Althouse: Oh, give Romney a break. He didn't say "We're gonna lynch him."

April 30, 2011

Oh, give Romney a break. He didn't say "We're gonna lynch him."

He said "We're gonna hang him."

Uh, so to speak... metaphorically...

103 comments:

rhhardin said...: Hang Obama with America's problems means like an albatross, not like a hangman.

It's not a synonym for lynch in the first place.; 4/30/11, 1:18 PM
Anonymous said...: I'd vote for him easily over BHO, but i'm guessing he will provide us with plenty more awkward moments in the next 18 months.; 4/30/11, 1:21 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Hang Obama with America's problems means like an albatross, not like a hangman."

That's what I would have said if I'd stopped watching the video midway through. Go to the end.; 4/30/11, 1:28 PM
Mick said...: Isn't the penalty for treason hanging? Obama is knowingly not a natural born Citizen (born British) and is giving illegal orders to our military.; 4/30/11, 1:31 PM
Robert said...: Lynch is to hang

as

Jessica Lynch is to

hung like a horse.

See? Not even close.; 4/30/11, 1:42 PM
Aridog said...: Romney Care / Obama Care. Other than scale, there's a difference?

Romney cannot be so clueless (and he isn't by virtue of his tip toeing at the end of the clip) as to NOT know the given metaphor in the term "hang" vis a vis a black man ... however used. Really, he just can't be. Can he?

Oh, well ... then there's Trump and his nifty reference to "The Blacks." Reminiscent of "Those People" anyone?

These are accomplished people, intelligent people. Why, yee f'ing gawd, why do they just "hand" such gems to the opposition. Naive or just lacking common sense?; 4/30/11, 1:48 PM
edutcher said...: Let the Lefties go berserk, it just digs their collective grave a bit deeper, but watch how much Romney squirms.

If he does the full court mea culpa, he'll be another one who is less interested in winning than in trying to find the most graceful way of losing (probably the most damning thing said about McCain during the '08 campaign). That, and RomneyCare, should sink him permanently.

OTOH, if he heeds the Gospel According to Nathan, like Miss Sarah, Herman Cain, and, yes, The Donald, he may have a chance, after all.; 4/30/11, 1:50 PM
Kirby Olson said...: Huckabee can walk through landmines the left has carefully set on the way to the presidency the best. He's just so much more limber. The main thing is to have a very good quick sense of humor like Reagan had. Romney looks good until he talks.; 4/30/11, 1:53 PM
Synova said...: Idiots.

The comments are amazing. One fellow is claiming that "these days" means "since reconstruction" or some moronic nonsense.

Someone did mention Giffords and then someone seemed to take that seriously because Obama receives death threats. Any president does, and it should be taken seriously, but that's not the "these days" I think, though it at least could be.

I think that the "these days" is nothing more and nothing else than the "new civility" and the new rules.

Calling this a "gaffe" is retarded.

(And I meant to say that.); 4/30/11, 1:54 PM
tim maguire said...: It seems that Romney doesn't understand his own reference.

Own goal.; 4/30/11, 1:56 PM
Pastafarian said...: Gas in my town was at $4.15 yesterday.

Keep trying that race-baiting, Aridog. I don't think too many people will care about your rules of racial etiquette when gas reaches $5 per gallon. They might not even care about those Mormons and their funny underwear.

It was clear what Romney was talking about there, hanging this around him. He was pressed for time and condensed it into "hang him with it" toward the end.

We'll see more and more of this as November 2012 approaches. More and more jokes from President Wonderful about how "no one asked to see my ID to get in here." More backhanded accusations of subtle, even subliminal, racism in any criticism of Obama. More MSM promotion of clowns like Trump as legitimate candidates, just before they tear them down.; 4/30/11, 1:58 PM
Chad said...: My prediction- no one serious on the Dem side will criticize him for this flub. Republicans will still go into full victim mode.; 4/30/11, 2:02 PM
jimbino said...: It's hard to communicate in standard English in a country where saying "niggardly" will get you well-hanged.; 4/30/11, 2:02 PM
Pastafarian said...: And by the way: Obama's ancestors were never slaves; none were lynched. He has nothing to do with this reference, other than a little (very damned little) more melanin in his skin than some. Frankly, I find the association of Obama with the racism of the past to be itself racist -- based solely upon the color of his skin, not on his actual background or experiences.; 4/30/11, 2:04 PM
Anonymous said...: If this is all that the Dems have then they are in a world of hurt.

Just as it should be.

When the Dems speak the civility switch goes off, for the GOP the left practically break their wrist switching it back on.

The country sees this and laughs at you lefties.

G'way, ya bother me....; 4/30/11, 2:05 PM
Aridog said...: Pastafarian said ..

"Keep trying that race-baiting, Aridog. I don't think too many people will care about your rules of racial etiquette ..."

Say what? Do you always leap to conclusions based upon your own personal delusions?; 4/30/11, 2:06 PM
Synova said...: "Romney cannot be so clueless (and he isn't by virtue of his tip toeing at the end of the clip) as to NOT know the given metaphor in the term "hang" vis a vis a black man ... however used. Really, he just can't be. Can he?"

I doubt anyone's commitment to racial equality when what they do only makes things worse.

The notion that one has to modify their language when talking about a black person from what they would normally and casually say about a white person is HARMFUL.

Romney getting uncomfortable at the end may have been him realizing that, for a moment, he was treating Obama like a MAN. Like a real person like any other person. And all of a sudden he realized that he was going to get attacked for that and tried to back pedal and treat Obama like a BLACK man.

I swear, people want to KEEP the status quo. They want to fan racism and racial considerations. It gives them power.; 4/30/11, 2:06 PM
Pastafarian said...: Huckabee, Kirby?

Huckabee?

To quote Naomi Watts: Fuckabees.

It's a little easier to miss those landmines for Huckabee because the MSM don't lay as many, and the ones they do are firecrackers, because Fuckabee is a Democrat.

But if an alternate meaning of "limber" is back-stabbing, grasping, snake-oil-selling shit-heel,then maybe we're in complete agreement.; 4/30/11, 2:08 PM
Anonymous said...: "I swear, people want to KEEP the status quo. They want to fan racism and racial considerations. It gives them power."

You've uncovered the awful truth!

Much power and untold $millions ride on the fact that racism must not die.

It's the glue that holds victimhood together.; 4/30/11, 2:10 PM
Nels said...: Romney still hasn't learned that to win over conservatives he needs to "fucking hang" the President.; 4/30/11, 2:11 PM
Paddy O said...: That's it for Romney. Fairly or unfairly doesn't matter. This will be used against him, it will be used in an unfair way, and it will be destructive.

He should drop out very soon and reposition himself to get a position in the new administration. Secretary of the Treasury or something.

It's sad a gaffe can torpedo a candidacy, but it happens, and it just happened again.; 4/30/11, 2:12 PM
Aridog said...: Synova said: ...

"I doubt anyone's commitment to racial equality when what they do only makes things worse...[snip]...he was treating Obama like a MAN. Like a real person like any other person. And all of a sudden he realized that he was going to get attacked for that and tried to back pedal and treat Obama like a BLACK man."

Perfectly said.; 4/30/11, 2:16 PM
Pastafarian said...: Did I leap to an errant conclusion, Aridog, by interpreting your comment as saying: Any mention of the word "hang", in any context, is political suicide when used with reference to someone with African ancestors?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

This sort of hyper-sensitivity to issues of race is where liberals derive their power. They're able to guilt otherwise intelligent people (cough-Althouse-cough) into voting for obviously unqualified and dangerously-leftist candidates; they're able to assassinate men's characters all because of a slip of the tongue.

Yes, let's continue to grant them this power and reinforce it by mincing around and bemoaning the stupidity of a man who was talking about $4 gas and the debt spiral we're now probably inextricably trapped in, because he used the word "hang."; 4/30/11, 2:19 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: If a racial point could be made out of this it would be to correctly point out that Romney compared Obama to a southern white president.. from a one termer to hopefully another, the analogy was dead on.

To go from hanging something like say unemployment on Obama and saying that that is the equivalent of desiring a lynching is disingenuous in the extreme.

Based on those statements it would be totally unfair to hang a racial thing on Romney.

There was no "gaffe".; 4/30/11, 2:21 PM
Anonymous said...: When talking to or about black people, you have to be extremely careful. Normal figures of speech may not be acceptable; you must think thoroughly through every possible interpretation of every word.

In fact, it's best to just avoid black people entirely, and keep them from public office, to avoid any potential problems.

- Lyssa

/s (sort of); 4/30/11, 2:22 PM
Pastafarian said...: Paddy O, I think you've taken leave of your usually unerringly grounded senses.

I'd ask if you're drunk, but the use of this joke with respect to an Irishman would almost certainly force me to immediately resign my position as Althouse commenter and fade into Bolivia.

If we're going to let the MSM pick off candidates based on something like this, we might as well concede 2012 now and save everyone a hell of a lot of time and money.; 4/30/11, 2:24 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The notion that one has to modify their language when talking about a black person from what they would normally and casually say about a white person is HARMFUL.

I agree with Synova.; 4/30/11, 2:26 PM
Sprezzatura said...: That's a weird metaphor.

I've never heard some one say "Let's hang our opponent." Sometimes, during a sports competition, folks do say "We're going to kill em'." So, I guess folks may say "We're going to hang them."

But, rather than purposefully using a metaphor (as he claims) I'm guessing that Romney misspoke, he meant to stick w/ the albatross stuff that he started w/.

p.s.

I wonder if Romney is the kind of person who folks will like less, the more they see him. I can't see how seeing him front and center for more than a year will persuade folks to join w/ him. He may be busy keeping folks from fleeing. Time will tell.; 4/30/11, 2:26 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: And I disagree with lyssalovelyredhead @ 2:22 Althought I suspect you are just trying to make a point.; 4/30/11, 2:29 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Romney would do worse than McCain!

Yes, there are unhappy democraps.

But how unhappy? Unhappy enough to "want" a divorce?

If you think Mitt Romney is a valid choice, then you haven't learned a thing about McCain's loss. And, why the media might be pumping up Romney?

Here's a clue: Romney doesn't make it. Sarah Palin doesn't make it.

If Trump wants it? What happens when he starts spending money on his campaign? Can he sells buttons to the public? You think I'm kidding?

Stangers come into the Wild West. It's an American tradition.; 4/30/11, 2:35 PM
edutcher said...: NotYourTypicalNewYorker said...

If this is all that the Dems have then they are in a world of hurt.

It's all they've got.

Don't like gas prices?

Racist

Don't like U-6 at 19.6?

Racist

Don't like commodity prices up average of 75% in the past year?

Racist

Don't like devaluation of the dollar?

Racist

Think Libya is a bad idea?

Racist

Coming to "The View", CNN, and MSNBC soon.; 4/30/11, 2:37 PM
Mark O said...: RACERS.

If this country does not re-elect BHO it will be further proof of the racism endemic among everyone.

He must not be polling well if the race card is being played this soon and this often. Play it. Get over it.

Not birthers, not truthers, RACERS.; 4/30/11, 2:39 PM
Synova said...: Lyssa does a good job of illustrating how it's harmful to promote different rules for different people. It's not at all that I don't understand why people might do it, after all I called my little kids "monkeys" all the time and had to catch myself from doing so with black little kids. But at the same time, I'm not sure which is actually worse in the end - coo'ing about the adorable little monkeys, or catching yourself before you do and getting all stiff and uncomfortable and concerned.

And that example is pretty blatant, pretty obvious. Damage is done by worrying about what you might miss or what might offend, like, oh, a joke about how all Scandinavian church food is white. Ack! Can I say a joke about "white" to a Southern black lady? Am I *sure* I can do that?

Politicians use certain imagery often. It doesn't become something else because the person they talk about, this time, is black or asian or female or whatever. The "test" of it should be simple enough. Look at, for example, Romney's speech and read it as delivered about a white politician. Look at something said about Palin or Clinton and read it as delivered about a male politician.

And if that works, then get over the manufactured, ignorant outrage.; 4/30/11, 2:39 PM
Pastafarian said...: Carol, I'm pretty sure you're drunk. In fact, you might well be on LSD.

Re. Romney's chances in the general election: I'd say they're directly related to the price of gas. Gas could be $6 in Nov 2012 and Obama will still win 46% of the vote; there's a certain percentage there that will never abandon him, even if his next state-of-the-union address consists of Obama climbing onto the lectern and taking a big dump on the presidential seal.

"Provocative and inspirational", Chris Matthews will swoon.

But $6 gas will peel off enough voters that Obama couldn't garner a majority against my cat.

The one wildcard are idiots like Trump and Paul, whose third-party candidacies might allow Obama to sneak through with a mere plurality. If that happens, we are all quite thoroughly screwed.; 4/30/11, 2:43 PM
Synova said...: I don't think I could vote for Romney. At least, I'd rather not. I think I'd have preferred him to McCain, but that goes for just about anyone.

For 2012 I see him as the McCain for this time around.; 4/30/11, 2:43 PM
Aridog said...: Pastafarian said...

"They're able to guilt otherwise intelligent people ... "

True enough ... but Romney didn't wait to be so cast, he did it to himself. Barely caught a breath doing so in fact.

Had he just not stumbled in to the weak mea culpa I'd be more impressed.

As for my inference, you're correct, but I didn't make the metaphor what it is, now did I? It won't go away just because you or I wish it either.; 4/30/11, 2:45 PM
Synova said...: $6 gas - Obama loses to a cat.

My kids get jobs - Obama wins in 2012.; 4/30/11, 2:45 PM
Synova said...: OMG

I said "Obama" and "cat" in the same sentence.

I denounce myself for not being more careful.; 4/30/11, 2:46 PM
madAsHell said...: My father was a small business man. He owned, and operated a drug store.

One day, an African-American customer asked my father a difficult question which I don't recall. My father responded to the question with:

"Oh boy, I am not sure."

The man proceeded to play the race card, and inform my father of his racist comment. My father never said a word. He knew "Oh boy" is from the yiddish "Oye wey" (sp?).

This African-American was a guidance counselor at my high school. Some things never change.; 4/30/11, 2:49 PM
shiloh said...: mittens not ready for prime time, but that was determined in 2007/2008.

Another faux pas ie nothing to see here besides the obvious ~ catering to his LCD er teabagger audience.

Much like AA feeds her flock red meat daily ...

Let's move on, shall we.; 4/30/11, 2:51 PM
MamaM said...: "We're going to trump him" might have been more prescient.; 4/30/11, 2:51 PM
Sprezzatura said...: madAsHell,

So, how many other black folks inappropriately played the race card in the years your father had a retail business?

How many folks had fits unrelated to the race card? In retail it's typical to experience plenty of frustrations/misunderstandings that are unrelated to the so called race card.

Based on my experience, I'd guess that the later happened a lot more often (I worked in retail during high school and college). But, you've got your anecdote that you've blown up into some big deal. Weird.; 4/30/11, 2:56 PM
Anonymous said...: Lem: And I disagree with lyssalovelyredhead @ 2:22 Althought I suspect you are just trying to make a point.

Of course, dear. A world where we cannot act normally and have to watch everything we say and do around certain "kinds" of people is not a world that fosters racial harmony (racial harmony being, of course, the last thing that some people out there want). Synova and I are basically making the same arguments.

- Lyssa; 4/30/11, 2:57 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "mittens not ready for prime time, but that was determined in 2007/2008."

But that means he will be the R candidate. Next in line.

This primary is only meant to sort out who will be the runner-up. That is, this primary is a race for the 2016 R candidate.; 4/30/11, 3:00 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: By making these kinds of perverse, chicken little charges, the left betrays a desire for them to be true.. a desire for racial disharmony.

Thank God for the blogs.. we can hang them with it.; 4/30/11, 3:07 PM
shiloh said...: A post at another blog a couple mos. ago:

When was the last time a Rep presidential nominee was an unknown ?!?

2008 ~ McCain
2000/04 ~ Bush
1996 ~ Dole
1988/92 ~ Bush
1980/84 ~ Reagan
1976 ~ Ford
1968/72 ~ Nixon
1964 ~ Goldwater
1960 ~ Nixon
1952/56 ~ Ike
1944/48 ~ Dewey
1940 ~ Wilkie
1936 ~ Landon
1928/32 ~ Hoover
1924 ~ Coolidge
1920 ~ Harding
1916 ~ Hughes
1908/12 ~ Taft
1904 ~ Roosevelt
1896/1900 ~ McKinley

(4) Bush’s, (3) Nixon’s, (2) Bonzo’s professor and a partridge in a pear tree :-P

Trivia: Dewey’s v-p in ’48 ~ California Governor Earl Warren

>

2012 either mittens or Huckabee ~ book it, Danno … re: cheney/bush ~ book ‘em, Danno! :D

Republicans fall in line … period, end of story!; 4/30/11, 3:09 PM
edutcher said...: pbAndj said...

"mittens not ready for prime time, but that was determined in 2007/2008."

But that means he will be the R candidate. Next in line.

The FUD sisters are here.

New thread!; 4/30/11, 3:13 PM
Pastafarian said...: Shiloh bloody Shiloh: "...LCD..."

Liquid crystal display? Or did you mean LDS?

Now, if you did mean LCD, maybe you could help me decide between a conventional fluorescent-backlit LCD, an LED-lit LCD, and a plasma TV. Maybe you're some sort of expert.; 4/30/11, 3:13 PM
shiloh said...: Pastafarian, you're obviously beyond help! :-P

take care, blessings; 4/30/11, 3:15 PM
Aridog said...: lyssalovelyredhead said...

"A world where we cannot act normally and have to watch everything we say and do around certain "kinds" of people is not a world that fosters racial harmony ..."

Agreed. However, that IS how it is. Where I live it's not a good idea to say "sand n**ger" or "porch monkey" unless you just like offended people in your face a lot. They're just words after all.

Could it be, due to the weight of history, that some words, some metaphors, just aren't worth saying in front of anyone?

While I agree with the what Synova and Lyssa say here ... I question just how you/we accomplish the purity of that principle.

There are lots of smarter people than me, with different experiences, who might be able to find that answer. For now, however, I'll err on the side of caution...or manners, whatever.

I've lived in various non-European ethnic communities here and abroad and learned to get along well enough to enter a room and not be particularly noticed. Even welcomed at times.

In one of those environs, if you just walked up and slapped a man he'd ask you why? But if you spit in his direction from nearby, he'd come over and sucker punch you.

In my experience we don't get to define what is insulting to others.; 4/30/11, 3:15 PM
Seeing Red said...: It looks like Obama's going after the 2nd Amendment under the radar.

Rope may be all we're left with.; 4/30/11, 3:17 PM
Pastafarian said...: Aridog (at 2:45), I disagree -- I think if we cede the idea that no one on our side can use any of a myriad of common, innocent words because it's possible to intentionally mischaracterize them as racist, then we allow liberals to lay the mine field Kirby mentioned.

Again, it's clear from the entire clip that Romney was talking about 'hanging the misery index around Obama's neck'.; 4/30/11, 3:17 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: These are accomplished people, intelligent people. Why, yee f'ing gawd, why do they just "hand" such gems to the opposition. Naive or just lacking common sense?

Perhaps because they don't spend all their time obsessing over someone's racial make up like the Left does and the analogies have nothing to do with race.

The Left finds racism in everything from Devil's Food Cake to Black Holes.

Besides the more correct analogy would be that we are going to .... Hang America's problems around Obama's neck like a week old pork chop.; 4/30/11, 3:22 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "Besides the more correct analogy would be that we are going to .... Hang America's problems around Obama's neck like a week old pork chop."

Muslimer!!!!; 4/30/11, 3:24 PM
Pastafarian said...: Aridog, I don't think the use of the word "hang" is really comparable to the use of the terms "sand n*gger" and "porch monkey."

No, you're right, we don't get to decide what others consider offensive. But we do get to decide whether those people are being purposefuly obtuse, manipulative, hyper-sensitive assholes.

What if, for example, I went into an hysterical rage (oh, shit, I used the anti-wymyn h-word -- scratch that) I went into a frothing fit over your use of the word "how", because of the use of this word as a greeting in early Westerns by cartoonish and offensive depictions of Native Americans?

Would that be reasonable of me? Would you acquiesce to my absurd demand and refrain from ever using the word "how"?; 4/30/11, 3:25 PM
Sprezzatura said...: ["Pasta], I'm pretty sure you're drunk. In fact, you might well be on LSD."; 4/30/11, 3:27 PM
Pastafarian said...: It's alright, pb&j, it's just gila monster venom, and it's strictly for medicinal purposes.; 4/30/11, 3:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Aridog: Where I live it's not a good idea to say "sand n**ger" or "porch monkey" unless you just like offended people in your face a lot. They're just words after all.

There's absolutely no comparison between using phrases that clearly ARE racially based and using phrases that are part of normal discourse and wouldn't raise an eyebrow if applied to a person of a different race.

Ex: Calling Condi Rice a "house nigger" was unacceptably (and unbelivably) racist. Those that called her that were clearly only using the phrase because of her race, and it would never have beens said about a white SecState.

This is completely different; Mr. Romney would have use the exact same phrase if he had been talking about President Hillary Clinton.

- Lyssa; 4/30/11, 3:35 PM
Sprezzatura said...: So, do the folks who think it's all fine and dandy to metaphorically talk about hanging BHO, disagree w/ Atlhouse?

That is, do you also make a distinction between metaphorically hanging and metaphorically lynching BHO? If hanging is ok, why not lynching? They're the same thing.; 4/30/11, 3:36 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: If hanging is ok, why not lynching? They're the same thing.

How about hoisting? Can we hoist Obama on his own petard, or would that be some how discriminatory towards engineers?

Hanging and lynching are not the same things.

The outcome is the same, but the intent behind the acts are not.

Is English your second language?; 4/30/11, 3:41 PM
Pastafarian said...: pb&j, he said we should hang the misery index around Obama's neck.

That's not the same as hanging him by the neck til dead.

Toward the end of his allotted time, he hurried and said "hang him with it", but anyone could tell that he wasn't talking about executing him; he recognized how he'd stumbled over his words, and pointed out that he was speaking in metaphors, half-joking, implying with his tone how absurd it was that he should even have to point this out.

Obviously, he didn't use the word "lynch", which does have racial overtones. And obviously I disagree with Althouse. I don't know why she'd peddle this meme, frankly.

Now if you'll all excuse me, I do have to go and get quite thoroughly intoxicated. I'll check in later for a little drunken commenting.; 4/30/11, 3:43 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Oh, give Romney a break. He didn't say "Jehovah".; 4/30/11, 3:44 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Now if you'll all excuse me, I do have to go and get quite thoroughly intoxicated. I'll check in later for a little drunken commenting.

Me too. We are burning the brush and limb pile today and have purchased a nice bottle of scotch to sip while far exceeding our carbon footprint allowance .......bwahahahahahah.; 4/30/11, 3:45 PM
Trooper York said...: I think even the most innocuous and feeble jokes about harming the President are very inappropriate and should not be part of the national discourse.

Of course I thought the same thing about President Bush but I noticed you lefty douchenozzles never gave a shit then. So it is just another big bag of hypocritical bullshit; 4/30/11, 3:49 PM
Sprezzatura said...: DBQ,

Even when using a metaphor, you're still concerned w/ the literal meaning.

So, isn't lynching a better starting point for Romney's metaphor? He was saying that "we" are going to hang BHO. He was rallying a group to join the hanging party.

Sounds like a lynching, more than your regular old hanging.

Pasta,

I already stated all of that myself, up thread. I know Romney misspoke. But, he didn't admit to misspeaking. He tried to claim that he meant his words, but his meaning was metaphorical. The guy just won't admit errors (at least that's what some cons say re Romneycare).; 4/30/11, 3:52 PM
Synova said...: "While I agree with the what Synova and Lyssa say here ... I question just how you/we accomplish the purity of that principle."

Other than explaining why demanding that we speak differently of one person than another on the basis of their race causes harm, I don't know. I'm not suggesting that everyone set out to disregard the feelings of others. Certainly nothing could induce me to call a small black child, no matter how dexterous, a monkey, no matter that I think it is an adorable thing to call small white children. That's not really the point, though. It's just an example, sort of the exception that proves the rule, about asking if what is said is appropriate in general, or if different standards are applied.

Being rude isn't the way to get to the "purity of principle" but getting there really ought to be our goal. That is, if we really care about equality. The demand that we all be hyper-sensitive, that we buy into the current notions of "privilege" and what not, do not promote the goal of equality, but retards it. And no matter someone's desire and feelings and purity of heart, if what they demand hurts the cause of equality they ought to be denounced.; 4/30/11, 3:52 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: "While I agree with the what Synova and Lyssa say here ... I question just how you/we accomplish the purity of that principle."

There is an apparent contradiction is saying you/we/whoever want racial harmony in the name of 'diversity'.

Or maybe its me hanging out by a limb.. to mix metaphors the way the professor likes ;); 4/30/11, 4:02 PM
Synova said...: "Hanging and lynching are not the same things."

IIRC, Lynch was a hanging judge and it all had pretty much nothing to do with black people until the KKK got involved. The meanings of words change over time and I'll agree that "lynch" has come to have a connotation that "hang" does not.

It truly would be outrageous if someone "accidentally" used the word "lynch."

But I disagree that using a term "hang him with it" is an inappropriate or obvious allusion to violence instead of a usual metaphor like "target" or even "campaign". Fight the good fight. Cut out the corruption.

What would be better... destroy him?

We'll shoot him down?

Punch back twice as hard?

Would Romney have stumbled or anyone gasped in faux outrage over "hang him" if the subject was some other, paler, political opponent?

Well, maybe, the new civility and all. But we all know how one sided that is.; 4/30/11, 4:03 PM
Anonymous said...: So can we say "Give Obama enough rope to hang himself?" or would that be encouraging auto-racism?; 4/30/11, 4:03 PM
Mark O said...: You can't talk that way about that nice little Obama. Aren't you a good kid? Yes you are. Those ears are divine: an angel came down and gave those to you. Don't ever let anyone else tell you differnt. Now, the rest of you, be nice to him. He needs you to be nice to him. He's such a good little thing. So darn cute. And smart.; 4/30/11, 4:07 PM
Phil 314 said...: Oh boy, I'm spooked by the reaction to these dark images. From now on I shall be more niggardly in my choice of colorful analogies.; 4/30/11, 4:07 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Uh, this is bad.

Romney has enough problems without this.

Perhaps I should change my last name?; 4/30/11, 4:08 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: "Give Obama enough rope to hang himself?"

As I recall the way some people got around that was to say "Let Obama be Obama".

To me it didnt have the same ring to it.; 4/30/11, 4:09 PM
edutcher said...: pbAndj said...

So, do the folks who think it's all fine and dandy to metaphorically talk about hanging BHO, disagree w/ Atlhouse?

That is, do you also make a distinction between metaphorically hanging and metaphorically lynching BHO? If hanging is ok, why not lynching? They're the same thing.

To quote an old Western, "They were sentenced to be hanged, not lynched".

Hanging is a punishment meted out by a court of law. If the electorate rejects Little Zero, he will have been hanged by his own arrogance and incompetence.; 4/30/11, 4:10 PM
AST said...: Piffle. Romney made clear what he meant from the beginning of the clip. This is on the level of Obama saying he'd been to all 57 states, or mentioning his Muslim religion before he corrected himself.; 4/30/11, 4:11 PM
Paddy O said...: Pasta, I'm not drunk,though that'd be a lot more interesting than politics.

Mostly I don't particularly like Romney, and thought I'd jump on the overreaction band wagon.

Though, I think his reputation as being someone we could trust to not make such (even if unfair) gaffes has taken a pretty big hit. Especially when anything even remotely, or not remotely, will be used for political advantage. This isn't fair nor is it logical, not at all, but politics isn't about fair or logical, especially nowadays.; 4/30/11, 4:15 PM
shiloh said...: hmm, I'm sensing a symmetrical pattern ...

Conservatives apologized/rationalized for cheney/bush, then for McCain and now for mittens.

All is well at Althouse! :-P

So many apologists, so little time.; 4/30/11, 4:16 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Mark O just reminded me of what Joe Biden said about Obama.

Biden's staments were subsequently rewarded by Obama by putting him (Biden) on the ticket.; 4/30/11, 4:17 PM
Chip S. said...: What Romney should have said was that Obama's domestic policies have shackled the private sector...um, no...

that Obama has failed to recognize the dark cloud of the looming debt crisis...er, nope...

that the administration's treatment of whistle-blowers and reporters casts a shadow over..., oh goodness, no...

that Barack Obama is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being he's ever met in his life...yeah, that's it. That's what Romney could have said without drawing criticism.; 4/30/11, 4:17 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Is it playing the race card when a black person accuses his opponents of lynching him?

Would it be cool w/ the cons here if BHO said that talk radio was trying to lynch him?; 4/30/11, 4:23 PM
Chip S. said...: Oh, I'd be utterly shocked if Obama played the race card like that. It's inconceivable, really.; 4/30/11, 4:28 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/30/11, 4:30 PM
Anonymous said...: At the start of the video clip, Romney has assumed an interesting posture, putting his right forearm out in front of him. A classic poker-style tell, informing us that he is going to make a raise that he is quite unsure of. Then he starts speaking with contemptuous equivocation: "I can't just help but notice..."

"...we're gonna have to hang the Obama misery index around his neck." At the end of that sentence, he quickly scratches his face with his right hand. Another tell.

Why is Romney smirking egotistically when he enumerates "...housing foreclosures, bankruptcy, higher taxation..."? Do these national problems make Romney happy? He certainly believes that they will help him achieve his political goal of being President, so in that way they're great... for him... or at least he seems to think so.

"So to speak..." Romney chuckles. "Metaphorically..." He chuckles and shakes his hands, trying to shake off the emotional dirt of the lynching reference he knows he just delivered. That's at least the third tell.

This was prepackaged and it shows. It was not authentic like Trump's recent profanity-laden tirade was. Obviously the whole lead-up and attention-whoring lynching reference was carefully prepared in advance. But even Romney is uncomfortable saying what he did. There was no "stumble"; even the bit about saying it "metaphorically" and "being careful" were planned out. We are just seeing another wussy man who doesn't have the strength to stand behind his words. Do we really want another image-conscious wimpy pansy-ass Teleprompter Boy in the White House? No! No! No!; 4/30/11, 4:32 PM
shiloh said...: It was not authentic like Trump's

Trump is as phony as the day is long.

Grifter charlatans are jealous of him.

take care; 4/30/11, 4:35 PM
edutcher said...: pbAndj said...

Is it playing the race card when a black person accuses his opponents of lynching him?

Which names first?

Jesse Jackson?

Al Sharpton?

Ray Nagin?

Ring any bells?

Would it be cool w/ the cons here if BHO said that talk radio was trying to lynch him?

I think we've already seen that scenario. This is what the Lefties do.

WV "burope" A dresser the size of a continent.; 4/30/11, 4:40 PM
Synova said...: "This was prepackaged and it shows."

Only in a liberal fantasy land populated by rabid racist code-talkers.; 4/30/11, 4:41 PM
madAsHell said...: But, you've got your anecdote that you've blown up into some big deal. Weird.

Blown up into some big deal?

Big deal?.....maybe I could become a race-baiting shake down artist. I could use my ignorance to create outrage, controversy, and a paycheck.

In less than 6 words, the guidance counselor branded my father a racist. That made an impression on me. It's been 35 years, but I still remember that counselor's name.

You do understand that racism is a huge industry, and it depends on creating "big deals" out of nothing at all.

niggardly
renege
oh boy
Tamara Brawley; 4/30/11, 4:42 PM
Chip S. said...: Words I never imagined typing:

--Anybody know where I can order Vegemite online?

--Agree with him or not, you've got to admit that Bill Maher is consistently funny.

--I agree with shiloh.

And yet I think he's right about Trump.; 4/30/11, 4:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Americans are angry at their government.

Furious!

My rule for 2012:

The one who can best verbalize that anger and sincerely empathize with it wins...

...Wins the Republican nomination and, if he or she is good enough at it, the Presidency.

Funny thing is that Obama did a darn good job of channeling American anger toward their government in 2008... and he won because of it.; 4/30/11, 4:45 PM
Trooper York said...: You libs shouldn't get all hot and bothered by what Mitt has to say. He will never get the nomination. Republicans will never vote for a guy who is so stupid that he wants to have more than one wife. At a time.; 4/30/11, 4:50 PM
Trooper York said...: Now when Governor Walker fires the entire government of Wisconsin and calls in the National Guard like Calvin Coolidge he will win the nomination on the first ballot.; 4/30/11, 4:51 PM
Sprezzatura said...: ed,

So, is Thomas just a race hustler?

Madashell,

Do you believe that the guidance counselor was paid by the racism industry to go into your dad's store in 1976 so that he could mistakenly understand what your father said to him?; 4/30/11, 4:55 PM
Rialby said...: "So many apologists, so little time."

So, it's perfectly acceptable to talk about hanging when you're dealing with a white Republican politician - see Walker, Palin - but somehow this is over the line.

Ok. Makes sense.; 4/30/11, 4:57 PM
chickelit said...: Quayle said...
So can we say "Give Obama enough rope to hang himself?" or would that be encouraging auto-racism?

Please leave NASCAR out of this nasty smear.; 4/30/11, 4:57 PM
chickelit said...: @Shilho:

I know you're smart enough to think with both sides of your brain. But sometimes you speak out of just the left side of your mouth. It's like you're having a stroke or something.; 4/30/11, 5:01 PM
chickelit said...: MadASHell wrote: You do understand that racism is a huge industry, and it depends on creating "big deals" out of nothing at all.

Remember the discussion on Althouse about those stray letters on the kid's pajamas? link.

Could trumped-up stuff like that have helped get Obama elected?; 4/30/11, 5:15 PM
chickelit said...: P.S.

Or at least trounce HRC in the primary.

I still think him giving her the finger on stage put him over the top.; 4/30/11, 5:17 PM
Seeing Red said...: macaca; 4/30/11, 5:39 PM
edutcher said...: pbAndj said...

ed,

So, is Thomas just a race hustler?

No, but Anita is.

Thomas didn't demand preferential treatment. There's a difference.; 4/30/11, 7:06 PM
xnar said...: Can we stop talking about how we talk and talk about the issues? We need Herman Cain to run so he gets linguistic immunity; 4/30/11, 8:11 PM
Kirby Olson said...: Obama's the president in his birthday suit. Noticing this is going to make him unelectable for a second term. Anything that can keep people from saying anything negative about him might help BO save his credibility. Still, whoever wins the presidency has to have very good communication skills. They have to be like a poet, and like an advertising executive, and hopefully, have other strong abilities. Obama does have very strong communication skills. Romney doesn't. Even McCain had better communication skills. McCain can set you on fire when he speaks. It's rare, but he can do it. Romney can't. He leaves me cold. Romney is handsome, but when he speaks, I have the impression of a very ordinary person, or perhaps a slightly above average person. He trumps Trump only because he doesn't give the impression of being a crude person. Obama is rather amazing: he learned all the skills of the new academia: how to use your background to trump others in victimization while also flouting your superiority in knowing these things. He really understands that bizarre dance, and can do it day and night better than almost everybody else. What he doesn't know is the corporate shuffle that Clinton knew, and that most real presidents know (presidents who should be presidents should be able to say, Business is the business of America without making everyone laugh).

At least four generations of college kids have graduated with bombs having to do with race and gender having been sewn into their foreheads. Slight trips like saying "hang" to a black guy trip those tboms and cause explosions of outrage.

We need someone who can avoid tripping those. Trump makes explosive ejaculations every time he speaks, as does Palin. that's useful, as it clears the mind field.

But we also need someone who understands that world from inside. And yet Republicans generally are not permitted to be inside of academia. It's going to be increasingly hard for them, since the colleges are basically owned by the left, and all their ideas are minted on the foreheads of the young.

I think Reagan was able to undo a lot of that because he had the good fortune to have fought the Hollywood left for decades before he confronted the national Democratic party. So he knew their lingo inside and out and had developed antibodies.

Palin -- living in Alaska -- won't be able to know the codes even after years of dealing with it. Maybe in ten years. Maybe. It's very hard to find the right combination.; 4/30/11, 8:21 PM
Pastafarian said...: Kirby, I am most thoroughly drunk. I am so fucked up right now that it's a testament to my 10th grade typing teacher (what you kids call "keyboarding" now) that I can type at all.

And no amount of argument can convince me that the prudent choice for Republicans would be that transparent huckster Huckabee.

Hell, if hit's Huckabee/Obama, I'll actually have to think about my choice. Shit sandwich, or double-shit sandwich with mayo?; 4/30/11, 9:40 PM
Chad said...: Thanks all for proving me right. Dems have not made a big deal about this gaffe but you conservatives took the opportunity to wallow in your victimhood. You all have turned into pathetic losers.; 5/1/11, 8:55 AM