Faux Obama Supporter Mayhill Fowler Sets Up Smears on Obama
"What Barack Obama's remarks last night in San Francisco reveal," Mayhill Fowler asserts on the Huffington Post, "is his self-confidence--to the point of cockiness--right now."
I have close friends who attended the Obama donor event in Pacific Heights where Fowler claims she became so upset about his remarks. My friends, an interracial couple who are professors at two public universities in California, assured me that they did not hear any of the "cocky" tone that Fowler claims made her so "uncomfortable." The event was held for like-minded people who want to see Obama succeed. From her writings and her whirlwind media tour slamming Obama, Mayhill Fowler clearly does not share this sentiment. That's fair, but she shouldn't pretend to be an "Obama supporter."
Her charges of "cockiness" on the part of Senator Obama have had their desired effect. She has garnered publicity and has been given a free ride on this non-issue. She appeared on the Lou Dobbs show, and CNN and other news outlets are flogging her false and vituperative sentiments about Obama. Predictably, the Republican Party and the John McCain campaign seized upon Fowler's distortions and used them as talking points. And of course Hillary Clinton, needing some good news after Mark Penn ignominiously resigned when his ties to Columbian lobbying money were revealed, is milking Fowler's smears for all they're worth, (which isn't much).
Mayhill Fowler apparently took away a totally different feeling from the event than anyone else in the room and her spin on Obama's statements to what he thought was a sympathetic audience (save Ms. Fowler) is a sorry distortion. Fowler posed as a "citizen reporter," but she didn't seek responses from others who attended the event, nor did she check her own subjective and uniformly negative biases at the door.
"Even the Obama Campaign, I suppose, can never have too much money," Fowler sniffs. This is a curious dig coming from someone who claims to be sensitive and made to feel "uncomfortable" by the mere suggestion that some people in America after eight years of miserable misrule might be a tad "bitter."
Fowler writes: "The fact that so many middle class Californians are giving $2300 to Obama shows both the depth of prosperity in the state and the allure of the scent of victory." I guess Fowler believes the California economy has been just humming along during the Bush years? Maybe Fowler should do some of her "citizen reporting" and inform the governor and the state legislature, which are currently dealing with a $14 billion budget deficit and contemplating cutting $5 billion from education, about "the depth of prosperity" of the state. Fowler is the one who is out of touch with the plight of average working people, not Obama as she claims.
She even goes over Obama's use of the English language with the eye of a schoolmarm: "Note Obama's delicate sentence constructions. Never a gender pronoun--a he or a she--anywhere." I suppose she considers this kind of thing "political analysis."
According to her bio on the Huffington Post, Mayhill Fowler is a middle-aged Southern belle "born and bred in Tennessee" who moved to Houston, and later became a California resident.
But Mayhill Fowler does succeed in bringing up a powerful point relating to race relations in America: How must the first African American presidential candidate to make it this far behave? How much "confidence" in his own abilities can he show before people like Fowler label him "cocky?" And what are Fowler' credentials to make this kind of judgment? Do her white Southern roots allow her to really see a black candidate? Or is Obama to her Ralph Ellison's "invisible man?"
Follow Joseph A. Palermo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/N/A
Loading comments…
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
Gee, I am glad to read this - I have not been able to wade through the verbose writs of Mayflower -- because the snide and nasty innuendos made me realize she/he was a true Clintonite -- developing as much smut as possible with the audacity of passing her/himself off as a Barack supporter. Where is the integrity of folks who want to be read????? How do people like this Mayflower (can't be a real name by the way and could even be a snippy man working this alias-- who knows??) live with themselves?
It is a bit of a turn off for a lot of us to constantly have to wade through filth just to find real journalistic reviews that let us in how 'how it went' - what was said....et al.
Anyway, thanks for the truth. Barack Obama has substance...something these 'critics' are completely
baffled by.
I'm an Obama supporter. I think he'll be president, and a damn good one. But many of the posts here in response to Joseph Palermo's article have shocked me. The degree of vindictiveness about Mayhill Fowler is way off the scale. Disagree with her yes, but remember to be civilised beings. People, don't you see you are becoming everything Barack is not? Shrill, aggressive, accusatory, personally judgmental, offensive, sarcastic, vindictive and worst of all smearing a reporter's integrity without hard evidence.
If you have evidence that Mayhill wrote this article as an act of pre-meditated sabotage, then put up or shup up, and Joseph, that includes you.
Consider this: the words that caused the controversy were Obama's own. Mayhill did not invent or misquote them. Barack is already defending himself effectively and has turned what could have sunk an ordinary politician into an opportunity to make his transformative points forcibly and potently. He doesn't need you to rush to attack the messenger. I have no doubt he would not condone the viciousness of these attacks on a journalist's integrity.
As I say: if you have evidence Mayhill Fowler did this as an act of sabotage, or that she is a Clinton plant - which accusation I find verging on the delusory world of conspiracy theories - then put up. If not, chill out. When all this blows over, and when Obama is Prez, those of you who have acted like rabid partisan attack dogs may not be proud of it.
Actually, wingman, many of the posts over the past months have said that his supporters are a strong reflection of the man. I have wondered what Obama would think if he were to read what his own supporters say.
Many of the Obama supporters who post here are nasty, vituperative,
vicious ill-informed zealots.
They do their candidate a profound disservice.
I hope he would be appalled, ashamed, and disgusted. I know I am.
wingman:
Be your own judge, and read Fowler's articles on this Huffpo site for yourself. Even before she set off this bomb, she had already written multiple articles labelling Obama as "cock-y".
Read Mayhill's other blog (under her profile). YOu will see she is NOT an Obama supporter.
To wingman1: I agree with you that I think Obama supporters should take the high road and let this issue play out. Not to let it play out, for one thing, assumes that America's working class areas that Obama is referring to are full of ignorant citizens incapable of discerning Senator Clinton's politiking and pandering to them for votes. I don't believe that. All due respect to Obama'S opponents, but they are just politiking without a thought to the people and their everyday problems. This is exactly what Obama wants to lift us out of and I for one feel much better when I take the high road and not say ugly vicious and vindictive words but rather follow Obama's lead. Let's take the high road and change this ugly discourse in America. We can agree to disagree but not be disagreeable about it And, AND, Obama will be our next President.
I've read enough of her articles to not have thought her to be a supporter of Obama, and I've listened to the audio record of what he said, how he said it, and the laughter from the crowd. His ONLY regret is that it got outside the mansions to the people he said it about. Obama never said this to the people he was calling bitter. Obviously, Mr. Palermo is hoping to assist in undoing some of the damage his candidate did to himself.
There are so many photos on the internet, a montage of them on a YouTube video, and easy to pick out moments during TV debates where Obama is literally looking down his nose, head tipped back to make sure there's no mistaking how he feels about the soul he's looking down at.
Actually he said almost exactly the same thing in 2004 in a televised interview with Charlie Rose. You'll be able to tell from his demeanor and tone of voice then that he intended no disparagement of bitterness, nor of seeking refuge in religion or traditions like hunting:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/188674.php
He has been utterly consistent on this point. It's a totally manufactured "controversy."
For God's sake - The RECORDING was cocky. His comments today went beyond cocky and into ranting self-absorption. Have at it..
anyone running for president has to have a strong ego.
If it upsets you, presto, you best leave the planet.
I'll take Obama's hubris over the Clinton hubris ... anyday.
This lady never supported Sen Obama. If she'd been a true supporter she would have gone to him personally expressing her unease about the comment. A true supporter of Sen Obama or Mrs Clinton would seek to solve the issue privately oppose to seeking public attention.
Yeah c'mon lets KEEP politics behind closed doors
Obama 08
Right. I should go to him and express my unease too. She was not exactly at the head table.
Ms Fowler witnessed the event and she has the audio tape which we have all heard. That is what she based her blog on.
I heard it 4 times and I believe it is the first time BO ever told the truth. He obviously thinks he is better than all the racist gun toting 'folks' in PA and believes PA 'folks' are that way because of their religion. Obviously, as in NH-according to Axelrod-'the voters will go in the booth, pull the curtain closed behind them and vote against the black guy.'
Seems to me he was explaining the margin of his expected loss in PA so his donors won't dry up. That's how his team explained his losses before..sounds like he was giving those nice 'folks' in San Francisco a head's up.
And, he thinks babies are a punishment for sex.
Okay, so that's a bit exaggerated, but, Houston, we have a problem. The man does not think clearly. He thinks he has a grasp of something, and he just starts rambling on in directions that are difficult both to follow, and to swallow. He does this all the time.
How do you think that will play out in talks with leaders from other nations...hostile nations?!
She was there as a reporter. It wasn't her function to try and save him from himself.
shep1900, She couldn't have been there as a reporter as they were barred. Bad try mate.
Ah, the lure of the spotlight. Evidently, Ms Fowler is willing to sell her soul for her 15 minutes. I'm sure she'll be welcomed at Hillary's campaign. She'd fit right in.
Would you rather find out after he took the office of president that he thinks small town folks are armed and bitter? Would it feel better if he had said it to the people of PA, to their face, and offered up his plan to solve it? He was pandering to the elite. He is far more comfortable with the millionaires and billionaires than he is with the people in this country who make far less than $100,000 a year.
""Even the Obama Campaign, I suppose, can never have too much money," Fowler sniffs."
**********************************************************
Check HuffPo's "Fund Race" page.
She donated $250 to Fred Thompson's campaign in the 4th qtr. of '07, and an astonishing $2224 to Obama's in the first qtr. this year.
Obviously, she bought her way into the Obama crowd to suss out ammunition with which to slam him.
Fowler has used "cocky" in more than one post when describing Obama, and "flirty" in still another.
When Hillary displays self-assuredness and confidence, is she "cocky" as well?
It's ridiculously obvious and disgusting that her Southern upbringing shades her assessment of Obama.
What should happen next:
1.) The Obama camp permanently cuts off ALL access for Fowler.
2.) HuffPo fires the sleazy woman this week.
Interesting take. Good points.
Democracy at work.
Maybe she's followed him around long enough to have lost the illusion that captures so many.
Okay, ChiGuy, just read what you think should happen next.
Many people don't like the opinions you express. You think you should be banned? Censored?
The people have a right to hear everything the journalists can tell them about the candidates, so if the Obama camp were to cut her off, wouldn't we be looking at Obama as our dictator rather than our president?
HuffPo fires her? What in the world is wrong with you?
You're really a Republican, right? A strong Bush/Cheney supporter, right?
"The people have a right to hear everything the journalists can tell them about the candidates,
Journalist do not write opinion, except at Fox. Mayhill is not a journalist.
Mr. Palermo, I think it may just be a little heavy-handed to attribute ill-intentions to Ms Mayhill. It seems like she's just not a very good commentator or writer. You know; dead lines, sensational story lines, $$$.
Wow. A journalist actually does their job and doesn't let their views stop a story from going forward and that is bad? I think there should be more Mayhill's in the world. Obama's comments were offensive and she had a the right to tell the voters what he said. Anyone who says different on this website is a fool and shouldn't be able to be a "journalist" anymore.
Mayhill did not present the entire context of his statement in her original article and then she characterized his persona and what he said according to her own view. She also stated that the audience was wealthy in her original article and it seems that she is now saying they were middle class. She finished the whole article by telling the reader what Obama should have told the people at the meeting.
Journalists present facts in their entirety, not edited, not out of context, not cherry picked in order to slant the story and they permit the reader to draw their own conclusions.
http://www.zombietime.com/obama_visits_billionaires_row/
Photos and story. Does this look middle class to you?
A journalist???? LOL!!
You might want to find out how a REAL journalist defines the word.
Mayhill is not a journalist, her opinions were slanderous not factual. We don't need more, there are plenty at Fox.
It is odd, because according to Opensecrets she has donated a total for $2000.00 to Obama's campaing starting in September of 2007 and the last one in February of 2008. Also, she seems to have donated $250 to Fred Thompson, suggesting that she came to Obama as an Obamican and not as a Democrat.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/
My guess is that she has had second thoughts after the Wright clips started looping and didn't have the ovaries to investigate further into the full context of the sermons.
So....she doesn't seem to like anybody in this contest, is my guess.
Feeling bitter these days?
Or maybe she is a supporter but is just reporting what she sees. Which is exactly what she should be doing. If you think she does not like anybody in this contest, she is doing her job very well.
Maybe she simply heard enough to change her mind.
I have a better guess. She was never a Obama supporter. This is based upon everything I read of hers.
Fowler had her moment, but this will not do anything to detract Obama. There's already several clips of Bill Clinton making very similar comments over the years. Obama said nothing controversial, he just picked his words poorly. The intent of his comments are factual, except to the ears of someone who wants to try to find an issue with them. Fowler just looks like a fool since it was obvious she had a clear agenda and was looking for an issue to get hot about. Thank you Mr. Palermo for pointing this out.
I was tempted to comment on the contradictions of Flowers bio but Im glad Joe mentioned it.
Anyone who claims an identity as being from Tennesse, moved to Houston, married to a lawyer
living in Berkly is obviously confused. Aging yuppies from Berkley are hardly the people I would pick
to interpet the angst of the working class Ulster Scots from PA.
Contrast Obama's statements about the working class with Hillary's sudden love of guns, hunting
and Carhard's.
People who move and/or get married are confused?
I can't help but be amused. The soulful indignation that someone who was supposed to be an Obama supporter would dare to do such a thing! Tie her to the post and burn her at the stake!
Too funny to watch one who so badly wants to appear above the fray resort to attacking someone personally. I see you even broke out your dictionary and thesaurus to make sure that you get your point across without getting your hands too dirty.
And by the way Mr Palermo, do you always introduce your friends by race and occupation?
You sound just like her.
Mayhill Fowler is purportedly an Obama supporter? Any pieces of hers on the Huffington Post that I have read have been transparently pro-Clinton. I found her arguments to be weak, un-objective, and un-persuasive. It's surprising to me that anyone would perceive her as either an Obama supporter or objective in any sense of the word.
Mayhill Fowler is a hack. Huffington Post is culpable to what she did too. I will never read a thing she writes anymore. I can no longer trust her journalistic integrity.
Thank you Joseph Palermo for putting into an article what I have been feeling about her.
Pray rather than pick up a gun. :)
Maybe she is a REAL journalist. The rest of the media who is in the tank for Obama can't call themselves journalists. Good for her!!! Maybe she saw the double standard of Obama and his campaign who would crucify Hillary if she said the same thing about blacks.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
