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Bc he was operating under immense pressure to not be radical or risk exacerbating the racist politics aligning against him

AlexandrB 4y ago
This feels revisionist. Obama won by a healthy margin in 2012 and those that subscribed to the racist politics probably would not have voted for him even if he locked up every African American in the US. He had every opportunity to push for bold change and instead disappointed his base by being timid.
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  “First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;’ who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a ‘more convenient season.’” - Martin Luther King Jr. Losing Democrats was the concern, not Republicans; they were already lost. There are plenty of “tough on crime” Dems out there for Obama to navigate. For the same reasons, Michelle Obama had to be careful with hairstyles and how she spoke, lest she be perceived as an “angry Black lady”.
  - KerrAvon 4y ago
    I don't agree with this -- the "losing Democrats" bit -- but I don't think it should be downvoted. Michelle Obama was treated horribly. Trump's First Lady was a Russian prostitute who literally hated Christmas, and she was given the benefit of the doubt until the very last moment.
- kingkawn 4y ago
  Trump built his political base on questioning Obama’s citizenship, among other racist dog whistles he’s used. That movement was a direct reaction to having a black President.
  - P5fRxh5kUvp2th 4y ago
    Trump built his political base on the fact that so many non-tech areas got left behind when tech became big money. Trump actually stood in front of a bunch of businessmen and told them to their face if they moved their manufacturing out of the US he'd slap them with tariffs.

AlexandrB 4y ago

This feels revisionist. Obama won by a healthy margin in 2012 and those that subscribed to the racist politics probably would not have voted for him even if he locked up every African American in the US. He had every opportunity to push for bold change and instead disappointed his base by being timid.

ceejayoz 4y ago
“First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says ‘I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;’ who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a ‘more convenient season.’” - Martin Luther King Jr. Losing Democrats was the concern, not Republicans; they were already lost. There are plenty of “tough on crime” Dems out there for Obama to navigate. For the same reasons, Michelle Obama had to be careful with hairstyles and how she spoke, lest she be perceived as an “angry Black lady”.
- KerrAvon 4y ago
  I don't agree with this -- the "losing Democrats" bit -- but I don't think it should be downvoted. Michelle Obama was treated horribly. Trump's First Lady was a Russian prostitute who literally hated Christmas, and she was given the benefit of the doubt until the very last moment.
kingkawn 4y ago
Trump built his political base on questioning Obama’s citizenship, among other racist dog whistles he’s used. That movement was a direct reaction to having a black President.
- P5fRxh5kUvp2th 4y ago
  Trump built his political base on the fact that so many non-tech areas got left behind when tech became big money. Trump actually stood in front of a bunch of businessmen and told them to their face if they moved their manufacturing out of the US he'd slap them with tariffs.