Eugene Robinson: Hard To Argue Obama Ire Not Based On Race (It's starting already?)

Investor's Business Daily ^ | November 1, 2010 | Eugene Robinson

[2ndDivisionVet]

The first African-American president takes office, and almost immediately we see the birth of a big, passionate national movement — overwhelmingly white and lavishly funded — that tries its best to delegitimize that president, seeks to thwart his every initiative and manages to bring the discredited and moribund opposition party roaring back to life. Coincidence?

Not a chance. But also not that simple.

First, I'll state the obvious: It's not racist to criticize President Obama, it's not racist to have conservative views, and it's not racist to join the Tea Party. But there's something about the nature and tone of the most vitriolic attacks on the president that I believe is distinctive — and difficult to explain without asking whether race is playing a role.

One thing that struck me from the beginning about the Tea Party rhetoric is the idea of reclaiming something that has been taken away.

At a recent campaign rally in Paducah, Ky., Senate candidate Rand Paul, a darling of the Tea Party movement, drew thunderous applause when he said that if Republicans win, "we get to go to Washington and take back our government." Take it back from whom? Maybe he thinks it goes without saying, because he didn't say.

On Sunday, in a last-minute fundraising appeal, Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee implored his supporters to help "return American government to the American people." Again, who's in possession of the government right now, if not the American people? The non-American people? The un-American people?

There's an obvious answer, but it's one that generally comes from the progressive end of the political spectrum: Americans must fight to take back their government from the lobbyists and big-money special interests that shape our laws to suit their own interests, not for the good of the nation...

[KC_Conspirator]

Eugene Robinson is a rascist. This article amounts to "I'm not saying their rascist...but they are rascist".

This is the same liberal pap that came out the MSM in 2008 when they said there are 2 kinds of voters, 1) those that are voting for Obama and 2) those that are not voting Obama because they are rascist.

[Lexinom]

Very eloquently stated! :D

[cookcounty]

"Take it back from whom? "

From the people trying to sell the country to China.

[reefdiver]

When everybody is a raciest that doesn't buy what your selling, You have pretty much lost your argument. That is just a tantrum of a sour looser

[reefdiver]

When everybody is a racist that doesn't buy what your selling, You have pretty much lost your argument. That is just a tantrum of a sore looser

[billhilly]

“looser”

Damn, I hate to keep on doing this, so I guess I won’t.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I’ve taken the liberty to duplicate much of your posting over at www.WattsUpWithThat.com where they are arguing/discussing liberalism vs socialism vs capitalism with respect to tyhe global warming agenda of governmental control.

[SgtHooper]

Another ignoramous who blames Bush for TARP. It was a scumbag democratic Congress.

[ilovesarah2012]

It’s how he makes his living - just like Jesse and Al.

[God luvs America]

i read a chat transcript of robinson’s on the wacompost right around the time of shirley sherrod incident...the best he could do in condemning the black panthers in philly was referring to them as “knuckleheads”

[Post Toasties]

No kidding. I voted for Alan Keyes twice and was called a racist for it.

Whoever called you that was really effed in the head - IOW a typical Eugene Robinson type Leftist. I voted for Keyes also against Barky.

[ilovesarah2012]

I’d vote for Charles Payne from Fox Business in a heartbeat.

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Congressman-Elect Allen West" should just get up on Election Night and tell this jackass to S.T.F.U.!!

"Race card". Sheesh. So, so, soooo "2008".

Stick a fork in it.

[Paradox]

At a recent campaign rally in Paducah, Ky., Senate candidate Rand Paul, a darling of the Tea Party movement, drew thunderous applause when he said that if Republicans win, "we get to go to Washington and take back our government." Take it back from whom? Maybe he thinks it goes without saying, because he didn't say.

We heard this SAME kind of talk during the 8 years of the GWB administration, was it racist back then? Mr. Robinson really needs to get out more. How pathetically naive and ignorant.

[listenhillary]

At a recent campaign rally in Paducah, Ky., Senate candidate Rand Paul, a darling of the Tea Party movement, drew thunderous applause when he said that if Republicans win, "we get to go to Washington and take back our government." Take it back from whom? Maybe he thinks it goes without saying, because he didn't say.

Obama is not up for reelection.

[stainlessbanner]

“Take back our government” was said long before Barry Sotero and it has nothing to do with race - it’s about policy, constitutional rule, and repealing fedgov largess.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Screwed up “narrative”. The PEOPLE will NEVER buy it. They have had their fill of this “guilt trip” consciousness.

[Rome2000]

Good deal!

[USSR Didnt Fall]

True that

[Kaslin]

Yeah, also Clinton had an Republican Congress to help him with the surplus, and because of the Republican Congress under President Bush, the economy was thriving and unemployment was practically nonexistent. We all know that things changed for the bad when the rats took over in January 2007