Drudge Plays the Race Card

In the New York Times, Adam Nagourney identifies "race" as one of the six factors that could prevent the election of Barack Obama. The others, as paraphrased by Mark Halperin, are "(1) not everyone who has recently registered as a Democrat may vote on Election Day; (2) the Democrats' improved voter turnout effort may still not work as effectively as the Republicans' effort, (3) the race may swing back to McCain under the "pendulum theory," and (4) a national security event in the closing days could "shuffle the deck of cards," and (5) the Ayers attack could end up sticking."

Matt Drudge appears to have decided which horse he is going to ride. All day, the Drudge Report, which has been more one-sided than usual recently (lots of Bill Ayers, little Troopergate), has featured this picture of Barack Obama (presumably) campaigning in Ohio.

Well, it worked on Harold Ford.

Comments

[1will]

Every day in the media we are told that if Obama looses this election it will be because racists did not vote for him. The worst that Drudge is doing is balancing the Obama supporting media.

[LondonTownNY]

Stephen: Thank you. I suspected that there was something to this. But I also notice that of late, all the mainstream media seems to want to talk about his Obama is black, Obama is multiracial, the Bradley Effect. Its almost as if they are trying to get Americans to rethink their choice.

[jchflorida]

I noticed this pic the other day .....and some other negative stuff about Obama .....one commentary about eating pie which made no sense .

[prcleburne]

" Lock up your daughters
Lock up your wives
Lock up your back dooor
Run for your lives "
_ " TNT " by AC/DC

According to Drudge, this is what will happen if Obama is elected.

[donnyquixote]

If the present level of hypersensitivity/"race paranoia" manifest in this article, among countless others, is appropriate it begs the question of what, if any, coverage of the Senator would be considered NOT racist, or racially neutral; a photo of Sen. Obama sharpening a pencil, a photo of he and his family having a picnic or a photo of Sen. Obama speaking to anyone who is not black.

The only thing more disappointing than McCain supporters yelling ugly statements as rallies is Congressman John Lewis' reference to George Wallace. I can't imagine that Martin Luther King Jr. isn't sickened by the prospect of race being exploited not only as a shield, but moreover as a sword to attack and impugn others with such a flawed and factually distinguishable comparison. Sen. Obama as the "post-racial" candidate my foot! As much as he has stood for reconcilation and progress, he has lowered himself to the next level of racism; unfounded accusations of others for being racist themselves. Like crying "wolf," the effects of crying "racism" will only lead to desensitize the public and to mute the reaction to all accusations of racism, whether legitimate or not.

[WolfI]

What, exactly, is the point of posting this picture on Drudge? Why would that particular site post a picture of Senator Obama kissing a blond white woman? What idea is being communicated? Why this picture specifically?

This country has a long history of demonizing black men, particularly when it comes to white women. One of the more graphically memorable of those instances was the story of Emmett Till, a boy from Chicago who went down south to visit relatives. He supposedly whistled at a white woman and was beaten to death, so badly he was unrecognizable. You can read more about that story here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till

John Lewis lived through that era, and worked to create the change to which you refer. What he noticed with these rallies was a similarity in climate, and that is dangerous.

At what other presidential rally have you heard the crowd yelling "kill him," or "off with his head" or "he's a terrorist," or a member of the crowd using the "n" word to describe a member of the press, telling him to "sit down, boy?" There was the man who brought a monkey to the Palin rally with an Obama sticker on its head, was that meaningless, too? What do you think statements like "he doesn't see America like you and I see America" and "he's not one of us," mean?

Or is it not racism until someone burns a cross?

[TiaL27]

A lot of racist people from stormfront.org frequently visit to Drudge's site. Just click one of the links on his site and read the comments, you'll see some of the most offensive racist things about Barack Obama.

[Indy 44]

Can't believe this is a story.

[Hazelnut]

This is 2008, not 1908. I don't know why anyone would be offended by this. Actually, I'm a little jealous.

[LeonBNJ]

Drudge's website also often has ads supporting McCain, of anti-Liberal/Obama organizations, keeping to his pro-Republican/pro-neocon agenda and themes.

[Einstein44]

Drudge's race baiting is so lame and tiring..Give it up because the majority of Americans are going to a different direction.

[pgurlatl]

Maybe I am missing something. What is the big deal?

[S1m0n]

You're not from the south, are you? The big racist fear among the bubba set is that black men will steal all the white women. Here's a picture of Obama kissing a blonde.

[golebo]

YOU PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE POINT!!!!!

The "race card" is played not to get a rise out of the racisits (they are all ready on board with McCain)...it is played to get a reaction/overreaction from the left or from African American leaders so that some of the folks who are "on the fence" will say...."oh, I was going to vote for Obama, but now look at how those people are overreacting to a simple picture/word, etc....how DARE they accuse us of racism..I'm now gonna vote for McCain"

They are looking for an overreaction tto his this crap to shake things up...DON'T FALL FOR IT!!!!

[jobecky20]

Excellent point golebo....everyone please ignore the Drudge photo. Don't react at all. Golebo is a very wise person.

[habajebe]

Looks like two happy people at a political rally for the leading party. One is the candidate (a dynamic and charismatic man of mixed race), the other the precinct captain (an attractive blonde Caucasian woman). What's the big deal? Only people who would never vote for a black man will buy into the racist angle. But Drudge knows it will push their buttons and perhaps generate a little interest in himself. He's just playing to the bottom feeders. Perhaps his name should be "Dredge."

I personally don't see how any thinking person can look around at what's happened to our country under Republican mis-rule and still be "undecided." Either you benefited from the malfeasance of the GOP or you didn't. It's that simple. Side issues like boys kissing and abortion are meant to distract the weak minded from the things that impact their everyday lives. But when it's all you have, you go with it.

I pray there are enough good people of substance who will turn out and make this election a landslide. We must completely repudiate the failed policies of the right wing and begin the difficult work of rebuilding the power and prestige of the US. John McCain and Sarah Palin are clearly not up to the task. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are.

[TimmySlagle]

"Only people who would never vote for a black man will buy into the racist angle."

That's not true. Black women do not appreciate this sort of thing. In fact, I would wager that a lot more black people will take offense to this than white people.

[FanofPaine]

Black woman here. Not offended. I do think this will piss the racists off though.

[Mesaywar]

You serious?

[Daveness 2000]

Not only are you seeing this picture on Drudge, but you are hearing comments from Pat Buchannan (McCain's got to peel the hide off Obama) and John McCain himself (I'm gonna whip his you-know-what)... the code words are there, the pictures are there and I guess this just proves what John Lewis was saying all along....

[nikky]

DRUDGE IS LIVING IN THE ERA WHERE A BLACK MAN WOULD HAVE BEEN HUNG FOR THAT