Dear Barack: Call a Spade a Spade

Dear Barack,

Why in God's name would you sit there on Chris Matthews' show politely answering the same idiotic, condescending, pre-chewed questions that were asked in the last debate? Would you please stop dignifying this crap? You're turning into John Kerry before our eyes, dude. You're confusing dignity and moral acquiescence (see also: Swiftboat). The only way you're going to stem the tide of this Reverend Wright mess is to say the following, the next time a reporter asks you about Wright:

"How many times do you people expect me to say that I condemn Reverend Wright's comments and that I love America? A thousand? A million? And yet you reporters continue to cover this as if there's some new revelation for voters. There isn't. And you know there isn't.

So let's just call a spade a spade, okay? You, the media, are now the ones playing the race card in this campaign. Because every time you devote space to this non-story - rather than the Iraq occupation or the economy or climate change or any of the hundred other legitimate policy issues - you're sending the same message to voters: Obama can't be trusted.

And Americans know - because they're not as dumb as you treat them - they know that you're not devoting the same coverage to Senator McCain's association with religious bigots like John Hagee or Rod Parsley or the folks at Bob Jones University. Or Senator Clinton's association with a host of unsavory characters. And they know the reason: because those stories don't have the invigorating scent of racial division.

The Republican Hate Machine invoked precisely this sort of insidious fear-mongering with the Willie Horton ad in 1988, and again in 2000, racial innuendo was used to torpedo Senator McCain's campaign in South Carolina. How's it feel to be in that sort of company?

A month ago, I gave a long speech about race. I did so in the hope we could move past false distractions and make this campaign about the common crises of state we face. If that's not the case - if the campaign for the presidency of the United States is going to be reduced to a series of smears and idiotic loyalty oaths - we will wind up with another disastrous administration that sinks the country further into cynicism and malaise.

How do you people sleep at night?"

Wake up and smell the urgency,

Steve

Comments

[Citizenchick]

I think the Wright thing is over.

BTW, people kinda expect a little racial residue from the republicans, rightly or wrongly, that's why McCain isn't catching it now. But it's also why he won't be able to throw it back on Obama in the general. Because nobody expected it from the Clintons, they thought they could play the race card with impunity.

[Chuckbutcher]

We'll keep seeing this as long as we keep acting as though it is important

[outnow]

Today America has a litmus test for office. You cannot be an atheist nor a Muslim and probably not a Jew. You cannot be a Mormon probably. So Obama went down to a church that he thought would give him some credibility with black people. Two problems (1) He's black; and (2) he's black. Great country this. Good thing that we are not prejudiced. I'd like to see a black, Muslin, Gay woman with a beard and three arms just to spite the right wingers.

[PioneerKing]

Sen. McCain's friends in the MSM do not have any problem with McCain courting Rev. Hagee and other as McCain has called them "agents of intolerence," they why are the members of the MSM not accepting Obama's connection to Rev. Wright? Is it because they are both black? Otherwise what is the outrage?
Americans and members of teh MSM are never once called out for catholics and catholic politicians to leave the catholic church.
Are Rev. Wright"s comments worse than an institution that protects pedophiles and asserts that the problem is "an American problem," although it is documented that worldwide the Catholic Church has protected priests who are pedophiles.
The children from the polygamist sects who are called lost boys also feel that the abuse they endured is worse than many Americans acknowledge and the child brides suffer rape without any of the outrage that has surrounded Rev. Wright.
Which is worse? The angry ranting of Rev. Wright or the scared lives of children who have been harmed by adults who are sheltered by religious institutions?

[Doofus]

Oiy vey HuffPost, you are aware that 'spade' is a derogatory
slang term for 'negro', right? Maybe not.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/topicalwords/tw-spa1.htm

[suec03]

Thank you, Doofus. Some of us still remember that derogatory meaning of "spade." I think it was one of Archie Bunker's favorite terms on Norman Lear's TV show "All in the Family." Maybe some of the people who post here don't remember the Archie character using "spade" as a slur. By putting that slur into Archie's mouth, Norman Lear and his writers clearly wanted us to think about the bigotry of some white working class people of that time represented by the fictional character of Archie Bunker.

[nerakami]

Americans need to get serious about taking back it's power. For too long we have been led around like Pavlov's dogs by politicians, the media, corporate America.

The internet is our medium. The power is in our hands;

If mainstream media continues to deceive us - change the channel
If politicians speak with forked tongues - vote them out
If Corporate America continues to participate in unfair trade practices and import dangerous goods - BUY AMERICAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The time is now... our strength is our unity. Together we stake our claim and take back our power.

[nerakami]

Let's overthrow the MEDIA !!! Turn those TV channels... Idol and the likes never looked so good !!

[hhkeller]

If Chris Mathews ever ask Barack a serious question Barack would puke.
How does Barack explain his no strings support for Bushes war after speaking so eloquently against it.
How does Barack explains his undying support for NCLB when every public school teacher is against it.

[jhink465]

I guess you don't pay attention. Obama's votes are to fund the troops we have in Iraq and Afghanistan. No one in the Congress is going to leave our troops unfunded to fend for themselves. As to NCLB, Obama has said he would not reauthorize this legislation without major changes. Go look them up. Just Google up Obama no child left behind. Or is it just your intention to lie and distort like your Hillary does.