It’s unclear whether Serwer actually believes that tossing around the word “socialism” will actually lead to violence against Obama. This idea of Obama as a top assassination target is a media obsession lately, but the potential for violence is always a problem for presidential candidates. There’s no legitimate reason to think violence is any more likely this time around. “What else is a patriot to do when freedom is threatened?” Well, vote for the other candidate. That’s the point of all of this rhetoric—just to get people to vote for McCain.
The author seems to imply that these accusations and insinuations are basically just designed to associate Obama with other “dangerous” blacks. Because aren’t “communist” and “socialist” just shorthand for “you should be afraid of him?” One thinks the author would have made more of that point. He didn’t, however, because it’s not really valid. “Communist” and “socialist” used to be shorthand for “you should be afraid of that person.” But today, “Communist” is shorthand for nothing.
There are a number of interesting things one can say about how the right attempts to portray Obama, particularly in light of its historical treatment of other black politicians. Indeed, his opponents are throwing plenty of nasty and potentially damaging rumors at Obama during this campaign. But rumors of communist leanings are not primary among these. It’s like accusing Obama of being an Anti-Federalist or a Roundhead. And it’s not something about which Americans need to worry much.
Obama is the most dishonest candidate for president we have ever seen. His career in office has been brief and without accomplishment, and as for the rest, he has tried to scrub it as much as possible. He's all spin. No wonder journalists like him. Congratulations, CJR gossip. You haven't been caught yet. With luck, and more groupthink, you might outlast Jayson Blair.
Posted by The Postliberal on Thu 16 Oct 2008 at 08:35 PM
Mr Luzer, for a journalist, you aren’t very careful with either your semantics or your sources. No one thinks Barack Obama is a Communist. Some people think he is a communist. Some think he hangs around with a few too many communists, and sympathizes with them but isn’t one himself. Others think he is just a garden variety socialist.
Posted by Carl Stevens on Thu 16 Oct 2008 at 08:44 PM
What is the Postliberal talking about. Obama is dishonest how? Have you viewed his record, 'no'.
Why would he be called a communist, under what pretext
or intelligent context?.
Posted by JatoDiop on Thu 16 Oct 2008 at 10:13 PM
One thing that came up in conversation with my family is the Red / Black color scheme of the Obama family. Obama has been though of as a socialist...a communist to some people. The fact that the Cuban flag with CHE GUEVARA'S picture was hanging at one of Obama's offices was another question into the voters minds. Did you know that on July 26 of EVERY year the Cuban government makes all Cubans wear RED & BLACK to commemorate the communist over taking of Cuba? That RED & BLACK in Cuba are the colors said to be that of the Communist Revolution. Coincidence that Obama is taking over the Presidency and the family is wearing Red & Black? Just a thought
Posted by Cubano562 on Thu 6 Nov 2008 at 02:27 PM
It was odd that he chose that black and red color scheme for clothes and even more odd the little girl was in a black dress at seven years old. This was deliberate. Google Oprah and The Secret and women in slavery and Nazi and Communist regimes.
Posted by misa on Tue 11 Nov 2008 at 11:05 PM