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And that's what I just don't get. My WTF? is not a rhetorical question.

OK, you supported Clinton over Obama  - I came close to doing so as well. For those who don't remember the early stages of the campaign, Clinton tacked sharply left on domestic policy, Obama went right. I also have some sympathy for the idea that you want a tough partisan SOB rather than a 'beyond partisanship' let's all get along type. And finally, there was clearly far more sexism in the media directed against Clinton than racism against Obama. Plus, like I've said many times, I have no problem with women wanting to finally have a female president. But how you go from that sort of appeal and critique to ranting on about the scary black terrorist muslim  left wing radical commie who's no good for good patriotic White Christian Americans so let's vote for McCain cause at least he's a real American who loves his country - I just don't get it. Her initial reasons for supporting Clinton and opposing Obama were the kind you'd expect from a partisan liberal democrat, now they're the crap from the cesspool of the American right.

by MarekNYC on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:35:16 PM EST
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I can only put it down to the tribal nature of US politics and the closed group effect, where a group moves more and more into it's own reality by feeding back opinions through the group. There's a real name for it ...
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:37:25 PM EST
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In-bred stupidity?

Maybe they should all take up golf.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:38:21 PM EST
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Groupthink of course:

According to Janis, group cohesion will only lead to groupthink if one of the following two antecedent conditions is present:

*Structural faults in the organisation: insulation of the group, lack of tradition of impartial leadership, lack of norms requiring methodological procedures, homogeneity of members' social background and ideology.

*Provocative situational context: high stress from external threats, recent failures, excessive difficulties on the decision-making task, moral dilemmas.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:40:42 PM EST
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That was uncalled for.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:47:58 PM EST
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Er - why? We're talking about someone who's supposed to be progressive-ish using using a line of argument that should have died out with the Klan - and being taken seriously for it.
by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 04:57:23 PM EST
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This

In-bred stupidity?

Maybe they should all take up golf.

Reads as a reference to all Americans.

Irrespective of that, I'm impressed by how little racism has impacted this campaign - it hasn't been effective outside of the proverbial 20% of Americans who identify as fundie nationalists and a few urban liberals who feel we need to stay away from Obama because all other Americans are racist hicks and won't vote for a black man.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 05:17:51 PM EST
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If I wanted to insult all Americans I'd have done it explicitly. I'd have hoped that in context it would have been obvious who I was talking about.

But as for racism - I think when you have a presidential contender and her supporters deliberately and knowingly playing the race card, it's something that has had an impact.

It hasn't had the effect it might have had because Obama seems canny enough not to run on race explicitly. He's allowed Hillary and the Rs to do it for him, and it's given them enough rope to hang themselves with.

Even so - it's shocking to find the Clinton camp being so aggressively out of line on this.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 05:24:42 PM EST
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I'd have hoped that in context it would have been obvious who I was talking about.

It wasn't, but thanks for the clarification.

It hasn't had the effect it might have had because Obama seems canny enough not to run on race explicitly. He's allowed Hillary and the Rs to do it for him, and it's given them enough rope to hang themselves with.

I thought it would work a bit better. Instead this rhetoric from people like Susan Hu has been a sideshow. Maybe I'm just another urban liberal elitist.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 05:39:07 PM EST
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I didn't read it as a dig at all Americans, honestly, but rather as a dig at groupthink.  And there's no shortage of groupthink, even among the good, on the Internets.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 05:36:49 PM EST
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Also, it seems inconsistent to rail someone for their hyperbolic vitriol by accusing them of being ... inbred.  There are rational condemnations and explanations galore.  Resorting to baseless name-calling isn't necessary or constructive.  

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
by poemless on Wed May 14th, 2008 at 05:29:33 PM EST
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