Comments from Registered Users | (Register or log in to make your comment.) | Kevin W 2008-07-04
continued.....I truely think Obama will represent all Americans as JFK represented more than just Catholics. . Again, I want to point out that racism is not just poor people or the working class. Racism is very strong among the rich country club set sipping champaign on their yachts. The rich that have invested in oil futures and are getting rich on everybody elses misery, just as they did in the great depression of the 1930s. ....I do not think its fair to throw racism down on just the poor. I do think it is fair to say that the white rich people in power use FEAR of race as a campaign tool. ....Myself, I can't afford 4 more years of the same old Bush McCain. There are alot of people that will lose their homes and jobs if McCain stays the course. I think thats what we should be afraid of and the heck with the racist rich that preach fear constantly. | Kevin W 2008-07-04
Of course racism is a factor.I am white and yes it is poor white trash and it is blue collar workers....but it is also coming down from the rich white people with their country clubs that minoritys can not join. .....I think the key word here isn't CHANGE as much as it is FEAR. McCain is against health care and wants to stay the course in Iraq. He is the same as Bush. Since they have nothing new to offer they point to Obama and tell us we must FEAR his name and his skin color. Myself, Im more afraid of the national economy, the non response to Hurricane Katrina, half the nation unable to go to a doctor, a war with no end in site and Bush and McCain handing out the rose colored glasses saying everything is beautiful. Bush and McCain run their election on FEAR and FEAR OF CHANGE. ....Of course racism plays into the first african-american to run for president and I have told this to Obama supporters even if they don't like to hear it. I truely believe Obama will represent everybody as J | Rabbit 2008-06-04
I agree with chickiekov. It also didn't mention Hillary's pro gun stance, a significant factor in this state, one that Al gore know well. Who painted Obama as a Muslim? Powerful white people and the media. Not West Virginians who are an easy target. It was a hack job verging on yellow. Something Cheney would do. | chichikov7 2008-05-18
The very nature of topic is not neutral: the journalists wanted to look for racism in West Virginia, and they found it. I'm hardly a defender of Clinton, but it wouldn't be hard to find this response anywhere in the country. Kind of like those European TV shows that deliberately go around America with trivia questions to show how stupid Americans are, all the reporter had to do was omit people who did not display racist response (just as they remove the smart people from those Euro TV shows). It still elicits more overtly condescending generalizations from people who view this site, but there is nothing objective about the message. Clearly this short news feature does not put WV in positive light, but the journalists weren't trying to do so. | austin.adkins 2008-05-16
Great article. However, please maintain your neutrality by not showing a cut away to a street sign called W Race St. Do you really think you needed an unrelated street sign to silently convey the flavor of the piece. I think Ashley near the end did that for you. Otherwise, great work. | neile 2008-05-14
Rampant racism at its finest; but at least they aren't beating around the bush, they're as dumb as Dubya. the 'whites' are honest about their loathing for 'blacks' and 'Muslims.
WV voters need to shut off 'Fox' and open 'the Real news online. They just may realize how pathetically conditioned, misinformed and ignorant as well as being racist, that they truly are. Revolting.
Thanks for keeping your vigilant lens on the 'reality' [if we dare call it that] of the elections in the US, and around the globe. Well done, cudos to all concerned. |
TranscriptMATTHEW PALEVSKY, JOURNALIST, TRNN: I'm in Martinsburg here in West Virginia, one of the poorest and whitest states in the union. Senator Clinton is expected to win today's primary in a landslide, and the white, blue collar workers who make up her base have said they might be unwilling to vote for Senator Obama come general election.
~~~
SHARON, CLINTON SUPPORTER: I'm very much for Hillary, and I'm not hiding it. But I do feel that if Barack ends up being [inaudible] this election, then I'm going to have to maybe vote Republican or not vote at all.
~~~
TRACY, CLINTON SUPPORTER: My opinion is I think the United States of America should be run by somebody from the United States of America.
PALEVSKY: But he's from the US. He's born here. He's been raised here.
TRACY: And he's Muslim.
PALEVSKY: But why do you think he's Muslim? He wasn't raised Muslim.
TRACY: But I don't agree with that.
JANET: You feel like there's a lie behind it.
TRACY: Yeah, I don't agree with that.
PALEVSKY: Do you think that's a smear tactic in politics, to label him as a Muslim?
TRACY: I think it is a smear tactic.
PALEVSKY: I mean, but—.
JANET: Do you?
TRACY: Yeah, I do think it's a smear tactic, but I think we have the right to know. I mean, I think we have the right to know everything in their background.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Do you usually vote Democrat or Republican?
DAN: Democrat all the way. My daddy would kick my behind, okay, if I did not vote for a Democrat.
PALEVSKY: But if it comes down to Barack Obama as the nominee, you probably won't vote Democrat.
DAN: No. No, sir.
~~~
PALEVSKY: So whom would you vote for today?
BRENDA, OBAMA SUPPORTER: Obama.
PALEVSKY: Why Obama?
BRENDA: 'Cause we need a change.
PALEVSKY: And what do you think he'll provide for the country?
BRENDA: A better world.
PALEVSKY: And do you think West Virginia will come out for Obama when it comes to the general?
BRENDA: No. There's too many rednecks here in West Virginia.
~~~
STANLY, OBAMA SUPPORTER: Right now, we're still dealing with so much prejudice right now that that's what's hurting the Black man.
~~~
BRENDA: Years ago, I used to be a member of city council. So I know what was doomed in this town and what's not doomed. And the doom part is there's still a lot of racism going on.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Many Democrats have used euphemisms to describe why they're not willing to vote for Barack Obama, some saying that they just don't know him well enough or they're not comfortable with him, while others have come straight out and said they don't want a Black president.
~~~
SHARON: That's the problem. I don't know where he stands. You know, I don't feel comfortable, whereas I know Hillary knows what "The Pledge of Allegiance" is. Hillary knows, can probably sing "The Star Spangled Banner" better than anybody. So can John McCain. At least I know that they believe in this country. They believe in who we are and how when times are bad we pull together, 'cause we're Americans. But the whole Yankeee-do-it ethic, you know, I just don't sense that from him.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Why would you vote for McCain over Obama?
CANDICE, CLINTON SUPPORTER: Because I think McCain's got more experience of being a president than what Barack Obama does.
PALEVSKY: Have you ever voted for a Republican before?
CANDICE: No. I'm straight Democrat.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Would you trust him? If he gets the nomination, would you vote for him?
GLADIS, CLINTON SUPPORTER: Not really, 'cause I'm not going to vote for somebody that I've never saw or known.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Will you get behind Obama if he does win the nomination?
TRACY: No.
PALEVSKY: Why not?
TRACY: No. I'll go Republican.
PALEVSKY: You would vote for McCain.
TRACY: Yeah.
PALEVSKY: And why? Why that decision for you?
TRACY: I just—I just don't agree. That's—I'll just leave it at that. I just don't agree that he should be president of the United States.
~~~
PALEVSKY: And you voted for—
ASHLEY: Hillary. And if she loses the nomination I’ll vote for the other guy.
PALEVSKY: You’ll vote for McCain?
ASHLEY: Yes. I don’t feel like—put the black man there—no prejudice or nothing but I just don’t have—I just think he should not be there.
~~~
PALEVSKY: The battle here in West Virginia suggests that Obama can’t depend on the Party’s white blue collar base come November. But its also shown that its message of change resonate with a new segment of voters who never before consideredsupporting a Democrat.
~~~
JANET, LIFELONG REPUBLICAN: If it comes to—between Obama and McCain I will vote for Obama. If it comes [inaudible] Hillary clinton and McCain I will vote McCain.
PALEVSKY: Why Obama? Why a Democrat this time?
JANET: I think, we need a change.
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy. | | |
