Who doesn't?
Posted on 07/13/2008 6:59:23 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
Let me get one thing out there, before this column gets ugly (as it most definitely will).
I believe Barack Obama will win in November.
Republicans, after all, are facing a horror show: stratospheric gas prices, 401K accounts that have joined Jenny Craig, increasing numbers of casualties in Afghanistan, escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and a situation in Iraq that oscillates between suicide bombings and periods of relative calm.
But an Obama victory may not be quite the harbinger of change that so many of his supporters hope.
Let me offer as Exhibit A - and, believe me, you're not going to need an Exhibit B - a C-SPAN voter focus group conducted at the end of June.
For the focus group, respected pollster Peter Hart pulled together 12 voters - including, among others, a pharmaceutical rep., a homemaker, a dialysis technician, and a bartender. Some were Republicans, some Democrats, some Independents. And - this is particularly important - all hailed from a swing area of a swing state (Pennsylvania).
The seven women and five men sat in a small room, surrounded by cameras and faced with a one-way mirror (through which a collection of journalists watched them). But, as time went on, the 12 seemed to grow dangerously comfortable with one other and, like stars of their own reality show, ignored the hulking cameras.
Consider, for example, the words of Charles, a 56-year-old undertaker, who noted about an hour into the session that "I don't trust Osama - I mean Obama. It's only one letter difference. His middle name's Hussein. He comes from a Muslim family. It's not right, I can't see it. I just fear for America if he comes in."
Later, Charles said that a President Obama would make America viewed "more as a third-world country."
C-SPAN doesn't usually air scary movies.
But all of a sudden I felt like I was watching a cross between "Twelve Angry Men," "Big Brother," and one of those psychological experiments where perfectly nice college kids - if given enough latitude - start to turn into monsters.
Terry, a church activity director, said that she would "be scared" if Obama became president. "Reeeeeeally scared. He's just a scary man. Because I think the black cars would be pulling up all the time... I think there's somebody behind him somewhere. Terrorists? Other people supporting him? I don't feel he is a true American."
Peter Hart - who would later voice his astonishment about the direction that the focus group took - asked participants whether they agreed with Terry. To one extent or another, three did (though one thought that Michelle Obama was more anti-American than her husband).
What was striking too was that Obama's race - and not just his religion - became another testament to his unAmericanness. "What's he gonna do with the whites?" asked William, a retired auto dealer. "What's he gonna do with the blacks? What's he gonna do with the Muslims? Is there favoritism?"
For his part, Charles didn't bother to beat around the bush. "I think basically that if Obama gets in there's going to be a big black agenda that he's going to be pulling for and that's going to turn whites against blacks. And we're going to have more of a chance of riots."
Later, I recounted Charles' concern to two friends. And I asked them what "the black agenda" was. "I have no idea," one shrugged. "I was just going to ask you that," said the other.
"Am I crazy?" I thought. "Wouldn't twelve black voters have the same concerns as twelve white voters? High gas prices? A health care crisis? A war in Iraq? Poor schools?"
But maybe I am crazy, a possibility the Pennsylvania focus group has made me seriously consider. Maybe I live in a make-believe world, a world populated by Vanessa Minnillo and Nick Lachey, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubrey. Maybe there is a black agenda, and I've blithely ignored it.
Certainly, there's a lot more fear of Sen. Obama and his skin color than I ever could have imagined. And some of that fear is couched in strange - and frightening - ways.
"I think there's still a lot of racism in this country and discrimination," warned Tony, the bartender, "and his safety might be jeopardized."
Susan, a librarian, agreed that "there are reasons to fear, because there are racists."
Behind her, Charles - who had questioned whether there was any difference between "Osama" and "Obama" - nodded.
Yeah, I think I'm going to have to concur with Charles on that one.
Kara Miller can be reached at karaletters@gmail.com.
Columbus discovers America.
There is no doubt in my Military Mind that Obama will NOT win the Presidency.
Hillary! isn’t through with him, yet. She and her Flying Monkeys have one more trick up their sleeves. :)
4 of each? 6 democRATS? Just what was the breakdown?
One thing you can be sure of, Walter Willams or Thomas Sowell would never have a chance at a Democrap nomination. Skin color would never be an issue with either of them, but to say that the “Bag of Rocks with Diversity” Democarp nominee is being opposed because of his skin color is as loony as he is!
I agree with you. I am amazed when people say they think Obama will win. Those are people who just watch the mainstream news....I tell people I will bet them my life savings and they are totally shocked!
I just spent a few days with an old, dear friend of mine. She’s a New Yorker and a VERY LIBERAL Jew. She also had extreme BDS. We couldn’t talk without the hatred thing spewing forth, so I didn’t even bother...but when I told her I’d bet my life savings against hers that Obama will lose, she was absolutely apopletic.
While the sun rises in the east. What a yawner...
Yes, Kara, most liberals do.
Read the books by former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg who documents how out of touch liberals are.
Who doesn't?
And this know-nothing puppet for the commie left actually offers his dopey supporters comfort in this area??
May 18, 2008: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us. ...they spend 1/100th of what we spend on the military. I mean, if Iran ever tried to pose a serious threat to us, they wouldn't stand a chance.
May 20, 2008: Iran is a grave threat. It has an illicit nuclear program. It supports terrorism across the regions and militias in Iraq. It threatens Israel's existence. It denies the Holocaust.
Source for these genuine Obama quotes: NewsBusters.org:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2008/05/23/fnc-shows-obamas-iran-flip-flop-colmes-might-talk-hitler
Tell me Obama followers aren’t kooks. From the comments:
“iona
23 minutes ago
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MUCH OF THE WORLD AWAITS THE COMING OF OBAMA, AND A POLITICAL DAWN TO SWEEP AWAY THE LONG NIGHT OF THE BUSH ERA!
BobBobonde | Homepage
Well said.”
Iona the Obama follower knows her man has no qualification or ability to be president be she doesn’t care.
“iona
16 minutes ago
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to Observer
When and if Obama takes office he will be surrounded by experts in every field. Unlike Bush and it seems like McCain, he has the intelligence and character to make the right decisions. We need someone who has intelligence and character. Especially over a bad tempered individual who some call ‘the Mad bomber’”
“I wanted to make an art piece of Barack Obama because I thought an iconic portrait of him could symbolize and amplify the importance of his mission. I believe Obama will guide this country to a future where everyone can thrive and I should support him vigorously for the sake of my two young daughters. I have made art opposing the Iraq war for several years, and making art of Obama, who opposed the war from the start, is like making art for peace. I know I have an audience of young art fans and I’m delighted if I can encourage them to see the merits of Barack Obama.”
-Shepard Fairey
http://store.barackobama.com/product_p/po26951.htm
See? It's all about "peace, love, togetherness" and "change".
Here are some of Fairey's other masterpieces. Most of his works are along these same lines...
It’s not nice to poke Liberals with ‘The Sharp Stick of Reality.’
Fun, but not NICE, LOL!
"The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not 'insurgents' or 'terrorists' or 'The Enemy.' They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win. Get it, Mr. Bush?"
[actual quote from Michael Moore (2004). It still appears on his website]
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-04-14
__________________________________________________________________
From Moore's website, Monday, April 21st, 2008...
My Vote's for Obama (if I could vote) ...by Michael Moore
Friends,
I don't get to vote for President this primary season. I live in Michigan. The party leaders (both here and in D.C.) couldn't get their act together, and thus our votes will not be counted.
So, if you live in Pennsylvania, can you do me a favor? Will you please cast my vote -- and yours -- on Tuesday for Senator Barack Obama?
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php
__________________________________________________________________
The Communist Party USA (CPUSA):
"We are a party of unity in action. We are an integral part of every struggle and movement for change to eliminate poverty and joblessness, against racism and for full equality. We are participants, initiators and leaders of every movement to make life better now and much better in a socialist future." Yeah, so they supported an oppressive dictator, like the Repubs and Democrats haven't? The CP is still around, has apologized for that whole Stalin thing, and has a quickly growing youth section.
[see: MichaelMoore.com-->Links-->PoliticalAction (bottom of the page--CPUSA promo)]
http://www.michaelmoore.com/links/index.php?linkType=Political%20Action
If-IF-he really and truly is tied nationwide with McCain, with the economy and prices what they are (he “should” be ahead by double digits) then I don’t see how he can be called a viable candidate. Granted, much can happen in a few weeks and November is far away-but him being tied under these circumstances make an Obama victory unlikely, IMO.
"I would think that if you understood what communism was, you would hope, you would pray on your knees that we would someday become communist," and "The peace proposal of the Viet Cong is the only honorable, just, possible way to achieve peace in Vietnam."
http://www.wintersoldier.com/index.php?topic=Timeline
Fonda made the following statement at the University of Texas:
"We've got to establish a Socialist economic structure that will limit private profit-oriented businesses. Whether the transition is peaceful depends on the way our present governmental leaders react. We must commit our lives to this transition ...... We should be very proud of our new breed of soldier. It's not organized but it's mutiny, and they have every right." --Karen Elliott Dallas Morning News December 11, 1971
From 1972: "I am not a do-gooder, I am a revolutionary. A revolutionary woman."
Source for most of the Jane Fonda material:
http://www.1stcavmedic.com/jane_fonda.htm
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From RushLimbaugh.com:
Hanoi Jane Endorses Obama
April 3, 2008
REPORTER 1: Jane, who are you voting for?
REPORTER 2: Who gets your vote?
FONDA: Obama.
REPORTER 2: Oh, my God. Heaven help us all.
RUSH: The reporter for TMZ said, "Oh, God. Heaven help us all." Obviously the reporter is an Obama supporter.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_040308/content/01125111.guest.html
Wright: "In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared' as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."
"America's chickens... are coming home... to ROOST!"
Louis Farrakhan, at the annual Saviours' Day celebration in Chicago, Feb. 25, 2008: "This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better"..."If you look at Barack Obama's audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed."
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=4337417
2005: From the Louis Farrakhan / Nation of Islam website, Final Call...
Malik Zulu Shabazz, chairman of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (NBPP):
"We are happy today to be standing side by side with the Nation of Islam. We believe, like the Nation of Islam and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad believe, in a nation of our own. We believe in a Black first philosophy and a Black Liberation Theology. We don’t worry about the criticism. We love all of those who labored in the Panther Party from the ’60s. Many are with us today."
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_1858.shtml
From the Maoist Internationist Movement:
[1960s] Black Panther Party [BPP] Archives
From the article: REVOLUTIONARY HEROES
"On May 1st, May Day [1969], the day of the gigantic Free Huey rally, two of Alioto's top executioners vamped on the brothers from the Brown Community who were attending to their own affairs. These brothers, who are endowed with the revolutionary spirit of the Black Panther Party defended themselves from the racist pig gestapo.
Pig Joseph Brodnik received his just reward with a big hole in the chest. Pig Paul McGoran got his in the mouth which was not quite enough to off him.
The revolutionary brothers escaped the huge swarm of pigs with dogs, mace, tanks and helicopters, proving once again that "the spirit of the people is greater than the man's technology."
To these brothers the revolutionary people of racist America want to say, by your revolutionary deed you are heroes, and that you are always welcome to our camp."
Source: Maoist Internationist Movement
Article: REVOLUTIONARY HEROS (May 11, 1969):
http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/bpp/index.html
The Democrats would have a problem, though. If Hil beats Obama out of the nomination, the Dems black constituency is liable to vote for Cynthia McKinney on the Green Party ticket
Seems to me that America was doing fairly well until the Democrats took over Congress.
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