Does Cain's popularity w/the RWers make you rethink the idea that they oppose Obama due to racism?

[oberliner]

Does the fact that some of the RW tea party crowd can get behind a RW African-American candidate have any impact on the argument that criticism from the RW tea party crowd against Obama is based primarily on racism?

If not, why not? And does Cain's popularity among the RW speak to the question of racism against Obama at all?

Wouldn't it be hard to make the "they just can't accept a black president" argument if they rally behind a conservative who is, in fact, black?

[JoePhilly]

1. NA ... just means that they are stupid.

They don't know Cain. Until last week they never heard of him.

They are simply willing to consider Cain "one of the good ones", as my grandmother used to say.

[klook]

2. The Teabaggers have no objection to

African-Americans who are traitors to their own people.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. The RW always keeps a few tame minority members around.

They are well rewarded for providing cover, and are often identified as articles of food: Oreos, Apples.

Every bigot has a black "best friend." I think they may all be best friends with the same black guy, and it is Cain.

[Name removed]

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[mailman82]

4. Not at all

My fundie friend said "He would be the true black president, Obama is half white." I laughed at him and told him that was racist and stupid!

[monmouth]

5. POTUS broke the barrier, but I do think most of their hate comes

from the fact that he's so intelligent and articulate. He doesn't know his place, ya know? Cain is their guy 'cause he's a repub. He could be Satan, but he's a pubbie and that's all that matters. If POTUS were a repub I would imagine their thinking on him would be different. They've been afraid of him since that 2004 speech at the Dem convention. They knew then he was a winner, and hated him for his appealing abilities.

[treestar]

6. If they truly support him

Then maybe they just really believe their crazy teabag stuff.

But that's a minority of them. The Republicans will never nominate him.

If he won? They'd consider him a figurehead like they do all of their Presidents. They won't want him to govern but to be the puppet and figurehead that Bush was. Thus, picking him only because he was black so they could claim not to be racist.

[dembotoz]

7. no he won't get anywhere

with all the racist emails i still get concerning obama, is would be like a bear fan cheering for the packers--not gonna happen

[RZM]

13. He probably won't go anywhere, though I think the reasons are more mundane

He's the flavor the week right now, but I don't see the kind of buzz you would need to do well in the primaries. He's too new and too unknown right now. This time in 2003, Howard Dean was doing better than Cain is now and he didn't even come all that close to winning.

[Name removed]

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[arbusto_baboso]

10. Exactly. Cain is "one of the good ones".

I've actually heard family members of mine say this. SIGH.

[brewens]

18. I live in a mostly white area and have watched the phenomenon

of minority kids being really popular at school. Some of the most racist rednecks are friends with, and genuinely really like the only black kid in school. Some of the regions main Native American tribe members that lived in town and went to my school, were well liked too. They would eventually find out their white friends hated the entire rest of the tribe though.

It doesn't occur to the racist half-wits that how they feel about "the good ones" they know, would apply to many of the minorities they hate if they knew them as well.

[RZM]

9. I imagine most Republicans like anyone who believes what they do

Since conservative people of color are relatively rare, Republicans love to rally around them when they can find them. Remember back in the mid-1990s when there was buzz about Colin Powell possibly running for president? A whole lot of people (and not just Republicans) were working overtime pretending that they were so excited about him.

That being said, I'd say Cain's main appeal isn't his race (though that probably helps), but his throwing of red meat to the tea crowd.

I've never bought the idea that opposition to Obama was mainly about race (though that is certainly part of it). I find it difficult to believe any Democratic President would get much love from the Republicans.

[LiberalAndProud]

11. If he actually gets the nomination, I'll rethink.

Then I will keep an open mind until we see the general election results. I'm not accusing every Republican of bigotry, just a large percentage of them.

[cali]

12. no, for instance freepers seem to love the guy, but they spew racist crap

in thread after thread about the President and first lady.

[oberliner]

14. But how do you account for that discrepancy?

It seems weird to me.

[latinaliberal]

15. Republicans

Will use him as a cover. he is their token African American, just like Condeleeza, Michael Steele, Colin Powell and Alberto Gonzalez

[oberliner]

30. So they are OK with an AA president, as long as they agree with that person?

Or do you not buy the argument in the first place?

[Catherine Vincent]

16. He has to win the nomination first

Keyes didn't make it (Thank God) so we'll see if this one does.

[Lint Head]

17. He will not be nominated.

Have ever read Uncle Tom's Cabin?

[Trey9007]

21. Do you think Cain......

is an Uncle Tom?

[SoCalDem]

19. He would be their ideal candidate

1. It would "prove" that they are not racist
2. It would be a clever way to lose an election they plan on losing anyway
3. It would inoculate them from ever having to nominate another "person of color" again.

[pnwmom]

20. No. They hate Obama because he's black and they can't control him.

They don't mind a black President they can control.

[KoKo]

22. Clarence Thomas...it's all you need to know about Cain. n/t

[pecwae]

23. Can't speak to your questions,

but if all, and I do mean all, people/parties/political affiliations can't start judging by "the content of character" instead of making assumptions based on skin color we'll continue to spin our wheels in bridging racial divides.

[Township75]

24. No, because I can't feel like I'm actually fighting racism if my opponents are not racist.

And rather than do something like tutor underprivileged minorities in the inner city, I won't get near them, but I will lash out at right wingers and tea party members because it costs me very little in terms of effort and I don't need to actually put forth effort to helping minorities.

I often picture a group of minorties telling me that I don't need to do volunteer work with them, or in their neighborhoods, because I am so involved with bashing political opponents. I hear them say "Please! Don't do anymore, because you are already doing so much!" I feel accepted by them and it shows I am not a racist.

[Chris_Texas]

25. They oppose Obama mostly because he has a D in front of his name

Most people on both sides of the aisle follow this policy actually. The other party is evil, they are good. This is fantastic for the folks in Washington and their owners. As for the race thing, yeah, some republicans hate Obama for his race. Some democrats do too. In the same way, some republicans probably love Cain because he is black, and some democrats adore Obama for the same reason.

[oberliner]

31. I agree with this

I think it is less about racism then some folks think (though certainly there are racists among them).

[mfcorey1]

27. No. It is the same kind of love affair they had with Micheal Steele. You see how that turned out.

Throw someone in to be a token and hope it advances your agenda.

[one_voice]

28. No. I still think they..

or at least many of them have the "know your place" attitude. I have no doubt that they'd EXPECT "their" black guy/gal to do their bidding, and NEVER go off script or disagree with those that give the orders. Look how quickly they threw Colin Powell out on his ass. As soon as he endorsed Obama, they called him a racist. This is the same Colin Powell they swore they'd vote for if he ran. This was said when Obama was running before the endorsement.

They will only support them if they can control them, same with the women.

[lightningandsnow]

29. Nope, it still just looks like tokenism to me.

And tokenism is still racism.

[MadBadger]

32. its more than skin color. its also the name

Barack Hussein Obama vs Herman

[Balbus]

33. No. The opposition to Obama was never due to racism, though.

It was due to the "D"

[bullwinkle428]

34. Please present to the board evidence of this alleged "popularity".

[Erose999]

35. Not really, they see Cain as "one of the good 'uns". And most of the hardcore T-baggers I know

support Ron Paul over Cain.

[madmom]

36. They only support him because they know he can't win anything and it makes them look better.