So, how many articles have we read recently that claimed the President is losing African American support? No, not the support of Maxine Waters, Cornel West and Tavis Smiley – African Americans living in the real world.
I know, too many to count.
Take GOPolitico. For months they’ve promoted the line that the President is disproportionately losing Jewish support, much to the amusement of serious commentators – because the polls repeatedly contradicted their claims. (See here, here and here)
That didn’t work too well, so now they’re pushing the ‘African Americans Desert Obama’ line.
In a piece today they talk about the President’s “relationship with African-Americans (being) complicated from the beginning by questions about whether a mixed-race senator born in Hawaii was “authentically black” enough to win their support”.
Seriously, almost three years after he was elected, GOPolitico is still wondering if he’s black enough. (The author, who has written three similar pieces in the last month, is African American, so that’s okay).
The most critical quotes in the piece are from two ‘sources’ “speaking under condition of anonymity”. GOPolitico really do love their anonymous sources, especially when they give them quotes that neatly match their agenda. Whether they are real people or not, hey, who knows?
But if their thesis is true, that African-Americans are rising up against the President, how come they need to quote people anonymously? Surely if there was that much anger out there they could find someone other than Waters willing to lash out publicly?
The problem?
The President isn’t losing the support of African Americans living in the real world – in fact, that support is increasing.
GOPolitico and most other outlets – including supposedly ‘progressive’ ones – love quoting Gallup polls when their findings aren’t good for the President.
The latest Gallup poll? They’re not mentioning that much.
Why?
Because it shows that African American support for the President is up five points to 87%.
Considering how the struggling economy has impacted on his figures across most groups, and bearing in mind how African Americans suffer disproportionately in terms of unemployment, that 87% figure is remarkable.
But still we’re told that Waters, West, Smiley and Co speak for African Americans. Well, clearly they don’t for 87% of them.
Just like that other media darling, Dan Choi, doesn’t speak for the entire gay community, most of whom appreciate the work this administration has done – and is trying to do – to promote equality.
That GOPolitico produces this kind of dishonesty is, of course, no surprise at all – it’s their area of expertise. But, as we all know, the Firebagger crew – especially at Salon – are relentlessly spreading the lie too. Rather than mentioning that 87%, they persist in claiming that Waters, West and Smiley speak for African Americans.
Of course, Salon’s Joan Walsh doesn’t have much time for that 87%:
After all, only those who oppose the President represent the base, right?
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I see Gene Lyons at Salon has described Melissa Harris-Perry as “a left-wing Michele Bachmann, an attractive woman seeking fame and fortune by saying silly things on cable TV”. That was the level of his response to her thoughtful article on white ‘liberal’ racism. “A photo negative of KKK racial thought,” he wrote.
See the Reid Report on the article here
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And see this post by Flaming Emilia
The Obama Diary 
Maybe I am thick, but what is Joan Walsh trying to say in her tweet?
I know, right? I keep reading thinking I haven’t read it right. Who does she think the base is?
Glad to know I’m not the only one scratching my head on that one…”not saying but I’m saying…”
And what’s the “resent” about?
From what I can recall, she was responding to a tweet from Angry Black Lady (Angry Black Lady Chronicles) which stated that white liberals do not comprise the entirety of PBO’s base and that AAs are also part of his base and were not disappointed in PBO. Joan had been suggesting in all her articles and TV appearances that PBO’s base was disappointed in him and ABL was basically saying speak for yourself and stop trying to speak for AAs when you make these blanket statements.
Well Joan in her response twisted what ABL was saying by implying that ABL thought that PBO’s base was ONLY AAs which is not what she was saying. She just wanted Joan to stop speaking for the entire base and just speak for the disappointed white liberals. All Joan had to do was just say, “You’re right. I should have said some of PBOs base is disappoined but she and her minions turned the entire exchange into a racist attack on ABL and many of PBOs AA supporters. It appears the schism between some AAs and some white liberals continues to grow with no end in sight. I hope that kind of explains it but, if you want more info go to ABLC and check the archives from April 2011.
Thank you, L3. Your excellent explanation makes Joan Walsh seem to be even more angry and unhinged.
Ahhhh.. thanks for the explanation. Joan Walsh for this and many more reasons is a twit.
THANK YOU for this. Tweeted.
Empty barrels make the most noise! The more they talk the more folks will see that Pres. Obama is the truth. Knowledge is a powerful thing and their lies are leading folks to research and better understand what is happening.
word
this is bloody brilliant.Thank you for this.Walsh can go f*ck herself 🙄
hmmm. is this a possible group activity? just throwing it out there.
Well good morning to all in the TOD family from deep in the heart of Texas the state that is run by the dummy Perry the sub C student trying to be President.The wing nuts are just putting up more junk in the public sphere to try and keep us all confused.We all know down here in the real world all the lies are going to fall on top of them like a ton of bricks.They will be licking their wounds after 44 gets 4 more years with a congress that works with him this time.So yes we can do it again give 4 more to 44.
That Gene Lyons piece was a pile of steaming hot shit and yet there are liberals agreeing with every word. Would they be defending the right wing if one of them had said things like that? There would be explosive charges of racism and sexism. From one of their own, not so much. I can’t even put into words the rage that I’m feeling right now.
Some liberals feel that that just because they vote Democrta or wear the label “liberal” it gives them the right to act in despicable racist and sexist manner. They are just the same as their rightwing counterparts.
I’m thinking maybe we start calling this crowd of ‘liberals’ Dixiecrats cuz that’s what they sound like.
Good Morning…..
I am trapped today….We are getting new sewer pipes on our street…Thank you American Recover Act and President Obama.
—–
Setti Warren said to be quitting US Senate race
Newton mayor Setti Warren, whose US Senate campaign has been short on cash and eclipsed by the emergence of Elizabeth Warren, plans to announce tomorrow that he is dropping out, according to an early supporter who received a phone call this afternoon.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/09/28/setti_warren_said_to_be_quitting_us_senate_race/
I’m sure he’s a nice person, but bye bye! Go Elizabeth!
I can’t believe they’re recycling the “is he black enough?” concerns again. I just checked, and it was Jan. 15, 2007 when my response to a Laura Washington piece on this very subject was printed in the Chicago Sun Times. They’re so desperate that they are now reduced to another run at “is he black enough?”, “is he white enough?” nonsense. And we have all observed as many in the media have systematically gone down the list of every Dem demographic and try to make the case that Obama is losing their support. It’s purposeful and false. It’s pathetic.
Totally agree with you dotster, they are desperate.
I’d like to see, at this stage, the question “is he white enough?”. Funny how they won’t touch that with him being half and half. The media has a curious way of propagandiziing and sanitizing white so-called supremacy. I note the recent wide coverage of the Troy Davis execution, yet on the same day, the execution of the creature who killed James Byrd with dragging and beheading was not publicized at all. Perhaps it was too shameful for white America?
I am sick of the so called Professional Left. There is nothing professional about them, nor honorable. “Is He Black Enough?” Give me a break. My feelings are, God or whatever supreme being you believe in gave the world the BEST of African American and Caucasian of human beings in President Barack Obama. President Obama is spiritual, fair, honorable and have and use common sense. The President of All of America, not just blacks or whites.
People need to stop the crap about black enough. The one’s saying it don’t even know what the phrase means. If they did they wouldn’t use it. And I am old enough to know. And to be honest America would NEVER elect a so called black enough candidate (Think Malcolm X) or (Think Jesse Jackson) to be President. America would feel they would ONLY cater to the blacks and no one else. So America chose the best and the brightest of both worlds. Thank God. And I pray for 4 more years.
I notice that when some in TOD community give anti Obama folks the concentrated attention they crave, some of our most thought producing, educative commenters comment less frequently. I love you all. I rely on you for information that will help me more effectively do my part to support our amazing PBO.
This recycling is a trial, but I’m glad it’s this year, not next year. Maybe the talking heads and bloviators can get it out of their systerms in a couple of months. We’ve seen how fast these talking fads come and go. I think this was inevitable…sad, but inevitable. They will talk and talk, and not get out of their bedroom slippers, the people will work, and the President will win.
Christie’s run will be over soon too.
The MSM can continue deluding themselves into believing that the President is losing support from African American voters we know differently. And how many times are they going to bring out the “he’s not black enough” nonsense? Also, today’s AP article in the local papers, talking about PBO’s Q&A yesterday with Latino’s, pointed out more than once that he is losing their support too. The crazy will not end until he starts his second term.
But of course.
Then next week he will lose the gay support.
The week after, the working class Whites.
Then Hollywood.
After that, it will be dog walkers.
Then it will be those that watch “The Office”.
🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄
BWAHAHAHAHA.. 😆 😆 😆
thanks for this post
*****YAWNS***** Next…………………………….
“The President isn’t losing the support of African Americans living in the real world – in fact, that support is increasing.”
and the more folks try to unfairly attack him, the more will support him. Why? We know what this is all about and we know who represents our interest. It isn’t Perry, Bachmann, Romney etc.
One can always tell when a person writes about something of which they have no knowledge. I just love the part where the author questions PBO’s acceptability to black Americans because he’s biracial. This is a hoot! There have always been biracial persons in AA communities throughout America, and they just noticed it? I have biracial first cousins in their forties! Where have these people been? My daughter has been dating a very nice guy who happens to have been born white, and I love him so much because he’s a nice guy who loves my daughter and so does his parents. He told me earlier this week that he plans on asking her to marry him next month in an event, and he wants both families to be in attendance. I’m looking forward to my little grandkids who will most likely look a lot like PBO. These people don’t know much about love, accept, tolerance, or the world. It’s not the amount of melanin a person’s skin contains, it’s what’s in his/her heart. Many AA communities across America have always had plenty of these qualities and have embraced biracial persons, usually without too many reservations. At least this was the way it was in my community when I was growing up 50 years ago. I’m going to share this with my best friend, Anne, who happens to be white but is nothing like Walsh. She’ll definitely get a laugh out of this.
Sorry for mistakes in spelling and grammar, but this BS gets me steamed. People talking about stuff they don’t know about!
Let me encourage all of you about the racial divide: When today’s college age (and younger ) people grow up, there will be none. I teach college, and I have young people of every race, ethnic group and combination thereof in my classes. I have a number of beautiful biracial young people, and beautiful young people of every race. When you ask these kids about a friend, they do not say first “Well, he’s the black kid….or “She’s the white girl…..
They only talk about that when an older person purposely asks them. This I think is why the old white people are so scared…The world is changing, and they can’t control it. I’m a 71 year old white woman, and I love it this way! This is how the world should be.