Anatomy of a Racial Smear

In case some of you don't speak ebonics, let me show you how the Democrats were able to take a relatively innocuous comment by John McCain and turn it into a hateful racist attack. First, the statement:

"After I whip his you-know-what in this debate, we're going to be going out" and hitting the campaign trail, McCain said.

The word "whip" immediately set off the racist dogwhistles among the perpetually aggrieved, and they used the following logic tree to justify their paranoia:

• John McCain said he'd "whip" Obama.
• Barack Obama is half black.
• Slaves were black.
• Some slavemasters used whips to punish slaves
• John McCain wants to use a whip.
• John McCain wants to be a slavemaster.
• John McCain's statement was racist.

Now, you know.

John McCain's choice of words was unfortunate, not because of the make-believe racial angle, but because it reminded many veteran political observers of Jimmy Carter, who in 1980 said in reference to Teddy Kennedy's challenge that he'd "whip his ass". Jeff MacNelly had a great cartoon (which I tried to find on Google) showing Ted Kennedy making a triumphant entry while seated on a donkey with Carter holding a twig and "whipping his ass". It was hilarious and I still remember it even though it was 28 years ago.

Carter did finally beat Kennedy, though the challenge from Teddy really hurt his campaign and he was crushed by Reagan, much in the same way McCain will be crushed by Obama if he doesn't dramatically change his gameplan.