The “Articulate” Smear

Published February 1, 2007 in Race.

When will it stop?

14 Responses to “The “Articulate” Smear”

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1 Duros62
Feb 1st, 2007 at 3:06 pm

Bush saying someone is articulate.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
2 JewishAtheist
Feb 1st, 2007 at 7:18 pm

What do you think of Limbaugh et al’s use of “Halfrican American” to describe Obama?
3 Nimrod Gently
Feb 1st, 2007 at 7:33 pm

See the Biden thread for the answer. Or turn the page upside-down.
4 Duros62
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 10:36 am

JA. is some other comedian using that term now?

I was just talking to Frank about this. Why is it important to point out that a black person is articulate? How many white guys do we describe thusly? I mean, isn’t effective communication part of the job description for a politician? Is he articulate because he doesn’t say “fo shizzle” during speeches? Because he talks like a white d00d?
John Kerry is articulate. Mind-crushingly boring, but articulate. Barney Frank, not so much.

Just asking.
5 terry
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 12:22 pm

Apart from the implicit racial condescension, isn’t the real problem that Biden and Dumbya are using the wrong word? Eloquent,charasmatic, brilliant, erudite, passionate, would all seem like better words to describe Obama’s rhetorical skills. As noted articulate describes a good many politicians who do not have Obama’s talent.
6 terry
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 12:23 pm

Apart from the implicit racial condescension, isn’t the real problem that Biden and Dumbya are using the wrong word? Eloquent,charasmatic, brilliant, erudite, passionate, would all seem like better words to describe Obama’s rhetorical skills. As noted articulate describes a good many politicians who do not have Obama’s talent.
7 Yudel
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 4:12 pm

What I really don’t get is that if you had asked me in ‘88 who was the most “articulate” Democratic candidate, and which candidate could make best use of the podium were he to be the nominee, I would have quickly answered Jesse Jackson.

He was giving great speeches while Joe Biden was plagiarizing from mediocre Brits.
8 Nimrod Gently
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 5:18 pm

Joe Biden plagarised Ian Duncan Smith?
9 Bruce Dixon
Feb 2nd, 2007 at 5:59 pm

Shame on us for pretending like we HAVE to even discuss it. Isn’t succumbing to a temptation like that allowing the corporate mainstream media to guide us in how we talk about Senator O? Isn’t it a big enough clue, when Rush Limbaugh and the gang want to spend time with it, that we should be investing time some $$@# place else?

At Black Agenda Report, http://www.blackagendareport.com, we are trying to do just that. This week’s issue analyzes the health care speech Obama gave in late January, comparing it to his avowed positions as an Illinois state legislator, back in the days when he wanted to be seen as pro-single payer. We also juxtapose his “universal health care” rhetoric with the statement in that speech that California’s so-called “arnie-care” is an “interesting” alternative, by explaining some of the highly regressive positions of that measure.

It’s at http://www.blackagendareport.com/

Stop by and show us some love, mister.
10 Duros62
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 11:13 am

Bruce is right. We’re getting played by the media. Again.
I feel so ashamed.
11 Michelle
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 12:21 pm

This is what my republican dad said about Deval Patrick too - as in, “he is so articulate for a black man, it scares me”.
12 Fat Bastard
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 1:04 pm

SO many better things to have said… “He’s a brilliant orator,” or “posessed of phenomenal rhetorical skills.”

“Articulate” is what you say about someone you expected to be stupid as a carp out of water.

And that’s what most white Americans expect of black men.

FB
13 Duros62
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 2:54 pm

I don’t care who you know, it’s difficult for me to say the same thing about the president.

“Articulate” to me means someone can string words together to form sentences without droolong on themsleves.

Bad choice of words. No question about it.

“he is so articulate for a black man, it scares me”.

Does that mean “he don’t sound black”?
feh.
14 Nimrod Gently
Feb 3rd, 2007 at 6:14 pm

“You’re into this, you’re black.”

“…You sound black.”

“…Where are you from?”