When he called Obama an "Uncle Tom" and wouldn't apologize, Ralph Nader effectively cancelled out his own credibility.
On election night, white and black strangers hugged in the streets as the country and the world danced and wept over the new President. The new America, suddenly free from the grips of fear that had consumed us since 9/11, was liberated from many of the ghosts of racism and racial mistrust that had dominated us for centuries.
But one national figure took a different tack. Ralph Nader, longtime presidential race gadfly, told a radio interviewer, “His choice, basically, is whether he’s going to be Uncle Sam for the people of this country, or Uncle Tom for the giant corporations.” He then went to Fox News and was given numerous attempts to back away from the slur by Sheppard Smith. Smith introduced the quote and then gave Nader an out, asking, “What was that?” But at a moment of national reconciliation and joy, Nader refused to apologize or back down, and stood proudly behind his unclever use of an old, deeply racist slur.
In this country when you are unrepentantly racist, it colors everything else about you and you are reduced to the margins of society.
And with that, Ralph Nader ended his public career with a dishonorable discharge. Nader is officially the first ‘Jimmy the Greek’ of the Obama Administration. He has left the virtual building that includes American thinkers who deserve to be listened to. That racial slur (or any other) just cannot be aimed at the President of the United States, cannot be slipped into some cute political metaphor without severe consequences. In this country when you are unrepentantly racist, it colors everything else about you and you are reduced to the margins of society. No one has to pay attention to what you say about anything. Ralph Nader is now among those invisible ranks.
Like Trent Lott who went tumbling down from power after fondly reminiscing about segregation, or George Allen who lost relevance after using the obscure slur macaca, Nader is now trapped in a hall of shame that’s hard to escape. What’s needed for anyone to leave this circle of living hell is sincere and quick contrition as well as a mass of goodwill—and all this long before you put your entire leg into your mouth. We need to know your apology is sincere and your brain fart is unrepresentative of who you really are.
Both Lott and Allen apologized, but neither had enough memories of spreading goodwill to fall back on. Jesse Jackson had decades of moral leadership already banked in the public consciousness, from marching with Dr. King to negotiating the release of an American pilot being held in Syria in 1983, so he avoided the irrelevance that may have come after he called New York City “hymietown” in 1984. But Nader has refused to apologize, and no longer has such goodwill to fall back on, especially not since the tragic 2000 presidential race (which millions of Democrats still blame him for). So goodbye Ralph. It didn’t have to end this way.
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Touré is the host of BET’s The Black Carpet and the host of Treasure HD’s I’ll Try Anything Once. He is the author of Never Drank the Kool-Aid, Soul City, and The Portable Promised Land. He was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, was CNN’s first pop culture correspondent, and was the host of MTV2's Spoke N Heard. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times.
Touré is the host of BET’s The Black Carpet and the host of Treasure HD’s I’ll Try Anything Once. He is the author of Never Drank the Kool-Aid, Soul City, and The Portable Promised Land. He was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, was CNN’s first pop culture correspondent, and was the host of MTV2's Spoke N Heard. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times.
Touré is the host of BET’s The Black Carpet and the host of Treasure HD’s I’ll Try Anything Once. He is the author of Never Drank the Kool-Aid, Soul City, and The Portable Promised Land. He was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, was CNN’s first pop culture correspondent, and was the host of MTV2's Spoke N Heard. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times.
by Touré
Touré is the host of BET’s The Black Carpet and the host of Treasure HD’s I’ll Try Anything Once. He is the author of Never Drank the Kool-Aid, Soul City, and The Portable Promised Land. He was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, was CNN’s first pop culture correspondent, and was the host of MTV2's Spoke N Heard. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker and The New York Times.
Kudos to Sheppard Smith, who could not have looked or sounded more disgusted that anyone would speak about the President like that.
Nader, could have taken that as some kind of cue that he had over-stepped the mark -- if a Fox News anchor is grilling you over a racist slur you have clearly gone too far -- but Nader was as unrepentant as a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
Sheppard Smith has been interesting during this election campaign, he also gave "Joe the Plumber" a good going over too.
As for Nader, goodbye. And good riddance to old rubbish.
Let me preface this comment by saying that I think Nader should apologize, and that his comment was inappropriate and insensitive. However, I don't think that he intended to reference Obama's race when he made that comment. If you look at that clip, it's clear that he employs the metaphor in order to draw attention to the idea that politicians are instruments of fiscal policies that favor corporations over individuals. In advocating his point of view, Nader seems to genuinely miss the enormity of his blunder.
This latest gaffe by him says more about his poor rhetorical skills than anything else. I think Nader and his followers look at the world through one lens -- either you are with them, or you are with the corporations. I've gotten into arguments with die-hard Naderites, and it's astounding how narrow their worldview is, and how little they seem to care for the efficacy of their tactics.
I think Nader should stick to advancing his cause through advocacy, instead of trying to make forays into politics -- an arena he is clearly not suited to.
Ralph Nader hasn't had credibility in a decade; the only way he can get anyone to pay attention to him is to say something vile. I feel rather sorry for the cranky, useless old coot.
Let me first say, in 2004 I worked for and voted for Ralph Nader. He stands for real change as well...unfortunately he has ruined his opportunity to do so. He did not call Barack Obama and Uncle Tom, he used it in a sentence asking what he will be. It was a very, very poor choice of words that he should have immediately backed away from.
By no means is he a racist. But he is an extremely stubborn and unpleasant man. He has a very tough exterior and refuses to admit when he's wrong. That's what he should have done here. I feel bad for America because more than likely it just lost a hero of the American Joe.
He trully stood up for every day americans and has for decades. This, rightfully and unfortunately, will likely end his career. It's too bad too...not many Americans have done as many good things as him.
(side note, in 2000 more registered Democrats voted for Bush than did for Nader...that fact alone makes it hard for me to blame him for that election...as that makes it seem like Gore lost...math can be made to say many different things)
Despite that. I'm sad you said that, and even more sad you didn't take it back.
I was absolutely stunned yesterday when I saw that clip. As another commentator notes, when Fox News calls you out for a racial comment, you make my blacklist. Props to Sheppard Smith.
I do have a slight beef with the title of this article, "Nader's Awful Slip." When Smith asked Nader if, in hindsight, he wished he had used a different phrase, Nader said that he was familiar with the history of the term and he intended to use it. It was no "slip."
Ironically, the vast majority of Americans to not know, and seem not to care about knowing, what Nader is referring to, and where he is coming from. Hence, this article and other offended persons' diatribe.
No matter the deepest and sincerest of intent of Obama, he is surrounded by people and institutions that engender anything but the vague notion of change his supporters continue to hope for. Political and economic power is increasingly concentrated in our great corporations, who amply supplied the Obama campaign the resources to ensure his win. And judging by Obama's Senate record, and especially judging by the recent vote and his lobbying of his fellow Senators in favor of the bailout bill, Obama does not stand to threaten the powers that are. Rather, many Americans have been lifted up high in hope, only for a deep plunge.
Nader has said what he did and will not back down because Obama has the choice of leading this country for fairness and equity for those that supported him on the ground and at the voting booths by reforming the laws and regulations that allowed corporations to be subsidized at taxpayer's expense. Obama may instead choose to continue with the neoliberal economic policies that created the financial mess we are in today, or the militant approach to foreign policy of Bush, or continue with laws under the PATRIOT Act that injures much of our liberty. Nader is thoroughly worried to his core of the latter Obama coming to pass, and the tremendous harm that will be continued.
Remember Nader when you find yourself in debt peonage, or your rights violated, or another country invaded under false pretenses.
If only a racial epithet was all Ralph Nader had to atone for! By refusing to pull out of the 2000 race when he knew how close it would be, he gave us George Bush, and the Patriot Act, and Iraq, and Abu Ghraib, and Guantanamo, and the hideous aftermath of Katrina, and on and on and on. He could have stopped it all and he consciously chose to play spoiler instead. And he's been making BS excuses for it ever since. I can forgive him a stupid racial epithet; I can not forgive him for putting his ego before the best interests of his country.
He's so irrelevant it no longer funny... let's just let him fade away. What a sad figure he's become.
A raciest is a raciest. Republican, Democrat, conservative, moderate, or liberal. From what I have seen I sadly have to say that I see racism much more strong in the black community for white and others. King would have cried to see his dream of each person judged on their merits perverted as it has been.
Oh, Ralphie. You're an educated and intelligent man. You could have come up with any other metaphor than "Uncle Tom". Not only did you use that horrific metaphor, but you used it in the same sentence while referring to the President Elect of the United States of America.
You've single handedly ruined your already waning political career.
The really crazy shit about this is that I honestly don't think he's a racist -- I think Rocket88 is right, that he used an unpardonable slur as a desperate plea for attention. Congratulations, you self-aggrandizing old asshole, on covering up decades of admirable work with some truly appalling behavior.
Ralph Nader is my hero.
I began reading up on Nader about 4 months before the election. As a young person in this society (17), one could say that i liked him because he isolates himself from the mainstream, which seems to be "in" with today's youth. Over this time, my respect for him has grown. His ideals, the issues which he pressed on, his relentless pursuit for the truth inspired me. Though i am new in this political landscape he was the first politician to tell it like it is. FAST FORWARD
November 6th i typed Naders name into the google news bar. Articles attacking Nader sprung up, I clicked on one of the links. It brought me to a site... where i watched the video. After watching the video, I was appaled at how that schmuck Sheppard Smith attacked Nader. FOX tried acting as if Nader had called him an "Uncle Tom" (much like the f****t that wrote this article).
1. Ralph Nader never called Obama an Uncle Tom
2. The media is trying to ruin Naders career. After what he did on Election day (press confrence) and how he is such an advocate to get rid of corporate person hood (corporations own the media). notice how they cut him off at the end when he was trying to explain the definition he intended to use.
3. Nader was the only one who had the balls to say this. He doesn't care what unenlightened bigots think of him, he was addressing an issue that needed addressing. Will Obama turn his back on blacks? on the poor? His ideals and past experience show that he will..... Watch IKE's warning against the Industrial Military Complex. Obama doesnt care about the poor people of this country. He would rather spend it on guns and bombs.
4. What the f**** happened to freedom of speech?
Ralph Nader is an inspiration to me, He is what Washington needs.
People like Sheppard Smith need to have their face reduced to a creamy paste against a street curb.
I feel the same way many others do on this blog about Ralph Nadar. I think the author of this article went to far in calling him a racist. Unfortunately, Black people get a little hyper-sensitive about uncle tom comments with good reason but I think Nadars track record shows he is no racist. Nadar is now an irrelevant player on the stage which is unfortunate because he has done some good work in the past.
Smdunne,
I think the reason Sheppard Smith is so sensitive to comments on race is because he is from Mississippi and usually white people from the south have a better understanding of race relations and the history of comments like these spit out by Nadar.
"His choice, basically, is whether he's going to be Uncle Sam for the people of this country, or Uncle Tom for the giant corporations."
Nader was presenting a choice here. Re-read his quote. A very REAL choice. Obviously, the historical significance of Obama's election is huge and magnificient. No one needs to think even once that a black president in Amerika is absolutely frought with expectations and wonder.
Will Obama live up to his slogan and REALLY fight the overwhelming, longstanding, and real domination of corporate business in this country??
Ralph Nader, even as the jerk spoiler he became, has earned the right to ask the question. NOBODY else in this country has so worked and fought so effectively against murderous corporate power in this country.
to tob1303:
True, Nader did not call Obama an Uncle Tom... yet. Nader's tone and list of evidence seemed to imply that he believed that Obama would indeed prove to be an Uncle Tom, an anticipatory insult, which is worse because the poor man hasn't even done anything!
I don't recall Nader calling Bush an Uncle Tom whenever he catered to corporate interests... there is no denying that such a term is pointedly directed at the president elect's race.
A well crafted and appropriate post, Toure. I'm 56 and Nader was one of my teen aged heroes, a man I regarded highly until I attended a speech he gave to a small group at a university during the 2000 campaign. As in almost every appearance he made, he stated (direct quote) that "There's no difference at all between Al Gore and George Bush. None." I confronted him very politely and with full respect during the Q&A and he was flat out rude, condescending, and above all intellectually and factually dishonest.
I don't blame him entirely for Gore's "loss" in Florida, but I don't think a rational person can crunch the numbers and conclude that he was not a major contributing factor. He could have leveraged his support into a position of influence in a Gore administration, he could have actually helped achieve some of the changes he and Gore both wanted to see. But that was not to be, because then and now it was no longer about the issues. It was no longer about the good of the people. It was all about Ralph.
I watched the clip of Nader's Uncle Tom comments yesterday, which almost rendered me speechless and heartsick on a day when my world was feeling such joy. Ralph, I don't think you're a conscious racist but I do think you're, well, an old bitter fool. I think you're a shockingly ignorant man, an antisocial man, who doesn't feel any respect or fellowship for black people, or any consciousness of the new world so many of us are trying to build. I am a white man who feels totally at ease with my black associates and friends and neighbors. You apparently are a white man who believes that blacks are window dressing and really great golfers and basketball players who have no feelings. Just because you don't have feelings doesn't mean they don't. Or I don't.
As Toure says, goodbye Ralph, forever. You no longer matter to me. You no longer exist in my world.
I'm pretty amazed at how many Nader apologists there are. Seriously, how does one "earn the right" to make a racist comment? And how does present it as a choice make any difference? If Nader had phrased it, "Obama has the choice of being either a field nigra or a house nigra" it might be more obvious and even more offensive, but that doesn't lessen the racist speech he has engaged in. Those of you who are excusing this racist speech really need to examine yourselves and consider how others, especially those of color or those of mixed race, might perceive this. I suppose if one has never been subjected to racism, one might not feel the sense the despicable shame of Nader's words. It doesn't matter if he believes in equality. It's that he would engage in race-baiting in a bid to get attention.
And it's truly sad that Nader has come to this. He once, a long time ago, was a force for good in this world, but he's increasingly become an egotistical crank desperately seeking attention. Rather than admit he is wrong, he would repeat his assertion to further generate controversy and get himself more airtime. It is beyond sad that Nader would be willing to trash his own reputation and legacy for attention. It is pitiful and pathetic.
Touré is right about Jesse Jackson, although Jackson still carries the dent to his credibility. However, his sincere apologies have gone a long way to restoring that credibility. He has made some bone headed non-racist comments since, but like Joe Biden and his gaffes, we come to accept that as part of the deal (so long as neither crosses the line). Still, many Jewish people have not forgotten, even if they forgive.
I also agree with smdunne about Shep Smith. Smith still wears too much eyeliner, but I've seen him develop and mature over the past 8 years. Granted, I don't watch much cable news let alone FNC, but when I've caught him from time to time, he seems to be becoming an actual newsman rather than just another talking head. His professional growth impresses. He really needs to cut back on the eyeliner, even if it does play well with the goth kid demographic.
Oh, and keepakeeper, I just noticed you spelled America with a "K". How wonderfully clever. I bet you also refer to people who do not agree with you as "sheeple".
I must ask forgiveness. Living in Kansas, arguably the reddest of the red, it was clear that my support of Obama would not be part of the equation for his success. The morning of election day, I awoke and decided to follow the advice I'd given so many of my neo-con neighbors. I poured one last time through the postions of the various candidates or the lack thereof. And though, I donated to Obama and argued his merits in the trenches of familial and interpersonal divide for years, only one addressed issues in a manner closest to mine: Ralph Nader.
I am a veteran of the Balkans and Afghanistan. That morning, 15 years of seeing the best and worst in humanity, my country, and myself drove me to vote my conscience, to stand for what I believe in, and to counter the blood-red of my state.
The next morning, I read a piece from Chris Hedges titled "Only Nader is Right on the Issues" and felt somewhat vindicated with my vote. Afterall, here was man who had seen much of what I had seen and had an identical conclusion. (http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081103_only_nader_is_right_on_the_is sues/)
I am not vindicated. I am ashamed of you Ralph Nader. I am ashamed that for a fleeting moment in my mind, you represented me. I beg the forgiveness of all Americans. I stand in solidarity with that precious moment in American histroy I witnessed on election night. While I will continue to stand for those I've known over the years who had no voice in this election and hope that the change coming to America is more than the colors of our electoral map, once again I must follow my conscience. Hedges put it best.
"The quest for justice is not about being practical. It is required by the bonds we share."
Read the quote. Nader did not call Obama an Uncle Tom, he said he had the choice of being an Uncle Sam and a great president or continue the same way as our past presidents, in which case he would be an Uncle Tom. How is this racist , unless you assume Obama will continue the Bush policies in which case he deserves to be called Uncle Tom and worse.
I'm not going to apologize for Ralph, but what he said, and what you say he said, are two very different things. He did not call Obama and Uncle Tom. He made a bad metaphor using the term perjorative term Uncle Tom.
Plus, really now, he's already pretty much blacklisted. He's not welcome on any talk shows, he's not covered by the mainstream media, and the Democratic party and its apologists (see comments here, for instance) call him much worse that what you say he said.
Is he blunt? Yes. Unapologetic? Always. Racist in the David Duke brand of racist? Doubtful. Racist in the way white America has always been racist? Quite possibly, but even there I would argue that if anyone can truly see Americans for what they are, it's Ralph Nader.
The piece you didn't see the other night was when Nader did 30 minutes on Real News Network, with Paul Jay, Tom Morris from Capital Hill Blues, and Bill Fletcher from Black Commentator, where they had an excellant discussion on race, politics, Obama, and the exact point that Nader was trying to make on the quoted radio program. Is Obama going to stand up for the poor and the downtrodden, or will he pander to the middle calss, while taking care of his corporate sponsors? Valid question? I think so!http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2008/11/05-8
Last thing. A little historical perspective. http://people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam982_07/malcolmX.html
Let's dispense with the obvious: one ought to use great care when employing phrases like "Uncle Tom." It needs a wide berth to say the least. Nader ought to have been wiser in this regard.
But its a deliberate misread by Toure and assorted commenters to say that Nader was describing Obama as one, or that his usage was racist.
The usually adept, insightful Toure seems to have taken the bait of a small-time spoken grab for attention by Nader and over-reached in his response. Because, lets be clear about this, too: knee-jerk accusations of racism don't serve us any better than actual occurrences of it.
And, btw, no one on this page can carry Nader's jock when it comes to doing good for this country. "Useless"? Man.
Uncle Tom comments are not exactly racist slurs. They're certainly racial, but they don't actually say anything about race. The denigration is about betrayal, not any kind of racial characteristic. It was stupid choice of words, but I think Nader's point is important. After we're done congratulating ourselves, we still have the question: Will Obama keep his promises to fight corporate power?
If Ralph were black, would we be calling him a racist?
Progressive blacks who have been struggling for generations have themselves used the term "Uncle Tom" to refer to Obama's public denial of issues long held important to the black community. Yes - we all want to celebrate for a while; it's been a long spell of despair for progressives. However, promises from House Speaker Pelosi that Obama will rule from the center does not bode well for the Progressive Left. Obama's assertion that he will listen to everyone was not a statement intended for the Progressive Left; it was intended to placate the already fully armed and harpooning Republican party who sees Obama as a Socialist. Come on. Look at his voting record.
Yes - we realistic progressives are filled with hope - filled with a hope for change which we will know will not come about just because a person of color and intelligence is now in office. Nader is less patient than all of us - perhaps for some good reason. He's willing to throw the punch that some of us are just holding back. His allusion is purposeful therefore he does not back down. He used it throughout his campaign in fact, and no, he does not back down from what he says. Unlike most politicians, he's unyielding on his points.
What is of greater concern is the swack that FOX news was taking - because they were taking it at the Progressive Left, using Nader as a target. Hoping to nullify the most impassioned of dissenters, the right took aim to readjust the center point of their paradigm to which the Democrats will now adjust themselves. That center point does not address the issues plaguing the minority communities, like prison and drug reform, living wage, education and healthcare.
Stop tearing down any of our soldiers. Don't play into the neo-con agenda.
Thank you.
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