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Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions?

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Sun Jan 22, 2006 at 11:11:37 PM EST
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I didn't see Meet the Press yesterday but it seems everyone else did and Tim Russert's in the dog house.

RUSSERT: Let's talk a little bit about the language people are using in the politics now of 2006, and I refer you to some comments that Harry Belafonte made yesterday. He said that Homeland Security had become the new Gestapo. What do you think of that?

And if you're a really really tough journalist, you naturally ask Obama... another question about Harry Belafonte:

RUSSERT: Mr. Belafonte went to Venezuela, as you well know, some time ago and met with Hugo Chavez, leader of that country, and said some things that obviously were noted in this country and around the world. Let's listen, and come back and talk about it.

It's unclear why Tim didn't also ask Obama to defend Lil' Kim, Kanye West and Antonio Davis. I mean, they're all black, right? And it's just one big game, right?

Twice Tim Russert has asked his guests to comment on the remarks of Harry Belafonte. There was Barack Obama today, and previously it was Colin Powell....!'m not sensing any pattern here myself...

  • James Wolcott on other tactless questions Russert could have asked. Here's one.

Bobby Brown. Whitney Houston. A marriage in turmoil. Any thoughts?

Russert has had two weeks to ask anybody on his show about it; why does he save this particular question for Obama? What sort of special expertise does Obama have about Harry Belafonte, a private citizen with no connetion to the Democratic party, that none of Russert's other guests would have?

Has Russert ever asked a Republican senator, George Allen, perhaps, to defend what Pat Robertson says? No. The ONLY reason you ask me this question is that you assume there is some affinity between me and Mr. Belafonte.

what's the real motive behind bringing the Belafonte quote into a discussion with Obama? The guilt-by-association game between terrorists and Democrats has been in hyper-drive this past week, with Matthews and MSNBC, the Bush cheerleaders at FOX, Bob Schieffer and others ramming this RNC-driven talking point down our collective throats. Was this just more of the same? Not to mention the painfully obvious racial angle...

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    Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? | 14 comments (14 topical)
    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jan 22, 2006 at 11:02:27 PM EST
    This is like those times in your history class when the teacher is talking about some "black issue" like Dr. Rev. King, or the march on Selma, or Uncle Tom's Cabin, and all the white kids turn en masse to see what the black kids have to say about it. Same thing. All B.S. I'm so sick of it.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dark Avenger on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 02:13:31 AM EST
    So that means as a member of the HAPA community, I have to answer for every goofy career move Keanu Reeves makes these days?

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 06:14:20 AM EST
    Brian, it's worse than that, because in this case it's not even a "black issue" -- it's just something a black person said.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#4)
    by ltgesq on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 07:00:12 AM EST
    Why is this in any way surprising? The networks and thier affiliate local stations have made it clear that whenever a black issue is reported, they use a black reporter. I would challenge you to find a single african american reporter in a major role in any of the networks. When was the last time that you saw a white reporter reporting on racial issues in the networks. This is a mechanism that sure appears to be limiting the advancement of African american reporters. Russert merely is reflective of his environment -- and oblivious to boot.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 09:00:53 AM EST
    What Harry Belafonte said in Venezuela is probably what over half of all non-Confederate Americans (i.e.- REAL Americans, like Belafonte), regardless of race, would say, IF they were as eloquent and fearless as Belafonte! Tim Russert is pathetic. Does anyone really care what that babbling racist ball of pus has to say?

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 10:18:00 AM EST
    What? No questions about the NBA?

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 10:46:09 AM EST
    downwith... Does anyone really care what that babbling racist ball of pus has to say? Yeah...that's what I said about Belafonte too.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 01:24:10 PM EST
    I think these strange media maneuvers since November 2004 are a big misinterpretation of the results. I just posted a column on it: http://edwardcopeland.blogspot.com/2006/01/crazy-like-fox.html

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#9)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 02:18:35 PM EST
    B.B - Belafonte is racist how? You're turning me slowly into a dipsh*tist.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 03:32:44 PM EST
    Honestly, I think you guys are overreacting. Clearly, Russert was aggressively pursuing a newsworthy item that was ... ummm ... two weeks old. The reason he didn't bring it up in prior shows was ... ummm ... All right, I'm out.

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#11)
    by jondee on Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 04:00:32 PM EST
    This was also about trying to nail Obama as a "commie"(ie: anything to the left of the Clintons in corporate/media land) by checking his stance on Chavez. And, yeah, how about those Harlem Globetrotters?!

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#12)
    by pigwiggle on Tue Jan 24, 2006 at 12:55:44 PM EST
    ... and you know what I'm talking about

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#13)
    by Sailor on Tue Jan 24, 2006 at 01:58:12 PM EST
    Erring Copeland, please read TLs rules for posting and formatting links and leave your 'Cortege Macabre' for another forum and save your 'Sentimental Melody' for an 'Appalachian Spring';-)

    Re: Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Jan 26, 2006 at 04:50:43 AM EST
    Yeah, it couldn't have anything to do with Belafonte being a personal aquaintance of Obama's.
    Harry Belafonte, the entertainer and civil rights activist, corresponds with Obama by telephone and e-mail. It is far too early, he believes, for Obama to be thinking of higher office.
    Or maybe it could. Whatever. Just keep believing that prejudicial character attacks are an adequate substitute for an informed opinion, please. "It's all B.S. I'm so sick of it.", but I have to admit that I like how it reflects.

    Russert and Obama: Race-Based Questions? | 14 comments (14 topical)