# Conservative Super PAC considers race baiting as campaign tactic **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 17, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220 "2012-05-17T16:03:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/1 "2012-05-17T16:03:01Z")
Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s 15 minutes may get an extension this summer, if Chicago Cubs owner, former TD Ameritrade CEO and anti-government-spending Super PACker Joe Ricketts has his way. [Link:](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/super-pac-plans-attack-obama-ties-rev-jeremiah-132518668.html) > [@](#): > > According to a copy of the plan obtained by the New York Times, the group wants to expose the ties between President Obama–who is referred to as a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln”–and Wright’s “black liberation theology.” > > “The world is about to see Jeremiah Wright and understand his influence on Barack Obama for the first time in a big, attention-arresting way,” the 54-page proposal says, according to the Times. > > The proposed assault, including television commercials and full-page newspaper ads featuring Wright, along with “aerial banners” in the sky, would be timed to the Democratic National Convention in September. > > Ricketts’ plan includes “preparations for how to respond to the charges of race-baiting,” according to the paper and goes as far as suggesting the hiring of an “extremely literate conservative African-American” spokesman. > > It also refers to an apparent ad featuring Wright that was produced for McCain’s 2008 campaign but never aired. “If the nation had seen that ad,” Ricketts writes, “they’d never have elected Barack Obama.” Frankly I welcome this racist bullshit, as it further exposes the despicable element festering within the modern conservative movement and Republican party. And it means I no longer have a National League team to agonize over year after year after year after year after year. So what are people’s thoughts? Will this tactic actually be put into play? Will it help Romney defeat Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/2 "2012-05-17T16:11:46Z")
Seems like they are right on track, as yesterday or the day before, local talk radio had someone discussing, again, Rev. Wright and the Obama connection. Of course, this is the same talk guy who regularly refers to Obama as still possibly Muslim, a Marxist, a radical, and earlier this week, someone who indulged in sex with a man when he was a young boy. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/3 "2012-05-17T16:12:06Z")
“Anti-government spending” Joe Ricketts, who happened to ask for government assistance for his [pathetic Cubs’ Wrigley Field improvements](http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/05/joe-ricketts-man-behind-new-super-pac-loves-corporate-welfare)? That’s weird. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/4 "2012-05-17T16:14:05Z")
The people who would be swayed by Jeremiah Wright ads aren’t going to be voting for Obama anyway. They might have gotten some traction had they run the ads in 2008, but after 4 years in office it’s hard to paint him as an anti-American radical. So I no longer have a favorite NL team. Maybe I’ll have to switch to the Dodgers, since an old Spartan is going to own the team. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/5 "2012-05-17T16:32:18Z")
Regarding the Cubs, Joe Ricketts is an “owner” only in the sense that the team is owned by a Ricketts family trust. I don’t believe Joe Ricketts has set foot in Wrigley since the sale; his son Tom is the chairman. Bottom line: Don’t take the bitter old-man rantings of Joe out on the Cubs 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/6 "2012-05-17T16:36:49Z")
Obama has been President for 3+ years, most folks in the middle are going to vote for or against him on his record, not some rehashed shit from 4 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/7 "2012-05-17T16:45:13Z")
> [@CJJ\*](#): > > Don’t take the bitter old-man rantings of Joe out on the Cubs Does the Ricketts family earn revenue from ads or Cubs merchandise? Because that may be a reason not to purchase the merch or view the ads. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/8 "2012-05-17T17:27:02Z")
> [@](#): > > President Obama–who is referred to as a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln” . . . 😕 Like that’s a **bad** thing?! Lincoln was great; metrosexual is essentially non-gay (“We’re here! We’re not queer! But we’re close! Get used to it!”) and fun. (What’s that leave, then?) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/9 "2012-05-17T17:29:43Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The people who would be swayed by Jeremiah Wright ads aren’t going to be voting for Obama anyway. They might have gotten some traction had they run the ads in 2008, **but after 4 years in office it’s hard to paint him as an anti-American radical.** I’ve encountered countless contards on the Intertubes who would, and often do, say his performance in office **proves** he’s an anti-American radical. But, again, they wouldn’t be voting for him anyway. (These are the sort to whom the GM bailout was “socialism” and the health-care plan is “Communism.”) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/10 "2012-05-17T17:30:52Z")
Yeah, that stuff won’t work as well against a re-election campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/11 "2012-05-17T17:31:24Z")
Wow, comparing him to Abraham Lincoln, quite possibly the most hated man ever in American history. Oh wait, I meant the other thing, the opposite of most hated… ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/12 "2012-05-17T17:36:06Z")
Remember, Lincoln freed the metrosexuals. He’ll never be forgiven for that. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/13 "2012-05-17T17:37:24Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Wow, comparing him to Abraham Lincoln, quite possibly the most hated man ever in American history. Oh wait, I meant the other thing, the opposite of most hated… Yeah, I don’t get that either. Republicans love the guy because he was a “Republican,” and Democrats love the guy because he was progressive. And he wore a top hat. What’s not to love? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/14 "2012-05-17T17:40:20Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Yeah, I don’t get that either. Republicans love the guy because he was a “Republican,” and Democrats love the guy because he was progressive. And he wore a top hat. What’s not to love? Vampires don’t like him. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/15 "2012-05-17T17:50:55Z")
Although if the right wants to bring Jeremiah Wright back into it, I’d say Mormonism is fair game. Obviously not from the Obama campaign, as the Jeremiah Wright stuff wouldn’t come from Romney himself, but from others. There are always others. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/16 "2012-05-17T17:54:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Yeah, I don’t get that either. Republicans love the guy because he was a “Republican,” and Democrats love the guy because he was progressive. And he wore a top hat. What’s not to love? Well, the whole beard-but-no-moustache thing is a bit creepy. Seriously, the Republican party is so off the deep end that they think they can defame someone by comparing him to Lincoln? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/17 "2012-05-17T17:58:16Z")
It sounds like the idea is being shot down. Romney also spoke out against it today. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/18 "2012-05-17T18:25:42Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Although if the right wants to bring Jeremiah Wright back into it, I’d say Mormonism is fair game. Obviously not from the Obama campaign, as the Jeremiah Wright stuff wouldn’t come from Romney himself, but from others. There are always others. From the linked article: > [@](#): > > A conservative super PAC is considering an advertising plan to attack President Obama’s ties to Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., his controversial former spiritual adviser, and **“do what John McCain would not let us do”** during the 2008 presidential campaign IIRC this is referring to those days when McCain requested the troglodyte groups to not go there during the past election, I get the impression that this group is telling Mitt to not make the same “mistake” as McCain, and also to tell Mitt to not make any requests for them to pull back. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/19 "2012-05-17T18:49:06Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And it means I no longer have a National League team to agonize over year after year after year after year after year. Do they still play the blues in Chicago? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220/20 "2012-05-17T19:07:44Z")
When baseball season rolls 'round. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservative-super-pac-considers-race-baiting-as-campaign-tactic/622220.md?page=2)