Here goes another one. Liberals can't seem to help themselves. This article from Slate decries the racism of McCain and Clinton supporters, and declares without a doubt that the only reason Obama is not winning handily is racism among rural whites. What an arrogant, elitist jerk. Read for yourself what he has to say. I could dissect and analyze this junk line by line and show the stupidity of the arguement, but the convinced will not be swayed. As he says near the end of the article:
If Obama loses, our children will grow up thinking of equal opportunity as a myth. His defeat would say that when handed a perfect opportunity to put the worst part of our history behind us, we chose not to. In this event, the world's judgment will be severe and inescapable: The United States had its day but, in the end, couldn't put its own self-interest ahead of its crazy irrationality over race.
This is identity politics in a nutshell. No real person believes in supply side economics. No real person believes in the war on terror. No real person believes in capitalism, American exceptionalism, or the candidacy of John McCain. The only reason for a real person to vote for McCain is either 1) He is a multibillionare who wants evil capitalism or 2) He is a racist redneck who can't bring himself to vote for a black man, and will invent any excuse he can to justify this racism. Again, what an arrogant jerk to presume to call me and anyone else who does not fall in line on the Obama coronation a racist.
I could attempt to argue. I could talk about the black family members I have, the black friends I have had in college and the military and still have at work and at church. I could talk about the minimum of 5 black politicians I can think of just off the top of my head that I would have voted for over McCain, much less Obama. I could talk about this and more, and fail to convince anyone because their mind is made up one way or another. As one black man I worked with in the Navy said: "You can't help being racist because you are white. You don't understand black people and you insult us just by being white." How do you argue with that? Instead, I am going to link to the article if you want to see the outrageous claims that we will see widespread about American racism if Obama loses, and instead dissect the actual reasons for Obama dropping from a 10 point lead to a statistical tie.
There are three recent world events that have convinced a sizeable number of American voters that Obama is:
1) Out of touch
2) In over his head
and 3) Incredibly arrogant.
Event 1: The Energy Bill:
The Pelosi led Democrats sent a lifeline to both McCain and house Republicans last month. Their unwillingness to even allow a vote on drilling as part of a comprehensive energy solution did not show that they are out of touch with how the high fuel prices are hurting Americans, it showed they don't care. For all their talk about being the party of the people, they would rather see people give up their American Dream than cave on a promise they made to extremist environmental groups. Sure we all like clean air. (The California wildfires this summer reminded me how much I like a clear sky) We all want happy frolicking salmon swimming joyously up river, happy polar bears, playing in the pristine snow, joyous deer bounding and leaping through old growth forests, we all at heart are environmentalists to a degree. But when push comes to shove and we have to choose between the bounding deer and our kids, most logical people choose family. My personal experience is that in the last 2 years, my gasoline bill has gone from 4% of my family budget to 11% of my family budget. In response, we don't go out much. We carpool when we can. We drove much less this summer than last. Food, utilities, and other expenses have also gone up. We scrimp more and still pay more. Yet Obama in a painfully tone deaf moment, told me and everyone like me to inflate our tires. He has refused to call on congress to get back in session and make an effort at a comprehensive energy bill. His own bill was an environmentalists dream, with very limited drilling possible, huge taxes to raise oil costs higher, bureocracy and failed price controls from the 70's, and the pipe dream of solar panels and wind mills riding in on their shining steeds to save us all. Obama proved he is out of touch. It is not his race, it is not his wealth. It is the incredible tone deafness of his policy to the real needs of Americans.
2) The Middle East and Russia
Obama has reversed himself more times than imaginable on Iraq, confused himself on Iran, called to bomb a nuclear nation Pakistan and called for an Iraq-like surge in Afghanistan. He has no coherent policy, no defined policy aims, and no idea what he believes about the world and Americas place in it. This was all exasperated by Georgia. When Russia invaded, it brought back the shadows of Cold War politics. McCain immediately stood strong. Obama drifted, eventually weakly echoing McCain. Bush drifted as well. And the reaction of Bush reminded me that he too came into office a political neophyte. He too had no foreign policy experience. Over the last month it has shown. He was clear in Iraq because despite the drum roll of cowboy contempt coming from Europe, DC and the anti war press, he knew he was right. Against Russia, led by a man he trusted, he was at a loss. The moral clarity was gone. What to do? Obamas response and the stark reminder that we live in a serious world woke people up to the danger of a weak indecisive President. More than Carter and the hostage crisis, this reminds people of Carter attempting to forfeit the Cold War. The press articles calling for restraint, for America being at fault for encouraging Georgian democracy, for Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia leading Russia to feel threatened and that we need to empathize reminds most Americans that Carter and the press were wrong towards the end of the Cold War, and Reagan and his hawkish friends like McCain were right. Weakness at this moment portends extreme danger, and Obama for all his change and hope portrays American weakness and apologetic mush, which even France now recognizes is not in anyones interest. Again, not a racial issue, but a real logical reason to oppose Obama and choose McCain as a stronger alternative.
3) Obamas Magical Mystery Tour:
This ultimately was the biggest single reason for Obamas fall. (not the most important, but the one that stood out the most) The arrogance, the presumptuousness, of a presidential candidate going to Berlin and speaking to a massive anti American crowd of leftists at the site of our Cold War triumph, and the vacuousness of his message there sent a clear symbol. It said unequivocably that he, like his wife has stated, is ashamed of America, embarrased by the ignorant rubes who believe America is exceptional, and as president will lead America back to comfortable mediocrity. There is a problem though. We ignorant rubes are the electorate, not the Berlin masses or the French coffee shop set. We vote, and we really don't appreciate the arrogant disrespect we hear every day from this candidate and his wife, and his campaign.
It is not about race, it is not about wealth. It isn't even all about politics. When it comes down to it, people don't like being talked down to. That is what doomed Kerry and it is what may doom Obama. No matter how many times you dress it up as closet racism, I think even jerks like this author know better.