Is a pro-Romney ad racist? Five questions to ask yourself

[Mustang]

This article is from the Christin Science Monitor, which is hardly a leftist publication. But the paper IS actually well-known for avoiding sensationalism in its reporting. Charlton McIlwain and Stephen M. Caliendo are the authors. They actually wrote a book on the subject titled:

"Race Appeal: How Candidates Invoke Race in U.S. Political Campaigns"

On a personal note, I'm not calling Mitt Romney a racist. Frankly, I'm not even inferring it. However, you don't have to BE a racist to have a campaign that's willing to appeal to racist attitudes if and when you and your people think doing so can help you win an election.

In the presidential election, it’s not a matter of whether racism will appear in campaign messaging, but when. President Obama is running for reelection with the support of the majority of black and Latino voters. Mitt Romney is challenging Mr. Obama with an almost exclusively white constituency behind him. Both candidates will raise and spend unprecedented amounts of money on political advertisements, as will their respective parties and allied super PACs.


A crucial question is: How will we know when pro-Romney ads are potentially racist? It’s not always so easy to recognize.


Reasonable people will disagree about whether an ad appeals to race in an innocuous or outright racist way. This is why we developed the Index of Racist Potential. It is based on the content of more than 1,000 political advertisements we analyzed that were sponsored by candidates in federal election contests from 1972 through 2006 and that included at least one candidate of color (black or Latino). The index measures the degree that a given ad has the potential to evoke – consciously or unconsciously – voters’ stereotypical attitudes about people of color, regardless of the intent of the candidate or campaign team.


From the ads we analyzed, we found that black candidates certainly “use” race (directly or indirectly) in their ads, but they don’t reinforce widely held negative racial stereotypes about whites or flame fear of minorities. In other words, “race” may be present in the ad, but that presence isn’t “racist.”


Our index is based on the presence or absence of fairly objective content that appears in an ad. To determine whether a television or Web ad this presidential election season would score on the higher end (more racist) of our index, ask yourself these five sets of questions.


3. Are all the people surrounding a Romney white?

If there are other people in the ad besides Mitt Romney, are they all white? Having people surrounding a candidate in a political ad sends the message that those people are whom the candidate ostensibly represents. Featuring an all-white cast of supporters alongside a white candidate makes an inherent critical contrast. It says that “we” whites, represented by Mitt Romney, are different than “those” people.


In a two-and-a-half minute ad Romney ran last month he spoke at length about “Americans,” about how “we” are tired. He talked about “all of the thousands of good and decent Americans” who “love America.” Yet of the dozens of images included in the epic ad, every single person is white, making the association clear: “We” “good and decent” Americans who “love America” look like the folks featured in this ad.

Is a pro-Romney ad racist? Five questions to ask yourself - Does the ad reference racial stereotypes? - CSMonitor.com

Edit to add information and reviews on their book.

http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/2101_reg.html

 

[Lakhota]

It's called race baiting...

Romney Campaign's Race-Baiting Strategy Could Have Dire Consequences for America | Election 2012 | AlterNet

 

[g5000]

Right out of the gate, the opinionator blows his integrity.

And it is a commentary, not CSM reporting.

1. Does the ad reference racial stereotypes?
Does the ad reference a longstanding racial stereotype historically associated with African-Americans? Does it state or suggest that President Obama is untrustworthy or prone toward criminality? Does it imply that he takes advantage of the system or is lazy?

A recent ad from the Romney campaign, for instance, has the effect of presenting the untrustworthiness stereotype, calling Obama’s statements “not true,” and “misleading.” Then the ad goes a step beyond, by saying, “but that’s Barack Obama,” that is, the kind of person who misleads and says things that are not true.

Now think about that. This bloviator is saying that calling Obama a liar is using a racial stereotype that black people are liars!

What about all the million other ads we have all seen where an opponent's statements are portrayed as "not true" and "misleading"?

This fucking asshole says that treating Obama EXACTLY THE SAME as every other politician has treated their opponents is RACIST?!?!

 

[Mustang]

Right out of the gate, the opinionator blows his integrity.

And it is a commentary, not CSM reporting.

1. Does the ad reference racial stereotypes?
Does the ad reference a longstanding racial stereotype historically associated with African-Americans? Does it state or suggest that President Obama is untrustworthy or prone toward criminality? Does it imply that he takes advantage of the system or is lazy?

A recent ad from the Romney campaign, for instance, has the effect of presenting the untrustworthiness stereotype, calling Obama’s statements “not true,” and “misleading.” Then the ad goes a step beyond, by saying, “but that’s Barack Obama,” that is, the kind of person who misleads and says things that are not true.

Now think about that. This bloviator is saying that calling Obama a liar is using a racial stereotype that black people are liars!

What about all the million other ads we have all seen where an opponent's statements are portrayed as "not true" and "misleading"?

This fucking asshole says that treating Obama EXACTLY THE SAME as every other politician has treated their opponents is RACIST?!?!

The author explained how the ad presented a stereotype of Black men being untrustworthy.

But let's put that issue aside for the time being.

I have never claimed that every accusation of racism in the campaign is valid. Sometimes, on the surface, the evidence looks flimsy. But just because the evidence in one or more cases may appear to be weak, it doesn't mean that it's not happening in any of the cases as some people would have everyone believe. It also doesn't mean that there isn't a tone, or an undercurrent of racism, if you want to look at it that way, which is essentially part of a larger campaign theme, as opposed to some isolated series of unrelated events.

The thing about racism today is that it's not anywhere near as socially acceptable to come right out and say it plainly like it was 50 plus years ago when George Wallace was the Governor of Alabama. That means it's generally going to be fairly subtle when it happens, like in the ad I highlighted in the OP.

 

[GuyPinestra]

What a bunch of horseshit! Fucking liberals will contort themselves into pretzels to make an accusation of racism. This 'commentary' is just another example.

We're supposed to look for 'undercurrents'? Give me a break!

 

[Mustang]

What a bunch of horseshit! Fucking liberals will contort themselves into pretzels to make an accusation of racism. This 'commentary' is just another example.

We're supposed to look for 'undercurrents'? Give me a break!

This country has a long, Long, LONG history of racism. The idea that it doesn't exist anymore is preposterous. The only real question is whether or not politicians would be willing to exploit latent racism or racist fears to hopefully cobble together enough votes to win. Frankly, considering all the charges I've heard coming from various quarters that Obama is a foreign-born 'Mooslim,' it's not a stretch of the imagination in the least, especially since it's an exceedingly rare event for a Republican to step up and openly refute those accusations.

 

[g5000]

Right out of the gate, the opinionator blows his integrity.

And it is a commentary, not CSM reporting.

1. Does the ad reference racial stereotypes?
Does the ad reference a longstanding racial stereotype historically associated with African-Americans? Does it state or suggest that President Obama is untrustworthy or prone toward criminality? Does it imply that he takes advantage of the system or is lazy?

A recent ad from the Romney campaign, for instance, has the effect of presenting the untrustworthiness stereotype, calling Obama’s statements “not true,” and “misleading.” Then the ad goes a step beyond, by saying, “but that’s Barack Obama,” that is, the kind of person who misleads and says things that are not true.

Now think about that. This bloviator is saying that calling Obama a liar is using a racial stereotype that black people are liars!

What about all the million other ads we have all seen where an opponent's statements are portrayed as "not true" and "misleading"?

This fucking asshole says that treating Obama EXACTLY THE SAME as every other politician has treated their opponents is RACIST?!?!

The author explained how the ad presented a stereotype of Black men being untrustworthy.

No, he did not. He committed a strawman fallacy.

Are you telling me you have never seen a political ad that did not portray an opponent as saying something that was "not true" or "misleading"?

Are you telling me the only time you have seen that is in an anti-Obama ad?

 

[Lovebears65]

So tired of the race card.. No matter what the ad says the left will consider something racist even if its not. When they are not winning they call it racist.. Get over it already ..

 

[Mustang]

Right out of the gate, the opinionator blows his integrity.

And it is a commentary, not CSM reporting.


Now think about that. This bloviator is saying that calling Obama a liar is using a racial stereotype that black people are liars!

What about all the million other ads we have all seen where an opponent's statements are portrayed as "not true" and "misleading"?

This fucking asshole says that treating Obama EXACTLY THE SAME as every other politician has treated their opponents is RACIST?!?!

The author explained how the ad presented a stereotype of Black men being untrustworthy.

No, he did not. He committed a strawman fallacy.

Are you telling me you have never seen a political ad that did not portray an opponent as saying something that was "not true" or "misleading"?

Are you telling me the only time you have seen that is in an anti-Obama ad?

Did you not read what I said two sentences later at the beginning of the third paragraph? I'll repeat it.

"I have never claimed that every accusation of racism in the campaign is valid."
​

An additional point to make is this: Since this is the first presidential election since the Citizens United ruling, there will be PLENTY of outside groups with their own money to run ads independently <cough> of the RNC and the Romney campaign. I mean, let's face it. Campaigns have been using surrogate attack dogs for just about forever. And now these surrogates not only have big bucks to back up their ad campaigns, they can remain anonymous, as well.

 

[signelect]

So tired of the race card.. No matter what the ad says the left will consider something racist even if its not. When they are not winning they call it racist.. Get over it already ..

I wish I had said that. No matter what we say they can find a way to call us racist. Take a llook at the Rev Wright where Obama learned some of his education. What was he? It take one to know one.

 

[Si modo]

So, calling someone a liar is now racist?








Frankly the belief that calling someone a liar is racist is an inherently racist belief.

 

[The T]

So, calling someone a liar is now racist?








Frankly the belief that calling someone a liar is racist is an inherently racist belief.

The Aire of moronishness is getting thick in here, isn't it?

RACE is the only thing these people have when NOT ONE OF THEM can show any instance/shred of what they claim.

If there was a stupid club? I could tag quite a few members across these boards and solicit them for membership and make a mint.

 

[Mustang]

So tired of the race card.. No matter what the ad says the left will consider something racist even if its not. When they are not winning they call it racist.. Get over it already ..

I wish I had said that. No matter what we say they can find a way to call us racist. Take a llook at the Rev Wright where Obama learned some of his education. What was he? It take one to know one.

No one has accused you. None that I know. But, if I were you, I wouldn't be so eager to include myself in a larger group of people as if I knew what was in their hearts or what their motives were because people involved in politics are not well regarded for having high ideals. With them, the end justifies the means. They'll do what they think it will take, and most of them won't lose ANY sleep in the process.

 

[The T]

This article is from the Christin Science Monitor, which is hardly a leftist publication. But the paper IS actually well-known for avoiding sensationalism in its reporting. Charlton McIlwain and Stephen M. Caliendo are the authors. They actually wrote a book on the subject titled:

"Race Appeal: How Candidates Invoke Race in U.S. Political Campaigns"

On a personal note, I'm not calling Mitt Romney a racist. Frankly, I'm not even inferring it. However, you don't have to BE a racist to have a campaign that's willing to appeal to racist attitudes if and when you and your people think doing so can help you win an election.

In the presidential election, it’s not a matter of whether racism will appear in campaign messaging, but when. President Obama is running for reelection with the support of the majority of black and Latino voters. Mitt Romney is challenging Mr. Obama with an almost exclusively white constituency behind him. Both candidates will raise and spend unprecedented amounts of money on political advertisements, as will their respective parties and allied super PACs.


A crucial question is: How will we know when pro-Romney ads are potentially racist? It’s not always so easy to recognize.


Reasonable people will disagree about whether an ad appeals to race in an innocuous or outright racist way. This is why we developed the Index of Racist Potential. It is based on the content of more than 1,000 political advertisements we analyzed that were sponsored by candidates in federal election contests from 1972 through 2006 and that included at least one candidate of color (black or Latino). The index measures the degree that a given ad has the potential to evoke – consciously or unconsciously – voters’ stereotypical attitudes about people of color, regardless of the intent of the candidate or campaign team.


From the ads we analyzed, we found that black candidates certainly “use” race (directly or indirectly) in their ads, but they don’t reinforce widely held negative racial stereotypes about whites or flame fear of minorities. In other words, “race” may be present in the ad, but that presence isn’t “racist.”


Our index is based on the presence or absence of fairly objective content that appears in an ad. To determine whether a television or Web ad this presidential election season would score on the higher end (more racist) of our index, ask yourself these five sets of questions.


3. Are all the people surrounding a Romney white?

If there are other people in the ad besides Mitt Romney, are they all white? Having people surrounding a candidate in a political ad sends the message that those people are whom the candidate ostensibly represents. Featuring an all-white cast of supporters alongside a white candidate makes an inherent critical contrast. It says that “we” whites, represented by Mitt Romney, are different than “those” people.


In a two-and-a-half minute ad Romney ran last month he spoke at length about “Americans,” about how “we” are tired. He talked about “all of the thousands of good and decent Americans” who “love America.” Yet of the dozens of images included in the epic ad, every single person is white, making the association clear: “We” “good and decent” Americans who “love America” look like the folks featured in this ad.

Is a pro-Romney ad racist? Five questions to ask yourself - Does the ad reference racial stereotypes? - CSMonitor.com

Edit to add information and reviews on their book.

Charlton McIlwain, Stephen M. Caliendo: Race Appeal

Were YOU really born on the planet Of Stupid?

[That's going to be the sequel to the Planet of the Apes].

 

[blackhawk]

I call it politics and in politics people lie Republicans do Democrats do Romney does as does Obama I don't see any racism there for better or worse what I see is normal everyday politics.

 

[Si modo]

So, calling someone a liar is now racist?








Frankly the belief that calling someone a liar is racist is an inherently racist belief.

The Aire of moronishness is getting thick in here, isn't it?

RACE is the only thing these people have when NOT ONE OF THEM can show any instance/shred of what they claim.

If there was a stupid club? I could tag quite a few members across these boards and solicit them for membership and make a mint.

If I excuse his incompetance and his dishonesty - because, you know, he's Black and shit - then I'm not a racist.



I would say there are several pulled muscles with that stretch, but frankly, that's just beyond retarded. Retards even know better.

 

[The T]

I call it politics and in politics people lie Republicans do Democrats do Romney does as does Obama I don't see any racism there for better or worse what I see is normal everyday politics.

It's sheer idiocy by the OP...for even posting this current crop of horsetaters.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Only to someone predisposed to seeing everything through the prism of race... Like the OP.

 

[The T]

So, calling someone a liar is now racist?








Frankly the belief that calling someone a liar is racist is an inherently racist belief.

The Aire of moronishness is getting thick in here, isn't it?

RACE is the only thing these people have when NOT ONE OF THEM can show any instance/shred of what they claim.

If there was a stupid club? I could tag quite a few members across these boards and solicit them for membership and make a mint.

If I excuse his incompetance and his dishonesty - because, you know, he's Black and shit - then I'm not a racist.



I would say there are several pulled muscles with that stretch, but frankly, that's just beyond retarded. Retards even know better.

Indeed. All I see are stupid humans posting stupidly.

 

[Freewill]

Are the anti-Romney ads being spewed by Obama mean that his black theology is bigoted against Romney and the Mormons?

Did the 20 years of listening to Wright convince Obama that all white people are devils?