Prometheus 6

Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic:

This new ad North Carolina Republican Party is not blunt, not subtle, not terribly creative, and...

....is misleading in that it suggests that Obama was present for the sermon it shows Rev. Wright delivering. ("God damn America!"). The notion is that Barack Obama is "too extreme" for North Carolina, and because Democratic gubernatorial candidates Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue endorsed Obama, they're extreme too. Take the logic for what you will.

and further, after quoting McCain's chastisement of the NC GOP:

There's a sense among some GOP activists that the McCain campaign depresses the base by refusing to engage in the base-tending tactics that these ads exemplify. Also: how many times does McCain have to remind his party that he doesn't like these types of ads and doesn't want them to run? How many GOP state parties will rebel against their nominee's discomfort with ads like these? (Two, so far: Tennessee and North Carolina.)

Mr. Ambinder, and in fact, McCain, demonstrate a real problem that prevents serious approaches to racial reconciliation and/or progress and/or transcendance. It's not a particularly egregious example, so pointing it out is more of a gentle nudge than shaking sense into folk.

The problem?

There's a sense among some GOP activists that the McCain campaign depresses the base by refusing to engage in the base-tending tactics that these ads exemplify. Also: how many times does McCain have to remind his party that he doesn't like these types of ads and doesn't want them to run? How many GOP state parties will rebel against their nominee's discomfort with ads like these?

We say "these types of ads" when we mean "ads that target bigots." We don't say "racist ads." We know they are...but we never say it.

I thought it would be a good thing to mention while we're all noticing white men's discomfort, and taking note that the tiny minority of white folks that are still uncomfortable with the existence of Black people SOMEHOW turned out to be the pivotal identity group.

It is important that we never say the word "racist" in this situation. Very important. You see, if we said the word "racist" every time it was appropriate...by "we" I mean Mainstream Media, not folk like me...it would destroy all the anti-P.C., anti-AA, race transcendance rhetoric. Boom. Gone.

Can't have that.

So it's "these types of ads." Targeting the population John McCain will represent, a population that is depressed if they can't run "these ads." Ads planned, written, produced, paid for and distributed by the folks at the top of the class pyramid in North Carolina. We're not talking the ignorant, unschooled pillowcase-heads people want to pretend all racists are. We're talking folks who look a lot like you from the outside.

And to be honest, I don't think you're in the least surprised.