Racism and the Obama Campaign
Posted on October 17, 2008
Filed Under Elections 2008, Politics, Women | Comments Off on Racism and the Obama Campaign
The latest newsletter by an Republican women’s group depicts Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama surrounded by a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken, prompting outrage in political circles.
The October newsletter by the Chaffey Community Republican Women Federated says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps — instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of “Obama Bucks” — a phony $10 bill featuring Obama’s face on a donkey’s body, labeled “United States Food Stamps.”
The group’s president, Diane Fedele, said she plans to send an apology letter to her members and to apologize at the club’s meeting next week. She said she simply wanted to deride a comment Obama made over the summer about how as an African-American he “doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.”
“It was strictly an attempt to point out the outrageousness of his statement. I really don’t want to go into it any further,” Fedele said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “I absolutely apologize to anyone who was offended. That clearly wasn’t my attempt.”
We found yet another racist depiction of Obama on a waffle box! Absolutely outrageous.
Obama has not spoken much about racism during this campaign. He has sought to emphasize connections among Americans rather than divisions. He has shrugged off safety concerns that led to early Secret Service protection and has told black senior citizens who worry that racists will do him harm: “Don’t fret.”
