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Go Home What Does Race Have To Do With It?

THE PLANK AUGUST 28, 2008

What Does Race Have To Do With It?

BY JAMES KIRCHICK

Andrew Sullivan writes:

I guess some of the McCain team believe that announcing his veep choice tonight as a way to step on Obama's acceptance speech is brilliant politics. I'm not sure that denying the first black candidate a clear shot at making his case on the anniversary of the March on Washington is such a great idea. It just looks cheap and a little desperate; and it robs the next morning of any real drama. But it wouldn't surprise me, given the immature mood-swings of the McCain camp so far. McCain is not acting like a statesman these days - more like a Yaffer of old.

One can certainly argue that McCain announcing his VP pick tonight so as to pre-empt Obama's speech is "immature" and "desperate." But either way, how would McCain's doing this in any way amount to "denying the first black candidate a clear shot at making his case on the anniversary of the March on Washington?" Since when was it the rule that the nation's undivided attention be forced upon a candidate's acceptance speech? This is rough and tumble politics, and race has nothing to do with it. Indeed, arguing that Obama should be treated differently because of his race seems to go against the very principles Obama supporters frequently claim are being violated by the McCain camp.  

Update: The McCain campaign released the ad a half hour ago, and congratulates Obama for what "is truly a good day for America." So much for immature and desperate.

--James Kirchick

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42 comments

In the words of Andrew Sullivan - cheap, desperate, immature.

- ndmackenzie

August 28, 2008 at 3:08pm

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*siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*

Does it violate any laws, Mr. Kirchick?  No.  Is this, as you say, "rough and tumble politics"?  Yes.  But is it, as Andrew says, cheap and desperate?  Yes.  It is also not classy.  I know that McCain chucked all attempts at being classy around the same time he jettisoned those pesky principles that were making the base edgy, but that doesn't make his lack of class any less depressing when he chooses to make it apparent.  

Or does behaving like a gentleman mean nothing to you?  (Why do I suspect that I already know the answer?)

- drdannyu

August 28, 2008 at 3:14pm

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Race always has something to do with it. This is America.

But, as you will, let's leave race out of it. It still comes down to this: what McCain is doing is chickenshit. As is everything else he's done in this campaign to date. Will voters catch the vapors? Dunno. We'll see. Americans can be a very stupid people.

After all, we re-elected Bush.

- sullydog

August 28, 2008 at 3:17pm

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KT: It was boring so I started skimming. That's got to count a little.

I hope he announces he VP tonight. No one will effing care.

- chrismealy

August 28, 2008 at 3:19pm

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"This is rough and tumble politics, and race has nothing to do with it."

You're right Jason.  This is "rough and tumble politics".  And, you know what, so is using the "race card", if indeed this is what Sullivan is doing.  This is rought and tumble of politics, after all; McCain keeps bringing up POW, Obama's camp cries racism.  What's wrong with that?  Grow up and stop whining.

- icarusr

August 28, 2008 at 3:26pm

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Any way, yet another frat-boy antic, as if the frat-boy administration of the last seven years has not been enough.

- icarusr

August 28, 2008 at 3:27pm

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kirchick,

in case you need a history lesson, yes, it has been tradition to allow the parties the spotlight during the week of their conventions. It has only been since the advent of Rove that the GOP has trampled on this time honored traditon. Now, in order to sink to the lowest common denominator, I suspect the Democrats will have to follow suit. I remember when the candidates would take the week off during their rival's conventions.

It might do you some good to ask Judis, or Wieseltier, or if he has taken his meds, marty p for a little history before you go so public with your lack of historical knowledge and breadth.

I suppose that when we have a presidential press secretary who does not know about the Cuban Missile Crisis, it should not come as a surprise that tnr has an junior "editor" who does not know anything about political conventions prior to 2000. Once again, kirkchick embarrasses tnr....

- thejauntyboulevardier

August 28, 2008 at 3:29pm

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I do agree that McCain announcing during Obama's speech is in poor taste, but I don't see how it's a race-based act. Here's hoping that the networks decide to show some backbone and put off discussing McCain's news for a while after the speech.

- benjamin81

August 28, 2008 at 3:40pm

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"Indeed, arguing that Obama should be treated differently because of his race seems to go against the very principles Obama supporters frequently claim are being violated by the McCain camp.  "

Who said anything about being treated differently?  Do we have a history of announcing VP selections on the night of the opposing candidate's acceptance speech?  Wanting the same courtesy that has been accorded to every other candidate in recent history is not asking for special treatment.

- AlanSP

August 28, 2008 at 3:44pm

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If McCain announces tonight, he makes the Friday papers.  And gets above the fold treatment along with Obama.

If he announces Friday, he makes the Saturday papers.  Which nobody reads.  

I know some will say nobody reads any newspapers anyway.  But, he would also get buried in the weekend broadcast news with a Friday announcement.  And if he waits, he's gotta wait until Tuesday to get past Labor Day.  Thus giving all the weekend attention to Obama.

- ChanRobt

August 28, 2008 at 3:50pm

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Jaunty, the Democratic Party is the party of the Far Left.  not everybody in it, but the dominant elements.

The Far Left has not played by any rules of tradition or fairness since The Weathermen or the Chicago Convention of 1968.  

If you've got a bitch with the way politics have evolved, look to your Left and the Brownshirt brigades there.  Most are out of uniform now.  Leading the Dem Party, academia, and the media (watched MSNBC lately?)

the original Dirty Tricksters come out of the streets of Chicago and Berkeley.  Now they lead the Democrats.

- ChanRobt

August 28, 2008 at 3:54pm

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It only makes sense for McCain to announce tonight if it is a hail mary pass (Colin Powell or Joe Liebermann or Olympia Snowe or some such).  If it is Pawlenty or Romney (yawn), McCain risks having his own VP rollout overshadowed or ignored rather than stealing any thunder from Obama.  I can't imagine the networks cutting away from Obama, or even an analysis of Obama, for an announcement heralding Romney or Rudy.

- timteeter

August 28, 2008 at 4:00pm

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The depressing part of Sullivan's post is that, once again, Obama will be smeared for "playing the race card" because people either don't care enough to pay attention, instead accepting what they are fed, or happily lie to promote their candidate.

It occurs to me that, to date, all the race cards have come from pundits and outside sources; and yet the Nobama crew happily attribute every card to Obama's deck, as if that's all he has done from day one. Yet, I remember quite well that Obama, when asked directly by a reporter about Bill's little tongue-twister in South Carolina, Obama's answers were "I do not believe Bill was playing the race card" and "I do not know; you have to ask Bill what he meant."

The closest he has come to playing the race card was several weeks before "Dollar-Bill-Gate", when he exhorted his listeners to ignore the naysayers who argue against him "because he's black". Even then, I'd say it can't be called a race-card because that is exactly what many (fringe lunatic) people said the moment it became clear he was a serious contender. Dollar-Bill-Gate doesn't count either because people have attacked Obama for not being "presidential" enough, as well as his "bean pole" figure. Remember that picture of him in swim trunks from a year ago? Yeah.

*sigh*

- GSpinks

August 28, 2008 at 4:01pm

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"treated differently"??? Right- it's not like there's a long-standing tradition whereby one candidate stops campaigning during the other's convention or anything.

- miceelf

August 28, 2008 at 4:02pm

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"And gets above the fold treatment along with Obama."

Only if there is something obviously newsworthy regarding his pick: like picking Uncle Joe, or perhaps Powell.

He'll get bumped to above the fold if the rag is Republican as well, but that goes without saying.

- GSpinks

August 28, 2008 at 4:04pm

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ChanRobert: "the original Dirty Tricksters come out of the streets of Chicago and Berkeley."

You have the Dirty Tricksters confused with the Merry Pranksters.

- dhuey0

August 28, 2008 at 4:18pm

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"Jaunty, the Democratic Party is the party of the Far Left.  not everybody in it, but the dominant elements.

The Far Left has not played by any rules of tradition or fairness since The Weathermen or the Chicago Convention of 1968 . . . ."

This from Channy reminds me of why we were so irritated by the little talking paperclip on MS Word back in the day . . .

- ironyroad

August 28, 2008 at 4:19pm

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It occurred to me on the way home last night that I believe I would take a bullet for Barack Obama--or, at least I hope I would. Now, to be fair, I would also likely take a bullet for John McCain.

By the above I mean that, if I were listening to one or the other on the stump and a madman suddenly emerged from the shadows and pointed a gun at the speaker, I would act instinctively, try to jump between the candidate and the would-be assassin. I say, "instinctively," because I have come to believe very much in our crazy system of government. I am in love with it. If I thought too much about what was happening, I might hesitate, out of concern for my own safety. But hopefully I would not think that much about it. Hopefully what I have drilled into my mind would effect the appropriate reaction. I suspect many, if not most of those reading this would act similarly.

I wonder if Mr. Kirchick loves our system of government as much as I do. I fear he does not. Barack Obama's ascendance, regardless of what one thinks of Barack Obama, justifies my love. Only someone who does not wholeheartedly love and appreciate America and our long, difficult march to greatness would use an opportunity not to acknowledge such singular evidence of America's evolving maturity and beauty as Obama's acceptance speech but instead to defend those who seek to defile her merely for their grubby little ends.

- williamyard

August 28, 2008 at 4:23pm

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Channy: Oy ... Brownshirts?  Is it at all possible, in the name of God, to not drag in the Nazis to make a political point?  Yes, we know you don't like the Far Left - whatever that means, with or without the ominous capitals - but Brownshirts?  

Every time I wonder whether there is a low below which a Republican does not sink, I am proven right.  

This is below low; you've dug so deep, you risk coming out the other side.

Irony: clippy is merely irritating; Channy's "Brownshirt" comment needs to be taken behind the shed and relieved of its head.

- icarusr

August 28, 2008 at 4:39pm

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Bill, I would take a bullet for Obama.  I hope to spend the rest of my life far enough away from John McCain to make the corresponding question moot.

- drdannyu

August 28, 2008 at 4:40pm

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Tend to agree with Benjamin81 (and, I suppose, by extension, Kirchick) that while this stunt is rude, cheap and runs counter to protocol, it's a bit of a stretch to infer that it's racist.

Then again, if McCain can continue to use his long-ago POW status as Kryptonite against his critics, he shouldn't be surprised when Obama's allies begin to use racism in a similarly casual fashion.

- BHLnyc

August 28, 2008 at 5:04pm

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christ O'Channy, talk about absurd non sequiturs...

where to begin? First, those merry pranksters, disruptive as they were, did not represent either official party. They certainly did not function as an arm of the GOP, and I cannot imagine that HH and his Democratic strategists were pleased that they graced his crowing moment.

Try to focus...the official parties used to allow the opposition the week to their own, both the GOP and the Dems. Since 00, with the advent of Rovian poltics, this time honored tradition held by the official parties and campaigns of the candidates has been blasted. I can understand a pipsqueek like kirchick being ignorant of this fact but you're too old - let us say, seasoned - to be unaware of this tradition.

- thejauntyboulevardier

August 28, 2008 at 5:04pm

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"the Democratic Party is the party of the Far Left.  not everybody in it, but the dominant elements"

Channy, how are we supposed to take you seriously when you say stupid stuff like this?

- GSpinks

August 28, 2008 at 5:17pm

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Once again, The Very Excitable Andrew makes a fool of himself.

More about the ad: clever and strikes exactly the right note. Shades of the old WB cartoon about the sheepdog and the wolf clocking out of their work ripping each other a new one and saying, " 'night Ralph."  " 'night Louie."

news.yahoo.com/.../cvn_mccain_ad

McCain to Obama: "Well done"

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 1 minute ago

DENVER - In a brief break from a fierce advertising war, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will air a one-evening-only ad with a simple message for Barack Obama: "Job well done."

The ad will air before, during and after Obama's nomination acceptance speech on national cable television.

In the ad, McCain addresses Obama directly, congratulating him for becoming the Democratic Party's nominee. McCain also recognizes the symbolism of a black man accepting the nomination on the 45th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

McCain says: "Senator Obama, this is truly a good day for America. Too often the achievements of our opponents go unnoticed. So I wanted to stop and say, congratulations. How perfect that your nomination would come on this historic day. Tomorrow, we'll be back at it. But tonight Senator, job well done."

- teplukhin2you

August 28, 2008 at 5:41pm

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"the original Dirty Tricksters come out of the streets of Chicago and Berkeley.  Now they lead the Democrats."

Tricky Dicksters, Chan, "the original [Tricky Dicksters]", and they came out of the late forties and the 1950s., long predating The Far Left (TFL) party, which I'd never heard of before. (And I, a Democrat all these years, how could I have been so blind...).

- tomeg

August 28, 2008 at 5:42pm

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"This is below low; you've dug so deep, you risk coming out the other side."

icaruser, thanks for mentioning The Other Side (TOS) (or was it The Far Side)  Party. I'd nearly forgotten about them. The Other Side Party, incidentally, should not be confused with The Off Side Party (TOSP) that were known to attend American Football League championship games between 1970-71 through 1980, before some of their founding members vanished into thin air ("right before our eyes" was the expression used at the time, I believe) during a Far Left Party takeover of Grenada sometime during the Reagan years (speaking of the GOP, which you didn't, of course).

- tomeg

August 28, 2008 at 5:53pm

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Tep,

I'm afraid that you were the one who was excitable. Andrew was responding to the rumors that McCain was going to announce his VP pick tonight, not run an ad.

- BHLnyc

August 28, 2008 at 6:19pm

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One should also not forget the Dem's unfortunate dalliance with the Fur Left Party in the late 1980s, who were in favor of direct militant action against anyone wearing the skin/coat of a dead animal.

- ironyroad

August 28, 2008 at 6:32pm

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I think it's very clever actually. Great ad by McCain; very shrewd.

- The Ignorant Populist

August 28, 2008 at 6:35pm

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Re: the Ad (yes, it's completely off topic to the question at hand, or sulllivan's complaint.)

Aw, Gee, John McCain, you approve of Obama's achievements? Gee whiz, thanks!!! Is this supposed to be like the end of a Dennis the Menace strip when Mr. Wilson decides to share his cookies with Dennis?

- miceelf

August 28, 2008 at 6:37pm

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Chan, I hate it when the argument goes: you're saying my candidate isn't honorable because he did xyz? Well, your candidate did lmnop!" - because it doesn't address xyz, or the idea that maybe being honorable is a good thing.

And you by your response are going one step annoyinger: "well your candidate belongs to a party that historically has done lmnop!" Ugh.

- psantillana

August 28, 2008 at 6:50pm

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icarusr, the people in the streets of Chicago in '68 behaved like Brownshirts.

The people at Columbia and other lofty halls of Ivy academe who have dragged speakers off the stage because they didn't agree with their (Rightist) views, were acting like Brownshirts.

The Obama people who are trying today to shut up a Chicago radio commentator for discussing the Ayers/Obama connection-- they are acting like Brownshirts.

The Obama partisans who wouldn't allow a journalist access to the Annenberg papers in the University of Illinois which might shed light on the Ayers/Obama connection-- they are acting like Brownshirts.

Nancy Pelosi who is pushing for the return of the Orwellian named "Fairness Doctrine" to silence opponents on radio,-- she is acting likea Brownshirt.

I use the term not to evoke Nazism, but to evoke political thuggery and silencing as practiced or attempted by modern day Democrats.  The ones who took over the party by putsch (there's another one of them words for you) in 1968-72.  

I've been watching the evolution of the Democratic Party all my consicous life, icarusr.  Which goes backk into the early fifties.  For all I know, you're too youn to compare the modern Dem Party, to the old All American one.  

But, as honest, old time Democrats like Butchie can tell you, it's mightily changed.  And the fissure is 1968, when the Lefty thugs took to the streets of Chicago.  And brought their totalitarian mindset into the Party.

- ChanRobt

August 28, 2008 at 6:58pm

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Gspinks, writes, "...Channy, how are we supposed to take you seriously when you say stupid stuff like this?"

Only a Party marinated in Far Left Think would tolerate for one moment the presence of the likes of Bill Ayers/Bernadine Dohrn in their midst.

I heard Mayor Dayley defending Ayers last night.  And your nominee for president sought out his support to launch his political career.

If the Democratic Party were were still normal and not Leftist, such associations would be immediately disqualifying.

- ChanRobt

August 28, 2008 at 7:02pm

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If the Mayor of Chicago is "defending" Ayers, that's pretty much a clear signal that he's not exactly a threat to national security.  It may even signify that Ayers has done some good work over the past 35 years and that his contribution could be worth something in Chicago.  Basically I find this grotesque use of someone's actions a generation ago in 1969-70 to smear a political candidate in 2008 -- and one who, to the best of my knowledge does not share the politics of the WU in the slightest -- to be far closer to what the Brownshirts represent.

In general, the sheer cynical hollowness of this approach -- trying to smear Obama with something done by someone else in completely different circumstances when Obama was a small kid -- reveals something of the creeping insecurity of the Republicans.

- ironyroad

August 28, 2008 at 7:33pm

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I'm sorry, where is the evidence that McCain is announcing his pick tonight? I've not seen this.

- teplukhin2you

August 28, 2008 at 7:39pm

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what ironyroad said at 12:33

- psantillana

August 28, 2008 at 8:14pm

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Tep: could you please get with the programme? The timing of announcement has been a blogosphere obsession for the last news cycle, and mooted on CNN.  Sullivan writes an "I guess" piece, and because Jamie has never passed up an opportunity to be snarky in respect of the minutest of speculation about bloggers, he writes this silly post.  You reply with a non sequitur, and when called on it, talk about "evidence" as if we were in a court of law or trying to prove a fourh law of thermodynamics.  

People here are saying that a McCain attempt to steal the spotlight on this night, in the light of past practice, reeks of desperation.  And it does.  If he is not going to do that, then bully for him.

Channy: "The Obama partisans who wouldn't allow a journalist access to the Annenberg papers in the University of Illinois which might shed light on the Ayers/Obama connection-- they are acting like Brownshirts."  No, rendition is acting like Brownshirts; torture and waterboarding is acting like Brownshirts; hijacking the apparatus of national government, spying through industry on civilians, breaking the law, ignoring the constitution is acting like Brownshirts; declaring oneself a Branch of the Government not accountable to Congress is acting like Brownshirts.  Actually, this latter is acting like Charles II and James II; and not even George III was so brazen.

To mention the Brownshirts and then claim, with hurt pride, that "I use the term not to evoke Nazism" is just the sort of cynical intellectual dishonesty one can expect from a Republican Rovian operative; I don't know if you are that, but have enough respect for yourself not to declare yourself more stupid than you are; it did not good for Fredo and it won't do you any good here.  

There is no parallel whatever between anything you have mentioned an the Brownshirts - well, no more than there is between Bush and Hitler.  Oh, by the way, I don't mean to evoke Nazism, only to point to political thuggery, torture and war mongering by the state.

- icarusr

August 28, 2008 at 8:33pm

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"Only a Party marinated in Far Left Think would tolerate for one moment the presence of the likes of Bill Ayers/Bernadine Dohrn in their midst."

1. He's not active in "the party", 2. Why have the Republicans waited so long to give a shit?

"I heard Mayor Dayley defending Ayers last night."

What the hell kind of argument is this supposed to be?

"  And your nominee for president sought out his support to launch his political career."

Can you site anything besides an op-ed, that supports this assertion? The original reporting indicates that his predecessor held the event at Ayers' house, and told the small club of liberals that he was her chosen successor. Yet, your statement has no factual resemblence to the legitimate reporting that has occurred.

"If the Democratic Party were were still normal and not Leftist, such associations would be immediately disqualifying."

Ha! Guilt by association after all, huh?

- GSpinks

August 28, 2008 at 8:40pm

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ick - he hasn't announced anything. I don't see any suggestion by anyone in the campaign, anywhere, that he will do so today. Everything I've seen indicates he's saving it for tomorrow afternoon. That your blogblatherers are "obsessed" with this indicates nothing about reality. Again, do you  have some evidence, or are you just relaying more blog noise?

- teplukhin2you

August 28, 2008 at 10:01pm

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They're not mine; Sullivan wrote a silly post, and Kirchick wrote an even sillier response.  I am not even relaying anything, Kirchick is.  You're asking for evidence in respect of noise, and I am telling you it is all noise.

- icarusr

August 28, 2008 at 10:11pm

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icarusr, I use the term Brownshirts to describe political thuggery in the support of the totalitarian impulse.  

Whether the totalitarianism is Nazi or Communist is of little difference.  Although I realize there is a large strain of Lefty Dems who don't think Communists are so bad and romanticize the Che's and Fidels and Maos of the world.

I don't use the term "nazi" because it's a cliché and lost all power.  A Brownshirt is a political thug, and I've outlined above where I see those strains on the Left.

- ChanRobt

August 29, 2008 at 1:39am

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Channy:  "I've outlined above where I see those strains on the Left."

No you didn't, you simply used the word, and hoped some kind of associative smear stuck.  You know nothing of the Left, and furthermore I suspect that if the Brownshirts were active in your neighborhood it would be the "Left" that they would be going after before anyone else.  And as you're a smart guy you might find yourself on the list sooner rather than later.

Honestly?  I don't know why you degrade your otherwise authentic, witty, considered, and often very readable comments with venomous crap like this.

- ironyroad

August 29, 2008 at 4:01am

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