When Rove Calls Obama Arrogant, He Means "Uppity"

Karl Rove says Barack Obama is arrogant.

We've heard that; we've heard the pejorative "arrogant" before. When I say "we" I mean those of us who are "others" in America; people of color. Minorities. Women. We hear the word all the time from a select section of privileged white guys; the codifying they use when they fear the silver spoons are about to be snatched from their lily palaces: "Those people... How dare they think they can work jobs like ours or live in neighborhoods like ours or send their children to school with ours? Those people are just so damn arrogant."

Arrogant, of course, is a euphemism. In the monochromatic bunkers from which old-schoolers cling to power the true word they use is "uppity" when hurled at blacks. It's the "B-word" for women. I'm not sure what the Rovian ilk use for the Latinos and Asian-Americans who dare claim their due, but I'm sure it's equally as derisive and wielded with sick pleasure.

Arrogant?

The only arrogance Obama is guilty of is the same "Unforgivable Blackness" so many exceptional people of color have demonstrated throughout the history of this country: a refusal to bend to the will of the Retro Guard. To Rove, to the neocons such attitude is wholly unacceptable. Back in the day such "arrogance" was met with a strong rope and tall branch, and anyone who believes that analogy to be too harsh, read here how Roy Bryant and J.W.Milam dealt with the arrogance of 13 year old Emmett Till.

But in this day and age Karl Rove is reduced to making statements which he does not even have the meat to own up to.

Nevertheless, speaking of Obama's "arrogance" Rove is quoted as saying: "Even if you never met (Obama), you know this guy. He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone."

Really, Mr. Rove? Do you really wish to go there? I will give you the cigarette. Obama did smoke. I will give you the beautiful date. Beyond being a Harvard-educated lawyer, Michelle Obama is a beautiful woman. But I would bet the farm -- and I have a farm to bet -- that George Bush has been in more country clubs than Barack Obama. I would easily take the line on who's had more cocktails in their day. And isn't it the current president who loves to slap a condescending nickname on everyone?

And is there anything more arrogant, Mr. Rove, than ignoring the international community, the United Nations, weapons inspectors on the ground, very facts themselves, to invade a nation because you and a small cadre believe it's the right thing to do? Is there anything more arrogant than the belief that after such an invasion we as the occupying nation will be welcomed as liberators? Is there anything more arrogant than slapping on a flight suit, playing like you're the one landing on a carrier deck, making nice for the cameras before that infamous banner while tens of thousands of troops are left behind to fight, and four thousand (and counting) are left to die?

Arrogant?

It's nothing but hubris for the neocons to believe they can win the election on that one.

Comments

[robjh1]

John you are so far off. Why are you bringin an element of race into this campaign? John McCain was not implying that Barack is "uppity". You are introducing an element of race that would be blasted by any one else. You should be ashamed of yourself!

[TAHARQA]

r u a person of color???

[DatelessNerd]

Sorry, Mr. Ridley, but I have to disagree with you here.

This isn't about race. It's about temperament.

Barack Obama possesses a Rational predisposition, which means he's an abstract thinker who bases his decisions primarily on thinking rather than feeling. Rational temperaments are very rare, yet Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Darwin, and Einstein all possessed it.

And the knock against Rationals, from those who don't understand them, is that they are arrogant.
http://www.keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirsey&f=fourtemps&tab=5&c=architect

Strategically, Karl Rove is trying to capitalize on the fundamental misunderstanding that concrete thinkers (85% of the population) have about people like Senator Obama. They equate arrogance with vanity, which couldn't be further from the truth. Barack Obama's goal isn't personal gratification, it's a sense of responsibility to take the lead and do what's right to improve this nation.

Barack Obama is a victim of discrimination. But in this case, it's not the color of his skin. It's the content of his MAGNIFICENT character.

[eden4barack08]

Love your comment!

[ljmck]

Thank you, Mr. Ridley. I heard uppity. I heard hatred. Appreciate your calling Mr. Rove out on this.

[iMercy]

John Ridley is exactly correct. I'm a WASP with plenty of country club friends, and Mr. Ridley is not exhibiting any hatred of rich white people. Rather, he exhibits a clear understanding of political discourse. There's rhetoric, which is a legitimate skill, and there's propaganda, which is a malicious skill. Many of the posters here have little understanding of linguistics and how it applies to psychology. Rove understands it, and Mr. Ridley understands what Rove was doing.

If you think Rove means just what he says, you are the perfect consumer of neocon propaganda. "Arrogant" may or may not be a code word, but when Rove speaks, all words, especially adjectives, are code words. As for his "country club" scenario, it's just another way of saying, "Mr. Obama, you don't BELONG here."

John Ridley nailed this one.

[haleywins]

If Rove directly said "uppiity" he would be directly accused of racism, this way "arrogant" is neocon for the same thing.

[darker]

Republicans think Obama is "uppity" because he is EDUCATED.
And REPUBLICANS HATE EDUCATION.

Dumb and dumber works for them.
"Look at Bush! Look at McCain! See how they run!"

See how they run their NANNY STATE FOR THE RICH
& corporate "welfare queens."

No thanks.
Give us somebody WITH BRAINS, not without them.
And now, it definitely is Obama.
Education + the brains to use it.

[jspivey]

I hope you're not saying that just because Obama is black that he can't be "arrogant.­" If Rove had wanted to call Obama "uppity", wouldn't he have used that word? Lots of people have called Obama arrogant, not just Karl Rove.

[dawlishgal]

Yeah right, and Rove has lots of disciples spreading his gospel. Obama has a lot to be proud of. If a bunch of creepy underachievers want to call it "arrogance," isn't it THEIR problem.

[Erdgeist]

Now, why use an ad hominem in the first place? Have people gone nuts? There is no reason to condemn "the man". Obama's ideas are what is in question. So the presumption is that Rove does mean U-N, because it is the unfortunate habit of latter-day Republicans to inject race into elections.

[LeftCoaster64]

yes they have, and for the same silly, blatently political reasons Karl Rove did

[eden4barack08]

Rove might all the bad things he is, but even he wouldn't be dumb enough to outright call Obama "uppity". Code words dear, it's all about code words this season!

[Mdazes]

"Code Words" are alive and well. Ask Bill Clinton.

[GoldCanyonGal]

...and when he says "...with a beautiful woman on his arm..." you might have noticed he didn't say 'beautiful wife'...th­at's code for white men everywhere to watch their women, wives and daughters, around this guy...and you can bet they got the message loud and clear.

[Deaninphilly]

Well, they kind of came right out and called him a racist.

[TimmySlagle]

"Arrogant" is a euphemism for "uppity?"

First time I heard that one. In fact, if you spend any time here on the pages of the HuffPo, you would probably think it is synonomus with "President­ial."

Hagel: Bush Administration "The Most Incompetent, Arrogant I Have Ever Seen Or Read About"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/29/hagel-bush-administration_n_74672.html

I agree Bush is very arrogant And this is a situation up with we won't have to put in 7 more months.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/_108312.html

The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20071214/huckabee-foreign-policy/

The Bush brain trust, ignorant, dimwitted, arrogant, and faith based, which actually describes George Bush.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/13/bush-security-adviser-ste_n_96420.html

...arrogan­t belief system of George W Bush and his cronies,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/bush-will-be-this-century_b_83501.html

Bush is so arrogant that he doesn't care where his words come from,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-schlesinger/bushs-secret-speechwriter_b_96343.html

I'm growing weary of the Political Correctniks telling me which words I cannot use. It seems to me, that if it's okay to call the President "arrogant" that anyone running for the office, should be able to tolerate it.

[bluesjones63]

John Ridley was not telling you words you cannot use. He was telling you how the words you use are "heard", how words have historical context, how words can empower or denigrate.

[beverett]

But what word then does one use? It seems to me that no matter what word is used and "arrogant" is the only word that comes to mind, "condescending" might be another one --- they will all be (inappropriately) translated to "uppity" and that's not only wrong but it's also unfair.

It is a human trait and as such has no bounds for any group of human beings.

You say it isn't a word that cannot be used but if it is offensive to some then why use it? And if it can't be used, then what word ought to be used? Such things especially with respect to racism can not be applied 'willy nilly'. It just seems to me that when it gets to this point that the point is actually moot, i.e., there is no point.

[masterpolitico]

Rove also said Obama was the guy who stood in a corner in the country club with a ciggarette in his mouth making fun of the passerby. Most of America doesn't have half of the money necessary to get in to a Country Club to see that guy. Rove has got to be one of the most arrogant people in Politics. Sut up Karl. You have no power now after you and George broke up.

[samhobson30]

Barak Obama doesnt want to start opening up oil drilling it takes years to get the oil. If we dont start drilling and getting to the oil now then it will still take years from the point when we do start why not start now. I just cant believe this guy wants to be president im not totally hip about mc cain either the politicians we have are supposed to be public servants . Issues Issues Issues Who cares let the morons have the office. Who cares Maybe God will hear my prayers and ill have a good job a fantastic wife and die someday and live forever .

[Pquilson]

What would the oil situation be without the moratorium since 1981?

[CyrusBeaucephus]

Huh?! What does oil have to do with any of this? The most arrogant thing I can recall that relates to energy was when Reagan took the solar panels off the White House roof , and declare 'Morning in America'. Carter was mocked openly by the GOP for telling the truth about energy. Too bad we didn't listen to him, because now we are screwed. More drilling is going to change all that? I seriously doubt it. We are running out of oil. Drilling in protected areas is also going to further trash the environment, which is why no one but Republicans want to do it

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Your post is off-topic but still merits a response. There is not enough oil either in ANWR nor off-shore to justify the hysteria about it. If we did drill in all of the available places, experts say there would be possibly a few years worth of oil. While I agree that under our current circumstances we could use all the oil we can get, the far more important thing is to find alternatives. We humans have proven over and over and over again, ad nauseum, that if we find a temporary solution to a larger problem, we will avoid the hard truths and avoid making perhaps painful changes to adapt.

This is why people like Al Gore say that $5 gasoline would be beneficial in forcing us to change habits...c­hanges that will be forced upon us eventually anyhow. The longer we wait, the more painful those changes will be.

[gtalkspolitics]

Carl Rove has got to say things like this to keep the attention away from this adminstration ROVE dubb as "THE BRAIN" this BRAIN has left this country in a total mess.., from the Iraq war to education gas prices and world affairs,et­c.., everthing this current adminstration touched it destroyed.­., only the greedy corporation MR. ROVES's Uppity arrogant friends are benefiting and robbing the american people blind.
"The brain" is hard at work to keep focus off him self he is popping up everywhere making stupid statements like this he knows if MSM really put him and this adminstration under the smell test the truth is going to be exposed!!!

[Sneakerface]

I'm a passionate Obama supporter, and I truly believe that Karl Rove should be imprisoned for the rest of his life for his crimes. But I have a problem with people claiming that people "really mean" something else when they say a word. Where is the evidence that Rove is "talking in code ?"

Sure, I would love the political advantage of my candidate being able to charge his opponents with this, but I have a sense (unless you prove me otherwise) that this is just emotional thinking. Elsewhere in this thread someone responded that if you ask someone older, they will "get it" that it is all "code." I think the context of everything is very important - but we're not living in the 50s, or 60s, or 70s. We're iiving in the present. There is still plenty of racism in the US, and there are plenty of tangible, concrete things that conservatives have said, and meant, that are just plain evil. No need to read into other things.

[beverett]

I am a passionate supporter of HRC and I couldn't agree with you more.

Well said!

[clearthinker2008]

Another case of I'm not black so I don't get it.

[NorthernCross]

So when someone calls black man arrogant, it's always about racism. Therefore, there's no such thing as an arrogant black man, and if you think otherwise you must be a racist.

[Heavenhelpusall]

Good people, our lack of understanding reflects a generation gap. If you are under 40ish, you may not get it and that's a reflection of the more tolerant and diverse world you have grown up in. For those who are older, the arrogant tag has been used in an attempt to knock confident, successful blacks down a notch.
Don't rush to the defensive. Approach understanding with curiosity and research - go ask someone older than you.
Race conversations are avoided due to the guilt, rage, anger, and shame they touch off in everyone.
There are arrogant folks of all colors. Rove's audience got the message loud and clear. He was using code - so if you don't know the code - you may not get it.
Other code words - exotic, tone, aggressive (My husband was told he walked aggressively)

[Exhaust]

Arrogant wasn't the word used, uppity was.
After Obama gave his Iowa victory speech...I was thinking to myself, "wow...he'­s cocky. After he said, "you're likeable enough Hillary", I knew it. I think that he can be cocky or arrogant at times. There is nothing racist about it.
When i'm in the grocey store, I walk aggressively. It's only a bad thing if you step in front of my cart. Maybe your husband walkes aggressively too, but would need the who, what, where and why to know.

[beverett]

Well I'm over 40 and I don't get it.

"Arrogant" just simply does not translate or equate to "uppity". "Uppity" (as someone else has pointed out) is a throw back to another time. You can not make the assumption that someone using the term "arrogant" is meaning "uppity". "Uppity" is in a class (term used loosely) all by itself and it has no equivalent. I would be willing to bet that that type of racist still uses the term "uppity" if they use it at all and do not substitute "arrogant" for it.

"Arrogant" is a human trait and if you are desiring to take a human trait away from a person (any person but in this case, a black or AA person) you are saying in effect that that person(s) are inhuman and surely, you don't want to go there.

And try to speak for yourself, not all people avoid discussing race; many people do not avoid such discussions though it might be said the media holds the discussion at arm's length...

[dawlishgal]

Sorry...me­ant to say "UPSET" the social structure.­.....Somed­ay soon I hope to learn to proofread on the vertical.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Are we talking about Bush's Machiavelli, the guy who planned a war around the 2004 election.

Uppity or arrogant are words unfamiliar to this disgusting character, bomb kill and destroy are words much more familiar to this troglodyte.

[wedgie]

Karl Rove is joyously self un-aware.

**