Stay Classy, Senator McCain -- Dog Whistle Edition
Another day, another excercise in coded juvenilia from the McCain campaign. This one's got lotsa white girls. Mmm. White girls.
Here.
Yeah, yeah, I know. Why so sensitive? It's all in good fun. There's no way the McCain campaign -- the one that hired the Harold Ford ad guys -- would think like that. Get your mind out of the race card gutter!
Sound familiar? It's exactly what the affronted minions in the Clinton campaign said. Funny how the emails and memos that were released after their race was run show a different picture altogether.
Not so funny that the McCain campaign is engaging in the identical strategy.
UPDATE! As noted elsewhere, the McCain campaign has taken down the video in question. Gosh. I wonder why?
--
To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Harley's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Conservative
Liberal
Moderate/Mixed/Non-Partisan
Non-Political/Reference
Related Sites -
Polisci Applied (Aaron)
Intrepid Liberal Journal (Intrepid Liberal)
Obsidian Wings (Bird Dog)
Open Hand/Open Eye (locutas)
Red State (Bird Dog)
Swords Crossed (brendanm98)
Wagster Speaks (Wagster)
WatchingAmerica (BlaiseP)
The Social Pathologist (TSP)
Foreign Affairs -
Abu Aardvark
'Aqoul
American Footprints
Council on Foreign Relations
CSIS
Democracy Arsenal
Intel Dump
The Fourth Rail
The Head Heeb
War and Piece
Politics -
Ace of Spades HQ
Andrew Sullivan
Balloon Juice
Belgravia Dispatch
Captain's Quarters
Crooked Timber
Curmudgeonly & Skeptical
Daily Kos
Democracy Arsenal
Eschaton
Firedoglake
Glenn Greenwald
Global Guerrillas
Hugh Hewitt
Instapundit
Jawa Report
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Liberals Against Terror
Matt Yglesias
Michael J. Totten
Michelle Malkin
Moon of Alabama
New America
OxBlog
Patterico
Political Animal
Political Wire
Publius Pundit
QandO
Reality Based Community
Talking Points Memo
The Agitator
The Belmont Club
The Corner
Truman Project
Winds of Change.net
War -
Counterterrorism Blog
Iraq the Model
Jihad Watch
Small Wars Journal Blog
Economics and Business -
Angry Bear
Brad DeLong
Daniel Drezner
Mahalanobis
Marginal Revolution
Roubini Global Economics
The Big Picture
Science and Tech -
Bad Astronomy
New Scientist
Real Climate
Science Blogs
Scientific American
The Panda's Thumb
Legal -
Balkinization
Conglomerate
Ideoblog
Jurisdynamics
Law and Letters
Overlawyered
ProfessorBainbridge
ScotusBlog
Talk Left
The Becker-Posner Blog
Volokh Conspiracy
Sports -
Baseball Crank
Baseball Musings
Baseball Reference.com
ESPN.com
NFL.com
Only Baseball Matters
The Sports Economist
Books, Film and Music -
Amazon.com
Internet Movie Database
All Music Guide
News and Aggregators -
Asia Times
Boingboing
CNN
Digg
English Russia
Fark
Los Angeles Times
Memeorandum
MSNBC
Politico
Poynteronline
Slashdot
The New York Times
The Washington Post
References -
from Joe Klein, former McCain fan.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
)The guy who impugned the patriotism of everybody who opposed telco immunity? Frankly, I could give a rat's tuckus what Joe Klein thinks about either McCain's or Obama's patriotism. He literally does not know the meaning of the word.
Also, I get a chuckle every time a pundit professes to be shocked -- shocked! -- that one candidate is impugning the other's patriotism. Name me one election in the last fifty years in which that did not happen.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )We should give McCain a pass. Everybody does it.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Perhaps the silliest of all election-season conceits is the idea that "press coverage", considered independently from the candidates themselves, is ever a factor. Watchdogging the media on your candidate's behalf is like drawing on the mirror to improve your appearance.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )That you missed the last two elections. Press coverage, independent of the candidates themselves, is always a factor. Sometimes to a destructive degree.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )How do you know that, exactly?
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Al "I invented the internet" Gore and John "effete windsurfing liberal" Kerry.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )any more than rain gauges create rain.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Joe Lieberman is just a plain old scumbag:
“In my opinion, the choice could not be more clear: between one candidate, John McCain, who’s had experience, been tested in war and tried in peace, another candidate who has not,’’ Mr. Lieberman said. “Between one candidate, John McCain, who has always put the country first, worked across party lines to get things done, and one candidate who has not.
Lieberman better be kicked out of the Democratic caucus and shunned after the next election. Whether the Dems win or lose seats, there's no place in the party for a disgusting sniveling little back stabber like Lieberman.
Oh, and McCain once again called for action in support of Georgia without actually proposing ... well, anything. I'm sure it made for some good pull quotes and a nice photo-op, though.
--I blame it all on the Internet
- Login or register to post comments
)Doesn't that bastard know his place?
After all the party has done for him, and how supportive the nutroots was during his last election, he goes and stabs 'em in the back. Who'd have guessed?
The party must be purged of these ungrateful infidels.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )It's not that complicated. When a former Democrat campaigns for the Republican nominee in this manner, it doesn't make sense to caucus with him. Senator Leiberman is only nominally a man without a party, and given his recent statements? Best he make it official.
I'm assuming all your colorful language is employed in the service of a joke, rather than disagreement or opinion.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )After what happened in the last election, expecting anything else from ol' Joe is totally silly.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )When a guy loses his primary and campaigns against the party's nominee, they kick him out. That isn't rocket science. Even if he were the deciding vote in the Senate, it would still be better to boot him and avoid the obvious conclusion that you're a bunch of doormats.
I'm not at all confident that the Democrats will strip Lieberman of his committee assignments after November. Because, well, they're a bunch of doormats.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Which is why it makes perfect sense to no longer caucus with him.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )As I remember it, Honest Joe got the support of most congressional Democrats (including Obama) in the Democratic primary. But after he lost the nomination, support dropped off and Honest Joe refused to accept the party's nominee but ran as an independent, winning the election largely due to crossover Republican support. For Joe it's not about Democrats or Republicans and bipartisanship, or even Connecticut, it's all about Joe.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Lieberman has charted a very dangerous political course. He was a Democrat in a safe seat; if he'd kowtowed just a little more to his party's base, he'd have been virtually guaranteed a permanent position of great influence in the Senate.
I think Lieberman is simply devoted to his principles. Obviously, I think those principles are odious (if not actually insane -- hello Chuck Hagee), but I give him credit for honesty.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )his party is "Connecticut for Lieberman" not "Democrat" and he campaigns against the presumed Democratic nominee. I'm sure if the parties were reversed, the Republicans would have nothing but nice things to say about him.
--I blame it all on the Internet
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )How'd that purge the RINOs thing work out for republicans?
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )The Democrat's 50 state strategy is aimed at increasing the number of conservative Democrats in the Red states and in contrast to the Republican base the netroots seem to be on board.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )since I don't follow the party's internal squabbles too much. But they sure have nice things to say about Chuck Hagel!
--I blame it all on the Internet
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )and makes no attempt to conceal his feelings, I'll give him that.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24797#continueA
A pity others don't follow suit instead of closing ranks.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Great way to become a trivia question answer
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )He's already the answer to a trivia question...
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )on the Senate floor is in order.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )The Muslim is winning the Christian vote.
Heh.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
)This woman holds a congressional seat there.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/08/gop_rep_to_envir...
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Oh, Harley.
Think harder.
Spell better.
--God help the while, a bad world I say.
- Login or register to post comments
)And if anyone would know how to spell it, you would.
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )but so what? The people whose ears are tuned to that particular frequency were never going to vote for Obama anyway. The only question is how many of them there are.
The anger liberals feel toward the likes of Lee Atwater and Steve Schmidt is misplaced, in my opinion. A lever doesn't work unless it's attached to something.
--The other day I heard that ignorance and apathy are sweeping the country. I didn't know that, but I don't really care.
- Login or register to post comments
)The people whose ears are tuned to that particular frequency were never going to vote for Obama anyway.
But I think the objective is more to increase turnout amongst those folks.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )who McCain needs to persuade to change horses.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent ).
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
)Heh - maybe they figured if they asked The Big Guy Upstairs to pour rain on Denver: Colorado Springs might get flooded as well. And if it rains in C.S. and Denver is gloriously sunny: maybe that's a "sign" they don't want to have to read!
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )They're not asking for a plague of locusts.
--More Wagster!
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Jim Leach is a retired 15 term member of Congress from Iowa and has endorsed Barack Obama for President.
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
)how is using it as a running joke then considered shoehorning it into other discussions?
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
)gets McCain supporters up in arms in the same way using 'white girls' to trivialize Obama upsets Obama supporters.
Both sides are eying the other keenly for transgressions, get used to it.
--GW Bush, leading contender for worst President ever.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )If the McCain-iacs agree John McCain rather frequently gets confused about things.
Deal?
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )And enough supporters are
--stupid enoughtoo focused to not see how they are being played.“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )You are very lucky Tacitus erased his archives. All that stupidity. Vanished!
--To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Lucky?
What would be better… my actual words, or your unique "recollections" of what you thought I might have said?
Gee, what a tough call.
But heh, thanks for the stupidity slur crankypants.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )I could see being upset about the ad insulting why people support Obama, but the monomania over the ratio of white girls is, just, it's just strange. Several explanations have been offered up as to why this is, but in lieu of actual evidence supporting such arm chair diagnoses of millions of people I hesitate to bring them up.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )We'd probably do better to discuss Senator Strangelove's Georgia pronouncements....
Marshall was pretty good on this:
To think is not enough; you must think of something -- Jules Renard
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )in my opinion rallying Russia's neighbors against them is the proper response to this situation. At the very least we should seek closer cooperation with them rather than running away from them because we are scared of what the Russians might do.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )You guys seem like you should meet -- 2 no nonsense conservative vets.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )and a steak. I'll also be in Pittsburgh in 2 weeks. I don't think we have anyone here living in that area, but I think we do have a few ex pats.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Anyone here dumb enough to live in Pittsburgh?
Joking. I went there about a month ago and had a good time.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )I'm from Texas and I can certainly see how such a video would be perceived by those around here. The video has been pulled so I can't really say for sure, though. Now, if this was just a big misunderstanding and the Obama supporters suffer from monomania, why pull the youtube video? Who's being sensitive now?
--Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President. - Bruce Springsteen
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )in the Dallas area if you want to grab a beer. Not sure why the ad would have been pulled, but I'm unaware of any poll that finds most people find racial subtexts in these ads, so I doubt it was sensitivity to that which got the ad yanked.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Why do the American voters need to know that "hot chicks dig Obama"?
--But she's a queen, and such are queens
that your laughter is sucked in their brains. -D. Bowie
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )and if the complaint was this ad insults the intelligence and motives of Obama supporters then I wouldn't argue, because I think it does. But the complaint is the utterly unprovable accusation that this ad employs racial dog whistles, which I think belies a peculiar obsession.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )anyone who grew up in the South knows that those racial dog whistles are not an obsession but a fact of life down here.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )is laying down the race card where no racism exists.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Just curious because your comments on the subject are remarkably ignorant. Yes people play the race card where no racism exists. I've seen that on plenty of occasions. Unfortunately that does not change the fact that there is plenty of racism left in the south. I'm sad to say that includes many relatives and acquaintances of mine. It's a difficult situation particularly with older relatives.
Michael Gerson is not a liberal. He was GWB's speechwriter for 5 years but he grew up in the south too and he is speaking the truth. One which you and some others hear just don't seem to want to hear.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )and I'm not arguing against racism in the south, I'm arguing against the supposed racism in the ad. Also, while I can find things that Clinton's speech writers agreed with me on, that does not necessarily mean I have a window into that particular truth. Feel free to lay out your case, I'll hear you out, but if your main point is that the McCain campaign is sending subliminal messages in this ad that play upon miscegenation fears then I don't see where you have a shred of evidence, even if David Gergen and Michael Gerson agree.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Gerson made the point in an interview with a couple of other pundit types. I'll see if I can find a link. One of them was adopting your position which is quite reasonable if you have not grown up with racism all around you. The message is not directed to you though and it's clear as day to someone who has grown up in an environment where racism is a big issue.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )I won't have youtube access until the weekend, so I'd need more than a video link to find out how the McCain ad echoes Birth of a Nation.
--"That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!"- Dr. Seuss
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Being suckered into doing it.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )doing the three wise monkeys when it's convenient
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )I would be more likely to agree with you.
Of note: It appears John McCain has hired the same people who made phone calls in SC in 2000 (on behalf of George Bush) asserting that McCain's adopted children of color were actually his own natural children.
THAT would tell us a great deal about McCain's willingness to surrender honor in order to win an election.
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )That's all fine 'look over there stuff' but has nothing to do with what I was telling Sulla.
btw, do you have a cite for
I know it's gospel to many democrats that Bush and/or Rove did this in SC, but that isn't supported by any... you know... facts. The people who were actually funding and making those calls is known, so it should be easy to cite that these same people were hired by McCain. I have no idea one way or the other, but I'd like to know whether it's a fact or just partisan poo flinging.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Just responding to this:
-- oh, and John McCain -- gospel to democrats and JOHN MCCAIN that Bush/Rove started "a whispering campaign suggesting that John McCain had fathered an illegitimate black baby".
Are you saying John McCain is wrong too? Maybe his senility started 8 years ago?
I remember him steaming mad at a debate and confronting Bush with this -- clearly demonstrating that he's playing the race card and making unfounded partisan accusations against our greatest president ever.
--Steven Palmer Peterson
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Was indeed pissed (and he should be p.o.'d at such slimy crap). So pissed that he did something foolish, he went negative when he'd promised not to, and that more than anything underminded his SC bid.
However, since we're both going on just recollections here, I seem to recall that Rove and McCain have since then talked about this, and Rove convinced McCain that the campaign wasn't behind the vicious push polling.
So no, your point doesn't hold up well today, because AFAIK McCain doesn't think Bush or Rove were behind the smears.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )I haven't found your quote, but I did find this:
That sounds more like they just got over it.
--Steven Palmer Peterson
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )The McCain's were devastated by what happened, and had every right to be. It was BS, and it would be very difficult to just 'let it go'. They should have a well-developed and justified grudge against the people in the SC behind those smears. That however, is beside the point.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Well, that's the point -- which people in SC.
--Steven Palmer Peterson
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )As for this . . .
I am reminded of the joke about President Bush saying there were no plans to invade Iraq on his desk . . .
. . . those plans were always kept in the credenza.
Cheers! :-)
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )know how to dog whistle.
If a football coach puts in a player known for "taking out" opposing quarterbacks with dirty play, it is necessary push back.
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )That's an embarassing response to a request for a cite.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )But, if you expressly DENY that Bush operatives spread rumors about McCain fathering his adopted children, and stake a measure of credibility on the matter, I will go find a cite.
But unless and until you stake at least some credibility disputing that assertion, I see no reason to bother.
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )You make an apparently unsupportable statement, don't produce a requested cite to support it, and now you instead attempt to question *my* credibility?
I would have stuck to the merely embarrassing rather than descending to these kinds of fallacies. But that's just me.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )and state that you have genuine doubt about that statement and I will find some links.
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )And exactly quoted it. This is beyond silly.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Scott tried that "democrats making unfounded accusations" argument on me in private conversation some time back. At least he hasn't brought up that line of argument in the last year.
Problem for that line of argument is that McCain is now the repub presidential candidate -- and he was also making those "unfounded" accusations.
Why anyone would continue to carry water for Bush/Rove on this is beyond me. I stopped carrying water for Edwards a month ago when the Enquirer pinned him in a hotel bathroom.
--Steven Palmer Peterson
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )..by just pretending that I'm carrying water for anyone.
AFAIK, and I'm open to credible cites that would contradict my recollection, the notion that Bush and/or Rove were behind the ridiculous whisper smears in SC is gospel to some, but I've never seen any facts to actually support it.
If you've got something to support it, great, love to see it. However, just because rumor, innuendo, and circumstantial evidence get repeated over and over, it doesn't magically change them into facts.
Really, it's more curiosity and perception of historical accuracies on my part, so there's no need to get so dismissive.
--“I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views.”
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Your credibility doesn't matter? How strange.
-bro
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )Make me a bet about Bush and McCain in SC and I will respond with links. But also I betcha you and Mac both KNOW I'm right on this point.
Right? ;-)
--Fence post turtles -- They don't get up there by themselves, some moron had to put 'em there.
- Login or register to post comments
| parent )