Syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker (umm, PULITZER Prize–winning columnist) got a lot of feedback about her recent column (“Obama: Our First Female President,” 6/30/10) suggesting that Barack Obama is kind of girly. She carefully pointed out that she was “not calling Obama a girlie president. But . . . he may be suffering a rhetorical-testosterone deficit when it comes to dealing with crises.”
So he’s girly-sounding, I guess. Parker elaborated by suggesting that Obama “displays many tropes of femaleness. I say this in the nicest possible way.”
According to Parker’s update column (7/4/10), many readers—including many black readers—did not think her assessment was particularly nice. Some pointed to the long history of emasculating black males; others commented on the problems Obama would face as a black politician if he were too appear too “angry.”
Parker stands by her argument, though, and part of her response stressed one of the advantages of being white:
But I also recognize that my life experience is different from that of most African-Americans. And that experience allows me both the luxury of seeing people without the lens of race, but also (sometimes) to fail to imagine how people of other backgrounds might interpret my words.
The failure to imagine how “people of other backgrounds” read your work is obvious enough. But the idea that being white means that you enjoy a unique ability to judge events “without the lens of race” is bizarre, unless you’re trying to echo Stephen Colbert’s long-running gag about white people who cannot possibly see race. As he explained once to Al Sharpton, Colbert was going to take Sharpton at his word when he said he was black, because Colbert was beyond race.
Well, Parker is apparently doing precisely that:
You’ll have to take me at my word when I say that I don’t view Obama exclusively as a black man—no matter what he said on his census form. Not only is he half-white, but also he has managed to transcend skin color, at least from where I sit.
Parker will soon co-host a show on CNN—not Comedy Central—by the way.
See, I’m so not concerned about race that I hedge all my bets when I write about a black person, and I haven’t even bothered to figure out if my position is logical by seeing the “other background” peoples’ opinions.
“Parker elaborated by suggesting that Obama “displays many tropes of femaleness.” I guess she’s jealous. Or envious.
Strange blab by a sometimes sensitive Parker. President Obama is mega manly, mega hunka manly man.
As a woman, what I found disturbing about Parker’s original article was that she characterized Obama’s actions as womanly and, therefore, negative in her analysis.
Takes one to know one; nevertheless, together with BP Tony and CG Commandant Allen, Obummerer constitutes the “Access of Evil”!
when it comes down to race,… it seemed race don’t matter!!!
First of all, it depends what race you are. (That should say a lot)
even if you’re the minority it depends what’s your agenda?
On the second note, The word girly or as a woman president (when you descibe a person)
as if woman has some type defeciency to be fit to lead a greate country….it is just poor jugdment
in your part. If you cann’t see the race or that “race don’t Matter” don’t bring it up.
Always race, sex, gender or sexuality, don’t matter untile something arises.
I am a white woman, but I really didn’t expect the harsh reaction that whites have had to a black man in the White House. Most of them are so shocked that we have a black president, they are freaking out. He is half white, but that doesn’t even register to these racists. He is being scapegoated and blamed for everything, and it is a sickening display. There is no way that Obama can fix all the problems that Bush caused, especially with every Republican determined to destroy him. I hope that he doesn’t run for a second term, this country doesn’t deserve him. I hope that Sarah Palin gets elected and finishes the job that Bush began. That is what most Americans deserve. After she destroys this democracy, those of us who are sane can build a new one on the ashes.
Never heard of Kathleen Parker until I read this blog. Thanks, FAIR, for bringing her to my consciousness.
I have to agree with ‘genierae’. I was totally surprised by the lack of cooperation Obama received from the elected republicans and the entire right wing in general. It has me thinking the same thing. This country does not deserve Obama. I am also beginning to wish Palin upon America and let them have whatever it is they are desiring. (It is definitely not the best interests of the American people) Then, when the country is at war with 14 other nations, the corporations are calling all the shots, the rich have their permanent tax cuts and there is no longer a middle class we can pick up the pieces and build a nation that truly cares about ‘the least of us’. By the way, whatever happened to “Country First”?
Eerily coincidentally, Maureen Dowd had a very similar column about President Obama. Even more disturbing than their weird topic is that these two supposedly talented writers seem to be scratching in the dust like a couple of chickens trying to find something to write about. This is thin stuff, indeed!
KIA: KATHLEEN IS an ASS!
That is one of the most stupid comments I have heard recently. It appears that most of these conservatives don’t understand someone with intelligence. Well, it takes one to know one. I have been very distrubed by the depth of the hatred I have seen within the conservative movement. I really had thought we had gone beyond such racist ideology. Perhaps it will truly take the complete distruction of the middle class to bring people to their senses.
COLBERT PROVED HIS “RACENESS ” LONG BEFORE HE BECAME “CLINTONESQUE “, “THE BLACK PRESIDENT”, WAY AHEAD OF LINCOLN ; WHO USED IT HAS A WAY TO WIN ? THE CIVIL WAR. WE “WHITES” HAVE NEVER APOLOGIZED (THROUGH OUR ACTIONS )TO THE BLACKS “SLAVERY PERIOD ;
THE AMERICAN INDIANS CERTAINLY , MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP ,DESERVE THE ADMIRATION AND LOVE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE :THAT IS OUR PALESTINE VS. ISRAEL CONUNDRUM THEREFOR ,IT IS ONLY FITTING THAT THE IMMIGRATION OF ANY COUNTRY HERE IS THE ANSWER THAT WE ARE UNWILLING TO FACE .. LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF “AMERICA” ;YOU WILL NOT FIND MUCH IN THE WAY OF PORTRAYING OUR BRUTAL PAST AND ANCESTORS / PITY ? 76 YEAR OLD ,FACING LIFE WITH GUILT AT OUR WARS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ , AND MAYBE IRAN ? BLAIR AND PANETTA CERTAINLY ARE NOT FIT TO BE AMBASSADORS TO THAT PROBLEMATIC CONFLICT ;. WE ARE ONLY FOOLING OURSELVES AGAIN HAS THE AGGRESSOR BEHIND THE AGGRESSION HERE AND NOW .