Watch Out For "Them"

In the interests of fairness to our presumptive candidate, following is what appears to have been his complete comment to approximately 600 guests at a fundraising reception in Jacksonville, Florida on June 20, 2008. (The video and and remarks in italics are from a Fox News blog):


Most of all we can choose between hope and fear. And we know what this election is going to be about. Look, let's be honest. It is going to be very difficult for the Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. It's hard to run on the issues when 82 per cent of the country thinks we're on the wrong track. So we know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. They're going to say he’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black? He’s got a feisty wife.
We know the strategy because they’ve already shown their cards. You've already seen it. But ultimately I think the American people recognize that old stuff hasn’t moved us forward. That old stuff just divides us.

This is excellent politics with Obama implying:

- he's going to be sincere- "let's be honest" has a little bit of the same appeal as the "Straight Talk Express"

- the GOP won't deal with the issues- makes it easier for him to skate over them;
- the other guys are being racist, thereby dismissing preemptively almost any criticism they might level against their Democratic opponent;

- by criticizing- no, even questioning- Obama, the opposition is trying to "divide us" (unlike himself).


But who is "they?" Obama suggests it is "the Republicans." Is that John McCain, McCain's top advisers, GOP surrogates, or Republican pundits, bloggers, and/or news outlets (such as Fox)? Several years ago in America, we all knew people who referred in quasi-political discussions to "they." These were white people referring to black people and the assumption was they were inartfully trying to hide their bigotry, what we now typically refer to as racism.

On display in downtown Jacksonville: Impressive political acumen. Atrocious character.