Welcome Instapunditers. Wave to Glenn over yonder in Tennessee.
What does it take to get African American candidates to condemn blatant anti-Semitism by “clergy” in the African American community in an election? So far, we haven’t heard from either front-runner Barack Obama [for whom Jewish groups have condemned fabricated attacks] or even from the candidate in TN who might be the “benefit target” of this flyer. (There is no indication the candidate had any knowledge of the flyer, which emanated from outside her district.)
Democratic primary in the Memphis area’s 9th District of Tennessee, where a shockingly worded flier paints Jewish Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) as a Jesus hater.
“Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen and the JEWS HATE Jesus,” blares the flier, which Cohen himself received in the mail — inducing gasps — last week.
Circulated by an African-American minister from Murfreesboro Tenn., which isn’t even in Cohen’s district, the literature encourages other black leaders in Memphis to “see to it that one and ONLY one black Christian faces this opponent of Christ and Christianity in the 2008 election.”
See a portion of the ludicrous flyer below:
Sue, why is it up to Obama to condemn this? Simply because he’s black?
No, not “simply” because he’s black. But because he should know, having been a victim of hateful attacks and having been defended by Jewish groups repeatedly over false attacks, that such attacks are wrong and must be condemned by people whose stature might make a statement.
Even with Barak’s being a victim of hateful attacks, He would quickly be swamped if he had to respond to every attack ad made during an election year. And he would be asked why this one and not the next if he started down that road.
Jeez, Blaine, how situational is that? One’s ethics should transcend that sort of thinking plus one little tidbit: if he wants to assume a role of party leadership, then he has to act like a leader.
Where’s McCain, for that matter, and why wouldn’t McCain jump on this in order to pressure Barack to make a statement? Are we going to get a softball campaign from the Republican nominee?
Congrats. You have been Instalaunched.
Is Obama black? I thought he was “mixed” race. Looks white to me. If he needs to condem the act it’s because it involves Democrats.
Spag . . . It’s All About Setting An Example.
Sure, because it involves Democrats. And if Obama wants the presidency, he has to behave like he’s ready for it: and part of the president’s job is being the head of the party. And that means taking on idiots in your party, like these. Sure, Obama isn’t the nominee (yet) or the president, but he needs to begin acting like it.
Sinc Obama is half-black, maybe all he needs to do is equivocate. Like he does on everything else.
As others here have noted: This is really QUITE a stretch, trying to somehow tie this to Obama.
Re “setting an example”: Setting an example means not behaving in the same way. SInce Obama does not behave this way, he is setting an example just fine.
“What does it take” for a blogger to admit she’s taken a cheap shot, just to get some traffic?
MS – cheap shot? Hardly. Some of us really do believe that leadership involves non-situational ethics. As I posted over here,
“As I tried to make clear on my post about this same subject, this has nothing to do with Barack Obama being of any particular race. Rather, it’s about his trying to be a leader of the Democratic Party. He has to step up to prove his leadership as well as the fact that this sort of anti-Semitic quasi-political trash has no place in our America (â€?ourâ€? meaning ALL of us). If we want to live in a post-racial society, no candidate has any choice other than to condemn bigotry wherever it rears its ugly head.”
Perhaps if he condemns this one there won’t be a next one. THAT might be impressive.
Sadly, No.
Maybe Obama is silent because he knows that his very own counselor and pastor, Jeremiah A. Wright has made equally offensive and hateful remarks about certain other groups, like white folks, the U.S.govt, etc. If we go down this road it’s going to take us into Obama’s own very ugly, dangerous, cruel and racist hood.
Ed, I’ve ceased thinking that just because a conservative-leaning blog reports something that it has to be automatically wrong. And vice versa. Critical thinking makes sense.
grow up! this is merely an attempt to make Obama look bad. He can not be responsible for every idiot that says nasty things and supports him. Look at Pat Roberts et al for the right!
If you imply that Obama is antisemitic, then say it. If not, then go forth and sin no more
from Fred, very Jewish and involved.
Fred, this really isn’t totally about anti-Semitism. It’s about leadership. I think I’m done saying that in this particular comment thread. And for the record, I don’t think Senator Obama is anti-Semitic. But you knew that. B’shalom.
Here’s some discussion on this Instalink. I do like and admire Glenn very much, but I do not understand why he feels the need to offer a link to a meaningless post like this. I realize he doesn’t want Obama for president, but he is doing his cause more harm than good by driving readers to something this contrived.
Do we apply then same logic to McCain? He would spend the rest of his life apologizing just for the shit that Ann Coulter spews, nevermind the rest of the right-wing nutjobs!
As others here have noted: This is really QUITE a stretch, trying to somehow tie this to Obama.
Re “setting an example�: Setting an example means not behaving in the same way. SInce Obama does not behave this way, he is setting an example just fine.
“What does it take� for a blogger to admit she’s taken a cheap shot, just to get some traffic?
Interesting talk coming from a portion of the political spectrum that’s absolutely convinced President Bush presides over, and is the source of, all modern-day evil.
Just tell us your crowd wouldn’t be screaming if a pro-Republican clergyman cranked out a demonstrably racist flyer. And just tell us you wouldn’t try to find some way to pin this on George Bush too. That would conveniently fit your narrative, wouldn’t it? Go ahead and tell us: I, for one, double-dare you.
Nice try, but you still don’t get a Cohiba Esplendido.
“Simply because he’s black?”
Of course not. However, Obama, in his role as King of All Things Black is obligated to comment on this. Every black person of prominence has to condemn any and all potentially black sponsored/conducted acts of racism, plus any statements by Jesse/Al/Louis, and genuflect towards Reagan’s tomb twice a day. Or else they’re “race baiting”, “playing the race card”, or “engaging in identity politics”. However, interestingly enough, [insert Anglo politician's name here] doesn’t have to apologize for anything some random Klansman says because he’s not the spokeman for all Anglos, and his silence, newsletters and/or appearances on Imus (we all know he got a raw deal, I mean lighten up people) cannot be construed as endorsement or agreement with such viewpoints, and attempting to make such a corelation would means that you were “race baiting”, “playing the race card”, or “engaging in identity politics”.
Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright, is a Louis Farrakhan booster. Obama’s church puts out an anti-semitic afrocentric newsletter that makes the KKK look tolerant.
Obama can do what he wants, as long as his followers are logic-shy adulating quasi-worshipers.
Oh, I see that Ed Cone already spotted the same link I did. This is the kind of ridicule Glenn has opened himself up for, and I’m afraid it’s unlikely to be the last time on this subject.
Sue – when the kind of traffic (conservative, libertarian, and right-wing) that Glenn drives disagrees so near-unanimously on a post that supports his own POV, it’s time to question that post. If you just can’t admit you’re wrong under those circumstances, well gee – like your own post says, “what does it take?”
Interesting talk coming from a portion of the political spectrum that’s absolutely convinced President Bush presides over, and is the source of, all modern-day evil.
Quite an assumption, Mark. Except I’m not “from that part of the political spectrum” at all. You never read my blog, but decided to smear me anyway.
Here’s a post that got me quite a bit of hate mail from the left. It was Instalinked as well.
I’d stick around for an apology, but I sense none is coming.
Fred, age-old Jewish adage: We’re going to have to agree to disagree. Then let’s go out and have lunch together.
I don’t agree with a lot of what Glenn posts. In this particular case, I’m not trying to make Senator Obama responsible for everything that any Democrat (or Republican) does that is wrong. This is an egregious instance and he’s missing an opportunity to add meaning to what I consider a lot of rhetoric that is missing substance. He needs to show us what kind of leader he will be and that means stepping up against hatred that is, in this case, infecting the 2008 political campaign. Criticizing a candidate by calling for action is NOT the same thing as running him down and we need to remember that. Every candidate can do better.
Obama won’t leave his racist and Farakan honoring church so why would he comment on this sort of thing.
This is a long con that he has worked on his entire adult life. No way he actually acts like a leader at this point in time, it would break the spell. He wants to get elected first then he’ll show us his leadership non-skills.
Those who have countered “Well, should a Republican be required to condemn every idiotic…” are being disingenuous, or selectively blind. The point is that that Republicans are indeed asked to condemn statements far less extreme than this one, and the topic can be a nine-day-wonder in the news. It was a key issue in my move fromm the Left to the Middle Right. Sauce. Goose. Gander.
You can have it either way, but not both ways.
The point is that that Republicans are indeed asked to condemn statements far less extreme than this one.
Republicans are asked to condemn extreme statements (faggot) from prominent conservatives (like Coulter), who regulalry speak at prominent Rebublican conferences (like CPAC).
This is not even remotely on the same level.
You can have it either way, but not both ways.
If we have it Sue’s way, then John McCain will spend the rest of his life apologizing for Fred Phelps!
…and Jerry Falwell.
After all, Falwell endorsed McCain. Falwell also said gays caused 9/11.
Where is McCain’s condemnation?
Mike, just a slight correction. Checking on Google will tell you that Fred Phelps is actually a Democrat.
Hey, when you run as the messiah, people will expect more of you. Plus, Steve Cohen is an Obama supporter, as well as a good guy, and deserves some loyalty here.
Sue,
If, as you wrote in a comment on another site, “this has nothing to do with Barack Obama being of any particular race,” then why is the first sentence of this post “What does it take to get African American candidates to condemn blatant anti-Semitism by “clergyâ€? in the African American community in an election?”
It’s either about race or it isn’t. Pick one.
Fred Phelps is actually a Democrat
Do I even need to respond to that nonsense?
Mike, like it or not, facts are facts. Willful ignorance is not bliss. To continue to deny the facts after you know what they really are is worse.
Here are the facts.
Phelps’s electoral history from Wikipedia:
Democratic primary for Governor of Kansas, 1990
* Joan Finney – 81,250 (47.18%)
* John Carlin – 79,406 (46.11%)
* Fred Phelps – 11,572 (6.72%)
Democratic primary for United States Senate, Kansas 1992
* Gloria O’Dell – 111,015 (69.20%)
* Fred Phelps – 49,416 (30.80%)
Democratic primary for Governor of Kansas, 1994
* Jim Slattery – 84,389 (53.02%)
* Joan Wagnon – 42,115 (26.46%)
* James Francisco – 16,048 (10.08%)
* Leslie Kitchenmaster – 11,253 (7.07%)
* Fred Phelps – 5,349 (3.36%)
Democratic primary for Governor of Kansas, 1998
* Tom Sawyer (Kansas politician) – 88,248 (85.28%)
* Fred Phelps – 15,233 (14.72%)
From an article on Phelps called “The Man Who Loves to Hate” in the March/April 1999 issue of Mother Jones:
“Phelps remained prominent in state and local politics, working for years as a major organizer for the state’s Democratic Party. (He still calls himself a Democrat, refusing to change just because his party has.) In 1988, Phelps housed campaign workers for Al Gore’s first presidential run; in 1989, his eldest son, Fred Jr., hosted a fundraiser for Gore’s Senate campaign at his home.”