Posted on 09/15/2008 10:14:28 PM PDT by Chet 99
Democrats accuse locals of being racist toward Obama
Published:Tuesday, September 16, 2008
By David Skolnick
A local Republican official is shocked by the Democratic legislators’ comments.
YOUNGSTOWN — With the Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees in the Mahoning Valley today for a rally, two local Democratic state legislators said they believe a main reason polls show a tight race is because of racist voters.
“Race — that’s the only reason people in the Valley won’t vote for him,” said state Rep. Thomas Letson of Warren, D-64th, about Barack Obama, his party’s presidential nominee. “There are 1,000 reasons to vote for Obama and one reason why you won’t — race.”
“Staunch Republicans” who make up 35 percent to 40 percent of the population would never vote for a Democrat regardless of race, Letson said.
It is the independents, the “swing voters” and Democrats who are or will support Republican John McCain who are the “racists,” Letson and state Rep. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th, said.
The comments were made Monday with the pair criticizing McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, his vice presidential running mate.
When told of the comments from Hagan and Letson, Mark Munroe, the Mahoning County Republican vice chairman, said he was shocked.
“These guys have gone off the deep end,” he said. “This is probably the most absurd and disgusting comment we’ve heard from our elected Democratic legislators.”
While acknowledging “race may explain why some people vote for or against Obama,” Munroe said there are many reasons why people wouldn’t support him. They include, he said, Obama’s inexperience, his “liberal voting record,” and his position on the war in Iraq.
McCain and Palin are holding a “Victory 2008 Rally” at Winner Aviation at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna. The doors will open at 1 p.m., with McCain and Palin expected to hit the stage at 4:10 p.m.
“When we speak to swing voters and we talk of issues, the only reason they’re undecided is because of race,” Hagan said.
Obama’s father was black. Obama is a U.S. senator from Illinois.
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, the city’s first elected black mayor and an Obama supporter, said he is “not going to accuse someone of being racist because they vote for McCain. I’m not criticizing Representatives Hagan or Letson. If [what they said] shakes people up and has them look at this issue, then so be it.”
This is McCain’s third campaign visit to the Valley since April and the first time Palin is in the area.
The Winner hangar was the location for an Oct. 27, 2004, campaign rally for President Bush with about 11,000 in attendance.
Today’s event is expected to attract 5,000 to 7,000, Munroe said.
“If we can reach that, we’d be happy,” he said. “There was not an expectation to meet Bush’s number. He was a sitting president at the time.”
Hagan and Letson sharply criticized the decision to select Palin as McCain’s running mate, saying she’s too inexperienced for the job.
“You’re looking at two people that are more qualified to be vice president then the one that’s up there as the Republican,” said Hagan, a longtime state legislator.
After today’s rally, Palin is off to fund-raising events in other parts of Ohio. But McCain is staying put.
McCain will be a guest on the Wednesday broadcast of ABC’s “Good Morning America” at the Gustavus farm of Henry and Linda Lipps. The show airs from 7 to 9 a.m.
McCain and Palin aren’t the only candidates to make a visit this week to the Mahoning Valley.
U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, will hold a rally Thursday evening in downtown Youngstown as part of his “Change We Need” tour.
The campaign hadn’t finalized the time and location of Biden’s appearance. But those with knowledge of the event say it will be on West Federal Street, near Phelps Street, about 6:45 or 7 p.m. The campaign decided on West Federal Street, selecting it over Stambaugh Auditorium.
The campaign is hoping the rally can attract about 1,000 people.
“Are people interesting in seeing Joe Biden?” Munroe asked, sarcastically. “It would be interesting to see how many people will come see Joe Biden. He certainly hasn’t excited the crowds like Sarah Palin has.”
skolnick@vindy.com
Another angle on the two White Guilt™ cultists:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2083213/posts
Was it racism when blacks in MD. didn’t vote for Michael Steele for senate? Or was it again racism when fast Eddie Rendell beat Lynn Swann for PA. Governor? It’s only racism when the ‘victimized’ politician is a liberal democrat. Hypocrites to the nth degree....
Regards . . . Penny
Yes, this will play well with working class whites. Keep it up Dems. I grew up near Youngstown, OH (New Castle,PA). Its your typical rust belt/rural area with lots of bitter, clingers who hunt, fish, golf, and go to church. They lean democrat, but are conservative for the most part. Insulting them will backfire. A brilliant strategy by the Dems (brilliant = idiotic).
And if you don’t vote for McCain...?
You hate - White people, Old People, Old White People, Veterans, Disabled Veterans, Fighter Pilots, Former Prisoners of War, Residents Of Arizona and of course, Republicans.
It’s not race, it’s resume.
Sorry, jerk. (Not you, Chet99) There are no reasons to vote for someone who either has no accomplishments, or is hiding the nasty ones he has.
Like the records of where he was, what he did, what he wrote, who he worked with, where did the Annenberg money go, ACORN, Rezko, Thesis, Law Review, Occidental, etc.
Don't forget the other universities he claims to have attended but no records of such have been forthcoming and he doesn't seem to be remembered by anyone (save for some drug addict bum who claims to have been Obama's roommate at some point).
Sealed records all over, especially, but not limited to, Chicago.
He has never exhibited any knowledge or understanding of anything. Has never done any actual work with his hands("I understand what working families have to face on a daily basis").
Has someone else raise his children while he criticizes Gov. Palin who has a functional and loving family.
Sorry for the rant.
But jeez, Dukakis would be better than this anti-American POS.
Perhaps they have a point.
Barack Obama is the one running around talking about “average white women” and the rural whites who “cling to God, guns, and xenophobia.”
(I’m not sure why they xenophobia part keeps being left out. He’s clearly calling rural whites racist hicks.)
So sure, if Obama is going to spew racist filth and attend a dirty, hateful pastor’s church and listen to hate speech against whites and his country, he’s probably isolated himself from white voters. That’s his own fault.
” it is Obama who is the kind of racists. He is the one who keeps bringing up race. HE is the one who is trying to foster white guilt for an excuse to vote for him.”
Why stop there? Obama has clearly directly made racially incendiary remarks. What of his “average white woman” comment? Or the rural whites who “cling to guns, religion, and XENOPHOBIA.”
Yes, he just called rural whites bitter racists, demeaned their faith, and mocked their gun ownership. It’s not just guilt he’s employing: it’s also been direct blows. Why people ignore that is beyond me.
The Clintons will milk “racism” for all its worth as they “rebuild” the party for Hillary’s next run after Obama loses.
The Democrats have become the Alibi Ikes of presidential politics. They always got an excuse for their guy losin’.
We all all saw this one comin’ a mile, nay, a parsec, away.
I admit it. I’m a racist.
I will not vote for the “magic negro”.
So even though he is a anti free market socialist who wants to take my earned money away and give what is mine to others that have not earned it.
I’m a racist.
Great way to attract voters, call them racists.
?Not if they have to stand up.?
LOL
?if you’re offended...I don’t care...?
Right on. Right on.
Whenever I hear the race card, I laugh. It means they have lost the argument.
That ought to get people rallying behind zero. Call them racists that cling to their guns and their bible.
He will have them stampeding to the voting booths to pull the lever for the first racist, radical Maoist/marxist/socialist hybrid that will raise their taxes and destroy their freedom.
It certainly have shamed and belittled me in to voting for Palin.
Democrats accuse small town and small city people of being racists for not supporting 0.
There’s chains you can believe in.
I had a boss that was a tall older black woman that became successful by getting her MBA at night school while raising her family and caring for her sick father.
She did this before affirmative action. She did it with hard work and love of her fellow man.
She was the first boss male or female that I openly and honestly used as a role model. She was Assistant Director of a government agency. She threw away the deck of race cards “can’t play cards with all jokers”.
She wouldn’t allow anyone to use the excuse of gender or race when discussing grievences. “If you are upset enough to come talk to me, you better bring specifics.” After all she used to say “some of my best friends are humans.”
To make a short story long, an employer called her one day screaming that the auditor had been out to look at his books. During the discussion he called her and the auditor racists. She told him that she would like to meet with him because that is a serious charge that needs to be discussed and resolved in person.
I sat in on the meeting and the look on his face when she introduced herself- well a picture is worth a thousand words. She let him have it with both barrels. How dare you try pulling that racist crap on me just to get out of complying with the law. You aught to be ashamed.
I am not voting for Obama because he is white - now if he was black and conservative that would be another thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.