Remember How Whites Were Too Racist to Vote Obama?
-By Warner Todd Huston
On November 5, the Associated Press put out a story on how the so-called Bradley Effect theory is now finished. You’ll remember the Bradley Effect as the effect that was sure to defeat Barack Obama because all whites are secretly racists and, therefore, wouldn’t have voted for the man when it came time. You’ll also remember that just about every wire service and every paper was filled with discussion about all those hick, racist whites and every TV tongue was wagging about it. But, now that this mythic theory has been proven a bust, will the Old Media say much to correct the record?
So, what about it? Are all whites secret racists with the Bradley Effect having proven they won’t vote for a black man, or is it a great humbug now proven faulty? The AP, for its part, comes down on the side of the later. The Bradley Effect is kaput. Several other sources, including NPR and The New York Times, also celebrate the end of the soundness of the Bradley Effect. In fact, quite a few Old Media sources seem happy to kill the Bradley Effect as a sound theory. How could they not? After all, Barack Obama got more votes than the “first black president,” Bill Clinton. It all seems like sunny days are here again. But…
As I researched how the press is reporting the obvious end of the Bradley Effect, I turned to Google News to see the index of the latest stories. I typed it in and hit the search button. What I found was interesting. It isn’t as “scientific” as a Lexis/Nexis search, but it is still a small measure of the media’s interest.
Now, while it is true that most of the Old Media sources have a story about the demise of the theory, when comparing the enthusiasm with which they covered it on and before November 4 to how often it has been covered from later in the day on November 4 to the 5, 6, and 7, I noticed a steep drop off from the days before the election to the days afterward.
So, it looks like the Media’s interest in those racist whites was not so intense after the election — when it was proven that whites weren’t racist — than it was before when the speculation was thick that Obama might lose the election because of the fear that those darn whites were all so obviously secret KKK members.
In fact, between November 4 and 7, Google News shows but one and one half pages of stories talking about the demise of the Bradley Effect. Yet, during the morning of and the three days before the election, Google News shows three and one half pages of stories talking about the Bradley Effect.
I find it quite interesting how intensely the media talked about how it was sure to prove to be that whites were too racist to vote for The One before the election, but less interesting to them to correct the record afterward.
Still, that is a quibble compared to the fact that there has indeed been many stories happily proclaiming the death of the Bradley Effect. Mark this one up as a good NB report. The Old Media actually covered the end of something that has for years given losing candidates an excuse for losing instead of having to face the fact that they were simply just horrible candidates. Even as the Old Media was a tad less enthusiastic to cover the end of the assumption that all whites were racists — apparently it was more fun for them to call every white a racist — they still reported it. So, giving credit where credit is due, the Old Media gets a silver star for this one.
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November 8th, 2008 at 8:30 am
There is also a “post-Bradley” effect.
Black liberal voters in white precincts, leaving polls amidst white neighbors, and questioned by a white reporter simply LIE (”Yes, I voted for McCain – don’t sell your house”) to avoid raising an issue.
Black conservative voters in black precincts, leaving polls amidst black neighbors, and questioned by a black reporter simply LIE (”Yo, I voted for Obama – now put away that gun”).
White conservative voters in liberal precincts simply LIE (”No, I’m not a racist – I voted for Obama”).
Doctor, lawyers and cops all take it as an article of faith that everyone lies.
How are pollster employees so much smarter?
November 8th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Did anyone see the news stories about how blacks were – in some cases – disregarding the content of the character and voting for the color of ones skin? I don’t blame blacks for voting for the first black man [A man who so respected his white parent - who took such good care of him that he honored her by calling himself a "black man" rather than mixed] … Point is, in several news stories for the last six months all we heard about was “white racism” and there was always the idea that it was white men, never white women as if there never was a KKK women’s auxillary, or as if no white women today are racist. No one dared write about or speak of the hatred many blacks have for whites, – oh, I remember – while a few powerful men, many, many years ago were white and owned slaves – I did hear about that, a hundred times or two while in school and since… and how many times have we discussed how many white men died in our wars [Along with black men] to end slavery and to protect the freedoms we all want and wanted? Why is it that other than veteran’s day we don’t hear about those white men who died so that we can have a country that when it’s wrong, makes changes. Show me a country where a minority member gets voted in, or a country where those in power give up power because it’s the right thing to do.
And no, it doesn’t make me a racist to mention almost getting my throat cut by a black man when I was 18 in New York, (If I hadn’t studied martial arts as a young man I wouldn’t be writing about it today) and it doesn’t mean I love all blacks because a black man saved my life when I was a boy in the housing projects, – I am not racist, I am simply politically incorrect for suggesting that – as a white man – I am tired of the PC crowd judging me because of the color of my skin or my gender. And because of the 100% disability from military service – I feel I have earned the right to the free speech that we are all gradually losing as the PC crowd tries to turn us into automatons lining up to spew the party line – I should at least be able to use my “free speech” to suggest that it’s time to [As John Leo said to feminist once "Mars to Venus - back off"] As a white guy I am telling the PC crowd “back of” I am tired of your racist and sexist views of white men… I am tired of those who are so quick to protest racial profiling to turn right around an indulge in gender profiling and racism towards whites. Racism and sexism towards white men should also be left behind with the Bradley effect.
November 9th, 2008 at 5:19 am
The Democrats aren’t about to give up anti-white racism just because Obama was elected any more than they will anti-male sexism. Marxism is all about pitting one group against another, creating as much divisiveness as possible, holding out government redistribution of wealth, truth, and justice, i.e. Marxism, as the only solution. It put a Marxist in the White House just as Bill Ayers planned all along.
One only has to take notice of the long list of superior rights females now hold over males, along with persistent and unrepentant claims such as “family law is biased against women” to see that future. Having successfully authored (or plagiarized) VAWA (Victim are Always Women in America) no doubt played a key role in Joe Biden’s selection as the #2 Marxist overlord.
Just like hanging Sarah Palin in effigy is not a crime but doing so to a black is a crime, I expect to see Congress hammering out more unconstitutional laws based on race. When you think about it, other than big government control over people’s lives, creating divisiveness based on differences is all Democrats really openly stand for any more. The only Marxist idea they seem to reject is to be referred to as “Marxists”.
But when 92% of blacks vote their own race and whites split roughly down the middle, yet the only message the media sends to the masses is “whites are racist”, I wouldn’t hold out much hope people will suddenly recognize they are patsies for Marxists any time soon. More likely, “free speech” will be redefined to towing the Marxist party line, and truthfully speaking about government will be silenced and prosecuted.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:32 am
Obviously, leftists are too sexist to vote for a ticket with a female on it.