Mistah Soljah

by digby

I wrote before that I thought Obama was doing a very clumsy Sistah Soljah in South Carolina with this homophobe gospel singer Donnie McClurkin. Turns out McClurkin is actually emceeing the show and gives a rousing speech at the end about the evils of homosexuality, (and the campaign continues to defend it) so I think there's little doubt that this is intentional.

I'm sure Obama is listening to his advisors tell him that he has to win South Carolina or it's over. And apparently South Carolina is a stew of bigotry and resentment, the place where the dirty tricksters pull out all the stops to win. This kind of thing is perfectly in keeping with that sort of strategy. But as I said before, it's a mistake, particularly for the man whose rationale for running is a desire to heal the nation's political and philosophical wounds.

This is also one of the dangers of trying to run a "unity" campaign at a time when the right has become so extreme that "reaching out" to them often means legitimizing bigots, xenophobes and warmongers. It's possible to do it, but it takes a very deft diplomatic hand and an unusual ability to communicate well with all concerned without giving up your principles. That's exactly what was supposed to be Obama's strong suit. This error is hardly reassuring.


* Like Atrios, I'm also not crazy about the legitimizing of a phony social security crisis. This is NOT helpful. There are many, many ways to go after Hillary Clinton without validating right wing bullshit. If "unity" means using irrational, faith-based nonsense, whether from wall street or the church, to win votes, then it's going to be a very hard sell. If liberals are expected to reach out from our "hermetically sealed" worldview to bigots, the least those who insist we do it can do is commit to using reason. I think that's only fair. This country and the world have had quite enough of fairy tale governance.


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