If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

by Reaper0Bot0, Fri Sep 12, 2008 at 07:08:01 PM EDT

Crossposted at the Motley Moose

An angry black man.

That's what the Republicans want, oh so desperately do they crave it. If the Republicans can label Barack, through implication and "unconnected" surrogates, 527's and friendly media, if they can label him as an angry black man he will go down into defeat.

Barack's in a tough spot. He has to be unflappable, yet he cannot appear conciliatory or weak. If he goes into some righteous attack, some brash and divine diatribe on the lies and slanders of the Right they WILL win.

This isn't an easy spot for Barack, but I think he's finding his way through it as well as can be expected. The Sarah Palin thing through most everybody for a loop, which was sort of the reason for such a choice. Barack has to hit back, but he cannot come across as overly angry. Stereotypes are no less powerful for their paucity of moral or ethical value.

There are too many people, far too many white people, who would like nothing better than to be able to see Barack as another angry black man demanding what (such people would insist) he hasn't earned. Such crass bullshit has a way of becoming conventional wisdom altogether too quickly. And yes, I'm speaking ill of a sub-set of my fellow caucasians. Back home in South Carolina this sort of thing is more common than it should be.

All that being said, I think a lot of Kossacks, a lot of members of the Netroots more generally, we seem to miss a fundamental truth. He can't bring down the angry fist of justice on them, no matter how right it would be for him to do so, no matter how just. We can, and we should. We can be angry, we can be brazen, bold, and brash.

Please stop hoping, and for fuck's sake stop asking Barack to lay the smackdown on John McCain and friends. In a moment of truth, of furious and righteous anger, Barack would disarm himself.

That
Must
Not
Happen!

Keeping a cool head has brought him and us this far. I trust in his instincts. Please do the same. He's better on the counterpunch, and he's better with a little finesse. They could stand to do a better job of hitting back and they have GOT to find a way to get the media to cover Joe Biden whilst he hammers away at the Republicans in precisely the way Barack Obama cannot.

We have to get control of the narrative again, yes, you guys are right about that. I just disagree with how we do it. Anger can be a powerful tool, but it will be the end of our presidential hopes in 2008 if it defines Barack. That is not his fault. It is what it is, and if we hope to see him win, we must accept that.

Tags: 2008, Barack Obama (all tags)

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Tips?

For realizing that part of this HAS to be that they're baiting him?

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-09-12 07:09PM | 0 recs

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Re: Tips?

I told you so....

Now if only my story that fit so well hadn't been about brier rabbit.

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:21PM | 0 recs

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Re: Tips?

I told you so....
=p

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:23PM | 0 recs

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Re: Tips?

psst.

Still told you so.

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:30PM | 0 recs

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Re: Tips?

You know you screw up the validity of anything you try to contribute here by your vindictive and ugly attitude.

by mady 2008-09-12 08:33PM | 0 recs

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Re: Tips?

What's wrong with you?

by reenactor 2008-09-13 04:45AM | 0 recs

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Absolutely!

People keep saying he should show more passion in smacking down McCain, but I completely agree with you that he must not appear angry. He will lose if he can be branded as angry.

by dtox 2008-09-12 07:14PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Once they get the footage of Obama as the "angry black man," watch for ad appearances by John McCain and Sarah Palin in antebellum costume, with McCain evoking the patrician property owner and Palin perched beneath a parasol in a hoop dress.

Meanwhile, Barack has to be Jackie Robinson on steroids. He has to take a lot of hits while being very careful about how he hits back. Currently, he's doing it with a smile. I'm not sure he has any choice.

Maybe, at some point, McCain's attacks will grow so outlandish and so repulsive to anyone with a moral center that Obama will be able to respond with full righteous force. But even then, I don't think he'll rise to the bait, and wisely so.

by BobzCat 2008-09-12 07:19PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Man Jackie Robinson was a giant among men wasn't he.

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:22PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

You are a complete asshole.

God, that felt good.

by AntiStipes 2008-09-12 08:06PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

I'd argue that Obama's campaign strategy is emulating MLK's nonviolent resistance protest strategies during the 60s.

It's working. The McCain camp has just gotten more and more outrageous with their attacks and lies, now the MSM is being forced to call them on it. And the more the McCain camp amplifies their attacks, the better Obama looks.

That's not to say that Obama won't respond forcefully. But, he sticks to the truth and to the issues. When he says he won't go after Palin's family, he actually means it, unlike with McCain.

by ProfessorReo 2008-09-12 08:10PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

I agree that Obama can't be seen as the 'angry black man' but by not agressively responding to McPalin attacks he's perpetuating the weak, spineless democrat candidate.

And up 'til now, no surrogate has stepped forward s the attack dog that will respond aggressively in Obama's staid - usually the place of the VP.

I don't agree thta Obama looks better as McCain amplifies his attack - a lie spoken often enough becomes the truth when not defended e.g. Kerry Swiftboat & Palin Bridge Nowhere.

by wasanyonehurt 2008-09-12 08:20PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Here's the difference between the swiftboat attack and what's going on with Obama. Nothing has really stuck with Obama. They've tried the angry black man route with Wright, they tried to make him into a celebrity candidate, etc. Some of those attacks worked momentarily, but they didn't stick.

So, with none of the mud working, they resorted to lying and the gender card. Both are now backfiring big time.

And, the reality is, the Obama campaign is hitting back very aggressively. I'm not sure what more people want from him, except for a scene of explosive anger that may just harm him more than McCain, as Reaper persuasively argues.

What I'm concerned about is what extreme tactic they'll employ next when they can't lie or cry sexism anymore. The only thing I can think of is something absolutely despicable - a last minute barrage of the most racist ads they can come up with, linking Obama to Wright, to gangsta rappers, to Rezko, to Islamic extremists, what have you. I wonder if there is any way for the Obama campaign to somehow preemptively act to diffuse those sorts of ads.

by ProfessorReo 2008-09-12 08:53PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Stick a fork in him.

by reebus 2008-09-12 07:22PM | 0 recs

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Seriously

The reason we founded Motley Moose was so we could have a place where shitheads like you wouldn't last five seconds.

Impressively trollish, even your sign.

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-09-12 07:25PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

The Republican 527s are already hitting Obama pretty hard with Rev. Wright as the angry black man. Freedom's Defense Fund is running a Wright ad in MI, and Our Country Deserves Better PAC has half a dozen Wright ads they are rolling out.

I'm guessing most of these will be carefully targeted and stay under the radar, even as the big Republican 527s start spending money.

by souvarine 2008-09-12 07:31PM | 0 recs

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If that happens, it's time for

dem 527s to bust out McCain's past affairs. I have noted before that one reason why McCain hasn't used Wright is that there may be an unspoken agreement between the two camps that Wright will not be used as long as Obama doesn't bring up McCain's affairs. Jake Tapper seemed to suggest that such an unspoken agreement existed in a post on his blog.

by Blazers Edge 2008-09-12 07:34PM | 0 recs

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Re: If that happens, it's time for

I don't think McCain will use Rev. Wright, he has much more effective national hits. And I doubt Tapper will notice what 527s are doing on local cable, he has enough to cover with the national campaign. Obama probably won't draw attention to them because he doesn't want to give them more exposure, swift boat style.

by souvarine 2008-09-12 08:03PM | 0 recs

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Dude Taylor you are on a tear

tonight.

It's going to be tough for Biden to get into the news; the contradictory thing about "do-no harm" candidates is that they won't get in the news unless they actually do harm.

Granholm as Palin in debate prep? That's interesting, I would have thought more along the lines of DWS because Granholm seems to be more the intellectual type and may not prepare Biden very well for what Palin will present herself as during the debate.

by Blazers Edge 2008-09-12 07:32PM | 0 recs

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Re: Dude Taylor you are on a tear

I know how to get him in the news without doing harm.

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:33PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Reaper you know anyone in the top 20 or so in the Obama campaign?

They are looking like they could use some help...

Just anyone who has access to the inner circle and can pass along an idea or 2.

by dtaylor2 2008-09-12 07:32PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Five out of the 12 posts in this diary are yours.

Cool it, please.

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-09-12 07:34PM | 0 recs

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Nicely done

Reaper I am glad I migrated over and found you and the rest again. This diary is needed.

by Sanguine Giant 2008-09-12 07:46PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Hmm, interesting. Your diary makes me see the McCain camp strategy since Palin in a whole different light.

The two weeks of lies, lies, and more lies may in part be an attempt to trigger an emotional, angry outburst from Obama, to expose the "angry black man" that they think will turn white voters away from him. It's like they think if they push him hard enough, he'll go all incredible hulk all of sudden and turn into the son of Malcolm X.

They can try, but it's way more likely McCain is going to spontaneously combust one of these days. I thought he was going to do that on the View today. His demeanor changed abruptly when he realized that the interview wouldn't be any walk in the park.

by ProfessorReo 2008-09-12 08:04PM | 0 recs

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Well, Professor

If you thought this diary interesting, might I suggest you peruse our work at the Motley Moose? Perhaps you might grace us with a diary of your own?

In addition to your work here, of course. I ain't looking to poach.

by Reaper0Bot0 2008-09-12 08:09PM | 0 recs

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Re: Well, Professor

Thanks for the thoughtful diary and for the invitation to your blog. I will check it out.

by ProfessorReo 2008-09-12 08:14PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

This is all Rove has left:

Speaking of getting into Obama's head, always remember this. This is what all this is about period. It's all they got:

"The most readily identified, most easily stereotyped, and most quickly dismissed figure is an angry black man."

That's what that tool Rove and his acolytes are trying to do. It's the only card they have left. Obama must not let them get their way. If he doesn't, he doesn't just win. We have a chance now to defeat the forces of evil that Obama has smoked out of their cubicles.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/th e_daily_dish/2008/09/a-reader-gets-i.htm l

by Steve M 2008-09-12 08:17PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

Good diary Reaper
Tipped
Recc'd

by Dickie Simpkins 2008-09-12 08:52PM | 0 recs

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excellent, man

heartily recced

by Neef 2008-09-12 09:10PM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful, We're Gonna Get Rolled

thanks for seeing the forest for the trees

by rikyrah 2008-09-12 09:39PM | 0 recs

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You are absolutely correct.

It's Obama's unflappable calm that has gotten him this far. He is respected for being a cool head even by the right.

And it's a selling point -- Whose finger do you want on the button? The man who is cool and calm under duress or the hothead?

P.S. Off topic but I think the Democrats should quit talking about Palin. We've established she's a liar just like McCain. There's really nothing else worth mentioning about her.

by GFORD 2008-09-12 10:58PM | 0 recs

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I think it's more than Palin

I think it's also about the media. How long did it take before respected journalists finally said, OK, this Palin lady is out and out lying? They need to realize that equal coverage does not mean that both sides are equal.

by shalca 2008-09-12 11:09PM | 0 recs

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Re: You are absolutely correct.

Agree GFord. And your great posts would be really welcome and Motley Moose

by duende 2008-09-13 02:06AM | 0 recs

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Easy to avoid

Obama needs to start talking only about issues and his vision for the country. He needs to make voters the centerpiece of his campaign.

Its much harder to attack him when he's putting voters and the issues first and foremost.

by Betsy McCall 2008-09-13 05:06AM | 0 recs

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Re: Easy to avoid

That sounds great in theory. But the problem is that voters don't vote on issues. See the fact that lots of moderate voters as per abortion suddenly love Sarah Palin. It has nothing do to with issues. Most Americans vote based entirely on style, not substance. Sarah Palin is new and the anti-Hillary, so everyone that hates Hillary loves Palin. It never was about the issues for most Americans, unfortunately.

by ProgressiveDL 2008-09-13 06:02AM | 0 recs

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If you listen to his stumps

he has been doing exactly that. It's just not getting through the Media filter (mostly due to Palin buzz). Not to mention the countermessage of the awful attack ads McCain is running.

It's not a simple path to victory, and I'm glad I'm not the one that has to figure out the strategy.

by Neef 2008-09-13 06:22AM | 0 recs

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Re: If We Ain't Careful,

Especially since McCain himself is known to have a temper. It's just like Rove to try to turn his own candidate's weakness into the opposing candidate's weakness. All of a sudden it isn't about McCain being angry any more. Yeah, good point.

by Becky G 2008-09-13 11:07AM | 0 recs