Althouse: Wolf Blitzer really wants Ben Carson to take a position on whether Barack Obama is a "real black president."

October 9, 2015

Wolf Blitzer really wants Ben Carson to take a position on whether Barack Obama is a "real black president."

Blitzer didn't think up the term on his own. He had a tweet from Rupert Murdoch: "Ben and Candy Carson terrific. What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide?"

How did Carson do? Of course, he maintained his utterly unchangeable calm demeanor. Carson's answers included: 1. Murdoch is entitled to his opinion, 2. I don't want to talk about it, 3. It's just "semantics," 4. I don't like political correctness, 5. Obama is the president and he is black, and 6. Murdock was trying to say that a "real black President" would be someone who "really elevated the black community," and Obama hasn't done that.

#6 is the substantive answer, but it's carefully attributed to Murdock. Blitzer, for all his dogged re-questioning, failed to ask the substantive question. I think Blitzer was focused on trying to trap Carson into embracing the concept that of being a "real" black and denying Obama that status (which harkens back to the old "Is Obama black enough?" debate of the 2008 campaign).

Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction and asked: Do you think that people voted for Obama because they were inspired by the idea of having a black President and that idea meant something important about what would happen as a result of having a black President, something that has not occurred? If yes, do you think that idea still has meaning and that the effect could occur if we had a different black President or do you think it was delusional and people should get beyond attributing meaning to the race of the President?

59 comments:

Sebastian said...: "I think Blitzer was focused on trying to trap Carson"

Now why would that be?

"Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction and asked: Do you think that people voted for Obama because they were inspired by the idea of having a black President and that idea meant something important"

Sure, that would have been very, very "substantive."; 10/9/15, 9:16 AM
orthodoc said...: Without intending to offend hammers, Wolf Blitzer is as dumb as a box of hammers.; 10/9/15, 9:16 AM
jacksonjay said...: "Do you think that people voted for Obama because they were inspired by the idea of having a black President and that idea meant something important about what would happen as a result of having a black President, something that has not occurred?"

Great poll question. Certain reflects second thoughts of millions of Obama voters. Why ask them?; 10/9/15, 9:22 AM
MayBee said...: Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction and asked: Do you think that people voted for Obama because they were inspired by the idea of having a black President and that idea meant something important about what would happen as a result of having a black President

People who believed in this are still holding on to the belief that Obama is, at the very least, handsome, charming, and fabulous. So all is not lost.; 10/9/15, 9:22 AM
MayBee said...: Blitzed also pressed Carson on whether Obama is Christian.

What other President have we had for whom the press demanded others to affirm his beliefs?; 10/9/15, 9:24 AM
Gahrie said...: How about:

"The color of my skin doesn't matter Wolf. I don't want anyone to vote for me based on the color of my skin, but rather for the content of my character."; 10/9/15, 9:25 AM
Tank said...: How about this:

Is this a contest to see which reporter can ask the stupidest question?; 10/9/15, 9:27 AM
gerry said...: MSM requires a black to be a socialist. Or at least a Democrat. Otherwise one can't be black.; 10/9/15, 9:33 AM
Ambrose said...: Two things going on here. Basic rule - Republicans are responsible for all "bad" things said (or tweeted) by anyone, anywhere in the world. Opportunity - Media can now ascribe the vintage Clinton "not black enough" line of attack against Obama to the GOP, thus absolving Hillary of all responsibility for what her minions did 8 years ago.; 10/9/15, 9:34 AM
Hagar said...: I do think Obama being "black" means something, indeed a lot, to black people, and something rather different to the gentry left who swoon at the thought, "OMG, we elected a black president!"
And I think both admit to being disappointed, if they were able to admit to seeing that the only "black" thing about Obama is his skin color. Other than that, he is all a breed of international intelligentsia ideologue, with no ties to the American experience.; 10/9/15, 9:39 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: I can't wait until Obama is gone and it once again becomes acceptable to have an unfavorable opinion of the President. This lame version of the gotcha game has become incredibly boring.; 10/9/15, 9:40 AM
MayBee said...: I do think Obama being "black" means something, indeed a lot, to black people, and something rather different to the gentry left who swoon at the thought, "OMG, we elected a black president!"

I agree, but I wonder if Ben Carson means the same thing to either of these groups.

I think no. So that shows how much we've politicized race- turned race more into a belief system than a physical trait.; 10/9/15, 9:43 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: But from the MSM standpoint, spending two days asking Carson if Obama is black is better than reporting on the latest US foreign policy flop.; 10/9/15, 9:43 AM
Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...: There was a time a few years ago when I actually considered CNN one of the more balanced news sources (by MSM standards). Now when I turn it on all I get is discussion about Trump and the latest Obama insult. No news at all about what's happening in the real world.; 10/9/15, 9:50 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Ann Althouse said...Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction and asked
almost anything else. This is why it's still necessary to complain about Media bias--not because it harms Repubs (or at least not ONLY because it harms Repubs) but because it makes actual fact-finding/information dissemination so much harder and thus the value of the press so much lower. Blitzer wanted to get Carson to say something that'd be controversial, to trap him into saying something "wrong." By focusing on that (and implicitly arguing by doing so that these kinds of things are what's actually important) he chooses not to focus on actual information about Carson, discussion of the actual issues in this election, etc. Gotchas have always been around, but it seems like now that's all the news is, just a series of gotchas--and the Media is all too happy to drive that change. It's one thing for Buzzfeed or some such website to devote itself to shallow clickbait in the guise of journalism, but the major networks are just as committed to that paradigm now, and it drives and constrains the actual conversations we have as a nation.

In short, Media bias against Republicans degrades the practice of journalism generally by constraining the profession and directing its efforts away from the role of gathering and disseminating important information about actual events and ideas.; 10/9/15, 9:51 AM
Big Mike said...: @Bushman, locally we get Russia Today and NHK World over the antenna. It's surprising how much we get from them that we don't get from American news organizations. Granted that Russia Today is pushing Russian propaganda, still you get information that you will never see on ABC, CBS, NBC, or even Fox.; 10/9/15, 10:03 AM
madAsHell said...: ya see....this is why I'm not a big Ben Carson fan. It would be very simple to turn the tables here, and ask Blitzer "What's a real black President?"

Carson is obviously very intelligent, but he's not a knife-fighter.; 10/9/15, 10:05 AM
MountainMan said...: Hagar is correct in that Obama is not a product of the American experience. He is the half-breed offspring of a white American mother and a Kenyan who had a privileged upbringing in Hawaii. The only way most American blacks can idenitfy with him is on skin color alone, he never experienced the disadvantages most them have. I think it will be far more important when the day comes that we have a black president who is the descendant of slaves whose family overcame the years of Jim Crow and discxrimination. Even more important if that person is a product of the South, like Tim Scott or Clarenece Thomas.; 10/9/15, 10:05 AM
Big Mike said...: Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction and asked: Do you think that people voted for Obama because they were inspired by the idea of having a black President and that idea meant something important about what would happen as a result of having a black President, something that has not occurred?

Well, some of us back in 2008 really did predict what has actually occurred. Maybe not as bad as it has gotten, but certainly the same trend lines.; 10/9/15, 10:06 AM
MayBee said...: I sat next to a Chinese woman on a plane yesterday, and she said the Chinese media and the Asian media is all over the US bombing the MSF Hospital.

We seem to have forgiven ourselves very quickly for that sin.; 10/9/15, 10:08 AM
MayBee said...: Oh, Blitzer keeps saying Obama made the "Extraordinary step" of calling the MSF President and apologizing.

That's extraordinary? I don't think so, at a time when Obama has time to call Sandra Fluke and tweet Clock boy. Calling a remarkable non-profit hospital you just bombed seems lamely ordinary.; 10/9/15, 10:09 AM
Dan Hossley said...: Wolf just reads his cue cards. If a question isn't on the card, it doesn't exist.; 10/9/15, 10:10 AM
Bob Ellison said...: "Murdock"?

That looks like a Harry Potter villain.; 10/9/15, 10:20 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: "Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction..."

And you can write a version of this for every single MSM interview of every candidate. They are either trying to do hack work and make the Con look bad, or they're doing hack work trying to make the Lib look good.; 10/9/15, 10:22 AM
Fen said...: Meanwhile...

Blitzter: "Hillary, what would you say is your greatest strength?"

Democrat operatives with bylines - Glenn Reynolds; 10/9/15, 10:27 AM
jacksonjay said...: Whitey will never understand the pride that Black Americans have for Obama. Their pride is natural and Obama has played that card very well. They should be proud of his accomplishment, against all odds.

Elite Betters will never admit his incompetence and short-comings. They take pride in his election and the part they played in his success. Lilly Ledbetter, Obamacare, expanding the welfare state, ending two wars, rescuing the economy (and my IRA), executive amnesty, bringing down the unemployment rate, reaching out to Muslims with NASA, and closing GITMO (soon) are just a few of the accomplishments they (history) will crow about. Oh, I forgot bringing down the price of gasoline, too.

Will bombing the hospital in Afghanistan lead to more terrorist recruits or will the apology prevent that?; 10/9/15, 10:28 AM
Caroline said...: how black is the president? black is the reason he is president. leftists are obsessed with race. if Obama were a conservative, the MSm would have run countless stories about his white childhood and education in Indonesian madrassas.; 10/9/15, 10:28 AM
Fernandinande said...: PANTONE SkinTone™ Guide
"An exciting new collection of 110 skin tone shades for inspiration and use in any application where skin tone needs to be matched to a color standard."; 10/9/15, 10:29 AM
Roughcoat said...: Carson should respond by asking Blitzer to take a position on whether he's a real Jew.; 10/9/15, 10:43 AM
jacksonjay said...: When will Zuckerberg introduce a list of skin tone choices for Facebook profiling?; 10/9/15, 10:45 AM
MadisonMan said...: Those are the kind of gotcha questions that should be answered by What does that mean?

Over and over again, so the host digs themselves into a deeper and deeper hole.; 10/9/15, 10:51 AM
Big Mike said...: @madasHell, @Madman, agree wholeheartedly.; 10/9/15, 10:56 AM
narciso said...: well it wasn't a sin, but an error, of course Couric's pathetic little interview of Palin, was supposed to be indicative about something, but in light of the last seven years nothing at all,; 10/9/15, 11:08 AM
chuck said...: Blitzer seems to think Carson should exhibit the same low class and bigotry as a journalist.; 10/9/15, 11:16 AM
Mick said...: The origins of Hussein Obama are up for debate, since he has not been forthcoming with any of his past. The Birth Certificate posted at WH.gov is a proven fraud, and a pic on a website is proof of NOTHING.

By his own account he says he is the son of Barack H. Obama Sr., a British Subject of the then colony of Kenya. The British Naturalization Act 1948, the British law in force at the time, made Barack H. Obama 2 a British subject at birth.

Birth as a British subject, of a British subject non US Citizen father, voids Hussein Obama 2's eligibility for POTUS as a natural born Citizen.

Natural born Citizens are born of 2 US Citizen parents (or a single US Citizen mother) on US soil, according to the law of nations, the Original Common Law of the US, and by holding of the US Supreme Court.

"The Constitution does not, in words, say who shall be natural-born citizens. Resort must be had elsewhere to ascertain that. At common-law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives, or natural-born citizens." Minor v. Happersett, 88 US 162, 167 (1875)

Hussein Obama may be 1/2 black or something else, as his origins have not been proven, but by his own story he was born and still may quite possibly be a British subject.

When the executor of the laws is an illegal entity then there is no law, but the complicit media continue to protect him, and now use the question about Hussein Obama's origins as gotcha questions.; 10/9/15, 11:19 AM
Fred Drinkwater said...: "Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction..."
No. Blitzer could not have.
(You know who could have? Jon Stewart. Ever see him do a straight interview (not in his Daily Show persona)? The world lost a potentially great journalist when Stewart decided to become a hack comedian.); 10/9/15, 11:42 AM
Achilles said...: Blitzer is a tool of the left. The left will not let race be discussed objectively. If they had to defend Obama's policies and how they have absolutely destroyed poor minorities their paradigm of the world would be revealed.; 10/9/15, 11:57 AM
Hagar said...: They are going to stay after Carson because he is a Republican - and not just by registration.

For black people's sake, I wish the first black president had been a Democrat, all right, but morein lline with the President David Palmer that Denis Haysbert portrayed on "24."; 10/9/15, 12:12 PM
Drago said...: MayBee: "Oh, Blitzer keeps saying Obama made the "Extraordinary step" of calling the MSF President and apologizing. That's extraordinary?"

If it caused obambi to miss a tee time, it would be extraordinary indeed.

I'm just surprised the obama-ites didn't blame it on Bush-era policies......yet.; 10/9/15, 12:13 PM
Achilles said...: Ben Carson erased the biggest doubts about his fitness as a candidate when he told Blitzer that the first thing the Nazi's did was disarm the populace. As long as he keeps un-apologetically telling the truth about the left he will continue to rise.

He just needs to figure out what to say on immigration. If he says the right things he is president. If he goes squishy Trump stays on top.; 10/9/15, 1:33 PM
Achilles said...: Fred Drinkwater said...
"Blitzer could have taken the inquiry in a more substantive direction..."
"No. Blitzer could not have.
(You know who could have? Jon Stewart. Ever see him do a straight interview (not in his Daily Show persona)? The world lost a potentially great journalist when Stewart decided to become a hack comedian.)"

Only if he was interviewing republicans. Stewart was obviously coordinating with Obama and is a hack to the core.; 10/9/15, 1:35 PM
JackOfClubs said...: I think the better answer would be that Carson would be a real president who is black whereas Obama is a fake president who is black. (Of course, Carson could never actually give this answer.); 10/9/15, 1:49 PM
Fred Drinkwater said...: @achilles: Sadly I'm sure you are right. Stewart's political bias probably predates any other talent or skill he developed.
But the interview I saw, about 3 years ago, was of a non-politician and was non-political. I'm annoyed now I can't remember any details at all, just that I was impressed with Stewart's skill in managing the interview to get the somewhat reluctant interviewee to actually answer the questions (and follow-ups! Yay for follow-ups!) without pissing him off. Also, JS had done some homework, was not interested in stroking the guy's ego, and asked no softballs.
I was shocked.
(Knowing me, I'll probably remember all the details about 2:30 AM tonight. Sigh.); 10/9/15, 2:39 PM
James Pawlak said...: The sperm donor who inflicted BHO on us was a REAL (African) Black. The question is not the color of pot-head's skin but: IS HE AN AMERICAN?; 10/9/15, 4:44 PM
Mick said...: James Pawlak said...
"The sperm donor who inflicted BHO on us was a REAL (African) Black. The question is not the color of pot-head's skin but: IS HE AN AMERICAN?"

No, it is whether he is a natural born Citizen, eligible to be POTUS. But already you can see that he has no affinity or allegiance to America, and has committed TREASON by arming the enemies of America. What is the penalty?; 10/9/15, 5:00 PM
Fen said...: Here's a fun one for the next President:

Executive Order #1, Jan 20th 2017

"WHEREAS former President Barack Obama has been deemed to have never been a natural born citizen eligible for POTUS, I hereby render all legislation bearing his signature to be null and void, including all executive orders issued during his terms of office."

The Left loves executive orders, so they should be cool with it, right? If not, they can spend the next decade in litigation trying to overturn this before time renders it a moot issue.; 10/9/15, 5:58 PM
cubanbob said...: Carson has got to get in touch with his inner Trump if he wants to win. Blitzer is pathetic. As noted by others his question could have been turned on Blitzer in various ways and thus making Blitzer look the tool and the fool.; 10/9/15, 6:04 PM
Nichevo said...: Carson has to stay in touch with his inner Carson, because his entire vakue proposition is that because of his career and because he is the man you see before you, then a, he is a good person and b, He Can Handle It.

What kind of provocation or trickery or rancor or temper or weakness do they aspire to find and exploit in this man, or, perhaps, expect to find exploited by this man? I daresay that if he's not tough yet, this process will toughen him. I think, if you like stories, that it would be remarkable to see him run, and run, and run, and win.

Perhaps we should take Dr. Carson seriously.

Mick, Dr. Benjamin Carson is eligible and qualified to be elected president of the United States? Yes or no, please, then expound as you wish.; 10/9/15, 9:58 PM
Nichevo said...: Agree or disagree: in any room with any Republican or Democratic candidate, is his not the highest IQ in the room? Michael K? Sebastian? Other professionals? What would you say?; 10/9/15, 10:01 PM
Nichevo said...: Lets do him the honor of giving him a good airing. Leftists too, bring the mockery of Dr Carson, please, don't be shy, I'm sure you would never call him a Tom or a tool if the oppressor. But if you do, bring your A game! Let's have a colloquium on Dr Carson based on some set of facts or other. I freely confess I know little about him.

I would say that with sensitivity, if his wife Candy can be spiffed up a little within her limits, it wouldn't hurt. But I bet they still give more to charity than most of the others.

Hm, it would be interesting to have a Drs. debate. Carson and Paul and who else? (Dr Biden, tee hee?) Bet they would have sober long format policy and values exchanges worth watching.; 10/9/15, 10:09 PM
BN said...: Ah, this or that or whatever, but did you check out his shoes?

Cute, huh?; 10/10/15, 12:41 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: Obama is black, but Carson is SO black.; 10/10/15, 9:10 AM
Mick said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/10/15, 9:43 AM
Mick said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/10/15, 9:45 AM
Mick said...: "Mick, Dr. Benjamin Carson is eligible and qualified to be elected president of the United States? Yes or no, please, then expound as you wish".

Yes, I believe so.

He was born in Detroit in 1951 of 2 US Citizen parents

http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2011/07/ben_carson_african_american_lives_traces_roots.html

But there is some doubt, as his father was a Scientologist minister, and his mother , I believe, was less than 18 years old at the time Ben Carson was born. But Scientology is a recognized religion with tax exempt status in the US, so I don't think Scientology has any effect on US Citizenship, and I don't think Scientologists view themselves as not US Citizens.; 10/10/15, 10:05 AM
Nichevo said...: I ask to know - what would his father's religion or his mom's age matter? Can Jews be President?; 10/10/15, 9:21 PM
Mick said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/11/15, 5:08 AM
Mick said...: Are you practicing gotcha questions? I said he was eligible.

I answered my own question about Scientology. Mother was an interesting fact. Carson had an interesting upbringing. Of course Jews can be President, but we should be wary of dual citizens, and their offspring, who may not have singular allegiance, although they may be technically eligible.; 10/11/15, 5:19 AM
Nichevo said...: Just checking. The Sci thing threw me.; 10/11/15, 7:33 PM