Dark Side of the Campaign

"For all the hope and excitement Obama's candidacy is generating, some of his field workers, phone-bank volunteers and campaign surrogates are encountering a raw racism and hostility that have gone largely unnoticed -- and unreported -- this election season. Doors have been slammed in their faces. They've been called racially derogatory names (including the white volunteers). And they've endured malicious rants and ugly stereotyping from people who can't fathom that the senator from Illinois could become the first African American president . . .

"Victoria Switzer, a retired social studies teacher, was on phone-bank duty one night during the Pennsylvania primary campaign. One night was all she could take: 'It wasn't pretty.' She made 60 calls to prospective voters in Susquehanna County, her home county, which is 98 percent white. The responses were dispiriting. One caller, Switzer remembers, said he couldn't possibly vote for Obama and concluded: 'Hang that darky from a tree!' . . .

"The bigotry has gone beyond words. In Vincennes, the Obama campaign office was vandalized at 2 a.m. on the eve of the primary, according to police. A large plate-glass window was smashed, an American flag stolen. Other windows were spray-painted with references to Obama's controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and other political messages: 'Hamas votes BHO' and 'We don't cling to guns or religion. Goddamn Wright.' "

Well. Rather sobering, to say the least--a reminder that we don't yet live in this mythical post-racial society. But the piece is drawing some criticism, especially on the right.

"Here it comes, folks," says Bull Dog Pundit. "The MSM, and some Obama supporters, are starting to talk about how tough it's going to be for him to win the Presidency because of all the racists out there, especially among the 'bitter' demographic where Hillary [Clinton] happens to be trouncing him . . .

"Now look, racism exists in this country, and to deny that would be foolish. And I'm sure that there have been some hateful and ignorant racists who say and do the sort of horrible things that are mentioned in this article.

"However, to make a larger point about a few isolated incidents is patently ridiculous. Should these sort of incidents be hidden from view and not discussed? Of course not. But to draw the conclusion about the electorate as a whole from what a few jackasses do or say is foolish.

"But the Obama campaign gets to be in the catbird seat on stories like this. They say how wonderful the overwhelming majority of people have been to their message, but also get the sympathy from the MSM over how it's going to be to overcome all the idiot racists out there . . .

"So remember folks. If you don't vote for Barack Obama, it very well may be that you're a racist."

At Townhall, Carol Platt Liebau offers similar criticism:

"These incidents are deplorable, awful and totally wrong. Anyone who is refusing to vote for Barack Obama just because he's black is a racist, and should be ashamed. (And how shocking to learn that this is going on in a Democratic primary . . . haven't we always been instructed that the Democrat Party is the party of the enlightened?!). There's a lurking danger in these kinds of narratives, as well. When stories like these go into wide circulation, it's a sure bet that some on the left are going to start asserting -- not that America is a great country with (unfortunately) some racists (all of which is true) -- but that America is a predominantly racist country with some great people (i.e., those who support Barack Obama). If Barack loses in the fall, the USA will officially be labeled a racist country by many of its left-wing citizens.

"Back in the realm of reality, it's the sad truth that there will probably be some people who won't vote for Barack just because of his skin color. But there will be many, many more who oppose him because of his leftist policies and his radical associations. It's important to distinguish between the two."