Sexism, Racism, Bad Jokes, and that McCain Ad

I was going to write about my celebration of the birth of my twin grand-daughters three days ago, a joyful move over Brangelina post, but in the midst of all this family happiness I came upon the McCain ad comparing Obama to Britney and Paris. And it stopped me cold. What's that about? And why did it trouble me so?

Let me get the really nasty stuff off my chest right away. Comparing Obama to Paris Hilton is another of McCain's tasteless and inept jokes. Paris Hilton is a no-talent nobody blessed with the good looks and good fortune that have made her a shameless somebody to our giddy press. Like John McCain, she came from affluent circumstances. And like him she is a survivor; he survived a long imprisonment in a brutal war, and she survived a spoiled brat childhood in Beverly Hills. I don't mean to denigrate his suffering, or hers, but the sad fact is that both of them seemed to learn so little from it. You couldn't send either of them to the grocery story for a container of milk and expect them to identify it -- the store or the milk. Like McCain, Paris is one tough cookie, someone who lives in the world without apparently being effected by the less fortunate around her. Clearly Ms. Hilton has far more in common with John McCain than with Barack Obama.

In different ways Paris and McCain both inhabit their own plastic bubbles comfortably. She has charmed the besotted paparazzi, bent them to her will, and prevailed, posturing on life's red carpet, slinking towards oblivion or middle age -- whichever comes first. McCain has made it to his Republican presidential nomination by charming an infatuated political press that never seemed to ask him a tough question. He lightened his moral load as he aged by tossing off whatever burdens of decency and character he intermittently demonstrated. Now, having tossed aside reality as well in his statements about the oil crises, the economy, the war, veterans affairs (his is one of the worst voting records for vets) he is light enough to survive the run without any onerous burdens like truth or integrity.

Poor Britney doesn't deserve to be classified with Paris or even McCain. She is a talented mess who inherited nothing, made a fortune from her adolescent musical talents, whatever you think they may be, worked hard from childhood to rise above her humble origins, and for all her aberrant behavior should not be placed side-by-side with Paris or McCain, both charter members of that infamous lucky sperm club.

John McCain -- unlike the mythical Good Joe American he hopes to bamboozle with his vicious anti-Obama ads -- is an elitist/opportunist who abandoned a sick wife, carried on with an attractive blond beer heiress and married her, survived corruption charges as one of the Keating Five, and became a proxy billionaire through that romantic transaction which has helped to finance his political ambitions. To suggest that Obama, a brilliant man from a modest background, one who made his own luck and life through his intelligence and strength of character, has something in common with these Hollywood girls is less than an insult to Obama, who has young daughters and clearly loves them; it is an embarrassment to McCain, as it reveals his low view of women. They are dirty jokes to him. Be it a young Chelsea Clinton's awkward adolescent looks, or women being raped by gorillas, he finds the denigration and victimization of women a source of infinite jest. None of this is accidental. It all fits in with that infamous ad. If you wanted to contrast Obama to a dubious celebrity there are so many untalented men who fit the category -- too many to list here -- but McCain chose two feckless, reckless young white women to bring his opponent low by stating that there was little substance to back up Obama's fame and popularity. In making that ad McCain went well beyond his stated intention to show his opponent as an empty suit. It's so easy to see the ad for what it is and read "black man, promiscuous young white women, wink wink." Wouldn't it be splendid if the mainstream press suddenly opened its eyes to that ploy?

When you get to a certain age -- my age -- new life becomes the spectacular anodyne to all the illness and death around you. It forces one to look at the future in a new way; protectively, not as a distant place that we know we will never visit but as a place we want to make safe for those we love after we are gone. As the grandfather of three girls ranging in age from three days to three years I take deep offense at this denigration of women that passes for political rough and tumble. We can only hope that McCain will soon abandon his sexism together with his incipient racism as the campaign continues. But we won't bet the farm on it. God help America and my beloved grand-daughters should he prevail. McCain offers the future nothing but the past, and the past just isn't working very well these days for any of us.

Comments

[Jezreel]

Thank you Mr. Yellen. I agree entirely with your assessment. BTW, this story was reported today in Florida Capital News: "Tallahassee Democrat senior writer Stephen Price on Friday was singled out and asked to leave a media area at the Panama City rally of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain."
"Price was among at least three other reporters, and the only black reporter, surrounding McCain's campaign bus " Gov. Charlie Crist and his fiancee, Carole Rome, were already aboard " when a member of the Arizona senator's security detail asked the reporter to identify himself. Price had shown his media credentials to enter the area."
"When another reporter asked why Price was being removed, she too was led out of the area. Other state reporters remained."
Read the whole story here: http://www.floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080802/CAPITOLNEWS/808020312
I hope the MSM and HuffPo will jump all over this today.

[clevelandchick]

I'm not the least bit surprised.

McCain has shown his true colors by voting against MLK Day several times, banking on a ballot against Affirmative Action to help him in Arizona, ditching his former wife for a blonde cheerleader, calling his current wife (the former cheerleader) a c*nt and a trollop, and his penchant for 'ain't rape grand' jokes. He's voted against equal pay laws and is anti-contraception.

I just saw Lindsey Graham getting all self-righteous on Fox News saying that they can criticize Obama without being called Racist. As if this ad isn't racist and we're all supposed to pretend it isn't. I guess bigots are supposed to be the authority on what is racist and what isn't. The same old GOP 2+2 = 5 bull.

[strangelet]

I share your outrage, Mr. Yellen. To a certain extent, it doesn't even matter if the ad was intentionally racist, although given its originator it seems likely the intent was there. It is sufficiently insulting to women to inspire revulsion just on those merits.

You also make a really good point that Paris Hilton and Britney Spears are actually two different types of "celebrity". Ms. Hilton is, and always has been, famous for being famous. Ms. Spears, on the other hand, originally became famous because of her talent and hard work. Even though I am old enough to find most of her music somewhere between brainless and aggravating, she was really good at it, and not everyone shared my opinion.

One other remark about Senator McCain. For all practical purposes, he -- like Paris Hilton -- is famous for being famous. His original ascension to celebrity status was based on his surviving his POW years (undeniably an excruciating experience), AND being the son of a ranking Admiral. While I do not in any way question his bravery and endurance, there were hundreds of others who had the same POW experience, but who didn't happen to end up assigned to the Navy's Senate Liaison office.
So I agree with you: John McCain == Paris Hilton.

[RyanJ1977]

It seems that many Obama supporters are outraged over the McCain ad. There seems to be a lot of talk about McCain going negative and taking the low road and so on. The one thing about negative ads that all experts seem to agree on is that they work. McCain knows that this election is about one thing, Barack Obama. John McCain doesn't have to win this election, he just has to make Barack Obama lose it. Every negative thing that can be said about Obama will be said, and a whole lot of other stuff too. The people who will decide this election are middle of the road older voters. McCain's ad is targeted at those moderate older voters because raising doubts in their minds about Obama is not going to be that tough. As we all know, we really only get two choices in a presidential election. McCain is not going to tell America why they should vote for him as much as he is going to tell them why not to vote for Obama.

[whatsthatsound]

This is brilliant!

[Susej]

If by now, there still are some undecided voters, I suggest they abstain all together from voting. Let the Reds and Blues fight it out coming November.
I guess with all these ads, no matter how negative they get, they will embolden both sides. I am more resolute about voting for Obama and my uninformed compatriots will do the same for their really old guy.

[NJYankee]

Just goes to prove this is no maverick...using the same tactics as W. Having almost similar stands as W. We will shortly have McCainisms ... will we have the same type of election, I mean decision by the Supreme Court...I never considered him a war hero and it definitely hasn't made him a leader. He's just following Bush, Halliburton-Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice and he had to get rid of ...we're just a bunch of whiners!

[peterg76]

"If you wanted to contrast Obama to a dubious celebrity there are so many untalented men who fit the category..." Did anyone else immediately think of George W. Bush?

[blueinannarbor]

I didn't, peterg, but I'm not as clever as you. Your's is an excellent and insightful comment to an excellent and insightful post.

[Mr T n NC]

Let Obama air a commercial about McCain being a long-time Washington insider . . . leading with shots of Larry Craig (in Congress since 1981) and Mark Foley (member of Congress for almost 12 years). Would the McCainites see it as simply "having a little fun" and "showing a sense of humor"?
Of course, they know this would never happen. Character and class actually prevents some folks from doing that which is regpugnant, even if it might be politically effective.

[bluestatelib]

Excellent analogy Mr T.

[ViciousKitty]

Thank you. It needed to be said, and you did it beautifully. The values of John McCain are nothing any decent human being would want to emulate.

[osturk]

Funny how his son would enlist in the Marines and serve in Iraq being raised by such a man.

[66rock]

Funny how that is always quoted but we never hear any details. Do you know the particulars of his service. if so please share.

[busybeez]

Do you really believe his son is treated the same as every other soldier over there?

[knighthowl]

This is really a rejection of his father. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all Navy officers. Grandfathers were full Admirals, McSame, a Captain. The son could have been admitted to the Naval Academy as a legacy like his father and become a naval officer. Instead, he enlisted in the marines. This is a clear attempt to show his father who is tougher.

[fnygy]

I'm glad somebody else noticed that Britney was being unfairly maligned here. I'm not fan of the pop princess but I recognize hard work when I see it. She's been working since she was a toddler, I think, supporting herself and her family for a number of years - she bought her own engagement ring, for pete's sake! T

[blueinannarbor]

I'm not a fan of hers, either, but like you, I thought it was in extremely poor taste that someone whose life is obviously gone off the rails would be used for political exploitation. And comparing someone like Obama, whose intellect is obviously substantial to someone like Paris Hilton, whose intellect is clearly insubstantial, is just ham-handed. It's getting harder and harder all the time to respect Senator McCain.

[DoTheMath]

Thanks for a valuable perspective on the infamous ad. In so many ways, the ad seeks out the worst in people - inflating and exploiting prejudices, faulty reasoning, weak and lazy thinking patterns.

Wouldn't it be great if a political campaign aimed to bring out and develop the best in us - if a campaign called upon us to take responsibility for improving our country by becoming well-informed and participating actively in the process of finding and implementing real solutions to the problems we face? I'm sorry; I forgot. That would be too hopeful, too presumptuous, too messianic.

[JaneEyrez]

I love what you said... and it's what I feel, that this is the starkest contest between hope and fear that I have ever seen. And if ANYBODY thinks the powers that be are going to roll over and let Obama win, naiveté is too soft a word to describe your mindset.

[blueinannarbor]

Miss Jane, you and Dothemath sing a beautiful duet.

[mamak]

Congratulations on your grand kids and I luv'd your essay. For all our sake, I hope Obama wins.

Obama'08

[JNail]

Congratulations on your new additions and thank you for your wonderful post.

I too am no spring chicken at 55 and have a 26 yr old daughter and an 8 yr old son and 6 yr old daughter from another life.

My views of the world and the need to leave it better for them is influenced greatly by their miraculous being and the perspective of a lifetime and true concern for the world they are going to inherit. I see the young adult's perspective in occasional calls and emails and the little kids everyday.

We were given an amazing world and country by the "greatest generation" and I will be damned if I don't try to give our kids and grandkids the best we can.

McCain is getting scarier and scarier to me and is part of the past. Obama, a responsible, self made, father of 2 wonderful kids understands the same things we are talking about in his gut and will do his best to get America back on the track it should be on leading the world in the 21st century..

[hippynanainblingland]

JNail;

Leading the world? Why do Americans persist in this concept? It would take quite a lot of growth for us to be considered leaders in this world, I assure you all. Why can't we be content with just achieving parity wth the rest of the industrialized world? Starting with universal single payer health system, better maternity (and paternity) leaves, better educational systems, greener technologies, better justice systems, including social justice... I'm sure many of you can add to this list!

I'd be happy with that, wouldn't you?

[dcwblackhorse]

I'll be happy having a president who's willing to compromise in order to achieve a larger goal. I'll be happy to have a leader the rest of the world is eager to embrace rather than burn our flag in opposition. But yes, I agree...we have a long way to go to take over leadership of the world. Americans do have an unfortunate tendency to be self absorbed. I enjoyed the article though. It eloquently said what the msm should be saying loudly!!!!

[SilviaMaria]

I love your essay. I could not have said any better. I am just getting tired and sick of these negative ads. The worst thing is that we still do not know where McCain stands on issues; I guess he is having way too much fun with these silly tactics that he is forgetting he is running a campaign (Is he still running it?). We really need to be united in this fight. Enough of this crap; we have had this crap for 8 years and please excuse my language but I can not take it anymore. It is time to stand up for ourselves, and stop from being scared and afraid of ... what? (I would say) Scare of what?

I know Obama wants to run a clean campaign, but I do not think it is possible. Maybe the Obama camp should have a ad with the new McCain geography lesson: the Irak-Pakistan border and similar others.

[GuyFawkes]

Bob Herbert said it best today in the NYTIMES. Lest we forget, the Britney ad was made by the same guy who did the Ford/Bimbo ad; and their explanation at the time was the same as McW's now: We're just having fun. Reminds me of the old rednecks who thought it was "just having fun" to insult a black person for rising above his station.

[azyuwish]

Yes. I read Bob Herbert's column today as well and i sent him an email thanking him for speaking out so strongly.

[blueinannarbor]

Many thanks to both of you for pointing out Bob Herbert's article. I'm heading over there now to read it.

[busybeez]

I appreciated an African-American's point of view. I'm tired of the white media discussing whether the race card was played in that ad. What the heck do white Americans know about racism? Most of us wouldn't recognize the subtle racism that African-Americans deal with everyday. And I agree, it was also demeaning to women. For a young woman who recently was placed in a mental ward to be used by the McCain as a campaign joke is just disgusting. And the GOP want to enjoy some laughs while Americans are trying to stay afloat in this economy? How out of touch are these elitist jerks? I guess if I had married millions then I would be in better humor instead of worrying about our family's financial difficulties every single day.