Comments on: Blogs and Articles for January 5 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/ I read all the news I have time for and then I try to put it in my own words Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:58:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: megapotamus http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-91 megapotamus Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:53:55 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-91 Obama's race is moot. We already HAD a black President, Bill Clinton. Remember? Obama’s race is moot. We already HAD a black President, Bill Clinton. Remember?

]]> By: submandave http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-90 submandave Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:38:38 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-90 I think the importance of Sen. Obama's race lies only in the utility it provides the race-baiting "Civil Rights" industry in being able to stir hate and discontent with cries and assumptions of racism. Given that a 94% white state stood behind the Senator as their candidate this should be ridiculous, but personal experience indicates to me that such facts and data can be easilly overcome through concerted application of rhetoric, emotion and victimology. I think the importance of Sen. Obama’s race lies only in the utility it provides the race-baiting “Civil Rights” industry in being able to stir hate and discontent with cries and assumptions of racism. Given that a 94% white state stood behind the Senator as their candidate this should be ridiculous, but personal experience indicates to me that such facts and data can be easilly overcome through concerted application of rhetoric, emotion and victimology.

]]> By: Mike http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-89 Mike Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:13:32 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-89 "Basically the vehemence of the hateful reaction to George Bush is insane and over the top. It does not appear to be grounded in anything like reality." Anybody baffled by the fact that people hate what GW has done to the country will be equally bewildered when the Dems sweep back into power this fall. “Basically the vehemence of the hateful reaction to George Bush is insane and over the top. It does not appear to be grounded in anything like reality.”

Anybody baffled by the fact that people hate what GW has done to the country will be equally bewildered when the Dems sweep back into power this fall.

]]> By: phil collins http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-88 phil collins Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:45:27 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-88 "So far the people I’ve heard quoted saying such things have been democrats. It’s been part of the Democratic primary process, or didn’t you notice?" http://www.google.com/search?q=+hussein+obama&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a results for "hussein obama" I don't dispute that the democrats have been angling for the subtle cultural/religious smear on Obama but it hasn't only been them...or didn't you notice? “So far the people I’ve heard quoted saying such things have been
democrats. It’s been part of the Democratic primary process, or
didn’t you notice?”

http://www.google.com/search?q=+hussein+obama&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

results for “hussein obama”

I don’t dispute that the democrats have been angling for the subtle cultural/religious smear on Obama but it hasn’t only been them…or didn’t you notice?

]]> By: PG http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-85 PG Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:18:43 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-85 It's really difficult to understand why Goldberg would refer to Obama's race, and Reynolds did the same in referencing his past prediction that black voters would stay home if Clinton beat Obama for the nomination, if their reference to "fear of social unraveling" wasn't about race riots. "Prices paid"? Come on. Reynolds says he meant "an extended chattering-class hissy fit," but only someone stuck up his own chattering-class ass could see Ezra Klein's bitching as a "social unraveling" momentous enough that fear of it would make voters go for Obama against their own preference. But props to Goldberg for the oblique language that will allow him deny that he was talking about race and instead claim that he believes voters live in fear of Maureen Dowd's becoming more unhinged. It’s really difficult to understand why Goldberg would refer to Obama’s race, and Reynolds did the same in referencing his past prediction that black voters would stay home if Clinton beat Obama for the nomination, if their reference to “fear of social unraveling” wasn’t about race riots. “Prices paid”? Come on. Reynolds says he meant “an extended chattering-class hissy fit,” but only someone stuck up his own chattering-class ass could see Ezra Klein’s bitching as a “social unraveling” momentous enough that fear of it would make voters go for Obama against their own preference.

But props to Goldberg for the oblique language that will allow him deny that he was talking about race and instead claim that he believes voters live in fear of Maureen Dowd’s becoming more unhinged.

]]> By: Mark Amerman http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-84 Mark Amerman Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:44:03 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-84 I'll do my best. I'm not sure that Jonah Goldberg's prediction is accurate. But I certainly understand where he's coming from. I don't believe he's referring to racial riots. Basically the vehemence of the hateful reaction to George Bush is insane and over the top. It does not appear to be grounded in anything like reality. I claim no understanding of the thinking or the emotions of those who hate so extremely and with such remarkable inability to make coherent rational argument. And I'm amazed by the number of people who seem to fall into this camp. But having confessed my incomprehension, I don't know that the response to Huckabee would be any worse. Possibly people are responding to some aspect of Bush that I and Goldberg are oblivious to and a Huckabee presidency would not encounter anything similar. On the other hand, Occam's Razor, the simpler hypothesis, would suggest the reaction would be much the same, and that what is different is not Bush, but rather the internet, which has enabled the illogical and the irrational and the hateful to reinforce one another. Having said my say, I have a hunch you don't really get it at all. Reading your comment above more closely, you said, quote: "Just sitting around listening to people call Obama a -- secret Muslim -- or Hussein Obama like either of these things means he can’t run our country, makes me want to do everything I can to make sure the Republicans do not stand a chance to further ruin our country." So far the people I've heard quoted saying such things have been democrats. It's been part of the Democratic primary process, or didn't you notice? As for attempting to get Obama to say what he's about, to make specific statements, I'd say good luck and yes I'd like to see the same. But I doubt it very much. Obama's goal seems to be as vague and non-particular and as popular as possible. And that last item, popularity, means that even with respect to what little is actually said, we don't know that is true. It may instead simply be something that polled well. I’ll do my best. I’m not sure that Jonah Goldberg’s prediction
is accurate. But I certainly understand where he’s coming from.
I don’t believe he’s referring to racial riots.

Basically the vehemence of the hateful reaction to George Bush is
insane and over the top. It does not appear to be grounded in
anything like reality. I claim no understanding of the thinking
or the emotions of those who hate so extremely and with such
remarkable inability to make coherent rational argument. And
I’m amazed by the number of people who seem to fall into this
camp.

But having confessed my incomprehension, I don’t know that the
response to Huckabee would be any worse. Possibly people are
responding to some aspect of Bush that I and Goldberg are
oblivious to and a Huckabee presidency would not encounter anything
similar.

On the other hand, Occam’s Razor, the simpler hypothesis, would
suggest the reaction would be much the same, and that what is
different is not Bush, but rather the internet, which has enabled
the illogical and the irrational and the hateful to reinforce
one another.

Having said my say, I have a hunch you don’t really get it at
all.

Reading your comment above more closely, you said, quote:

“Just sitting around listening to people call Obama a — secret
Muslim — or Hussein Obama like either of these things means
he can’t run our country, makes me want to do everything I can
to make sure the Republicans do not stand a chance to further
ruin our country.”

So far the people I’ve heard quoted saying such things have been
democrats. It’s been part of the Democratic primary process, or
didn’t you notice?

As for attempting to get Obama to say what he’s about, to make
specific statements, I’d say good luck and yes I’d like to see
the same. But I doubt it very much. Obama’s goal seems to be
as vague and non-particular and as popular as possible. And that
last item, popularity, means that even with respect to what little
is actually said, we don’t know that is true. It may instead simply
be something that polled well.

]]> By: Ryan Hartman http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-83 Ryan Hartman Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:10:59 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-83 "Imagine the media invests as heavily in him as I think we all know they will if he's the nominee — and then imagine he loses. I seriously think certain segments of American political life will become completely unhinged. I can imagine the fear of this social unraveling actually aiding Obama enormously in 2008. Forget Hillary's inevitability. Obama has a rendezvous with destiny, or so we will be told. And if he's denied it, teeth shall be gnashed, clothes rent and prices paid." Help me understand I am neither a mind-reader nor a democrat “Imagine the media invests as heavily in him as I think we all know they will if he’s the nominee — and then imagine he loses. I seriously think certain segments of American political life will become completely unhinged. I can imagine the fear of this social unraveling actually aiding Obama enormously in 2008. Forget Hillary’s inevitability. Obama has a rendezvous with destiny, or so we will be told. And if he’s denied it, teeth shall be gnashed, clothes rent and prices paid.”

Help me understand

I am neither a mind-reader nor a democrat

]]> By: Assistant Village Idiot http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-82 Assistant Village Idiot Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:55:41 +0000 http://ryanhartman.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/blogs-and-articles-for-january-5/#comment-82 Democratic candidates sit down and answer questions? Are you mad? You either misunderstood or deliberately slanted Goldberg's comment, BTW. I suspect you are mind-reading what he "really" meant. Because Democrats are so good at that, y'know? Democratic candidates sit down and answer questions? Are you mad?

You either misunderstood or deliberately slanted Goldberg’s comment, BTW. I suspect you are mind-reading what he “really” meant. Because Democrats are so good at that, y’know?

]]>