Saturday, October 27, 2012

When The Race Is Close, The GOP Invokes Race

You can add remarks by Romney national campaign co-chairman John Sununu to the mix of racialized news as the country decides whether to re-elect its first African-American President.

Sununu, a former New Hampshire Governor, decided the other day that the only reason former Secretary of State Colin Powell would renew his endorsement of President Barack Obama is because both men are African-American.

The comedian Stephen Colbert, in character as an exaggerated, faux right-wing talk show host, does a funny bit when interviewing African-American guests, telling them "I don't see race" and feigning ignorance of skin color, even his own.

Call Sununu, who apparently sees only race, the anti-Colbert.

Looks like Sununu may be more typical than I'd have thought, as polling shows a majority of Americans harbor negative views about African-Americans.

Republicans could lead on this issue - - like being the party of Lincoln - - but instead prefers spouting birther hatred and snarky stereotypes for political gain as an election looms.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please help me to understand this issue of race.

My understanding, and based on all the photographs I've seen of the President's mother he is of African decent from his father, but his mother appears to be white and most likely of European decent.

Assuming those facts, why is the President called the first "black" President.

And, why is he not called African-European?

I would think that in the age of political correctness we would call all Americans...well, Americans.

Just asking.

Anonymous said...

The people obsessed with race are the liberals who want to label everyone who points out that Obama is black a racist. The fact that Obama is black was a partial reason why I voted for him the first time. America has now shown that race will not keep you from becoming president. Neither should it help you maintain your job after you prove to be a failure. The real hypocrites are those who now will not oppose Obama because they don’t want to be seen opposing a black man and this, somehow, makes them feel morally superior.

Please do not let race influence your perception of the job that he has done as president. The hope for change did not happen and he turned out to be just another Chicago politician.

Gareth said...

I think the polling results reflect the mainstreaming of racism by the Republican Party that has made the expression of racist beliefs acceptable and even virtuous for many Conservatives who fancy themselves as rebels resisting the phantom of political correctness.

Tough economic times tend to bring out the best in some people and the worst in others.

Anonymous said...

You Madison liberals must really be getting desperate to try to label the adults in the room as racists.

Anonymous said...

Methinks the comment-ers protest too loudly.

Anonymous said...

Indeed.