The "Hussein" Factor

I suppose it's true that it's a bit icky when Barack Obama's opponents keep pointedly repeating the phrase "Barack Hussein Obama" in their robocalls. That said, when his campaign and his fans complain about it, that rings a bit hollow to me. After all, his exotic background is an important part of his appeal to those who find him appealing. Andrew Sullivan's laudatory article on Obama contained this memorable passage:

Consider this hypothetical. It’s November 2008. A young Pakistani Muslim is watching television and sees that this man—Barack Hussein Obama—is the new face of America. In one simple image, America’s soft power has been ratcheted up not a notch, but a logarithm. A brown-skinned man whose father was an African, who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii, who attended a majority-Muslim school as a boy, is now the alleged enemy. If you wanted the crudest but most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology, Obama’s face gets close. It proves them wrong about what America is in ways no words can.

If he's going to get praised in these terms, he's going to get knocked in them, too. That's just how it is.

Comments

Great post Matt. I didn't even think of this.

Somewhere Sullivan is crying into his perrier.

Posted by JFD | January 19, 2008 4:58 PM

Oh, 'cmon Matt. There's a huge difference...the robocalls--in contrast to Bob Kerrey's remarks, which were similar to Sullivan's--are playing to the base instinct of the voters, many of whom really believe that Obama is a Muslim based on those slimy emails. This isn't he-said, she-said stuff. It's two totally different things. He's not just getting 'knocked' by doing this, he's getting slimed. And to pretend otherwise is disingenuous.

Posted by JEM | January 19, 2008 5:06 PM

Er, does this make sense? Obama's blackness and Hillary's womanness have also been touted as important to their appeal, in rhetoric parallel to that of your Sullivan cite. Would it be OK to "knock" them on that?

The reporting on the Is-Obama-a-Muslim?!?! meme focuses on it as a personal smear, weirdly, instead of as a broadly racist slur, which is what it is.

Posted by Gloria | January 19, 2008 5:07 PM

Sure, "that's just how it is". But I don't buy the implied sense of excusing it.

If I supported Obama because I wanted the US to have its first black president, the fact that part of his appeal was based on that background wouldn't mean it was any less disgusting if there was robocalling which said ""I'm calling with some important information about Barack Obama, the black candidate" the call begins, before saying that "Barack Obama, the black candidate, says he doesn't take money from Washington lobbyists or special interest groups but the record is clear that he does."

Posted by otto | January 19, 2008 5:09 PM

I feel sick.

Posted by nathan | January 19, 2008 5:11 PM

I find this argument weak. It is one thing to speculate that Obama's tangled ethnic identity could improve the image of the United States abroad. It is quite another to play to and encourage the base and ignorant association of "Hussein" with Saddam Hussein in order to distract voters from actual issues. I would point out, as well, that Obama himself has never portrayed his candidacy as relying on his uncommon ethnic heritage, but rather as relying on a vision of political discourse in America which chooses to emphasize hope, inclusion, and unity over cynicism, marginalization, and ideological posturing.

Posted by wj | January 19, 2008 5:12 PM

Exactly JEM. I'm disappointed in this post.

It's way more than "a bit icky". It's an attempt to smear one of our candidates. And these attempts to rationalize them are almost as insulting as the smears themselves.

Posted by Tom | January 19, 2008 5:12 PM

Matt,

You have a habit of not differentiating descriptive with normative claims. Certainly, it might be the case that raising the salience of his life experiences abroad might make it more likely that other people will use racist xenophobia against him.

However, I don't see how this makes the criticism of racist xenophobia unjustied or hollow.

Posted by PTS | January 19, 2008 5:12 PM

Um, that's not praise. That's a thinly-veiled "Terrorists like Obama". Durr.

Posted by sherifffruitfly | January 19, 2008 5:13 PM

If he's going to get praised in these terms, he's going to get knocked in them, too.

I don't know--imagine Hillary Clinton saved a little Iraqi boy from drowning, at some risk to her own life. Some people praise her for her actions; others point out that nits make lice. Well, if she's going to get praised in these terms, she's going to get knocked in them, too.

The point is, and at the risk of sounding like a Republican, the people praising her are good, and the people knocking her are evil. Same with Obama.

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 5:14 PM

Yeah, this is pretty sickening. It's sort of like how it was okay to attack Kerry's Vietnam service because he raised it in the first place. Or how it was okay to attack Gore as being too smart and too stuck up to be president. Or how it was okay to attack McCain's drug-addicted wife and his illegimate black baby.

Clinton is running the Rovian campaign of the 2008 Dem primary.

Posted by ben | January 19, 2008 5:15 PM

What's the circulation of The Atlantic in Nevada? I'm sure all the voters are placing these calls in the context of Andrew Sullivan's scary wonderful intellectual context. Puh-leeze.

Posted by joejoejoe | January 19, 2008 5:15 PM

All I can figure out as the zany reasoning behind such a tactic within a Dem primary context is this: Any Dem who reacts badly to the name "Hussein" is probably not open to voting for someone with black skin in the first place. Unless they are black themselves. What would it accomplish vote-wise except for affecting a very small contingent of blacks who have troglodyte attitudes towards "ragheads"?

In a general election, it might have more of an effect, on some swings, and maybe it's intended to get primary voters thinking he's not electable because of that?

All in all, it's really a very wacky tactic, playing with interpreting complex racial attitudes, prone to not get you much if it works and with likely chances of not working and even backfiring.

Posted by artappraiser | January 19, 2008 5:17 PM

The robocalls are sleazy, but Obama supporters like myself shouldn't be concerned. Repetition creates familiarity and suddenly the oddity of the name loses its impact. Think of the governor of California. The name sounds as American as apple pie.

It's amazing what the ear can get used to.

Posted by Ryan Scott | January 19, 2008 5:17 PM

Well, it's only one step removed from the Muslim smear. In theory, there's nothing wrong with having a Muslim president who swears to defend the United States against all enemies, uphold the Constitution, and take care that the laws are faithfully executed. But people think there's something wrong with that. In addition, it's false.

The Hussein bit is equally if not more prejudicial, but happens to be false.

Posted by Nicholas Beaudrot | January 19, 2008 5:18 PM

If Obama is the nominee, his middle name, his father's religion, and his minister's opinions about Louis Farrakhan will all be front and center.

Will Americans, a good chunk of whom favor restrictions on the civil liberties of Muslims, elect a man whose background they primarily associate with terrorism, after six months of a relentless GOP smear campaign that will do everything short of accusing Obama of being an Al-Qaeda Manchurian candidate?

No one really knows. What I do know is that it would be extraordinarily stupid to wait until November to find out. If the Muslim smears are enough to sink him in a Democratic primary, then he never had a chance.

Posted by Jason C. | January 19, 2008 5:18 PM

Erm, happens to be true.

Posted by Nicholas Beaudrot | January 19, 2008 5:20 PM

So Obama should run the Did-she-kill-Vince-Foster robocalls now? Just so that we don't have to wait for November to see if they'll work.

Posted by otto | January 19, 2008 5:20 PM

Repetition creates familiarity and suddenly the oddity of the name loses its impact

Another good point! As a negative tactic, it's just a plain stupid, apart from its ickiness. There's not much benefit to the user of it as a negative tactic. Someone should find out who wrote the robocall script and let him/her stew with a "don't hire this clueless person" label.

Posted by artappraiser | January 19, 2008 5:24 PM

My position is that there are some things that are good and worthy of praise, and simply aren't legitimate targets for criticism.

Say your kid gets good grades. It's legitimate to praise him on that account. That praise doesn't render legitimate the criticism that he's a smarty-pants nerd who thinks he knows everything.

In the same sense, it would be good to have a president with a diverse cultural background. We could rightly praise voters for picking such a president. But it's disgusting to attack a candidate because he has a diverse cultural background.

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 5:26 PM

Matt,

You stated above: "When his campaign and his fans complain about it, that rings a bit hollow to me."

I read your blog daily and find your writing to be consistently thoughtful and insightful; but in this particular instance you somehow failed to see several obvious points.

Obama's campaign (and his supporters) are NOT criticizing these attacks simply because they mention Obama's middle name; they are criticizing the attacks because the people using his middle name (especially in the context of a robocall) are doing so in an effort to smear Obama and deceive voters.

It's the attack itself which is being criticized and the manner in which Obama's middle name is evoked. In this particular instance, the attackers seem to believe that the more people who know Barack's middle name is Hussein, the more likely they will think he is a Muslim.

Obama obviously has great respect for the Muslim faith (and all faiths for that matter); but this does not mean that he and his supporters should not criticize forcefully those who engage in such deceptive and underhanded campaign tactics.

Posted by Aaron M | January 19, 2008 5:30 PM

Remember, it was perfectly fine for Democrats to call George Allen: George Felix Allen. It's only bigotry when Republicans call Barack Obama: Barack Hussein Obama.

Because if there is any infallible truth in this country, it is that IOKIYAD.

The hypocrisy of the Left is unbelievable.

Posted by Al | January 19, 2008 5:35 PM

So Obama should run the Did-she-kill-Vince-Foster robocalls now? Just so that we don't have to wait for November to see if they'll work.

Sure, why not. I'm already sure they won't work, but have at it.

it was perfectly fine for Democrats to call George Allen: George Felix Allen. It's only bigotry when Republicans call Barack Obama: Barack Hussein Obama.

What was the ethnic smear associated with the name "Felix" again?

Posted by Jason C. | January 19, 2008 5:43 PM

What was the ethnic smear associated with the name "Felix" again?

What, you've never heard of Saddam Felix Hussein?

Posted by Tom | January 19, 2008 5:45 PM

Remember, it was perfectly fine for Democrats to call George Allen: George Felix Allen. It's only bigotry when Republicans call Barack Obama: Barack Hussein Obama.

I'm not sure I grasp your point, Al. Is there some ethnic group subject to widespread bigotry that uses the name, "Felix"? Is it particularly hateful to be called "happy" in Latin? Are you under the impression that the left was trying to make George "Macaca" Allen sound like a cartoon cat with a bag of tricks?

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 5:48 PM

Yes,

Because Obama lived in Hawaii and Indonesia and has the middle name of a mass murder there will be world peace. Our foriegn policy would be much more effective if Bush's middle name was Pol Pot.

Posted by liberal | January 19, 2008 5:48 PM

it was perfectly fine for Democrats to call George Allen: George Felix Allen. It's only bigotry when Republicans call Barack Obama: Barack Hussein Obama.

Nah, that wasn't cool either. However, it was George Allen himself who started the racial slur fest in that Virginia senate race. Turnabout is fair play.

(At least, I think there's a stronger argument for "turnabout is fair play" than for "whatever's praiseworthy is also fair game for smears")

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 5:50 PM

"Felix the Cat
The Wonderful Wonderful Cat
Whenever he gets in a fix
he reaches into his bag of trix
Felix the the cat
The wonderful wonderful cat
You'll laugh so hard your sides will ache
your heart will go pitter pat
That's Felix, he's the wonderful cat"

Pure bigotry, right?

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 5:52 PM

attackers seem to believe that the more people who know Barack's middle name is Hussein, the more likely they will think he is a Muslim. Posted by Aaron M

And my point is, what is that going to get them? those susceptible to that kind of thinking are already probably not going to vote for someone with black skin. What's the end result? Nothing!
Quit worrying about it, they are not votes that matter. It's a stupid tactic. It would make could more sense to have someone do it to make it look like Hillary is doing to smear Hillary as a racist. Now that would affect some votes, from people like you who are offended! Not that I believe that's the case, I doubt it. It's just really stupid.

Posted by artappraiser | January 19, 2008 5:53 PM

People who use and fall for that "Hussein" shit are too fucking stupid to be Americans in the first place.

Clinton included.

Posted by calipygian | January 19, 2008 5:54 PM

Politics ain't beanbag. Imputing that Hussein Obama is terrorist qua Muslim is akin to, well, imputing that Bush owns a blind faith qua his evangelicalism.

And anyone who's lol-ed their college buddies with that latter (and mindless) narrative, please raise your hand.

Posted by resh | January 19, 2008 5:56 PM

Ok seriously, Felix is a Jewish name. That why people latched onto it. Remember Felix Macacawitz?

Al is right; it was the same sort of attack. The difference is that George Allen had already opened up with a racial attack on a young Webb volunteer.

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 5:58 PM

You know, it's not like he's starting out with the most non-Muslim-sounding name in the first place. Are there actually people out there with good feelings toward the name "Barack Obama" but bad ones toward "Barack Hussein Obama"?

Posted by Aaron S. Veenstra | January 19, 2008 5:58 PM

Felix is a Jewish name. That why people latched onto it.

Felix is not a Jewish name.

It's just a funny-sounding name. That's why people used it.

Posted by Jason C. | January 19, 2008 6:00 PM

Matt's post pisses me off for various reasons.

I've lost my faith in the Democratic party.

To read Matt accept prejudice in such a cold manner is sickening.

Posted by Thehova | January 19, 2008 6:01 PM

'George Felix Allen' was ostensibly to make the point that the son was not the same as the father. That it made California-bred neo-confederate dude-ranching manly-man noose-displaying Sen Macacagate sound like a big girl's blouse was just a bonus.

The hypocrisy of the Left is unbelievable.

Is it 'scientifically proven', Al? And is your middle name 'Hack'? Because that would be fucking hilarious.

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | January 19, 2008 6:01 PM

"Felix is not a Jewish name. It's just a funny-sounding name. That's why people used it."

Yup. Same as Willard Romney.

Posted by Petey | January 19, 2008 6:04 PM

Yup. Same as Willard Romney.

Oh, please. And Macacawitz? Whence came that 'witz?

I'll tell ya:
It came from the right and was eagerly adopted by the left.

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 6:11 PM

'George Felix Allen' was ostensibly to make the point that the son was not the same as the father.

So, we shouldn't tolerate people who talk about George W. Bush?

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 6:12 PM

"Oh, please. And Macacawitz? Whence came that 'witz?"

The use of "Felix" significantly predated the Jewish revelation.

He was Felix before he was Felix Macacawitz.

Posted by Petey | January 19, 2008 6:17 PM

Felix is a Jewish name.

This, doubtless, would have come as a shock to Popes Felix I through IV

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 6:21 PM

Yeah, this is pretty sickening. It's sort of like how it was okay to attack Kerry's Vietnam service because he raised it in the first place. Or how it was okay to attack Gore as being too smart and too stuck up to be president. Or how it was okay to attack McCain's drug-addicted wife and his illegimate black baby.

I thought that freedom of speech made it okay to attack anyone on any grounds? Assuming said attacks are verbal or written of course.

Posted by matt foley | January 19, 2008 6:25 PM

He was Felix before he was Felix Macacawitz.

eh? If that's important, I'm not sure what we're arguing about.

In any case, Allen's Jewish background was an unpleasant issue for much of the campaign, and the moniker was a way of raising it. The situation is analogous to Obama's, but it has a different valence because of Allen's own behavior.

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 6:25 PM

The calls are designed to chip away some of Obama's support in the black community by reminding voters that his heritage is African/foreign.

The voters who are afraid of Muslims are not voting for Obama. There may be some of his support in the African-American community who can be moved by "reminding" them that Obama isn't really one of them.

Posted by forest/trees | January 19, 2008 6:26 PM

Felix is a Jewish name

Would also have suprised Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, dictator of Rome.

Posted by otto | January 19, 2008 6:31 PM

"The robocalls are sleazy, but Obama supporters like myself shouldn't be concerned. Repetition creates familiarity and suddenly the oddity of the name loses its impact. Think of the governor of California. The name sounds as American as apple pie."

Uh, I don't think we've been at war with the Teutons for a while.

My suggestion: ban unsolicited political phone calls. They never should have been exempted from the don't-call lists. If that puts a crimp in fund-raising and polling, tough shit.

Posted by Henderstock | January 19, 2008 6:34 PM

Would also have suprised Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, dictator of Rome.

Yes yes, or boxer Felix Trinidad. I apologize for not phrasing that more artfully:

"Felix" was a way of referring to Allen's Jewish Grandfather Felix.

Nevertheless, I think the larger point stands.

Posted by southpaw | January 19, 2008 6:35 PM

Andrew sullivan is a fucking idiot. Just because he looks at politics and government in the most superficial terms doesn't mean that all muslims do the same. Surprised he didn't add a little "know hope" to that post.

Posted by columbia | January 19, 2008 6:53 PM

Andrew sullivan is a fucking idiot. Just because he looks at politics and government in the most superficial terms doesn't mean that all muslims do the same. Surprised he didn't add a little "know hope" to that post.

Posted by columbia | January 19, 2008 6:54 PM

After George Allen called a brown-skinned campaign of Webb's a racial slur meaning "monkey", it came to light that his mother was a french immigrant who was raised Jewish and then hid it in order to "pass" as a Christian. Allen angrily denied any Jewish ancestry.

Also, growing up in California in the 60s, Allen was a big fan of the confederate flag. He also had one (and a noose) hanging in his office later in life.

Posted by Ben | January 19, 2008 6:55 PM

Fuck you, columbia. Yeah, you.

Posted by Jay | January 19, 2008 6:56 PM

"Remember, it was perfectly fine for Democrats to call George Allen: George Felix Allen. It's only bigotry when Republicans call Barack Obama: Barack Hussein Obama."

Hillary is Republican now?

Posted by wrongski | January 19, 2008 6:58 PM

"I read your blog daily and find your writing to be consistently thoughtful and insightful;"

That was your first mistake.

"but in this particular instance you somehow failed to see several obvious points."

That was your second mistake.

Matt is, as usual, technically correct that Obama is going to be liked by some and hated by others for the same characteristics.

Of course, Matt is also wrong to just dismiss this fact, since it's obviously juvenile to do so. Matt is basically making one of his "I don't really understand anything but I'll make a broad claim about it anyway" posts.

The only issue which is relevant here is HOW MANY people are going to like him for THIS PARTICULAR characteristic of his name and HOW MANY will dislike him, since that speaks directly to his ability to get elected.

The same applies to Hillary's gender as a female candidate.

Had Matt phrased it that way - and provided some kind of poll or whatever to back it up - it might have been a useful post.

As it is, it's just a tautology. "Gee, some people like him, some people don't."

Duh!

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | January 19, 2008 7:02 PM

I thought that freedom of speech made it okay to attack anyone on any grounds? Assuming said attacks are verbal or written of course.

No, it makes it legal to do so. (Or, I suppose, illegal for anyone to prevent you from doing so.) I don't think anyone was suggesting that the Clinton campaign should be legally prohibited from repeating Obama's middle name in a sleazy manner.

Freedom of speech protects one's right to speech, it doesn't mean one isn't an asshole for saying it.

Posted by Royko | January 19, 2008 7:18 PM

Calling Obama by his full name is an attack?

This is quite a girly reaction from the Obama supporters, I must say, with due and profound apologies to girls and women everywhere. That is, if these are indeed Obama supporters, and not Republican idiots trying to cause rift among the Dems.

Posted by gregor | January 19, 2008 7:56 PM

Hey jay - people in the middle east have, what they consider to be, about three decades worth of grievances with the u.s. Whether those are justified or not, they are not going to be forgotten because a candidate has hussein as a middle name or has brown skin. Sully seems to think that they will - hence he's a fucking idiot.

Posted by columbia | January 19, 2008 7:56 PM

Barry Latham's campaign (doesn't sound so threatening he he had his mother's surname, not as exotic either, although the 'David Palmer'
effect is still possible) seems to be in a bit
of a rut. The circumstances of his kin back in
Kenya hasn't helped things. People are just not
that willing to go that far on a limb for change
even in the Democratic party primary. People want change, but in measured doses.

Posted by narciso | January 19, 2008 8:02 PM

with due and profound apologies to girls and women everywhere.

What exactly is the profound apology here? "I'm sorry I used your gender as a slur, but I couldn't be bothered to take five seconds to think of a better adjective"?

Posted by Royko | January 19, 2008 8:15 PM

if obama wins the primary---republicans win NoV
if hillary wins the primary---dem win Nov

Just the facts...

Posted by lillian | January 19, 2008 8:42 PM

Orthodox Islam would be just about the very last religion that would appeal to Obama in his quest to fill the hole in his soul, the hunger for "race and inheritance" left by his father's abandonment of him.

But Obama and religion will be a huge issue if he's on the national ticket. It just won't be the orthodox Muslim thing any more...

Posted by Steve Sailer | January 19, 2008 9:01 PM

Because Obama...has the middle name of a mass murder
Really? Barack Bush Obama? I didn't know that.

Also, Andrew Sullivan needs to bone up on his math. A logarithm is the opposite of an exponent, so if something has been "ratcheted up" a logarithm (of a notch), that is significantly less than a whole notch.

Posted by SC | January 19, 2008 9:34 PM

Names schmames.

I am more irritated about the use of logarithmic in the sullivan piece. If I increase something a thousand fold, that is 3 in log base 10. So does he mean that it is apparently small, but actually huge? Or is it the reverse? Terribly unclear language. Logarithm is properly the antonym of exponential--which at least commonly expresse large increase (usually incorrectly. 1% a year is, after all, exponential growth).

And while on this subject, we should pre-correct the use of quantum leap. Quantum leaps should refer to very very small jumps, but through apparently insumountable barriers, or conventionally, without traversing the area between. McCain politics follow intriguingly quantum behavior is a useful phrase. A quantum leap in the hunter (or thompson) campaign is also proper.

Posted by Brennan | January 19, 2008 9:47 PM

"Because Obama...has the middle name of a mass murder"

"Hussein" or variations thereof is one of the most common Arabic and Islamic names. My goodness, John McCain has the same first name as John Wilkes Booth--perhaps we should hold that against him?

Posted by rea | January 19, 2008 10:34 PM

The mention of "Hussein" (in Andrew Sullivan’s article) as an example of how inclusive the American political process has become is COMPLETELY antithetical to using this middle name for divisive purposes. In the positive example, you see the potential of reading "Hussein" as a factor in changing inaccurate perceptions of Americans abroad. In the latter, it is a political tactic, which exploits our xenophobia and general ignorance. It may be "the way it is", but that's a pretty closed minded defense. Intolerance is "the way it is". But is it right?

Posted by Will J | January 19, 2008 11:18 PM

The mention of "Hussein" (in Andrew Sullivan’s article) as an example of how inclusive the American political process has become is COMPLETELY antithetical to using this middle name for divisive purposes. In the positive example, you see the potential of reading "Hussein" as a factor in changing inaccurate perceptions of Americans abroad. In the latter, it is a political tactic, which exploits our xenophobia and general ignorance. It may be "the way it is", but that's a pretty closed minded defense. Intolerance is "the way it is". But is it right?

Posted by Will J | January 19, 2008 11:18 PM

Here is how this works, Al. When the Left uses George Felix Allen's middle name, it's to make fun of George Allen's racism by pointing out the ethnic background he has tried so desperately to pretend isn't his. When the Right uses Barack Hussein Obama's full name, it's because they are actually trying to foment racist sentiment. The reason the Right does this is that quite often it is effective. And the reason that it is effective is because a significant percentage of conservatives are actually racist.

Posted by gerontion | January 20, 2008 4:06 AM

gerontion,

And you might be correct, except that it is Clinton using the whole "Hussein" thing. And the whole "might have been a drug dealer" thing, etc. etc. etc.

Is it worse to be a bigot, or to pander to them for political gain? (Not that we should be surprised. After all, Bill Clinton recommended that Kerry oppose gay marriage in the last election. One more Democratic constitency ground in the Machine's gears won't trouble him much.)

Posted by heedless | January 20, 2008 9:46 AM

Asking Americans to vote for Barack Hussein Obama is a bit like asking them to vote for someone named Wilhelm Hitler Schmidt during WW2.
The only way Obama can win, assuming he get's the nod from the party, is to change his middle name, and to get his rich friends to have a conservative run third party.
He will be Hillary's Vice Prez candidate, though.

Posted by John Dietrich | January 20, 2008 3:38 PM

Asking Americans to vote for Barack Hussein Obama is a bit like asking them to vote for someone named Wilhelm Hitler Schmidt during WW2.
The only way Obama can win, assuming he get's the nod from the party, is to change his middle name, and to get his rich friends to have a conservative run third party.
He will be Hillary's Vice Prez candidate, though.

Posted by John Dietrich | January 20, 2008 3:38 PM