Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Obama-Anti-Defamation League Dance in the Corner That You Almost Missed

It's an unruly bunch. People knocking each other over, throwing spitballs at their friends and enemies, making rude sounds and pretending that it's all meaningful political analysis. What with Huckabee wanting God to hand him a Constitution written on stone tablets and everyone making believe that votes are being counted honestly, putting lipstick on Romney and Hillary all the while doing their best to ignore Ron Paul, I wouldn't blame you for missing the little dance in the corner between Abe Foxman and Barack Obama.

It started on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 15th. Richard Cohen threw a spitball in the form of Louis Farrakhan (the black David Duke in the eyes of the sheep and their shepherds) at Obama. Cohen even whipped out the Hitler stick and gave Obama a whack on the head.

Apparently, Obama's Chicago church, Trinity United Church of Christ, gave Louie an award last year. It was the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award. With the award came some praise that Louie "truly epitomized greatness."

That sent Richard Cohen over the edge. His column used variations on 'anti-semite' five times, 'Jew' eight times and the big ol' 'Hitler' schtick once. Why it sent him over the edge only on Tuesday instead of last year is unknown, but I'm sure he has his reasons.

According to Boston.com, the Anti-Defamation League was getting ready to release a statement to pressure Obama into making the usual dance moves that always make the ADL happy to see. One has to keep the ADL happy, after all. But Obama beat them to the punch and busted a move:

"I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan," Obama said in a statement released by his aides. "I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree."

This of course caused Abe Foxman of the the ADL to reply with his own little boogie-down:

"We welcome Barack Obama's condemnation of the anti-Semitic rhetoric of Minister Louis Farrakhan blah blah blah..."

But at the end of the ADL's release was this little nugget that both underscores and reaffirms the reason that I always come back to watch the floor show:

"Farrakhan's bigoted and anti-Semitic rhetoric has included statements calling whites "blue eyed devils" and Jews "bloodsuckers" that controlled the slave trade, the government, the media and various Black individuals and organizations."

Thanks for the dance show, Abe and Obama. Nice routine. I'm sure Farrakhan also enjoyed it immensely.

But I would like to know if anyone really thinks that Huckabee, Ron Paul or Romney would still be in the race if their church gave an award to David Duke no matter how the candidate danced?

No comments: