Some Democrats Prefer McCain
Filed under: 2008 elections — Michael van der Galien, Editor-in-Chief on May 12, 2008 @ 12:18 pm CEST
The Financial Times has an article up about Democrats living in West Virginia. At this point in time it seems that many of them will not vote for Barack Obama if he were to be the Democratic nominee. If the choice is between Obama and John McCain, some life-long Democrats will, for the first time in their lives, vote Republican.
Now, there are some very good reasons for some Democrats to prefer McCain over Obama. For instance, I believe that Obama is quite far to the left. I also believe that his foreign policy will be disastrous for Israel and many of America’s Western allies, whereas he will give the West’s enemies everything they want. And possibly then some.
His views on the role of the government aren’t all that either. When he talks about the role of the government it is crystal clear that if it were up to him, the government would try to reform society on a massive scale.
He often uses religion and seems to believe that the government should not merely govern, but actively help people and play an almost religious and spiritual role. I object to that and, if I were American, it would cause me to vote for McCain, even though I am not a big fan of the Senator from Arizona either.
So, there are valid reasons not to vote for Obama.
But there are also invalid, even prejudiced reasons some people have not to vote for the Senator from Illinois. Quoted from the FT article:
“I heard that Obama is a Muslim and his wife’s an atheist,” said Mr Simpson, drawing on a cigarette outside the fire station in Williamson, a coalmining town of 3,400 people surrounded by lush wooded hillsides…
Josh Fry, a 24-year-old ambulance driver from Williamson, insisted he was not racist but said he would feel more comfortable with Mr McCain, the 71-year-old Vietnam war hero, in the White House. “I want someone who is a full-blooded American as president,” he said.
That’s just freaking sad. What the hell does his religion have to do with it? He is not a Muslim, but what if he was? It is safe to call this person a bigot, possibly a racist. As far as I am concerned people like that should not even be allowed to vote, but that’s probably because I am an elitist snob.
And a full-blooded American? What does that even mean? Does that mean he wants a Native American for president? Last time I checked there is no such thing as a full-blooded American (genetically I mean). America reminds me, in many ways, of Turkey: darker people, whiter people, Muslims, Christians… but all Turk / American. What’s full-blooded to this man? Blond hair, blue eyes? That’s not American as such, that’s Germanic. Does he mean Anglo-Saxon, then? But don’t many Americans have ancestors who were not from Ireland or England? Would that not disqualify just about everyone?
Whether the racist mentioned above likes it or not, Obama is a real American. There are reasons not to vote for him, but those are policy issues. Not the color of his skin or his suspected religion (by the by, why would a Muslim go to a church in which it is preached that Jesus is the Son of God for over 20 years, moron?).
The FT article also quotes other people, who say they dislike Obama because some of the things he has said (sneer at small town people), some things his wife said, his elitism, and so on. Those are, in my opinion, valid concerns. But race or religion are not.
And McCain should do everything in his power to insult these people as much as he can, as to make sure that they won’t vote for him in the fall.
1 C Stanley
May 12, 2008 @ 2:14 pm CESTLOL, truthinobaman. Maybe you could enlighten us as to what could possibly constitute a defense for those statements? And if you want to know what Wright’s church preaches, there’s no shortage of opportunity to do so; look at the TUCC website, view the YouTube clips which are excerpts from DVD’s made by the church, and I believe the church even broadcasts one of the Sunday services so it’s probably available over the internet. You can also read about the black liberation theology of James Cone which was formative to Wright’s own beliefs and what he preaches. There are elements of this that I feel are very racist and divisive, and worthy of criticism- there’s no need to make up some vague scary sounding stuff about how it might actually be a "Christian/Islam/Voodoo" hybrid religion (you only make yourself look foolish and make it obvious that you’re the one who needs to do your research.) And um, isn’t the man’s comment about Michelle Obama being a closet atheist a bit odd since she’s attended TUCC for many years and had her marriage and children’s baptisms performed by Rev. Wright?
BTW, while you are doing your research, you might review the spelling of the blogpost author’s name as well.
2 Jules Crittenden » Heart of Darkness
May 12, 2008 @ 3:26 pm CEST[…] Van der Galien is impressed by the FT expedition report and outraged to learn that Andrew Ward encountered an ignoramus in West Virginia. […]
3 Pug
May 12, 2008 @ 3:35 pm CESTMcCain will not insult these people, he will welcome them with open arms.
West Virginia voted Republican in 2000 and 2004. It will do so again in 2008 no matter the nominee the Democrats put forward. This is not so much about Obama as it is about West Virginians. I’m sure the views expressed in the article by the good people of that state are widespread there.
This is a state with high poverty rates, low educational achievement and high levels of resentment toward those big city know-it-alls. In other words, a perfect state for the modern Republican Party.
4 Tully
May 12, 2008 @ 5:11 pm CESTAs far as I am concerned people like that should not even be allowed to vote, but that’s probably because I am an elitist snob.
Well, yeah, maybe, but more crucially we’re so open-minded and pluralistic in America that we don’t take away constitutional rights from people just because they’re bigoted jerks. No matter how annoying and idiotic we find them.
Whether the racist mentioned above likes it or not, Obama is a real American.
As real as me and…oops, sorry, Michael! As real an American as any other, born on US soil to an American citizen parent. We are a very diverse nation.
You or I may not find race or religion to be valid reasons to vote for or against someone, but the heart of democratic pluralism is that everyone votes for or against for their own reasons. It’s their vote, and they assign it as they please, even if you or I might find their reasoning (or utter lack thereof) extremely questionable.
5 Nancy Coppock
May 13, 2008 @ 2:14 am CESTSo what’s up with the Democrat (sic) Party being the party of ignorant hayseeds? Are they considered ignorant because of what they think or because they don’t trust Obama?
6 buck
May 18, 2008 @ 11:33 pm CESTConsider a bunch of statements.
I heard some people in West Virginia are inbred morons.
I heard John McCain has a temper problem.
I heard West Virginia is racist.
I heard John McCain made a fool of himself when touring Baghdad.
I heard he is 72.
I heard his foreign policy could only have been invented by a fool.
I heard he is selling himself as a second, third and fourth coming of George W. Bush.
Some of the statements above may or may not be true. Some are just outright prejudicial. Others are not. Some require some investigation to confirm them. Others are just ludicrous oversimplifications.
Shorter Josh Fry–I’m not a racist, I’m just a generic bigot. So is Kathleen Parker who picked up the "full-blooded American" theme and ran with it in her syndicated column. She has a right to her opinion and a right to express it–but she should not be able to utilize the pages of major newspapers to do it.
As for you own opinion that Obama’s foreign policy will be detrimental to Israel–and much else, apparently–the only evidence for it is coming from Republican operatives (and perhaps Clinton operatives as well, as it’s been more and more difficult to tell the difference lately). The statement about his foreign policy makes absolutely no sense. It must be eight-year conditioning by the jackasses that run the country that is making you say things like that.
Here’s the problem. It is generally believed in some Jewish circles, as well as among Evangelicals and assorted neo-cons, that Israel never had a better friend in the White House than it does right now. The latest twit to express this sentiment is none other than Dick Cheney who made the statement at the Israeli embassy 60th anniversary party. He may well be excused for saying so–his reputation rides on it. But considering that the administration policies over the last eight years have put Israel in more rather than less precarious situation with respect to its neighbors, and the fact that BushCo effectively put a stop to Israel-Syria negotiations, it should be obvious that it’s all a sham. These people are friends of Israel only in their own minds.
McCain wants more of the same. Not more of the sane, but more of the same. One letter makes huge difference. If you bought into McCain/Clinton propaganda, then you’re no better than Leonard Simpson–another character from the FT West Virginia story, who is going to vote for McCain because he "heard" that Obama is Muslim and his wife is an atheist. You just happen to believe a different piece of propaganda–the one that hits home, apparently. But the term describing both of you is the same–gullible.