An Epidemic of Political Paralepsis

To damn with faint praise; or to pretend to praise, while damning; or, to surgically excise tissue that you told the patient you'd leave alone. It's a slimy rhetorical parry, one that might have worked in previous cycles but is doomed to failure in a news cycle where every comment is instantly dissected for motive.

Endorsing Sen. Hillary Clinton, Ex-Sen. Bob Kerrey said of Obama:

"I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim," Kerrey is quoted as saying. "There's a billion people on the planet that are Muslims, and I think that experience is a big deal."

A compliment on its face, but in Iowa and elsewhere, a dangerous link to make about Obama. Not only is Obama not Muslim and betrays no influence of having been a Muslim, there is, even among Democrats, a healthy amount of anti-Muslim prejudice. By the same token, Obama appeals to many in the elite precisely because of the symbolism Kerrey invokes: as Andrew Sullivan has written, imagine what a young Pakistani boy watching a Barack Obama inauguration would think of the man Americans just elected their president. They would identify with him in a way that furthers American interests.

Paralepsis verdict: probably guilty.

Then there's this:

Paralepsis verdict: probably, guilty, given how angry this exchange made Penn's associates in the Clinton campaign.

And what about Mike Huckabee and Mormonism? By reminding voters that he's a Christian Leader, by pointing out, oh by the way, here's something about Mormonism he doesn't know -- whether Lucifer and Jesus were brothers (answer: sort of) --

The press is complicit, too.

Comments

It wasn't a compliment on any level given the prejudice against Muslims that is across the board in this country; sad as that may be. And it's different for Sullivan et. al's trumpeting of his diversity and his internationalism.

One is saying I like that the next nominee might be a Muslim; but I don't think that's all we need in a candidate. The next is saying I like this African American (being African is the key here) has a truly international and global view of America's influence and possiliity of soft power in this world.

Completely different.

But it was an elegant way to stick the knife in Obama.

Posted by Rhoda | December 17, 2007 2:54 PM

You are right to comment that every quote will be parsed by the media. That said, these are desperate times in the Clinton campaign. Enlisting Bob Kerry to reinforce an anti-Muslim slur is eqaully below the belt as Shaheen's remarks. It seems as if Hillary is willing to lose Iowa so long as Obama doesn't win by continuing to go negative.

Posted by bhsteve | December 17, 2007 3:03 PM

These comments by Kerrey are not worse than the constant refrain of Is he black enough to make sure voters know he is indeed black, and then couple that with Muslim...and what you have here folks is a BLACK MUSLIM....w00000...boogeyman...are all of white America scared enough now?

This is America 2007.

Posted by savvy | December 17, 2007 3:15 PM

I am curious why Bob Kerrey has sold his soul to the Clintons after having such choice things to say about them in the past? I wonder what is in it for him. Fortuntely, the average voter could care less what Bob Kerrey thinks about anything.

Posted by RKA | December 17, 2007 3:30 PM

I am curious why Bob Kerrey has sold his soul to the Clintons after having such choice things to say about them in the past? I wonder what is in it for him. Fortuntely, the average voter could care less what Bob Kerrey thinks about anything."

RKY,

This is the same Bob Kerrey who recently made "the case" for Don Imus' importance and relevancy and the same Bob Kerrey who trashed Democratic candidates who refused to participate in the Fox debates.

Posted by Dawn | December 17, 2007 3:43 PM

Sullivan disagrees that this is a dig, because Sullivan agrees with the point made and thinks it's in Obama's favor. But this guy is endorsing Clinton. And this coming on the heels of fake Obama's-a-Muslim stuff from her campaign, as well as the "what will the Republicans say?" meme, and there is no way that this lengthy, irrelevant aside could be anything but an attempt to stick it. Stick it in such a way that the messenger won't be forced to apologize/step down/pretend to be sorry, because hey, it's a compliment!

Posted by Phoebe | December 17, 2007 4:27 PM

Wait a minute. Since it's been discovered the Clinton campaign started these Muslim rumors against Obama, why is it still brewing consequence-free? Why hasn't Clinton and the Clinton campaign been sued by Obama for defaming his character, not by being Muslim per sue, but for lying because he isn't. And to think that this is still going is absolutely unforgivable!!! But too it is the Clinton media who is keeping it going.

Posted by RuthieM | December 17, 2007 5:37 PM

as Andrew Sullivan has written, imagine what a young Pakistani boy watching a Barack Obama inauguration would think of the man Americans just elected their president.

Pretty much what any Pak boy that bothered watching would think. Same as they thought about Colin Powell and Condi Rice, maybe worse because Barack Hussein rejected the faith of his father:

1. Not of our tribe.

2. Not of our religion.

3. Not of our nation.

4. Descendent of people our Mogul and Assayidd ancestors called stupid animals from the Other Side of the Desert and only fit to be slaves, unless converted to the One Faith.

5. Not a son of slaves like the others who were people of the Book, but the son of pagan American and a Kenyan animal of the Faith, but an animal who abandoned his son to his pagan mother.

6. Might be an apostate deserving death for being born Muslim then not following it, but for the true father acting like an irresponsible african does and walking away from his blood, then the pagan mother taking the child Obama away from his Muslim stepfather.

7. But basically, who cares? Not of tribe, nation, religion, part animal, born of a lower family. Of a debased America still awaiting conquest and submission to Islam, as the whole world must.

People like Sullivan think Paks and Arabs are ignorant of the West and if they only saw a supermarket and female heroes flying F-16s, and our culture - they would love us. Especially if we were run by africans and gay married couples.

They miss that Muslims know our culture well. Many lived here for many years, like the 9/ii Mastermind, KSM and bin Ladens's spiritual inspirations Khoumeni and Sayyid Qutb.

They hate us for Jews running American ME policy favoring Israel, they hate us for Hollywood's purient culture. They don't hate us for lack of Africans in power. In their lands, from Morocco to SE Asia, black Africans are lesser and occupy the bottom-most jobs and social rank. Hate us for resisting submission to Allah's will.

Posted by Chris Ford | December 17, 2007 5:43 PM

I was prepared to give Kerrey the benefit of the doubt on this one, because I've always thought he was someone above this dirty stuff. But just an hour ago, while asked to explain his comments, he said they were meant as a compliment. After all, Kerrey continued, anyone who goes to a "secular madrassa" has to have a unique view of the world.

I do not believe Kerrey would accidentally throw that madrassa word around. I'm stunned that he's lowered himself into this Clinton cess pool.

Posted by Paul | December 17, 2007 6:13 PM

Kerrey said exactly that including "secular madrassa" to the Economist in October. That's just what Kerrey thinks, and he's saying something positive about Obama.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2007/10/bob_kerrey_discusses_leadershi.cfm

I love that his name is Barack Hussein Obama; that he was educated for a while in a secular madrassa. He can speak like no other candidate to a billion Muslims on this earth and say we’re not your enemy unless you make us so.

Posted by Anna B | December 17, 2007 6:40 PM

I'm a confirmed and longstanding Obamite, and I've use those exact words about Barack in touting his ability to relate to and speak to folks in the third world (particularly the Islamic world) in ways that no candidate or potential candidate can match. I also like and admire Bob Kerrey, and wish he had been able to make a run for the Presidency in 2004.

That being said, I didn't follow my praise of Obama's organic cultural diversity with an endorsement of Hillary Clinton. But I'm willing to give Kerrey the benefit of the doubt on this one.

(And my understanding is that "madrassa" is arabic for "school", although any astute politician - which Kerrey certainly is - knows that, accurate or not, it is a loaded term in American political discourse. So maybe he's being more disingenuous than he lets on...)

Posted by vanwurs | December 17, 2007 7:25 PM

I worked for Bob Kerrey and he has been my favorite politician since 1988. I have prayed that he would be elected President ever since then. I am shocked to find that today, with his underhanded smear of Obama, that I will never trust anything he says again. I imagine the Clintons purchased his subtle smear for a high price. Karl Rove could have written the same comments. I feel like a naive child who just found out his hero is the opposite of a hero. Maybe I should seek counseling at a cult awareness group. I hope there is a limit to the number of Robert Hansens in the Democratic Party.

Posted by HumbleTruthSeeker | December 17, 2007 8:25 PM

Bob Kerrey is a war criminal. This isn't hyperbole. It has been documented by many respected papers, most notably the Village Voice. It just steams me that Kerrey could be called a "hero." Clinton praised him for the "battles he has fought." An obscene statement if I ever heard one. Here is one link:

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j042701.html

It is not the only account. Do a search, and look up his Wikipedia entry. There have been protests for this very reason at the New School.

Posted by jcr | December 17, 2007 8:43 PM

"Secular Madrassa" is an oxymoron. And anybody who thinks this is anything other than a premeditated smear is a garden variety moron. On the day that he is endorsing Hillary, Kerrey just happens to "praise" Obama for his supposed muslim heritage. These folks are unbelieveable. At least when Bush smeared McCain for his "black baby" he was smart enough to have low level types do it under the radar. To have high level surrogates engaged in this coy, tongue-in-cheek smearing is absolutely awful.

Memo to the Clinton campaign: democrats do not do this to other democrats. You may have sold your soul, but we will not sell ours. We are going to rid the democratic party of your self-indulgent albatross. If somehow you pull out this nomination, yours will be a phyrric victory. You will irrevocably fracture the democratic base and lose big in November. I was for Dean in '04 but had no trouble getting behind John Kerry because he won in a fair-in-sqaure way. If Hillary wins on the basis of cocaine/muslim smears, many dems who have been loyal through the years, who even considered nader the anti-christ, will either stay home or vote for a 3rd party like Bloomberg if given the opportunity. People are not going to forgive the character assassination of one of the party's biggest stars of the future.

Fortunately, I don't think this is going to happen. I think this crap is going to backfire on the Clintons. I can't wait for these people to leave the stage.

Posted by RKA | December 17, 2007 8:45 PM

I just have to make one comment, and I hope it gets through. I tried to post the same information on the NYT Caucus blog, and the censor kept it off the pages. It is a sad day when relevant truth gets buried because it is too controversial. These are not conspiracy theories. The evidence is overwhelming, and Kerrey's defense has always been to fall back on a faulty memory. But his accounts have never been consistent.

If we agree that it is a good thing when war criminals of other nationalities are prosecuted, it is a sad state of affairs when our own criminals are given Senate seats and sheltered by the general press.

Posted by jcr | December 17, 2007 8:48 PM

"Probably" guilty? Good lord. This is the very picture of sleazy politics, a kind of sleight-of-hand fear-mongering that is completely transparent. If deliberately muddying the waters to prey on people's ignorance sounds familiar, there's a reason: it's drawn directly from the playbook of Karl Rove and the cynical propaganda machine that sold the Iraq War. The Clintons used to bitch and moan about the politics of personal destruction. They are now the shameless deployers of it.

Posted by Mark S | December 17, 2007 9:00 PM

Bob Kerry lost his intellect integrity.It's to bad.
I knew HRC Inc will play the muslim card and if the democrat take it at face value. If Obama loose the nomination I really really feel very very sorry for this beautiful country that I love.

Posted by Rakia | December 17, 2007 9:38 PM

Though Indonesia is a predominately Muslim country, they do not speak Arabic and would not even refer to a school as a madrassa.

Indonesians speak the Indonesian language the translation for primary school is

Sekolah dasar

So the use of Madrassa to Obama's school is incorrect because it was not in an Arabic country.

Posted by Devin | December 18, 2007 1:26 AM

The first comment from Bob Kerrey may have been ok, if it were in isolation. However, the second comment about "secular madrassas" clearly exposed his intent.

I have heard the argument that "madrassa" means school in Arabic, and therefore Bob Kerrey was telling the truth. Indeed, he was, but only if the school in question was in an Arabic speaking nation, which Indonesia is not.

In Indonesia, a school is called a "sekolah", and that is the word that should have been used if Bob Kerrey was attempting to be accurate. We do not call schools in Spain "madrassas", and we also would not say that a person who attended school in Spain attended a "secular escuela".

It appears, sadly, that Bob Kerrey is another in a now long line of Hillary Clinton campaign operatives who are set on smearing Obama in any desperate way possible, now by attempting to insinuate that he is a terrorist.

Posted by Ruth | December 18, 2007 4:29 AM

Every time the Clinton campaign pulls another down and dirty and pathetic attack, they dig themselves further down that black hole of obscurity.

Seven years of Rove-style slash and burn politics has nearly destroyed this country. To have your own party employ the same tactics only underscores how much we need a total break from this.. and the Clintons.

Posted by Terri | December 18, 2007 5:25 AM

I'm sure if asked, Bob Kerrey would proudly inform us that some of his best friends are black, Madrassas-attending, formerly youthful coke-snorting-but-now-reformed, fellows whose middle name is Hussein.

The one note yet unplayed, of course, is that Obama is "sexually active," as in "...the black, sexually active..." You get the idea.

Posted by Sam Thornton | December 18, 2007 1:35 PM

"I think all this stuff about Bob Kerrey being a war criminal is nonsense. No one ever proved he killed, raped, or tortured innocent Vietnamese civilians during that terrible conflict. Much less children, which some of his detractors claim. It's outrageous. Bob's steadfast denials in the face of these allegations show him to be a person of strength, integrity, and discipline. I hope people will stop accusing him of these things, so we can move on to the real issues."

Posted by O-endorser | December 18, 2007 2:42 PM

Bob KKKerrey once called Bill Clinton a pathological liar. Now Bob KKKerrey is looking forward to some cabinet position in a Clinton administration. Or he just wants to lick Hillary's ass. He is the poster child for the racists in this country. I have respect for war veterans. But Bob KKKerrey is a mistake. We lost many good souls in the Vietnam war. But Bob came back. why? I don't know.

Posted by KG Canard | December 19, 2007 1:19 PM