“Disrespectful” was a powerful word in the Jim Crow era. Like “uppity,” it had a special meaning when used to describe the behavior of African Americans. A black man who was thought to be disrespectful to a white man risked being beaten. A black man who was disrespectful to a white woman could well end up dead.
Here’s what the female announcer in John McCain’s new ad says:
ANNOUNCER: He was the world’s biggest celebrity. But his star is fading. So they lashed out at Sarah Palin. Dismissed her as “good looking.” That backfired. So they said she was doing “what she was told.” Then desperately called Sarah Palin a liar. How disrespectful. (Emphasis added.)
First of all, the fact that Palin is an audacious and extravagant liar has been clearly established. Starting with her convention speech, she has repeatedly lied about the fact that she opposed the Bridge to Nowhere and sold a plane on Ebay, just for starters.
The matronly indignation voiced by the new ad’s announcer juxtaposed with the visual of Obama’s face in profile next to the words “how disrespectful” reads loudly and clearly to the ad’s target demo, the racist GOP base. And yet the messaging is apparently too subtle for the punditocracy — even though this same group spent endless hours last week debating whether Obama’s “lipstick” remark was sexist or not. Let’s review Obama’s statement, just for grins:
OBAMA: Let’s just list this for a second. John McCain says he’s about change, too. Except — and so I guess his whole angle is, “Watch out, George Bush, except for economic policy, health-care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy, and Karl Rove-style politics. We’re really gonna shake things up in Washington.” That’s not change. That’s just calling some — the same thing, something different. But you know, you can — you know, you can put lipstick on a pig; it’s still a pig.
Despite the fact that Obama never referred even indirectly to McCain’s vice presidential nominee — and the equally confounding fact that the nominee has repeatedly compared herself to a female dog in lipstick (pig is bad, but bitch is okay?) — the Rove element in the McCain campaign has successfully recast Obama’s statement as sexist, at least in the empty minds of Fox News viewers.
The racist coding in the McCain ad is more subtle than the infamous “hands” ad that Sen. Jesse Helms, the proud North Carolina bigot who gave McCain senior adviser Charlie Black his start, ran against Harvey Gantt, the architect and former mayor of Charlotte who was African American. The “hands” ad showed the hands and arms of a white man crumpling up a notice he’d received that his job had been given to a less-qualified “minority.”
But the intended effect of the McCain ad is the same — to stoke the flames of racial hatred and fear among voters at the heart of the Republican base.
Disrespectful was Michelle Obama not attending the memorial service in NYC on 09-11-08.
What was her excuse, again, for not attending the memorial service in NYC?
Oh yes, her daughters were starting school…
Then why did she attend a political event in Cincinnati at a black church on 09-11-08?
Off topic, but I’ll bite:
She spoke for 15 minutes and then probably hopped a one-hour or so flight back to Chicago in time to tuck the girls into bed.
Sounds like “family values” to me.
What does michelle have to do with this article at all?
I guess it would have been good to take her two daughters out of school and to new york for a political event at a memorial they don’t understand instead of getting a fresh start on their next year of education. Shame on her for trying to make her daughters feel normal and comfortable while their father is far away and the focus of the nation.
maybe you should look at a map bobbski, a jump to Cincinnati is not all that far, and thank you for your subtle racial digs. I guess that is how you are on topic today, because i don’t see why you chose to focus on it being a “black” church.
and I might ask, what was your excuse for not being there? you hate America or something?
maybe you should look at a map bobbski, a jump to Cincinnati is not all that far, — ciao
Neither is a jump to NYC. Face it, she was willing to diss the 911 memorial service but more than willing to attend a political event.
Why focus on it as a black event? Are you saying in was not?
You sound like a tool.
It wasn´t about her children and the first week of school at all.
My excuse? I live in Orlando and I am not running for office nor is my spouse.
Nice try, though.
Hate America? I served 8 years on active duty 50 years ago. How about you?
Dear Dumbass:
You are so frigging dumb and determined to be dumb that you do not care about anything except being against Michelle and Obama. Why don’t you just shut up and let the folks who do not judge people on race, creed, or color take over? If the Virgin Goddess Palin is okay with not taking care of her folks in a way I think appropriate then why the hell do you care if a Mother wants to take care of her kids and get them to school on time the first day? Michelle Obama cannot be in three places at once and she could not please you if she had personally called you on 9/11. America is about the business of taking care of your family and that means Democrats also. Can you not get that? You want to be wrong. Be wrong and be offended, but don’t make us have to put up with you and your bigoted ways. Be quiet. Be nice. Try it with someone other than your kind.
Wow, jethrow, I am awed. Thanks for your perfectly stated comment. Come back anytime!
I was just actually going to note that McCain/Palin have sewn up the angry white vote but I think bobbski’s comments make that redundant.
the ad is a reflection of reality and all you can honestly do is feign offense.
what is rediculous is that racism only becomes an issue if enough money is involved.
proving that classism is the weaker of the two social forces.
open your eyes, look at the WORLD.
The ad is a pack of lies.
It seems that the announcer is reiterating what mcain has been saying and doing to Obama & Hillary all along.
I want to add that I thought I read that the title of the article is: “McCain Ad’s Subtle Racism: Attacks Obama For ‘Disrespectful’ Behavior to a White Woman”, however, the first post does not address the issue of the article. Thank you bobbski for yet another shining example of how mccain’s statements and answers never address the issues directly either.
¨Wow, jethrow, I am awed. Thanks for your perfectly stated comment. Come back anytime!
I was just actually going to note that McCain/Palin have sewn up the angry white vote but I think bobbski’s comments make that redundant.¨ — Trish
Jethro sounds like a fool who has trouble understanding the written word and lets his emotion override his brain.
Oh yes, I am angry… angry enough to pass on voting a presidential choice as I did in 1972 and 1996.
If you folks used a bit more logic rather than emotion you would try to understand why Obama´s campaign seems to be sinking and why democratic insiders are worried that he will bring down the under ticket.
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid and most of all keep calling everyone who disagrees with you angry or racist or whatever.
Hey bobbski:
If you don’t vote, you don’t get to a) complain or b) play in our sandbox. There’s no honor in choosing not to participate, but if that’s your choice, then shut up. BTW, I don’t care what you did 50 years ago. What are you going to do in November?
This is just stupid. THe thing that kills me is that they are comparing Obama to Jesus. Ha. That is some crazy stuff. I am voting for McCain, and I hope everyone does the same.
No matter what bobbski’s views today are, to say that “you don’t care” what he did 50 years ago speaks volumes.
I am a naturalized citizen, as is my husband. American soldiers freed my father-in-law from a Japanese POW camp. American soldiers helped the Brits fight a terrible enemy and preserved the freedoms of my family in Northern Ireland.
So, God bless you, bobbski, for you what you did 50 years ago…I care!
However, please do not become so angry with our nation that you do not use your God-given right to vote. It is one of the things you fought for and your friends died for those 50 years ago.
Treasure it. Use it to speak your mind.