It’s been a trying 10 days for Barack Obama’s fans. With characteristic understatement and civility, they are exerting themselves to make clear that the political differences dividing Americans are ones about which decent and reasonable people can disagree:
“We’re coming off the worst eight years in our country’s history.”
Adam McKay, “We’re Gonna Frickin’ Lose this Thing,” September 8, The Huffington Post
[Adam, just to be clear: You’re saying that the past eight years are worse than the eight that included the Depression, or World War II, when 400,000 Americans died, or the Civil War, when 600,000 did? If you really want the gold medal in freestyle hysteria, you can’t hold back like that. Why not double down and say the past eight years have been the worst in any country’s history? What the Germans and Russians endured in the 1930s, the Poles in the 1940s, the Chinese in the 1960s, or the Cambodians in the 1970s is a day at the spa compared to what Americans have gone through since 2000. That’s an approach that will impress undecided voters and Independents.]
“John McCain is running a campaign almost entirely based on straight up lies. . . . [He] is running the sleaziest, most dishonest and race-baiting campaign of our lifetimes.”
Josh Marshall, “Unfit for High Office,” September 10, Talking Point Memo
“If Americans choose McCain, they will be turning their back on the rest of the world, choosing to show us four more years of the Bush-Cheney finger. . . . Suddenly Europeans and others will conclude that their dispute is with not only one ruling clique, but Americans themselves. . . . For America to make a decision as grave as this one - while the planet boils and with the US fighting two wars - on the trivial basis that a hockey mom is likable and seems down to earth, would be to convey a lack of seriousness, a fleeing from reality . . . ”
Jonathan Freedland, “The World’s Verdict Will Be Harsh if the U.S. Rejects the Man it Yearns For,” September 10, The Guardian
on the trivial basis that a hockey mom is likable and seems down to earth,
But it would be fine if we made it on the basis that Obama is (half) black. That would be a perfectly respectable reason to elect him. Or so his supporters think.
Hmmm...Giving the finger to Europe and making them pissed. He makes that sound like a bad thing. That's supposed to dissuade me how?
"the sleaziest, most dishonest and race-baiting campaign of our lifetimes"
I guess Josh Marshall missed the ads in 2000 linking GW to hate crimes. And the whole Mediscare nonsense in 1996. And all the made up stories about Sarah Palin from just last week.
Steve Hayward recounts RFK going into Orange County, California, and race baiting.
And that was nothing compared to Jimmy Carter's race baiting in the 1976 primaries and general.
STEVE lays it out, chapter and verse.
And what about Cruz Bustamonte campaigning against Arnold, and saying Arnold represented "the last dying kick of gringo California," -------- who can forget that one.
If you really want to see some racism, take a gander at the mayoral races of some of America's largest cities, such as Philadelphia, especially Chicago.
Bill, You're just being mean-spirited and divisive . . .
A bit of wisdom (for Democrats) from ">">https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/opinion/11collins.html?hp=&pagewanted=print"> Gail Collins.
Yes--Adam McKay is right. It *is* the worst 8 years in our country's history, because it's all about *me*, and I'm personally not happy, and I can't be bothered to read a history book or to put everything in perspective.
Do you hear me?! It's all about me! ME, ME, ME, ME, ME!!!
--- *gasp* *cough* *hack*
Ugh--sorry about that! I had an attack of liberalism for a moment there. I'm all better now!