Cliff Schecter

Cliff Schecter

Posted: April 28, 2008 03:02 PM

John McCain's White Supremacist Problem

digg Share this on Facebook Huffpost - stumble reddit del.ico.us RSS

One would have to strain to be shocked that a racist ad is finding its way out of the bowels of conservativism in North Carolina. For political observers from the 1980s and 1990s will remember that Senator Jesse Helms was a master of using divisive tactics inject race into just about everything he did outside of brushing his teeth -- whenever he wasn't straining through the holes in the sheet he was wearing to see his Jefferson Davis emblazoned toothbrush.

Yet, racism for electoral gain obviously did not go away with Helms' retirement from politics. And neither has Republican timidity in doing anything to control the extreme elements in the party--or their base if you will. So once again, just as other conservatives sat idly by and claimed Jesse was just being Jesse, now John McCain throws his hands up in the air as if there is nothing he can do when a racist ad is run by the North Carolina GOP against Barack Obama:

ABC NEWS' Bret Hovell and Russell Goldman report: Sen. John McCain said Thursday that if elected president -- and becomes the de facto head of the GOP -- he would not demand a change in the leadership of the North Carolina Republican Party despite condemning its plan to air an ad attacking Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, and his controversial minister.

It's good to know where the Senator stands on this issue (at least today). In my book, The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him And Why Independents Shouldn't, I recount McCain' questionable past on issues of race his entire career. From the many years he rejected a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (pretty much the entire 70s and 80s) to his serial flip-flops on the Confederate Flag in 2000 (which he admits he did for political reasons -- no way, not you Johnny!) to his close association with a white supremacist named Richard Quinn, who found himself hired as a political advisor by McCain in 2000 (and still is from what I can tell) after openly praising David Duke (he called him a "maverick") selling t-shirts praising the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and writing/editing for a magazine (Southern Partisan) that reminded us that slave masters just really weren't all that bad.

That's The Real McCain for you. Now I'll be waiting for the media to do their job and report on his close association with a white supremacist just as they have every aspect of Barack Obama's life. While not overly sanguine, I do have hope that some of the more responsible voices in the press, who as of late have been pointing out McCain's dangerous temper and penchant for not understanding who we're fighting abroad, will continue to show the courage to stand up to the McCain Machine.

Cliff Schecter is the author of The Real McCain: Why Conservatives Don't Trust Him And Why Independents Shouldn't. For only $10, you can buy it and keep both John McCain and Cliff's 18-month old son in diapers.

 
Comments
96
Pending Comments
0
iPhone App Promo

Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to

View Comments:
Page: 1 2 3 Next › Last » (3 pages total)

I've known some racists, as have you.

But they were not mentors or pastors whose feet I sat at and learned from for twenty years.

See the difference? No, I set the bar too high.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:15 PM on 04/29/2008
photo

Nice try but if McCain is going to play the 'guilt by association" card then HIS own "guilt by association" needs answers - plain and simple, no excuses!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:10 PM on 05/01/2008

McCain has a lot to answer for in this department which is why I'm pissed at Obama for denouncing Wright on command. John McCain could tap dance through Afghanastan with Osama bin Laden waving a Confederate flag and singing Carry Me Back to Old Virginiy and no one would say anything but Wright sneezes and Obama's career depends on whether he runs the old man over two times or three. Meanwhile Hillary has all but switched parties on us. Coverage? None.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:05 PM on 04/29/2008
- lobo1939 I'm a Fan of lobo1939 6 fans permalink
photo

This IS the Republican Party's southern strategy. The people voting republican know full well what the game is are either indifferently callous or agree. He could put David Duke up as his running mate and it would not affect his polling numbers a damned bit. They long ago, in the 70s, ran off all the people in the USA who give a damn about racism and have been successful ever since.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:48 PM on 04/29/2008

John McCain would NEVER associate with white supremisists. He does not take money from lobbiests, he does not break rules, he does not flip-flop, he does not make mistakes. This man confessed truthfully under torture. He does not sip lattes or look down his nose at people. He is a hero and as such deserves to be president. Whatever you may read or hear or see about John McCain, if it conflicts with his statements, it is wrong and made up and incorrect. He is a hero to be worshipped. McCain/Clinton 08

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:03 PM on 04/29/2008

“He is a hero to be worshipped.” Definition of worship: The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object. Now I know this may a bit too logical to some, however, you can still acknowledge a man’s service to his country and choose NOT to worship or vote for him. Your passion is commendable; it is your delivery that will bring derision.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:50 PM on 04/29/2008

For a good list of neo-confederate quotes/positions from Quinn's Southern Partisan magazine, go to:

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1880

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:56 PM on 04/29/2008
- darcy I'm a Fan of darcy 28 fans permalink

Blah blah blah racism....blah blah blah racism. Good grief.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:05 PM on 04/29/2008
photo

Damn right!!! When will the MSM do their "fair and balanced" reporting of McCain and his associations?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:41 PM on 04/29/2008
- randyjet I'm a Fan of randyjet 25 fans permalink

This is funny! The guy Quinn is pretty far down the organization and may have met McCain a couple of times according to the Wash. Post article. It is hardly the same as being intimately linked with his pastor for 20 years. Obama himself has acknowledged that problem. It is also NOT the same either since Quinn has not bombed buildings and killed people as the Weathermen did. Obama worked side by side with Ayers on an eight man board for years. He fully knew Ayers politics and not so past terrorist activities. It is even worse since Ayers said that he thought his terrorism was GOOD and didn't do ENOUGH bombings!
It would not be an issue with me IF Ayers had said he was wrong and he was sorry for his actions. The problem with Wright would not be a significant either if Wright was somewhat apologetic for his overheated remarks. He is not. At least Quinn, is NOT proud of some of his magazines positions and seeks to distance himself from some of his co-horts. To give a better way for what Wright should have said. God Damn America for what it did to blacks, and others. Not a blanket condemnation of our total history and country.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:49 AM on 04/29/2008

I have so much more respect for Obama now. The man is getting a new age Lynching in the MSM for Guilt by Association.....one for sitting on a Board with a man that was himself acquitted for laws broken when Obama was 8....and for the words of his pastor whom he has denounced and again today has firmly stated he has nothing else to do with.

While MCcain can seek endorsements from crazy pastors than Wright (remember Hagee), can flip flop on issues as serious as the war, and hell mostly everything else since trying to appease the far right.. Hillary can blatantly lie to the American people, from Sniper Fire to Nafta... and we have got Obama strung up in a media Noose for guilt by association.

God Damn the Main Stream Media and the Simple minded folks that buy into their BS!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:05 PM on 04/29/2008
- Pookie2112 I'm a Fan of Pookie2112 3 fans permalink

My father was a born and raised racist and bigot. Many times we agreed to disagree, especially when the issue was race and ethnicity, however, the man was my best friend and I loved him despite his "shortcomings". Does that make me racist and bigotted just because my father was? By some of the "logic" here, regardless of my own, personal feelings, since my father was racist, so am I.

When I was a church-going lass, there were many issues I disagreed with my pastor but I still went to church - does it mean that because I continued going to church, that I agreed with EVERYTHING my pastor said? Again, by some of the "logic" here, regardless of my own, personal feelings, since I went to church, I must have agreed with my pastor.

I could care less about this "guilty by association" bullshit - it needs to GO. However, as usual, discussing the ISSUES isn't "Star Magazine" enough for the MSM.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:07 AM on 04/29/2008

you can not choose your father, you can and should choose your church

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:12 PM on 04/29/2008
- realtalk I'm a Fan of realtalk 13 fans permalink

Let's not forget that since the year 1993, Hillary Clinton REGULARLY attended the prayer meetings of DOUGLAS COE, a pastor who in recorded sermons has praised HITLER!!!

I have noticed, very starkly, that this FACT, gets NO mention at all in the press, even though the sermons in which this man praised HITLER, as well as other dictatorships, is available on the internet.

Can anyone else guess why this FACT got less than 2 day of coverage in the mainstream press?!
I thought HITLER was the worst human beings to have lived on this planet.

So why no coverage of Hillary's REGULAR attendance at this man, Dougals Coe's prayer meetings for 15 years?!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:16 AM on 04/29/2008
- shelobo I'm a Fan of shelobo 7 fans permalink

If you want the media to report on McCains close supremist friendships ,do not email the story to Sean Hannity.He would not touch the story with a ten foot pole ,let alone a twenty foot one.Besides it would anger Hannitys OWN CLOSE FRIEND Hal Turner.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:47 AM on 04/29/2008
- UnbiasView I'm a Fan of UnbiasView 20 fans permalink

If it has any truth to it he will, I doubt it has the juicy things were looking for like Rev. Wright and domestic terrorist ties.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:42 AM on 04/29/2008

I would make one point. Obama's core is black. There is little to gain in trying to smear McCain with race and it might well backfire.

Obama's problem is Wright. McCain's problem will be his age and Iraq. I suspect making him out to be a racist will be counterproductive because it's really only going to influence the core that Obama has wrapped up.

Obama, though, may not be the nominee. Then you might use race to some advantage. After all, smearing is smearing right? At least the left is no longer pretending the republicans smear and democrats do not. What a bunch of smear-mongers the left is for their candidate.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:08 AM on 04/29/2008

Steve there you go, you have spilled all that Mc Cain water you're carrying all over yourself. Now look at you, you're all wet.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:46 AM on 04/29/2008
photo

What does THAT mean..."Obama's core is black"? What are you trying to say here? That it's ok to have white associates with radical views?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:45 PM on 04/29/2008
- PAposter I'm a Fan of PAposter 116 fans permalink
photo

Why doesn't the media talk about Hillary Clinton saying "SCREW 'EM, WE DON'T NEED THEM", referring to "White working class men" in Arkansas?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:03 AM on 04/29/2008
- FirstShirt I'm a Fan of FirstShirt 58 fans permalink

Well, if he sat there for 20 years listening to them and then denied being of one mind I would agree. if rev. Wright was just a black racist who applauded Barack then no harm no foul.

But, if he sat there and listened to the antiamerican and antiwhite Rev. Wright propaganda for 20 years shame on him.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:26 AM on 04/29/2008
- tdpubs I'm a Fan of tdpubs 86 fans permalink
photo

So should Catholics leave the church because their priest molested some kids? Sorry, I don't agree with my pastor on a lot of things but I don't want to leave my church because he's got opposing ideas on gays and leans Republican. That's not what church is about. That sounds like talking points.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:18 AM on 04/29/2008
- JoeLib I'm a Fan of JoeLib 10 fans permalink
photo

And by the same logic, not all Catholics are child molesters if the priest in their parish was a child molester.

Jeremiah Wright has said inflammatory things, yes. But you can't watch 3 minutes on YouTube and understand the man's 20+ year pastoral message.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:30 AM on 04/29/2008

Man, if you still think Wright is 'antiamerican and antiwhite' then you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:45 AM on 04/29/2008

Your post is dead on.....but this isn't about being truthful, it's about smearing. And any excuse to smear is a good excuse to the end justifies the means left wing.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:10 AM on 04/29/2008
- cadbury I'm a Fan of cadbury 4 fans permalink

I also want the media to go after Jon McCain--but in the general election, not now.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:31 AM on 04/29/2008
Page: 1 2 3 Next › Last » (3 pages total)
Comments are closed for this entry

 You must be logged in to comment. Log in  or connect with 

Connect