Novak: Obama’s A ‘Strong’ Candidate Because He’s ‘Clean’ And ‘Not A Stereotype African-American’
Novak: Obama’s A ‘Strong’ Candidate Because He’s ‘Clean’ And ‘Not A Stereotype African-American’
This weekend on Bloomberg television, conservative pundit Robert Novak discussed what Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) “Achilles heel” would be if Obama prevails the in Democratic primary over the coming weeks.
Novak said Obama could be threatened by “racist prejudice” in the general election. In making this statement, however, Novak inadvertently made a racist comment of his own, arguing racist prejudice is unlikely against Obama because he is “clean” and “not a stereotype African-American”:
Q: What is Obama’s potential Achilles heel?
NOVAK: I think the only potential Achilles heel is in a general election, if there is some racist prejudice. I’m not sure there is. He’s, as poor Joe Biden said, he’s clean. He isn’t a stereotype African-American. And I think he’s a very strong candidate.
Watch it:
Novak acknowledged borrowing language from “poor” Sen. Joe Biden’s (D-DE) insensitive remarks from last year. Recall, Biden said that Obama is a “clean” and “articulate” African-American. Biden was widely condemned for the comments.
In stereotyping African-Americans as “unclean,” Novak exemplified the type of “racist prejudice” that still exists.
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100 Responses to “Novak: Obama’s A ‘Strong’ Candidate Because He’s ‘Clean’ And ‘Not A Stereotype African-American’”
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Obama is beating Hillary because she keeps talking about her Washington experience.
Something the voters have no love for.
Obama is simply winning by countering and using ‘change’….That is why he is appealing to people under 50 years of age…
Hillary experience will not sell.
People tired of Washington politcians. Most our great presidents did not have the ‘Washington experience’ when they lead this nation. In fact the most experienced was Nixon…any surprise..!!
Reagan, Lincoln…and many others did not have experience.The president need to have an honest character and be open to all,and not some small lobby groups who supported him.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:14 amNovak’s done; stick a fork in him.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:19 amAbout the only role left for this worn-out hack is as a commentator on some FoxSnooze show. He’d fit right in with all the dolts on-air at the Murdoch propaganda channel.
Oh just come out and say it Novak…”Can’t you see he’s a ni…”- Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles
January 6th, 2008 at 10:20 amNovak is a stereotype bigot.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:23 amAll the democratic candidates have better ideas, and they’re going to need them to fix the mess we’re in.
Obama can SELL THEM to the American people.
And attitudes like Novak’s are precisely the type of things that need to CHANGE.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:24 amWhat the hell is wrong with these people or more appropriately, subhumans?
January 6th, 2008 at 10:26 amNovak is a sycophant and about as interesting as watching grass grow.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:26 amHow do guys like Novak get on the air?
January 6th, 2008 at 10:31 amAre people just not interested in class anymore?
Maybe Obama should try to be more like Steve Urkel or Snoop Dogg or Alan Keyes or Denzil Washington or Tiger Woods or all of those other stereotypical AfroAmerrican men
January 6th, 2008 at 10:31 amIs Novak’s statement in itself a racist one & does it prove him to be a racist?
http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1458
.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:32 amNovak can’t help it; he was born without an intellect. His bigotry is obvious which is why this Bulldog has been sidelined. Novak’s become a cypher.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:38 amAny way you look at that, it’s positive in terms of progress on the race issue.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 10:36 am
among Democrats. Novak proves that Republicans are still the party of racism and fear-mongering.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:39 amTarazan: The more Hillary touts her “experience”, the deeper down she slides. We are so disenchanted with our so-called “experienced” politicians that we want nothing more to do with any of them. Unfortunately Hillary epitomizes and is symbolic of the status quo in Washington which is her achilles heel. She speaks about change and about her “35 years of experience” - what the hell is she talking about anyway?? What has Hillary changed? If anything, Hillary’s part of the corrupt establishment and hasn’t changed one thing. Her “experience” would only be noteworthy if osmosis were possible - being First Lady. This is NOT experience. She’s never led a city or a state and is a freshman senator. What experience, Hillary??
January 6th, 2008 at 10:41 amHillary botched our health care system when she tried to “change” it, didn’t she? Since then it’s tanked. Besides, she’s bragged about taking money from special interest groups and lobbyists - something which the people definitely hold against her.
What I think is coming is that Hillary will be out in left field following NH next week and the winning ticket will either be: Obama/Edwards or Edwards/Obama - either of which would be a welcomed change for this country. What I definitely saw in last night’s debate was that Obama and Edwards are now working toward this goal.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:43 amThe Novak lit a cross on fire.
-GSD
January 6th, 2008 at 10:45 amEveryone on these blogs needs to be working the netroots AGAINST the influence of the coprorate media.
Everyone on these blogs needs to get behind Edwards.
We need to get rid of the special interests influences with the last person standing that the media has already prepicked that will stand up and give entrenched interests the boot.
Edwards is the only one who is specific and committed and refuses to recycle the same old establishemnt smoke and mirrors.
Oppose corporatocracy ……..I loved Kucinich but he can’t take this nomination………..we must stand behind Edwards.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:46 amApparently bathing doesn’t was away melanin
January 6th, 2008 at 10:46 am#14…Veritus,
Agree,
The longer they stay in Washington,politicians roots of corruption seem to get deeper and stronger by time.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:46 amSo, bragging about spending long time in Washington is not really a presidntial asset on a candidate’s resume …Others might disagree with me and you..but the majority will agree.
Well, Well, what is a stereo typical African American Master Novak? Obviously not fit for the White House.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:48 amJohn Zogby was on c-span this morning. According to his latest tracking poll, Obama has “surged” into the lead in New Hampshire.
John McCain also dropped a bit, indicating that Independent Voters in New Hampshire are going with Obama.
Independent voters are the key to victory in November. My guess…it is Obama’s to lose, and he is smart enough to make mistakes.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:51 amoo0ps. smart enough to NOT make mistakes.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:53 amIncredible bias!
“Hillary botched our health care system when she tried to “change†it”
Senator Clinton had the best chance to beat any of the likely Republican nominees, but nooooo, Progressives need to attack in an Oh So GOP way. Lies, innuendo, pure crap.
Now, it’s possible that the Dems could lose in 2008. And we did it to ourselves.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:54 amI’ll bet President Bush would love it if someone would call him clean and articulate.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:55 amComment by Badger — January 6, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Not that signage is a true indicator but in the sw of NH Obama clearly leads. The idea that NH is some weird conservative William Loeb driven nowhere is so grossly outdated. It’ll be close but I think Obama has enough to win on Tuesday. Despite being a Richardson sort of guy, I will be going with Obama here
January 6th, 2008 at 10:59 amNellre,
Clinton has the worst odds in a general.
The middle class is “over” the establishment.
Edwards has the best argument for change. He wants to boot out the coporatists.
That’s the only way.
Hillary is just a a good old boy in a skirt. She is a corporatist. Do you think she would be as far along as she is without the MONEY?
January 6th, 2008 at 10:59 amDespite being a Richardson sort of guy, I will be going with Obama here
Comment by dbadass — January 6, 2008 @ 10:59 am
Obama/Richarson in 08 would be hard to beat. Charisma plus experience…not to mention the Latino Vote.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:03 amComment by nellre — January 6, 2008 @ 10:54 am
I disagree. The visceral hatred she brings out is a real problem. I think it is unreasoned, ignorant, and misogynistic but it still is a real issue which will allow the troglydites who think that way to produce a strong backlash against her on the right. All of the repubs I know outright detest her and almost all the center and left folks I know are lukewarm at best toward her. If she ends up the nominee I and my cohorst will vote for her but few I know would call her their first choice
January 6th, 2008 at 11:06 amIt seems to me that most of the posters here really don’t understand the seriousness of how deeply entrenched special interests are in this government.
Who is the person who has spoken the most vociferously against corporate interests?
Seems to me the American public is doing exactly what corporate interests want on the Dem side…..Obama.
We need the guy who is willing to give lobbyists the boot.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:07 amComment by Badger — January 6, 2008 @ 11:03 am
I agree 100%. I have mixed feelings about giving my vote to Obama because I would like to see Richardson garner enough support to start making him a reasonable VP selection but I also am afraid that things will be very close here and need to put my one vote to best use
January 6th, 2008 at 11:08 am*
WRITE TO OBAMA
tell him: DON’T DO IT!
DO NOT “go on The O’Reilly Factor. Do not give him or FOX Noise a chance to benefit from your presence after that network has viciously smeared you and attacked the entire Democratic Party and Progressive ideals every chance they get and will continue to do long after your appearance is over.”
January 6th, 2008 at 11:15 am!
Dbadass,
Spot on.
I am in Florida and it will be a rather unusual vote here given they refuse to count us. Nonetheless, it will have an effect.
As much as what I know Kucinich is the only one who understands the current and future needs of this country the media has already preselected the top three and for those who watch only MSM we need to take a larger baby step.
Edwards in last nights debate made his position perfectly clear.
Lobbyists will have no place in his WH.
That’s probably the most important thing voters need to know.
Edwards/Obama 08
January 6th, 2008 at 11:16 amComment by civil behavior — January 6, 2008 @ 11:16 am
I have to be honest, I went with Edwards last time around and am inable to articulate why he hasn’t convinced me to do the same this time around.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:20 amcivil behavior
Do you have anything to back up your assertions?
Check this out
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/ archives/ 14146.html#more-14146
And this
http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm
Did you like Bill? Were those 8 years pretty good? We already have a preview of what Hillary will bring to the Whitehouse. I think she’s her own person, but I think she and Bill have similar positions… and that she had enormous influence on Bill’s presidency, just as Bill will have on hers. Two for one deal. It’s a good thing.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:22 amDBclass,
You went with Kerry last time around. So did I. Worked for months everyday here in Palm Beach County thinking it might be stolen here again.
The repukes were two steps ahead of us. They went into Ohio.
Which is WHY we need Edwards. He knows exactly why we lost last time.
Corporatocracy must be dismantled. Money IS THE PROBLEM not the solution.
As he said it’s very personal for him for more reasons than his own upbringing. For you I would imagine it’s personal too. For many of us it is.
Lobbyists must be outlawed and THEN we can move from there.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:26 amIn stereotyping African-Americans as “unclean,†Novak exemplified the type of “racist prejudice†that still exists.
this is just one form of pervasive prejudice “that still exists.” It has plenty of company from:
** explicit and implicit violent racism and hate crimes,
January 6th, 2008 at 11:28 am** an unfair judicial system overwhelming racist in its accusation, conviction, and sentencing of minorities especially black,
** intellectual arguments manufactured to justify oppression and subjugation
** economic racism in the form of poor education infrastructure for minorities and bias in lending practices.
** voter suppression to disenfranchise minorities
** obstruction of laws and policies to counteract present and historical racism
** others
.
Thrash riots in Italy
January 6th, 2008 at 11:30 amI don’t understand why Novakula still has a career.
What does a right-wing pundit have to do to get people to stop hiring him and listening to him?
January 6th, 2008 at 11:31 amGiven the true face of America, its pervasive prejudice, its contempt for the disadvantaged, its imperialism, its history of lawless mass murder, genocide, intrusion in other nations politics - the overthrow of democracies and installation and support of dictators, its worldwide militarism and weapons proliferation; given Americans support and tolerance and near total silence for 7 years of assault on the rule of law, the Constitution, and plain decency y the bush regime… Americans have some nerve having their bloated, egotistical, unwarranted, self-aggrandizing image of themselves.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:35 am.
The candidate that got the second most votes in American History was John Kerry. Democrats made a great effort to get him elected…and to keep spoilers like Nader out of the picture.
Compared to Gore in 2000, Kerry did NOT carry the women’s vote by 15 points. Why? Fear! The election came too soon after Chechen terrorists shot up a school in Russia. This horrible nightmare tragedy made women afraid of not reelecting Bush. Buyer’s remorse soon set in.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:36 amComment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Biden is a decent human who for the most part has served his nation well. It is unfortunate that he has a tendency toward saying fairly innocent intended things in an awkward sort of way. His poorly thought out statement hardly justifies its further usage
January 6th, 2008 at 11:37 amMaybe you could give Novak the same benefit of the doubt.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Sure after he earns some reasonable level of respect from me by being something more than a major league tool. That’s the difference
January 6th, 2008 at 11:42 amMaybe you could give Novak the same benefit of the doubt.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:39 am
I give him exactly the same benefit of doubt–based on a lifetime of behavior. dbadass already noted Biden’s lifetime of decency; if Novakula had demonstrated something like it, instead of a lifetime of vicious right wing gossip, he’d probably cut him some slack.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:44 amMaybe you could give Novak the same benefit of the doubt.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:39 am
Novak has a history of being wrong, and propping up the Bush administration. He was also responsible for leaking the name of a covert CIA agent for political gain.
The answer is no I won’t give this shill the benefit of the doubt.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:44 am“Well, we’ve had a couple of back to back Republican Secretaries of State that were African American. I think the progress is relatively universal.”
Comment by CaptainMantastic —
And a hispanic AG - but the hispanic community doesn’t talk him up much anymore…
January 6th, 2008 at 11:45 amWell, we’ve had a couple of back to back Republican Secretaries of State that were African American. I think the progress is relatively universal.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Exactly how many Black Republicans are there in Congress, Mantastic?
I’ll give you a hint. And Reconstructions doesn’t count now.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:50 amReconstruction! no s.
Dang.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:50 amFortunately, Novak’s kind is dying out. Just not fast enough. Redneck bigot.
January 6th, 2008 at 11:53 am“Now, it’s possible that the Dems could lose in 2008. And we did it to ourselves.”
Comment by nellre
By waffling over such important issues as FISA, torture, habeaus corpus, and $15 billion-a-month war spending with no end in sight. Where was Hill on these issues?
January 6th, 2008 at 11:53 amIf you want to see how race plays out in today’s society, I suggest you look at polls in the South and see if there’s any difference in support based on race.
South Carolina: http://www.surveyusa.com/ client/ PollReport.aspx?g=84bfc14a-9487-49f8-a7fc-af6d0d7a0ec2
Florida: http://www.surveyusa.com/ client/ PollReport.aspx?g=fcd9b988-cc23-4412-9e60-3a157c93cf3d
In both of those states, Obama polls very poorly amongst white adults (18% and 15% respectively) and very well with black adults (57% and 64% respectively).
January 6th, 2008 at 11:57 amIn both of those states, Obama polls very poorly amongst white adults (18% and 15% respectively) and very well with black adults (57% and 64% respectively).
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — January 6, 2008 @ 11:57 am
And Edwards does even worse among Black voters than Obama does among White voters.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:00 pmNovak is just your typical conservative bigot just living up to expectations of those types.
You have to wonder why the CORPORATE MEDIA is backing Obama. Has he cut deals and sold out to big Corp Money? He seems nice enough, but when the so called “Liberal Media” (Corporate Media) gives this much air time to him, it makes me wonder.
Edwards is the only one who will do damage to the Corporate Lobbist the are buying our representatives, and they know it, hence they are trying very hard not to give him air time.
Edwards ‘09
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials ‘09
Buck Fush
January 6th, 2008 at 12:07 pmMaybe you could give Novak the same benefit of the doubt.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:39 am
As soon as you point out when Novak apologized for his remarks, like Biden apologized for his.
For that matter point out where he apologized for outing Plame.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:08 pmNovak is a fourth rate intellect who has made a living as a sycophant and mouyhpiece of the Conservative riches.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:10 pmHas he cut deals and sold out to big Corp Money?
Comment by Buckie Boy — January 6, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Obama left Harvard Law School to work for $20,000 a year as a community organizer in Chicago. I just don’t believe he’s in this for the money.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:11 pmI know that Badger, that was then, this is now, I like Obama, but am supicious of all the air time he is getting from Corporate Media, when Corporate Media is this gun ho about a candidate I just have to start taking a closer look as to who is contributing the big money for his campaign.
I would not mind an Edwards/Obama ‘09 at all. Hill is just a total corporate sell out and would not like having to vote for her.
Buck Fush
January 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pmWell, we’ve had a couple of back to back Republican Secretaries of State that were African American. I think the progress is relatively universal. Let’s not forget who came up with ‘clean’ characterization in the first place:
Joe Biden (D).
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Both of those SOS were failures and embarrassments, chosen for their ability to suck up to the white establishment. Novak has been a hater and a bigot his whole career, not to mention being wrong most of the time and a proven liar all the time. Your comparisons are partisan and ignorant.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:21 pmJust when I think I’ve heard the last from Novak, both he and the much older fossil Mark Shields appear on Fox News.
He supplies the ammo that Progs salivate for, any latent racism that slips out, so they can guilt people into supporting Barack.
Fact is, Reps don’t need to use racism to beat Obama. Obama simply doesn’t have the requisite bonifides to be President, and not only has little to no foreign policy experience, but he has a dangerously naive view of foreign threats.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:37 pmJoe Biden would make an excellent Secretary of State.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:39 pm“He’s, as poor Joe Biden said, he’s clean. He isn’t a stereotype African-American.”
Well your basic unwashed, stereotypical African-American is welcome at my table any day. Novak is not.
Can you smell something in the air today, folks? It’s the fear of dinosaurs like Novak. A new day is dawning in this country.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:40 pmThe problem with Secretaries of State Powell and Rice, is that Bush listened to Cheney and Rumsfeld, and not to THEM.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:44 pmWhy is this has-been still around?
January 6th, 2008 at 12:52 pmNovak in a clumsy stupid manner tried to give Obama a compliment. Even Bill O’Reilly admitted that Obama is a good person. GOPers are racists, but Obama undermines racial attacks on him.
January 6th, 2008 at 12:57 pmI’m amazed anyone has Noak on their shows. I would think he would be a pariah to reputable journalists.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:06 pm“I believe that Colin Powell and Condi Rice were/are both very qualified to be secretary of state; regardless of their race.”
I believe you are dead wrong, especially about Rice. Both are cowards and hypocrites to the bone, and Rice is largely responsible for the success of the 9/11 attacks. Powell’s performance before the UN is one of the most disgusting episodes of pure chicanery in American history.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:14 pmJay. I want to understand you better, but I don’t get what you are saying here.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
What’s not to understand, Captain? Racists say shitty things about Obama, and he rises above it.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:17 pmI don’t get what you are saying here.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 1:00 pm
From Frank Rich:
http://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/ 12/ 02/ opinion/ 02rich.html
But much like the Clinton campaign itself, the Republicans have fallen into a trap by continuing to cling to the Hillary-is-inevitable trope. They have not allowed themselves to think the unthinkable — that they might need a Plan B to go up against a candidate who is not she. It’s far from clear that they would remotely know how to construct a Plan B to counter Mr. Obama
January 6th, 2008 at 1:18 pmPart of the Republicans’ difficulty in countering Mr. Obama, should they have to, is their own cynical racial politics. For the most part, race has been the dog that hasn’t barked in this campaign despite the (largely) white press’s endless fretting about whether the Illinois senator is too white for black voters and too black for white voters. Most Americans aren’t racist, most Republicans included. (Those who are won’t vote for the Democratic presidential candidate even if it’s not Mr. Obama.) But the G.O.P., by its own doing, is nonetheless saddled with a history that most recently includes “macaca†and Katrina, Mr. Bush’s appearance at Bob Jones University in 2000 and the nonexistent black population of its Congressional delegation.
I think a blood vessel in my eye just exploded. OW.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:23 pmbarfly
Where was everybody on these issues. Put things in context.
Like people say Hill voted for the war in Iraq. Nobody voted for the war in Iraq. Bush took his permission to use force as a last resort as permission to invade without letting the inspectors finish their job. That’s something Bush should be held accountable for, not Hill.
But we should all check the voting records of all the candidates.
Here’s Senator Clinton’s record
http://votesmart.org/ voting_category.php?can_id=55463
and Senator Obama’s
http://votesmart.org/ voting_category.php?can_id=9490
And Edwards
January 6th, 2008 at 1:34 pmhttp://votesmart.org/ voting_category.php?can_id=21107
Joe Biden would make an excellent Secretary of State.
Comment by Badger — January 6, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
I think I might like this idea.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:36 pmI believe that Colin Powell and Condi Rice were/are both very qualified to be secretary of state; regardless of their race. I am taking a harder look at Obama, who, despite his relative lack of experience, may be well qualified and the best candidate to be President; regardless of his race.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Cap’n, I agree that Powell was well qualified for the position in which he served; the fact that he was ignored and marginalized and then sent out to mortgage the rest of his credibility to sell a war he didn’t believe in says, to me, a lot about how much respect he had within the administration.
Dr. Rice, on the other hand, given her performance as National Security Advisor, was (arguably) grossly underqualified to serve as Secretary of State. Her performance in that post supports that assessment.
But what you’re doing is using anecdotal evidence (the positions given to prominent black Americans by a president who values loyalty above all other virtues and who is clearly not a racist) to argue against the wider truth that the Republican Party, while not a racist organization, is home to many, figures who embrace and exploit racist attitudes among the electorate, and to many more whose words and actions betray unconscious racist attitudes.
Oh, and Robert Novak deserves NO benefit of a doubt. He squandered any claim he had to that long ago. Before he outed a covert CIA agent.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:51 pm#69. Novak in a clumsy stupid manner tried to give Obama a compliment. Even Bill O’Reilly admitted that Obama is a good person. GOPers are racists, but Obama undermines racial attacks on him.
Comment by Jay Randal — January 6, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Damn, I hope you’re right. I get this nasty feeling that the right wants either Clinton or Obama in there because they feel there’s a lot more ammo to be used against them.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:52 pmMan, the bigots and racists certainly crawled out of the woodwork. Obama certainly ruffled their feathers when he won Iowa caucus.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:57 pmBecause he’s not NOVAK’s stereotypical African-American.
January 6th, 2008 at 1:58 pmHave patience with me. Besides Novak’s comment (that was a reference to Biden’s) and Limbaugh’s ‘Barrack the Magic Negro’ referencing the L.A. Times columnist as racist; what other GOP racial comments directed at Obama are there?
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
There have been a series of attempts to cast him as a racist, for belonging to a Black church, constant references to his middle name, spurious stories about him attending a madrass . . . and if he gets the nomination, you can count on many, many more. Most will be couched in some sort of cover language; you won’t see O’Reilly calling him a n!gger, obviously.
But the voices have already started. If you are truly interested, you can start reading here (with its own links).
January 6th, 2008 at 2:06 pmMay you should give Novak the benefit of the doubt
By Captain Mantasic
You agree with what Novak said and you know it. The sad part is you, Rush, Sean Hannity, Novak and the Republicans focus your hate against African Americans, while the terrorist get stronger. On 9-11, the terrorist didn’t stop to check what race the people in the NY or Washington, or Penn, were, they were trying to kill Americans period. When fools like you hate the wrong people the terrorist win. While you focus on Blacks, who have served this country since it began, the real enemy is planning against us all. Just go on hating Blacks, ignoring the terrorists and more Americans will die needlessly, and all because racists were too concerned about hating fellow Americans to fight a real war against the real enemy.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:21 pmThis site is picking which comments to post. I typed comments and they didn’t post them. As I stated eariler, Bob Novak is a racist and there is no two ways about it. This guy hides behind the mantel of the media to spread his message of hate and bigotry. Why this site would censor my comments yet post Novak’s says something. He spoke those racist words, I merely commented on them. If think progress doesn’t want my true opinion then, they should not pretend they allow replies to the stories they print. Racists like Novak should be exposed for what they are. The GOP believes the same thing Novak does, but they have to use code words like “Conservative” to cover their tracks. Maybe they didn’t post my comments because I typed the “N Word”. But what I said was Novak would have used the “N Word” if he the GOP would have stood up for them. Mr. Novak needs to expand the small world he lives in and maybe he could grow as a human being. But when you can’t see past skin color your world can’t be very big.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pm#53 and #54: But those poll numbers were taken (mid-Dec) before Obama’s Iowa win. That has ‘CHANGE’d everything. I’ll bet you that these numbers will improve immensely in Obama’s favor. Maybe not to a majority, but closer to parity.
January 6th, 2008 at 2:47 pmWhat’s with these guys and their obsession with candidate hygiene? Tweety with his man-crush for Fred Thompson’s Old Spice self…. God forbid someone catches Obama using an aerosol deodorant — Hannity’ll be all over that as another example of liberal hypocrites and the environment….
January 6th, 2008 at 3:19 pmNovak’s a traitor. Plain and simple, lest ye forget Valerie Plame. And he will not be missed when he sheds his mortal cloak. His opinion is worthless to me.
January 6th, 2008 at 3:48 pmLefty Patriot. I can understand if you don’t like the job she’s doing. I made the point that she was qualified.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
if she were qualified she wouldn’t be such a dismal failure. You’re an idiot.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:01 pmNovak: Obama’s A ‘Strong’ Candidate Because He’s ‘Clean’ And ‘Not A Stereotype African-American’
January 6th, 2008 at 4:02 pmWhat a racist statement!
Why isn’t this out there, breaking news, groups protesting and asking for Novak’s resignation?
Cap’n, you probably could say the same thing about Democrats (is home to many, figures who embrace and exploit racist attitudes among the electorate) but on a much smaller scale. The racists among Democrats I’d say are generally minorities who see the world in terms of racial groups — blacks, Latinos… and there are a few of those, I’ll grant you.
But a white racist is NOT going to be drawn to the Democratic Party. In fact the Republican Party, it could be argued, over the past forty years has made efforts to reach out to and engage that particular voting block, for whatever reason.
I don’t think most Republicans are racist, but I think they’re very comfortable having racists on their side.
January 6th, 2008 at 4:24 pmRacist prick.
January 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pmNovak’s a dick, but he’s right. And he and Biden aren’t the only ones saying this. Some AFRICAN-AMERICAN columnists are saying the same thing. Google “White Negro.”
January 6th, 2008 at 5:39 pmI’m not comfortable with it. I am also not so sure there is that significant a difference between the two parties on the question of race.
Comment by CaptainMantastic — January 6, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
I don’t doubt your word, Cap’n. But even just assuming that racists of all minorities would flock to the Democrats, and white racists to the Republicans, you have to see that the numbers are on the side of the Rs, right?
But more than that, take someone like Trent Lott, for example. He may not be a racist. But Strom Thurmond certainly was, and Trent was more than comfortable to have Strom on his side. That’s what I mean. Thurmond’s racist rhetoric didn’t give Lott a moment of pause. In fact, he all but celebrated it.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:12 pmIj just saw Michelle Obama too. Spellbinding, Persuasive and Eloquent. You could have heard a pin drop. What an asset she is to the Obama campaign.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:30 pmMy guess is we’ll all be seeing a lot more of her.
Comment by Badger — January 6, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
Sort of a new Camelot?
January 6th, 2008 at 6:40 pmWhen Joe Biden said that Senator Obama was “clean” he very clearly meant that he was untouched by scandal, and brought no baggage to his campaign. Which was true, especially back then when not much had been made of his past drug use.
Robert Novak is a traitor, and he should be tried and executed. Be that as it may, observing that Obama is without taint of scandal, even echoing the language of Biden, is not evidence of racism. Indeed, the suggestion to the contrary suggests racism on the part of the author.
There! You’ve done it, you rat-finks! You’ve made me come to the defense of Novak. Damn you!
January 6th, 2008 at 6:45 pmJFK was the son of a millionaire. Obama is the son of a single mother.
But watching Michelle Obama inspire a crowd…I do find myself thinking of Jaqueline.
January 6th, 2008 at 6:55 pmI would invite anyone here to cite one piece of evidence that Bob “BlowBack The Wack” Novak has done any good for this country!
His words, his actions, his lifestyle? Anything? Something positive? NOPE!
January 6th, 2008 at 7:30 pmNovak, as out of touch as he is, isn’t making any kind of racist comment in this quote. His referring to African Americans by comparison as unclean is an example of a racist stereotype. He is acknowledging that this is a stereotype in America. He isn’t saying it’s one that he supports. Biden’s comments were also not racist. Especially if you listen to him actually saying them, you will see that he was making two descriptions of Obama, one that he is the first “mainstream” African American candidate, the other that he’s “clean, articulate” etc. They were not directly related in his thinking. You can hear this based on his inflection, pauses, and the fact that the reporter interjects during his speaking. You may take separate issue with specific words like “clean” etc., but I think that given his record it is clear these kinds of words were not meant to have any particular race-based component. What he meant was clean as in clean-cut, something to that effect. Both these scenarios, Biden and Novak, are examples of poor reporting and attempts for certain media outlets to distort comments for their own political gain.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:51 pmmemory39, Biden was talking about Obama’s record, Novak was being a clear Republican racist. Novak has always been a racist, a liar, and a damn poor journalist, all his life. Nothing changes for someone like him.
January 6th, 2008 at 9:41 pmNo, Lefty. Biden’s remarks were clear. It wasn’t on Obama’s “recordâ€. It was on his “appearanceâ€.
Comment by justasking — January 6, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
Not true at all. it was on his record, not his appearance.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:03 pmRe comment by “justasking” … no one–including obama–honestly thinks Biden is a racist and if you listen to the tape of the interview Biden gave to the NY Observer, which printed it, you’ll hear something very different. that was a typical example of the media twisting things around…like when it falsely claimed Al Gore said he “invented” the Internet…etc. even obama came out and said that he thought the attacks on Biden for his comment were unfair. you are wrong to suggest joe biden is a racist. he’s been a fighter for civil rights for 35 years in the Senate. it’s unfortunate that novak chose to take joe biden’s words and use them to make his own disgusting comment…. novak is an old fool who should have been put out to pasture long ago…. Obama should chose Biden as his Sec/State.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:16 pmre justasking’s comment that “the whole thing caught Biden by surprise because he himself [sic] didn’t realize he harbored prejudicial thinking” — i think that is incredibly unfair and unfounded…and i doubt “justasking” knows a thing about Joe Biden’s record on civil rights…. the whole thing caught Biden by surpise because, like anyone who has had things they’ve said distorted, he was perplexed why his saying that Obama was an articulate, nice-looking, clean-cut guy was anything but a compliment, which is how he meant it to be taken…and how it should have been taken. i wish more people would say that about me! furthermore, it was actually the use of the word “articulate” that caused the backlash, not the reference to his being clean-cut…. although some thought “clean” was reference to the fact that he (unlike clinton (bill, anyway)) is scandal-free…which made some others who are not scandal-free a bit irked…but there was nothing racist about it.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:25 pmNovak, stop kissing the rep.party and get a real job. You should be in jail for outing Val. Wilson.
January 6th, 2008 at 10:53 pmPlease enjoy an article I have written on this topic called “Experience Matters!”
http://nycivic.org/articles07/Bison/071231B.htm
Thanks,
January 7th, 2008 at 4:23 amMichael Oliva
Along with an abnormal amount of corporatist and pedophiles, I wasn’t really a democrat honestly until Bush came along
January 7th, 2008 at 10:27 amWell, since we’re playing “Describe Someone You Admire,” I have this description of Robert Novak:
Fat. Stupid. Ugly.
January 8th, 2008 at 7:12 amUm…can you tell me which white candidate is the stereotypical or average white American? The rich woman, or one of the rich men?
February 5th, 2008 at 9:05 am