Two Top Columnists Question Obama's DNA and "Full-blooded" Americanism

Liberal bloggers and commenters at The Washington Post op-ed section are rightly criticizing a column this week by syndicated scribe Kathleen Parker that questions Barack Obama's "deep-seated" Americanism. But she is only following the footsteps of Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal who raised similar issues three weeks ago -- and was praised by NBC's Brian Williams for a "Pulitzer" worthy effort.

Noonan wrote then:

Hillary Clinton is not Barack Obama's problem. America is Mr. Obama's problem...[H]as he ever gotten misty-eyed over... the Wright Brothers and what kind of country allowed them to go off on their own and change everything? How about D-Day, or George Washington, or Henry Ford, or the losers and brigands who flocked to Sutter's Mill, who pushed their way west because there was gold in them thar hills?

Henry Ford was a vicious anti-Semite, but no matter. For Noonan continued:

John McCain carries it in his bones. Mr. McCain learned it in school, in the Naval Academy, and, literally, at grandpa's knee....

Mr. Obama? What does he think about all that history? Which is another way of saying: What does he think of America? That's why people talk about the flag pin absent from the lapel. They wonder if it means something. Not that the presence of the pin proves love of country -- any cynic can wear a pin, and many cynics do. But what about Obama and America? Who would have taught him to love it, and what did he learn was lovable, and what does he think about it all?...

[N]o one is questioning his patriotism, they're questioning its content, its fullness.

No one? And surely not Peggy Noonan. And, of course, Obama has spoken about why he loves American often and at great length, if Noonan might have noticed if she was paying attention.

Now, Kathleen Parker, in contrast, used the words of another to set forth her central premise. At least this time she didn't quote someone who suggested that certain liberals be taken out and shot, as she did in a column back in 2003.

She opened this week's column (she is published in dozens of papers) by quoting 24-year-old Josh Fry of West Virginia who said he backed John McCain over Barack Obama: "His feelings aren't racist, he explained. He would just be more comfortable with 'someone who is a full-blooded American as president.'"

We don't know Mr. Fry, but polls did show that an extraordinarily high number of voters in the recent Democratic primary in West Virginia did -- privately -- admit that race had an awful lot to do with their vote.

But Parker assured us, again, that her own views had nothing to do with race:

Full-bloodedness is an old coin that's gaining currency in the new American realm. Meaning: Politics may no longer be so much about race and gender as about heritage, core values, and made-in-America. Just as we once and still have a cultural divide in this country, we now have a patriot divide.

Who 'gets' America? And who doesn't?...It's about blood equity, heritage and commitment to hard-won American values. And roots.

Some run deeper than others and therein lies the truth of Josh Fry's political sense. In a country that is rapidly changing demographically -- and where new neighbors may have arrived last year, not last century -- there is a very real sense that once-upon-a-time America is getting lost in the dash to diversity.

We love to boast that we are a nation of immigrants -- and we are. But there's a different sense of America among those who trace their bloodlines back through generations of sacrifice.

Parker, of course, ignores the fact that Obama, in fact, is half-white, is related (god help us) to Dick Cheney, and can trace his family back as far as McCain in America -- to George Washington, even. And speaking of "generations of sacrifice": Obama's grandfather fought in World War II.

Those fine small-town Americans may not know any of that -- and Parker sure doesn't remind them. "What they know," she relates, "is that their forefathers fought and died for an America that has worked pretty well for more than 200 years. What they sense is that their heritage is being swept under the carpet while multiculturalism becomes the new national narrative. And they fear what else might get lost in the remodeling of America."

Even Hillary Clinton has "figured it out," Parker writes. Her "own DNA is cobbled with many of the same values that rural and small-town Americans cling to. She understands viscerally what Obama has to study."

After noting other true American values such as easy gun ownership, Parker concludes, "Full-blooded Americans get this. Those who hope to lead the nation better get it soon." Of course, the only half-white and half-native Obama is not "full-blooded." Get it?

As for Parker's support for serve-your-country Americanism, few may remember her 2003 column that attacked Jessica Lynch, another West Virginian, and one who nearly lost her life for the U.S. in Iraq. "What the hell was Jessica Lynch doing in the U.S. Army?" Parker asked.

"Regardless of what did or didn't happen over there, Lynch's book, movie and notoriety are not wasted, but offer a cautionary tale: A 5-foot-4-inch, 100-pound woman has no place in a war zone nor, arguably, in the military.

"The feminist argument that women can do anything men can do is so absurd that it seems unworthy of debate. That some women are as able as some men in some circumstances hardly constitutes a defense for 'girling' down our military - and putting men at greater risk - so that the Jessica Lynches can become kindergarten teachers.

"Lynch is not so much 'a symbol of Bush administration propaganda,' as Frank Rich wrote in The New York Times, as she is a victim of the PC military career myth sold to young women through feminist propaganda."

Greg Mitchell's new book is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Fails on Iraq. It has been hailed by Bill Moyers, Glenn Greenwald and others, and features a preface by Bruce Springsteen. Mitchell is editor of Editor & Publisher.

Comments

[autrykid]

Noonan is a right wing hack, and it appears Parker is too. Do they want to start a credentials war?
Their comments are racist based in trying to place Obama in a bad light in the public's mind. I just can't wait for the real race to begin so the right wing and Neo Cons can really unload their mixture of lies, innuendo, and disinformation about Obama. These people ave more dangerous now because their collective backs are to the wall, and while they are in that position, we should pull the trigger.

[Grit]

Maybe its time we tried something else for leadership beside the American blue bloods, that have been subjected to enough inbreeding to produce GW. I would imagine with a name like Noonan, Peggys American ancestry started around 1900. Noonan and Parker are both saying what their blue blood masters tell them to say. They like most of the right wing mouths have been bought and paid for. I have a direct line back to John Adams on one side and back to the governor of Newyork about 1740. That and two dollars will buy a cup of coffee except at starbucks. THIS is the United States the melting pot . If you want to live in an all white country move to Switzerland. Not ot say anything bad about them ( they are really progressive) but this country is suppose to be based on NO aristocracy or nobles or just one race. This is the UNITED states love what it really is or leave it. Sorry I got carried away.

[HypocrisyAlarm]

Surprisingly, there are significant numbers of "others" in Switzerland, too.

[DiogenesII]

Part 2
"The 3/5th Compromise"

The issue of slavery at the end of the eighteenth century was rapidly becoming divisive between the North and the South. In order to deal with this smoldering issue, the 3/5 Compromise was proposed as an addition to the Constitution by James Wilson as a way of persuading the South to ratify the Constitution. The idea that a state's representation in the government should be determined by the population of the state was an issue that was brought up by Northern representatives. Recognizing that the less populated southern states would be concerned with this, it was determined that the South would probably only accept the Constitution if the slaves in their states counted towards the population of their state. The results written in the Constitution are summarized in Article I, section 2, and Article IV, section 2.
For representation and taxation, there was the "3/5th compromise". This compromise was widely misunderstood by the public. Many people think that it was that Blacks WERE CONSIDERED TO BE 3/5th HUMAN, which is not at all true

[reasonlives]

This "I love America more than you" garbage is childish and idiotic. I am disappointed Obama has decided to play this tiresome game. Also, he looks like a weak willed panderer notwthat he is going around with the silly flag lapel pin after he was criticized for not wearing one. He would have earned some respect if he had stood his ground, but he chose not to and instead caved in, trying to win cheap political points from a bunch of morons who wont vote for him anyway.
He is doing the same pandering on Israel, trying to convince people he can be as one sided and biased on that issue as the US normally is.
This is not promising as to his ability to stand up to political pressure in the future, and his "new politics" was supposed to be one of his main selling points. We dont need more craven, pandering, selfishly ambitious politicians, we have more than enough thank you.

[chappelforpres]

"Hillary Clinton is not Barack Obama's problem. America is Mr. Obama's problem..."

More to the point Peggy, that would be today's unsettling America. Endless war, corporate greed, grinding poverty, substandard health-care, declining wages and evaporating opportunity. Not the white, blue collar, provincial America, you seem to be waning nostalgic about. Poorly educated, unread, untraveled and decidedly fear-ridden. Most of them living paycheck to paycheck, mired in dead end manufacturing / service jobs that could evaporate tomorrow. While looming on the horizon are growing numbers of even hungrier Hispanic's, willing to take even less.

The question about Obama should be; Is a leader capable of resuscitating a nation seemingly on the precipice? Not a arcane discussion on some genealogical litmus test he must pass to meet your muster!

[dragonsmusic]

Huge grammatical error! How the press, the pundits, and the president fails on Iraq. The hyphens do not change the grammatical structure of the book title. Pundits alone is plural, not to mention the press and the president are also being referred to. Wow.
How the press, the pundits, and the president FAIL on Iraq! Fails refers to he, she, or it; not they!

[k6007]

Oh, I'm sorry. Sen. Obama happens to have 6 American presidential markers on his dna.

[simpleshepard]

It's about time we all turned to the African American next to us and thank them for lifting America on their backs and making it what it is today. There is no doubt that America would be much less than it is today without their Blood Sweat and Tears. They are owed very much. They are more American than many of those who rode used them cruelly and mercilessly to great wealth and prosperity.
The stupidity and inherent racism in those statements are the last dying moans of an "America" that has overstayed it's usefulness.
This next generation is all but blind to those kinds of "Core Values" which are just more Orwellian code words for "White People Only Club".

[Choicelady]

Thank you for saying this! We do indeed owe Black America a debt of gratitude - as we do all other groups who have toiled to make this a better place to live. There can be an "us" in US.

And let us not forget that all immigrants adopted the American Dream right from the git-go, even as our forefathers and mothers loved and sometimes longed for the home of their past. Embrace America??? We have had the 'Amurican' president for eight years - son and grandson of wealth and supposedly rock-ribbed values. In him it did not 'take'. He cares so little for us and for our traditions that he went AWOL, robbed investors blind, and robbed us of our Constitution. What an incredibly stupid set of comments by Noonan et al. who ought to be deeply ashamed of themselves. If there is one person who 'gets America' it may well be this skinny young man with the funny name. I've not felt such intense commitment to core values from any candidate outside of Dennis Kucinich - another candidate deeply committed to democracy, not corporatism, to people, not money. Now those are American values!

[Nolewoman]

Well said. Thank you, both you and simpleshepherd are spot on.

[Woodmist]

So we're supposed to go back to checking "drops" of blood? Please everyone here is an immigrant regardless of how long their ancestors have been here...except Native Americans. This is just appalling.

[Jason357]

Though I don't support the purity argument, not everyone in the US is an immigrant and all immigrants don't share the same original culture. There are ancestors of the original colonists A colonist establishes their original culture in a new location, and an immigrant assimilates to an existing culture. So, be sure not to confuse colonists with immigrants. ast time I checked, the colonists didn't assimilate to the lifestyle of native Americans.

[JustMyWords]

No, we just stole their land and committed genocide. Woodmist's point is still accurate - unless you're Native American, your family came here from somewhere else. Actually, if you really want to get esoteric, the Native Americans didn't come from here, either. It appears that life originated in Africa and spread out from there. Hey, maybe that means Obama's bloodlines are actually LONGER, right?

[ReElectNoOne]

Since when is DNA even an issue? I get tired of people ( media ) trying to create issues just because they have nothing productive to do or say relevant to the campaign.

The Constitution says you have to be born in the USA. It says nothing about your forefathers birth place, origin, or race. DNA is not part of any political check list.

The criteria is can he do the job...?

Yes Yes Yes...better than "White" McCain if "White" Bush is any indication.

A better criteria, especially for incumbents in Congress is what does their history show they accomplished...and for who? Most will fail that test.

[Grit]

My cat can do a better job than McCain, Bush or republicans in congress, and many of the democrats in congress.

[nyboomer]

I am a naturalized citizen born in Israel. Quite often I have had Americans explain to me who I am and why I am not who I think I am. They as native born citizens are inherently able to discern my character 2 minutes after they have met me and been told of past.

My feeling that they are bigots of a major order is bolstered by their explanations of the essence of Judaism and of being born somewhere else on the surface of the planet. 99% of them have never left the state they born in and a goodly number never got out of the county they live. This is no way impairs their analytical abilities in reference to anyone who is not a white native born christian.

It bespeaks a deep seated provincialism on the part of people who could neither spell nor define the term.

[HypocrisyAlarm]

Excellent!! I had my fill of this sort of thing in Texas. There one frequently encounters people whose ideas they accepted wholesale from parents, ministers, (mostly) right-leaning politicians, etc. without evaluation of any outside information or counter-arguments. In other words, these people fervently believe ideas from their pre-vetted sources as absolutes in a void of any critical thinking. It was so maddening, I had to flee to Europe, where I consider myself a political refugee from the US.

[southernsepia]

Slavery established the American economy.

African Americans have fought and died in every war the nation has ever waged, including the Revolutionary War.

Civil rights movement created freedoms that all Americans now take for granted.

Cultural contributions such as Jazz, Swing, and Rock and Roll define American style.


African Americans - THE full blooded American Experience!

[Tommygun264]

Questioning whether or not Barack Obama is "American" enough - code for "he's not one of us, there's something 'dark' and mysterious about this guy, if you know what we mean". Now that's original. Kathleen Parker and Peggy Noonan have done Joe McCarthy proud.

[cgpunker]

Wait. What?
How is it that this is even a conversation. Obama isn't a full blooded American? Why, becuase he was born here and lived here most of his life?

Can we stop with the distracting hackory?

[JennMostrom]

Sen. Obama respects and reveres the Constitution - that's the "deep-seated" Americanism I care about, especially after 7 years of an administration that considers the Constitution little more than a "piece of paper" easily disregarded.

[HypocrisyAlarm]

I think the Destructive Duo found the Constitution a positive hindrance to what they wanted to do and used every tool at their disposal to subvert it. I sincerely hope that the next government investigates how they and their accomplices executed this. America made a mistake in allowing Nixon to go unpunished after his abuses of power, and many so helped rehabilitate his reputation later that he became a respected elder statesman before he died. Perpetrators of such actions and abuses deserve to die in ignominy, and I want the current pair to wear the "worst administration in the history of the US" onus for the rest of their lives. Further, I firmly believe some of what they have done is criminal, and I would love to see the both of them spending enforced time with some ordinary Americans who did not have the advantages enjoyed by these two.

[whatsmyname]

Noonan and Parker, as Frank, might have said, "...just two broads who sleep too close to their hands."

[xenofile]

What????

[suzyku]

These are "top" columnists?! NOT!!!!