Barack Obama and the elephant in the room
The team over at MSNBC’s First Read, headed up by Chuck Todd, this morning has put the following room-filling elephant on the table for discussion:
At what point do what a bunch of folks in D.C. believe privately become more public — that there is a dramatic divide between how people in the South view Obama versus the rest of the country?
Sure, the South has always been more conservative and has been increasingly more Republican, so it shouldn’t be a surprise this region is less open to a Democratic president’s ideas; it’s no different than folks in New York City and San Francisco not being open to a Republican president’s proposals. But is it really the “D” next to Obama’s name that has folks upset in the South?
Yes, there was a “coastal” divide when it came to George W. Bush, and the election results of 2004, 2006, and 2008 proved that. But is it ALL just ideological? It’s truly subjective… As defiant as some on the right are about the fact that this has nothing to do with race, there’s an equal group of folks who believe it’s ONLY grounded in race.
Bottom line: Whether it’s fair or not, there is a perception growing that race is driving some elements of the opposition to Obama. It probably means this tumult will only grow for the time being.
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23 comments Add your comment
Matilda
September 11th, 2009
11:09 am
My perception that race plays a factor stems directly from the words I hear some of my fellow citizens using when they mention our President and express that they’ll oppose him on anything and everything, and support him on nothing, ever, until heck freezes over, no matter what, and by they way, they wish someone would kill that *bleep* already.
For those of us actually FROM Georgia or other southern states, some of these people are our relatives and say to us what they would not say in public. Sorry, but it’s hard to discount a theory that’s confirmed in person by one’s own uncle.
Arealblkwmn
September 11th, 2009
11:39 am
The south is home to some of the most ignorant, uneducated, hateful people on the planet!!!!!!!, so the fact that THE PRESIDENT is only HALF black totally escapes them. They are a sad pathetic bunch, who look up to the likes of Rush Limbaugh, David Duke, and thier newest “hero , that idiot Joe Wilson…..those of us, with IQs with 3 numbers in them, will continue to laugh at you.
Grumpy
September 11th, 2009
11:41 am
I am convinced that much of the opposition to Obama is based on race and nothing else. He’s more politically conservative than many other elected Democrats and yet he gets treated pretty poorly by folks who can’t really express what they have against him or if they do express it, have to make up some reason to hide their racism. He’s certainly more intelligent and well-read than most of his critics, especially the crowd that shows up at townhall meetings with guns on their hips to “express their Second Amendment rights…” In addition, there are those who expressed opposition to his speaking to school kids (especially their own kids) about staying in and doing well in school. They wouldn’t have expressed that if it was Ronald Reagan or George H. W. Bush, or George W. Bush. Why? If President Obama wanted to come in person to their child’s school to speak to the kids there, would these school officials and parents say he couldn’t come? Would they turn away the President of the United States under those circumstances? What’s the difference if he came to the school in person or in the form of a video broadcast? This is pretty much all about race.
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
September 11th, 2009
11:49 am
America was founded by utopian Whigs. Our Creed’s first Motto is “Annuit Coeptis.” There is only One G-d. Read Mr. Jefferson’s first draft of the Declaration: had it been accepted by the Continental Congress, chattel slavery would have been ended by its adoption.
In America the “divide” is between those who accept G-d and Our Creed, and those who do not.
Obama is anointed of G-d. His grace and fluency “singing the Song of America” proves it.
Bush and Cheney committed 9/11. On that same date, in 1987, the Zyklon-B salesman/pope was stoppered by G-d at the Tamiami Arena in front of 250,000 of those untroubled by the fact that America’s Author, Founder and Prophet correctly identified Rome as “an engine for enslaving mankind,”"the real Anti-Christ.”
There is but One G-d. Study cosmology and the science and physics of the Big Bang. There is only One G-d.
Hitler worked for the papacy’s “elite,” known in Europe as the Black Aristocracy. Bush’s grandfather was the money conduit from Rome’s American “Fifth Column” and its collection plates, through Vatican banker and Bush overlord for five generations, Rockefeller, to the author of “I Paid Hitler,” papal baron, Fritz “The Rockefeller of Germany” (so dubbed because all knew Prescott Bush’s money from Rockefeller) Thyssen, Bush’s fellow papal knight.
Rome, through homosexual alcoholic Joe McCarthy, went on to cover-up its role in the Holocaust and the rise of Nazism by stoppering post-WWII forensic discussion.
Rome needs to kill truth. G-d silenced the Zyklon-B salesman on 9/11. Bush’s grandson committed treason in NYC and at the Pentagon on 9/11.
“E Pluribus Unum” reflects the fulfillment of the prophecy that “all nations of the world” shall “flow into a new nation” ruled by Truth and Justice. America was believed by The Founders, and now by all true Patriots, to be that Promised Land.
Racists are traitors. The Dream is that all G-d’s children will live in peace and safety, a Nation of Priests, righteous before the One G-d. Those who reject a fellow American for the color G-d made him or her is a defiler and rejector of Our Creed and of G-d’s revealed Truth.
The L-rd works in mysterious ways. Slavery was evil but G-d intended that the blessed of Africa be brought here to win the war against King and Pope with the radical Protestants, Freemasons, and Jews who created America.
Rome is upon us. The Fasces, the symbol which represents the Anti-Christ to Our Founder – the opposite of Whig Utopianism – were nailed to the wall of the House by Roman Catholics after they conquered the Jeffersonian South in the Civil War.
Joe Wilson serves the Anti-Christ. He showed his lack of American Character when he used law school to dodge Vietnam and now plays dress-up as a SC Guard JAG officer with his “girlfriend” Lindsay Graham.
That lying traitors, draft-dodgers, and dishonest closet-queens are racists is no coincidence: they are against Truth and G-d.
Let us sweep evil from the land. Racists are not of G-d, are un-American, and serve only evil.
The Roman Anti-Christ promotes racism to divide and conquer. Let us identify the enemy of America.
Those who serve Rome are Anti-Christ. Racists are Anti-Christ. Southerners who serve Rome, and who oppose the anointed of G-d President Obama are doubly evil: false Americans, and betrayers of the White and Black Southerners who gave their lives fighting the Roman Catholic Wm T. Sherman and his immigrant hoarde of Italian, Irish and German Roman Catholics, in its effort to destroy the American Republic, now being served by Rome’s promotion of illegal immigration.
jconservative
September 11th, 2009
12:05 pm
Based on conversations with my neighbors race is a big part of the anti-Obama feeling. And, it is probably not confined to the south. I have conversations all over the country & get a lot of race talk from all over.
But Obama knew that was going to happen from the start. He just has to govern with that burden.
Government Not the Answer
September 11th, 2009
12:13 pm
The President was raised by a white mother and grand parents. I do not believe his agenda is racial and I do not agree that those of us who believe in limited government are focused on race either. Certainly I can only speak for myself but I do not know of anyone on the limited government side who is focused on race.
It is unfortunate in America that when someone is loosing an argument or loosing the debate – they use the old guilt trip do silence the opposition. Instead of focusing on the issue, many will focus on silencing the debate by branding the opposition as racist.
While I have a great deal of respect for our President, he is wrong on this issue. Government is not the answer it is most certainly the problem.
We need to have the debate and discussion and not be silenced by irrelevant aspects of those in the debate.
RetiredSoldier
September 11th, 2009
12:59 pm
The liberals have it all wrong, well maybe not all wrong but wrong in regards to why a conservative like me opposes almost all of the Obama agenda. Is it because he is Black, heck no. It is because he was way way out on the left edge of the political spectrum. I supported Dylan Glenn when he ran for Congress, worked on his behalf. Herman Cain was my second choice for senate after Mac Collins.
The vast majority of my conservative friends dislike Obama’s policies. Liberals like to use race as an easy scapegoat.
James McCoy
September 11th, 2009
1:52 pm
I don’t know a white person who is not racist,it’s in their DNA,the question is do they choose to use the racist part of their DNA.
Randyt (aka Been there, Done that, Got a Closet FULL of t-shirts)
September 11th, 2009
2:13 pm
When will some people on these blogs realize that most of the opposition to Obama is his policies. I could not care less whether he is black or white or pink or purple, it is his ideology that most people who oppose him are concerned about. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that he believes in income redistribution (socialism/Marxism), it does not take an Einstein to recognize that if one adds 50 million new people to the healthcare rolls, someone is going to have to pay for it, it does not take membership in Mensa to realize that if he gives everyone everything then he has two choices…take from the wage earners/producers or build more debt for my children and grandchildren to pay back. Most of all, it is a recognition that if one continues to take away money from people who work and give it to people who do not work then sooner or later the producers are just going to say to heck with it, I’ll just sit home anw watcht he Love “Connection and let everyone support me.
I get really sick of all of Obama’s supporters plyaing the race card. Discrimination and racism runs BOTH ways. If you do not believe that, go back and read that assinine memo that the black professors circulated last week. That offended me.
RetiredSoldier
September 11th, 2009
2:21 pm
James McCoy-
Was your post racist? If the answer is yes, shame on you. If the answer is no then ask yourself this question, if I changed white to black in your post, would that be racist? Get a gripe man.
Stan
September 11th, 2009
2:33 pm
Those claiming any and opposition to Pres. Obama’s policies are racist:
1) painting with a VERY large brush
b) probably do not know the definition of the word racisim
III) don’t remember Kanye saying “George Bush hates black people”
5) joe wilson is a scmuck. but I recall a LOT of horrible things being said about W coming from the left.
gafarmer
September 11th, 2009
2:41 pm
Ditto on retired soldier @12:59 comments. The essense of the whole debate seems to have become lost in the noise created by the shrill voices from the right and left.
Everyone is receiving health care at some level already. Check the emergency rooms and 911 calls. Health insurance is not a necessity, healthcare is. If the feds paid the cost of care mandated by medicare and medicaid we would ,in most areas, not be having this debate.
Keith
September 11th, 2009
2:42 pm
The fact that I dispise The O is offset by the fact I have voted for black conservative candidates. Race is irrelevent.
Jessica
September 11th, 2009
2:43 pm
I think some people really believe that all opposition to Obama stems from racism. They are wrong, and many of them have brainwashed by leaders who have a financial interest in keeping racial troubles alive and well in this country. Some might have experienced real discrimination in their lives, but it still isn’t logical to assume that all white people or all conservatives are motivated by race.
Some other people know deep down that it is policy views and not race that motivates distrust of Obama, but it is easier for them to accuse others of racism and close their minds than to actually THINK about the issues. It’s a way for them to stick their heads in the sand and avoid facts that make them uncomfortable.
The people who REALLY make me angry are those who play the “race card” to try to coerce other people into going along with them or at least shutting up. They are basically saying, “If you disagree with me, you are a racist.” They are closed-minded bullies who prefer to malign and intimidate anyone who challenges their world view rather than have an open debate.
RetiredSoldier
September 11th, 2009
3:15 pm
right on Jessica
Matilda
September 11th, 2009
4:56 pm
Jessica and others: No one said “all opposition.” Mr. Galloway wrote: “there is a perception growing that race is driving some elements of the opposition to Obama…” Note the words “Some elements.” I agreed.
That some of you choose to distort “some elements” into “ALL” indicates that you are using “straw man card” to support your own disagreement.
Not everyone is racist. That does not erase the fact that many people ARE racist, and many of those people oppose Obama, at least in part, because his father was not white like his mother. (Birthers anyone?) But certainly, if you make the argument that “all” people who object to your opposition to Obama’s policy are erroneously “playing the race card,” it’s much easier for you to play the “victim card” isn’t it? How convenient.
Tammy
September 11th, 2009
5:02 pm
Of course there are people who object to Obama’s policies on purely ideological grounds.
But for some people, the nasty tone and unyeilding disgust and loathing directed at the president is just too much. It can’t all be due to his ideology. Especially when you consider the fact that he’s not anywhere close to being the most left-leaning high-profile Democrat.
Something else is behind the near hysteria of SOME political opponents. It’s just so personal.
And to the those conservatives who feel we are making unfair generalizations about ALL conservatives, I can only say what conservatives of all colors said to industrious hard-working blacks who were offended when Reganites spoke endlessly about the problems of the black underclass, “WE aren’t talking about you.”
Sasha
September 12th, 2009
9:38 am
I thought racial issues were disappearing but I am living in the middle
of a huge republican base that is very racist….to the point of
being pathetic. They are all over 60, have beards, tattoos, ride motorcycles, and most have pot bellies along with many health issues
they like to blame on agent orange. It is very sad they can not connect
mentally with what is really going on in America.
Bobby Anthony
September 12th, 2009
10:29 am
I like Obama. I voted for Obama. My mother, if she was still alive, would be mortfied. I am white and 55 years-old. A lot of my friends do not share my sentiments. The South has come a long way since the 1960’s but still has a long way to go. When we continue to elect hatemongers, like Paul Broun, we continue to display that even though we go to church on Sunday we deny ourselves the true love that Jesus admonished us to have for one another.
cm
September 12th, 2009
10:49 am
I can only speak for myself when I say I oppose his policies. I see him actually creating more of a race issue with his speaches. I also see him appointing very radical, very far left “czars” who have not been vetted. I see what he has done so far to not help the unemployment, but actually harm it. Why is he worried so much about the healthcare agenda now, when the United States is facing such high unemployment? At the moment, companies are scared to invest due to the uncertainties of what is happening in Washington. It comes down to the question of do they want to hire more employees if it is going to cost much more in taxes? Do they want to develop that land or create a new business if they are going to have change their plans midstream in order to meet the “green” criteria? The question of him speaking to the children is very simple. A man is judged by the company he keeps. Van Jones is a case in point. He believed that change started with indoctrinating the children. Please remember that Van Jones is a self proclaimed communist. Do we really want to trust this whole situation before we really know the truth? What about the Acorn situation? We know he worked for Acorn as a community organizer. We also know their is a lot of corruption going on there. This is not a black and white issue, it is a major mistrust issue! Why do I want to trust a healthcare bill that was written not by congress but by an affiliate of Acorn? I am not saying that there are no racists, but I am saying there is a lot of unrest due to the corruption on both sides and the heavy liberal leanings of our current president, who campaigned on slight left leanings.
Intelligent and Sickened by our Country's Political Behavior
September 12th, 2009
12:52 pm
I am not as prophetic as some of you above! However, I am sickened by how some of you are covering up your disdain for the elected President by challenging every effort he makes to address issues in this Country. Your responses are political and some are definitely racial. He has reached across the political aisle to bring about change only to be rebuffed by illogical and trumped up concerns. The very people these improvements will help are pushing back for no other reason than politics and race! More race because from the responses of some of them on the news “RAGS”, you do not speak intelligent enough to understand nor debate the issues at hand. You are simply repeating the hate filled venom of some of our elected idiots! For those of you trying to guess my political affiliation, I have never voted a straight ticket in my life and I never will. GROW UP AMERICA BEFROE WE BECOME THE NEXT THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!!!!!
kcob95
September 12th, 2009
2:38 pm
Whether you are left or right, black or white, I think we really need to get off the name calling. What are we 3rd graders? I profoundly dislike the words used to describe the opposition left or right.
Those on the right use words like “radical”, “socialism”, “marxism”, government run. Those on the left use words like “extremist”, rightwing conservative”, “obstructionist”. What ever happened to me just not agreeing with my neighbors argument or despite our similiar backgrounds we just solve problems differently. Democrats will not due things the same way as republicans and vice versa. You have elections to try something different or not. Can’t we disagree without being disagreeable? Perhaps taking that suggestion by the president would do us all some good. Signed Independent voter.
hub
September 13th, 2009
12:49 am
It is said that the greatest thing to fear is fear itself. But there is a greater fear. The fear of losing posession, control, power, dominance, and ultimately, prominence. When you examine the evolution of modern society, specifically American society, you will see that all resistance to change was based on the loss of one or more of the above. You will also note that with the overcoming of this resistance we can become a greater society.”