On his HBO show Bill Maher explained the right’s desperate need to beat Obama in 2012, and why a second Obama term is more important for African-Americans than his first.
Here is the video via Mediaite:
Maher said, “Obama obviously against Romney. I think the second term for Obama is even more important than the first term. If the first black president only has one term, America reads that as a failure. This is what the right wing hopes and prays for more than anything else. America looks at this one-term president and goes, ‘We tried a black guy, but it just didn’t work.’ And I think Obama is aware of that. That’s why I think he is so conservative in the first term. He knows for the sake of black America he needs a second term.”
It is a sad reality, but Bill Maher has a point. Obama’s critics still claim to this day that the novelty factor is the only reason that he won in 2008. While it’s true that all presidents seek validation by winning a second term, but President Obama is carrying a heavier burden. This president’s reelection campaign may very well validate the idea that an African-American can be a successful president.
It is astounding that as a nation, the United States is in a position where the validity of the concept of electing minorities to the highest office in the land is up for debate, but this is where a loud and vocal segment of the right has chosen to make their last stand. Make no mistake about it, 2012 is their last stand. Republicans understand that their behavior and positions on African-Americans, Hispanics, and women will make very difficult for the party to win a presidential election if Barack Obama wins in 2012.
There will be no “novelty” excuse for the right if Obama wins reelection. If Obama is able to win a second term powered by a coalition of young voters, African-Americans, women, Hispanics, and other minorities, it will signal the official demise of the small tent angry white man Republican Party. The nomination of Mitt Romney makes perfect sense when viewed from this perspective. Romney is the walking, talking, living, breathing embodiment of angry conservative white male privilege.
Obama’s first victory was historic, but his second victory will change the way our nation views presidential candidates. The door won’t be kicked open for all minorities. It is a travesty that this nation has not yet elected a female president, but a secret unspoken bias will be shattered with an Obama win in 2012. After eight years of Obama’s leadership, there would never again be nothing unusual about African-American president.
Maher was correct. A second Obama victory is more important than the first. President Obama himself represents a form of progress that the right is desperate to stop. If Obama wins reelection that progress will not be denied, and the privileged white male will forever have to share his formerly exclusive lease on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with everyone else, and as Bill Maher put it this is what the right is hoping and praying does not happen.
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Paman Miner
May. 5th, 2012 at 1:05 am
that is a good reson to keep president Obama president! I had not thought about it but I can see that may be why so many people seen so rabid in their opposition to him.
Iv’e never seen a president have to deal with the kind of stuff he has ahd to.
It bothers me that the MSM often call him Mr. Obama and not use the title president.
He has done some stuff I don’t agree with, but he is miles and miles above Romney in morality and character!
It will be a disaster if a republican wins the office and even we don’t want repubs in house and senate, if we want to see any work done!
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David Deal
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:07 am
Well said!
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Ken
May. 5th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
One thing to remember. this do-nothing repub congress will do something if they get a senate and the presidency, and keep the house. We will see bills fly across romneys desk for his sig. so fast that we will not notice the one called ‘the Destruction of Democracy Act’.
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Sarah Jones
May. 5th, 2012 at 1:33 am
I would just like to note that while Bill Maher is making an important point re the Right wing, he has been an excellent president regardless of his color.
I am going to vote FOR HIM, the person he is and the President he has been.
The additional social bonuses are important, but by no means are they the reason I will be casting my vote, because I don’t see a black man – I see a smart, kind, level-headed man who has his heart in the right place and the brain to follow through. I see a constitutional lawyer and a great strategist and a wonderful husband and father. I see a President who has done historic work for women, who has used diplomacy and strategy FIRST and has the guts to put his presidency on the line for the country. I see a man who puts the middle class and poor first, whose vision for America’s soul is one I can be proud of instead of ashamed of.
I see a great man, not a perfect man, but a great one. One day, I hope the rest of the country just sees the character – not the gender or the color, just the character.
Until then, yes, I guess we are in the gutter fighting for progress against make believe patriots in costumes wearing tea bags.
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Jo Hargis
May. 5th, 2012 at 3:03 am
Good point, Sarah. I hadn’t even thought of that, but I don’t really think of him being black either, when I listen to him or see him or whatever. Dunno, it just doesn’t really register.
Bill Maher said something interesting in this show. Ed Schulz said that Romney villifies the regular folks out there, and Maher said no, he doesn’t villify them, he’s just indifferent to them (paraphrasing..I can’t remember his exact words). It hit me, this is what I’ve been saying about his Bain activities. Romney would go into these companies and destroy them without even a thought to the people’s lives he was ruining, as if they just don’t even register on his radar. Indifferent is THE perfect word for it. But I realized tonight, it wasn’t just the Bain victims….it’s all of us. He’s indifferent. We don’t register on the human radar for him.
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Ann
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:05 am
No disrespect to you but I really disagree with when people say they don’t see color because basically you are disregarding a part of his experience and you only see what you want to see. The whole point Maher was making was that he is treated this way because of it.
By the way , study after study has shown that the so called color blind people are the biggest racists.
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A Walkaway
May. 5th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Really? Funny, but I’ve never read such a study.
I’ve got at least 12 hours at the graduate level specifically focused on racial issues, as well as undergraduate hours that covered “race” as part of the class. I did primary research on racial issues, and know some pretty important people involved in “race” research. In my personal library, I’ve got several books on the topic, as well as several gigabytes of journal articles (some of which involve race). I’ve probably read at least 100 articles involving aspects of racism.
I reiterate – I’ve never heard of such a study, and would be interested in reading it if it exists (to see if their methodology and analysis were up to par).
The reality is that there are two types of “Color-blind” people… those that are bigots (yes, I’ve met them), and those that don’t care about the color of one’s skin – they’re the liberal ones and I’ve met them as well. Don’t include them with the Republican/conservative/”Good Christian” types that spout platitudes but are racist to the core.
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Sarah Jones
May. 5th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
I love how you generalized about all people while calling them bigots, but look — no one was suggesting that race is not an issue for this president, or an issue in this country.
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Tina
May. 5th, 2012 at 6:32 am
Couldn’t have said it better myself,Sarah. Thanks
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Sharon Hunt
May. 5th, 2012 at 7:34 am
Sarah, you are spot on. Obama is not perfect, but he is a good man. He’s had to deal with issues that never have been dealt with before.
Mitten spends his time downing Obama, but what exactly is he going to do that’s better? He hasn’t come up with one idea.
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Daddycool
May. 5th, 2012 at 7:37 am
EXCELLENT POST !!!!!!!!
BRAVO !!!!!!
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David Deal
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:08 am
Very well said!
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KatzKids
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:57 am
I couldn’t agree more Sarah. You eloquently described, perfectly, all the reasons I, too, will be voting again for President Obama. Thanks for your great comment. You took the words from my heart & mind & expressed them beautifully. Thank you!
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Sarah Jones
May. 5th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I’m replying to all of you via Katz (that replied to my comment) so I don’t clutter this comment section up —
thank you for making my day:-) I don’t often express my feelings about this President as a writer, because I’m thinking about politics, policy, etc. But you have just reminded me of the broader picture that I need to give voice to more often.
Have a great Saturday everyone!
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Rich
May. 5th, 2012 at 10:53 pm
I had the opportunity to look him in the eye & shake his hand as Mr. Candidate 4 yrs ago & my sense was that Mr Obama is a real and genuine person whose heart is in the right place for all of us. Add to that his gifted & educated intelligence & his innate diplomacy and what we have is one of the finest to hold the office. I see all of that and an African-American & Irish-American & devoted husband and father and a someone with far more patience then his supporters would like or give credit for.
Along with all the things you give him praise & credit for Sarah, I would like to add one more which may be the most important – he has steered our country away from the nightmare of a war with Iran and continues to make diplomatic progress on a dangerous & difficult issue.
For all of this and more, I am proud to call him Mr. President & may he continue to serve.
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Dawn Blizzard
May. 5th, 2012 at 2:33 am
I totally agree. I especially appreciate the point that Romney is a poster child for conservative angry priviledged white men
So true.
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RailroadMike
May. 5th, 2012 at 2:50 am
If a white guy was in office the record for filibusters would havent been broken. The Right has sabotaged the economy because of the color of a man skin and that ole Souht thinking,”We got to show them black boy’s who’s boss”! This is coming from an old 63 year old white guy that didnt dodge the draft like Romney and Ted Nugent.
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Conservative Heart
May. 5th, 2012 at 3:19 am
IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID!
Osama bin Obama has had nearly FOUR YEARS to make a difference. ALL the monkey has done is rape medicare and inflame racial tensions an violence. FUCK THAT MUSLIM.
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Cha
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:20 am
You’re a freaking oxyMORON..conservatives have no heart or soul. And, they’re fucking stupid.
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Sharon Hunt
May. 5th, 2012 at 7:35 am
racist much?
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Sharon Hunt
May. 5th, 2012 at 7:36 am
I meant that for conservative noheart.
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Reynardine
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:10 am
Poe
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David Deal
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Tru dat girl!
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Sally
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:00 am
And I suppose when Clinton was President, you had an animal name for him as well? Go back in your southern bunker and warm up some beans while you polish your rifles. President Obama has not [raoed’ anyone…that is the purvoy of your precious white party. Or did your wife not mention that should she get pregnant, she’d damn well better carry to term, because if she miscarrries, she’ll go to jail (AFTER the GOP has done an internal test or two to make sure she didn’t help the midcarrriage along.) The gop has alienated every single voting bloc excpet the stupid and the v ery wealthy.
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David Deal
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:11 am
If you are for real you might be Darwin’s missing link! How did you survive all these years with such a hate filled neanderthal brain?
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A Walkaway
May. 5th, 2012 at 9:07 am
(Laugh!) You caught people out again.
(For those who don’t know C.H., the person does this all the time – illustrates the worst arguments coming from the real conservatives…. and a lot of us who’ve been around for a while find the comments to be a real hoot! I once thought CH was really conservative, but haven’t thought that in quite a while now…)
CH, I’d bet you live in the South as I do, or you spend some time researching conservative/Republican/”Good Christian” attitudes and language!
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SinghX
May. 5th, 2012 at 11:05 am
Yep…he gets a few every time…always good for a few sharp points, poking around for a reaction…
Con-heart, my-main-man-funk-soul-tounge-speakin’brotha’, you is one, big bad, bama’jama!
(that’s the best I could come up with this morning, man; I got nothin’…but, it’s good to see you around and in good form as always…)
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Elizabeth
May. 5th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Thanks, I was wondering.
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Eykis
May. 5th, 2012 at 10:39 am
HeartLESS,
Are you often told that you are a morannic imecile? If not, I am telling you now. Racist, also, too, you betcha.
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Eykis
May. 5th, 2012 at 10:40 am
Typo!
MORANNIC IMBECILE.
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tcb90125
May. 5th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Appropriate oxymoron you chose for a screen name, a-hole.
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Cha
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:44 am
Thanks for the report on what Bill Maher had to say, Jason. I’m like Sarah..I’m just really appreciative that we have such an intelligent, kind,and courageous person(funny too!) as our President now.
But, I do think it’s even more important that we re-elect PBO than even the first time if that’s possible, because of all the fascism that came out from under the rocks in the form of Koch governors who want to turn our country into their own personal bankroll and polluted sewer.
And, the big rotting elephant in the room, willard mitt romney.. the severely sociopathic, pathological liar who will do anything to destroy those in his path to the White House. Too bad for ol etch a sketch that the one he’s burning the most is his own damn self.
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Misty
May. 5th, 2012 at 7:53 am
That’s exactly how I view Mitt Romney as “Hey, I’m the white guy. The black guy didn’t work out, so vote for me”.
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Sally
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:05 am
If the GOP HAD worked with teh President, adn if unemployment were down to 6%, all the could run on was ‘see, lowering taxes worked out. See, we need to keep drilling and keep people working. See, the GOP has the good ideas. Obama just went along.’ I’m not sure what’s worse..but in either case, all the right has to ‘run on’ are lies and failed Bush policies that they happily supported. I am glad that Obama is a community organizer and a man of the people. I will proudly vote for him again, as will most of my family (some Texans are beyond help, but my brother’s vote will be nullified by my son’s at least.) I’m in MI, and nary a Republican will get a vote from me.
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Reynardine
May. 5th, 2012 at 8:08 am
Indeed, that is one of the great motivating forces behind their obstacular behavior: they have to prove a minority *can’t* “rule” (this, and not “govern” is how they see it). It isn’t just appealing to a malevolent white male minority that motivates them. They are making the case for progressive disenfranchisement.
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A Walkaway
May. 5th, 2012 at 9:13 am
When President Obama won the election, it was the first time I’d felt hope in over a year. Everything that he’s said and done either immediately reinforced that feeling or I didn’t see the political “game” he was playing. The man has my admiration and appreciation… I think he’s been one of the best presidents this country has ever had in spite of the conservative/Republican/”Good Christian” opposition.
Bush, on the other hand, was probably the worst (worse even than Reagan or Nixon) president this country has ever had to suffer under. I admit, I don’t honor the man by giving him any title… he doesn’t deserve it IMO. According to my beliefs, a person brings his or her personal honor to a “position”… if they’re honorable the “position” (president, justice, governor, etc.) is honorable, if they’re dishonorable the position becomes one of dishonor.
We have to win… not only the presidency but also the man needs people to support him… get the problem people out of office!!! (No damned Republicans!)
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SinghX
May. 5th, 2012 at 10:54 am
…”. Romney would…destroy [companies] without even a thought to the people’s lives he was ruining, as if they just don’t even register on his radar. Indifferent is THE perfect word for it.
Indifference is when you just don’t care; (for example) this is what occurs when people just don’t “love” each other anymore and divorce. They have to get to a mental “point of indifference” in order to move on and not feel guilty about the world of pain caused to themselves or others, especially the children.
Ro-money and company just don’t care; why is this so hard for people to get into their heads?
They don’t care about the country, human beings, the earth, nada. They are empty shells that
breed like maggots on a corpse, or vampires who suck the life from warm bodies and love the sound from…”the children of the night” who howl in horror…it’s beyond the “7 deadly sins”.
It’s cold indifference.
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Anne
May. 5th, 2012 at 11:38 am
I agree that President Obama’s re-election would be significant in showing that the fears of a black president have been ill-founded. But even more importantly, it is vital to me as a worker, an African-American, and a worker that Willard Romney not be allowed to get anywhere near the White House except possibly as a tourist. His stated policies, his pandering to the worst extremists in the GOP, and his embrace of fellow soulless creeps like Paul Ryan and Scott Walker are extremely disquieting. He is the face of a political party that has done, and is doing, its level best to alienate racial/religious minorities, women, and workers. It’s equally disquieting that the Romney campaign is going to stoop to the lowest levels of ugliness in order to win, and that there are Americans foolish enough to fall for it. There has never been a time in my life when I considered my vote as vitally important as in 2012.
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Anne
May. 5th, 2012 at 11:53 am
I meant as a worker, an African-American, and a woman.
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Jim
May. 5th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
The “travesty” here is WHY do the American voters concern themselves about race or gender for our nation’s Commander In Chief. That alone totally goes against what [I believe] it is to BE an American.
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Anne
May. 5th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
That’s the way it SHOULD be, but for many of President Obama’s detractors, it’s not the way it is. Why else would anyone still be continuing the birther nonsense, or previously, trying to make him out to be a Muslim? I must say he has conducted himself with considerable class and dignity, considering all of the racial slurs he has endured from a large number of Republicans.
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David Deal
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
One of my standars for voting is if two people are equally qualified I vote for the woman or minority to bring more balance and equal representation to government. After all Rich, Old, White guys haven’t done such a great job overall.
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Dodestiny44@yahoo.com
May. 5th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
but by no means are they the reason I will be casting my vote, because I don’t see a black man – I see a smart, kind, level-headed man who has his heart in the right place and the brain to follow through. I see a constitutional lawyer and a great strategist and a wonderful husband and father. I see a President who has done historic work for women, who has used diplomacy and strategy FIRST and has the guts to put his presidency on the line for the country. I see a man who puts the middle class and poor first, whose vision for America’s soul is one I can be proud of instead of ashamed of.
I see a great man, not a perfect man, but a great one. One day, I hope the rest of the country just sees the character – not the gender or the color, just the character. ……………………..EXACTLY!
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rod
May. 5th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Obama/Biden 2012
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Sandy
May. 6th, 2012 at 7:58 pm
I am a proud American. I love this country and I love our President. I also am very pleased to read that the majority of us get it. The republican party does not have the best interest of 99% of us at heart and we as Americans need to stand up once again, fight against monopolies, greed, and hatred. Those who feel this way are always waiting to the next opportunity to destroy. It’s time for the majority to stop allowing the minority to rule the day. Take back our country from those who could care less about what’s right for 99%. Vote democratic and then hold their feet to the fire and let them know we support them as long as they do what’s right for everybody. Obama/Biden 2012
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