http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/nader-defends-remarks-about-obama/
UPDATE ON RALPH NADER'S COMMENTS: An amended correction to some of my previous comments below:
Kofi
[My comments from earlier today]
All,
Ralph Nader is typically both right and wrong in his critical assessment of Obama for all the correct (and incorrect) political reasons. I strongly support Nader's right and even obligation to be intelligently critical of Obama when and where it's necessary in both ideological and political terms. There's absolutely nothing wrong with him making his own independent analyses and judgments of what he thinks Obama is doing or not doing in his campaign. As a leftist/progressive candidate that's exactly what he's supposed to do--sharpen and heighten the contradictions and put forward radical alternatives. That's not only perfectly fine but absolutely necessary.
However, for Ralph to lamely suggest that Obama's personal racial makeup should (or could) dictate whether his politics are progressive or not is just racist nonsense. To the degree that Obama or any other black politician is progressive/liberal (or conversely reactionary/rightwing) in their politics is ultimately dependent not on who or what they are in so-called "racial" terms but what they actually advocate, represent, and struggle for in real ideological and political contexts. Condoleeza Rice, Clarence Thomas, and Colin Powell to name just three obvious examples among many others we could also name are all black/African American but that didn't stop them from being the reactionary right wing Republicans that they are. Of course we can and should denounce and attack what we don't like about their politics; but to expect or demand that simply because they're black to "do the right thing" politically, is not just being naive but also somewhat delusional at best about what the actual relationship is between cultural/racial 'identity' and ideology.
For example: Being designated an 'Uncle Tom' or a 'sellout' doesn't merely entail that one be vaguely 'disloyal' to a specific ethnic group's aims and objectives (however that is defined by other members of that group) but that objectively a person does or doesn't do something concrete that adversely affects a specific group's citizenship status or functional ability to survive and advance in actual social, cultural, economic, and political terms in the larger society.
What Nader is saying in his statement absurdly reduces his otherwise important political criticism of Obama to whether Obama is individually "black enough" to do what Nader is proposing should and could be done in terms of his politics. That's complete and utter bullshit and has the real effect of actually undermining the real content and value of what Nader is (very clumsily and stupidly) trying to say. It ain't a very progressive or radical approach either strategically or tactically on Ralph's part and only makes him look and sound like a bitter and clueless racist jerk instead of a sophisticated political radical who is properly demanding that Obama take far more ideological and political responsibility for the positions that he takes or doesn't take in this election on major poverty and class issues.
Unfortunately Nader and the American Left generally far too often fall into these kind of self inflicted traps and wind up doing themselves and more importantly their political positions a grave disservice. I really wish the American Left and Ralph Nader would GROW UP and finally learn how to organize, mobilize, and educate people by advocating and maintaining a much more mature and constructive relationship between strategy, tactics, goals, and ideology than engaging in these kind of mindless ego centered racebaiting and genderbaiting games. It's far beneath where Nader's and our own political discourse should be if we truly call or consider ourselves to be progressive. The class war or the mammoth struggles against racism, sexism, imperialism, anti-semitism, and homophobia certainly won't be addressed or resolved by simply determining what anybody's personal identity is or isn't--that's for sure...
Kofi
Photo by Judy DeHaas Ralph Nader, who is running for president, talks about Barack Obama in his Washington, D.C., office Monday. Nader said Obama should "candidly describe the life of the poor."
UPDATE ON RALPH NADER'S COMMENTS: An amended correction to some of my previous comments below:
All,
Now that I've had a chance to properly listen to all of Nader's actual critical comments today about Obama and the upcoming general election on YouTube.com it's clear that some of what Ralph said was improperly taken out of context by the writer of the article that I quoted (see below) in my earlier remarks. Therefore in fairness to both Nader and his overall analysis of Obama (a great part of which I thoroughly agree with) I have provided the following embedded video above of all of Nader's remarks in their FULL CONTEXT. So while I stand behind that part of my earlier remarks in the piece about the improper use of "racial" categories in Nader's analysis there is a much larger context to those remarks by Nader in the video that further supports what he said and why. As I said I find virtually nothing to disagree with in his general remarks which I find not only critically incisive, highly accurate, and important but necessary in any objective realistic assessment of Obama's limitations and shortcomings with respect to the highly compromised American political system as it is. Of course Obama is still the only viable candidate worth supporting in this election. But that fact doesn't mean that Nader's otherwise on target criticisms shouldn't be taken seriously and openly addressed by Obama and his campaign (and the rest of us) if he should ascend to the Presidency...
Now that I've had a chance to properly listen to all of Nader's actual critical comments today about Obama and the upcoming general election on YouTube.com it's clear that some of what Ralph said was improperly taken out of context by the writer of the article that I quoted (see below) in my earlier remarks. Therefore in fairness to both Nader and his overall analysis of Obama (a great part of which I thoroughly agree with) I have provided the following embedded video above of all of Nader's remarks in their FULL CONTEXT. So while I stand behind that part of my earlier remarks in the piece about the improper use of "racial" categories in Nader's analysis there is a much larger context to those remarks by Nader in the video that further supports what he said and why. As I said I find virtually nothing to disagree with in his general remarks which I find not only critically incisive, highly accurate, and important but necessary in any objective realistic assessment of Obama's limitations and shortcomings with respect to the highly compromised American political system as it is. Of course Obama is still the only viable candidate worth supporting in this election. But that fact doesn't mean that Nader's otherwise on target criticisms shouldn't be taken seriously and openly addressed by Obama and his campaign (and the rest of us) if he should ascend to the Presidency...
Kofi
[My comments from earlier today]
All,
Ralph Nader is typically both right and wrong in his critical assessment of Obama for all the correct (and incorrect) political reasons. I strongly support Nader's right and even obligation to be intelligently critical of Obama when and where it's necessary in both ideological and political terms. There's absolutely nothing wrong with him making his own independent analyses and judgments of what he thinks Obama is doing or not doing in his campaign. As a leftist/progressive candidate that's exactly what he's supposed to do--sharpen and heighten the contradictions and put forward radical alternatives. That's not only perfectly fine but absolutely necessary.
However, for Ralph to lamely suggest that Obama's personal racial makeup should (or could) dictate whether his politics are progressive or not is just racist nonsense. To the degree that Obama or any other black politician is progressive/liberal (or conversely reactionary/rightwing) in their politics is ultimately dependent not on who or what they are in so-called "racial" terms but what they actually advocate, represent, and struggle for in real ideological and political contexts. Condoleeza Rice, Clarence Thomas, and Colin Powell to name just three obvious examples among many others we could also name are all black/African American but that didn't stop them from being the reactionary right wing Republicans that they are. Of course we can and should denounce and attack what we don't like about their politics; but to expect or demand that simply because they're black to "do the right thing" politically, is not just being naive but also somewhat delusional at best about what the actual relationship is between cultural/racial 'identity' and ideology.
For example: Being designated an 'Uncle Tom' or a 'sellout' doesn't merely entail that one be vaguely 'disloyal' to a specific ethnic group's aims and objectives (however that is defined by other members of that group) but that objectively a person does or doesn't do something concrete that adversely affects a specific group's citizenship status or functional ability to survive and advance in actual social, cultural, economic, and political terms in the larger society.
What Nader is saying in his statement absurdly reduces his otherwise important political criticism of Obama to whether Obama is individually "black enough" to do what Nader is proposing should and could be done in terms of his politics. That's complete and utter bullshit and has the real effect of actually undermining the real content and value of what Nader is (very clumsily and stupidly) trying to say. It ain't a very progressive or radical approach either strategically or tactically on Ralph's part and only makes him look and sound like a bitter and clueless racist jerk instead of a sophisticated political radical who is properly demanding that Obama take far more ideological and political responsibility for the positions that he takes or doesn't take in this election on major poverty and class issues.
Unfortunately Nader and the American Left generally far too often fall into these kind of self inflicted traps and wind up doing themselves and more importantly their political positions a grave disservice. I really wish the American Left and Ralph Nader would GROW UP and finally learn how to organize, mobilize, and educate people by advocating and maintaining a much more mature and constructive relationship between strategy, tactics, goals, and ideology than engaging in these kind of mindless ego centered racebaiting and genderbaiting games. It's far beneath where Nader's and our own political discourse should be if we truly call or consider ourselves to be progressive. The class war or the mammoth struggles against racism, sexism, imperialism, anti-semitism, and homophobia certainly won't be addressed or resolved by simply determining what anybody's personal identity is or isn't--that's for sure...
Kofi
Photo by Judy DeHaas Ralph Nader, who is running for president, talks about Barack Obama in his Washington, D.C., office Monday. Nader said Obama should "candidly describe the life of the poor."
Nader: Obama trying to 'talk white'
By M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Rocky Mountain News
June 25, 2008
Ralph Nader, who is running for president, talks about Barack Obama in his Washington, D.C., office Monday. Nader said Obama should "candidly describe the life of the poor."
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to "talk white" and appealing to "white guilt" during his run for the White House.
Nader, a thorn in the Democratic Party's side since the 2000 presidential election, has taken various shots at Obama in recent days while ramping up his latest independent run for president.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Rocky Mountain News on Monday, he said he is running because he believes Democrats, like Republicans, are too closely aligned with corporate interests.
Economic exploitation
Nader was asked if Obama is any different than Democrats he has criticized in the past, considering Obama's pledge to reject campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader said. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards."
The Obama campaign had only a brief response, calling the remarks disappointing.
Asked to clarify whether he thought Obama does try to "talk white," Nader said: "Of course.
"I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law," Nader said. "Haven't heard a thing."
"We are obviously disappointed with these very backward-looking remarks," Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said.
Plans to visit DNC
Nader said he plans to travel to Denver during this summer's Democratic National Convention, hoping to highlight an alternative agenda that he thinks the party should pursue. His appearance in the city is sure to anger some Democrats who believe his presence on the ballot during the contested 2000 election cost Al Gore votes, helping Republican George Bush win the disputed election.
Nader rejects that blame, saying Democrats "scapegoated" him instead of looking at other factors that contributed to the defeat.
'Appeal to white guilt'
Nader said he is not impressed with Obama and that he does not see him campaigning often enough in low-income, predominantly minority communities where there is a "shocking" amount of economic exploitation.
He pointed to issues like predatory lending, shortages of health care and municipal resources, environmental issues and others.
"He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician," Nader said. "He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."
June 25, 2008
Nader Defends Remarks About Obama
By JULIE BOSMAN
New York Times
Update | 5:15 p.m. Asked about Ralph Nader’s critical comments at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Senator Barack Obama said Mr. Nader had not been paying attention to his campaign, where “I’ve devoted multiple speeches, town hall meetings to” the issues Mr. Nader raised.
He added: “Ralph Nader is trying to get attention. It’s a shame because if you look at his legacy in terms of consumer protection, it’s an extraordinary one.”
Update | 4:45 p.m. Mr. Nader had called to explain, but not apologize for, the comments he had made about Mr. Obama in The Rocky Mountain News. He said Mr. Obama has not discussed poverty in the inner cities enough, and the fact that he is African-American should make a difference.
“What difference it should make is that he would be more sensitive and determined to bring elevated visibility and concrete programs to deal with these issues,” Mr. Nader said. “Wouldn’t a woman president be expected to be more responsive to women’s rights? It’s just more natural.”
He said that Mr. Obama “obviously made a tactical decision that he’s not going to campaign politically as Jesse Jackson did.”
“He wants to come across that he’s not politically threatening to the white power class and the liberal intelligentsia,” Mr. Nader said. “It’s been a brilliant tactic.”
Earlier, Mr. Nader had stood by the comments he made to a newspaper on Wednesday, in which he suggested that Senator Obama has not devoted enough time to poverty in inner cities and rural areas and “wants to talk white.”
Chris Driscoll, a spokesman for Mr. Nader, said on Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Nader would not retract his remarks or issue an apology.
In an interview with the Rocky Mountain News, Mr. Nader, who is running for president, said of Mr. Obama, “There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn’t want to appear like Jesse Jackson?”
Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, called the remarks “downright delusional” and “reprehensible.”
Mr. Driscoll responded by reading a statement from Mr. Nader. “Obama’s abstract campaign has been delusional and irresponsible when it comes to avoiding concrete policies that truly defend and empower the 100 million Americans living in poverty or near poverty,” he said.
Mr. Nader, a consumer advocate and former Green Party nominee for president, is running as an independent candidate this year on an anti-corporate agenda.
By M.E. Sprengelmeyer
Rocky Mountain News
June 25, 2008
Ralph Nader, who is running for president, talks about Barack Obama in his Washington, D.C., office Monday. Nader said Obama should "candidly describe the life of the poor."
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to "talk white" and appealing to "white guilt" during his run for the White House.
Nader, a thorn in the Democratic Party's side since the 2000 presidential election, has taken various shots at Obama in recent days while ramping up his latest independent run for president.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Rocky Mountain News on Monday, he said he is running because he believes Democrats, like Republicans, are too closely aligned with corporate interests.
Economic exploitation
Nader was asked if Obama is any different than Democrats he has criticized in the past, considering Obama's pledge to reject campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.
"There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader said. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards."
The Obama campaign had only a brief response, calling the remarks disappointing.
Asked to clarify whether he thought Obama does try to "talk white," Nader said: "Of course.
"I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law," Nader said. "Haven't heard a thing."
"We are obviously disappointed with these very backward-looking remarks," Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said.
Plans to visit DNC
Nader said he plans to travel to Denver during this summer's Democratic National Convention, hoping to highlight an alternative agenda that he thinks the party should pursue. His appearance in the city is sure to anger some Democrats who believe his presence on the ballot during the contested 2000 election cost Al Gore votes, helping Republican George Bush win the disputed election.
Nader rejects that blame, saying Democrats "scapegoated" him instead of looking at other factors that contributed to the defeat.
'Appeal to white guilt'
Nader said he is not impressed with Obama and that he does not see him campaigning often enough in low-income, predominantly minority communities where there is a "shocking" amount of economic exploitation.
He pointed to issues like predatory lending, shortages of health care and municipal resources, environmental issues and others.
"He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician," Nader said. "He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up."
June 25, 2008
Nader Defends Remarks About Obama
By JULIE BOSMAN
New York Times
Update | 5:15 p.m. Asked about Ralph Nader’s critical comments at a news conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Senator Barack Obama said Mr. Nader had not been paying attention to his campaign, where “I’ve devoted multiple speeches, town hall meetings to” the issues Mr. Nader raised.
He added: “Ralph Nader is trying to get attention. It’s a shame because if you look at his legacy in terms of consumer protection, it’s an extraordinary one.”
Update | 4:45 p.m. Mr. Nader had called to explain, but not apologize for, the comments he had made about Mr. Obama in The Rocky Mountain News. He said Mr. Obama has not discussed poverty in the inner cities enough, and the fact that he is African-American should make a difference.
“What difference it should make is that he would be more sensitive and determined to bring elevated visibility and concrete programs to deal with these issues,” Mr. Nader said. “Wouldn’t a woman president be expected to be more responsive to women’s rights? It’s just more natural.”
He said that Mr. Obama “obviously made a tactical decision that he’s not going to campaign politically as Jesse Jackson did.”
“He wants to come across that he’s not politically threatening to the white power class and the liberal intelligentsia,” Mr. Nader said. “It’s been a brilliant tactic.”
Earlier, Mr. Nader had stood by the comments he made to a newspaper on Wednesday, in which he suggested that Senator Obama has not devoted enough time to poverty in inner cities and rural areas and “wants to talk white.”
Chris Driscoll, a spokesman for Mr. Nader, said on Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Nader would not retract his remarks or issue an apology.
In an interview with the Rocky Mountain News, Mr. Nader, who is running for president, said of Mr. Obama, “There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn’t want to appear like Jesse Jackson?”
Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, called the remarks “downright delusional” and “reprehensible.”
Mr. Driscoll responded by reading a statement from Mr. Nader. “Obama’s abstract campaign has been delusional and irresponsible when it comes to avoiding concrete policies that truly defend and empower the 100 million Americans living in poverty or near poverty,” he said.
Mr. Nader, a consumer advocate and former Green Party nominee for president, is running as an independent candidate this year on an anti-corporate agenda.
