Toby Keith explains the Obama phenomenanana

[Phoenix Dark]

Last week, I reported for the Huffington Post that country singer Toby Keith had performed a pro-lynching anthem on the Colbert Report, and would be playing the same song soon on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and a slew of nationally televised talk shows. ...

Now, Keith has trained his sights on Barack Obama, attacking him in racially tinged language that startled even the notoriously reactionary radio jock Glenn Beck. During Keith's appearance on the July 30 broadcast of Beck's show, he remarked, "I think the black people would say he [Obama] don't talk, act or carry himself as a black person."

"What does that even mean?" the audibly shocked Beck replied.

"Well, I don't know what that means," Keith drawled, "but I think that that's what they would say. Even though the black society would pull for him I still think that they think in the back of their mind that the only reason he is in [the general election] is because he talks, acts and carries himself as a Caucasian."

...

The comments section of my post was immediately swarmed by right-wing trolls twisting themselves into contortions to defend the indefensible. A typical comment read: "I can't believe that this Max can't find something real to complain about in this crazy world... I think Max is the bigot - he obviously hates country music, country singers and Southerners." [what's a little racism without a little white victim mentality]

more at link including video
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/342063

How does one "act" white. I hate hearing black people say this, because really if you're suggesting being smart, well read, etc is "acting white" what are you saying about yourself?

Someone should have called Keith on that bullshit. Ask him: what does acting white mean, and what does acting black mean.

[demi]

I'd ask you the same thing, you blur the line pretty well

[duckman2000]

Somehow, this fails to surprise me. That Toby Keith would say this, that is. My wife worked at a very successful "minority" owned firm in Chicago; Black founder, his son took over, and one particularly unwashed hillbilly that heard about this mentioned something about these guys probably being white inside. That's not all he said about it, but it struck me as odd. I'm not from the US, so it's hard to come to terms with the very deep and old racism that is present here. Not saying there isn't racism where I'm from (the nazi vs AFA stuff was pretty big in my teenage years), but that felt more immediate and opportunistic than this. I don't think people here even really know what it's all about at this point; white people just feel uncomfortable with black people (like the people spreading e-mails detailing how Obama would boot all whites from office), and certain black people seem to often use this racism as an excuse for a personal lack of motivation and drive.

[BlueTsunami]

White Country Singer expert on how Blacks should present themselves. Toby Keith, what a douche.

[MrAngryFace]

I didnt know 'stupid' was its own dialect

[Eric P]

How does one "act" white. I hate hearing black people say this, because really if you're suggesting being smart, well read, etc is "acting white" what are you saying about yourself?

probably by reading harry potter

but seriously it's an issue which i think is unfortunate, but i'm not really qualified to speak about as i'm not black nor a sociologist

[BobFromPikeCreek]

HYUCK HYUCK

[lordmaji]

Praise our white lord Jesus.  

[Eric P]

Praise our white lord Jesus.  

the name Jesus is too ethinic for my liking

i think we should call him Jason

Jason Christ

[demi]

Jason Bourne sounds more apt

[lordmaji]

Praise our white lord Jesus.  

the name Jesus is too ethinic for my liking

i think we should call him Jason

Jason Christ

you may be onto something. 

[Eric P]

Praise our white lord Jesus.  

the name Jesus is too ethinic for my liking

i think we should call him Jason

Jason Christ

you may be onto something. 

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=380812262

[GilloD]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

[Brehvolution]

He wouldn't have got this far if he didn't "act white".

[BlueTsunami]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

I don't think that's the issue though, its about Toby Keith stating that hes carrying himself as a "Caucasian", which is pretty messed up. Its as if he thinks all the positive aspects when it comes to a Presidential candidate is exclusively a white trait.

[duckman2000]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

A struggle which is often used as an excuse for not showing much ambition or interest in necessary conformation in the first place, with blame placed not on oneself, but on an outside oppressor. That's another thing I'll never understand about this nation, this sense of blind entitlement, seemingly irrespective of effort and ambition. Then again, that's not really a matter of race. American admit no fault, accept no responsibility culture, it's some weird shit all around.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

uppity

[Candyflip]

I can't believe he said "caucasian". Nothing to help balance out your distorted perspective like some edumucated polytikal correctness

[lordmaji]

I can't believe he said "caucasian". Nothing to help balance out your distorted perspective like some edumucated polytikal correctness

DAMN YOU AND YOUR BIG WORDS! 

[Ganhyun]

Hmm..

I dont know if its like this everywhere, but where I live, I seem to see sets of black people.

Set 1: Those that live in poverty/ghetto conditions, blame white people, and happily sit back and get welfare checks/food stamps/etc... and say its owed to them because white people owned their family/black people in the 1800s.

Set 2: Those that go out and try to better themselves and dont spew such things as the first set. This set is frowned upon by the 1st set and called wannabe whities. Or worse. In positions of power they are neutral.

Set 3: Those that get positions of power and then push on everyone that they and the other black people are owed more and push for more and anyone who questions then is racist. (I'd honestly say that certain leaders of the Black community are in this set. Such as Jesse Jackson now.) This group also dislikes Set 2.


But either way, Toby shouldn't have went at it in the way he did.

I also see sets of white/mexican/asian people too. So these sets aren't unique, those are just the black people sets I know.

Edit: Spelling

[APF]

I'd be more offended if it weren't for the very early articles by distinguished blah blah blahs re: how Obama wasn't black enough, and the routine positing of Obama as the post-racial candidate who needs to distance himself from focusing on race.  Especially given the latter context, one could almost imagine Keith as a top-of-the-line political pundit on the cable news networks.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

uppity

it pretty much comes down to this for a lot of white folks.

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

[Kestastrophe]

[LOTS O TEXT]

I would say that there is some truth to aristocratic America, but its pervasiveness is hard to be determined. I have been unemployed for nearly 18 months and I know for a fact that I have been picked over in job interviews by persons who are less educated than myself. Unfortunately, it is much more about who you know as opposed to what you know, and that is where many minorities face a challenge. 

[GilloD]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

A struggle which is often used as an excuse for not showing much ambition or interest in necessary conformation in the first place, with blame placed not on oneself, but on an outside oppressor. That's another thing I'll never understand about this nation, this sense of blind entitlement, seemingly irrespective of effort and ambition. Then again, that's not really a matter of race. American admit no fault, accept no responsibility culture, it's some weird shit all around.

I'm with you, I just didn't wanna say it.

I'm always shocked at how generally awful the folk heroes of the new black movement are- Sean Bell, Rodney King- and the leaders are worse, Al Sharpton and jesse Jackson. I feel like those two are absolutely exploiting the black community for their own gain.

[Eric P]

[youtube=425,350]E2GCmEqHmeA[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]z7XO0bn-sZQ[/youtube]

these are both in my head now

[Tauntaun]

  Toby Keith, puttin black folk in there place.
















 

[Flannel Boy]

I propose a new rule: You are not allowed to accuse someone of talking like a white person while butchering the English language. 

[Brehvolution]

To be fair, there hasn't been any disasters in the US lately so there isn't too much to write a song about.

[Tauntaun]

To be fair, there hasn't been any disasters in the US lately so there isn't too much to write a song about.

Um dude, we have a black man running for president who has a good chance of winning and if he does will enslave the white people!!  WHAT SAY YOU NOW BOY!?!??!

[Brehvolution]

To be fair, there hasn't been any disasters in the US lately so there isn't too much to write a song about.

Um dude, we have a black man running for president who has a good chance of winning and if he does will enslave the white people!!  WHAT SAY YOU NOW BOY!?!??!

OHHH... duh. So he is pissed since he'll lose his job. I see.

[Tauntaun]

To be fair, there hasn't been any disasters in the US lately so there isn't too much to write a song about.

Um dude, we have a black man running for president who has a good chance of winning and if he does will enslave the white people!!  WHAT SAY YOU NOW BOY!?!??!

OHHH... duh. So he is pissed since he'll lose his job. I see.

There should totally be a country song about if Obama wins he'll enslave whitey.  That'd pwn. 

[Eric P]

He's just talking about how Obama dials the phone.

a big screen version of the jeffersons?  i LOVE it

[Eel O'Brian]

www.thingsblackerthanobama.com

[APF]

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

[MrAngryFace]

Common Man cant run a country

[Howard Alan Treesong]

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

Damn straight I want to elect my superior! I want the smartest fucking man possible in that seat!

[Phoenix Dark]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

So in order to not be an ethnic betrayer he should embrace "hip-hop black" culture? What? Which parts of the black community feels that somehow betrays the struggle?

If anything there are blacks who may feel that while Obama is black, he hasn't experienced the same things they have. Obama grew up in Hawaii and Kansas while tanks drove past my mom's house during the Detroit Riot of 67. In short, Obama isn't a product of the civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s, and he doesn't associate himself with the "leaders" of that era (the Jacksons, Sharptons, etc). So yea, there are differences in terms of background and environment, but that doesn't make him some type of "Oreo." Obama spent a good deal of his adult life working in the inner city, helping all kinds of people. Just because he didn't grow up in the civil rights fight doesn't mean that he has no understanding of it.

[siamesedreamer]

I suppose this means we won't be seeing anymore Toby Keith Ford commercials.  :'(

[Ganhyun]

I suppose this means we won't be seeing anymore Toby Keith Ford commercials.  :'(

good. I'm tired of people getting suckered into buying POS Ford crap.

[GilloD]

Is this really "shocking"? Obama is about as "urban black" as Bryant Gumbel. Is he black? Yes. Did he live a "black" life? Sure. But is he the kind of cliched, hip-hop black? No. And a lot of the black community views that as a betrayl of supposed core values of the black struggle.

So in order to not be an ethnic betrayer he should embrace "hip-hop black" culture? What? Which parts of the black community feels that somehow betrays the struggle?

If anything there are blacks who may feel that while Obama is black, he hasn't experienced the same things they have. Obama grew up in Hawaii and Kansas while tanks drove past my mom's house during the Detroit Riot of 67. In short, Obama isn't a product of the civil rights movement of the 60s and 70s, and he doesn't associate himself with the "leaders" of that era (the Jacksons, Sharptons, etc). So yea, there are differences in terms of background and environment, but that doesn't make him some type of "Oreo." Obama spent a good deal of his adult life working in the inner city, helping all kinds of people. Just because he didn't grow up in the civil rights fight doesn't mean that he has no understanding of it.

I'm not saying he's anything. In fact, I directly oppose this kind of racial dichotomy. I don't think it's a matter of being "black" or a matter of being "white", but rather that by playing by the rules of a culture forged by white men, black persons feel as if they've been betrayed. And nothing is going to change that for them because black leaders continue to reinforce this notion that it's "us" and "them" and that "them" is a bad thing. Unfortunately, there's no political, smash-the-man driving force here, ala Black Power. It's just a resistance to a culture that is not "ours".

And I can understand the point that the predominant culture is that of white males with low moral standards, but at the same time, that's the game. You either play or you don't and the fact that it is predominant, I think, strips it of any racial quality. It is the way things are, black, white, whatever. There just seems to be a strong negative reaction to achievement within black communities, as if the act itself is a kind of capitulation to your invisible white masters.

[siamesedreamer]

I suppose this means we won't be seeing anymore Toby Keith Ford commercials.  :'(

good. I'm tired of people getting suckered into buying POS Ford crap.

DIE

[Ganhyun]

I suppose this means we won't be seeing anymore Toby Keith Ford commercials.  :'(

good. I'm tired of people getting suckered into buying POS Ford crap.

DIE

no. go buy a GMC product. Or a Dodge product.

[siamesedreamer]

 

[APF]

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

Damn straight I want to elect my superior! I want the smartest fucking man possible in that seat!

I don't think it particularly matters.  Although I will say IME the best bosses and execs are not always the "smartest" employees by certain measures.  Identifying with your client goes a long way in business and in politics.

[Ganhyun]

(Image removed from quote.)

 

Ok I will admit that the only Ford vehicle I do like is the Mustang. But everything else to me is horrible.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

Damn straight I want to elect my superior! I want the smartest fucking man possible in that seat!

I don't think it particularly matters.  Although I will say IME the best bosses and execs are not always the "smartest" employees by certain measures.  Identifying with your client goes a long way in business and in politics.

Even if this is true, I identify a lot more with the erudite and passionate orator than the rickety, confused old man.

[Phoenix Dark]

someone make a poll: who would you vote for - Andrew Jackson or John Kerry

[APF]

this whole movement to brand Obama as "too presidential" is really confusing to me

Obama is intelligent, confident, and well-spoken! Do we really want this man as our president?? He'd be too good at it.

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

Damn straight I want to elect my superior! I want the smartest fucking man possible in that seat!

I don't think it particularly matters.  Although I will say IME the best bosses and execs are not always the "smartest" employees by certain measures.  Identifying with your client goes a long way in business and in politics.

Even if this is true, I identify a lot more with the erudite and passionate orator than the rickety, confused old man.

Because you're a brilliant orator? because you're young? or because he tracks closer to your political ideologies?

[Eric P]

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

the common man are morons and i have the test scores to prove it

[Phoenix Dark]

I find it hilarious that a war hero from a brahmin military family with a sterling record and 27 years of political experience is considered the unpresidential candidate and the one whom the mythical "common man" identifies with.

He got shot down nine times!

[APF]

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

the common man are morons and i have the test scores to prove it

This only means I too can become President.


Although your post is phrased weird and I can't tell if it's wrong so maybe I'm not qualified...

[Eric P]

The Left has a tendency to want to elect their superiors, whereas most of the common man wants to elect someone they feel can identify with them and v/v.

the common man are morons and i have the test scores to prove it

This only means I too can become President.


Although your post is phrased weird and I can't tell if it's wrong so maybe I'm not qualified...

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I must admit that the surreal direction McCain's ads have taken this past week is pretty awesome.

Obama: He's so popular! After eight years of George W. Bush, can we really afford to elect a President people like? John McCain is old and crusty. Nobody likes John McCain. Paid for by John McCain for President.

[Eric P]

I must admit that the surreal direction McCain's ads have taken this past week is pretty awesome.

Obama: He's so popular! After eight years of George W. Bush, can we really afford to elect a President people like? John McCain is old and crusty. Nobody likes John McCain. Paid for by John McCain for President.

i'm john mccain.  have you seen my slippers?

[APF]

While I also don't understand the McCain "celeb" ads, it's hard to argue they haven't made an impact.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

While I also don't understand the McCain "celeb" ads, it's hard to argue they haven't made an impact.

I don't know a single person who thinks it's a good or effective campaign (nor have I read any press to that effect- all the press I've seen, mainstream or otherwise, is sharply negative). The only "impact" I see is it further establishing McCain as acutely out of touch. He didn't even pick modern celebrities, ffs.

[Phoenix Dark]

While I also don't understand the McCain "celeb" ads, it's hard to argue they haven't made an impact.

They're successful because that impression of Obama existed long before the ads. I can't help but role my eyes at people who simply dismiss this as whites being turned off by an uppity negro. We've been hearing about Obama's arrogance since he won Iowa. And not from conservative hitmen or narrative driven commentators. Obama himself has admitted that at times he thinks too much of himself, his wife has said it, and some have attributed his NH loss as an example of this.

McCain is driving the narrative now. People are no longer talking about Obama's trip overseas, or Obama's past, etc. People are saying "did you hear what McCain said lolz." And now the media is finally giving McCain coverage. All these things have resulted in polls showing a tight race. I don't think national polls tell us much though - imo if you're going to look at polls focus on ones from Michigan, Virginia, Colorado, etc.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

The sad thing is, McCain's not really placing any ad buys for these CMs. He just makes them and puts them on YouTube and the media goes "lol" and he has three a week. I will admit it's getting him coverage, but none of it (that I've seen) has been positive.

[Crushed]

New direction of McCain campaign, to appeal to the youth:

Warning, may terrify:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Fragamemnon]

While I also don't understand the McCain "celeb" ads, it's hard to argue they haven't made an impact.

The only real impact from that ad seems to be that McCain got on the news and it wasn't all Obama all the time like it was the week before. McCain is still suffering from terrible message incoherency and weak organizational support, and even if he brings the polls closer (for a time) between Obama and himself, he's not actually gaining any new supporters-he's hit a ceiling that he's having a hard time breaking.

The campaign is buying the ad time, it's just not in the decadent liberal enclaves where most of us live so we don't really see them.