|
|
Jewish World Review June 26, 2008 / 23 Sivan 5768
Will anyone note the racism?
By Laura Ingraham
 | |
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American. 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? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards."
The Obama campaign had only a brief response, calling the remarks disappointing.
Asked to clarify whether he thought Obama does try to "talk white," Nader said:
"Of course. I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law. Haven't heard a thing."
Now think about this: a white Democrat presumes to know how black men, politicians especially, ought to think. Would Nader ever insist on instructing John McCain how to run his campaign? Or do only blacks get their beliefs handed down? What is the "number one thing" white candidates are supposed to run on these days, anyway? If it's the same brand of moonbattery Nader's been trying for the last 124 years, let me just say thank goodness no one's buying what he's selling.
Nader's racial presumptuousness is no less offensive than the most distasteful forms of racial stereotyping. But of course it's nothing new among his leftist comrades. Just ask Clarence Thomas. His whole life has been a struggle to think freely, not to have his thoughts assigned simply because he was born black.
Finally, recall Obama's prediction last week that Republicans will use his skin color against him. He was right, except he got the party affiliation wrong.
So the question now is how the media will respond. Will Nader be attacked with the same ferocity any Republican could expect for claiming to know what's best for black Americans?
If not, we'll learn what's really motivating media priorities. It's not race — it's politics.