Like when I came across this editorial cartoon by one Gordon Campbell, which compared Colin Powell to Benedict Arnold. Why? Because of the former Secretary of State’s recent endorsement of Barack Obama. Because, of course, Powell would never in a million years endorse Obama because of his policies. It has to be about race. Here, let Campbell tell you himself:
“The only reasonable explanation for such a public political “about-face” in the midst of this important election is that Colin Powell, perhaps understandably, wishes to see someone who looks like himself in the White House,” Campbell said.
“It’s my opinion that General Powell has based his endorsement of Barack Obama on the color of his skin, not his qualifications, his experience or the content of his character.”
Understandably, a number of editorial cartoonists and other folk have come out decrying the cartoon. Matt Bors goes so far as to dub it “top ten worst political cartoons ever created. Since time began. Hands down.”
Alan Gardner at The Daily Cartoonist (the first link) has more choice quotes, along with reactions by the blogosphere at large.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:50 am
“Understandably, a number of editorial cartoonists and other folk have come out decrying the cartoon.”
Right…like it’s any worse or any more provacative than the stuff churned out by guys like Ted Rall, et al.
Yeah, God forbid an editorial cartoon elicit strong emotions…or sharply disagree with your personal world view.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
Sickening… Considering Powell quit the Bush (mis-)administration over the faulty rationale for starting war with Iraq, while more or less forgetting about bin Laden, Powell’s got plenty of reasons to support Obama, and race isn’t one of them. It’s not like (to the best of my knowledge) Powell endorsed Jesse Jackson two decades ago.
If one needs to see a list of other notable conservatives voting for Obama, and their reasons for doing so, there’s an excellent piece about it on The Huffington Post. I’ll post the link if I can find it (I’m doing this while at work).
The idea that anyone should be making such an accusation about a guy like Powell, who has obviously served his country with great honor, is just ridiculous. I think it shows just how far off the deep end that GOP has fallen.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am
Hmmm, I don’t remember the big uproar over the racist cartoons depicting Condoleeza Rice with extreme black stereotypes (the mammy, her teeth, the uncle tom). Double standard, mayhaps? Of course it is.
Powell deserves criticism because if you look at his entire history, when has he endorsed someone as liberal as Obama? I also find it funny that Powell is now a good guy to Obama supporters, despite being one of the people who pushed for the war in Iraq in the first place. We are not at war with Powell! We have always been allies with Powell!
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
Well, let’s say Powell did support Obama because of his race. Let’s just say. Is that such a bad thing? Because, look: Powell must know, better than many of the people reading this (including me!), just what the racial situation in the U.S. is like. And he may very well think that having a black president is a great way to improve that. Would anyone have a problem with that? I wouldn’t have a problem with that.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
Matthew E:
I have a problem with people picking anyone simply on the basis of their skin color just to make someone feel better about the perceived image of the country. Also, your post makes it seem as though their are riots in the streets and segregation is still going on. Nothing is further from the truth.
The more I look into Powell, this endorsement seemed more like Powell wanting attention. McCain doesn’t need Powell’s experience, but Obama would. Therefore Powell endorses Obama so that he can still get attention from the media. He always does this, these little “Will I/won’t I” things, from running for President in ’96 to possibly being Bush’s VP pick in 2000 to being Secretary of State.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 am
Why can’t the simplest explanation be that Secretary Powell just thinks Sen. Obama would make the better president?
No one has to agree with him, certainly. But I find the questioning of his motives to be curious, at the very least. I don’t see the same scrutiny being applied to the endorsements of McCain by Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger and Alexander Haig. Maybe it’s because they’re Republicans who stuck with their party’s candidate, I don’t know.
I’ve not seen anyone suggest that their endorsements are based on race or a desire for attention. (Maybe it has been suggested; I’ve just not seen it.)
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
If you don’t agree with someone’s Opinion, attack them or say things that minimal-ize them. That’s what Gordon has done.
Powell went on television and explained his reasoning in an intelligent manner, all of which many are quite willing to dispense as cover for a black man voting for a black candidate.
And many here agree that it was just black supporting black. What sorry lives you must lead. What sorry people you must be.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
What does this have to do with comics? Gimme a break.
Alan Coil, you should look at yourself in the mirror.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
“What does this have to do with comics? Gimme a break.”
It’s an editorial cartoon.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Alan, you act as though Gordon is breaking new ground with his political cartoon. It’s what they do, they pick a side and make fun of the other one.
And his interview on Meet the Press was not intelligent, it was flimsy and does not hold up to what Powell has said and done in the past. He blames the republican party for not being as inclusive, yet it’s been inclusive enough to allow for Powell, a pro-choice pro-affirmative action to join under the tent. It was Republicans who helped raise him to a position of power through their promotions and selections to their cabinet.
It’s like the people who go after Bush for saying Iraq was all about oil, despite him explaining his actions. You don’t accept Bush’s sayings, yet you accept Powell’s, when all the evidence points to the contrary (again, when has he endorsed someone so liberal, if race doesn’t play into it?)? You don’t pick and choose when it’s acceptable for your cause/side.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
“Well, let’s say Powell did support Obama because of his race. Let’s just say. Is that such a bad thing?”
Yes. Yes it is.
If a person chooses to hire/support/otherwise back a person “like himself” to the exclusion of all other parameters, it’s as short-sighted and wrong as you can get.
Thankfully, that is not the scenario here. Obama is as capable as running the country as McCain, or as any other person. Both will have access to advisors and assistants who will help make their decisions as informed as possible. (And I’m sure there will be some who will believe that Powell may become one of those advisors, based on this endorsement.)
Powell made his choice based on who he thinks will run the nation better. I admire and respect the man too much to think his choice was based on sour grapes, some strange fictional “race loyalty” or anything other than reason and informed personal knowledge.
To suggest that he chose based solely on color is as offensive as when the extreme Obama supporter accuses someone who votes for McCain of the same thing.
“And he may very well think that having a black president is a great way to improve that.”
Again, madly short-sighted. “Fix the race issues in the organization by putting a black guy in charge” is a lame-brained idea, no matter where it is tried. First off, it screams tokenism, second off, it places race relations ahead of any other problem currently facing the nation (to quote the Bill Clinton campaingn, “It’s the economy, stupid”) and it’s just plain insulting to Obama and the voters in general. It’s as bad a plan as voting for a politician based on ANY single issue, whether it be race, pro or anti-abortion, or whether or not he fills out a swimsuit nicely.
You vote for the person best capable of dealing with ALL the issues of the country. You will nearly never find a candidate that will hit every one of your opinions perfectly. You go with the majorty – this guy agrees with me on the things I feel are the most important, I will vote for him. You don’t vote because you think he’ll calm those people down, or even worse, “I don’t want to be called racist”.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Matthew E.: “I have a problem with people picking anyone simply on the basis of their skin color
That’s true, but I also have a problem with:
• people picking anyone simply on the basis of their sexual preference
• people picking anyone simply on the basis of their political party
• people picking anyone simply on the basis of their sex
• people picking anyone simply on the basis of their religion
When it comes right down to it, both sides (those who say Powell endorsed Obama because of his race and those who say he didn’t) DON”T REALLY KNOW! The only one who does is Powell himself.
Everyone else is is just surmising and conjecturing.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
“Hmmm, I don’t remember the big uproar over the racist cartoons depicting Condoleeza Rice with extreme black stereotypes (the mammy, her teeth, the uncle tom).”
Then truly you weren’t listening, or simply chose not to hear to further your point. Of all things, the _conservative_ talk shows excoriated the cartoons, pointing out the fact that if a conservative cartoonist dared to make such comparisons to a black Liberal/Democrat politician, they’d be set on fire in the street. But somehow, when a black person becomes a republican or conservative, it can ONLY be because they’re an “Uncle Tom” or a “Sell-out”, so all bets are off. Clarence Thomas is a Spreme Court Justice, but he’s better known by many for owning a certain vidoe tape. Condi Rice is the Secretary of State. She is the PUBLIC FACE OF OUR COUNTRY, the person we send to Forn Parts to represent us. She is _a black woman_. And somehow, since she’s working for the Wrong Side, she doesn’t count. Colin Powell was widely considered such a sell-out, until of course he “saw the light” and escaped from under Bush’s thumb. People who were happy to paint him with the race traitor brush are now (suddenly) calling him the finest of men. It’s friggin’ pitiful.
There’s a great speech from the sitcom “The Jeffersons” where George was told who “Uncle Tom” was actually based on. (I believe this is the clip – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2K6gher-8o – I can’t see it from work so forgive me if I’m wrong) It should be required reading for anyone who throws that epithet around.
“George, I’d never call you an Uncle Tom.”
More info – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_Henson
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Vinnie,
I know there was an uproar about the Rice depictions, I meant the outcry from this blog. Chris is acting like this is the most offensive thing ever.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
If I recall correctly, those cartoons appeared in 2004. This blog launched in mid-2006.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Mark, Ken and everyone else –
If I had been at Blog@ back when Ted Rall did his cartoon about 9/11 widows or the outcry over the Rice cartoons happened, I would have definitely blogged about it here.
I think that calling someone a TRAITOR, comparable to Benedict Arnold, simply because they chose to endorse the other guy running for president, who, by the way, happens to have the same skin color, is pretty goddamn reprehensible. Especially when that person has proved their dedication to this country and its principles time and again. But hey, that’s just me.
Also, it’s a really awful cartoon. Not as bad as some of the other stuff Campbell does, but pretty poorly executed all the same.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I wasn’t suggesting that Powell would have or should have endorsed Gary Coleman or anybody like that.
I’m no more a fan of thinking racially than anybody else. The problem is, as long as *somebody* is thinking racially, the rest of us all have to, at least a little bit, even if we don’t want to.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Powell himself said he considered race as a “factor” but if that if it was the only factor he would have endorsed Obama months ago.
I was more shocked Powell actually waited this long to endorse him. Considering Powell in a moderate Republican in the first place and the Republican party keeps making the mistake of drifting more and more to the right like the Titanic to the Iceberg.
October 25th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
“as long as *somebody* is thinking racially, the rest of us all have to, at least a little bit, even if we don’t want to.”
I don’t see your point. You say Powell wasn’t choosing by race only, but you say if an unnamed “someone” does, all must?
Why? What good will it serve for all to vote by race because some people are? Will that somehow make it better?
If people were voting purely by race in this election, Obama would not have won a single primary in a single state. Working off pure demographic percentages, he’d get about 15 percent of the vote. That’s obviously not happening. So he’s not doing so well because all the blacks people are voting black. Ther aren’t enough blacks for that to work. And there aren’t enough people afraid of being called racist wither. It’s because (right or wrong) people believe him. People are saying they support what he says, and DON’T let his color get in the way of that.
To claim suggest or intimate that “it’s cause he’s black” is demeaning both to him and the country in general. The people who will really benefit if people buy that line of crap are the “black leaders” in this country who only keep employed if people believe that the “race issue” is still inches away from the Jim Crow days.
If Obama wins, the one thing that it SHOULD do is lay to rest the whole “it’s impossible for a black guy to make it in America” chestnut. Hell, the very fact that he’s gotten as far as he HAS should be enough to prove that’s a line of crap. You have to work, you have to be lucky, and you have to be ready to face hardship, but guess what, so does everybody else who wants to make it in this country.
October 26th, 2008 at 6:59 am
OMG!!! Okay, there are so many things to comment on…
First of all, who ever it was who said that Republicans are making a mistake by moving more and more to the right… As a true conservitive that believes in smaller government, not bigger, the republican part has been moving more and more to middle and for the last 8 years, not to the right. I’ve felt like I’ve been voteing not for “my” canadate, but a lesser of two evils (no not really evil, the phrase just kind fit). Bush has done nothing domestically but spend more money and add more to the government than any other president in recent times. McCain has a long history of being very middle of the road and very rarely votes conservatively. I feel the party has left me out to dry.
Now about Powell. I don’t really care who he endorses. I really don’t. For the people who do care (either because theyjust want to have something to rant about, or because they can’t think for themselves and must follow other people’s lead, like Powell’s), I think it is understandablt to at least question and look at the situation. Powell does have a history of supporting consivative, or at least moderate, individuals. Obama is definately as liberal as poloticians get in this country, so it is a bit confusing. That said, what does it really matter who he endorses? Does it really effect your vote?
As to the cartoon… When was it that political cartoons started being conserned about being policaly correct or bewaring an invisable line that you can’t see, but everyone knows when it’s crossed. THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT CARTOON WAS TO CREATE DISCUSSIONS LIKE THIS ONE. So, if you don’t like it, don’t discuss it. I don’t care for it, but it is just a cartoon.