Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?

[Cali_Democrat]

Poll question: Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?

[CakeGrrl]

1. Poor generalization from the outset.

Have you seen anyone claim that ALL liberal criticism is racially motivated? That is the implication of your statement.

...unless you deliberately constructed it that way to garner as many "No" votes as possible to make your poll skewed to your preference.

[Ken Burch]

7. OK..I'd say ALMOST none is.

And no, it's not racist simply for Obama to have been held to higher standards than Clinton was. Clinton SHOULD have been held to higher standards. But the reasons he was given a pass by a lot of people had nothing to do with Clinton happening to be white. It was almost all about the fact that Clinton had a lot of Dems brainwashed in the Nineties-he had them convinced that he actually WAS the only kind of Democrat who could have been elected to the White House in that decade.

I doubt that many people still believe that.

[yurbud]

14. Obama is held to a higher standard because of GEORGE W BUSH

For eight years, we saw how the power of the presidency could be used with lightning speed to benefit the very wealthy, so we falsely assumed that if we elected a Democrat (especially a black guy) he would be as effective for the middle and working class as Bush was for the wealthy.

Instead, we are now constantly told that the president is nearly powerless, but everything in Washington sure moves lickety split when the rich order up a new war or decide that deficits are a bigger problem than unemployment or that the only way to prevent a Social Security shortfall in 25 years is to give the money to the rich so they can steal it now.

Also notice that bailouts and deals that grant immunity to Wall Street for epic economic terrorism have happened much faster than prosecutions (which still haven't happened at all).

I know this will be hard for people inside the beltway to understand since they saw nothing wrong with Bush except that they weren't him.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

29. And if you admit this, then you must admit that it is not only an unfair higher standard,

it is an irrational higher standard. You cannot rationally expect for one man to clean up all the bullshit that Dumbya Bush created, and before him, Bill Clinton!!

[yurbud]

39. So Bush can radically alter the shape of government in two terms...but a Democrat can't do as much

for good?

Also, it would help if Obama at least consistently opposed what Bush did instead of looking the other way or even embracing and extending it with ''Race to the Top,'' another military/covert action in an oil rich country, not prosecuting economic terrorists on Wall St, and letting the right set the agenda on the deficit then designing a commission that will likely lead to more austerity, which fits nicely with Grover Norquist's ''Starve the Beast'' agenda.

Obama has done some things I applaud like changes to student loans and many aspects of the health care reform law, but a lot of it is nibbling around the edges instead of putting a stake in the vampire of Reaganomics.

Compromise and bipartisanship are not virtues when they screw the majority of people and protect and reward powerful sociopaths on Wall St.

[whatchamacallit]

32. yurbud! +1000 n/t

[Ken Burch]

37. You're right about that, too.

n/t.

[Ignis]

53. There you go with that Magic Wand again!

(Great post, btw. :thumbsup:)

[yurbud]

61. magic is for the wealthy. the rest of us get the other end of the wand (and in a very

uncomfortable place).

[Ignis]

62. I'm reminded of a line from The Who's Tommy:

And put in your earplugs
Put on your eyeshades
You know where to put the cork

[yurbud]

63. so you won't see or hear when they rich come with their knife and fork

[Ignis]

68. Oh, well played.

:toast: to another GDP spelunker.

[NYC_SKP]

22. Yep. It's far from a binary question. Left or Right, it just isn't that simple.

Yet we see arguments back and forth, "Yes, it's racial!' "No, it's not at all!"

Well, the fact is that it's probably always just a little bit about race, and sometimes a LOT!

But this criticism from the right, man, no way a white Democratic president would be the target of so much hatred as comes from the teapartiers and the more mainstream republicans, like Joe "You Lie" Wilson.

:patriot:

[jefferson_dem]

2. Not all...

I could agree with that.

Silly poll anyway.

[GreenTea]

3. NO But the pounding by the republicans-tea party-libertarians & right-wing independents that he will

never win over has Obama finally said him say fuck it! - I'll play to my base or maybe he's decided to just do what is right.

[Whisp]

4. one of the poorest poll questions in DU history

and there have been some DUzies.

[Solomon]

5. thats because it has a poor agenda.

[GreenTea]

6. Get real this doesn't even come close - How long you been around here'bout eight days?

It's already gotten more participating votes than dozens of others I've seen.

[Whisp]

8. I guess that may be my point.

[DCKit]

10. +1 for stupid questions.

Was our disdain (or our horror, wrath or hatred) for W* racially motivated?

It's the wrong question.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SidDithers]

21. Yup...

:thumbsup:

Sid

[ProSense]

9. This makes me

feel a lot better. It just proves that the best argument people can come up with against Perry is to make the false claim that she meant all liberals. Why not specify "white liberals" for a more dramatic effect?

[KoKo]

12. I voted "No" but I got an error message that said I needed to contact "Elad"

because my vote didn't record.

The vote was at 32 before I voted...and, It stayed at 32 after the message from DU Admin.

I want my vote to count for 33 in that I do not believe that any backlash or questioning of Obama's Policies by Democrats is "Racially Motivated." It's a "Straw Man" argument. IMHO!

[Autumn]

13. I voted no.

I've never met a Democrat or a liberal who was racist in any way.

[These Eyes]

15. Silly and useless poll...

Not ALL criticism is racially motivated, some is. But you probably know that already, which is why you didn't allow an option it. Unrec'd.

[KoKo]

18. It's a terrible post...and I don't usually bother...but it was so awful & biased..

my "evil twin" convinced me to vote...and then my post didn't go through...and I was told to "contact Elad." :eyes:

AYYYY...Well ...I shoulda' known better.

[Doctor_J]

16. Unrec'ing and not voting

this poll would probably fit better over at freeperville

[DRoseDARs]

17. I like the part where many are pretending your poll is apropo of nothing...

...as opposed to that article in The Nation that insulted the intelligence of just about everyone on the left. Pretty much hit its mark if that was what it was going for. The Nation is a good publication, but goddamn did it let rip a stinker.

[Solomon]

20. Because the left is Holy.

[vroomvroom]

19. I'm a Black Liberal and i assure you it is NOT Racially Motivated.

I am embarrassed that there are at present 4 votes who actually think it is racially motivated. wtf?!!?

[MissDeeds]

24. Thank you

Voters of all races turned out to support Obama in 2008, and now the race issue is being called into play? I saw thousands of people of various races show up to support him and stand side by side in tears when he won the nomination and later the presidency. He had massive support that reached across racial lines. If he has lost favor, it is not based on race.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. Will you please stop this!! I am black and liberal and DO NOT believe for one second

that ALL white liberals are racists and that ALL criticism is racially motivated. It's bullshit, just like this bullshit poll and bullshit claims here on DU that MHP and "Obama's enablers" are accusing ALL white liberals of being racists or exhibiting racism.

IT IS ALL BULLSHIT AND SHOULD BE CALLED OUT!!!!

[EffieBlack]

33. +1,000

[MissDeeds]

36. Did you mean to tell me to stop it

or was your post intended for someone else? I ask because we are in agreement.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Sorry. To the OP...

:toast::toast:

[MissDeeds]

41. Thanks

:hi:

[Starry Messenger]

23. Clinton was castigated by the left when he was in office.

People are just employing "selective memory" for their own ends.



Mother Jones magazine image from the early 90's

[Supersedeas]

48. the Clinton disappointment weighs heavily upon the present dispute

[Ignis]

52. Obviously, the Left just hated Clinton because he's white.

:hide:

[Starry Messenger]

55. And covered with logos.

:D

[ellisonz]

25. No.

[Cali_Democrat]

26. MHP take notice. n/t

[BklnDem75]

34. LOL!!!

Do you think a poll on DU is worth noticing?

[LaPera]

27. This is a hoke right? I mean a joke...it's gotta be....where's the hidden camera....

:grouphug:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. Unrecommended! Another shit-stirring, flame-baiting thread. What's the point in this, really?

[frazzled]

31. False premise

That is NOT what Melissa Harris-Perry said, so this poll completely misses the mark.

[Whisp]

35. but it may show up on CNN tomorrow.

[SidDithers]

40. Some is...nt

Sid

[Supersedeas]

47. this.

but then labeling all the rest of the liberal criticsm nothing more than 'covert racism' makes 'it' easier to identify.

[SkyDaddy7]

42. Some might be...

There probably are some but I would think it would only be a very small minority.

[Cali_Democrat]

43. Looks like the 'No' votes are gonna take this one in a LANDSLIDE

MHP has been thoroughly rebuffed by DU.

Well done, guys. :toast:

[SidDithers]

44. LOL...

nice try. :thumbsup:

Sid

[LittleBlue]

65. Indeed, DU-1, racial shit-stirrers 0

Not surprised.

[Sheepshank]

45. No. However I honestly believe that some libs are motivated....

...by manufactured, talking points created from RW racists.

[woo me with science]

46. People keep desperately searching for a reason for all the criticism of Obama

other than Obama's record as President.

[LittleBlue]

49. No, of course not

Not from the left. Of course the righties will always pull their racist crap.

[JoePhilly]

50. Yes, all of it is absolutely racially motivated.

Every last critical post.

:sarcasm:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

51. Some of it is.

And nobody has ever claimed all criticism of Obama is racially motivated, by the way.

[lynne]

54. And that's why liberals didn't support or vote for Obama, either -

- Racism is the cause of all of it.

Oh, wait. Liberals as well as many independents and some conservatives supported and voted for Obama. They had to have or he wouldn't have been elected with the margin of votes that he received. BUT - if we call every criticism "racism" then we don't have to face the fact that we've got some very serious problems and some criticism is very much valid.

So sad.

[DCBob]

56. i think its because he was born in Kenya.

[boppers]

57. You did not limit the set.

Thus, if any criticism is racially motivated, and some of it certainly seems that way, I'm going with "yes".

[jaloha]

58. Not Racism

The criticism of president Obama is not unique. All Presidents are criticized.
The national debt has sky rocketed the past 2.5 years, and the unemployment rate is over 9%. We were told the stimulus package had to be passed to prevent the unemployment rate from climbing past 8%.
Another "jobs" plan/stimulus plan is being discussed by the President. Spend even more money doing the same thing that didn't work the first time?
The economy is teetering by a thread, but we were told by Joseph Biden that 250,000 - 500,0000 jobs would be created each month.
Over 60% of Americans do not want the healthcare bill that passed.

The criticism, even if you disagree with it is not racially motivated.

[boppers]

60. I am a programmer. My profession requires pounding our heads against logic all day long.

'if (x = true OR y = true OR z = true)' means that if any of x, y, or z, are true, then it's true.

The poll did not ask if *some* criticism way racially motivated, or *all* criticism was racially motivated, it asked: "Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?"

No qualification, no limiting of the set. If any criticism of Obama, any at all, from liberals is racially motivated, then it evaluates to "true".

So, look at it this way:
1. "Do you think all criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?"
-My answer is no.

2. "Do you think some criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?"
-My answer is yes.

3. "Do you think no criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?"
-My answer is no.

4. (The OP) "Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?"
-My answer is yes.

Let's try some variations, with one word changed:
"Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is ecologically motivated?"
"Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is economically motivated?"
"Do you think criticism of Obama from liberals is employment motivated?"

Yes, yes, and yes.

Some criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated, therefore, "criticism of Obama from liberals is racially motivated?" is true.


edit: number typo

[Mr Deltoid]

66. Are any of these attacks against white liberals

by Obama supporters racially motivated?

[boppers]

67. I'd say that's a statistical certainty.

There's always that one guy.

[Ignis]

69. Really? That's a pretty low bar.

Why not simply assume the best intentions from liberals/progressives/Democrats?

We're not talking about people running for office here, we're talking about the rank-and-file, the base, etc.! What motivation is there to skew one's response for some imaginary gain?

:shrug:

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dionysus]

64. nice push poll.