Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell: Words Matter
PHOTO: Can You Spot An Obama?
If you've been watching cable news coverage of the presidential campaigns like I have, news of the black man who stood up at a recent John McCain rally and begged McCain to take the "gloves off" and to "take it to Obama" might have struck you recently. That man's name is James T. Harris. ...
And as I saw Harris' plea play out I was uncharacteristically speechless. I wasn't speechless because this black man was supporting McCain--that choice left me unfazed. I was shocked by the resolve of Harris' full-throated allegiance to McCain. Given that established and well-respected conservatives have criticized McCain's campaign for the nasty and at times violent and racist tone of its political rallies, Harris' complete and total buy-in to McCain and crew is remarkable. And I do not mean that in a good way.
Now Essence.com has conducted an interview with James T. Harris. I recommend you read it entirely, but here is an excerpt:
ESSENCE.COM: McCain has already addressed a lot of these issues, including Bill Ayers and ACORN, in campaign attack ads. What specifically do you think he should do, to "take it to Obama," that hasn't already been done?
HARRIS: That's different. That's ads. Barack Obama said yesterday that, "McCain hasn't said this to my face." You know what? He's right! Forget all these campaign ads. Say it to his face. I said, "We have one debate left, and we have a few weeks left; I am begging you take it to Obama!" That was the context. Not "Massa, please. Massa, please." That wasn't it. That's the context that's being looped on CNN and on blog sites. Nobody played the full clip. Maybe I'm just kind of jaded because of all I've been going through. I'm like, "Oh my God, this isn't right." I really do understand how this is an emotional thing, and people think Stepin Fetchit. But that wasn't the case at all. I don't think I carried myself like that, and I don't think my question was whining.
The first blog post I read post-Harris' beggin' was from the inimitable Field Negro who likened James T. Harris' enthusiasm for McCain to 'beat' Obama to that of "The Slave Catcher" of old. As is often the case, Field has it right on the money.
Comments: (397)
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By: Jeff on 11/11/2008 9:17AM
SO HOW DO YOU FEEL NOW BLACK MAVERICK, NOW THAT YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA............
YOU'RE SO DUMB AND STUPID!!!!!!
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By: Danny on 11/11/2008 4:53PM
Sorry Arain, are you forgetting all the hate of GW Bush? History WILL prove he was one of our GREATEST Presidents and look at the way that poor man has been treated! For 8 years he stood up for us and kept us safe and has been repaid by hate and anger. You see how graceful and helpful he is being to Nobama after all the lies and horrible things Hussien Obama said about him. Wake up fools! Its going to take another terrorist attack to make you guys wish you had a real President back!
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By: lol on 11/11/2008 5:59PM
white people was lovin that nigga for the moment..now they hatin his ass again
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By: Anna C on 11/11/2008 7:02PM
That guy was trying for 15 minuites of fame like Joe the plummer.Too bad he stood out, really stood out .
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By: Debbie on 11/11/2008 10:44PM
I'm black and didn't vote for Obama. When I first saw him on TV last year, I got a bad feeling about him. I had these feelings before I new ANYTHING about him, including his communist, anti-american friends. After the media exposed his relationships with these people, I became absolutely uncomfortable with this man. After listenting to his campaign speeches, I didn't see a presidential candidate. I saw a slick, manipulative con-artist only out for himself. Does anyone really believe that Obama care about this country? I didn't see the democratic convention, but I saw a clip of Obama on stage and two HUGE pictures of him on video screens. Do you ever remember a time in history when a presidential candidate did something like that? This guy is so into himself and could care less about this country. He just wants the power not to mention to be adored by others. And what is up with him wanting to create a national civilian force that reports directly to him? He wants it to be bigger and better than the U.S. military. He has a grandious personality that could be very dangerous to this country. In fact, he is dangerous for this country. Russia sees him as spinless. Look at what Russia did the day after Obama was elected. Other countries think he is a joke except for muslim countries. They see him as one of them. Just look at what the prez of Iran did...sent Obama a letter? Is Obama going to sell us out to terrorist? I don't trust Obama with this country, at all. Even the stock market doesn't trust him. Did see the post-election drop? It was the largest drop in post-election history. Does he honestly think investors are going to stay in the market when he is threating to tax them into oblivion. All I can say is good-bye America as we know it.
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By: Debbie on 11/11/2008 11:08PM
When I hear Obama on tape saying he wants to create a national civilian security force, it sounds so
third-world to me. I have this image in my head where I see men in military camaflouge holding Ak-47's sitting in the back of run down pickup trucks. This man is trying to do WAY too much, but he will crash and burn and unfortunately we might go down with him. And can anyone see Obama in charge of the war on terror? I don't. I believe Obama will take the passive approach and do nothing or do what Clinton did, blow up an aspirine factory. If we are hit by another terrorist attack, people are going to begging for the republicans for help because Obama and the democrats wouldn't know what to do. In my opinion, Bush may have screwed up a lot, but Obama will be the nail in the coffin on this country.
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By: Ed on 11/13/2008 8:36PM
It's sad to see black men still feeling that an old ignorant white man would better represent their interest rather than an intelligent black man with an understanding on a wider scale of where this country should be and where we have been for the past 8 years...color aside, these guys are as ignorant as McCain...the better candidate won handily...and I will not give them the satisfaction of saying we should have supported McCain when he did not support MLK, Jr. Day...Please, McCain cares about the 2% of rich americans, something the poor whites in the midwest will never understand...
Blacks have always voted for a white Republican and/or a white Democrat...97% is no different than the 90% Clinton got or the 87% Kerry got...why should Obama have gotten less...Please, there is no need to cow down to Master anymore, no matter how much you make, you're still a nig... to the current Republican party...ask Colin!!!!!!!!
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