quote:A candidate for the Republican National Committee chairmanship said Friday the CD he sent committee members for Christmas -- which included a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro" -- was clearly intended as a joke.
The title of the song about President-elect Barack Obama was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column.
"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Tennessee Republican Chip Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."
Wow. I cant imagine anyone of african descent not being ashamed if they voted republican at this point.
Prepare for at least four years of this shit...as republicans push the limits of insulting racial rhetoric with the fallback of calling anyone that speaks out against it "oversensitive".
Susan davis of Washington Wire says:
quote:Fight for the RNC Chairmanship Heats Up Susan Davis reports on politics.
The six-way race for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee is intensifying as some party members are pushing to hold a preemptive meeting in early January to screen the candidates, according to the Washington Times.
However, one of the candidates, Chip Saltsman, the former presidential campaign manager for Mike Huckabee, may have made a fatal move in his bid after The Hill newspaper reported today that Saltsman sent a 41-track parody CD to the RNC’s 168 member committee that includes a song entitled “Barack the Magic Negro.”
The song, to the music of “Puff the Magic Dragon,” was first popularized on Rush Limbaugh’s conservative radio show. It was written by Saltman’s pal and conservative satirist Paul Shanklin.
The “We Hate the USA” parody CD also includes satirical songs such as “Wright place, wrong pastor,” a reference to President-elect Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., and “The Star Spanglish Banner.”
“Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies,” Saltsman told The Hill.
Maybe. Or Maybe Saltman’s gag gift will turn off committee members mindful of the fact the party is losing support among minorities and that mocking Obama—with high approval ratings and today listed as the most admired American—may not be the best way to give the GOP that more “inclusive” vibe it’s been searching for since their November losses.
Prospective GOP party leaders may also want to leave the word “negro” in any context to conservative satirists and not tie it to the national party committee–good satire rarely translates in to smart politics.
The potential for further discord was highlighted in today’s Washington Times, which notes that a “power struggle” is playing out behind the scenes as some RNC members are advocating for a special session on Jan. 6 to hear presentations from all six current candidates. The RNC is currently scheduled to pick the next party chair at their winter meeting three weeks after the proposed session.
They include Saltsman, current RNC Chair Mike Duncan, South Carolina GOP Party Chairman Katon Dawson, Michigan GOP Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.
The special session is seen as a move to level the playing field for all candidates and dilute any influence President George W. Bush’s political machine still holds at the RNC. The Washington Times reports that state party chairs from California and North Dakota are agitating for a special session, among others.
Intolerant overtones aside, how could they possibly be so stupid as to think this CD o' bad taste would not leak to the media?
Registered: Aug 2002
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Daniel Butler
I'm a Singapore where is my boat
Member # 1689
posted
Michael Steele, an African-American Republican politician, is also running for the RNC. This is a pretty golden opportunity for Republican leaders to make a statement:
"Chip Saltsman's views are out dated and do not represent my beliefs. I am looking forward to working with President-Elect Obama for bi-partisan solutions to this nation's problems. I am withdrawing my support for Chip Saltsman's nomination for chairman of the RNC, and I am here to call on him to remove his name from nomination."
And then call Michael Steele: "Hey, buddy, just wanted to let you know I'm rooting for you!"
posted
Oh, and just noticed they have song called the star Spanglish banner, an obvious dig at Hispanics. Is there any more room at Gitmo to put these dubasses, and if so, can I be employed there?
Registered: Feb 2005
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Saltah'na
Chinese Canadian, or 75% Commie Bastard.
Member # 33
posted
quote:Originally posted by Josh: Three a year, but you can't use them during weekends or evenings.
Nor does it include blackout periods. But it does include Christmas, unless christmas falls on a weekend or blackout period.
-------------------- "And slowly, you come to realize, it's all as it should be, you can only do so much. If you're game enough, you could place your trust in me. For the love of life, there's a tradeoff, we could lose it all but we'll go down fighting...." - David Sylvian FreeSpace 2, the greatest space sim of all time, now remastered!
Registered: Mar 1999
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It's a rip on Obama-adoration, Joe Biden's "articulate and clean" comment, and the ever-funny protester Reverend Sharpton (who, despite the love-in he often gets (e.g. Boston Legal), is a crooked, petty dude).
Sharpton, with bullhorn, protest/sings about "Barack the Magic Negro" (noting that "the LA Times, they call him that") and how Barack's stealing all of Sharpton's thunder.
Given the identity politics that the DNC thrives on, the act of decrying the RNC as racist for poking fun at certain identities is beneath contempt for its flagrant dishonesty.
But, at the same time, I have to give them credit for the chutzpah.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
Yeah...just because some idiots make racist coments is every excuse for Republican leadership to take the ball and run with it, right? That's what you call "chutzpa" and what I call spitting in the faces of every minority person that voted republican.
This crap is only the tip of the iceberg of snide/racist shit that will be used more and more against Obama: If Rush says it, it's fair game. That takes partisan attacks to an all new low.
If I say, for example, that Republican equals racist, then some Democrat in their leadership repeats that comment claiming "to just be quoting" what I've said, why,-the Republicans would be outraged. Look at the faux outrage they stirred up over that "lipsstick on a pig" comment (and Obama was repeating what Mccain had said of him!).
Add to that stuff like "The Star Spanglish Banner" bit on the CD and you show the RNC's attitude to minorities in general- small wonder they have failed to garner their support.
This CD was sent out by someone that's supposed to represent a HUGE percentage of americans(indeed all Republicans if he attains the RNC chairmanship he's after), yet is dumb enough to make up (at least) 168 copies of this "satire" CD and send them to people? I doubt this level of blantant racism would have flown even in the rural south of thirty years ago- it probably would've been more of a scandal then, sadly.
As many obstacles as the DNC has to overcome as a party (crooks like Rod Blagojevich and Willaim Jefferson, divisive relics like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, etc.) they're smart enough not to alienate potential voters this way...and you just know this will come up in the next election cycle.
Personally, I think it's sour grapes mentality from the RNC -something Newt Gingritch himself just chided his own party over with their petty internet video trying to link Obama to the Blago scandal. Many Republicans voted for obama because they felt their party had "lost it's way" and noting demonstrates that like the RNC's recent activities.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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That's the "Star Spanglish Banner". I'd never heard it so I went and found it.
It has nothing to do with race. Listen to it. It's about illegal immigrants from Mexico. Hence the Mexican accent and reference to the Mexican flag.
At this point, of course, I could turn the tides of partisan asshattery:
"Not all Mexicans are Hispanic in appearance or bloodline, you know. Indeed, for you to assume that "Spanglish" must instantly be a reference to a particular melanin-level-specific physiological grouping of American voters is itself a belief originating from racist stereotypes. The DNC has invested so much in identity politics that they have become the very racists they claim to oppose."
Basically, Democrats assume the best of their comrades, so even if Biden says Obama is a dream come true because he's bright, articulate, and clean (implying that no other African-American candidate, or (worse) no / few other African-Americans, are so), he's just being silly.
But if a Republican makes fun of Al Sharpton's tenuous mental state using lines from the LA Times, well that's just f***ing racism!
And if a Republican makes fun of the US government failing to protect its borders, why, that's just f***ing racism!
Same old story, time and again. The Dems can't read or understand, so they accuse falsely, and the falsehood is irrelevant so long as points are gained.
Hell, Alinsky codified something similar . . . the basic idea is for radicals to point to the moral code of the opposition and say they aren't living up to their words, while the radicals themselves have no moral code and are thus immune to that attack. Thus, even when the same or worse event occurs (such as the case of that Florida district that had Foley and his actually-screwing-around-while-campaigning-on-ethics replacement), it is ignored . . . the attacks press on.
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
quote:Originally posted by Guardian 2000: Thus, even when the same or worse event occurs (such as the case of that Florida district that had Foley and his actually-screwing-around-while-campaigning-on-ethics replacement), it is ignored . . . the attacks press on.
You mean like how Foley was reported as a DEMOCRAT by fox news (over ten times the day the story of his e-mails broke) on Bill O'Riley's show when he is, in fact- and always has been- a Republican?
The Right spins and distorts every excess they get caught at- and dont tell me you buy rush's line about it not being racist to repeat hateful crap just because someine else said it first. That would give carte blanch for any public official to spew hate- just by citing the originator.
quote:"Not all Mexicans are Hispanic in appearance or bloodline, you know. Indeed, for you to assume that "Spanglish" must instantly be a reference to a particular melanin-level-specific physiological grouping of American voters is itself a belief originating from racist stereotypes. The DNC has invested so much in identity politics that they have become the very racists they claim to oppose."
Er...that does not even make sense- racism is not limited to a person's skin color you know and that song is offensive regardless of where youre from. For a person that's supposed to represent all Americans, regardless of their background to distribute (and by doing so endorse the messages contained) such racist "satire" is grossly inapporprate in any circumstance and should be calld that by both sides of the asile.
Bet your ass the Republicans would be in an uproar is Obama or Biden or Hillary had some something so assinine.
Dont be a cheerleader for the Republicans- all voters have a responsibility to watch (and vote for or against) candidates or representatives that will do what's right, legal and ethical for the good of the country. If you blindly follow the Republicans (or anyone) and fail to hold them accountable for their excesses and abuses then you harm both yourself and your fellow citizens with your unswavering loyalty to a brand name over the merits of the people elected to lead.
Blind Faith in any political party is non-sensical and clearly not as pervasive on the Left as on the Right- imagine if the democrats were calling for their supporters to back Blago they way the Republicans did Tom Delay and the rest of Abramoff's "clients"...
Honestly, I'm with the vast majority of Americans that respect the premises of the Republican Party (limited government, strony defensive military, fiscal responsibility, etc.) but are disgusted with the culture of corruption the party has become.
And if you really want corruption in politics- with republicans taking center stage- just Google "Florida Legislature scandal".
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: You mean like how Foley was reported as a DEMOCRAT by fox news (over ten times the day the story of his e-mails broke) on Bill O'Riley's show when he is, in fact- and always has been- a Republican?
That's a damn shame. However, it is one incident versus the swarm of occasions where wrongdoing by a Democrat politician goes ignored, or if it must be reported the party goes unstated.
quote:The Right spins and distorts every excess they get caught at- and dont tell me you buy rush's line about it not being racist to repeat hateful crap just because someine else said it first.
Rush is a political commentator and satirist. If you find the "Barack the Magic Negro" Sharpton parody offensive, you would clearly shit coal if you watched stand-up comedy.
That said, the LA Times (which, I assume, you do not find to be the KKK Daily) did knowingly and willfully publish the statement and associated commentary by an African-American liberal commentator, referring to Barack Obama as a Magic Negro.
(The Magic Negro concept, Ehrenstein explains, is of a forgiving black figure who assuages "white guilt" and is not highly sexualized like the usual (he claims) stereotypical black man.
Er, okay.
He also notes that Obama is Teflon, with the exception of the existing claims that he may not be an "authentic" black man like Sharpton or Snoop Dogg. Or, as some southern liberals put it, he has no slave blood.
You don't think that sort of thing is deserving of parody?
quote:That would give carte blanch for any public official to spew hate- just by citing the originator.
PARODY SONG.
quote:Er...that does not even make sense- racism is not limited to a person's skin color you know
WTF? Are you saying country of origin is now racism? So, like, Austin Powers is racist?
See, it's crap like that that just pisses me off. Racism, as a word, is a useful concept, but people got so excited after finding out that it is a useful attack word that they spew it way too much, which has diluted it to nothing. Redefining it as "country of origin" or "accent" or "hair-care preference" or anything like that just screws it up.
This gives cloak to the real racists out there.
quote:and that song is offensive regardless of where youre from.
WTF? How do you find it offensive?
quote:Dont be a cheerleader for the Republicans-
Don't drink the Dem Kool-Aid and I won't be stuck defending basic logic (and, only by extension, those who are under attack).
-------------------- . . . ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.
posted
"It has nothing to do with race. Listen to it. It's about illegal immigrants from Mexico. Hence the Mexican accent and reference to the Mexican flag."
Well, aren't Mexicans Hispanics? I understand what your saying, especially when you talk about stand-up comedy. I can take a little comedy about Hispanics from comedians, and I'm not saying that we should jump on any public official who enjoys a little racial humor, it's just that the Republicans never seem to learn. While I don't necessarily agree with what was originally the party's platform (limited government, strong defensive military, fiscal responsibility), at least I could understand and respect it. And I'm sure that there are many outstanding members of the Rep party that only want the best for the country, but unfortunately they get overshadowed by individuals and stunts (like this one) which seem to present the party as a bad parody of itself. If the last two elections showed anything, it's that the Republican Party has become a party that lacks any form of intelligence and class, which in the world of politics are a must have. I hear pundits saying that the Republican Party is now searching for its soul. If that's the case, they still have more soul-searching to do, cause there's no way in hell they can keep up with this kind of bullshit and still be considered a viable party.
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Guardian, the point you're missing is that regardless of the source, or who said it first, repeating such offensive material is grossly inapproperate for the (presumed) head of either major political party.
It would be just as wrong and stupid if a democrat did it.
A leader of thousands of voters, with real power to affect people's lives based on their viewpoint should not be repeating and distribiting such crap.
Also, you seem to think Sharpton has something to do with all this:
quote:Doing an Al Sharpton impersonation, Shanklin sings the song to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Limbaugh, however, tried to defend it as “creative” and “funny.”
Even if you dont find the song offensive, it ovbisusly shows extremely poor judgment by an elected official- you know, someone supposed to represent all races equally.
But dont listen to me- see what some of his fellow Republicans have to say (as they smell blood in the water and jocket for the RNC Chairmanship):
quote:Today RNC chairman Mike Duncan issued a statement distancing himself from Saltsman: "The 2008 election was a wake-up call for Republicans to reach out and bring more people into our party. I am shocked and appalled that anyone would think this is appropriate as it clearly does not move us in the right direction."
Duncan was first to draw blood but other now agree that the CD was in very poor judgement.
quote:This morning, however, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer, who has reportedly been mulling a run for the RNC chair, released a statement supporting candidates for the chairmanship who have taken a "firm position" on Saltsman's decision to distribute the "racially-insulting song":
“As the GOP Chairman in one of our nation’s most ethnically and culturally diverse states, I am especially disappointed by the inappropriate words and actions we’ve seen over the past few days," he said. "I am proud of those party leaders who have stood up in firm opposition to this type of behavior."
"Actions such as the distribution of this CD, regardless of intent, only serves to promote divisiveness and distracts us from our common goal of building our party," added Greer.
Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, who is also seeking the top GOP post, has criticized Saltsman as well.
"In my opinion, this isn't funny and its in bad taste," he said. "Just as important, anything that paints the GOP as being motivated in our criticism of President-elect Obama by anything other than a difference in philosophy does a disservice to our party."
Would these Republicans be so vocal in their condenmation if not to their political advantage? I kinda doubt it.
quote:Saltsman isn’t the only RNC candidate who has come under fire on race issues. South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson was a member of a whites-only country club until recently, when he withdrew his membership in order to lay the groundwork for his RNC candidacy.
An example of a party seriously out of date and not representing all people- or even all of it's own party.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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