Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Nader on Obama: He’s Deceiving People

Original Link: http://paganpower.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/nader-on-obama-hes-deceiving-people/

Ralph Nader doesn’t especially like Barack Obama. You might say that he is not impressed, to put it mildly. But getting down to more substance Nader lays out the facts about Obama’s claim of a new politics of hope. Actually Nader does everything but call Obama a liar.

Nader: Obama ‘talking white’

From the Video

He’s deceiving people. In this very building he would take money from corporate lawyers who are not registered lobbyists but whose desks are across the aisle from corporate lawyers who are registered lobbyists in the same law firm.

So Nader is not amused. He doesn’t see much of a difference between Obama and the Republicans at all. The only difference he sees is Obama’s skin color. And to Nader that difference apparently only runs skin deep.

“There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American,” Nader said. “Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn’t want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We’ll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards.”

When asked to explain what he meant about Obama “talking white” Nader elaborated with substance.

“I mean, first of all, the number one thing that a black American politician aspiring to the presidency should be is to candidly describe the plight of the poor, especially in the inner cities and the rural areas, and have a very detailed platform about how the poor is going to be defended by the law, is going to be protected by the law, and is going to be liberated by the law,” Nader said. “Haven’t heard a thing.”

According to Nader, Obama isn’t being authentic with the American public. He is merely putting on a nonthreatening act.

“He wants to show that he is not a threatening . . . another politically threatening African-American politician,” Nader said. “He wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he’s coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it’s corporate or whether it’s simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up.”

The Obama campaign wasn’t exactly pleased with Nader’s assessment of their demigod. They sent out a short, terse response.

“We are obviously disappointed with these very backward-looking remarks,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said.
I wonder how long it will take until Nader is accused of being a racist for bringing up Obama’s race?

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