'Socialist,' 'Muslim' — Ugly reception for Obama

Source: Politico

Barack Obama's stop at Cape Fear BBQ and Chicken in Fayetteville, N.C., this afternoon underscored the continued resistance of some voters to his candidacy — and his identity. The trip, according to a pool report, offered “some powerful and at times ugly interaction.”

Campaigning in a traditionally Republican state, the Democratic nominee found lots of supporters of John McCain, at least one woman who believes the Illinois senator is a "closet Muslim" — and another who repeatedly shouted “Socialist.”

The following is a compilation of pool reports from print, TV and wire reporters who accompanied Obama to the diner:

Obama arrived at the barbecue joint around 12:30 p.m., where an older and majority white clientele of several dozen were eating lunch after church services. Many patrons applauded as he walked into the diner, but Diane Fanning, 54, began yelling “Socialist, socialist, socialist — get out of here!” ...

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081019/pl_politico/14728

Many patrons applauded as he walked into the diner, but Diane Fanning, 54, began yelling “Socialist, socialist, socialist — get out of here!”

Later, Obama came to the long table where Fanning and other members of a local First Presbyterian church were gathered. He held out his hand to her and asked, “How are you, ma’am?” but she declined to shake his hand.
Fanning asked Obama about a North American union ....

Racist pig.

There are no boundaries when the rich and powerful are frightened of losing their money and power.

if you only talk to people that agree with you, then you learn nothing.

When is McCain going to speak to crowds in Manhattan? Seattle? AUSTIN?

They had a great rally later in Fayetteville and he's had the same elsewhere in NC (e.g., Charlotte, Asheville, Greenville, Raleigh, Chapel HIll....) He's greatly loved in NC -- he may even end up taking the state.

Please don't like one or two wingnuts give you an impression of any state.

PS Edited to add that I heard more right-wing racist crap when I lived in Massachusetts than I've ever heard here. The only "Obama is a muslim" email I've ever been sent was from one of my former neighbors in MA.

as much as any. I didn't mean to imply that at all. Just that McCain won't step out of his bubble anywhere.

This was also a brilliant move by his campaign. Walking into a barbecue place in Fayetteville on a Sunday afternoon? That's wingnut central - and he was cool as a cucumber. That will impress a lot of military types. They know courage when they see it.

Is one of the RW talk radio people spreading that idea around or what?

The North American Union (NAU) is a theoretical continental union of Canada, Mexico and the United States similar in structure to the European Union, sometimes including a common currency called the Amero. Officials from all three nations have said there are no government plans to create such a union,<1> although the idea has been discussed and proposed in academic and scholarly circles, ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Union

News to me, and Obama certainly hasn't brought that up :eyes: This NAU sounds like stuff the wingnuts would tell each other at dinner.

The only place you ever hear about it is from right wingers. Of course, that's because the Mexicans and their co-conspirators keep it so well hidden that an idiot with an elementary school education--who doesn't know Mexico from Sir Mix-A-Lot--can piece it all together with no trouble.

told her about it. We were laughing our heads off.

It's a new boogey man for ignorant and frightened to pin their fears on. Though completely unimaginable, I applaud the creators for simultaneous stoking the fears brought about by free trade AND socialism.

From his wiki page:

A few vocal racists in the crowd. Not unexpected in any repug stronghold.

From the sound of it he recruited at least one voter. Good on him!

They have their second Democratic governor in a row and a Democratic majority in their legislatures.

They have voted repub in presidential elections, but came close to going for Clinton in 92 and may very well flip blue in this election. Obama is ahead in the polls there.

North Carolina has always been Democratic. Unfortunately, lots of those Democrats were Dixiecrats - very conservative. That's changing, though. North Carolina, like the rest of the south, started voting in Republicans for national office as a result of the Republican "Southern Strategy" as a reaction to the Civil Rights Movement. Younger voters aren't interested in that kind of divisiveness anymore.

it's one reason he isn't really holding those town halls and other events where audience can ask questions.

the article says many people applauded Obama. these may not all be supporters but they are good respectful people and they may consider voting for him.

but when they see people like this crazy lady and the "he's an arab" lady they get turned off to McCain.

Obama will never win those stupid racist people anyways, but he can impress the others.

This turns off people who like to imagine themselves to be intelligent, moderate and tolerant who may have been leaning McCain.

It's the Ayers effect x 1000. If we cannot support Barack Obama because folks such as Ayers support him, then we really cannot support John McCain, because of thousands of wingnuts such as Diane Fanning.

It's clear that he does not shy from conflict, even on this most personal level. He's a brave guy.

Obama even spoke with the pastor at the table, who didn't mind to stop the verbal assaults.

AND that the person next to her told her to be quite :

"The gentleman next to Fanning, Lenox Bramble, 76, flashed an angry look at her. “Be civil, be courteous,” he admonished her.

I believe by the time the Preacher was next to Obama, the above had already occurred, so nothing for him or Obama to say, it had already been said.

I liked Lenox Bramble for he spoke up to defend Obama even through he was going to vote for McCain. Bramble is the type of Republican voter I can stand, he at least leave people speak.

McCain is such an idiot, working these people into a lather with shit like "socialist" and "terrorist." In two weeks he will have lost and a good portion of the country - in "real" America - will believe our president is a Muslim terrorist. What a patriot that John McCain is.

Ahh, leave it to Christians to follow the teaching of Jesus.

to her senses.

BTW, SO WHAT if Obama were Muslim. We have freedom of religion in the US, last I heard. And he's not even close to a socialist - he's a MODERATE Democrat.

Her community is very likely comprised of 50%, if not a higher percentage, of ignorant right-wing bigots just like her. She's probably a Hometown Hero to them now.

There are a lot of Obama supporters in the urban areas of N.C., but the small rural communities are saturated with McCain-Palin signs.

This is the atmosphere that's created when ministers are telling their congregations that Obama is the anti-Christ and his election will lead to the "end of times". I shit you not. These people are some backwards, bible-thumpin' bigots.

It's sad and scary, but TRUE.

I am a North Carolinian and I do NOT approve of their bigotry, but I have to face the fact that it is real.

What is SIMPLY AMAZING to me is that many of the patrons applauded when he came in. Hallelujah.

I was canvassing not far from my house, and she said she wouldn't vote for Obama because he was the antichrist.

I didn't know what to say -- and that's pretty rare! "Uh, you mean like, THE antichrist? Like John the Revelator and all that?"

She looked a little embarrassed, but still said, "Yeah, the antichrist from the end times. I think it's Barack Obama."

There ain't no discussin' that rationally, folks. You just say "Thanks for your time, God bless!" and smile a lot, and pray that if there is indeed a god, he will personally smite this person's computer. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to have access to the Internet. If given the chance, I have no doubt that people like this would hunt witches and look for signs of sorcery coming from their neighbor's houses.

I guess the wingnut and I cancel out one another's votes.

It pissed me off so much I just blurt out, "Well, you know 9/11 was and inside job?"
And I gave her details. She actually told me how wonderful it was to talk to me in the end.

rapture, end times, and all that...

you can't vote the anti-christ out of office! HE'S THE ANTICHRIST, lady!

I would for her to got to the UK or Germany and see just how bad Socialism is. Actually, if she went to any other industrialized nation, she would encounter socialism on some level.

Have you ever been to one of them? I can assure you that neither country is socialist, and the prospect of either becoming so hasn't really existed since the 70's or 80's.

along with many other industrialized countries have a socialized Health care system; do they not?

However, since every single first world country apart from the US has a nationalized healthcare system, I wouldn't call that socialist. If that were the case, it would mean that the US was the only first world country (though calling the US a first world country seems increasingly like a stretch) which is not a socialist country. I don't really see that as being anything socialist - I just see that as being an element of a healthy, civilized society. We are the outlier in that respect.

Used to be "Liberal" was the epithet of choice in a Repug's limited vocabulary. And "Commie", of course. Now "Socialist"? I sincerely doubt that 1% of them could even define the words they spew. But, Boy, it sure sounds EVIL!
I wonder if Ms. Fanning realizes that her local Police and Fire Departments are examples of "Socialism" at work? Or would she prefer they be profit-driven? "Pay up, Lady, or we let the house burn!" And soon Ms. Fanning will be eligible to collect Social Security. Another evil Socialist program. Not to mention Medicare.
That there are millions of ignorant Diane Fannings out there I find sad, scary and embarrassing.

would be more enthusiastic.

those 'socialist' programs are evil, why do you think he want so to eliminate them by handing them over to the private sector.

is not the sense able kind; they use it as a derogatory statement in reference to Nazism and Stalinist dictatorship. Primarily, they think of Nazism, because they are to damn stupid to understand the benefits to some nationalized sectors.

I am not offended by the term Socialist and see that it has some benefits.

Did a google on dear Diane Fanning of Fayetteville, NC and came up with a Meetup page with greetings & tidings for her.

http://www.meetup.com/members/715778/

...And it doesn't look like she's making any new ones, either. :rofl:

she has a free republic link on her page lol

She says she's interested in joining a Meetup group focused on either Free Republic or the Republican Party--BIG surprise, huh? It also says she's been a Meetup member since 2003, but isn't a member of any meetup groups. So this loser has been waiting FIVE YEARS for a Freeperville or Repuke meetup to start in or near Fayetteville...I hope she has to wait at least five!

him Mr. President very soon. And she'll have to stand up when he walks by.

Bummer for her.

but nobody has to stand up when the President walks by--I seem to recall a revolutionary war being fought so that citizens of the United States would rule themselves without a king. When the President is around you can sit down, stand up or make farting noises with your armpit, it's up to you!

In fact, I'd like see that made a tradition for all Bush politicians, past present and god forbid future.

I just remember that scene in the series The West Wing when the "Dr. Laura" type character refused to stand when President Barlett came into the room and really got an earful. Maybe that was all just for dramatic effect.

My son in law is a Muslim. He has the right to FREEDOM of RELIGION. Funny a Presbyterian (I was baptized & raised in a Presbyterian church) doesn't know that. Same goes about Rev. Wright. We can all choose who we do or don't believe in.

He wants to win the hearts and minds of all Americans, not just get enough electoral votes from those in select locations to win the election. For the south to swing Democratic, it has to happen one vote at a time. If it does, we have Howard Dean and Obama to thank.

Many of these people have been convinced through hateful propaganda that all Muslims harbor hatred for America. It comes down to ignorance, ignorance promoted by right wing propagandists. Without ignorance, really, where would they be? They have nothing to offer.

NT!

Fascist and Bigot.

Surely there is no higher praise than to be termed a socialist. Personally, I have my doubts about whether Obama deserves such a lofty distinction, but it was generous of Ms. Fanning to offer such a compliment. The correct response should therefore be: "Why thank you! How very kind of you! I will endeavor to live up to that honor."

K&R

in Raleigh and it was wall-to-wall McCain/Palin stickers. Not many Obama stickers, and the ones I saw were on Black folk. Very few were spotted on whites.

Rural white NC is afraid a Black man will win.

Get Out The Vote programs are going to be key.

Virginia will go to Obama, but delivering NC will be very tough...

IMHO

These hicks better get with the program. Socialism is good now.

In a socialist system, they would nationalize the asset so that the public could expect to see some return on investment. In our system, only the risk is socialized, the profits remain privatized in the hands of the uberrich.

Neither socialism nor Islam is un-Constitutional, yet some people vehemently oppose both of them. Do people know what they're opposing? If it is within the Constitution, why not discuss it rationally? If you think the Constitution should be amended, why not discuss it rationally?

Who was the guy that was sworn in using the Koran? These knuckle draggers frothed at the mouth over it. They actually believed forcing the guy to use a bible would have been more appropriate!

guys; no surprises here.

after all this time had passed since the ugliness of Bull Connor, fire hoses, police dogs, shootings, lynchings, assassinations...that we would have made more progress that this, even in the South. Makes me want to weep.

They are so ignorant, they don't even know what they're saying.

forget fayetnam

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

They are planting these people in places where Obama goes...probably not difficult for GOP to find out as Bush and NeoCons are listening in on phones calls...they can simply pick a few from Obama camp to monitor and pass the info along...pretty effing easy...they have the hooks in to do it...

You are an embarrassment to your church, your town, your state, and your country.

Refusing to shake Obama's hand is not what Jesus would do.

Conservative and Republican rhetoric is designed to play on your fears. Thats why bigots like Diane Fanning are attracted to it. They have a deep seated fear of anyone who is different from them, and it works at the subconscious level. The "rational mind" then rationalizes the fear by building stories about that which they fear.

Cowards look for an authoritarian leader.
Brave people are more hopeful and frankly, rational.

They had the plan waiting on the shelf (Economic Patriot Act)
Treasury is Nationalizing banks.

WAKE THE FUCK UP!!

Sheesh. Get it right.

and all the other federal goodies these "non-socialists" get from their government.

:mad:

Say it with me, Ms. Fanning : "PRESIDENT OBAMA!"

Sweet, ain't it?

And why does he want it?

;-)