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149 Comments
- pintomp3, on 05/08/2009, -18/+63A racist social conservative? Shocking!
- MacEnvy, on 05/08/2009, -3/+40I think you mean 3/5.
- irfanmp, on 05/07/2009, -14/+49Canadian mirror: http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-colbert-repor ...
- spriggig, on 05/08/2009, -11/+44It's such a part of him that he doesn't even know he's being hateful. Byron York is a dick.
- THETEH, on 05/08/2009, -11/+43His implication that Obama's ratings are higher than they "actually are" (his own words!) seemed to imply that he didn't think the opinions of African American voters counted as much. That may not have been what he intended to say, but it's what it sounded like.
- michellets, on 05/07/2009, -14/+40Wow. That's it. Just wow.
- FredFredrickson, on 05/08/2009, -3/+26Yes, and the article is nothing but a racist diatribe against blacks.
York basically said that he believes black people are giving an unnatural boost to Obama's poll numbers, and that without their support, Oabama isn't actually doing well in the polls. But black people are Americans just like the rest of us, so even if there is some upswell of support from them, their opinions still matter.
It's like saying that Bush would have gotten a much lower rating if you didn't count white males. You would ask me, 'why don't you include white males? Their voice counts just as much as everyone else!'
And you'd be right. Which is exactly why it is wrong for Byron York to exclude black people's voice on this issue. - inactive, on 05/08/2009, -2/+23Here's the money quote, "[Obama's] sky-high ratings among African-Americans make some of his positions appear a bit more popular overall than they actually are."
In other words, "actual" support is conferred only by non-African-Americans. - FredFredrickson, on 05/08/2009, -2/+22"Of course nearly every black person in America voted for Obama and supports him even on some things they didn't vote him in, purely because he's black. There's so denying that."
Prove it.
"But once you look at what he actually DID and what he promised. I'd say having 4 more years of Bush would have been only slightly worse."
He's done with 6% of his term. Give the guy a ***** chance, you idiot. - MWeather, on 05/08/2009, -2/+22That was before all the Dixiecrats left for the republican party, and the republicans launched their repulsive, racist, "Southern Strategy".
- MixMastaKooz, on 05/07/2009, -16/+35Wow, I wonder if Byron York believes that an African American should only register as 2/3rds of an opinion?
- inactive, on 05/08/2009, -1/+19This isn't about Democrat or Republican. He didn't even mention parties.
- deviantbono, on 05/08/2009, -0/+16Yes, I have heard that "those people" all think and act alike. I have also heard that racist troll is racist.
- blackinthmiddle, on 05/08/2009, -1/+17Ugh, your post is stupid on so many levels, I don't even know where to begin.
First of all, it's "Americans", not "American's". Second, as a black man I wanted to vote for Dennis Kucinich. Once I realized he had no shot in hell of winning, I looked at the remaining candidates and chose Obama because he was the best candidate. It had ZERO to do with his skin color. So, another one of your theories bites the dust.
Next, you can't figure out why York's comments are racist? Are you serious? The ass said that Obama's policies are not that popular among Americans because of his sky high approval ratings among black people. So black people aren't American? Or maybe they're not even human, right? It's a damn shame I had to actually explain that to you!!!
Finally, you're a moron if you want to compare Bush to Obama. I won't even list the litany of ***** Bush did in his eight years and how much Obama has done in the few months he's been in office. Because if you seriously think Obama is only *slightly* better than Bush, maybe I'm wasting my time talking to a troll. Do you guys get news in Norway? - pintomp3, on 05/08/2009, -1/+16@mmclaurin
First off, I didn't mention parties. But since you want to go there, those racist Dixeicrats left the Democratic party for the Republican party because they opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They formed the base for Pat Buchanan and Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority movement that brought Reagan into office. Reagan was a man who supported segregation and the apartheid government in South Africa. You still want to talk about which party has more racists? - Abominable, on 05/08/2009, -2/+15hmm I think this is the correct Canadian link: http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-colbert-repor ...
- westsayyid, on 05/08/2009, -0/+13I think it's a known fact that the Democratic party used to be similar to the current Republican party, and that Republican party of years ago was similar to the current Democratic party of today, in terms of morals and values anyway.
The throwing of terms as poison darts, such as liberal democrat and dumb ass republican serve no purpose other than to distract the masses from the real issues and the real happenings; and that is what those in power want the you to do.
Oh yeah, York is a total racist ass. - rchargel, on 05/08/2009, -1/+13Yes just like you support a candidate just because he's white, right? Like David Duke, I'm sure you were a big fan.
- strykefive, on 05/08/2009, -0/+12Actually in the article York says that the black people voting are actually skewing the polls and thus making Obama's policies more popular than they "actually are".
The term "actually are" is an undercutted message saying that the voting black people are the wrong ones and hence if we dont count them, we have a more accurate view of the "majority". Which is absurd. - ricorurik, on 05/08/2009, -2/+13@FredFredrickson
It's truly disturbing that you have to actually explain this to someone...sigh - thespiff, on 05/08/2009, -5/+16"his sky-high ratings among African-Americans make some of his positions appear a bit more popular overall than they actually are"
I can't even come up with a way to spin that which isn't either racist or just stupid. I'm trying really hard, and I am a pro at devil's advocate. If you take a random sampling of Americans and ask their opinion, the results of the poll are the popular opinion of the nation. It doesn't matter if all of the black people you surveyed were pro-obama. It doesn't matter if all of the hispanics you surveyed were anti-obama.
The only way that a very united opinion among african americans could skew the data in the pro-obama direction is if the opinions of african americans are being weighted more heavily than they should in the poll. And being as this is a 1 person, 1 vote type of poll, the implication would then be that the author thinks african americans should count as less than 1 person in opinion polls. Which is patently racist. It's as simple as that. - FredFredrickson, on 05/08/2009, -2/+12Essentially, York said that black people's opinions don't count. I don't see how that isn't racist.
- spook69, on 05/08/2009, -2/+12I'm generally hesitant to call people or statements racist as a lot of people think seem to think it's the perfect way to win any argument and will throw it out there will-nilly (as many Obama detractors have shown as they perceive the ultimate comeback to accusations of racism to be, "well, black people are the *real* racists!"). Still, the implication of what Mr. York said was racist - not that black people support Obama in overwhelming numbers, which is true (and can certainly even be attributed partially to racial reasons), but rather that he implied that the presence of these opinions was some kind of anomaly in the polls and was not reflective of the "true" popularity of Obama. I realize that conservatives have to constantly be on the defense about racism (mostly because of the very real presence of it among their constituents [which is not limited only to conservative, of course]), but there's no way to interpret Byron York's comment as not containing the overt implication that the opinions of black voters are a not a true part of the collective opinions of Americans. Why is that? If you'd say "well, they *did* vote for him because he's black," you might be right in some cases. But the idea that somebody's reasoning for supporting somebody makes their opinions invalid (or worse, that the underlying reason itself, race) means that their opinions should not be perceived as part of the reflection of what actual American think doesn't make sense. I've heard multiple people in real life flat-out call Obama a "n-i-g-g-e-r." Does that mean that their opinions aren't reflective of what some Americans actually think of Obama? You'd never argue that, but to argue that we should marginalize the opinions of blacks simply because some of them partially support Obama because of his skin color is very hard to separate from the idea that we shouldn't count their opinions simply because they're black. It's a subtle point, but yes, Mr. York's comments were racist.
- datdamonfoo, on 05/08/2009, -2/+11@hairysandwich,
His approval ratings ARE true if you believe that blacks are part of America. If you don't, then no, his REAL numbers are a tad lower.
Maybe the right would be happier if we made blacks count as 3/5ths of a vote again. - datdamonfoo, on 05/08/2009, -2/+11So three black people in New York represent all blacks? Nice. That's not racist.
- RAGEdemon, on 05/08/2009, -2/+11You mean like when most whites blindly supported bush on the Iraq invasion? Or most Muslims support palatine and most Jews support Israel?
It's human nature. We support who people we most identify with, whether it be family, friend, colleague, colour, religion.
Whether the person we are supporting is right or wrong is only an afterthought. Tribal Loyalty is everything, as evolution has designed us. - FredFredrickson, on 05/08/2009, -1/+10mmclaurin, not that pintmop even mentioned the parties, but whats your point? Are you trying to say that because of that history, it should be okay for conservatives to be racist now?
- MixMastaKooz, on 05/08/2009, -4/+13Oh snap! You're right. Oh well, that's what I get for rushing to reply after watching the vid....
- ricorurik, on 05/08/2009, -0/+8Ok...I'm waiting for the part where you explain how this has ANY bearing on the story...
- FredFredrickson, on 05/08/2009, -3/+11Byron York basically tried to say that without black support, Obama isn't doing well in polls. His conclusion was that since it is only black people giving him support, he isn't actually doing a good job. He basically made it clear that to him, black people's opinions don't count. That's racist.
- diemunkiesdie, on 05/08/2009, -30/+37Meh. If you actually read the article (link at end of post) it's not as bad as people are making it out to be. For about 90% of the article, he is simply quoting poll numbers, he never indicates that black people should not be polled or that they are being polled more than other races, he simply quotes numbers.
I don't think he is trying to make the assertion that black people support Obama simple for being black, it's more likely that people are twisting his reason for even mentioning that there is a ratings difference. He elucidates his reasoning in his response to being called a racist (link at end of post): "I wrote my post because of the striking numbers in the New York Times poll. ... It's the old joke: Six people are in a bar. They're all middle class; their average net worth is about $100,000. Bill Gates walks in. Seven people are in a bar; their average net worth is in the billions. A wealthy group, right? Internal numbers are revealing."
Article link: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/be ...
His response to being called a racist: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/be ...
/Not a racist, just trying to be rational. - datdamonfoo, on 05/08/2009, -0/+7VargVikernes, you're from Norway, so you don't know what racism is like in the U.S.
However, do a quick search on slavery in America, Jim Crow laws, and the Civil Rights movement, and PERHAPS you'll see that after 40 or so years of "equality", things aren't all "Even Steven". - Shakermaker, on 05/08/2009, -0/+6Yeah I don't know you're getting dugg up - you have the wrong link.
Thanks Abominable for the right one! - rchargel, on 05/08/2009, -1/+7Oh I get it.
Racism is when white people bitch that Mexicans carry around Mexican flags, then hang Irish/British/Italian/WhateverEuropeanCountry flags outside their homes or on their bumpers. - datdamonfoo, on 05/08/2009, -0/+6Only if he said that the votes of women, gays, or the poor obscured the REAL polling opinions as he did with blacks.
- MuskokasFinest, on 05/08/2009, -2/+8His quip about Bill Gates in his follow-up post doesn't make any sense.
Nobody's opinion counts "more" than somebody else in an opinion poll. - inactive, on 05/08/2009, -0/+6As a norsk-american I'm embarrassed by this moron's *****. 4 more years of bush would've put the gravestone up 6 feet over this country. You don't even know what you're talking about you stupid *****, so go back to your fjords.
- blackinthmiddle, on 05/08/2009, -0/+5Dude, what you're saying is obvious and goes with *all* candidates. Remember the guy who went around asking Hillary supporters to explain why they like her better and they couldn't even do that? What you're saying is as obvious as the nose on your face.
Great, so a good portion of the public supports their candidate regardless of whether or not they know their policies. What one earth does this have to do with what York is saying? Again, York said that Obama's policies are not really that popular among Americans and is skewed because of black people. You're alluding to why blacks vote for Obama. Yes, they vote for him because he's black and don't know his policies. York then says that "for whatever reason" (who knows what his thinking is), these people's votes shouldn't count.
Look, it's a racist comment. There's no other way to put it! - JRowe3388, on 05/08/2009, -1/+6You have to actually be charming, smart, and witty. You don't seem to fit any of those characteristics.
- RatatRatR, on 05/08/2009, -3/+7Isn't it crazy how some people like things like intelligence and wit?
- rchargel, on 05/08/2009, -0/+4And not all black people supported Obama. I know plenty that voted for Hillary. My wife voted for Edwards (that's before she found out he was cheating on his dying wife).
- jonnyboy1544, on 05/08/2009, -1/+5I didn't realize the perception was that white people blindly supported the war in Iraq. I sure as hell didn't.
You're right though... JFK really struck a chord with Catholics and got a lot of support from them. I'd think the same goes for race, nationality and religion. - CeeAyy, on 05/08/2009, -0/+4What are the facts that you are talking about ftx437?
Read the man's statement. He is blaming Obama's popularity on Blacks. He is saying that without Black support he would not be popular. It doesn't hold water. All ethnic groups and cultures support the President. The people who hate him tend to be racists, but not all and I can't say most. Most of the people who hate him are married to their party or ideology. The reasons that people give for hating him usually don't add up and are therefore judged as coming from a racist.
So let me ask you... racists don't exist anymore? Everyone who hates Obama likes Blacks? Is that the truth? Of course not. Stop pretending otherwise. Some of his detractors are racists.
Here's the bottom line... why is York mentioning race when it comes to Obama's popularity. There is no benign reason for it. It's obvious that he thinks that Blacks are unthinking dimwits who can't make a reasoned choice and therefore vote based on race. Either that or they are all racists who are all alike and think alike and will only support their own. Again, what was his purpose in making the polls a racial issue? - DanNZN, on 05/08/2009, -0/+3ya know, i dugg your first post up because i think you may have a valid point. But after seeing the same wall of text 3 times now I am going to go ahead and digg down every repeat of the post.
- Gguillorn, on 05/08/2009, -1/+4Sure, but compare that to videos of Virginians saying incredibly ignorant things about how Obama is a terrorist. Isolated idiots can be used to 'prove' negative aspects of the larger group. Anyone with half a brain expects there to be morons in this country.
- blackinthmiddle, on 05/08/2009, -2/+5o Did Obama start any war on false pretenses that I don't know about?
o Has Obama outed a CIA agent's identity, then feigned ignorance?
o Has Obama pissed of just about every country in the world?
o Has Obama written a blank check to Halliburton?
o Did Obama bungle the recovery effort of some natural disaster that I don't know about?
Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, Obama has actually been doing a good enough job that there's nothing to talk about? The pirate situation? Regardless of what the neo-cons want to have you believe, he handled that and handled it. SWIFTLY!!! He's going after the credit card industry, closed Guantanamo Bay and is already diverting troops out of Iraq.
Tell me, what would you like them to criticize? You can be like the GOP and criticize just for the sake of criticizing. Of course, you come off like an ass if you do that and you're eventually tuned out. The GOP should take note. - rchargel, on 05/08/2009, -0/+3Well put, but next time use paragraphs. It's just easier to read that way.
- MWeather, on 05/08/2009, -1/+4"I think what mmclaurin is saying is that the Democratic party is the party of expedience. "
And accepting the Dixiecrats into their party then doing a 360 on civil rights was a principled stand by the Republicans, not political expedience?
"By the way, what party does Richard Byrd belong too?"
The polar explorer? No idea, but his brother was a democratic Governor and Senator. Why? - CeeAyy, on 05/08/2009, -0/+3It's not just that he was pointing out differences. You missed the point.
- elxkid, on 05/08/2009, -2/+5You know what I am sick and tired of? People who leave comments bashing the messenger without truly examining what they are talking about. 'colbert is a douche' or 'jon stewart is a gay socialist' or huffpost spam or dailykos propaganda - without looking at the SUBSTANCE first.
To these people I implore you: Read the articles, listen to or look for the SUBSTANCE of what is being said or written first. Then take into account the 'messenger' to put the information into context. Fine I give you that. But don't come here to shout things down while putting your hands over your ears and screaming LALALALALALAL LIBERAL SOCIALIST LALALALALA BURIED.
If you look at the primary source, there is no question that this is a racist proposition. Any opinion from all Americans is valid regardless of race, religion, socio-economic well-being etc etc. Colbert is simply pointing it out, but there it is in black and white. I'd have more respect for you ***** if you just came out and said it out loud, 'black people don't count because they aren't me!' But don't hide your beliefs behind the ***** messenger.
in other words, talk about the SUBSTANCE and NOT the messenger. That is all.
/rant finished -
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