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 thats the only reason people in the Valley wont vote for him, said state Rep. Thomas Letson of Warren, D-64th, about Barack Obama, his partys presidential nominee. There are 1,000 reasons to vote for Obama and one reason why you wont 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 weve 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 wouldnt support him. They include, he said, Obamas 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 theyre undecided is because of race, Hagan said.
Obamas father was black. Obama is a U.S. senator from Illinois.
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, the citys first elected black mayor and an Obama supporter, said he is not going to accuse someone of being racist because they vote for McCain. Im 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 McCains 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.
Todays event is expected to attract 5,000 to 7,000, Munroe said.
If we can reach that, wed be happy, he said. There was not an expectation to meet Bushs number. He was a sitting president at the time.
Hagan and Letson sharply criticized the decision to select Palin as McCains running mate, saying shes too inexperienced for the job.
Youre looking at two people that are more qualified to be vice president then the one thats up there as the Republican, said Hagan, a longtime state legislator.
After todays 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 ABCs Good Morning America at the Gustavus farm of Henry and Linda Lipps. The show airs from 7 to 9 a.m.
McCain and Palin arent 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 hadnt finalized the time and location of Bidens 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 hasnt excited the crowds like Sarah Palin has.
skolnick@vindy.com
The democrats can vote for their candidate and we can vote for ours. The Bradley Effect will determine just who the true racists are.
How to win votes and influence voters - NOT!
I could be wrong - but being berated for racist behavior by white men:
living in all white neighborhoods
who are married to white women
whose kids go to all white schools
and go to all white churches
and shop in all white stores
and go to all white parties
is gettin’ fu**in’ old.
the closer we get to the election, the more Obama will be playing the race card to keep Dem voters in line and to play upon white guilt. Look for them to also infer that an Obama loss could result in widespread violence.
I wanna 2nd opinion from KKK Byrd.
Will it though or will it just piss off people greater.
Back in the 80's it might of worked but now when the younger generation has not been raised at all racist and get pissed when blacks accuse whites of automatically being racist because of their color and the older generation is sick of walking on eggshells and tired of hearing they are racist.....I think there might just be a bigger backlash than the Bradley effect.
We’ll see. The MSM will be pushing it as well. The message will be that if Obama is elected, the race issue will be transcended and America will enter a new era of racial harmony. And the rest of the world will love us more. It will be hammered every day in much the same way the WP used the “macaca” remark to take down George Allen.
“Back in the 80’s it might of worked but now when the younger generation has not been raised at all racist and get pissed when blacks accuse whites of automatically being racist because of their color”
Put perfectly.
I look forward to the day all this stupid stuff ends. I’m sick of it and I’m on the verge of shrugging, just like Atlas.
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