2009.02.27
More, um, Republican outreach to blacks
After the RNC's first African American chairman Michael Steele gave an address to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference - in which he said, “Tonight, we tell America: we know the past, we know we did wrong. My bad." - Rep. Michelle Bachman, the event's moderator let loose with, “Michael Steele! You be da man! You be da man.”
Truly cringe-worthy.
As they said over at Talking Points Memo, "And no, this is not from The Onion."
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I haven't seen any video of that, but even just reading that short blip was painful. I wonder if it was bad as Hillary when she was down south during the primaries trying to "relate" to the crowd.
Comment by Other John — February 27, 2009 @ 11:12 am
Or Joe Biden telling the guy in the wheelchair to "Stand up, Chuck".
Comment by Henry — February 27, 2009 @ 11:27 am
JMHO, but there is a world of difference in not realizing someone is not able to stand and some white bread, loud mouth, insane woman trying to sound hip hop.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — February 27, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Huh? Did somebody pass a law when I wasn't looking,that whites are not allowed to [try to] speak Ebonic?
I'm not sure she spoke it correctly, to be sure. The inclusion or omission of "be" is an important tense distinction in Ebonic verbs, which are more complex than in Standard English.
But most people are aware that Americans are linguistically inept, and appreciate even our most pathetic efforts to speak their languages.
Comment by Ed H — February 27, 2009 @ 11:41 am
I forgot about that one Henry, man that was pretty painful to watch & listen to as well.
Comment by Other John — February 27, 2009 @ 11:42 am
Was it as cringeworthy as Hillary's black drawling down in Selma last year?
Comment by Tom — February 27, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
"white bread, loud mouth, insane woman trying to sound hip hop."
"Ah'm in no ways tired".....white bread, loud mouth, insane Hillary Clinton, Obama's Secretary of State
Comment by Henry — February 27, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
Pandering on either side comes across as weak and very disengenous. I'd recommend just sticking to a clear understandable message. There are plenty of translators out there that will convert it to whatever language is necessary.
Comment by Will — February 27, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
Good point Tom, i wonder if the good folks over at the illustrious TalkingPointsMemoMuckraker site had articles about that? Wait, did she say that before or after Obama was nominated, they may have bad-mouthed her too?
Um Sandi, you do realize just before Biden's gaffe, he was ranting about what a good close friend 'Chuck' was? You would think bein' so tite, dem' bros would know mo bout each otha.
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — February 27, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
#MM(M) #9 Um no, I did not know that "before Biden's gaffe, he was ranting about what a good close friend 'Chuck' was?" Do you have such a link, I cannot find it?
I maintain that a gaffe is not the same as deliberate pandering and attempting to be something you obviously are not and equally obviously disdain, witness: "You would think bein' so tite, dem' bros would know mo bout each otha."
Comment by Sandi Saunders — February 27, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
Sandi #10 - "...deliberate pandering and attempting to be something you obviously are not and equally obviously disdain, witness: "You would think bein' so tite, dem' bros would know mo bout each otha."
LOL, oh, its been witnessed alright:
"You hear that Elizabeth? I'm coming to join you honey." - Sandi
I guess you will say Bob Dole said that?
BTW, in every sound clip i've heard of the speech at the rally where Biden asked the man in the wheelchair to rise up and stand before him, Biden calls him "ole pal" and "buddy" at least twice.
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — February 28, 2009 @ 1:47 am
MM, ole pal, ole buddy, everybody says that. You don't even have to be a politician.
Comment by Ed H — February 28, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
Right Ed H, and only black people say "You da man", right?
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — February 28, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
Michelle Bachman is not black.
Comment by Ed H — March 1, 2009 @ 7:34 am
I know EdH... thats the point, if you havent forgotten what the article was about in the first place. Everyone says 'you da man' and it has nothing to do with insulting blacks.
Comment by Marked Man (Mark) — March 1, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Sometimes, MM. Depends on who's saying it, and why.
I doubt if Bachman intended to mock Steele. Haven't heard if she consulted any PR experts about what impression she'd give.
Comment by Ed H — March 1, 2009 @ 4:04 pm