she thinks Pat Buchanan is. Everyone just loves this "charming old coot with some warped views!"

[WATCH]

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Comments

[annshirley]

Pat and Bay are racist period. Pat reminds me of the old Gov.Wallace.
He has no clue what life is like for everyday Americans who are not white. He has no clue what it is like for those who are white that have blue collar jobs that have no health benefits. He is not nice "uncle Pat"
He is an old bitter out of touch elite white male whose is afraid of the present and the future.

[Breakwind]

Pat is salt of the earth American. Better to listen to him than stick your head in the sand and try to ignore him.

[stevensnell]

Oh, "salt of the earth." I think I know what that means...

[BonoVox]

Buchanan was nearly kicked out of Georgetown http://www.infoplease.com/spot/patbuchanan1.html
Even William Buckley called him out for his bigotry.

He's a bully, always has been. Frank McCort once quipped that one well-placed bomb at the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade would wipe out the cream of the crop of Irish mediocrity. Buchanan is the Grand Marshall of Irish mediocrity.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

It's ironic that today we celebrate the 65th anniversary of a great victory over Pat Buchanan's true allies.

[PC Contrarian]

Cute, but false.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

In 1977, Buchanan wrote:

"Those of us in childhood during the war years were introduced to Hitler only as caricature. ... Though Hitler was indeed racist and anti-Semitic to the core, a man who without compunction could commit murder and genocide, he was also an individual of great courage, a soldier's soldier in the Great War, a political organizer of the first rank, a leader steeped in the history of Europe, who possessed oratorical powers that could awe even those who despised him."

( Buchanan ) went on to say:

"Hitler's success was not based on his extraordinary gifts alone. His genius was an intuitive sense of the mushiness, the character flaws, the weakness masquerading as morality that was in the hearts of the statesmen who stood in his path."

http://www.realchange.org/buchanan.htm#hitler

Talk about sympathy for the devil...

[minkia]

I love that he's been going up against Lawrence O'Donell, he's brutal in his exposer of Pat's rubbish.

[youngblood360]

I can not believe how provincial the United States continues to be, especially since we are supposedly the "light of the world". I'm very proud of the fact that someone of Judge Sotomayor's intellect and pure tenacity has finally been appointed to the highest court in the land. Buchanan's racist comments are not surprising, neither are some of the idiotic comments made by some of the posters here. While the rest of the world evolves, the U.S. seems to stay stuck in the 1950's. Thankfully we have a great President attempting to move us out of the dark ages. If some of you wish to stay "stuck" then step out of the way and let the rest of us aspire to that "more perfect union".

[PC Contrarian]

First, she hasn't been appointed; she's been nominated. The Senate still has to confirm her.

Second, having grown up in the 50's; we're a long way from how life was then.
Much has been progress since then; but there has been a loss that you seem to not be aware of.
The decimation of the Black family by our welfare system, 5% out of wedlock births vs. 40% today guarantees single mothers of all races and their children will live in poverty, sky rocketing drug abuse, increasing expenditures in education with declining results, just to name a few.

If you and others think Obama is ushering in an Age of Enlightenment, check out the promises of Tony Blair when he became PM of the UK. I was surprised at the response from Britain to Obama at BBC.com; they've heard it before, and are highly skeptical of his grandiose rhetoric. You can discuss the similarities at BBC.com's Have Your Say.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

Though race relations were reactionary in the fifties, until a Eisenhower, a moderate (!) Republican began to rectify them, Labor Unions were at their height and provided many Americans entry into the middle class. The Fifties, therefore, functioned not because of some type of racist-generated morality, but because Labor Unions allowed people to make purchases without relying as much on debt.

Today, sixty-five years after the victory at Normandy, Americans have to fight Fascist Corporate Greed with the Employee Free Choice Act. If the fat cats continue to get all the money, the economy will continue to fail.

[Boboday555]

I keep forgetting, are we still pretending that Pat Buchanan isn't a filthy republican racist?

[roch20]

MSNBC does, duh!!!

[jd2408]

I have noticed there is not much difference between the Republican and Democrat sites. The people who try to give a thoughtful opinion are called names. Freedom of speech is limited to only the right view and the left view with nothing in the middle allowed. The media seems to be drawing the line and people are following like sheep. In the end it sounds like a bunch of children calling each other names.

[PC Contrarian]

I've noticed the same phenomenon; especially here at HP.

I was referred here by a liberal friend; but I've been disappointed in the level of discussion,

Often posts include:
criticism of the right for repeating "Republican talking points"; while parroting the official Democrat position in virtually identical terms as other leftist posts.

criticism of Republican politicians for behavior that is in ample supply by Democrat politicians; without ever mentioning Democrat failings.

judgmental comments about conservatives, for being judgmental conservatives; often the criticism is a projection and not well researched..

arrogant comments that are a substitute for critical thinking; by that I mean analysis, not just being critical.

the willingness to accept anything said by a Democrat, and reject everything said by a Republican; while accusing conservatives of being extremists!
Among those, slogans that could be easily debunked with basic googling skills; like
"Bush was selected, he wasn't elected"
"Bush lied, people died", etc.

The amount of double standards and hypocrisy is amusing. They seem to be the result of a lack of self-awareness by many "Progressives" here; all the while thinking themselves superior and more enlightened than anyone else.

I have on rare occasion run across exceptions to the rule; which gives me hope that others might change. You see; I also believe in "Hope and Change".

[squarebird]

Thank You!! I have been bombarded by the same phenomenon .. self-described 'tolerant' and 'progressives' revealing the most parochial, ignorant caricatures of often imaginary enemies. (For example everyone against abortion is a fundamentalist, uneducated Christian who wants to install a theocracy and who do not care about life, only punishing women. I know many anti-abortionists .. and just about all of them are secular middle-aged women who started out as pro-abortion - my wife even marched in a pro-choice rally in Missouri - who evolved their positions over time partly due to their own child-bearing and sonagram viewing experiences, and having friends who had abortions in the past they regret because they cannot bear one now that they want one. One would think this would be a meeting place for truly interesting discourse between such people and pro-choicers - people of similar sensibilities, but who have reached different conclusions. Instead any dissenters are shouted down as being 'closet Christianists'. ) The abortion issue is just an example of such reduction.

[PC Contrarian]

BTW, I'm not aware of a conservative web site that is the equivalent to HP.
Please refer me to one that has this kind of discussion board; but with a broad base of right wingers.

[stevensnell]

Free Republic? I don't know if there's a broad base of right wingers there, but there seem to be a lot of them.

[LeslieM]

People are often more comfortable when things are "black and white," and grey tends to make us uneasy. We know in real life everybody doesn't agree with the entire party platform, but the nuances in our thinking ruffles feathers. I think the site is great, and this very discussion would not be possible on other sites. Just keep it respectful.

To address Pat Buch. I have a visceral reaction when he speaks of "injustices", or when people speak of affirm. action as "taking away" something from a white person. Why is that some people feel that things "belong" to them automatically?

I was always told that affirm action may get you in the door, but the rest is up to you.

All people want is a chance. A level playing field. In regards to courts, if we've realized the importance of a jury of our "peers," it is time we strive to find some equilibration in our Nation's highest court.

[Whycee54]

Both Pat and Joe need to go. Both are overbearing people who won't let the otherside get a word in edgewise. We want intelligent debate not Jerry Springer of the NEWS.

[roch20]

Exactly!

[boatswain]

ummm...Pat Buchanan is a racist. Always has been, always will be. Nothing "creepy" about that. It's vile that he has a platform.

[Kache]

I think the headline on the article was lacking proper punctuation. It should have read:

Buchanan's Creepy. And Racial Obsessions Continuously Rewarded By Media.

[Mustang Sally]

Fabulous and spot on!!

[KOisGod]

I place Pat where he belongs. Last centuries sentry at the door to the republican's secret meeting to throw the rest of us under the bus.

[gevan]

Somehow we let the media frame the argument with loonies like Pat and Rush and Newt representing the right and Obama and party the left. As if those more liberal than the President don't count for anything they must be marginalized beyond the pale of the political discussion. In this case the old white guys like to point at Brown v. Board of Ed. as the epitome of what nine old white guys can come up with, but tend to ignore that the make up of the court also led to Plessey v. Fergusson and that Buchanan favorite Dred Scott v. Sanford.

[CrackerJacker]

It is regrettable. I mean, first off, of course that's how it is, because news organisations(I'm thinking specifically of the U.S. cable news channels), are run by corporations that employ middle-management to carry out policy, as opposed to being something people can actually affect.

On the one hand, I'm struck by the bizarreness of the direction of most of the cable news outlets - that they cover the news in the fashion they prefer, which quite frankly is a very closed shop with(Mostly) "news" men and women who pander to their guests, or people who grab the mic to yell their own point across at the expense of debate. While I'm of the opinion that FOX News covers most of the bases that followers of the Republican party, I don't recognise a lot of coverage for a more diverse range of stories and opinions in the media beyond that. Instead it becomes a fudge - painting with as broad and as insipid a brush as possible to make sure they don't alienate anyone, which really alienates an awful lot more people. Which is why the cable news outlets, for all their pomp and big budgets, and in one channel's case they tell you they're the most watched channel.....the total audience figures for ALL the cable news nets is a pitifully small percentage of the U.S. population. "The most watched channel", getting thirty-three million(Or thereabouts), out of a country with ten times that many people.

[CrackerJacker]

Nuts. I spent so long having to find words I could remove to make it fit, I can't remember what was on "the other hand". I'll come back if I do.

[kid creole]

In defense of Buchanan: He was boldly against the Iraq War when it was unpopular to do so. Hillary? Schumer? Kerry? They kept their collective mouths shut. He was one of the few conservatives who actually praised Obama's recent speech in Cairo, while only Hamas, Hizbullah, and the Republican establishment decried it. Sure he's anti-Israel, but shouldn't anyone who was against Apartheid or Jim Crow be against the incremental encroachment into Palestinian land?

He can have some pretty awful opinions in my view - his strict anti-abortion views - his very strong anti-immigrant views - but he is entitled to his opinion like anyone else on this site. I find it very disheartening how most people posting comments are completely writing him off, even when he was the loudest anti-war voice out there. Heck, he even wants us out of Afghanistan.

Mr. Buchanan is a conviction politician. With that comes the unfortunate problem that when you disagree with him, you do so violently. I cannot defend his meanness towards some people he dislikes. It is a weakness that I find unfortunate in a man who otherwise is an eloquent and valuable contributor to the national discourse.

[starboymikey]

It is a weakness that I find unfortunate in a man who otherwise is an eloquent and valuable contributor to the national discourse.
__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__

If you feel that outright bigotry can be a valuable contribution to the national discourse I suppose I'd have to agree with you. Perhaps there is some value in the ugliest side of Conservatism showing itself in plain sight.

[Siobhan11]

I felt everything you felt up until this point. As I said elsewhere in these comments, I had been liking him and respecting him, even though I often disagrred with him. Until now. This is just too much.

[madisonhack]

He's just an angry white guy that never made the grade. He should have remained a speech writer and let others read them.

[digeridoo]

Time to put Buchanan and all his cronies out of our misery...