May 132008
While race is an ever-present subtext in the media narrative of Obama’s candidacy, little is said about the overt racism that his field workers encounter. A Washington Post story recounts numerous examples of Obama campaign workers crossing paths with unapologetic bigots who hurl racial epithets at them. Many of the incidents described in the article occur in places like Indiana and Pennsylvania, but we shouldn’t kid ourselves into thinking that this is a regional phenomenon. As Obama’s status as the Democratic nominee becomes more apparent to the general public, I suspect that we’ll see YouTube footage that will make former Senator Allen’s “macaca” remark seem downright adorable in comparison.
