Gibbs: Obama Protesters Not Motivated By Race

[georgian style]

"On CNN Sunday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he didn't think the protests against the president are racially motivated.

Host John King asked Gibbs about signs that said "Bury Obamacare With Kennedy," describing the sign as "distasteful." In reference to a column by the New York Times' Maureen Dowd, King asked if the president thought his race had something to do with such vitriol.

"I don't think the president believes that people are upset because of the color of his skin." Rather, he said, they were upset by the financial collapse and the economic crisis."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/13/gibbs-obama-protesters-no_n_284893.html

[mucifer]

1. If someone in the administration would say it's racism that would be the ONLY thing

on the news 24/7. I'm glad Gibbs didn't take the bait.

[HopeOverFear]

3. Agreed.

[georgian style]

11. self-delete n/t

[hileeopnyn8d]

8. Exactly

He can't say. The administration can't say it, but that doesn't prevent the rest of us from saying it.

[Parker CA]

20. Yep, they would get pulled into a race war so fast they wouldn't know what hit them. All other

attempts at pursuing the current agenda would slip off-track and they would be forced to parse every statement to define racism since they were the ones to bring it up.

At the rate things are going, Obama can sit back, continue leading this country forward, and let the race debate evolve more organically through selected media outlets and editorials that decide to take it on.

As he is doing with the constant calls for bi-partisanship, he will convey the message necessary to move his agenda forward, knowing full well that the truth of the matter is quite different; he doesn't truly believe or expect that his calls for bi-partisanship will work, nor does he truly believe that the hate from the right is void of racist motivations.

Both strategies allow for the GOP to further unravel on their own and to continue placing their cards onto the table for all to see, thus diminishing their efforts and creating a track record on which their game plan becomes more predictable.

[PearliePoo2]

22. And bait it was.

The Whitehouse and Gibbs KNOW that a 400% uptick in death threats are not just "economics".
Nice job Robert, on returning the serve King tried to cream you with.

[CoffinEd]

25. Amen!!!

How soon we forget Gates-Crowley, which would pale in comparison to the unwanted negative coverage the media would give the "comment."

Obama and his folks know what's behind the motivations of some protesters, and they know that America is seeing the same shit. Not all of us are brainless and delusional.

[vaberella]

46. Yup. n/t

[ima_sinnic]

2. still singing kumbaya I see

they're "upset" the way Wilson let his "emotions" overcome him so it's all okay.

[depakid]

42. Yep- that's exactly right

Comes off as disingenuous at best- and quite frankly, weak.

Makes one wonder is this administration will EVER come out with some straight talk and simply call a spade a spade when it's obvious to everyone.

[eShirl]

4. good grief, Gibbs, wake up and smell the tea bag

sorry for the mental image

[dgibby]

5. Gibbs needs to get his head out of his ass. n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. If he said it was racism the MSM would go crazy

and all we'd hear for days is how the Obama administration is accusing their opponents of racism, and then everybody else goes crazy and gets all indignant and the Republicans puff and snort and it's a huge distraction that we don't need. I don't think Gibbs' head is up his ass -- I'm sure he knows damn well that racism motivates a lot of this crap -- but he's smart enough not to take the bait.

[georgian style]

13. Probably not. Dowd is part of the MSN and she says Wilson's statement was racist

Same goes for Colbert King and others.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. MoDo is a newspaper op-ed writer.

And a number of them have pointed out the racial aspects of the teabagger protests. Most people don't read NYT op-eds. I'm referring to what passes for "news" on both cable and broadcast outlets. They would take any comment from Gibbs or anyone else in the administration that could be construed as even hinting that they think the teabaggers are a bunch of ignorant racist goobers, which they are, and beat it to death for weeks. And that would just make things worse.

[georgian style]

17. do you think a news reporter for WAPO would say Gibbs thinks they are goobers?

...that the protesters, that is, are "racist goobers?" I highly doubt that. Glen Beck and Fox would, though.

[Empowerer]

19. They'd write "Rep. X accused WH of calling protesters racist goobers. WH denies the charge"

Then the cable shows would bring on a right winger and ask them, "Did the WH call the protesters racist goobers?" And then they'd put on some middle of the road journalist to try to point out that the WH said no such thing - offering the fake "balance" they love to do.

Then the discussions would go on for days, ratcheting up into nutcase levels, with the media egging it on gleefully.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

33. Ha, no, that's what WE say.

Seriesly, they would be much more nuanced. But it's still important for Gibbs et al. to stay away from implying racism. Sooner or later some no-name congressman is going to slip and use the N-word when he doesn't realize his mike is on -- THEN Gibbs can bring it up.

[Bicoastal]

18. Screw that. It's just what those fuckers want the White House to do.

The first comments had it right.

[Jade Fox]

6. Oh, yes they are......

Maureen Dowd's excellent column (posted more than once here on DU) says it all.

[lunatica]

7. The White House is obviously trying to defuse the national tension.

I find it reassuring and a relief after the way Bush deliberately divided us so effectively. Not flinging about epithets or blaming the opposition might avert a worse scenario. Refusing to play their games is wise.

[nc4bo]

12. I think you may be right. Even Stevie Wonder can see what's really going on

behind these "rallies".

[eleny]

10. The wingnuts could carry sings depicting Obama as Aunt Jemima...

...and the administration would still try to turn a blind eye. The minute they allege the truth in public, the right wing will go after them as playing the race card. And will be relentless.

I'd like Gibbs to have answered with, "Ya think?!". But it will never happen.

[Empowerer]

15. I'm sure Gibbs would have loved to have said that - but other posters are correct

The Administration CAN'T say it.

Hell, the President simply offered a view about racial profiling and the firestorm that erupted nearly drowned out everything he was trying to do.

Unfortunately, in this country, racist behavior is far more foregiveable than the act of pointing it out. And, as odd as it seems, Americans LOVE the idea that they elected a black president - they love to talk about his blackness, what it means, how it affects his actions, how it impacts how people view him, how his election proves how open-minded and advanced white folks are, etc., etc. But they absolutely HATE it when HE mentions anything about race. It's an amazing hypocrisy and demonstration of self-centered, self-entitlement.

No - Gibbs did exactly what he was supposed to do. He can't make that accusation.

But we can. And should whenever we see it - despite the fact that all too many people, DUers, sadly, included, whine and moan and accuse us of playing the victim and, of course, "the race card."

[hileeopnyn8d]

24. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I said this in a thread the other day:

"Unfortunately, in this country, racist behavior is far more foregiveable than the act of pointing it out."

[PearliePoo2]

14. Gibbs should be "busy" next time King asks for an interview.

Asshole tried to set him up and get some shit going.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hippo_Tron]

26. Oh wow, we got a live one today...

[5X]

27. I actually got to see this in person.

now for the hitting the a* button

[PearliePoo2]

28. Extra cheese? Thin or thick crust?

:hi:

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

23. Gibbs did the right thing. If anyone in the Obama admin so much as peeps about this

it would immediately be spun as Obama being the racist. Headlines would read "Obama calls all of those that don't agree with him racist". The pukes would be the victims and that would be the end of that.

[Parker CA]

29. Exactly. Obama's admin would be forced to define the instances of racism in crystal clear terms.

It's a lose-lose if they get into that situation. Much better to let these freeps unravel on their own and truly show their own cards, because at this rate, the real ugly is just below the surface and will soon erupt.

[alcibiades_mystery]

30. We saw what happens when you say racism suring the Gates incident

Anything less than a fully-robed cross-burning launches the white majority - even on liberal message boards - into full frothing racist denial. Our entire culture is saturated in racism, so of course it is the only thing you cannot say. Smart move on Gibbs' part, and any DUer here saying otherwise is just out to lunch on the national culture.

[georgian style]

31. I don't think Gibbs or Obama said racism was involved in the Gates incident

Did they?

[dolphindance]

32. They didn't explicitly say it, but Obama did mention racial profiling ...

as a general issue to be addressed, and the press connected the dots and ran with it.

[Parker CA]

34. Just imagine if they had. The volume and pushback would've been turned up to 100. nt.

[alcibiades_mystery]

39. No, because they know exactly what the racist culture does

as soon as the word is breathed.

Obama's mama didn't raise no fool.

[jeffbr]

35. Yeah. Their motives were pure

[CakeGrrl]

36. I agree with Gibbs' response, even though he knows it's not true

The WH knows that the MSM in its current state is one of their adversaries. They know the MSM is in no way supportive of the President, and they know what kind of stories the MSM loves to milk for all they're worth and what they ignore.

Gibbs didn't give the MSM any red meat; they would have used a statement from him to berate the WH as race-card whiners, not sympathize with them. Let someone besides the WH call out the racists.

If it becomes a big enough hot button, maybe the MSM will make a story out of it without involving the WH in spite of itself.

[Hansel]

37. An excellent strategy.

Now that Gibbs has denied it, John King will bend over backwards to prove the White House wrong.

Well played Mr. Gibbs.

:rofl:

[CakeGrrl]

38. Yep, that's how they have to play the MSM tools.

They're so contrary to the Obama administration, being true to their Republican ownership, that it'd be great if they overplayed it the same way as Congressional Repubs can't help doing...to the benefit of the WH.

[Clio the Leo]

40. Thank you...........

.... let's make health care affordable to all Americans.

He can single-handedly whipe out racism NEXT year. ;-)

Sing it with me now!!!

Well, the only chains that we can stand
Are the chains of hand in hand
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on
Got my hand on the freedom plow
Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now
Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZWdDI_fkns

"It is a tragic mix-up when the United States spends $500,000 for every enemy soldier killed, and only $53 annually on the victims of poverty.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

[depakid]

41. You have GOT to be kidding me...

Gibbs et al. are tone deaf and blind.

Not to mention mealy mouthed.

And to think, the guy's from Alabama.

[vaberella]

47. Be realistic. You know if Gibbs mentioned race the media would be turn in rabid dogs.

You saw the frenzy and vitriol that was spouted at HRC when she mentioned sexism. You know if Obama goes down that road it would turn into a circus and any efforts to get the issue back on track would be forgotten. Not to mention how many more idiots would come out of the woodwork screaming "He pulled the race card."

Any rational thinking human being realizes it's race, but politically in the nations eyes you have to play it safe when people are already fucking up the chances for ANYTHING to get done.

[Blue_In_AK]

43. This is code talk for

"the protestors are racist as hell."

ed. Or maybe it's a dare ... "Bullshit! We are TOO racist. You LIE."

[polichick]

44. He's just refusing to give the racists ammunition. nt

[vaberella]

48. Yup. n/t

[Raineyb]

45. Of course Gibbs is going to say that. Otherwise the rabid right

would go even more berserk than they already have.

His denials don't make the point you think makes at all.

[MzShellG]

49. Gibbs/Obama aint dumb. Ofcourse thats the official statement.

Behind the scenes they know whats really going on. Most of us can see it. If Gibbs had worded it any other way, the headline wouldve been: Obama plays "race card"....whatever that means. We all know how the media operates.

[GivePeaceAchance]

50. They are motivated by complete and utter fear and when scared rather than show it ...

they react with hostility. Always note how many times they say scared and afraid if you ever listen to their radio shows. It's because they've had all their buttons pushed to provoke a reaction. No doubt race plays a part but fear is their biggest driving force, they feel their guns will protect them from their fears but only they can deal with that by learning greater capacity for forgiveness and tolerance. If there is any person that is capable to make them overcome that fear over long term it's President Obama and that's why he's the perfect person at this moment in time, it's also and overspill of 8 years of an administration that worked to terrify them too. That's why it's going to take a little work and lot of patience but they will come around inevitably.