By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board
As noted here previously, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill will face great pressures in Missouri as she continues to support Barack Obama. She failed the test earlier this week.
In praising Obama after his Tuesday speech on race and Jeremiah Wright, McCaskill said of her favored presidential candidate:
"He, for the first time, I think, as a black leader in America, has come to the American people not as a victim, but rather as a leader."
Uh, Claire, ever heard of Martin Luther King Jr.? Or Thurgood Marshall, Shirley Chisholm, Frederick Douglass, Barbara Jordan, Sojourner Truth, Roy Wilkins, Jesse Jackson, or dozens of others who came before Obama?
Naturally, spokepersons rushed forth to say McCaskill misspoke.
Adrianne Marsh of McCaskill's office put forth the line that "it appeared that she was trying to diminish other black leaders. That was not her intention."
No, but it was the sound-bite that will sting, at least for a little while, while being a good reminder to McCaskill to choose her words more carefully.
Yael T. Abouhalkah is a member of The Kansas City Star's Editorial Board.
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Obama's camp is probably
Obama's camp is probably thinking 'with friends like that, who needs enemies?'
I wonder what cabinet post has been promised to McCaskill in the event of an Obama win. We knew it was all about Claire, not about the Democratic party, when she challenged a sitting Democratic governor to a divisive primary fight. Her unwavering support of Obama is just more of the same.
Speaking of racism - you have an example at the Star itself
The following excerpt is taken from the link below ...
02/25/08 … KC Earth Notes, posted by Walter Winch - Call It What It Is
"This is little more than commercial slaughter to feed the degenerate needs of some general sitting in his mansion in Jakarta, a corrupt party official in Beijing or a New York hedge fund manager."
"Asians have demonstrated an astonishing propensity to shove whatever they can find into their mouths. It's nothing more than a death cult. "
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Yael - now imagine you were to read the following about some obese African Americans living in Mississippi who, even when warned by their doctors of the deadly risks of diabetes, continue to eat a fat and calorie-laden diet:
"Blacks have demonstrated an astonishing propensity to shove whatever they can find into their mouths. It's nothing more than a death cult. "
Wouldn't you consider the second statement to be racist, both due to the 'shove' comment and the inclusion of ALL blacks into this insult? I would, and I also find the Asian comment to be incredibly insulting for the same reasons, yet Mr. Winch is unapologetic for his comments. I find it appalling, as well as inexplicable, since he is a professed liberal who should be above this kind of racial divisiveness, exactly as Obama is speaking about.
My question to you: why is the KC Star tolerating this apparent racism among its own staff? If it isn't racist to state that all Asians do that, and therefore all belong to a 'death cult', then exactly what IS racism? If Mr. Winch had meant some subsection that was buying illegal meats on the black market, he might be able to make a case for that comment, if he were far more specific - but this comment simply blames all Asians' propensity to eat a wide variety of foods for whatever ills he perceives in that article.
Thank you
Claire has pretty much
put all her marbles on the Obama train once she stepped into the middle of The Snub. Whether or not it helps her career who knows. She's a red state Dem looking ahead to re-election. Can't blame her really--when you need your mom to bring in the rural vote.....