Obama rips Nader's 'talking white' remark

[Xipe Totec]

Source: Chicago Sun Times

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama hit back at third-party presidential candidate Ralph Nader Wednesday, dismissing Nader's claim that Obama is "talking white" as an attempt to get attention for his fringe campaign.

Nader got one quarter of one percent of the presidential vote four years ago.

"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader told the paper. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white?"

Speaking Wednesday, Obama almost sounded sorry for Nader.

"Ralph Nader hadn't been paying attention to my speeches, because all the issues that he talked about -- whether it be predatory lending, the housing foreclosure crisis . . . I've devoted multiple speeches," Obama said. "Ralph Nader is trying to get attention. I think it's a shame because if you look at his legacy in terms of consumer protections, its an extraordinary one."

But now, Obama said, "He's someone . . . whose campaign hasn't gotten any traction. So what better way to get some traction than to make an inflammatory statement like the one that he made? It is what it is."


Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1025947,CST...

[truthisfreedom]

1. Truth.

[Kolesar]

8. Nailed!

eom

[nomorenomore08]

2. Anything anyone says about Obama, he immediately answers.

Why the hell couldn't Kerry or Gore have done the same when they were running?

[sellitman]

10. You are sooooo right!

Obama gets it. Its about time one of our candidates did.

I like this man!

[cobalt1999]

3. I disappointed he even respond to such a worthless piece of shit like Nader

It just gives him one more day of attention that he doesn't deserve.

[edbermac]

7. Got to disagree; somebody hits you, you hit back harder.

[cobalt1999]

11. Nope. Sometimes when that somebody is irrelevant, you risk giving them credence

(and in this case) attention.

Nobody cares what Nader says.


Now if McCain (or anyone of significance) said that, definitely hit back.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Nader's like the kindly old uncle who is a war veteran, but who has now slipped...

...into total dementia.

You still like him for the campaigns he fought in the past, but you cringe every time he opens his mouth and shows that his mind is gone.

[psychmommy]

6. i thought that was john mccain. hahahaha

[redqueen]

5. "It is what it is."

Ooh that's not gonna sit well with some folks.


As for the smackdown:

[mdmc]

9. Obama - charisma = Hillary

At least Obama didn't blame Nader for our 2000 loss (DLC Al From agrees that Gore did better with Nader in the race then he would have done if Nader did not run).

Nader running in 2008 is a good thing - it makes Obama look more mainstream and experienced.

[Mark E. Smith]

12. Nader Enablers Crack Me Up

You can't help but wonder if maybe Karl Rove himself writes some of their bullshit.

So how much money will Rotten Ralph be taking from the GOP this time?

[cobalt1999]

13. I don't see him attacking McCain

That's because his money comes from republicans and like a good little employee, he's doing their dirty work.

I predict he'll be paid to say all the things the GOP won't dare.

[mdmc]

16. Al From and the DLC argue that Gore did better WITH Nader in the race

Some undecided voters felt Gore was too much of a wacky tree hugger. Nader made Gore look less wacky to those undecided voters.

I often wonder why Greens and other leftist feel the need to run when the Democratic Party is so progressive and free of the influence of corporations. Why they feel the need to run?

[Mark E. Smith]

19. Uh, sure.

Whatever you say, man.

[mdmc]

26. Do you disagree with Al From?

[Mark E. Smith]

29. Sure

I think its a crock of shit.

[mdmc]

30. well the "electable" wing of our party stands by it

The rest of us have to suck it up and take chImpeachment off the table.

DLC!DLC! Go Democrats!

[superconnected]

24. The democratic party is free of influence of corporations?

No. It's horridly driven by them. But the candidates seem to moderate public interest and corporate interest better whereas the republicans completely sell out to corporate interest.

I would like to see laws against public officials taking any money from corporations. It should be a mandatory prison sentence and public officials who do that should be shunned for it - selling out the public interest - the public who elected them to protect their interest. Imagine a lawyer or financial advisor doing that? They'd go to jail.

The reason we don't see those laws is law makers on both sides are bought. That's why mega corporations have more money than most countries and are the major cause of world grief. until those laws are in place, the rape of each countries resources - human and otherwise, for the spoils of the mega-rich, will continue. And, the degradation of our rights and laws to protect us will continue until we have no more rights and we have no protection. That's what these politicians are doing. Obama is helping the corporate interest along. He's just the least worst of the bad candidates (people who will not act in our interest but in their own greedy interest by profiting from carrying out corporate interest), that we have to choose from at the moment.

[Joe Bacon]

27. I LOVE THAT CARTOON!

It shows Nader in his nadir!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Nader + charisma = a charismatic racist.

[mdmc]

17. LOL

well played my friend

[Starry Messenger]

14. Perfect! n/t

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[tidy_bowl]

20. Racism is racism no matter....

....who says it. I don't condone any racism from Nader, Clinton or Obama or from anyone, period.

[ChrisdemW]

21. yeah, um, nader, "ghettos"?

out of touch, so 60s

no one says "ghettos" now

[provis99]

22. since Nader's Lebanese,

why does he insist on "talking white"?

Be true to yourself, Nader, ole boy.

[superconnected]

23. His first comment was excellent and enough.

the second was unnecessary. I hope he matures into not taking stabs.

[Honeycombe8]

25. I have asbestos & lead in my house. Is Nader saying he thinks the govt should

do something about that?

As for Obama's response to Nader...Obama shouldn't have mentioned the guy's name and give him publicity.

[robcon]

28. Nader's racism is obvious.

Nader's not talking 'black,' or talking 'white.' He's talking racism.

[mdmc]

31. What do black people call it when a black man speaks the Kings English?

In the hood it is called talking white or speaking "job interview" english.

[Xipe Totec]

32. And your point is...

[psychmommy]

33. that is not exactly it.

when at work i speak a certain way. when i am at home i speak a certain way. when i am at church i speak a certain way. when i am with my peers i speak a certain way. no one ever said to me that i was talking white. i have been told by a friend or relative that called into my job that they didn't know it was me, thought i was a white woman. i have a deep voice and sometimes get called sir. i don't know what hood your are from but, don't generalize to all of the neighborhoods. most people are bi-lingual. they speak a more formal english while at work or doing business and speak a more relaxed slang at home or in their comfort zone.

[Javaman]

34. Nader has to stop talking ass. nt

[mac56]

35. Day by day Nader proves what an irrelevancy he has become.

What a douchebag.