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Speaking his, um, mind
Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller I am of the opinion that everyone is entitled to their opinions. That’s one thing that makes America great. I almost never criticize someone for speaking their mind because it’s their mind, not mine. But I’m also for sunlight, and I couldn’t let this one pass by in the shadows of Blogworld. This time I will merely ask a question, having read the latest Lynn Sweet adulatory column on the Senator run in the Democratic newspaper of record. Recording all his journeys, like Boswell did Johnson, she says [Barack] Obama will travel to Kenya next month where his father lived. This is the latest in a series of Obama references to his father, including his best-selling book, Dreams From My Father. Which leads me to wonder why he dwells so much on his absent black father, who skipped out on the family when Obama was a child in order to attend Harvard, never to return…and so little on his white mother from Kansas who raised the children alone and remained with them throughout their lives? Dan Curry (who works for Joe Birkett’s campaign) writes on his blog that the above screed is “Very entertaining and well-written.” Entertaining in what way, Dan? And why does TR feel qualified to read Obama’s mind and conclude that race is the overriding factor in any of this? Obama wrote about his mom in the preface to his book (supplied by a commenter): “I think sometimes that had I known she would not survive her illness, I might have written a different book—less a meditation on the absent parent, more a celebration of the one who was the single constant in my life. In my daughters I see her every day, her joy, her capacity for wonder. I won’t try to describe how deeply I mourn her passing still. I know that she was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and that what is best in me I owe to her.â€
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- ChicagoCynic - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 1:41 pm:
It’s nice to see Tom Roeser lately let his inner racist come out and play. Remember, this isn’t the first of Tom’s commentaries on black people. So c’mon Tom, tell us some more of what you really think of black folks. Please let people see what a true nutjob you are and always have been…
- Bubs - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 1:52 pm:
Rich,
Don’t be so hard on Tom Roeser, as he serves an important function in our society. Without him, the word “bloviate” might fall out of usage!
- Dictionary Don - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 1:55 pm:
bloviate \BLOH-vee-ayt\, intransitive verb:
To speak or write at length in a pompous or boastful manner.
- Really Roeser? - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 2:10 pm:
If Mr. Roeser spent a little less time bloviating on his website and a little more time reading, he might have noticed that Senator Obama addressed exactly this point in the preface of his book, albeit not in such racist terms. He wrote the following:
“I think sometimes that had I known she would not survive her illness, I might have written a different book—less a meditation on the absent parent, more a celebration of the one who was the single constant in my life. In my daughters I see her every day, her joy, her capacity for wonder. I won’t try to describe how deeply I mourn her passing still. I know that she was the kindest, most generous spirit I have ever known, and that what is best in me I owe to her.â€
Kudos to you, Mr. Roeser for doing little to no research to back up a political cheap shot predicated on the death of a man’s parents.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 2:14 pm:
It is an interesting, but personal, question if you take the race angle out of it. One that is best asked of, and answered by, the senator himself. As the dad of 2 stepchildren who were abandoned by their biological fathers, I notice that there are different longings or lack of them, for that connection. And I don’t think race or politics has much if anything to do with it.
- Pat Hickey - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 2:19 pm:
I read Tom Roeser on a regular basis and rarely agree with him; however, I feel that Tom Roeser has a valid point and one that the media has helped to raise.
Senator Obama is playing to the bleachers on this one and would gain no political currency from valorizing his mother’s constancy. Race is always the flying wedge offense in politics - it is intrinsically unfair.
Senator Obama is a powerful political personality and he could be the man to finally put the race card away in politics. Tom Roeser’s questioning of Obama’s wistful thoughts is no more unfair than Lynn Sweet’s posing them in the first place.
- anon - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 2:25 pm:
while i have no opinion to share here on roeser, sweet or obama, i can tell you the power an absent father has over a child is too remarkable and strong for someone with two parents to understand.
- Garp - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 2:56 pm:
I do not agree with Roeser, however, I have been surprised sometimes when someone like Halle Barry crys because she is one of the first black actresses to win an oscar and the camera keeps showing her mother-a white woman-in the audience so happy for her.
I guess it’s no big deal to be a white senator or oscar winner. I hope some day it won’t matter what color you are-only that you are a good actress or a good senator.
- Reddbyrd - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 3:09 pm:
Looks like both Mr. Roeser and his pet rock Curry are softer than snot today.
Roeser is understandable because he still has the picture of Henry Hyde sitting on his lap on his blog.
The other guy thinks Brickhead the Executioner needs a place in state government. Nuf said.
I guess it must be noted that with those two in the brain trust it is amazing that Judy Bore is only down a dozen.
- P - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 3:25 pm:
“I’m going to ask a question, then I am going to ask it again. Then I am going to re-phrase it and ask it again and again and again.”
Don’t be shy Tom - What do you want to say?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 3:48 pm:
If it weren’t for Roeser, the word “pharisee” might never be used outside of Bible study.
(far-i-see) 1: a self-righteous or sanctimonious person
Here’s my question to Tom Roeser, the bloviating pharisee: why do you dwell so much on Senator Obama’s father?
You accuse Obama of ignoring the contributions of his white mother, but you call him a “black” candidate. If his mom is white and his dad is black, what makes Obama “black”? I mean, the obvious thing to do would be to not refer to his race at all, or refer to him as multi-ethnic, but if you’re going to pick one or the other, why don’t you call him a “white” candidate? Is it because he doesn’t pass the “pencil test”?
As for Tom’s question, the answer should be obvious to any father or son. Except for Oedipus, the relationship between fathers and sons tends to make for a much better story than the relationship between sons and mothers. Or daughters and fathers. That’s because a good story needs conflict, and most folks will agree, that’s where the conflict usually lies.
- huh - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 4:25 pm:
Interesting how many attention-starved politicians had absent fathers.
- B Hicks - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 4:29 pm:
“Very entertaining and well-written”
What is he thinking?
- chinman - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 4:33 pm:
Hey Rich,
How about that Maynard Crossland?
- Uncle Slappy - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 4:56 pm:
Roeser is entitled to his opinion on the matter, since Obama saw fit to write about it; that made it fair game. His opinion is a bit odd, though (but then again, most right wing radicals thrive on odd opinions).
I will say this about Obama and the “black” issue: If Obama picks his “white” heritage over his “black”, he is no longer “black”, and therefor no longer the political novelty that made him a “rock star”. If he were “white” (which he is half, but most people (he included) seem to forget this), he’d still be in Hawaii, perhaps practicing law there.
Sadly, while whites in Illinois have pretty much stopped voting in a racist manner, blacks have picked up where the formerly racist whites left off, seemingly in a misdirected effort at “revenge”, or an “our turn” mentality. Sooner or later, this will trigger a white reversion to the same type of politics. Until all races stop voting based on race, it will never end, and it’s racist no matter WHO engages in it.
Look at Cook County right now: do you think the shananagans being perpetrated by black Democrats isn’t going to trigger anger and resentment in white voters, along with bit of tit for tat? It’s hard to believe that it won’t. As always, history repeats itself.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 5:14 pm:
Observations:
1. The psycological makeup of politicians is fair game.
2. It is logical to ask why a person seeks out a father who abandoned him.
3. It is also fair to observe that politics is a possible motive.
4. Oedipus was taken from Thebes to avoid his killing his father. He left Corinth to avoid killing the person he believed to be his father.
5. Oedipus did not know that he was marrying his mother, the Queen.
6. Everything Obama does is done with design and purpose.
7. The mother-daughter relationship dwarfs all others combined.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 5:24 pm:
Damn. This started out to be a thread with thoughtful comments. Most comments are tinged with partisanship, but thoughtful just the same. And then along comes ol’ Hateful himself:
Reddbyrd.
You just not able to turn off the hate, are you Redd?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 5:41 pm:
Uncle Slappy — Funny, I thought Republicans only believed that being “gay” was a lifestyle choice. You can choose to be “black” or “white” now too? Can I choose to be 24 again?
Anonymous 5:14 — The psychological make-up of politicians might be fair game if you’re a psychologist, or if you happen to know them personally. I don’t know why or what it is about Republican Jack Ryan’s psychological make-up that led him to take his wife to a sex club, or leads Jim Oberweis to want to round up all immigrants in Soldier Field, or led President Bush to avoid combat, and it would be unfair of me to speculate, since I am neither their psychologist nor do I know them personally.
And Obama is not seeking out his father (who I believe is deceased), he’s going to his an ancestral homeland, for the same reason Mayor Daley visits Ireland, jews travel to Israel, and people have been asking since the beginning of time “Who am I, where do I come from, and why am I here?”
Obama doesn’t do everything out of design, he is a human being, not a machine, and your rhetorical efforts to dehumanize him are typical political tripe, which would be shameful to any decent purpose.
Obama has no more political purpose for visiting Kenya than George Bush did for invading Iraq. (you guys are weak, weak, weak today). But I will agree with you about mothers and daughters. Perhaps if Senator Obama were either of those, he would’ve written that book instead.
- wndycty - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 7:03 pm:
Roeser and his ilk are bigots, there is not really much to discuss.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 7:31 pm:
There are a lot of things I don’t agree with Tom Roeser on, including his criticism of Obama. If I am going to be represented in the United States Senate by a democrat, then I can’t think of a better one than Obama.
But, anyone who knows Tom Roeser at all knows he is not a racist or a bigot.
- Ignatius J. Reily - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 8:18 pm:
Roeser’s take and tone would be fair if Obama’s published thoughts and words– whether in a speech, an interview or a book– were his very last. In that case, the analysis wouldn’t seem so bizzare because it would serve as one individual’s curious retrospection on the thoughts of a very public figure. However, since the Senator is still very much alive, and if he chooses to speak further on the subject, at any point in the future, next week or next decade, at that instant, Roeser acends from mere matriculant to imbecillis laureatus.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 8:31 pm:
What is well written about it? What is entertaining?
Really. It’s a bunch of crap in the passive voice while Tom is fooling himself into believing he is provocative.
Anyone who doesn’t grow up with their father, even if they have more of a relationship with them than Barack did, has a certain fascination with who their father is.
The only reason to bring up race is that Roeser sits there and hears the word Africa and goes bonkers about Obama’s race obsession–which is actually Roeser’s race obsession.
How much mileage did Reagan get out of his drunk father? Did anyone complain that he didn’t credit his mother enough?
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 8:33 pm:
==But, anyone who knows Tom Roeser at all knows he is not a racist or a bigot.
He just plays one on the internets?
- Lt. Guv - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 8:47 pm:
Thank you Rich.
For those claiming the Senator is playing on race, just recall that it was not that long ago in this nation that if you had a single black person in your family tree, then you were black (usually with a far more cruel word being used). You had no choice regardless of how you may have identified himself. The only individual of mixed descent who had a chance to identify themselves as white was someone with extremely fair skin. If your secret was revealed, to the back of the bus you go. If you had dark skin, on the back of the bus you stayed. Is it any wonder a person of mixed desent identifies as black - of course not. . . Far too recently that is the only community to accept them.
Even more recent in South Africa.
Of course when a person of mixed heritage identifies with the side that isn’t black or that it doesn’t matter, they’re asked why? And far worse. Just look a( Tiger Wood.
- wndycty - Thursday, Jul 13, 06 @ 9:05 pm:
steve schnorf, you can always rationalize bigotry. Roeser and his ilk are bigots. The fact that he is a player in the Illinois GOP and hosts a show on WLS-AM are just plain sad. It is not this recent posting on Obama that leads me to believe he is a bigot it is his entire body of work.
- steve schnorf - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 12:18 am:
Look, I’m no fan of Roeser, and I hate to be in the position of defending him, but fair is fair. I’ve had enough dealings with him to believe very strongly that no matter how conservative he is, and how much you (and I) disagree with many of his positions and much of his rhetoric, the guy doesn’t have a racist bone in his body, and finds racism and racial bigotry repugnant.
- Reddbyrd - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 7:26 am:
AnON5:24
I try to bring some real world connection to this blog. Please don’t try to label it hateful. Readers need to understand who this crew is pushing or who is taking their advice.
I don’t have a hateful bone in either wing
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 8:16 am:
Reddbyrd Says,
‘Looks like both Mr. Roeser and his pet rock Curry are softer than snot today.
Roeser is understandable because he still has the picture of Henry Hyde sitting on his lap on his blog.
The other guy thinks Brickhead the Executioner needs a place in state government. Nuf said.
I guess it must be noted that with those two in the brain trust it is amazing that Judy Bore is only down a dozen. ‘ & ‘ I try to bring some real world connection to this blog. Please don’t try to label it hateful. Readers need to understand who this crew is pushing or who is taking their advice.
I don’t have a hateful bone in either wing ‘
That does not seem to connect.
- Eye4anEye - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 8:44 am:
YDD, while we’re at it…let’s ask Lynn Sweet why she slobbers over anything Obama does.
- Anon - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 9:17 am:
Steve, it seems to be splitting hairs to say that Roeser is not racist, if what he writes is racist. To notice that Obama is more interested in writing about his connection to his father than his mother and then conclude that the reason must have to do with his father being black, rather than because his father went missing, because his father was from a foreign land, because boys generally have many issues with their fathers, etc., reveals a racist thinking pattern. The fact that this conclusion was reached without apparently reading the book cover to cover reveals a predisposition to analyze Obama in racial terms. If you limit the word “racist” for KKK’ers, you’re grossly underestimating the role that the construct of race plays, intentionally or unintentionally, in the thinking of white people.
- Lee - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 9:20 am:
Roeser was right on target. It’s hip to be reserved well versed and thoughtful politician, especially if you can play the race card like Obama. If he talked more about his mothers heritage, the liberal community would be all over him. Of course, black politicians and celebrities have always been able to play the race card and get a pass from the mainstream media.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 9:32 am:
‘If you limit the word “racist†for KKK’ers, you’re grossly underestimating the role that the construct of race plays, intentionally or unintentionally, in the thinking of white people.’
Interesting construct in itself there,
How about this;
Barack Obama had very few black political officials and even fewer fair-minded journalists in his corner, when he worked in the Illinois Legislature.
Mary Flowers and Monique Bond were two politicians with the tripes to be early Obama supporters. Obama had his negligable butt handed to him by Bobby Rush when he ran for Congress and was generally ignored by the very people now beating a path into his light.
When Obama ran for the U.S. Senate to fill the seat vacated by ? ‘whatisname? , Laura Washington predicted that Barck Obama would not play well in the ‘Hood.’ Race matters. It matters a hell of a lot. Jesse, Jr. found himself eclipsed by Obama and the media swallowed its gum after Obama’s brilliant Keynote speech at the otherwise disasterous DNC. SUPERSTAR!
Barack Obama is a great elected official and he was a great one while in Springfield back in the late 1990’s. Mary Flowers and Monique Bond knew that - everyone else is playing catch up and using race as a bludgeon to talk their way into Obama’s shared light.
- Pat Hickey - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 11:17 am:
My profound regret for confusing Rep. Monique Davis with CPD spokeperson Monique Bond. The cobwebs were thick and taxing early this AM. Too much roller derby for this boy.
Representative Davis and Representative Flowers were stalwart and selfless in their support of Obama.
- steve schnorf - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 12:04 pm:
Roeser has no regard for political correctness, so a lot of what he says sounds strange to us since we’re all so used to running everything through our PC filters.
Rich, feel free to correct me if you think I’m wrong here about Roeser’s race agenda.
- Bill Baar - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 12:16 pm:
I could really care less about Obama’s Mother or Father and wish he would got on with the business at hand and write less about his family.
Obama’s using his family to make a soft pitch for himself for President or VP.
Better he pitched his works rather than his heritage…
- Lincoln Lounger - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 2:18 pm:
First of all, “wndycty” is showing the depth of his/her grasp on Illinois politics if he thinks Tom Roeser is a “player” in the Illinois GOP. I hope that’s confusion with Jack Roeser that generated that statement.
I think this entire posting is unfortunate. Who cares what Tom Roeser’s blog says. He had no impact as a columnist for the Sun-Times, and now, without that, even less.
He’s now trying to be provacative like Ann Coulter in order to get attenion. Sadly, it seems to be working.
- Bill Baar - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 4:03 pm:
Lincoln,
I would agree with you but for Obama’s lecture to Black Dads to grow up.
If I were a black Dad I would have written Obama to take a hike. I think I wrote him to take a hike anyways over this one.
Obama stakes out this kind of pseudo-values turf and he just set himself up for Roeser.
Obama is trying to outflank what he thinks is the influence of the Christian Right and then just ends up bizarrely singling out Black Dads,
“There are a lot of folks, a lot of brothers, walking around, and they look like men,” Obama said, drawing laughter from the congregation. “And they’re tall, and they’ve got whiskers - they might even have sired a child. But it’s not clear to me that they’re full-grown men.”
Citing St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Obama said too many fathers “engage in childish things, who are more concerned about what they want than what’s good for other people.”
I wish he would stop this stuff and talk issues instead. I think Pols go off on these values rants to avoid talking legislation where they might be but on the spot.
- Garp - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 4:26 pm:
Roeser might have his faults but he was good friends and wrote the book about Monsignor McDermott-the founder of Harmarket House who was a living saint so he can’t be all bad.
- Garp - Friday, Jul 14, 06 @ 4:33 pm:
Pat Hickey,
Thanks for clearing up that Monique Bond deal. I read it and was confused but gave you the benefit of doubt because it is not unheard of for city employees to work in politics. At least, that is what I heard.