Daily archives: September 4th, 2008

What I Missed in John McCain’s Speech

I listened to John McCain’s acceptance speech tonight.  I was incredibly moved by his story.  We heard his personal several times tonight.

Right now I’m listening to commentators on MSNBC saying John McCain confessed George W. Bush’s sins.  They’re falling all over themselves in awe that McCain dared to denounce Bush.

But did he really?

Here’s what I missed in McCain’s grand “confessions”:

If John McCain rejects the sins of the Bush Administration and wants to make amends with the American people, then why did he vote with George W. Bush over 90% of the time?  Is McCain a recent convert to some truth?  Was he knocked off his horse this week?

Why did McCain ride the Bush gravy train to personal wealth for almost eight years while the rest of us fell so far behind?

Why, John?  Why?


Could You Find the Black Faces at the GOP Convention?

I just have to ask.

Were you able to spot the black faces at the GOP convention?

I watched this week.  I saw a sea of white people chanting, “Drill, baby, drill!” and “Prosperity!”

Yes, they look like a very prosperous crowd, immune to the ravages of the past eight years.

We did see the occasional Person of Color at the convention — and then we saw him again, and again, and again.  Contrast that with the incredible diversity apparent at the Democratic National Convention.

Just a thought.


Republican Congressman Calls Obama ‘Uppity’

Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the term “uppity” to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday.

While discussing Sarah Palin’s speech with reporters outside the House chamber, Westmorland was asked to compare Palin with Michelle Obama.

That’s when he let loose with the racially-charged epithet.

From USA Today:

“Honestly, I’ve never paid that much attention to Michelle Obama,” Westmoreland said. “Just what little I’ve seen of her and Senator [Barack] Obama, is that they’re a member of an elitist class…that thinks that they’re uppity.”

The 58-year-old, Atlanta-born congressman declined to elaborate further, though he did repeat one part of his comment when asked to clarify.

“Uppity, you said?” he was asked.

“Yeah, uppity,” Westmoreland replied.

Westmorland is white.

Later, Westmorland’s press secretary Brian Robinson tried to clarify, insisting that the congressman was trying to say Barack is “elite.”  Westmoreland apparently instructed his staff to check the dictionary to be sure he properly understood the meaning of the word.

Vanessa Beasley, who teaches political rhetoric at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said “uppity” is a word that hits the ear of African-Americans in a negative way — evoking images of the pre-civil rights era, when powerful whites sometimes punished blacks who spoke up for themselves.

“It has very clear roots in the history of slavery in the South,” Beasley said. “The term ‘uppity’ has such a specific, contextual historic meaning. It is more evocative of a particular moment in history and particular set of fears that exist today within certain parts of the electorate.

“The racial politics that it reanimates are very worrisome.”

I would bet a bale of cotton the congressman from Georgia knew exactly what he was saying.

Welcome to the Republican Party, 2008.  Amazingly, it’s a lot like the Republican Party of 1958.


GOP Attacks on Ordinary People

From Barack Obama:

Why would the Republicans spend a whole night of their convention attacking ordinary people?

With the nation watching, the Republicans mocked, dismissed, and actually laughed out loud at Americans who engage in community service and organizing.

Our convention was different. We gave the stage to everyday Americans who hunger for change and stepped up to make phone calls, knock on doors, and raise money in small amounts in their communities.

You may have missed it, but we also showed the country a video with the faces and voices of those organizers, volunteers, and donors from every corner of the country.

Watch the video and make a donation of $25 or more now to show that in this election, ordinary people will make their voices heard.