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Obama?s Turn To ?Racial-Solidarity?: A Blow By Blow Endorsement

On a number of occasions already we?ve encountered Charles M. Blow, one of the two regular New York Times black columnists covering (largely, though not exclusively) black issues, and it?s never been a pretty site. Today, however, he stoops to what may be a new low, endorsing Obama?s new rather shrill appeals to racial solidarity, though he does lamely attempt to cover this embarrassment with the charge that in doing so Obama is simply emulating Republicans.

The president and fellow Democrats have taken a page from the Republican playbook. They?re unabashedly using racial-solidarity politics to animate voters. In this case, the Democrats? appeal is to black voters, the most unwavering portion of President Obama?s base, and the message is simple: The president is under attack, and black voters must mobilize to protect him.

To their credit, however, neither the president nor his Blow-hard supporter even attempt to deny that this is anything other than a pure racial appeal. The new Democratic ads, Blow admits, ?aren?t about policy. They?re personal appeals on behalf of he president.? He?s right. The new turn is not simply another example of Obama?s now-familiar narcissism; now its racial narcissism.

As the president told an audience last week at Bowie State University, a historically black college, in Maryland: ?I think the pundits are wrong. But it?s up to you to prove them wrong. Don?t make me look bad, now.?

Kerry, you will recall (because you were constantly reminded), was the candidate who?d been in Vietnam. And, just in case you?d forgotten, Charles Blow and the president and the Democratic National Committee are here to remind you that Obama is black.

If you forget that and oppose him, you?re racist. If you remember that and oppose him, you?re a racist. But if you support him because he?s black, what are you?

Full post as published by Discriminations on October 16, 2010 (boomark / email).