# TN senate RNC Ford add - rascist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 25, 2006, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829 "2006-10-25T10:57:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/41 "2006-10-25T19:22:16Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] Never underestimate the fears of the small penised. [/QUOTE] It would be crazy if whites had penis-related insecurities about Ford. I mean, the guy is one of the whitest looking black men around. Why would his penis not mirror the rest of his appearance? Is all his mandigo black warriorness exclusively concentrated in his loins or something? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/42 "2006-10-25T19:26:21Z")
[QUOTE=What the … !!!] I guess it’s ok for the Dems and the media to make that such a major scandal to depress the Republican base but its not ok for the Republicans play to their base if that is what they are doing. [/QUOTE] Good lord. Surely you haven’t bought into the idea that Democrats are responsible for the Mark Foley debacle. > [@](#): > > As for #3 what’s “dumb” about it? Is it obvious Hef is a racist? I see we’re going from asking a dumb question to playing dumb about its answer. If you have a clever point to make here, just say it, but I warn you: it isn’t actually that clever. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/43 "2006-10-25T19:33:52Z")
[QUOTE=you with the face] It would be crazy if whites had penis-related insecurities about Ford. I mean, the guy is one of the whitest looking black men around. Why would his penis not mirror the rest of his appearance? Is all his mandigo black warriorness exclusively concentrated in his loins or something? [/QUOTE] Do you think that people who are afraid that white women will go rushing for a big black dick stop to consider such things? Fears are not logical, particularly when they also involve race and sex. Perhaps that’s why I’ve always liked the Eddie Murphy bit so much; he captured the illogical near-simultaneous fear/fascination with and denial of the big black penis. Once you go Ford, you’ll … shout “Oh my lord”? ---
**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 25, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/44 "2006-10-25T19:47:08Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] For some reason, I’m reminded of the (now over 2 decades old!) Eddie Murphy bit about white men’s fears about black penises. Let me paraphrase: [adopts stereotypical black-comic-doing-white-guy-voice]“You know, black people have tremendous dicks. But I don’t believe it.” Never underestimate the fears of the small penised. [/QUOTE] So, they should have purposely used a Black woman instead of a White woman? Wouldn’t that be racist, too? Seems you can’t win in this game. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/45 "2006-10-25T19:51:11Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] So, they should have purposely used a Black woman instead of a White woman? [/QUOTE] What good would that do? All the racist troglodytes would knod approvingly at that. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/46 "2006-10-25T19:53:05Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Even in the most reactionary South, **or even in staunchly liberal Texas** , racism is no longer acceptable, to admit it would be shameful, it would be an admission of backward ignorance. [/QUOTE] (bolding mine) Where is this mythical place of which you speak? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/47 "2006-10-25T19:54:02Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] So, they should have purposely used a Black woman instead of a White woman? Wouldn’t that be racist, too? Seems you can’t win in this game. [/QUOTE] Yes, of course, because they could not legitimately avoid bringing up the issue of women wanting to have sex with him. It was imperative, so they were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t. You must of course be joking, right? This was a woosh, I hope. Otherwise you can explain to me why the only choice they had was what color the “call me wink wink” girl had to be. Hey, why not an Asian chick. Then they could have her go “No no, too beaucoup! Too beaucoup!” ---
**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 25, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/48 "2006-10-25T19:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] Yes, of course, because they could not legitimately avoid bringing up the issue of women wanting to have sex with him. It was imperative, so they were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t. You must of course be joking, right? This was a woosh, I hope. Otherwise you can explain to me why the only choice they had was what color the “call me wink wink” girl had to be. Hey, why not an Asian chick. Then they could have her go “No no, too beaucoup! Too beaucoup!” [/QUOTE] Of course they didn’t have to point that out, but they did. But if you’re going to claim it was racist, you have to explain why it wouldn’t be racist to pick some other girl specifically because of her race. Whites need not apply? That’s what you’re saying. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/49 "2006-10-25T20:15:41Z")
So, **John Mace** , what (do you suppose) was the point they were making with the “Call me” coda? ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/50 "2006-10-25T20:22:03Z")
[QUOTE=you with the face] It would be crazy if whites had penis-related insecurities about Ford. I mean, the guy is one of the whitest looking black men around. Why would his penis not mirror the rest of his appearance? Is all his mandigo black warriorness exclusively concentrated in his loins or something? [/QUOTE] Not saying it’s racist or not, but I will say this and note that I’m riffing off you considering Ford, “one of the whitest, black men around…” One of the things that happen when you’re around people of different color for a long period of time, you actually forget that they’re not the same color as you are…then suddenly something happens and you’re reminded that they are. It seems to me that this ad was the remind the voters that Ford was a black man and what that means to the vote. Using a black woman would have done the same thing, but I don’t think it would have been a “Oh yeah, Ford’s colored fella…” moment. We expect black people to find other black people attractive. Having the hot white chick IMO causes the voters to thing about Ford in a way that transends the ‘political’ and focuses on the social and that means black men and white women getting it on. Whether or not that’s enough to turn off some voters is something I can’t answer and it may be that we’re all projecting our on bias into it…however how people view black on black relations and black on white relations are still different enough IMO acknowledge that there’s a different dynamic in play when you produce such material. ---
**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 25, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/51 "2006-10-25T20:29:44Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] So, **John Mace** , what (do you suppose) was the point they were making with the “Call me” coda? [/QUOTE] Just one more dig at the guy-- it’s a common line used in comedy routines all over the place-- especially at the end of the comedy sketch. This was supposed to be a funny ad, afterall. Why not use one of the most widely used punch lines when you’re trying to imply that the guy is associated with “women of questionable virtue.” Now, it’s possible that it really was meant to be racist. I just don’t think it necessarily is racist. There are alternate explanations at least as good. However, I suppose that if you assume Republicans are racist, then you might be predisposed to believe this was a racist ad. I, however, don’t assume that Repubicans are racists. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/52 "2006-10-25T20:30:32Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] …Where is this mythical place of which you speak? [/QUOTE] My grandmother’s house. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/53 "2006-10-25T20:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] So, they should have purposely used a Black woman instead of a White woman? Wouldn’t that be racist, too? **Seems you can’t win in this game.** [/QUOTE] Even if we set aside the issue of race-baiting, this ad was full of nothing but distortions, innuendo, and personal invective, and is just generally a reflection of the poor state of political discourse in our country. Nobody wins in that game, period. What are you saying, that we should lighten up so we can continue to trash the reputations of our political opponents? That we should cut politicans some more slack so that they can sling more mud without having to answer for irresponsible behavior? If you’re only concerned about what race the bimbo should be, you’re missing a larger point – hardly raised in this thread so far – that political ads should not feature childish charges that the other candidate is some type of male slut. BTW, I’m seeing on CNN now that Corker is calling for the ad to be pulled. Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/54 "2006-10-25T20:35:54Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] My grandmother’s house. [/QUOTE] That would explain why I’ve failed to find it in the year I’ve lived in Texas. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/55 "2006-10-25T20:41:37Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] So, they should have purposely used a Black woman instead of a White woman? Wouldn’t that be racist, too? Seems you can’t win in this game. [/QUOTE] Sure you can. You have the woman in sillouette or just use a sexy voice…IF the goal is portray the guy as a horn-dog…you have lots of faceless women. It’s not that hard to win, you just have to be willing to acknowledge that there are rules. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/56 "2006-10-25T20:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=Ravenman] BTW, I’m seeing on CNN now that Corker is calling for the ad to be pulled. Good for him. [/QUOTE] Don’t hold your breath; [Ken Mehlman (Republican National Committee Chairman ) was on Hardball with Tim Russert last night](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15404235/), and claimed it was out of his power and he can’t order the ad be taken down: > [@](#): > > RUSSERT: Ken Mehlman, the Republican candidate in Tennessee has asked that you take that ad off the air, that it is over the top. Former Republican Senator William Cohen says it’s, quote, “overt racist appeal.” > > Will you take that ad down? > > MEHLMAN: Tim, I don’t have the authority to take it down or put it up. It’s what called an independent expenditure. > > The way that process works under the campaign reform laws is I write a check to an independent individual. And that person’s responsible for spending money in certain states. Tennessee is one of them. > > I’ll tell you this, though. After the comments by Mr. Corker and by former Senator Cohen, I looked at the ad. I don’t agree with that characterization of it. But it’s not an ad that I have authority over. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/57 "2006-10-25T21:03:44Z")
How about the [radio spot](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/images/2006-10-25_Corker_Radio_Ad.mp3) that plays “jungle drums” (not my description) whenever Ford is mentioned. Racist? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/58 "2006-10-25T21:04:16Z")
[QUOTE=Ravenman] I see we’re going from asking a dumb question to playing dumb about its answer. If you have a clever point to make here, just say it, but I warn you: it isn’t actually that clever. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the warning! BTW, do we all agree that The Today Show people are racist for showing a black lady referring to Krispy Krack? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/59 "2006-10-25T21:05:15Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] That would explain why I’ve failed to find it in the year I’ve lived in Texas. 😃 [/QUOTE] You are aware, of course, that my riff about Texas as a hotbed of liberal ideas was intended with some irony? Rather a lot, actually. Not to belabor the point (whereupon he proceeds to belabor the point…) We have a tendency to ascribe progress politically to political action, Liberals vs Conservatives, Progressives vs Running Dogs of the Ruling Class. Which overlooks a large influence from religious conviction. My grandmother wouldn’t have known a dialectic from Dial soap. Jesus loved all the little children of the world, red, white, black and brown and that settled it. No further discussion required. Said _that word_ in front of her once and never did it again, even when I could sit down, a flyswatter can be a very effective form of political correction. I am a recovering Texan, in exile. Where I live, you almost never hear of someone carrying a firearm when they go to the bar, I find that soothing. But, Lord, what I wouldn’t give for a slab of honest-to-God Bar B Q soaked up with a slice of Mrs. Bairds bread and washed down with a Pearl Beer or two. People round here have some wierd notions, like BarBQ sauce has something to do with tomatoes. Brisket in spaghetti sauce. _Feh!_ as they say in Lubbock. ---
**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 25, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829/60 "2006-10-25T21:07:09Z")
[QUOTE=holmes] Sure you can. You have the woman in sillouette or just use a sexy voice…IF the goal is portray the guy as a horn-dog…you have lots of faceless women. It’s not that hard to win, you just have to be willing to acknowledge that there are rules. [/QUOTE] Rules? What rules? Who makes these rules? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tn-senate-rnc-ford-add-rascist/377829.md?page=4)