Why Emphasizing Barack Obama's Middle Name Is Wrong - An Analogy
By RandomGuy Posted in Archived — Comments (204) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Most people here understand why constantly referring to Mr. Obama as "Hussain" is inappropriate, but for those who don't understand, let me offer a story that will serve as an analogy:
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Once, there was a young black man by the name of Clarance Thomas. He came from a broken home and was raised by his grandparents, but none-the-less, went to a good college, and then to Yale Law School. He started out as a radical, sympathizing with the black Muslim movement. None-the-less, he ended up working for a Republican Attorney General by the name of Jack Danforth. Slowly but surely, he became more conservative.
By the time Ronald Reagan was President, Danforth was a Senator, and young Mr. Thomas was a Legislative Assistant to the Senator. After a few months, Mr. Thomas was asked to work in the Reagan Administration in the Department of Education. After a year and a half here, he moved on to be Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in charge of dealing with employment discrimination issues.
By this time, Mr. Thomas was very conservative, and outspoken on his opposition to quotas and hostile to affirmative action programs on the basis that they cheated blacks out of real achievement. Because of his views, he was called an "Uncle Tom" by some of his critics who assumed that all blacks did, or at least all backs should, think just like they did. Mr. Thomas would have none of it, although he took a beating in his hearings before the Senate because of it.
(All of this really happened. After this, he served a 2nd 4 year term as Chairman of the EEOC, then a year and a half o the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, then, of course, to the United States Supreme Court. However, this could have happened instead.)
In 1986, Mr. Thomas decided he had enough of being chairman of an agency, and decided to return to his home state of Georgia and run for office himself. He moved back to Pin-point, and decided to run for Congress.
Since he had taken positions in opposition to most black leaders, he was furiously opposed by them. His opponent, Democratic State Sen. Joe Smith, who desperately wanted to keep black voters on his side, in spite of the fact that Mr. Thomas himself was black. He also knew that he'd be called a bigot if he ever attacked Mr. Thomas outright, so instead, he decided to make speeches in which he said things like:
"Clarance TOMus doesn't speak for Georgia!"
"Clarance TOMus is nothing but a SLAVE to President Reagan."
"Clarance TOMus isn't one of us!"
"C Tom is a fake ivy league pretender!"
He frequently referred to his opponent, "C Tom." and always put an emphasis on TOM in "Thomas" whenever he spoke of him.
When confronted by his thinly veiled illusions to Mr. Thomas being an "Uncle Tom", he responded, "What? I'm just calling him by his name! What could possibly be wrong with that?
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Of course, in the above situation, conservatives would be outraged, and rightly so. Nobody in their right mind couldn't see what would be happening in the above situation.
The situation with Senator Obama is no different. His middle name is indeed Hussain, just as Clarance Thomas's name is indeed, in part, Tom. None-the-less, referring to him in such a way to imply that he was an "Uncle Tom" is bigoted, hateful and wrong. There is no difference in using Hussain as some kind of comment on Senator Obama.
And frankly, if you don't understand that, you need to go back to your Mom's house and have her wash your mouth out with soap.
Yah, and Clarance Thomas came by his name properly.
What's your point?
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
THATS THE POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DIDN'T YOUR MOM EVER TEACH YOU LOOKS LIKE A DUCK ACTS LIKE A DUCK????????????????????????????? AND THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT , THEY WANT TO CUT OUR HEADS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You forgot to include the requisite homophobic comments, moby.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Request ban please.
Redstate is no place for stuff like this.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Unrequested ban. That would be absurd.
I'm starting to think the RedState crowd is a sanctimonious mob of political-prudes.
Umm, your pushing awfully close to a blam yourself.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
bucketrodge now has to. Not by my hand, but only because someone else got him first.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
who doesn't understand what private property is and that RedState<>government.
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Two thirds of the world is covered by water,
the other third is covered by Champ Bailey.
If so: How is this a response to what I said?
I think my presumed intimations are getting out of hand.
hmm... these threads can be heard for me to follow. Certainly none of you are afflicted by this malady.
at 10:08 after registration. This makes a good case for a 24 hour cooling off period before commenting is allowed.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling
Yeah, good idea I think. Daily Kos does this too; 1 day before commenting and 1 week before posting a diary.
and promise.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling
...that we did indeed ban the original offender.
My threats are never subtle. :)
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
If a promise guarantees punitive action, it's a threat.
Like, "If you eat take my money, I promise you'll lose a limb."
you've missed a great opportunity to shut up.
I'm surprised you don't know this.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling
Step away for ten minutes and you'll be fine. You don't have to argue every point. You're inviting confrontation where none is necessary. Let go of your anger. It's what Picard would do.
absentee
we aren't angry either. We really don't care enough to get angry.
"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition." -- Rudyard Kipling
Or is my olive-branch extended over a perilous flame?**
言わぬが花
(1) You have no idea who you're talking to
(2) You've confused this place with somewhere you have the "right" to be, and the "freedom" to say whatever you'd like.
Both portend a very, very brief lifespan for you here, even without the waste of bandwidth your diary contributions have been to this point.
It was like watching a kid just learning chess who had no idea that we was talking to grandmasters, but telling them they cheated for castling.
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Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
Yah, that'll leave a mark.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
but I think Bobby Fisher taking on Borris Spassky is a better manifestation ... seems more applicable than a kid whining over an puzzling castle. I checked, and I haven't got a scratch.
I apologize for my temerity. I just can't help myself.
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
I simply put his plug of your previous article into the WWJD category.
Perhaps we should be asking WWBOD?
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
at the very least, moral superiority is often assumed by the prototypical mob member.
言わぬが花
for most obviously blammable comment....
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GOP for President, 2008
A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have - Thomas Jefferson
He appears to be a 9 minute wonder.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Ohh I see the point of this topic , don't use middle name like the Libs used Dubya ~~~~~
*new republicans sit to the left*
Uhh, I don't know what you are talking about. Dubya was usually used as a term of endearment on the right, not the left.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
dubya was a term from the lefts insinuating hillbilly redneck.....
*new republicans sit to the left*
Uhh, no it wasn't. And even if it was originally meant to, it obviously didn't stick, because his campaign put out shirts and stuff that said "Dubya '04" and such.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
While Dubya ended up being used in the way you claim, it began as RandomGuy states. Methinks you should do your own googling.
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
lets say it started as you two say, the point is libs used dubya to the maximum, so what you are telling me , is its alright to insinuate derogatory comments against a white republican, but if your a democrat just dont go there?
Where did I say that derogatory comments were ever ok? Cause I don't remember typing that out.
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
do we not do it with every other candidate when speaking about them. We say senator clinton or hillary clinton, or governor romney or mitt romney, etc.
he is a senator. when we speak casually of other people we rarely state there middle name. why not?
clearly there is a subtext with it. if others want to do it, that is there constitutional right, but for a speaker associated with a campaign to do it, is beneath us as conservatives. we can do better on the issues and character rather than creating artificial implications.
saw the radio guy on H & C. Not impressed. He seemed silly.
You are missing something here. Never before has a candidate actively hid from his middle name, nor has the mere usage of a person's real name ever been equivocated with a slur before.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Tell me, what point is being made by using Obama's middle name?
Are you hoping there are people out there so stupid that they will say "oooh, his middle name is 'Hussein', I'd better not vote for him"? Are you suggesting this is good reason for not supporting him.
If you are wondering, I can think of a great many good reasons not to support him. Quit wasting our time with foolish ones.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
"Tell me, what point is being made by using Obama's middle name?"
It ticks of the left, and it calls attention to the attempts made to hide his middle name. It also points out the bizarreness of political correctness.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
It might also tick off the squishy center that either candidate must win to take the election.
Currently, if Rasmussen is correct, McCain has a 2-1 edge with unaffiliated voters on national security matters. Overall, he's ahead on Iraq, national security, even the economy.
I say we keep it that way.
It ticks of the left
Firing up your opponents is foolish. Forty to fifty percent of Americans don't vote. It is far easier to get a few of them to the polls than it is to persuade a supporter of another candidate to switch sides. So if it really "ticked off" the left, it would be a very foolish strategy.
Of course, it doesn't. You have been completely fooled by fake indignation. Far from being angry when Republican supporters beclown themselves, Democrats put on the fake indignation in order to try and keep the clowns in the news for as long as possible. You seem to be forgetting something important here. Democrats want Republicans to look like idiots and bigots. They want McCain to lose, remember?
Tell me, what is your theory for the reason that CNN astened Cunningham as "McCain backer" and not "insignificant fool with a tiny radio show".
Was it:
A. Because they thought Cunningham was making a deeply intelligent point that was sure to win over floating voters and wished John McCain to be associated with this political genius?
OR
B. Because they thought Cunningham looked like drivelling moron and wanted McCain to be associated with a drivelling moron in order to sabotage his campaign?
OR
C. Because they thought most of their viewers had never heard of Cunningham so, in order to make this sound like a news story, they decided to link Cunningham to someone people had heard of?
My guess is, it's a mixture of B and C.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
Democrats want Republicans to look like idiots and bigots. They want McCain to lose, remember? Tell me, what is your theory for the reason that CNN astened Cunningham as "McCain backer" and not "insignificant fool with a tiny radio show".
That captures it perfectly. Some people have a hard time grasping a difference most of us learn pretty early in childhood - doing what feels good at the time isn't always the course of action that helps you win.
Then there are others who do know the difference, but ignore that when feeling good about taunting "Hussein! Hussein!" is so much more important to them than winning.
I do not know. I really do not get the commotion that surrounds the use of his middle name.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Are you going to claim that you also do not know what is the point of people going out of their way to use Obama's middle name?
Most people can pretty reliably infer the point, that reminding people of his middle name is supposed to make some people less inclined to vote for him. Understanding the point explains the "commotion" - it's over people mentally and/or morally challenged enough to think a candidate's middle name could be a good reason to vote against him.
his purpose is to get the left all fired up in order to . . . er . . . well, not sure . . . I mean, that would just encourage higher turnout for Obama. So, even if they indignation wasn't just fake, this would undermine the Republican Party.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
"He's answered that his purpose is to get the left all fired up in order to . . . er . . . well, not sure..."
How about to show the absurdity of a PC position?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
D. Because they thought it might inflame tension between Conservatives and the McCain campaign by giving the appearance that McCain has thrown loyal Conservative ally "under the bus."
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Gee, I wasn't aware that throwing a hyperventilating nutjob under the bus would upset conservatives.
If that's the test for what makes you a conservative, then I guess I'm not one, nor are most of the other people here.
Please. Grow up.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
He wrote Because they[i.e. the NYT] thought it might inflame tension between Conservatives and the McCain campaign .
He was saying that this was the NYT's idea of a test. Herodotus was just being the conduit.
Herodotus was pretty clearly describing the hyperventilating fool as a "loyal conservative ally" whom McCain was throwing under the bus.
And, by the way, it was CNN, not the NYT, that chose to label Cunningham as a "McCain backer". And I would maintain it was a mixture of B and C. Herodotus's suggestion of D was facile.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
Personally I think it was primarily B.
I also think they were trying to put McCain in a PC no-win situation. In their thinking, if McCain doesn't denounce Cunningham, the media have a great sound-clip to accuse McCain of bigotry, etc that will push away "moderates". If McCain does denounce Cunningham, then he leaves himself open to "conservatives" accusing him of cowtowing to PC, wimpiness, stabbing another conservative backer in the back, etc.
The real problem is the notion of the test that one has to winnow one's donors list and purge those who fall outside some kind of acceptibility boundary largely established by media noise. They've already tried this with Obama, and if not stopped this could mushroom.
Fyi: My suggestion of option D was based upon the leftist "Brad and Britt Radio Program." "Conservatives cannot not trust McCain, please see the Cunningham experience" has been their theme of late. I extrapolated their theme to be a general leftist, and thus MSM talking point.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
"Gee, I wasn't aware that throwing a hyperventilating nutjob under the bus would upset conservatives."
I think it will probably upset Cunningham’s nationally syndicated audience (he is on over 300 stations according to wikipedia), and others that are not entirely comfortable with John McCain, or political correctness.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
"I believe we must adjourn this meeting to some other place." - The last recorded words of Adam Smith.
LOL!!!
I saw this on a comedy show a couple of days ago...can't remember which one. Was it Conan?
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
He was giving the mono;ogue at the Oscars.
"I believe we must adjourn this meeting to some other place." - The last recorded words of Adam Smith.
Oh yah...I remember now.
It was one of the like 3 funny things he said during the entire show.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
Hussein is a common Arabic name. The fact that Saddam happens to have had it too is coincidental.
"Hitler" is not a common name.
This is not a valid comparison.
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GOP for President, 2008
IC.
Can you name 10 people in America who are well known that are named Hussain?
Didn't think so.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Pretty sure he meant other than Obama. Nor did he say people who were popular at birth.
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
MY point is that the chances that someone of Obama's age with the name "Hitler" was named for Adolf Hitler is way higher than the chances that that same person with the name "Hussein" was named after Saddam.
Saying "Barack Hussein Obama" may REMIND people of Saddam, but Obama likely wasn't named for him.
The original comment was that if George Bush's middle name were "Hitler" he'd hide from it. Well, I figure there's a decent chance that in 1946, you'd have to really want to make a point to give your child the name Hitler.
In 1961, if you were of Muslim decent/association Hussein was probably a very attractive name to give your child. Who would have known that in 2007 that child, if famous, would find that name a disadvantage?
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GOP for President, 2008
According to Wiki, he is a junior.
And his dad was a Muslim. As are many members of his father's family and his brother.
And yes, Hussein is a popular name in the Arab world.
Think, King Hussein of Jordan, for starters.
I'm not stupid. If GHWB was born after the rise of Adolph Hitler, that would be a different story.
The point is, neither the parents of the hypothetical George Hitler Walker Bush nor of the real Barack Hussein Obama could have predicted that the middle name they chose, innocently, would have such connotations later.
Read too fast, wrong Bush :)
That said, my prior point is invalid. However, just as it seems strange for Obama to hide behind a common Arabic name, why would someone born years before Hitler came to power hide being given the same name?
One might choose to change it, and understandably so. But just as Hillary Clinton couldn't keep up a glorious story about being named for a famous mountain climber, no one could claim someone born in 1924 was named for a German dictator not even in power yet.
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GOP for President, 2008
This conversation about a middle name he had no control over choosing is tiring...what is more startling is Hillary's attempt to mythify her own name by choice. Hill-arious.
Hussein may be as common as Smith in the Middle East, but not here. How many Husseins do you know?
You've never used Hillary Rodham Clinton or George Herbert Walker Bush, or Ronald Wilson Reagan?
McCain was an idiot for apologizing.
No, not to try to score political points, because nobody would care.
Anyhow, you obviously didn't even read my post, because you aren't addressing my point.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
I wonder. What do I imply when I use the name William Jefferson Clinton, or Ronald Wilson Reagan? Better yet. What do all these pesky textbook manufactures imply when the refer to past and present presidents by their full names?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
How about referring to Obama as "Barack Hussein Obama" in every context where people would usually say "Ronald Wilson Reagan", and stick to "Barack Obama" in every context where people would normally say "Ronald Reagan".
...Here to see what that is.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." ~ Von Goethe
his middle name is not. We did not say "HW Bush" until "W Bush" came along. We did not call Kerry by middle name, Dean by middle name or Gore by middle name.
We all know why Hussein is highlighted, so idiots will think "is this guy a terrorist? Will he turn our country into an Islamic country?" Ridiculous. Again we are better and classier than that.
His background, where he grew up, how he was educated, and where he attends church is absolutely relevant. His liberal, isolating and polarizing philosophy is relevant.
But this business of the last name is unnecessary.
Also, by denouncing what happened, McCain gave himself cover for the 527(s) to come, as Bush had cover regarding Kerry's 527(s).
Why is it ok to bash Romney and Huckabee about their religions, uber-scrutinize them about it....
But it's not ok to question Obama's Muslim family ties?
And it's not ok to look into the actions of Obama's pastor?
But I do in my blog.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Romney and Huckabee have a choice in their current religious decisions. Obama could not choose his parents.
How many here at Redstate have parents who are Democrats? Oooooo. You guys are very questionable. Like I am, since both parents are/were liberals.
It is not okay to bash romney and huckabee for their religions UNLESS their religions affect their policy. Example, Huckabee's position on abortion is consistent with his faith (Southern Baptist, as am I), so maybe the correlation could/should be made. That probably will not bother Huckabee or the Southern Baptists.
The bottom line is that using Obama's middle name is dumb. Those who think it matters don't need to be reminded. Those who think it doesn't matter will be offended at the stupidity.
McCain was right.
But the more the Obamanauts shriek like spoiled brats every time someone *whispers* his full name makes me want to spell it out more, to be honest.
It's all the right people going berserk.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Now I can imagine what it was like for Republicans in 1960 when Camelot was being born. Leftys keep falling for the same old tricks over and over again.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
The Camelot mythos was born in 1968, in a film by the same name shown at the democrat convention.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
HTML Help for Red Staters
"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
You may not know this but there is a toxic subculture out there that does stuff like "subscribe to Ron Paul newsletters" and laughs at the racist stuff in there.
This subculture does stuff like send out emails that talks about how Obama is secretly a Muslim and how he's the foot in the door for the Wahabbis to finally take over.
There is a lot of vile stuff being spread around about the guy.
I don't blame you for not knowing this. Fever Swamps are best avoided in their entirety and you have to wonder about the folks who deliberately go to such places to find out what's going on in them.
Well, I'm here to tell you that the fever swamps are having a field day with Obama's middle name. Hussein, Hussein, Hussein. Saddam Hussein Obama. Saddam Hussein Obama bin Laden. Did you know that he was a Muslim who went to a Madrassa? Smears and lies and the punchline usually revolves around his middle name.
Am I suggesting that folks using his middle name joyfully on Redstate are evilcons? Absolutely not! This webpage does a great job of making sure that Ronulans and other evilcons (or even potential evilcons) are not welcome.
I'm just guessing that folks are unaware of the quality of the people making similar jokes. I've no doubt that if they were aware, they'd run run run from even the appearance of such impropriety much as they mocked any Ron Paul supporter.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
It doesn't make me one of them to say Barack Hussein Obama.
I'm not saying Saddam Hussein. I'm not saying Osama. I'm not saying B. Hussein Obama. I'm no ttalking about that. I'm just talking about saying the man's full name.
If one cannot say the man's name without it baiting those people, not say it at all, then that's Obama's problem, not ours, sorry.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
I reckon, however, that as the days warm up to the election proper and, assuming Obama's nomination, more and more people will start talking about the election...
Well, there will be jokes made by people who would love to have their pictures taken next to Ron Paul (or who actually have had their pictures taken next to him).
I imagine that the Hussein jokes being made on Redstate will remind people of the jokes being made by this particular subset of folks who support Ron Paul.
Yes, of course, this is their problem and not Redstate's.
It just strikes me as a potential unforced error to have gone to such lengths to make sure that the Ron Paul supporters (one of whom, may I point out, I am *NOT*) would not be welcome here due to, among other things, their alliance with someone who wrote vile things in his newsletters to be making jokes that sound very much like the jokes that Ron Paul's newsletters contained.
Now, I know, the jokes we're making here are harmless and completely uninformed by racism in any way, shape, or form and people who are offended by the usage of his middle name are more likely the *REAL* racists... along with, of course, the people who are using his middle name because they are racists.
But perhaps you are right. Perhaps I'm just being a concern troll. Surely there is no harm in mocking Obama's middle name (or merely pointing it out). The fact that the fever swamps are doing it has no reflection on anything or anyone else.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
I think it's been useful to discuss this. It's helped me tease out the distinction between using his middle name to agitate bigots, and using his full name to tweak the left.
I'm fully in favor of the latter, but entirely against the former.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
We should only refer to middle names in the cases of crazed assassins and great democrat presidents...like Lee Harvey Oswald and Franklin Delano Roosevelt....maybe McCain can get this drawn up for his next political free speech infringement act....all in jest, don't get your panties in a bunch.
"Land of the Free and Home of da Whopper" Peter Griffin...Family Guy
conform and celebrate diversity....or else!!!
to beat the worst possible choice for President in, perhaps, the whole of American history...within the boundaries of truth and accuracy...is fine by me.
You think you don't have the stomach for a little flash and pizzazz and hyperbole in the upcoming general? Write about sunsets...this is going to get ugly my friend.
Obama (appease terrorists because WE made them) versus McCain (kill all terrorists until none are left to kill us) is going to draw sharp contrasts of Edwards' two Americas, and there will be no "fair play" during any of this campaign...promise.
Iustum et tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava iubentium, non vultus instantis tyranni mente quatit solida.
-Quintus Horatius Flaccus
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." ~ Von Goethe
Last time we took the "whatever it takes" attitude, the D's got a near veto-proof majority in the Senate, and Jimmy Carter wound up in the white house.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Google the words "Watergate," "George McGovern," and "Richard Nixon."
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Didn't Dukakis say something to the effect of "I picked Lloyd Bentsen, George Bush picked J Danforth Quayle"?
excellent job with this diary RandomGuy. I hope your message gets through to people and they realize that petty things like this are why Republicans often get the unfair rap of being racist or intolerant.
his three names to show his "heritage" hmmm...what's good for the goose is even better "Barack Hussien Obama" for the gander. Here for those who would whine about Barack Hussien Obama is a little flavor from the contest between Webb and Allen...common practice during the campaign by the way.
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/06/webb_blasts_all....
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion
Uhh, I agree with your overall point, but I'm not sure we want to hold up George Allen as the panacea of racial tolerance.
But overall, yes, I think that the D's actually use racial ploys much more then R's, and get away with it far more often.
However, that only makes me want to combat bigotry in my own party more.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
I'm not sure we want to hold up George Allen as the panacea of racial tolerance.
Please don't say stuff like this. George Allen was and is not a racist - statements like this by you, implicitly accepting the slanderous narrative the Left used to defeat him is what continues to enable them to keep their grip on minority communities. He got annoyed and called someone a name and, unfortunately for him, that person just happened to be of South Indian origin - I don't believe for a minute that the guy's race played any part in it. Fact it, if the guy had been white (or if Allen had been a Democrat), it all would have blown over and he would be in the Senate today.
This is one of those areas where the Left has us beat cold. They know how to inject a meme into the public mind and repeat it until it becomes conventional wisdom. Did Reagan really begin his 1980 campaign in Mississippi by promising to bring back segregation? No. But they've said it so many times that there are Republicans who believe Reagan attended the Neshoba County Fair in sheets.
I didn't say he was a racist. I don't think he is.
However, I also think he's completely clueless about being sensitive (I mean legitimately sensitive, not liberal bow-down-and-kiss-the-toes-of-minorities-just-because sensitive) about racial issues, and it's his tone deafness about the issue that lost him his Senate seat. It wasn't just about Macaca, which would have been over in a week had he handled it right, it was how he mishandled it, and CONTINUED to mishandle it until the day of his defeat.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Anyway, maybe I misread you, but a statement like "I'm not sure we want to hold up George Allen as the panacea of racial tolerance" really lends itself strongly to only one interpretation.
That said, Allen handled the "macaca" thing worse than I thought possible. It was like watching Daffy Duck negotiating a minefield and managing to step on every one before he got back to his fort - painful.
Perhaps tolerance was a poor choice of words. Perhaps saying "George Allen isn't the guy we should appoint as our ambassador on racial issues, because he clearly doesn't get it." That's all I meant by that comment.
But we agree on how he handled it. It wasn't just one mistake. It was 10 mistakes piled on top of each other. It was first the statement its self. Had he just issued something saying "I learned that word when I was a child, and was unaware of its racial implications. I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended, it was not my intent," it would have been gone within a week. Oh sure, some liberals would have jeered him, but nobody would have cared. Might have even lost him a few votes, but not the election.
However, he drug his feet instead through a series of half-measures and denials. Then, he freaked out when someone pointed out that he had Jewish heritage, and explained he "still ate pork chops." I don't know what he meant by that, but it seemed to suggest he thought Virginians were anti-semetic, so he wanted to be as "least Jewish" as he could, which is of course insulting and silly.
THEN he spent weeks attacking a novel Jim Webb wrote 20 years ago as opposed to attacking him on the issues. It just made him look silly.
The fact that he couldn't answer a straight question during his Meet the Press debate didn't help either.
Anyhow, I'm probably going overboard, I was just so disgusted at the near total meltdown of his campaign, and what it cost the party and the country on a whole...still brings up bad memories. I've never been able to decide if he was really so clueless and incompetent on these issues, or if it was merely bad decisions brought on by sheer panic. One way or another, I still would rather not have him be the poster child on racial issues for the GOP.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
It's good to be getting this discussion out before the general.
The middle name is brought up at a lot of pointless moments.
I'd suggest we call him B.H. Obama if I didn't think it was too close to B.A. Baracas. Heh. Mebbe we should pity de foo who doesn't speak his middle name?
"Obama? Yo mama!"
___________________________________
Two thirds of the world is covered by water,
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What about his first name being too close to a Mortal Kombat character? Can we discuss how that makes him involved in video game violence?
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
Good thing most people won't mistake the two.
Barak = Peacenick
Baraka = One Bad Dude
Fighting for conservatism one day at a time.
"No matter how much lipstick you put on the taxation pig, it's still a pig... and it's currently snout-down in your wallet." - Michael Fisk
I fully endorse "Obama - Yo Mama!" as a piece of abuse. That's just in good fun.
Kinda funny too.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
If I wanted to run with something that could fit on a bumper sticker, that's what I'd put on it.
It has the added benefit of merely being childish without having a whiff of "Ron Paul's Newsletters Changed My Life!" about it.
Man is free at the moment he wishes to be. --Voltaire
Dear God, I LOL'ed WAYYYYYYY too hard.
Something about this comment just hit me right.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
LOL!
I endorse this campaign motto!
"Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views" William F Buckley Jr.
No he's not, and you know it.
He's no more a Muslim then Clarance Thomas was back when he admired the Nation of Islam.
Can we get a blam here?
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
The Nation of Islam is not Islamic, it's a race cult.
Obama has a Muslim father and attended Muslim school for a brief period. He never, as far as we know, was a Muslim. So it's wrong to call him a "recovering" Muslim, but you're wrong to equate it with Clarence Thomas.
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Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
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Saying it's a race cult may be true, but I'd say saying it's not Islamic isn't really for us to say. They consider themselves Islamic. Some, but not all (probably a minority) of other Muslims consider them Islamic.
What is and what isn't Islamic is obviously very contentious. It's because he believes that they aren't "really" Muslims that Bin Laden and his ilk believes it's alright to slaughter other middle easterners.
Of course, this ignores passages in the Koran that basically say if someone says they are a Muslim, then for your purposes, they are a Muslim, and that anything else is up to God.
Anyhow, I'll I'm saying is it's a touchy subject that you can't paint with a really broad brush.
Obama's position is not exactly like Thomas's in that regard, no doubt, but I think it's substantially similar in the sense that if someone wanted to try to paint Thomas as a Muslim because of his early admiration of the Black Muslim movement, it would be close to, if not equally as unfair.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
My guess is, if you ask any mainstrean Muslim if Elijah Muhammed was a prophet on par with the author of the Koran, well, you'll get a firm no.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
I'd go further. The Muslims I've talked to about this (which isn't a lot) see Black Islam about like evangelicals see Mormons... at best.
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Define "mainstream Muslim."
You see, this is where it gets tricky. It's kind of like the "Are Mormons Christians?" Question. Sure, a lot of Christians will say no, but some will say yes, a lot will say "I'm not sure." (The most reasonable answer, IMHO)
Which ones are the "mainstream"? I don't know. I'm guessing 99.99999% of protestants and catholics alike would say that Joseph Smith was not a prophet the same way the the prophets in the Bible are, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have she core beliefs that make them "Christian," that's a whole different debate.
Similar problem.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
... it would be blasphemous for me to even think that Muhammad (SAW) is the Author of the Qur'an.
The Author of the Qur'an is Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (SAW) is/was His Messenger, the vessel through which He revealed the Qur'an, His Word to mankind.
Threadjack over.
PS: My opinion is that Elijah Muhammad was a clown ...
Not author, vessel.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Time for a poem:
Moby lies in wait
Gathers up courage
Pretends to be conservative
Shows his stupidity
Waiting for the Blam
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
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McCain's adopted daughter is from Bangladesh, and most very likely somewhere in her family tree there is at least one person named 'Hussain.' Perhaps, legally, McCain may even be related to a Hussain via his daughter.
I had wondered if that was what McCain may have been thinking when cunningham made his remarks.
from the region. Nobody equates the late King Hussein of Jordan with Saddam, for one example, and you really don't want to say anything bad about the historical Imam Hussein when you're in that part of the world.
That he has African heritage and a middle name associated with the Islamic faith, yet is a serious contender for the presidency, should be a matter of pride for Americans. That he sees the nanny state as the solution for economic and social development should be the basis for constructive opposition and debate.
I hope this thread isn't an indication of how ugly this year will get, but I'm depressed that I suspect my hopes are unfounded. It's really not that hard to argue against his candidacy without resorting to bigotry. Fingers crossed that Mac can keep a lid on this sort of stuff.
He's also got a Senate seat for life, unfortunately.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
I attended a rally here in Ohio out of curiosity and an interest in being a spectator to history, and can assure you that he's very much a force to be reckoned with. Mac filled an ice cream parlor here, Hillary a high school gym, but Obama filled an entire stadium.
I saw at least two people swoon to the point of needing medical attention, and they were middle-aged men, not teeny boppers. I saw African Americans in particular with a look of existential joy at the very reality of his candidacy, overcome with a moment of pinch-yourself jubilation at having a dream realized. This is visceral, primal emotion at work, and it's going to be a tough year for Mac. I've never seen anything like it in my lifetime.
I think your Clarence "Tom" Thomas analogy is spot on. There is nothing wrong with saying Obama's middle name, but when someone does so to denigrate the man because of his heritage then it is despicable.
When I see Democrats do this kind of thing I immediately stop listening to them. I am sure that when we do it that they do the same.
A reasoned arguement based on the issues is far more effective.
Thanks, and you are right on.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
also goes for political parties which is why I don't call Mitt Romney "Willard" and why I call the opposition the Democratic Party, its official name.
I do think it was funny though when Bob Dole called Pete DuPont "Pierre"! or was that Dan Ackroyd?
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
But I'll still call them the Democrat Party... mostly because it drives them crazy... but also because the fools on the left adopt every good label (Democratic, liberal, progressive, "fiscal conservative") then run it into the ground, then start looking for a new label to ruin.
---
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
and I'll take it as a complement.
---
Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
They call themselves Democrat when they are really elitist.
They say liberal when they are completely the opposite of a classical liberal,
they say progressive when they fight tooth and nail against most reforms.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
proponent of small d democracy?
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Random Guy, All of the following have had their middle names mocked: George Herbert Walker Bush, J. Danforth Qualye, Richard Milhaus Nixon, Willard Mitt Romney, and William Jefferson Blythe Clinton.
I don't think any of them had a hissy fit.
The Simpsons even created a character with Nixon's middle name -- the wimpy Milhaus.
By the way, you bringing up Watergate as some sort of analogy to the present day is absurd.
In all of your cited cases none of the mocking of the middle names was meant in order to not-so-subtly suggest that he is an evil Muslim conspiring with the terrorists to bring down America. As I put in another diary about this - it's race baiting, plain and simple.
Uhh, try reading comprehension. You need it badly.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Returning the link favor
See
http://www.redstate.com/blogs/ilitigant/2008/feb/27/bill_cunningham_v_ci...
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"Most people here understand why constantly referring to Mr. Obama as "Hussain" is inappropriate, but for those who don't understand, let me offer a story that will serve as an analogy"
I still do not get it. I understand why the use of Juan McCain, and Osama Obama are considered rude, but darn it Hussein is part of his real name.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Did you read the analogy?
TOM is part of Clarance Thomas' name as well. It is appropriate to call him "TOM us" like I said just becuase "That's his name?"
Of course not.
If someone is saying the full name of both candidates, say "On the Right, we have John Sidney McCain III and on the left we have Barack Hussain Obama," then that might be one thing. I'd question why you need to go into such detail at all, but assuming there is a valid reason for it, fine.
However, that's not what's going on, and anybody who pays attention knows it. Some people, like this Cunningham idiot, like to use his name as a punchline. That's inappropriate, racist and reprehensible, period.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Deliberate mispronunciation of a name and the accurate usage of a name are not the same thing.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
Yah, because, clearly, just like mispronouncing a last name, we use middle names of people in everyday conversation all the time, right?
/sarcasm
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
Middle names are frequently used with Presidents, and candidates for the office. Especially, in formal, and semi-formal communications, like a public speech. Heck, Fred's middle name is used fairly often, so is William Jefferson Clinton's.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,215397,00.html
http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/02/28/busines...
http://www.tv.com/fred-dalton-thompson/person/149775/biography.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Thompson
http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/fredthompson.html
http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/wjclinton.html
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/bc42/about/clintonbio.htm
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
P.S. William Jefferson Clinton was used a lot on the radio, and in speeches during the 1990's, by both the left and the right.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
In discussing whether its wrong to say Barack's middle name from more than 5 minutes, neither one ever uttered his middle name. Rather, they said, over and over "his middle name."
pathetic cowards that want to be on msm tv even if they must sell one's soul
that's one reason why the real conservatives rarely get air time
to be on tv very long is to sell out
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Tell me something: Are you honestly so diluted as to believe ANYBODY would be saying Obama's last name if it were "Hank" or "David" or "Theodore?"
The answer to this question should answer all of the other ones if you have a brain in your head.
"I ain't never votin' fo another Democrat so long as I can draw breath! I'll vote for a dog first!" - Leola Thomas
will be, but even after 4, I'll have more brains in my head than the guys that show up here at random.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Now even more so since he's bought into the GOP can't win meme, and ripping into Delay. Newt stands for Newt and he wants to be the great white knight riding in to save the conservative movement. He shoudl go back to writing policy and leave being a politician to the people with a pair.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.Let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."-Barry Goldwater
McCain/Rudy 08-kill the terrorists and punch the hippies.
compared Bush to Carter so he could get CNN gigs.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
I've never been more disappointed in someone who used to be a great leader than I am in Newt and his lack of leadership since he's left the House.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.Let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."-Barry Goldwater
McCain/Rudy 08-kill the terrorists and punch the hippies.
That's what they want Americans to believe most Republicans are like.
In a context where you would say "Al Gore", call him "Barack Hussein". If it's a very formal context where you would use Gore's middle name (which I don't remember) then include the "Husseing".
espeially that majority liberal voting public they have been trying to create since 1968.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Hyperbole aside I think I might start referring to Obama as he who's middle name cannot be mentioned.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
To focus on his "name" and not the issues is a big mistake. Especially at a time when the electorate, supposedly, are clamoring for change, it seems very petty to make a big deal out of what a lot of people see as small potatoes.
We should rightly be focused on the Rezko issues, his absolute surrender in the War on Terror, his appeasement of dictators, etc. etc. etc. To focus on his name, which is all that a lot of people think we are talking about here, is a political risk.
Gingrich's analogy about trying to prosecute a misdemeanor at the same time as a felony was pretty good (don't you think...you are the lawyer). If the misdemeanor case ends up as a not guilty, doesn't it risk the felony case?
Fighting for conservatism one day at a time.
prevent the leftist from being focused on, not us.
The libs trap so many in this focus pc guilt trip crap all the time. Hussein is exhibit #5906 in the reduction of what repubs can say so as to prevent the truth from being seen about liberalism.
The msm knows they have a far left McGovernite loser and they are warming us up with Hussein.
Next up: can't speak of his church, that L word, his wife, his pastor, that bill that would prevent murdering babies OUTSIDE the womb, his sharia law Kenya candidate, ...
It stops NOW with GC.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
It is the libs that are focusing on his name as a conduit to prevent the leftist from being focused on, not us.
I wanna say, there are a million diaries here on Redstate about the whole Hussein thing, but I rarely see it mentioned on Daily Kos (if you search there are a bunch of diaries, but Daily Kos is also a lot bigger than Redstate in general, and so has a lot more stories on everything. Here it seems half the diaries these days are Hussein-related). And it gets only occasional mention on the news it seems. Looking at CNN, it is not to be found.
to their declaration and the national GOP's of a reduction of allowed speech.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Where do you get the silly idea that the media is trying to stop Obama opponents from gratuitously saying "Barack Hussein Obama"? They're hoping for more "Hussein", preferably said by Republicans prominent enough to give them an excuse to make it a big story.
CNN wants Americans to believe that a lot of Republicans are prejudiced enough to think somebody's middle name is a reason to vote against him. Whether they can pull that off depends on whether enough Obama opponents will help the MSM achieve that goal.
They also want Americans to think Republicans are dumb. As in dumb enough to think Americans will believe their claim, that they would saying Obama's middle name just as much if it was "Wilson". Again their success depends on how many Republicans will help them.
I agree with you about their motives. I just don;t let the msm make me jump under my bed in fetal the position of fear like you.
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Whatever gratification somebody might get yapping "Hussein" is worthless to me when they help elect Obama.
Appealing to ethnic or religious prejudice turns off most American voters. Using his middle name where it obviously wouldn't be used if it was "Wilson", is correctly interpreted by most Americans as an appeal to prejudice. Seeing Obama opponents resort to those gutter tactics will push some swing voters toward voting for Obama.
But if gratuitously saying "Hussein" is so important to somebody, they'll probably manage to rationalize to themselves that Americans are too dumb and/or prejudiced to see it for what it is and punish it with their votes.
can't examine the words and policies of his church...
Wonder what voters would vote for a bunch of gop wusses that take orders from the msm, dems, libs and Barack's wife?
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
I never suggested it was wrong to use Obama's middle name, in the kind of context where you would use it if it was "Wilson" - the kind of context where you would say "Ronald Wilson Reagan" instead of "Ronald Reagan". I've made it clear here and elsewhere my objection is to the gratuitous inclusion of his middle name, where anyone with a 2 digit IQ or higher would correctly infer that the use of his middle name is intended as an argument for voting against him.
Do you think it's "wussy" politics for McCain to dissociate himself from the blatant appeals to prejudice against Obama's middle name?
I trust you won't insult everybody's intelligence, by trying to deny that appeal to prejudice has been the primary intent of gratuitous use of Obama's middle name.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Mike "Gamecock" DeVine @ The Charlotte Observer
http://thehinzsightreport.com
www.theminorityreportblog.com
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
Welcome to the 24 hour news cycle. This was a minor story covered fairly heavily by the MSM a few days ago, but its generally dead today outside of talk radio, and a few blogs.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/28/tennessee.gop/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/cunningham.mccain/index.html
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/29/michelle-obama-says-crit...
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/28/rnc-denounces-use-of-hus...
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/28/obama-still-battles-musl...
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NEWS01/3022...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/26/politics/main3880075.shtml
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
The story won't have legs as long as McCain can convincingly portray the Husseinophiles as fringe wackos not representative of his supporters. That's why he so emphatically dissociated his campaign from the retarded remarks.
"The story won't have legs..."
Because its about his real middle name. No matter how you spin it you keep coming back to the fact that your upset about someone using someone else's middle name. The only reason this story was slightly bigger (it still is an absurdly small story) than the Obama "silly hat" picture was because of McCain's reaction, and Cunningham's reaction to McCain's reaction.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---


Barack Obama came by his middle name honestly, as the son of Muslim.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
--
Gone 2500 years, still not PC.