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Republican Attacks Have Racist Undertones

Sun, 01/08/2012 - 16:44 — Dave Culver
Section(s): 
Government & Politics
Race & Ethnicity


Talking about race in American politics is uncomfortable and awkward. But it has to be said: There has been a racist undertone to many of the Republican attacks leveled against President Obama for the last three years, and in this dawning presidential campaign.

Andrew Rosenthal, New York (NY) Times

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 In a Fox news report, Gingrich said that poor kids don't know work unless it's crime. (photo: unknown)

Talking about race in American politics is uncomfortable and awkward. But it has to be said: There has been a racist undertone to many of the Republican attacks leveled against President Obama for the last three years, and in this dawning presidential campaign.

You can detect this undertone in the level of disrespect for this president that would be unthinkable were he not an African-American. Some earlier examples include: Rep. Joe Wilson shouting “you lie” at one of Mr. Obama’s first appearances before Congress, and House Speaker John Boehner rejecting Mr. Obama’s request to speak to a joint session of Congress—the first such denial in the history of our republic.

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