Geoffrey Fieger calls Obama critics racists in new ad

[jerrytimes]

Call Feigers office and let him know how you feel. [[248)355-5555

[Zacha341]

Right, racist rhetoric against Obama exists. Yet is all criticism regarding his presidency, policies and politic racist?! Not all criticism is coming from whites or the Republicans! Or from the 'birther' crowd.

I must admit for the longest time I thought all this racist rhetoric against Obama was quite false until a trip to florida awhile back and spending some time with some FLA.friends who were solidly republican,,[[ and who cares really).. and ofcourse choir singers at church on sundays... I think they assumed I was also. When the conversation somehow got to Obama several very loudly stated there was no way they wanted any ****** in charge of the country....

[Zacha341]

Perhaps! He's getting a great deal of press!

Is Figer preparing to campaign for Mayor of Detroit?

[dtowncitylover]

it's amazing that that not only is Obama the first black president, but he's the first president than has done no wrong, turns water into wine, and is beyond critism, because any questioning of his policy or philosophy is just racist...

i'm glad that people can see beyond this race baiting dribble and will dutifully elect another Democrat mayor for Detroit, be they black OR white, to run this City as they have done for the past 30 years, shining examples of liberal effectiveness

That's not true. I voted for him and will vote for him again. However, I criticize him on the way he handled health care, we should have had a single-payer system. I criticize him on not dealing with the economy first. He hasn't closed Gitmo like he said he would. He hired Geithner, a corporate hack, as Treasury secretary. However, as compared to the other candidate that does not represent me [[nor does he represent the working and middle class in any way, shape or form), I think I will stay with our President.

And I love how the fall of Detroit has been based on "liberalism"! How about the fact that the free market capitalist system let us down. Our factories moved because labor was cheaper elsewhere. Or the racist tactics of real estate agents through redlining. Or how about the fact that Detroit's first true "liberal" Democratic mayor was Jerome Cavanaugh, and by that time Detroit was already declining. Liberalism didn't destroy Detroit. The civil leaders, both Republican and Democratic, as well as industry leaders like Henry Ford, sewed seeds from early on that lead to the decline of Detroit.

[tetsua]

While Fieger does seems to be a little unsavory, he speaks the truth in his ad. There has NEVER been a more disrespected President in American history. The man has been called everything but a Child of God, and rudely interrupted SO many times, it's down right embarrassing.

Not to mention that recruitment for hate groups in America dramatically increased after Obama's inauguration [[FBI statistics).

[softailrider]

How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?

Same as when a cop is lying- when their lips are moving.

[Det_ard]

There are some people who oppose Obama primarily due to his race. There are some people who support Obama primarily due to his race. Racists, all of them.

[jtf1972]

There isn't really a two party system. They are all members of one party: The Hypocrites. Nobody wants to be called what they are though, so they play a shell game and the saps out here fall for it every time.

I, for one, call myself a Democrat only because there really isn't much of an alternative out there. Like Coleman Young said, there are bastards with an R next to their name and bastards with a D next to their name. I happen to agree with his assessment that there are a lot more of them with R's.

Romney makes me want to vomit. Obama makes me want to call him and give him some ideas. Why wouldn't I want to call Romney with ideas? My ideas have to do with actually doing things other than cutting already historically low income tax rates on the wealthiest Americans in hope that they will wave their magic wand & suddenly start businesses that hire people. You know, if you have a billion dollars and sit on it, a billion + a couple hundred thousand will make you suddenly all gung-ho about getting America working.

[JBMcB]

Begin Obama rant:

1. "We'll be out of Iraq in 18 months and you can take that to the bank!" Took over three years. Probably could have done it in six months - he's in charge of the military after all.
2. Didn't close Gitmo
3. Financial reform bill was utter garbage - the Volcker rule is the Coke Zero version of Glass-Steagall - tastes the same but ultimately does nothing. Also slowed the economy down a bit more [[regulations took years to get ironed out - uncertainty makes investors skittish to say the least)
4. Ditto health "reform." A telephone book full of band-aids. Either go single payer or deregulate the crap out of it and let the markets work it out [[it's happening already in small-scale, paying doctors directly and only taking out catastrophic health insurance to save money - seems to work pretty well)
5. The constitutional scholar apparently believes the constitution gives him the power to kill American citizens at will - if through a secret process he deems them to be very, very bad people.
6. Fast and furious. There is no cover-up, which is why the AG told congress it didn't exist. And the reasons he lied are protected by executive privilege. Bush era deja-vu.
7. Saying he will respect state laws that legalize medical marijuana, followed by a massive federal crackdown on medical marijuana. Must have forgotten.
8. Endless "green energy" debacles. It's amazing how well his spin team buried the Solyndra scandal. STOP GIVING PRIVATE CORPORATIONS MONEY. That includes oil companies.
9. Libya. Did we really need to blow up more people in the middle east? Also, apparently, the president can order the deaths of ANY non-US citizen, with no authorization from congress or anything. So, if you're keeping score, the president can now kill anyone he wants to on the entire planet. Even Bush, at the very least, asked for permission from Congress.
10. Not a big deal but obnoxious - after raking auto execs over the coals for taking private planes to beg congress for money, Obama and Michelle take two separate planes to fly to Hawaii so Michelle didn't have to wait a few hours extra. Who the hell let that happen?

On the other hand:
1. He's a great at speeches. Lightyears better than Bush one and two, and even Clinton.
2. He seems to, at the very least, understand technology.
3. He is a US citizen, which seems to drive dumb people insane for some reason, which is fun to watch.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

As I've posted before, I am a conservative. I have been to tea party rallies. I will tell you unequivocally that I never saw racism at such parties. Nor did the black conservatives that were there! Yes there are black conservatives, and they are just as critical of the President as the white conservatives.

I am not going to argue that there are not bigots on the right, but there also bigots on the left. And on both sides they are few in number. I think it is interesting that we have this thread going with polls showing maybe half of black voters in Detroit would be willing to vote for a white candidate for mayor. I would remind my friends on the left that there are only 2 black members of Congress that represent white majorities, and they are both conservative Republicans. White, Obama-supporting liberals do not vote black except for Obama. I will vote for the most conservative, qualified candidate in any election. Race is unimportant. Since I view Obama as neither conservative nor qualified he will not have my vote. He wouldn't have it if he were white.

Also, I think actions are a lot more important than thoughts, words, or motives. Hanging a confederate flag is slightly offensive; opposing school vouchers and keeping black kids in shitty inner schools with no future is much more offensive. It actually hurts people.

Racist is a racist does. Not a lot of southern white farmers with confederate flags in their trucks are keeping people down. A lot of educated liberal politicians in northern cities are doing a swell job of preventing black kids from having a future.

[jtf1972]

"Maybe I'll vote Democrat. The great thing is, when they get in they act like Republicans." ~Homer J. Simpson

[firstandten]

Whether these folks that are opposing Obama are racist or not is not the real point. What these people are doing, and its mostly folks on the right thats doing it, is engaging in the political tactic of delegitmizing Obama's presidency. It has happened to other Dems such as Clinton and Carter.

The difference is because Obama is black that tactic by definition is racist.

This tactic doesn't have anything to do with differences with policy, but with superficial things such as Birth Certs, and a lack of decorum when interacting with the office of the president. A lack of decorum would not be tolerated with other Presidents even Bush [[remember the shoe thrower was not American).

This tactic appeals to the baser instincts of the core constituents of the people who's using it, be it politician or someone like D. Trump.

At the end of the day the name of the game is to win elections and the tactic does work.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

It has happened to other Dems such as Clinton and Carter.

The difference is because Obama is black that tactic by definition is racist.
.

That is not the definition of racism. If you say that these "tactics of the right" were used against Carter and Clinton as well, you have offered evidence against racism. The fringe on both side have ALWAYS attempted to discredit/render illegitimate the opposition, although most people either side don't. Adams supporters villified Jefferson. The hatred of Reagan on the left was insane. Some people never accepted GWB after the Florida vote in 2000, even after his clear reelection in 2004. And don't forget there were LIBERAL birthers in 2008 who said McCain wasn't eligible to be president because he was born in Panama. Some of those same people think that Marco Rubio isn't eligible because his parents were immigrants. All phooey. And only a whacko few on either side believe and harp on it. But it is easier and more flashy to focus on the few birthers, than say the MILLIONS of people who beleive that the Affordable Care Act is unconstutional. And Donald Trump? He trashed George W. Bush for his whole presidency! And he has registered in both parties over the years. He does what gets him publicity.

Attacking Obama as a bad president isn't racist, it's rational. In fact, I don't like the word "attack" in this sense. Describing someone's shortcomings is not an attack.

And for the record, I think white guy Jimmy Carter is the worst modern president, not Obama [[although, many things become clearer over time; Carter is seen in a harsher light now than in 1980).

I don't hate Obama. I don't wish him ill. I don't care if he is black. I don't care if he's a nice guy or a jackass. He does many things that I oppose [[and a few things I support). So I oppose him. If that makes me a bigot in your eyes, find a new pair of glasses.

[dtowncitylover]

And for the record, I think white guy Jimmy Carter is the worst modern president, not Obama [[although, many things become clearer over time; Carter is seen in a harsher light now than in 1980).

I'm just gonna say that the Malaise speech was one of the best speeches of any modern American president. He told the truth and people don't like hearing the truth. And then Reagan came along.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I'm just gonna say that the Malaise speech was one of the best speeches of any modern American president. He told the truth and people don't like hearing the truth. And then Reagan came along.

I guess we're all entitled to our opinions. My favorite modern speech by a recent president [[although delivered 16 years prior to his election) is Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech in 1964. Brilliant.

[firstandten]

That is not the definition of racism. If you say that these "tactics of the right" were used against Carter and Clinton as well, you have offered evidence against racism. The fringe on both side have ALWAYS attempted to discredit/render illegitimate the opposition, although most people either side don't. Adams supporters villified Jefferson. The hatred of Reagan on the left was insane. Some people never accepted GWB after the Florida vote in 2000, even after his clear reelection in 2004. And don't forget there were LIBERAL birthers in 2008 who said McCain wasn't eligible to be president because he was born in Panama. Some of those same people think that Marco Rubio isn't eligible because his parents were immigrants. All phooey. And only a whacko few on either side believe and harp on it. But it is easier and more flashy to focus on the few birthers, than say the MILLIONS of people who beleive that the Affordable Care Act is unconstutional. And Donald Trump? He trashed George W. Bush for his whole presidency! And he has registered in both parties over the years. He does what gets him publicity.

Attacking Obama as a bad president isn't racist, it's rational. In fact, I don't like the word "attack" in this sense. Describing someone's shortcomings is not an attack.

And for the record, I think white guy Jimmy Carter is the worst modern president, not Obama [[although, many things become clearer over time; Carter is seen in a harsher light now than in 1980).

I don't hate Obama. I don't wish him ill. I don't care if he is black. I don't care if he's a nice guy or a jackass. He does many things that I oppose [[and a few things I support). So I oppose him. If that makes me a bigot in your eyes, find a new pair of glasses.

You completely either misread my initial post or couldn't get past the couple of sentences that you highlighted in your post. You oppose him, I get that I did not imply that because of that you were racist. I said the tactic being used is racist.

Its a racist tactic as it relates to Obama for basically these reasons

1) Birther issue- No need to go into this

2) Obama is Muslim conspiracy- Here the racism is more subtle. You get into code words etc. Its another way of saying I don't like the man because he's black. Its been stated that up to 1/5 of Americans use that because its not acceptable to come out and say I don't like him because he's black.
Disliking him because he is Muslim is more acceptable.

3) Political caricatures- Even though most if not all presidents suffer thru this Obama's at the very least have racist overtones.
such as shoeshine man, chimp and islamic terrorist. I didn't include the First Lady in this.

As I said this has nothing to do with agreeing or not agreeing with his policies

I don't want to get into a discussion on what racism means because some people only see overt acts as being racist, however because of my life experiences I also see covert acts of racism as well.

[dtowncitylover]

I guess we're all entitled to our opinions. My favorite modern speech by a recent president [[although delivered 16 years prior to his election) is Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech in 1964. Brilliant.

That's a very nice speech.

[jmcguire30]

i believe there was similar hysteria when Cliinton was in office, although that was probably racist too as Clinton is the self declared first black president...

it's amazing that that not only is Obama the first black president, but he's the first president than has done no wrong, turns water into wine, and is beyond critism, because any questioning of his policy or philosophy is just racist...

i'm glad that people can see beyond this race baiting dribble and will dutifully elect another Democrat mayor for Detroit, be they black OR white, to run this City as they have done for the past 30 years, shining examples of liberal effectiveness

Let me guess--you're a birther?

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

You completely either misread my initial post or couldn't get past the couple of sentences that you highlighted in your post. You oppose him, I get that I did not imply that because of that you were racist. I said the tactic being used is racist.

Its a racist tactic as it relates to Obama for basically these reasons

1) Birther issue- No need to go into this

2) Obama is Muslim conspiracy- Here the racism is more subtle. You get into code words etc. Its another way of saying I don't like the man because he's black. Its been stated that up to 1/5 of Americans use that because its not acceptable to come out and say I don't like him because he's black.
Disliking him because he is Muslim is more acceptable.

3) Political caricatures- Even though most if not all presidents suffer thru this Obama's at the very least have racist overtones.
such as shoeshine man, chimp and islamic terrorist. I didn't include the First Lady in this.
.

Are anti-McCain birthers doing it because they are anti-white presidential candidates? No they are doing it because they are crazy, conspiratorial leftists.

Are anti-Romney people taking his religion to task [[and that is being done by mainstream op-ed writers!) because they are racist or anti-Mormon? No, they are just liberal and seeking to scare ignorant people into fearing Romney too much to vote for him.

As far as caricatures, who is publishing Obama-as-a-chimp cartoons? I've never seen one. As far as anything depicting him as an Islamic terrorist, I think they are comparable to things published about George W. Bush, showing him as Hitler. Irresponsible and outrageous, yes. Racist, no.

Firstandten, I can't see any support for your argument that people are using covert racial tactics to oppose the president. I am not saying there are no racists, but you haven't demonstrated a conspiracy on the part of the right to diminish President Obama with racist taunts and tactics.

[jmcguire30]

"And for the record, I think white guy Jimmy Carter is the worst modern president, not Obama [[although, many things become clearer over time; Carter is seen in a harsher light now than in 1980)."

Its so convenient how conservatives just make up any BS to fit there warped agenda. I don't remember Carter lying to get the US into a failed war or two. Carter didn't increase the deficit by anywhere near as much as reagan, bush I, or bush II. In the kingdom of morons the one IQ republican is king.

[Zacha341]

Excellent post... one of the many reasons I'm wary of obediently following every yellow brick road, and pit stop the democrats lay before us even though I remain one. Can't do the repub world view either completely. Both require watching and there will be more interchange of bull and elitism between the camps as time goes on [[as we've seen and referenced in posts here).

Yeah, some are bastards with D and R next to their names! Sounds like something Coleman would say I while I didn't agree with Coleman 100%, he was spot on here! And he had the guts and nerve to say it!

There isn't really a two party system. They are all members of one party: The Hypocrites. Nobody wants to be called what they are though, so they play a shell game and the saps out here fall for it every time.

I, for one, call myself a Democrat only because there really isn't much of an alternative out there. Like Coleman Young said, there are bastards with an R next to their name and bastards with a D next to their name. I happen to agree with his assessment that there are a lot more of them with R's.

Romney makes me want to vomit. Obama makes me want to call him and give him some ideas. Why wouldn't I want to call Romney with ideas? My ideas have to do with actually doing things other than cutting already historically low income tax rates on the wealthiest Americans in hope that they will wave their magic wand & suddenly start businesses that hire people. You know, if you have a billion dollars and sit on it, a billion + a couple hundred thousand will make you suddenly all gung-ho about getting America working.

[Scottathew]

I can't stand Fieger.

However, I know so many people that hate Obama just because he's black or because he's a democrat.

There's too many "Fox News Republicans" that just go around parroting the Fox News talking points because they think it makes the sound intelligent and prepared to make an argument against Obama.

I had a friend at work that got a satellite radio and started listen to Glenn Beck everyday. He became so combative and hate toward me because he knew that I voted for Obama. He also would throw a fit if anyone should dare to challenge his Murdoch-parroting with an opposing opinion.

After about a year of it he finally realized what a tool he was being. He can't stand Glenn Beck anymore. He's still a republican, but he doesn't go around making an ass of himself anymore.

My wife's grandmother is also a Fox News parroter. Whenever she gets an anti-Obama [[and often times overtly racist) email she forwards it to her entire contacts book.

I don't think racism is a sole motivator for a lot of people, but it might be the straw that broke the camel's back for a lot of people.

[jmcguire30]

" I just hope they are a minority. Its fine to not like the president for political reasons but Id really hoped we are way beyond skin color politics. That goes for people of any color."

In my experience, this is not a minority of republicans by any stretch of the imagination.

[superduperman]

Firstandten, I can't see any support for your argument that people are using covert racial tactics to oppose the President

Can't or won't? I don't remember anyone having a news conference about where Mccain was born.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

Well if Jeff said it, it must be true, he's a lawyer so he has a higher level of conscientiousness then the rest of us [[did he smoke a Doobbie before he made that tape...sounds like hes Blaaaazed) and hes not pandering one bit right....Does Jeff realize that there has always been and will always be groups that hate be it racists or whatever [[minority of the whole IMO) What did he think about people calling for Bush's head on a plate or in a noose, that was ok because he is white and it was just angry white liberals venting? In the historical end Obama will be judged on his accomplishments while in office, yes he will always be remembered as breaking the color barrier but his race is not what protects the nation and raises or lowers national debt...Nice way to fire up the base Mr Fiegererer