Nader Accuses Obama Of "Talking White"

Iâ??m sure Barack Obama probably expected racial attacks from the right, but I doubt if he thought they would come from his left. That happened today when Ralph Nader, in an interview with the Rocky Mountain News, accused Obama of â??talking whiteâ? and playing upon â??white guiltâ? in order to be elected.

Here are Naderâ??s words:

â??There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American," Nader said. "Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards."

On the subject of â??white guiltâ? Nader said this:

"He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician," Nader said. "He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he's coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it's corporate or whether it's simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up." Iâ??ve heard Mr. Nader say some things that are pretty far out there, but I have never heard him indulge in racial stereotyping. I think with his remarks today Nader has proven that he is clearly out of touch with 21st century American thinking.
Update: Nader tried to explain his remarks to the New York Times this afternoon. Here was his attempt at justification:

"Mr. Obama has not discussed poverty in the inner cities enough, and the fact that he is African-American should make a difference."

"What difference it should make is that he would be more sensitive and determined to bring elevated visibility and concrete programs to deal with these issues," Mr. Nader said. "Wouldnâ??t a woman president be expected to be more responsive to womenâ??s rights? Itâ??s just more natural."

He said that Mr. Obama "obviously made a tactical decision that heâ??s not going to campaign politically as Jesse Jackson did."

"He wants to come across that heâ??s not politically threatening to the white power class and the liberal intelligentsia."
Chron.commons | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Didn't somebody tell Nader that Obama has exclusive rights on playing the race card? I find it MOST humorous though that shortly after Obama stated that this sort of attack would come from the GOP it comes from a liberal candidate.

Have a good one!:s4: