Sometimes you have to post on something that can easily be misunderstood. So I'm going to do that.
We all have our favorite cable news network.Mine is MSNBC. Why? Because it has a liberal tilt to a degree. My sister-in-law and her husband watch Fox. Why? It has a conservative tilt, and Peggy and Ed are very conservative. Fair enough.
I have no problems with analysts having political leanings. Olberman (sp?) is liberal, but openly so. O'Reily is conservative, but openly so. I do have a problem with Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post, who is obviously pro-obama, but does not indicate so on his comments.
But my real problem (hold on to your hats, some are going to say I'm racist) is with two MSNBC analysts who are African-American and pro-McCain. Now, here's my problem. In my state we had a great football quarterback who decided to run for office. He was African-American. Now had he decided to run as a Democrat he would have had tremendous competition from other young A-A's. But the Republican party has been working hard for years to expand its 'tent' to include A-A's. So he ran as a Republican in a conservative state and easily won. He rose to great heights in the Republican congressional caucus.
The two analysts on MSNBC I am speaking about in all probability followed the same logic. If I am a A-A Democrat I will be one among thousands if not millions of my race with credentials to be a national figure. But if I become Republican, have a college degree, am well-spoken, then the road ahead looks very smooth. There's not much competition.
Okay, call me a racist. I'm not. I support Obama. I contribute money to his campaign. But if you're looking for an easy target, here I am. Fire away.
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Maybe the two analysts you think about didn't approach it that way at all -- I mean, in terms of seeing a career opportunity in being A-A conservatives. Maybe they just are.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe not. Maybe they followed exactly the logic you described in your fourth paragraph. If so, what of it ? They saw opportunities and went for them. As the economists would say, they maximized their comparative advantages, and their futures and those of their families are paved with gold. Most people, in most fields, would consider that pretty good thinking. If they can sleep with themselves nights, more power to them.
You could be right. Maybe they were real conservatives.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you on what they did, if they did as I said. Economic man is important. But I like to think of ethical man as well. The dollar isn't everything. Dollars over ethics is not my cup of tea. Jack
Hmm, Food for thought Jack. I guess I am a rabid liberal because my blood pressure goes up when I watch even a few brief moments of Fox news. I also don't get why blacks or gays would ever consider being a republican. So perhaps I am prejudice after all.
ReplyDeleteJack
ReplyDeleteOne of the most conservative people I ever knew was African American, and this was from solid conviction.
It could be that those two hosts just evaluated the facts differently than you and are acting on their convictions?
I think is important to remember that people are individuals and that we have to learn not to stereotype, such as all African Americans should be Democrats. That being said, I don't know how any African American with a true sense of their cultural history can vote for anybody but Barack Obama. They owe it to their ancestors. Maybe we all owe it to their ancestors. But it's not because Obama is African American it is because he is the Best Candidate who also is African American. I know my vote is going to be on the right side of history. Does anyone admit to not voting for Kennedy?
ReplyDeleteHank, could be. But I'm playing the probabilities here. Whether they are sincere or not, I can't make final judgment, but they certainly would not have 'national' figures if they were democrats. Still love your site. I know you are conservative. Saw you on el jefe. Jack
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