Ralph Nader calls Obama "Uncle Tom" and Fox News calls him out

Ralph Nader calls Obama "Uncle Tom" and Fox News calls him out

www.sfgate.com

... he went on Fox News on election night - the very night Barack Obama broke the racial barrier on the presidency - and uttered the words "Uncle Tom." Not only that, after being called out on the words (which he initially said in a radio interview) by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith - and given a point-blank chance to apologize and take them back, Nader said he wouldn't....

(visit the link for the full news article)

Nader attempts to qualify his remarks as "the historical context" of the term "Uncle Tom," but Smith does cut him off at that point.

This is nothing short of a utter political gaff. Historical context or not you should be smart enough at this point to know the kinds of phrases to avoid in public discourse.



www.sfgate.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Glad to see Fox News actually stand up for Obama.

What Nader said was extremely inappropriate and unnecessary.

Frankly, I can't believe he said it.

This is nothing more than sensationalism and an attempt to stir up controversy on the part of Shepherd Smith. Nader was making a very valid and honest point that should be listened to, even if his choice of wording was taken out of context.

Bottom line, you may not like what Ralph Nader was saying or how he said it but the truth of the matter is he was spot on. All of these trusting poor people believing that Obama is going to come in as their savior and offer them a helping hand are grossly mistaken, that is if his previous history in the Senate is any reflection for what his presidential policies will be.

Not the best choice of words on the part of Nader, but the truthfulness of his message is far more important than how he said it.

[edit on 11/6/08 by BlackOps719]

'It is commonly used to describe black people whose political views or allegiances are considered by their critics as detrimental to blacks as a group' from wikimedia ('Uncle Tom').

I wonder if Ralph Nader was going to say something but he was stopped off.

Hmmm Did Ralph Nader nearly spill the beans on Obama's associations?

Was Obama brought out by someone or groups? Someone mentioned bankers

Having Ralph Nader not explain what he meant by Uncle Tom...hmmm! The newscaster may possibly have saved the PTB's behind on that interview...

would now be a good time to ask what an uncle tom is?

is that anything like an uncle bob?

Sour grapes Ralph! What an ego! Your whole life is rightous indignation. It should have been you accepting the applause from the teeming multitudes but alas Ralph it was not!

Nader's statement did leave room for controversy, but unless one intentionally sets out to take personal offense to the statement, it was completely unoffensive. Nader spoke the direct truth, and Fox called him out to discredit such a direct and truthful statement. He did not refer to Obama as being an "Uncle Tom", he said that it was up to Obama whether he was going to play the role of Uncle Tom to the major corporations and their interests. Yes, Obama happens to be black, but this statement can be applied to anyone, regardless of color.

[edit on 6-11-2008 by nikmti]

reply to post by Mozzy


Uncle Tom, in short, was a slave that "sucked up" to his masters.

If Nader said it..it was for his benefit and his benefit only. This man is nothing if not self indulgent. Nader has made his whole career making statements used solely to bolster his ego. My first two roomates in the only years I went to college where diehard Naderites untill they actualy worked for him. I am prejudiced against him though. He single handedly screwed the auto industry and our fishing industry. Its his outline used by todays politicians to control most of the companies and how they build and sell. Its his fault that most of us that are car guys can't afford or even buy the really good cars we want. He's the reason insurance for industry is so high as well as for any insurance! Even if he was right in what he said about Obama I hope the SOB pays for it. He's due for some comupance in my view..but like I said..I'm prejudice!!!
Zindo

How about this for a more gracious criticism.

"Time will tell if Obama can deliver on his campaign promises and not find himself being completely controlled by corporate interests?"

Or you could call him an Uncle Tom...

Originally posted by Leo Strauss
How about this for a more gracious criticism.

"Time will tell if Obama can deliver on his campaign promises and not find himself being completely controlled by corporate interests?"

Or you could call him an Uncle Tom...

Well of course, he SHOULD have said something to that effect. You gotta admit though, it was a pretty clever play on words.

reply to post by cogburn


I am not sure of the significance of 'Uncle Tom', could someone enlighten me on this?

Oh i see what it means. Well i wouldn't go as far as saying that. But he is right that Obama is not going to be the saviour to the poor BLACk or White or Hispanice who are staking so much hope on it.....

reply to post by Peruvianmonk




The term Uncle Tom is a play from the civil war era novel Uncle Toms Cabin. It is a term that is used to describe a sellout, or a slave who sides with his master while selling out his own.

It is also a popular slur among the black community for a black man who they deem as behaving "too white", or in this instance Nader was using the term as a means of questioning wheather or not Obama would be an "Uncle Tom" to the big corporation and lobbyist groups as opposed to actually looking out for the poor and underpriveledged that he claims to represent.

It wasnt used in this case in a racial way. I hope this helps those who may not be familiar with the term to gain some understanding on the historical context of where and how this term is used.

reply to post by BlackOps719


It does help! So basically Nader told it straight and was ridiculed by a man of much smaller intellect who deliberatly attempted to ignore both the nuanced use of the word and the context it was used in.

Obaba will not live up to the hype, he is not a radical he is not a socilist, he supported many of the bills that Bush and his administration put forward. He does not question the Israel and American relationship...i agree it is good to see a person of color in the White House. But the problems facing the U.S and the rest of the world are much greater than that.

Will he do anything about climate change which looks set to engulf our world? Will he scale back military spending? Will he respect the borders of other countries? I believ the answer will be no too all of these.

Nader is a man with the people of America in his heart, he has no ego compared to MCcain Obama and such likes.

reply to post by Peruvianmonk




Ralph Nader, if nothing else, has always been a champion of the people. He may be having a hard time facing the fact that he is becoming more and more of a relic, but the man has done a lot of great things being a watch dog for Americans in the realm of consumer safety and advocacy.

I have respect for the man, some may feel otherwise. It doesnt change the fact that what he said here was neither racist nor intended to be racist. Nader, like many other folks here in America, is genuinely concerned of what is to come and also skeptical in regards to Obama's ability or willingness to do anything different.

this is a great thread folks...

yes, Nader may have cooked his own goose here, but c'mon.. has this guy ever cared what people thought about him? he's always spoken his mind openly -- which is what true politics should be, unlike all these other sell-outs (or 'Uncle Toms', if you will)..

he was doing his American duty (in his own crazy Nader way) in demanding early on that his new president do the right thing and work for the people, not for the corporations..

I think we all know what'll happen here though

About three different times in the piece Nader restates himself, but refuses to acknowledge he gaffed when he made the initial quote.

This, for me, totally destroys any "intellectual" argument Nader was trying to make because he simply didn't, or utterly miscalculated, the effect such a comment would have.

One could even argue he made the comment earlier in the day just to see if SOMEONE would call him on election night and talk to him.

The one thing that this is evidence of, regardless of all of Nader's other faults and virtues, is that Ralph Nader is a supremely poor politician.

Originally posted by BlackOps719
Ralph Nader, if nothing else, has always been a champion of the people. He may be having a hard time facing the fact that he is becoming more and more of a relic, but the man has done a lot of great things being a watch dog for Americans in the realm of consumer safety and advocacy.

I wouldn't really call a man that uses a pejorative phrase to describe the President-elect, who hasn't even been sworn in yet, a "champion of the people", he might as well have said:

"To put it very simply, he is our first African American president; or he will be. And we wish him well. But his choice, basically, is whether he's going to be Uncle Sam for the people of this country, or a house n****r for the giant corporations"

And if you don't think that phrase could be substituted, then maybe you should look up why the phrase Uncle Tom is held in contempt by most people these days.

Champion of the people?