Thursday, August 7, 2008 9:33 PM CDT
COLUMN: Asking questions of Obama doesn't make questioner a racist
By HARRY REYNOLDS, Editorial page editor
hreynolds@jg-tc.com
Some national polls show Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama tied at 44 percent each. McCain managed to erase the 9-point lead Obama held in the wake of his trip to the Middle East and Europe.
Even before the Iowa primary, the national news media behaved like Obama’s personal fan club. The press doesn’t need this; it only reinforces what millions of Americans already believe — we’re biased.
That this never dawned on the fawning media is the height of hypocrisy given its claim to impartiality. For months, the self-anointed arbitrator scoffed at the notion of flaming bias. But, lately, under the weight of the obvious, it’s scratching its head, wondering if the charge has merit. But, expect an admission — of course not.
Justification for the media’s stampede overseas with Obama held it was news. Which begs the question of why McCain didn’t get similar coverage when he visited foreign lands?
I’m not sure it serves Obama’s best interest in the long run to be treated like a rock star. Getting used to it courts the twin dangers of self arrogance and assumption.
The huge crowd roaring for Obama during his appearance on a Berlin stage did little to ground Obama in reality. He was treated like the president — rather than as one of two candidates for the Oval Office — rubbing elbows with some of the top leaders in the Middle East and Europe.
Europe’s embrace of Obama spawned from its blatant disdain for President George Bush. But, Obama does represent something new in American politics.
He really cannot be viewed as black or white. He is the melting pot America will truly become within the next century. It is in that vein he should be judged.
Yet, we struggle with the race thing. It’s convenient to leave on the doorstep of white America, but it’s not that simple. Racism claims no easy name. It is as much the domain of black as it is of white, red, yellow and hues between.
The charge of racism raised its flimsy head during the Democratic primaries when we saw the Clinton and Obama camps play gotcha. How many honorable men and women, long servants of America at its best, were tossed overboard in the interest of the ultimate terrorist — political correctness?
The Clinton camp has long complained the race card was played against it. There is some validity to that contention.
Last week McCain took Obama to task for comments he made during a stop in Missouri, saying Obama was implying the GOP was going to use the infamous race card against him.
“Nobody thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face,” Obama told the crowd. “So what they are going to try to do is make you scared of me. You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all of those other presidents on the dollar bills.”
Obama has used the line on several occasions. McCain is right. In this, Obama is playing the race card and it doesn’t appear to be by accident.
According to a story on June 20 by Reuters wire service, Obama said during a fundraiser in Florida, “They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?”
During the Democratic primaries, snippets of video tapes emerged showing Obama’s Chicago minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, damning the United States and spewing racial hatred.
We also witnessed tapes of Wright attacking Hillary Clinton, who, along with husband Bill, ex-president of the U.S., long championed civil rights.
Obama denied having ever heard Wright making such comments when he attended church. Obama attended Wright’s church for over 20 years. Wright presided at his wedding, baptized his children and acted as his spiritual adviser.
Obama’s book, “The Audacity of Hope,” paid tribute to the minister.
Obama’s claim to have no knowledge of what Wright was doing from the altar drew challenge.
The question raised was how the senator could have been a member of the super-sized church so long yet not be aware of the pastor’s inflammatory rants.
It was a valid question to ask Obama, but those who did incredulously were accused of being racists.
Wright did himself in eventually, wallowing in bigotry and hate during several public appearances broadcast live on TV.
Those exhibitions reinforced the need for a straight, believable answer from Obama.
I posed the question in several columns and was accused of being a racist by some anonymous posters on JG/T-C online. There’s nothing I respect more than people who are afraid to attach their names to their opinions.
The author of one letter to the editor accused me of making a racist statement in one of the columns.
Actually, he ventured, it was a statement I meant to say although I didn’t say it.
Of course this baffled me because I generally say what I’m saying.
I do admit people sometimes don’t know what I’m saying because I slur. I could blame it on the sad state of my hearing, but I won’t excuse myself that easily.
I could blame it on the fact my hearing aids squeal when I don’t put them in right. But, I won’t.
I’ve been reading movie subtitles for years, reading people’s lips and saying, “Huh?”
Thanks to the nifty devices I can hear a gossip in a crowded room from the curb.
In any case, I don’t much like people who try to pigeon-hole me in terms of politics, religion and the Iraq war.
I will say, however, when it comes to pies, I’m a peach man.
I believe in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and unbending individualism. I’ve never been big on teamwork as my high school football coach would attest to.
I believe heavy-handed attempts to shut people up by yelling racism should be met at every turn by good old American determination not to be bullied.
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miltmart wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:50 PM: