Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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Is the Media Overdoing the "Divorce" Metaphor?
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
3:10 PM
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A friend of mine makes a good point: If you look at the transcript from yesterday Barack Obama never technically disowned Rev. Wright.
Quoting Obama from yesterday: "I want to use this press conference to make people absolutely clear that obviously whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed as a consequence of this."
As my friend notes, he didn't actually say the relationship was "severed" ... he said it's "changed."
I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe. These people are a part of me. And they are a part of America, this country that I love." [Speech, 3/18/08]
Narratives are funny things; once a catchy idea gets advanced, true or not, it often becomes part of the collective conscience. I call this the " Bill Buckner" theory of political narratives. As you may recall, Buckner gets blamed for costing the Red Sox the 1986 World Series against the Mets. Of course, this is far from the truth (even if you buy the argument that he cost them the game -- which is questionable -- the Mets had to beat them the next night, too). Still, everyone thinks that Buckner cost them the World Series -- and that's all that matters. A lot of people think John McCain said "100 years war," too -- that's the danger. If something is simple and catchy, it's likely to catch on. "Obama divorced Wright" can fit on a bumper sticker. So can "100 years war." That's the problem. My guess is that a lot of Americans think Obama was tougher on Wright than he really was. It'll take a few more days of the media saying Obama "divorced" Wright before someone comes along and corrects the narrative ...
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These candidates ramble on and on. For something one day, against the next. Hillary changes her stances so often that no one knows where she stands on anything over a period of a week. Obama talks and talks and says nothing. McCain says he is a conservative Republican but goes against most Republican principles and is quite adept at groin kicking.
The candidate selections during each election keep getting worse and worse. We are concerned about our country and we get a bunch of yahoos to select from albeit that McCain is a true hero and deserves our heartfelt thanks and respect for his sufferings. I don't want any of them to be our president!
We sorely need a strong leader with vision who is a statesman to be our president. One who will pick a strong cabinet. We also need strong congressmen and senators to work with him or her. |
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I don't think he divorced himself completely and I'm disturbed that it took Obama to feel insulted himself before he made this move. When the American people were insulted, he could not bring himself to disown him. Yesterday was definitely a move of political expediency and a little too late in my opinion. |
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Kenny Z: All of these candidates are confusing! They talk too much and I don't understand what they're sayin! We need a strong man, with a strong cabinet, with strong leaders, who will do things - not talk about things! McCain makes me moist b/c he is a war hero and I love GI Joes, but he is not conservative enough for me! I don't like any of them! Wahhh, wahhh, wahhh!
Londongirl: I am deeply offended! Like many here on TH I was about to send a check into the Obama campaign, but this is the straw that broke this camel's back! He has deeply offended the American people by not distancing himself enough from his pastor, who is also black and has said hurtful things! The American people are so disappointed that like me, I'm sure they're going to look past the war in Iraq and the economy and make this the sole issue that they vote on. |
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Matt is correct. The press favoring Obama has been pushing this because he omitted some harsher things he could have said--they weren't on the teleprompter, which is the only way he speaks well. He's a trainwreck in a debate (ABC) and in audience Q&As ("punished with a child" and "Bittergate").
Londongirl: I agree with you EXCEPT that it was WAY TOO LATE. If Obama had "spoken truth to power" to Wright years ago, we wouldn't be talking about Wright--but then we wouldn't be talking about Obama either. Obama kept his mouth shut for 20 years because he couldn't afford to do the right thing and confront Wright. Wright would have told him to get out of Wright's church. This has been Obama's bargain with the devil all along.
This should hurt. The crusher is that Obama's like the TV pilot Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza developed on "Seinfeld" one season--a show about nothing. |
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Here is the REAL truth:
Barack and Michelle Obama attended Rev Wright's church for 20 years - a place where they felt at home, comfortable.
It wasn't until Rev Wright called Obama a "politician" did it anger Barack.
It wasn't until white people (Iowa) began voting for a black man that Michelle "for the first time in her adult life" was proud of her country.
Barack and Michelle ARE the typical Black Liberation Theologist couple. Rev Wright simply brought to light BLT views. The ONLY thing that bothers Barack and Michelle... are the lost votes. |
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MICHELLE OBAMA POUTING ON TV TODAY
that was enough to make me sick! she's sitting their distraught with her puckered looking lips in hopes people will join in her "PITTY PARTY" she seems to be having in the media today of course so that maybe people will just feel sorry for them......
REULSIVE if you ask me....no one is getting off the reverend wright subject simply becuase this is about JUDGEMENT! its also about CREDIBILITY as well...obama is bleeding to death because of both of those words and all michelle obama can do is look all depressed in the media today hoping we take pitty? this to me is the problem and i see obama and his wife are hoping the country will be easy on them because quite frankly they can only handle easy....GOD FORBID IF ANYBODY SPEAKS THE TRUTH TO THEM!
THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!! STRAIGHT UP!
well i've got something to say to obama and his wife michelle.....
THIS COUNTRY WILL NOT AND I REPEAT NOT GIVE IN TO YOUR PITY PARTY YOUR LOOKING FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE PRIMARIES!! IT WONT WORK!
YOUR UNELECTABLE! THATS NO SECRET!!
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Give me a break! What did Obama say that "threw Wright under the bus"? Seems to me that Obama and Wright share the same beliefs,or at least most of them. He(Obama)seems more worried about hurting Wrights feelings, or those of his followers than anything else. I am completely appauled with Wright and what he said. Im even more appauled at the way Obama handled it. Wright does not belong in this country at all as far as im concerned. He definately should'nt be a religious leader. If Sen. Obama can't take a harsh stance against Wright; then who can he?? In my opinion Wright,and people who think like him refuse to let this country heal its wounds. Black churches, Black channels, Black community, it's all seperatist. Obama insults our intelligence if he thinks his little speech today was sufficient. It was weak! If he wanted to seperate himself from Wright he should have long ago. Wright was Obama's leader for over Two decades. He helped shape Obama's mind. Theres no getting away from that in my opinion. |
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Congratulatons ....You just proved the main point that Matt was making in his article ....the funny thing is that your too stupid to even realize it! |
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Check out "The Truth vs Barack Obama"
http://savagepolitics.com/?p=317
I saw this today, and HAD to share it with everyone. It is just a brilliantly researched and written list of inconsistencies with several of Obama's stories. I think it should be done for ALL three candidates, but I guess this is a good way to start at finally looking at the candidates with some honesty.
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