# Obama be shuckin' 'n' jivin', dontchyaknow! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 25, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784 "2012-10-25T01:13:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/101 "2012-10-26T04:04:33Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Anybody who doesn’t think that “shuckin’ an’ jivin’” isn’t racist hasn’t seen it said with the correct, and formerly standard, Stepin Fetchit mannerisms. > [@Smapti](#): > > I must have missed the part of the clip where Palin used those mannerisms, then. She didn’t. She still knew what she was saying and why. It _had_ to have been written by someone else and fed to her. She isn’t that clever on her own. Bigots, all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/102 "2012-10-26T13:51:37Z")
Wait, what? She knew what she was saying, but wasn’t actually the one saying it? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/103 "2012-10-26T13:54:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Wait, what? She knew what she was saying, but wasn’t actually the one saying it? No. She’s not smart enough to think it up, but she’s just smart enough to know what it means and why. It’s remarkable how her intelligence level fits the narrative so precisely. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/104 "2012-10-26T13:55:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Wait, what? She knew what she was saying, but wasn’t actually the one saying it? Uh, what’s hard to understand about that? That’s how it works for anyone that uses speechwriters, PR consultants, etc. The hired help often comes up with ideas/messages and the person then says “Yep, I like that, that’s good, I’ll say it,” or “Nope, keep trying.” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/105 "2012-10-26T14:04:39Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > May I suggest that you practice what you preach— approach a group of black people at random (first driving yourself to a predominantly black neighborhood, if necessary), ask them if they like eating fried chicken and watermelon, and see how they react? And if they seem offended for some reason, advise them to get over it because you could’ve said far worse? Right - because that’s exactly what I suggested. I certainly didn’t suggest that making generalizations (racially stereotypical generalizations, to be specific) is a stupid practice that should be pointed and laughed at. Wait - I did! You’re off the mark on this one, VT. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/106 "2012-10-26T14:41:38Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yep. Say what you will about Coulter, she graduated with honors from Cornell, has a law degree from the University of Michigan where she was editor of the Law Review. Stupid, she is not. And she can shuck and jive with the best of them! A cunt from Cornell is still just a cunt. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/107 "2012-10-26T19:15:09Z")
Sorry I’m late but… > [@John\_Mace](#): > > No. She’s not smart enough to think it up, but she’s just smart enough to know what it means and why. It’s remarkable how her intelligence level fits the narrative so precisely. I don’t think Palin always understands what she is saying. She obviously didn’t know what she meant when she used the phrase “blood libel” to describe how the pre4ss was being mean to her, she just heard some people using the phrase in a context that made her think it was a particularly bad form of libel. And I don’t think she realizes how racist she is being when she says shuck & jive, she just hangs around a lot of people who casually use racists terminology and she doesn’t realize that these are racist terms and she uses them in public. > [@Chefguy](#): > > A cunt from Cornell is still just a cunt. She is not all that bright either. Her success is attributable to being one of the first prominent young conservative women who weren’t total idiots. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/108 "2012-10-26T19:25:56Z")
I’m going to note, also, that the thread title is grammatically incorrect by AAVE standards. Invariant “be” is used for habitual or ongoing traits, not present tense. “She be wack” for “she’s crazy”, but not “he be saying” for what someone is currently saying. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/109 "2012-10-26T19:27:27Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > She is not all that bright either. Her success is attributable to being one of the first prominent young conservative women who weren’t total idiots. But now she has devolved into being just a sad troll, beloved by the small proportion of the public who loves a good troll and bully. ---
**Author:** ![ebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@ebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ebb)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/110 "2012-10-26T19:33:13Z")
> [@Deser2](#): > > Want an easy way to see if something is racist? Ask yourself the following question: If I walked into a predominantly black neighborhood (or whatever race the term in question addresses) would I be comfortable yelling this at the top of my lungs? > > If the answer is yes, then its probably not racist. If the answer is no, then it probably is. Today I have learned that the sentence “I have a weeping boil on the side of my penis” is racist to just about every ethnicity that I can think of. This thought experiment not yet confirmed by field trials. ---
**Author:** ![Deser2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@Deser2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deser2)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/111 "2012-10-26T19:40:16Z")
> [@ebb](#): > > Today I have learned that the sentence “I have a weeping boil on the side of my penis” is racist to just about every ethnicity that I can think of. > > This thought experiment not yet confirmed by field trials. Guess this one went over your head huh? Explain to me why anyone around you would be offended by that statement? Disgusted, sure, but not offended. But good try! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/112 "2012-10-26T19:52:09Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’m going to note, also, that the thread title is grammatically incorrect by AAVE standards. Invariant “be” is used for habitual or ongoing traits, not present tense. “She be wack” for “she’s crazy”, but not “he be saying” for what someone is currently saying. I noticed this as well, but then thought that for Obama haters, they definitely think he shucks and jives in the habitual. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/113 "2012-10-26T19:53:24Z")
I hear a woooooshing sound … anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/114 "2012-10-26T21:19:51Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Right - because that’s exactly what I suggested. I certainly didn’t suggest that making generalizations (racially stereotypical generalizations, to be specific) is a stupid practice that should be pointed and laughed at. Wait - I did! You’re off the mark on this one, VT. If I missed the subtle satire in your statement, I apologize. I just double-checked and still couldn’t locate it, though. Might just be me. I never could see the 3-D unicorn either, no matter how long I stared at the goddamned poster. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/115 "2012-10-26T21:32:07Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I’m going to note, also, that the thread title is grammatically incorrect by AAVE standards. Invariant “be” is used for habitual or ongoing traits, not present tense. “She be wack” for “she’s crazy”, but not “he be saying” for what someone is currently saying. Obama Ø shuckin and jivin. = Obama is shucking and jiving. Obama be shuckin and jivin. = Obama shucks and jives on a regular basis. Obama be steady shuckin and jivin. = Obama shucks and jives in a sustained manner. Obama been shuckin and jivin. = Obama was shucking and jiving previous to this point in time but is not shucking and jiving currently. Obama BEEN shuckin and jivin. = Obama was shucking and jiving in the past and continues to do so now. In case anyone was curious about how one could express other temporal relationships in AAVE. It’s a nicely compact grammar and I, for one, would not mind if some of its characteristics transferred over to SAE. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/116 "2012-10-26T21:32:51Z")
> [@vinyl turnip](#): > > if i missed the subtle satire in your statement, i apologize. I just double-checked and still couldn’t locate it, though. > > Might just be me. I never could see the 3-d unicorn either, no matter how long i stared at the goddamned poster. It’s a SAILBOAT! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/117 "2012-10-26T21:38:49Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Sarah Palin accused the president today of [shucking and jiving.](http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/palin-accuses-obama-shuck-jive-schtick-212555554--politics.html) > > What a fucking ignorant, hateful piece of shit. What’s next, Ann Coulter calling the president a retard twitter? [Oh right…](http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23/living/ann-coulter-obama-tweet/index.html) > > That being said, are there any Palin fans/conservatives/Republicans/McCain-Palin voters that are able to defend this use of “shuck and jive?” And to think that fucking idiot could have been Vice President. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/118 "2012-10-26T22:00:17Z")
Another vote that “shucking and jiving” is a race-based insult. “Jive” is deeply associated with blacks (See the “I speak Jive” sequence in Airplane). “Shucking and jiving” as a phrase is even more race suggestive than just plain Jive. That it may also have non-racial usages doesn’t “whitewash” Palin’s statement. The bitch should definitely shove it up her Eskimo Pie. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/119 "2012-10-26T22:31:01Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > Once again demonstrating why there will never be a President Palin. Yeah, she’s more Secretary of State material. I find it to be a point of amusement that she makes the headlines much more consistently than Paul Ryan. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784/120 "2012-10-26T22:39:38Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > And to think that fucking idiot could have been Vice President. :eek: And she would have been a damn sight better one than the fucking idiot we wound up with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-be-shuckin-n-jivin-dontchyaknow/638784.md?page=7)