Barack's Willie Horton
Shankar Vedantam asks this morning in the Washington Post if Jeremiah Wright is Barack Obama's Willie Horton. If confiding ourselves strictly to the idea that only race matters, then yes, Wright is Obama's Horton, but I'm not convinced that the average American is hung up on race in 2008 nearly as much as they may have been a generation ago in the 1988 campaign.
September 11, 2001 gave Americans a new boogeyman in the back of their psychological closets to replace (or at least grab a share of) the paranoia associated with African-American felons, and that boogeyman is the terrorist. Micahael Dukakis was destroyed when Republicans chose to focus on the fact that Willie Horton committed armed robbery and rape while on furlough. As disgusting a bigot at Jeremiah Wright is, he's no killer. No, if Barack Obama has a "Willie Horton," it is going to come in pairs, in the persons of Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. Why? Michael Dukakis may have supported a program that let Willie Horton out of prison, but Dukakis never went to dinner at Horton's house, served on foundations with him, appeared at conferences with him, had money raised by him, and oh yeah, had dinner at his house. Ayers and Dohrn, a couple of well-known terrorists, have done that for Obama. Obama's own associates describe his relationship with an unrepetant pair of terrorists as "friendly." I think that is a far more valid concern than Horton was to Dukakis, and one that may have more "legs" as well.
Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 10:12 AM
Comments
1
Obama could no more renounce Ayers than he could renounce his radical-academic community, or something. Besides, these are just snippets, you have to view it in context, whatever that may be.
Move along from these distracting distractions that are distracting from what's really important to America in this election: electing Obama, and bringing the hopey change
Move along from these distracting distractions that are distracting from what's really important to America in this election: electing Obama, and bringing the hopey change
Posted by: Toby928 at May 05, 2008 11:04 AM (PD1tk)
2
Wait, does invoking the name Willie Horton mean bringing up inconvenient information about a candidate that may have a negative impact on his campaign? Isn't that the same thing as Swift Boating, raising inconvenient truths about a candidate?
Why can't these people say what they mean. Dukakis's program of weeken furloughs for convicted murderers, rapists and other violent felons became so unpopular with the people of Massachusetts and such a potential issue for the campaign that he was forced to rescind it in the spring of 1988.
Obama's association with Rev. Wright became so unpopular and such a potential issue for his campaign that he was forced to denounce Rev. Wright in the spring of 2008.
I guess they are similar in that way.
Why can't these people say what they mean. Dukakis's program of weeken furloughs for convicted murderers, rapists and other violent felons became so unpopular with the people of Massachusetts and such a potential issue for the campaign that he was forced to rescind it in the spring of 1988.
Obama's association with Rev. Wright became so unpopular and such a potential issue for his campaign that he was forced to denounce Rev. Wright in the spring of 2008.
I guess they are similar in that way.
Posted by: daleyrocks at May 05, 2008 11:13 AM (0pZel)
3
Da Rev Al of all people seems to think examinations of Wright re Obammy are cricket, so long as the same airing is given to McC/Hagee. This seems to be the only tactical response they have on tap and Al is certainly not a campaign op so we can assume he thinks this is the best they can hope for. So let it be done.
Posted by: megapotamus at May 05, 2008 11:46 AM (LF+qW)
4
Mr. Owens, how long are you people gonna keep harping on this stuff already? Are you even aware of the fact that Barack Obama has already distanced himself from Obama?. And as for Bill Ayers, well, it seems as if he's already announced his intention to disown Obama
Enough is enough already! You need to start focusing on issues that really matter, like John McCain's age and the fact that he was such an incompetent soldier in Vietnam that he somehow managed to get kidnapped by the Viet Cong. What would happen if McCain were elected President and the Viet Cong kidnapped him? Who would run this country then? I think you guys have much bigger problems to worry about with McCain. It would behoove you to focus on those problems rather than worry about Barack Obama's ties to the Underworld. If Osama Bin Laden has managed to transform Al Qaeda into one of the greatest terrorist organizations of our time in spite of his heinous past, surely Barack Obama can do the same for America despite his, well, um...., questionable past!
Enough is enough already! You need to start focusing on issues that really matter, like John McCain's age and the fact that he was such an incompetent soldier in Vietnam that he somehow managed to get kidnapped by the Viet Cong. What would happen if McCain were elected President and the Viet Cong kidnapped him? Who would run this country then? I think you guys have much bigger problems to worry about with McCain. It would behoove you to focus on those problems rather than worry about Barack Obama's ties to the Underworld. If Osama Bin Laden has managed to transform Al Qaeda into one of the greatest terrorist organizations of our time in spite of his heinous past, surely Barack Obama can do the same for America despite his, well, um...., questionable past!
Posted by: Angry Dude at May 05, 2008 12:18 PM (aTZaE)
5
Since my last comment did not come out the way it should have, I will try this all over again. Sheesh, I aint no geek, that's for sure. Now where were we? Oh, that's right!
Mr. Owens, how long are you people gonna keep harping on this stuff already? Are you even aware of the fact that Barack Obama has already distanced himself from Obama?. And as for Bill Ayers, well, it seems as if he's already announced his intention to disown Obama
Enough is enough already! You need to start focusing on issues that really matter, like John McCain's age and the fact that he was such an incompetent soldier in Vietnam that he somehow managed to get kidnapped by the Viet Cong. What would happen if McCain were elected President and the Viet Cong kidnapped him? Who would run this country then? I think you guys have much bigger problems to worry about with McCain. It would behoove you to focus on those problems rather than worry about Barack Obama's ties to the Underworld. If Osama Bin Laden has managed to transform Al Qaeda into one of the greatest terrorist organizations of our time in spite of his heinous past, surely Barack Obama can do the same for America despite his, well, um...., questionable past!
Thanks for your time!
Mr. Owens, how long are you people gonna keep harping on this stuff already? Are you even aware of the fact that Barack Obama has already distanced himself from Obama?. And as for Bill Ayers, well, it seems as if he's already announced his intention to disown Obama
Enough is enough already! You need to start focusing on issues that really matter, like John McCain's age and the fact that he was such an incompetent soldier in Vietnam that he somehow managed to get kidnapped by the Viet Cong. What would happen if McCain were elected President and the Viet Cong kidnapped him? Who would run this country then? I think you guys have much bigger problems to worry about with McCain. It would behoove you to focus on those problems rather than worry about Barack Obama's ties to the Underworld. If Osama Bin Laden has managed to transform Al Qaeda into one of the greatest terrorist organizations of our time in spite of his heinous past, surely Barack Obama can do the same for America despite his, well, um...., questionable past!
Thanks for your time!
Posted by: Angry Dude at May 05, 2008 12:23 PM (aTZaE)
6
Why do we blame George H.W. Bush for the Willie Horton ad? That Bush campaign was not the first to use Willie Horton in an ad - Al Gore's campaign did that in the primary. In addition, the Bush ad did not show Willie Horton's picture (just the prison "revolving door" theme) - so it can not be considered explicitly "racist." On the other hand, the Gore ad did us a picture of Willie Horton. Which party owns the "attack machine?"
Posted by: Steve at May 05, 2008 01:21 PM (BIwsj)
7
Barack Obama has been crippled by the combination of Wright and Ayers, although he and his people don't know it yet. Hillary has such high negatives, that once the light is shined on her she's going to be in a lot of trouble. As a democrat who wants to win in November I'm hoping that the rumors about the Denver Plan and Al Gore jumping in to the fray at the convention are true. Otherwise this summer is going to rival 1968 in the damage it does to the Democratic party.
Posted by: Beverly L. at May 05, 2008 01:41 PM (YgdgI)
8
I was working for a Member of Congress from Maryland when Dukakis decided to let a convicted murderer serving life without parole out of prison for a weekend furlough. Willie Horton came to our District and committed armed robbery and rape with a husband and wife in our District. I can assure you that it was NOT about his race at the time and the way the Democrats and the Media tried to make it about race was extremely offensive to those of us who knew the disgusting story and worked with that family. The man was an animal and to this day, I cannot understand why Dukakis did what he did by letting Horton out on that furlough.
Posted by: Sara at May 05, 2008 03:00 PM (Wi/N0)
9
Sara - That weekend furlough program was very popular with the violent felons of Massachusetts. I think about 80 of them in all disappeared from their furloughs. You are right that it was not about race, but the democrats tried to spin it that way.
Posted by: daleyrocks at May 05, 2008 03:25 PM (0pZel)
10
Angry dude, you're not making sense, specifically:
Are you even aware of the fact that Barack Obama has already distanced himself from Obama?.
How does one distance himself from HIMSELF?
You also show a shocking lack of understanding about the circumstances of John McCain's becoming a POW. He was a US Navy Pilot, flying the A-4 Skyhawk. He was shot down over enemy territory and was subsequently made a prisoner.
Now, either you are astonishingly clueless even for a lefty (and that's saying quite a bit), or you're a conservative playing games, or you're a troll; or some combination of the three.
Which is it?
Are you even aware of the fact that Barack Obama has already distanced himself from Obama?.
How does one distance himself from HIMSELF?
You also show a shocking lack of understanding about the circumstances of John McCain's becoming a POW. He was a US Navy Pilot, flying the A-4 Skyhawk. He was shot down over enemy territory and was subsequently made a prisoner.
Now, either you are astonishingly clueless even for a lefty (and that's saying quite a bit), or you're a conservative playing games, or you're a troll; or some combination of the three.
Which is it?
Posted by: C-C-G at May 05, 2008 05:47 PM (cwBZ+)
11
As a democrat who wants to win in November I'm hoping that the rumors about the Denver Plan and Al Gore jumping in to the fray at the convention are true.
If Gore jumps in, there will be he-double-toothpicks to pay at the Democrat convention. The Obamamaniacs are threatening to stay home in November if the nomination is given to Hillary, and she's at least campaigned and won delegates on her own; what do you think they would do if the nomination was handed to someone who hasn't won a single delegate--and, don't forget, he's a (gasp) white guy too!
If you wanna see your party rip itself to shreds, Beverly, pray for them to nominate Al Gore.
If Gore jumps in, there will be he-double-toothpicks to pay at the Democrat convention. The Obamamaniacs are threatening to stay home in November if the nomination is given to Hillary, and she's at least campaigned and won delegates on her own; what do you think they would do if the nomination was handed to someone who hasn't won a single delegate--and, don't forget, he's a (gasp) white guy too!
If you wanna see your party rip itself to shreds, Beverly, pray for them to nominate Al Gore.
Posted by: C-C-G at May 05, 2008 05:50 PM (cwBZ+)
12
CCG- Please have your humor detector serviced; it appears to be offline.
Posted by: DaveP. at May 05, 2008 06:16 PM (q6tuN)
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I suggested it might be a conservative playing games, Dave.
However, to avoid confusion, it's a good idea to end such a message with a "/sarc" tag.
However, to avoid confusion, it's a good idea to end such a message with a "/sarc" tag.
Posted by: C-C-G at May 05, 2008 07:20 PM (cwBZ+)
14
Snobama has some strange friends. He loves Wright replacement who seems intent on demonstrating that he makes Wright look sane. Then there is his mentor relationship with Frank Marshall, an old school Stralinist. Wrights mental state need not be covered. His affinity for terrorists speaks for itself. Can anyone think of any presidential cnadidate who travelled in such circles.
No wonder the wingnuts proclaim all mention of these individuals as a distrcation. Woe should we wonder what sort of judgement Snobama exercises or the type of changes he wishes to make. Perhaps discussion of these are also distractions which demonstrates why the annointed one has presented nothing concrete except for tax increases, pre emptive surrender and a radical re working of the Constitution.
No wonder the wingnuts proclaim all mention of these individuals as a distrcation. Woe should we wonder what sort of judgement Snobama exercises or the type of changes he wishes to make. Perhaps discussion of these are also distractions which demonstrates why the annointed one has presented nothing concrete except for tax increases, pre emptive surrender and a radical re working of the Constitution.
Posted by: Thomas Jackson at May 05, 2008 10:38 PM (LHaZf)
15
John Ryan, did Rasmussen correctly call the results of the 2000 and 2004 elections in May of 2000 and 2004, respectively?
If not, why the heck do ya think they'll get this one right?
If not, why the heck do ya think they'll get this one right?
Posted by: C-C-G at May 07, 2008 07:23 PM (cwBZ+)
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