Matthews is getting some hot water about saying, in the midst of praising not only Obama’s SOTU speech but the President himself, that while he was listening to the speech, “I forgot he was Black.”
Can we just stop this, please?
Obama is a unique politician because he can (sometimes) transcend the racial poison that has characterized much of this nation’s history. Matthews sees that, and he admires it. We can, should, and must accept colloquial (and clearly non-racist) descriptions of the scene without all the fancy apparatus of faux detachment.
Obviously, I’m hardly uncritical of the President, but he is at his best when he treats the public like grownups. So why don’t we act like it? Matthews did, and so should the rest of us.
I can’t think of a commentator ever praising a white politician by saying “I forgot he was white”. If shedding one’s blackness is a praiseworthy accomplishment but shedding one’s whiteness isn’t, then we’ve got a lot of racial poison left to transcend.
No argument that “we’ve got a lot of racial poison left to transcend.” That we notice Matthews’ assumptions could be seen as increased sensitivity to racial bias. Remember when we said things like, “He’s smart, for a (fill in stereotyped ethnic group or nationality here).” Or “She’s ___ for a women.” We’re learning to recognize our assumptions, and although it isn’t always pretty, I believe it is a good thing.
Does anyone mind that “I felt Obama was on my side,” or “I felt we had a lot in common” ?
As I recall, Newsweek said that what many people dislike about the President is that he THINKS and is thoughtful, even if that means he doesn’t emote much. That is what I voted for and what I like. He THINKS. He consults. He learns. This morning I’ve heard some (progressive) commentators nitpick about whether all his facts meet Price-Waterhouse accuracy standards. My observation is that his statements, while necessarily brief and even simplified, are more true than untrue. (And don’t forget the shennanigans that CPA’s have been responsible for in the past.)
I like Obama’s optimistic outlook; his habit of addressing problems and fears directly, his refusal to act or lashing out at anyone, opponents included, in panic.
“As I recall, Newsweek said that what many people dislike about the President is that he THINKS and is thoughtful, even if that means he doesn’t emote much.”
Typical Newsweek error. No, we dislike that he’s really good at giving the superficial IMPRESSION that he thinks and is thoughtful, and find his typical low affect reading style, (You can’t really call it a speaking style when he’s so teleprompter dependent.) rather disturbingly like a moderately well programed voice synthesizer. It’s the speaking version, I suppose, of wearing sunglasses to hide one’s expression.
If he really WAS thoughtful, I suspect he would be a somewhat more competent President.