Republicans say Carter playing 'race card'

[sabra]

Source: CNN

(CNN) — The Republican National Committee is hitting back at former President Jimmy Carter's recent comments stating racial politics has played a role in some of the opposition the president has faced since taking office and in South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during Obama's speech to Congress last week.

"President Carter is flat out wrong. This isn't about race. It is about policy," RNC Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement Wednesday. "This is a pathetic distraction by Democrats to shift attention away from the president's wildly unpopular government-run health care plan that the American people simply oppose."

"Injecting race into the debate over critical issues facing American families doesn't create jobs, reform our health care system or reduce the growing deficit. It only divides Americans rather than uniting us to find solutions to challenges facing our nation," Steele, the RNC's first African-American chairman, also said.

Carter's comments came in an interview with NBC News Tuesday, during which he stated, "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American."

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/16/republi... /

[mikelgb]

1. only cause repubs played the racism card

na na na

[TheMadMonk]

25. I would have said, "They're the ones who chose the deck." nt

[wilt the stilt]

said the token

Mr. Steele is lower than scum. Oh by the way the rest of the republicans don't really like you.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. That was sort of my first thought.

This is exactly why they hired Steele - to deny charges of racism.

[Enthusiast]

21. And that is exactly the reason.

And that is also why we had Rice and Powell in the Bush Administration.

[sofa king]

27. I'll split that hair.

Powell was definitely a token and the White House sought to remove as much authority as possible from him from day one.

Rice, however, was worth her weight in the gold fillings of tortured inmates, precisely why we do not yet know. It was she who should have been fired the day after 9/11, but instead the Bush Administration kept her and eventually promoted her to Powell's job. I believe a big part of the 9/11 Commission sham was to remove culpability from Rice, whose job as National Security Adviser was to anticipate the situation and prepare for it, which she explicitly avoided doing and then waved away with her famous "nobody could have predicted" lie. (Some who predicted it included Steven King, Tom Clancy, Chuck Palahniuk, other terrorists who lost their laptops, and the Department of Defense, which is still lying about whether or not they were practicing a drill which involved crashing hijacked planes on the very day of the attacks.) This much is clear: she was an integral part of both the criminal and disinformation objectives of the White House, and she obviously performed both jobs well enough to keep her own.

[Enthusiast]

34. You make a very good point. nt

[lysosome]

40. Why else would they pick such a moron?

[truebrit71]

2. Like we should give a shit what that moran says...

...Fuck Michael Steele...

[tridim]

3. Carter exposed the whole deck of cards, face-up.

It needed to be done, and I'm grateful that he did it.

[Karenina]

38. Tim Wise 'splains it...

http://www.counterpunch.org/wise04242006.html

April 24, 2006

The Absurdity (and Consistency) of White Denial

What Kind of Card is Race?

By TIM WISE

Recently, I was asked by someone in the audience of one of my speeches, whether or not I believed that racism--though certainly a problem--might also be something conjured up by people of color in situations where the charge was inappropriate. In other words, did I believe that occasionally folks play the so-called race card, as a ploy to gain sympathy or detract from their own shortcomings? In the process of his query, the questioner made his own opinion all too clear (an unambiguous yes), and in that, he was not alone, as indicated by the reaction of others in the crowd, as well as survey data confirming that the belief in black malingering about racism is nothing if not ubiquitous.

It's a question I'm asked often, especially when there are several high-profile news events transpiring, in which race informs part of the narrative. Now is one of those times, as a few recent incidents demonstrate: Is racism, for example, implicated in the alleged rape of a young black woman by white members of the Duke University lacrosse team? Was racism implicated in Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's recent confrontation with a member of the Capitol police? Or is racism involved in the ongoing investigation into whether or not Barry Bonds--as he is poised to eclipse white slugger Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list--might have used steroids to enhance his performance?*

Although the matter is open to debate in any or all of these cases, white folks have been quick to accuse blacks who answer in the affirmative of playing the race card, as if their conclusions have been reached not because of careful consideration of the facts as they see them, but rather, because of some irrational (even borderline paranoid) tendency to see racism everywhere. So too, discussions over immigration, "terrorist" profiling, and Katrina and its aftermath often turn on issues of race, and so give rise to the charge that as regards these subjects, people of color are "overreacting" when they allege racism in one or another circumstance.

Asked about the tendency for people of color to play the "race card," I responded as I always do: First, by noting that the regularity with which whites respond to charges of racism by calling said charges a ploy, suggests that the race card is, at best, equivalent to the two of diamonds. In other words, it's not much of a card to play, calling into question why anyone would play it (as if it were really going to get them somewhere). Secondly, I pointed out that white reluctance to acknowledge racism isn't new, and it isn't something that manifests only in situations where the racial aspect of an incident is arguable. Fact is, whites have always doubted claims of racism at the time they were being made, no matter how strong the evidence, as will be seen below. Finally, I concluded by suggesting that whatever "card" claims of racism may prove to be for the black and brown, the denial card is far and away the trump, and whites play it regularly: a subject to which we will return.

[Zywiec]

4. So does his falling approval numbers also have to do with race?

I mean how many on this board are disappointed by some of Obama's decisions? Are those people racist or just disagreeing with policy?

[tridim]

5. Are you really claiming that Obamas approval numbers are falling?

Or did I misread that?

[Zywiec]

7. Are you claiming his numbers are just as strong as January

or did I misread that?

[tridim]

8. His numbers are currently rising. Period.

[Zywiec]

9. Please provide your source

that his numbers have NEVER fallen and have ONLY risen?

Thanks!

[tridim]

10. I never claimed that. You said "his falling approval numbers" in your post

YOU need to back that up, but you can't because it's a flat-out lie.

[Zywiec]

29. Here you go.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president...

[FrenchieCat]

14. Poster didn't say his numbers had NEVER fallen....

are you just a fool?

The point is poll numbers rise and fall and rise again....

and I for one don't fucking believe most of the fucked up polls anyways...
as most of us know that the corporate media commissions such polls to begin with,
and most of us, who aren't fools, know that the corporate media's agenda
is that of their owners'....which is to support the ideologues who want to pay
low to no taxes and minimal if any regulations...which happens to be the same
agenda of the Republicans.....

The media simply push a particularly slanted story line, than push the poll results affected by such in order to affect public opinion as much as they can. That's why the Prez even had to call a joint session of congress; cause that's the only way he could once again talk to the American people about health care, after the media took over the health reform discussion with their own twist to it.

So you can talk about polls all you want, but the bottomline is that
as President Obama said; poll watching is for suckers. The media knows that,
and I'm not sure why you don't.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[atreides1]

12. People on this board were disappointed with Bush's policies also

No the people here that honestly disagree with the policies, are the same ones who disagreed with Bush's policies.

The Tea Baggers, must have been living in caves during the last administration, because I don't recall seeing them marching against big government, or wasteful spending, or lower taxes for the rich, or even raising much of a fuss when the idea of privatizing Social Security was discussed

Why are they all of sudden concerned about fiscal responsibility now?

When they didn't give a tinker's damn with Bush in charge!

Now they crawl out from under their rocks and out of their caves, when a man of color is in charge.

They may not all be racists, but I believe that a good majority of them are.

[tblue]

17. Some people would rather be robbed, raped, mutilated and made homeless by a white president

than helped by a black president.

The Party leaders know it and they capitalize on it in their not so subtle ways. Michael Steele has got to know he is Chairman only to give the Party cover. If he doesn't know it, he's the only one.

[mopinko]

19. yes and no.

i don't think that democrats are all immune from racism, and the tinge it puts on perception. i think some here do have their perceptions tilted by a subtle racism. that's pretty much how it works. i don't think they are planning to plant a burning cross on the white house lawn, but i do think that they have a double standard.
and there certainly plenty of folks here who never liked him, and still don't. some of them are even democrats.

[fascisthunter]

24. sophistry

[Overseas]

28. No, we are talking about the hundreds of racist signs and slogans

during the 2008 campaign, summers Tea Bagging, storming of Town Halls and recent 9/12 charade.

There has been a lot of racist innuendo and flat out racist slander going on. It looks like a duck and walks like a duck.

The professional bullying by right wing PR firms may not have deliberately created the racist posters and slander, they just stirred up fear and hatred against Dangerous Bad Socialist Government Trying to Help People regulate corporations that have been robbing us blind.

But racism has bubbled up from the well-funded assistance to "genuine grass roots" groups that have "been around for a long time" (just coincidentally dormant during Republican administrations), including coaching on how to be most disruptive when legislators tried to discuss health reform.

Because we say there have been ugly displays of racist slander, doesn't mean every part of those town hall storms was racist.

Because some of the anti-President Obama objections have been clearly racist doesn't mean ALL objections are racist.

[FirstLight]

36. I am Rec'ing this POST!

...it quacks like a duck in MY book too...

and the diferences betwen disagreeing on POLICY and just hateful racist language was addressed by President Carter as well in the interview, I do believe.

The segment on Kieth Last night pertaining to this was DEAD ON! and we as a people and individuals have to look at our own racist issues and call out the Haters, before someone gets hurt, namely our beloved President.

[Overseas]

41. Thank you.

The GOP really has been reckless and shameless in their attempts to smear the Democratic President Obama.
They have been quite amoral in their approach-- get the president by any means necessary. And they're doing it indirectly, through creepy right wing PR outfits. Polished professional PR guys stoking the flames to divert us from serious discussion about critical problems. Professional bullying to protect private profits.

The summer town hall storming was funded by private insurance companies, among others. Stirring up dangerous fear and hatred to divert our discussions from the great pain and suffering caused by our privatized health insurance system. They had to do whatever they could (from a profit protection perspective) to stop us from discussing all the desperate suffering they have caused. Reckless in the extreme.

The next batch of private funding for professional right wing bullying is coming from the Old Energy / Fossil Fuel companies -- they'll be sending angry citizens to demand the right to burn as much damn carbon as they want to-- never mind the destruction of the global atmosphere and climate systems.

I agree that they need to be called out on using smear tactics to replace policy discussions.

I'd like to see our Democrats fight back against those dangerous tactics by just making the public option into Medicare for All who want it. Enough is enough. Dangerous bullies will not be rewarded. The people need a bailout and freedom from the greedy insurance companies that have bled us dry.

[droidamus2]

31. When it comes down to it

Some probably are 'opposing policies' because they don't like the idea that it is a black President setting those policies. So yes racist and has a lot more to do with who President Obama is and a lot less to do with what the details of the policies are. On the other hand there are us who just disagree with the policies because we think there are better directions to take.

[Winterblues]

37. This was not about policy or Wilson would not have voted for the Bill Bush* submitted

that paid for Health care for Illegal Aliens. Joe Wilson has a History and it is pretty easy to verify his motives. The Speech was written out and Wilson had a copy well before hand. He knew what Obama was going to say yet he said his "emotions" got the better of him.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Psychological PROJECTION

Europeans think the repulicans and the protest are racist in tone and tenor

[NorthCarolina]

11. What else can they say? n/t

[tblue]

13. Of course they deny it. When they tell their teabaggers/birthers to cut out the racist crap,

then we can talk. When they tell the woman with the 'Lyin' African' sign or the man with the 'Send the Kenyan Back to Indonesia' sign to shove it, then we can talk. When they tell Rush Limboob to stop calling Obama a 'Halfrican,' 'and stop telling whites they are under attack, then we can talk. When they tell Glen Beck to apologize for calling Obama a racist, then we can talk.

Until then, Mr. Double-stuffed Oreo Steele, I got nothing to say to you except this: If you want us to stop calling your party and all if its foam-mouthed followers racists, tell them to stop acting like racists!

[Sabriel]

16. Hey, Michael: You lie!!!!

That is all.

[onehandle]

18. Go away, losers. nt

[Enthusiast]

20. President Carter is right on!

"Republicans say." I think I will vomit if I hear those words again. 67% of the spoken words on TV are "Republicans say". They lost the fucking election! We don't give a fuck what they say.

[LeFleur1]

22. Some of It Is Probably Racism...

But these people have been nasty and stupid for awhile. They harangued Clinton, filed a gazillion law suits, and generally were as&*(&s to him. Then he had to go and give them some real ammunition.

The right wing people are just nasty human beings. They try to drag everyone to their level of filth. They would have done it to Hillary or any other Democrat that was elected to the presidency.Their total focus is on their party...like fans at one of those out of control soccer games. They probably think this IS a game. All semblance of unity for the UNITED States of America has disappeared from their radar. They are sickening to watch. I can't imagine what it is like to have to run a country and deal with them at the same time.

[Enthusiast]

33. I feel bad for President Obama

, as I felt bad for President Clinton before him.

[fascisthunter]

23. because these republicans are bigots

[ashling]

26. He's just playing

the hand that the racist republican bastards have dealt!

[SandWalker1984]

30. ...and Fox has been cheerleading them on in covert ways

Beck's comments about Obama hating white people.

Endless stories about ACORN.

Obama's terrorist friends, staring with Palin's comments during the campaign and an unending stream since.

Evil, dark muslims wanting to destroy our country and way of life.




Brainwashing techniques at work???

[LiberalLovinLug]

32. Why don't you try and get the Presidential nomination then Michael?

See how that goes down. See how many of your fellow Republicans would vote for you, either in the primaries, or in a Presidential election.

[emulatorloo]

35. "wildly unpopular government-run health care plan" I count at least two lies in that phrase, Steele

Maybe you are telling more lies in the rest of your statement.

[cleverusername]

39. Translation

"Playing the race card" = don't call me on my white, dudely entitlement

[marshall]

42. Jimmy was raised a Southern Baptist--he wouldn't be caught dead playing cards!

Miss Lillian would rise up and give him a thrashing if he even dared.

[Odin2005]

43. Pathetic, simply pathetic.

[Atticus]

44. Check me on this:

Republicans display posters of Obama as a bone-through-the-nose witch doctor over the capton "Obamacare" and Republican office holders forward email cartoon showing the new Whitehouse watermelon patch and Jimmy Carter is "injecting race into the debate"?

Did I miss something?

[CakeGrrl]

45. Right on time, Repubs. And if it hadn't been Carter, it would've been the WH

had they dared imply that race was a factor.

A lot of people saw this coming a mile away.

[Elmore Furth]

46. Obama wasn't the first black US President

Haven't we been through this before?

What's the fuss?

Joel A. Rogers and Dr. Auset Bakhufu have both written books documenting that at least five former presidents of the United States had Black people among their ancestors. The president’s names include Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge.

5 BLACK US PRESIDENTS

The Top 7 Black Presidents From The Screen