From Women’s Work
Palin bags a big one
http://drawger.com/show.php?show_id=36&image_id=1137
Copyright Zina Saunders 2008 * http://www.zinasaunders.com/
There’s this new political advertisement out from the McCain-Palin presidential campaign that again tries to stoke the anger of those Hillary Clinton supporters, you know, “white,” “working-class” and “women” voters still mad at Sen. Barack Obama about the alleged disrespectful treatment of Mrs. Clinton during the primaries.
In the McCain campaign’s calculation, Gov. Sarah Palin is interchangeable with Sen. Clinton and any criticism of Mrs. Palin is another slap at women.
ANNOUNCER:
He was the world’s biggest celebrity, but his star’s fading.
So they lashed out at Sarah Palin.
Dismissed her as “good looking.”
That backfired, so they said she was doing, “what she was told.”
Then desperately called Sarah Palin a liar.
How disrespectful.
And how Governor Sarah Palin proves them wrong, every day.
JOHN MCCAIN: I’m John McCain and I approved this message.
This is a despicably racist political advertisement and here’s why:
The ad takes up the “uppity” angle because of the sensitivity of women, especially white women, to being criticized by black men. But let’s put aside, for now, the historical clash between the struggles for the civil rights of women and people of color in this country and let us focus, instead, on the code words employed in this political advertisement.
The word “disrespectful” in this context is so loaded, especially when you consider our nation’s history and culture. In this ad, it is not just a man disrespecting a woman, or men disrespecting women. It is a black man, Obama, disrespecting a white woman, Sarah Palin. And he has a history of doing this. Remember Hillary Clinton, the ad, without saying so (it doesn’t have to), reminds viewers.
But Obama’s crime here, whether he was the one who said the actual words or not, is more egregious: He dismissed Palin as “good looking.”
Noticing a white woman throughout the history of this nation got black men lynched and murdered.
The whole rationale for McCain’s candidacy in hinging on this: Don’t let this uppity black man violate our cherished White House.
I won’t ask how long Sen. McCain will continue putting his name to these disgusting, underhanded and shameful campaign advertisements. I have never labored under the illusion that McCain was an honorable man. This unscrupulous campaign is exactly who John McCain is, a corrupt, craven politicians who will use anything, including racist codes, to get elected.
McCain says he’ll stop this gutter politics only if Sen. Obama agrees to go on a barnstorming nationwide tour of town hall style debates with him. The “I’ll stop sliming you if you debate me” strategy? How do you define Chutzpah?
McCain does not want a debate. He is doing exactly what he wants. Obama should call his bluff and agree to appear on stage with him.
Ethics Adviser Warned Palin About Trooper Issue
Letter Described Situation as ‘Grave,’ Called for Apology By JIM CARLTON, Wall Street Journal, September 11, 2008; Page A8
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An informal adviser who has counseled Gov. Sarah Palin on ethics issues urged her in July to apologize for her handling of the dismissal of the state’s public safety commissioner and warned that the matter could snowball into a bigger scandal.
(Photo by the Associated Press: Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten (right) answers questions about the ‘Troopergate’ investigation on Tuesday)
He also said, in a letter reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, that she should fire any aides who had raised concerns with the chief over a state trooper who was involved in a bitter divorce with the governor’s sister.
In the letter, written before Sen. John McCain picked the Alaska governor as his running mate, former U.S. Attorney Wevley Shea warned Gov. Palin that “the situation is now grave” and recommended that she and her husband, Todd Palin, apologize for “overreaching or perceived overreaching” for using her position to try to get Trooper Mike Wooten fired from the force.
In this speech 60 years ago almost to the date, President Harry S. Truman spoke to an audience of over 80,000 persons and a nationwide radio audience. Truman’s definition of the values of Democrats compared to that of Republicans, spoken so long ago, could easily describe the two parties today. Truman’s indictment of Republicans are as true today as they were 60 years ago.
I wish Sen. Barack Obama would give a version of this speech, give voice to these values everyday until election day on Nov. 4.
Harry S. Truman, XXXIII president of the United States, 1945-1953
September 18, 1948–Address at Dexter, Iowa, on the Occasion of the National Plowing Match.
Mr. President, and all the good farmers who are responsible for this wonderful demonstration:
It does my heart good to see the grain fields of the Nation again. They are a wonderful sight. The record-breaking harvests you have been getting in recent years have been a blessing. Millions of people have been saved from starvation by the food you have produced. The whole world has reason to be everlastingly grateful to the farmers of the United States.
In a very real sense, the abundant harvests of this country are helping to save the world from communism. Communism thrives on human misery. And the crops you are producing are driving back the tide of misery in many lands. Your farms are a vital element in America’s foreign policy. Keep that in mind, that is of vital importance to us and to the world.
And while I am on that subject–I know that the war talk which is so prevalent today is causing all of you deep concern. It is plain enough that we are facing a very disturbing international situation. I should like every American to realize that this country is making every possible effort to preserve the peace.
In this critical situation, my motto has been: “Keep your temper and stand firm.” We have kept our tempers. We have stood firm. And we have been reasonable and straightforward at all times.
It is the policy of this Government to continue working for peace with every instrument at our command. At the same time, we have been rapidly building up our strength. The peace of the world and the prestige of the United States require that the Nation be strong and vigilant.
But that is not the main point I wish to cover today. In addition to the issue of peace, there is another important reason why this is a critical period for America. I am talking about our economic future–your economic future.
So says the headline on a Washington Post headline. Funny headline by another group of people who see John McCain as this hero gone wrong.
With a phony flap and a misleading attack ad, the McCain campaign sinks into silliness.
Thursday, September 11, 2008; A16
IT’S HARD to think of a presidential campaign with a wider chasm between the seriousness of the issues confronting the country and the triviality, so far anyway, of the political discourse. On a day when the Congressional Budget Office warned of looming deficits and a grim economic outlook, when the stock market faltered even in the wake of the government’s rescue of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, when President Bush discussed the road ahead in Iraq and Afghanistan, on what did the campaign of Sen. John McCain spend its energy? A conference call to denounce Sen. Barack Obama for using the phrase “lipstick on a pig” and a new television ad accusing the Democrat of wanting to teach kindergartners about sex before they learn to read.