Friday, February 29, 2008
He who smelt it dealt it?
This version of the dumb photo story is consistent with our prior commentary:
That same day, the notoriously right-wing, scandal-mongering Drudge Report website ran a photograph of Obama dressed in the traditional clothing of a Somali elder during a tour of Africa, attached to an assertion, without evidence, that the Clinton campaign was "circulating" the picture. The story was silly on its face--there are plenty of photographs of Hillary Clinton and virtually every other major American elected official dressed in the traditional garb of other countries, and Obama's was no different. The alleged "circulation" amounted, on close reading, to what Drudge's dispatch said was an e-mail from one unnamed Clinton "staffer" to another idly wondering what the coverage might have been if the picture had been of Clinton. Possible e-mail chatter about an inoffensive picture as spun by the Drudge Report would not normally be deemed newsworthy, even in these degraded times.
Except by Obama and his campaign, who jumped on the insinuating circumstances as a kind of vindication. The Drudge posting included reaction from the pinnacle of Obama's campaign team. "It's exactly the kind of divisive politics that turns away Americans of all parties and diminishes respect for America in the world," said Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe, who also described the non-story as "the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election" and "part of a disturbing pattern." Although he never explicitly spelled out the contours of this pattern, he was clearly alluding to race baiting. Later in the day, Obama himself jumped in, repeating the nasty, slippery charge that the Clinton campaign "was trying to circulate this [picture] as a negative" and calling it a political trick of the sort "you start seeing at the end of campaigns."
3 Comments:
By 
, at
Fri Feb 29, 11:19:00 AM:
OK, let me get this straight. It's a non-story if a pair of Clinton campaign staffers exchange a photo of Obama wearing "traditional clothing of a Somali elder" and then musing about it. But it is a story if the Obama campaign seizes on the media lust to make some hay out it. Right?
Likewise, it was a non-story when Al Gore used Willie Horton against Michael Dukakis in the 1988 primary season. But when George H.W. Bush's campaign recycled it for the general election, it suddenly became news worthy.
Obama makes a racial statement just by showing his face in public. Get over it. Get over the shadier side of politicking as well. Sit back and wait for when Obama gains the nomination and the racial floodgates burst open on both sides.
So for now, drop the non-story. BTW, Drudge is an ass.
By , at
Fri Feb 29, 03:22:00 PM:
Seems unnecessary for a black guy to play the black guy thing. He'll get virtually all black votes without trying, younger progressive voters who think it's time for a black guy, etc. I'm still waiting for Hill to get nasty, and show us just how open the Clinton's are on diversity ... that is, past the cooks, nannies, maids and other persons in her village.
Style points to Dreck for "he who smelt it dealt it". I'm waiting for a pull my finger reference.
Spike
By , at
Sat Mar 01, 03:00:00 AM:
Democrats already get 85% of the black vote...who cares if the Democrat is black, or what he does or doesn't stand for...if he's a Democrat, he will get 85% of the black vote.
As far as the picture of Obama in a turban, having the middle name Hussein and being raised as a Muslim...as noted above, that is only useful in making Mr. Obama a victim. He doesn't appear to be "black" enough to be a victim in that regard.
Good Lord, isn't it time to stop having elections and just have an "American Idol" series to choose our President?
What abject, pristine, shimmering foolishness!!!
