President Bush Jumps on the “Articulate Black Man” Bandwagon
The web has been buzzing over Sen. Biden’s comments about Sen. Obama today. The general consensus seems to be that Sen. Biden was tone deaf (though some say worse) when he described Sen. Obama as an African American candidate who is “articulate” and “clean” — words that many interpret as suggesting that other African Americans are not.
Interestingly, in a segment of his interview with FOX News highlighted by RunObama, President Bush also chose “articulate” as his primary adjective to describe Sen. Obama:
“He hasn’t gotten elected yet. He hasn’t even gotten the party’s nomination. He’s an attractive guy. He’s articulate,” Bush said in an interview with Fox News.“I’ve been impressed with him when I’ve seen him in person, but he’s got a long way to go to be president,” Bush added.
This may seem minor, but to many people it is not. At the very least, it seems clearly to reveal a distinct racial tone deafness and insensitivity. Is President Bush really so impressed that a black man is so adept at expressing himself?
The President’s defenders will say he was trying to compliment Sen. Obama, as Sen. Biden’s defenders have said today. But as TPM Cafe commenter goethean asks, “What if he had said that Obama can swim? Would that be a compliment, too?”
UPDATE (2/3): MSNBC discusses Sen. Biden’s and President Bush’s use of the “articulate” adjective with WaPo’s Eugene Robinson:
February 1st, 2007 at 1:18 am EST
This story does not provide the context of Bush’s comments. The reality is that Obama is probably the most articulate politician in Washington, and is definitely the most charasmatic. That’s all these people are saying…or is it? This administration has a tendency to pick a theme and stick to it, as we saw last year when Rove told the Republicans that Naitonal Security would win the elections for Republicans in ‘06…while indiviual Republicans saw the writing on the wall, the Administration and the NRCC stuck to the theme….and fumbled. This time, Bush is continuing remarks by Cheney that Obama is too inexperienced, even though Bush had only 2 more years as an elected official before HE ran for president, and those 2 years were not in Washington… Listen…We’ll be hearing more about Obama’s “inexperience” until he’s elected.
February 1st, 2007 at 1:52 pm EST
I think we’re all reading a little too much into this. And by “a little” I mean “way”.
February 1st, 2007 at 6:33 pm EST
Yeah. Let’s stop here.
February 5th, 2007 at 3:03 pm EST
Sorry, I am a fan of Eugene Robinson, but I still don’t buy this argument when talking about specific examples like Bush and Biden. I could see someone hypothetically using it as a dig on other black leaders, but based on the frequency it has been used to describe non-black candidates, I think you would have to be a mind reader to criticize any individual for doing it. I did a quick nexis search, and here are some examples of people calling other potential presidential candidates past and present “articulate.” The list even includes a Washington Post columnist calling Mr. Foot-in-Mouth Biden himself “articulate”: HILLARY CLINTON: “I think Hillary’s got a problem with just about everybody with that under-the-radar thing of ’she can’t win,’ ” said Rob Tully, a former Iowa Democratic Party chairman, and as one of Edwards’s leading supporters, someone with his own biases. “That’s something she’s going to have to get over if she gets in. She knows that. She’s an articulate, astute politician.” [Wash. Post, 10/16/06]. “[T]he point of her presidency, I think she would make a great president. She is a strong leader, she is bright, she is articulate, she cares about people, all of those right words.” [Victor Kamber, Dem strategist, on MSNBC’s Tucker, 12/7/06]. JOHN EDWARDS: “Edwards is very strong, very articulate, very attractive and I think is the best message of all of them.” [Bill Press on MSNBC’s Tucker, 1/17/07]. RUDY GIULIANI: Former Ambassador to Malta Anthony H. Gioia, County Executive Joel A. Giambra and former Rep. Jack F. Quinn Jr. are among those who attended a $2,100-per-ticket fundraiser for Giuliani in Manhattan this week. And it appears that Gioia and Lockport developer David Ulrich, a longtime Giuliani supporter, will orchestrate the former mayor’s Western New York activities. “He’s a proven leader who’s right on the issues and can articulate them to the rest of the world,” Gioia said. TOM VILSACK: “Vilsack’s appeal revolves around competence. He is not a scintillating speaker, but he is articulate and he is a tenacious campaigner,” said Peverill Squire, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. “He has a compelling personal story and can connect well with average Americans. The big questions are whether he will raise enough money to get his message across and whether voters will prefer a more flashy candidate.” [Cox News Service, 12/10/06]. “Vilsack is running for president, and I was one of four U.S. News writers and editors to meet with him. I’ve interviewed Vilsack before on my quadrennial forays to Iowa; he is a very likable, pleasant, and articulate man.” [Michael Barone in US News and World Report, 12/7/06].(more examples coming in next post)
February 5th, 2007 at 3:04 pm EST
MITT ROMNEY (as described by his own advisor): ‘’You’re going to see a lot of him in Alabama,'’ said Montgomery lobbyist Claire Austin, who said she is advising Romney’s Commonwealth PAC team on the state’s political landscape. ‘’He’s like a rock star. He’s got it going. He’s articulate, he’s very eloquent and he’s very believable.'’ [Birmingham News, 12/7/06] GEORGE PATAKI (describing himself): Asked about polls showing him at “two percent or so” among Republican primary voters, Pataki said, “If you did the same type of poll in New York state in 1993 asking about the possible candidates for governor, I doubt if I would have gotten two percent. … But when you have a vision, when you have the ability to articulate and implement that vision, and you work hard, I think I’ve shown in New York that you can overcome those obstacles.” [Frontrunner, 12/11/06]. NEWT GINGRICH: “I spoke to a prominent Washington conservative over the weekend who is intimately familiar with Newt’s problems, but confessed that nonetheless she is drawn to him now. He is so articulate and mentally nimble, and well, after six years of a verbally challenged leader.” [The Corner’s Mona Charen, quoted in the Hotline, 12/7/06]. WESLEY CLARK: Gen. Wesley Clark, the handsome and articulate Kosovo commander, drew a flurry of attention when he asked mordant questions about George Bush’s foreign policy priorities on Meet the Press. [Mary McGrory Post column, 2/23/03] BIDEN: Ted Postel, a Reagan-era Pentagon official who now teaches at MIT, is a leading academic critic. He says it is “immoral” to promise security from a system that has no promise of working. Resistance in the Senate is heard from Joseph Biden of Delaware, one of the more articulate members [McGrory column, 3/20/00].
February 5th, 2007 at 3:22 pm EST
One more quick thought about this. In the New York Times Feb. 4 week in review article, Lynette Clemetson writes:///It is unlikely that whites will quickly or easily erase “articulate” and other damning forms of praise from the ways in which they discuss blacks. Listen for it in post-Super Bowl chatter, after the Academy Awards, at the next school board meeting or corporate retreat. But here is a pointer. Do not use it as the primary attribute of note for a black person if you would not use it for a similarly talented, skilled or eloquent white person. Do not make it an outsized distinction for Brown University’s president, Ruth Simmons, if you would not for the University of Michigan’s president, Mary Sue Coleman. Do not make it the sole basis for your praise of the actor Forest Whitaker if it would never cross your mind to utter it about the expressive Peter O’Toole.///I completely agree with this statement. The problem is, people don’t bother to prove that any individual speaker uses the term to describe blacks, but not whites. If you could show a pattern of an individual speaker using the term about blacks, but not whites, then maybe you would be on to something. Otherwise, it just seems like a frivolous accusation.
February 5th, 2007 at 4:59 pm EST
Obama is an intelligent, articulate, and powerful PERSON. I don’t care what race, culture, or religion he represents. His message is clear. I am voting for Obama the PERSON. He’s the one to lead us into a new era in our country. One we can be proud of as Americans. His message will create a unified country that cares about other countries in our world as the people that they are made up of, not just of our own interests in their regions, the polar opposite of the current administration.Obama represents a new generation of leadership. And to any naysayers I would only say that Jesus wasn’t too popular during his time, with a large majority of his own people while he lived on earth. He was accused of blasphemy and lying, and therefore was crucified. Whether you’re Christian or not, it’s history. Let’s hope we’ve learned something from that. What a pity for history to repeat itself. How insulting to humans today, of all races, cultures, relgions, and genders to let that happen. Let’s follow the message of hope Obama represents.
March 1st, 2007 at 4:22 am EST
Very nice site! Good work.
April 7th, 2007 at 8:42 pm EST
The guy is articulate, and we shouldnt be shy to say it and say it VERY LOUD. He articulates, in a way that hasnt been done since that terrible day in LA in 1968, the most audacious hopes and aspirations of ordinary folk. Come on folk, lets not be thin skinned, whatever innuendo Mr Bush or Karl Rove may have in mind, Barack Obama’s articulacy is bonding him with the American people nad its going to send him right on to the Oval Office.
April 7th, 2007 at 8:44 pm EST
Sorry, nad should be and; silly inarticulate me!