Thursday, May 17, 2012

Once more ... with feeling

You may have heard about the story in today's New York Times about yet another right-wing attempt to unseat President Obama, this courtesy of one Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade and who the article says plans on resurrecting the Jeremiah Wright controversy of 2008, "[doing] what John McCain wouldn't let us do," according to the proposal, originally timed for the summer's Democratic National Convention.

However, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the publicity surrounding it actually served Ricketts' -- and the Republican Party's -- purposes more so than the actual campaign.

The contempt in which conservatives hold Obama simply isn't news, nor are the racist attitudes of some of them, which is why I'm questioning the whole enterprise.  By having this come out now, they place the media in somewhat of a double-bind.

For openers, by putting the story on the front page, the Times allowed the conservative movement to justify its long-standing persecution complex, that "they're out to get us" -- even though the campaign, which would clearly be race-baiting, would be reprehensible in its own right.  But if it were placed on an inside or back page or ignored totally, the rest of the readership would complain that the paper would be kowtowing to the right.

It will be interesting to see the letters that the Times publishes in the next few days, whether readers will complain about Ricketts or they believe that the paper was simply duped into becoming part of the campaign.  The apostle Paul talked about folks who "invent ways to do evil," and we may be looking at just that.

3 comments:

Don Plummer said...

This is reprehensible but no surprise. My son used to listen to Jeremiah Wright while he was living in Chicago during his internship (Wright's sermons were broadcast locally). These folks with their caricature of Wright are reaching below gutter level.

Mark said...

On Tuesday the 22nd California schools will be observing Harvey Milke Day ( A state holiday); commemorative excersizes to honor the gay statesman. Children as young as 5 will be in these obsevances without parent approval. when I was 5 that was called corrupting the morals of a minor.Which got a person jail-time and a probable shank in the kidney. The boldness of the the movement to get into my childrens pants grows bolder; having the support of the President. I'm not racist,and maybe they should leave Reverand Wright out of this. Romnet claims he disapproves of this plan. Christians can not complain if they are swept away with the coming judgement, if they are passive or TOLERANT of things that are not Racial biases. WE can't bounce back after, if we hate God's Word and still claim to be Christian as both Candidates have.

Mark said...

Sorry to chime in again. On Destination 2012, Yahoo News; Nancy Pelosi defends the fund raising tactic involving the Dead In The Water Reverand Wright ads. The inference, not outright admission,that it was known to be Dead In the Water before the fund raising tactic, shows contempt for Hard working Democratic voters. Using foul Televangelist tactics to evoke money giving fear and anger, and Pelosi spoke ua unapologetically about it. It did no harm to the wallets of any Republican, or Independant as myself.