Sen. Barack Obama gives a shout-out to Deval Patrick on Countdown
Photo from MSNBC
Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) was on Countdown with Keith Olbermann Friday night to promote his new book, “The Audacity of Hope”
It was a very interesting discussion that touched on a few things, such as Senator Obama’s political future, but what what really got my attention was the discussion about the latest propaganda from the GOP I’m not embedding it, because it’s disgusting. You can make with the clicky if you want to see it.
In that ad you see the sum total of the GOP playbook. Fear. Intimidation. Desperation. Taking a look at Kerry Healey latest “scary black* raping man” themed ad, it’s clear she’s has obviously been taking notes.
*okay, before someone says, but Kerry Healey didn’t put a black man in that parking lot ad - I call bullshit. Her intention is very clear. By referring to Benjamin LaGuer, a man of color, she is invoking race.
Back to Senator Obama.
I was pleased to hear Senator Obama mention the candidacy of Deval Patrick as an example of a different kind of politics. You can tune into the whole interview here [link] the comment comes up about 1:30 into the interview.
I think it connects with a real hunger generally in the population for a different kind of politics. I’m in Boston right now, and you’re seeing Deval Patrick, who nobody gave a chance of winning the Democratic nomination to be governor here in Massachusetts, with a 20-point lead over his Republican challenger, despite having been victim to withering ads, because he projects a message of hope rather than fear.
Hope. Vision. Courage. From what I hear from phone banks, to canvasses, to rallies — it’s clear that the people of Massachusetts are ready for change.
I’ll be the “Someone.” You said she is invoking race b/c she refers to LeGeur, a black man. But she does not refer to his race. She correctly refers to the fact that he tied up a 59 year old lady and raped her for 8 hours. That’s somebody’s mother, somebody’s grandmother, and Deval Patrick came to this scumbag’s defense b/c he writes nice letters? If the circumstances were the same, except LeGuer were white, would Healey still object to Patrick’s handling of the case? I don’t know Kerry Healey, but I suspect that she would. I know I would.
The fact that she refers to LeGeur, and the fact that LeGeur is black, do not make her racist. (I’m not saying she’s not racist, she may be, but this certainly does not prove that she is.) Again, she referred to the fact that he is a racist, not the fact that he is black. I agree that the ad is proof that Healey is a pitiful candidate who has no ideas, and has resorted to a pretty low level. But she is not preying on anyone’s fear of black people, she is preying on people’s fear of rapists.
Posted on October 21st, 2006 at 10:05 pm
Right, thanks for the recap, but you’re incorrect.
Deval Patrick didn’t “come to this scumbag’s defense b/c he writes nice letters.” LaGuer was one of many clients Deval Patrick had when he worked for the NAACP LDF. There’s no need to rehash the reasons why Deval (and other notables) wrote letters on LaGuer’s behalf, or contributed money for his DNA test. You read Blue Mass. Group. It’s all well stated there.
You came to the conclusion you have and I’ve come to my own conclusions about the meaning in Kerry Healey’s advertisements. I’m not the only person who feels her ads are somewhat racist in tone.
Your tolerance level may vary.
Posted on October 22nd, 2006 at 12:18 am
I don’t doubt that you are not the only person who feels that her ads are racist. I assure you I am not the only one who feels that they are not.
I have nothing but the utmost tolerance for people of all races, religions and sexual orientations. But if I feel that someone is being falsely accused of intolerance, I feel compelled to say so.
Posted on October 22nd, 2006 at 12:44 am
Aaron, your arguments are ridiculous. She doesn’t have to refer to his race. Her entire campaign has been about “black men are criminals and Deval’s on their side, not yours.” Just like Republicans have been trying for years to make people think of “black people” when they think of “welfare recipients” they’ve also been trying to associate black men with criminals in the minds of the public as a scare technique. She’s trying to make people believe that they or their girlfriends will be raped by black men, which is a primal fear of white people. The fact that she’s also trying to suggest that Deval has rapists in teh family (who just happened to not even be related to him, he’s related to the victim).
and Deval Patrick came to this scumbag’s defense b/c he writes nice letters
Yeah, or because nobody on any side of the political aisle believed he got a fair trial, and some fools think that’s important, what with the cops “losing” the evidence and the jury preventing from hearing evidence that the victim suffered from schizophrenia, which might make it difficult for her to ID her attacker. But facts are stupid things and it’s much easier to revel in your own ignorance and make things up.
I assure you I am not the only one who feels that they are not.
No, you are not alone in your level of denial. I’ve heard of cases where black men were beated by people yelling racial slurs and people like you were there to excuse it and explin it away as nothing close to racism. It wouldn’t hurt you to make more of an effort to educate yourself, though. Maybe, just maybe, if people of color are universally condemning this ad, there’s a reason beyond “all those people are always looking to stir up trouble.” You are not always right, Aaron, and the fact that so many people who know SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU about race and race relations and racial stereotypes have a problem with this and it doesn’t even lead you to consider that you might be wrong, even whicle you’re making ridiculously ignorant and false statements about the case in general, says a lot about you right now.
But if I feel that someone is being falsely accused of intolerance, I feel compelled to say so.
Very brave, I’m sure. It would be equally wonderful if you could bring yourself to condemn intolerance when it’s biting you in the face. Or at least to see it, but I guess that’s too much to hope for.
Posted on October 29th, 2006 at 3:34 am