Earl Ofari Hutchinson, New America Media
- I still don’t know whether to howl with laughter or shake my head in disgust at the crude and silly race-baiting antics of the National Black Republican Association. It recently announced that it’s launching a series of radio ads about presumptive Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama. The ads recite these tired and worked-over slanders: a rap at Obama’s alleged ties with former Weather Underground bomber Bill Ayers, his relationship with his former pastor Jeremiah Wright, and convicted financier Tony Rezko.
Before going any further, there are many politically astute, principled black Republicans who would never dare stoop to personal and gutter-dredging attacks on Obama, or any other Democratic candidate. They are probably aghast at the association’s mud slinging attacks too. Obama is hardly immune from legitimate political criticism, particularly for his recent black flip and rightward shift on the FISA bill, the Iraq War withdrawal, refusal to accept public financing, and support of the death penalty. That kind of criticism is legitimate.
