But, people may take it that way.  I would call it a big mistake on a night that McCain could not afford to make a mistake.

Of course, he had some other mistakes that were very big.  For example, when he attacked Obama on his decision making skills when it comes to foreign policy the "bomb bomb bomb" and annialate NK cut to the quick.

After the last two weeks economic crises, I was annoyed at the end because this was suppose to be a debate on the economy.  I was also annoyed with the attacks, I wanted clear answers as to what would be done to prevent a total collapse of our economy.  I think both candidates failed to answer that question.

There is the explicit Bobby May racism ground in hatred and fear. I don't think McCain feels that.

But there is also racism present in our institutions, that makes its way into our subconscious, our body language, our attitudes, and occasionally emerges into the open, notwithstanding our good intentions.

I'm a white male, so I can't really know, but FWIW a recent exchange here at RK involving a reference to Jewish people that I don't believe came from hatred, but cut nonetheless, gave me window into how an African American may have experienced the reference.

because the context cannot support it. If McCain had said "which senator" blah blah (point to Obama) "that one" blah blah (point to self) "this one." Then it might have been okay.

Frankly, that entire section of his talk was strange, weak, and overall really bad. He lacks tact, for sure.

And when I lived in Hawaii it was used in pigeon slang all the time.

McCain's not from Hawaii but it came across to me the way older people talk about younger people - especially their kids.

I think some people may try to make it a race issue - frankly I am OK with that because I want the guy to lose, but I would be intellectually dishonest if I said I thought he meant it in a racial way.

I think it was a very bad way to talk about a fellow Senator and Presidential nominee.

was the lack of respect. McCain clearly got flustered and rather than maintain a level of decorum, he dropped back into a less than Presidential manner. Needless to say, I am not threatened by this and I think it would be dishonest to say it's evidence of racism, knowing that it was probably more of discontent.

A good move last night was Michelle on Larry King ignoring the question of racism and sticking to talking about the issues of the campaign. She's a classy lady.

and this is only a guess mind you, that McCain did not mean it as racist or derogatory in the common sense of the word.  My guess is that he was using it to look down upon his enemy (or more specifically his enemy's record) as someone not being worthy of being President.  Giving Obama no respect based on his record.  It didn't offend me from a racial perspective, but it did offend me in the sense that McCain would show such blatant disrespect for his competitor and fellow Senator.  

Having said that, I do agree completely with what you're saying - that because I also fall in the white male demographic I may read it differently than others would.   And that is really what matters.  If someone hears that statement and takes it as a racist remark, then it was a racist remark to that person.  It's that bread and butter simple. And it'll likely mean that person is not voting for McCain for making such a tone deaf remark.

"He didn't mean to sound racist" is a familiar defense. Does it work anymore?

"but it did offend me in the sense that McCain would show such blatant disrespect for his competitor and fellow Senator"

That's the key; McCain was getting frustrated last night, and the lack of respect showed through. Not racist; just disrespectful.  

Great Blue Heron grew up on a flash point of racial culture in Virginia, where working class whites were seeing their neighborhoods change in the 1970's.  Anybody remember busing, annexation fights? An early high school experience was being physically attacked for carrying an Alex Haley (yes, Alex Haley!) book. McCain should be ashamed for trying to dredge up the past.

http://vagreatblueheron.wordpr...

In Newport News, we still do it.  

Of all the services, the Navy was traditionally the most class- and color-conscious, or so the story goes. The upper classes generally preferred that their sons go in the navy rather than the grubby, dirt slogging army (and there, if one did go Army, one simply had to be cavalry).  And in the Navy, after the Spanish American War, the cooks and waiters were generally Filipino, or, as a last resort, black. There were no officers who were not lily white upper class. And of those lily white officers, once we had aircraft carriers (thanks to Billy Mitchell), it was those who flew fighter planes off carriers who were the creme de la creme, and knew it. When The Philippines became independent there was a lot of angst: whatever would we do without out good Filipino mess "boys?" and the very idea that Truman ended discrimination in the military by executive decree!!!

When you consider that McCain came from a long line of naval flag officers, was raised in that environment, and had the perfect temperament of a flyboy fighter pilot, well his distaste for upstart Obama plus his completely instinctive superiority complex looking down his nose at this uppity black boy is completely understandable and in keeping with his personal history and character. Hell, yes, it was a racially charged comment.

and said exactly the same as you to explain why he turned down the appointment.  He added that the officer class was largely drawn from the South with all that implies concerning racial and class attitudes.

for reminding me. I left out the Southern tradition, but that was also true, and it was true of the Old Army files as well. The South had a much more vigorous military tradition than the North. My father was from Low Country South Carolina. We still had horse cavalry at the beginning of World War II, but it was quickly replaced by armor; my father chose Infantry; Patton was naturally cavalry/armor.  The tradition of military service runs deep in the South, and goes back in a straight line to the British squire tradition which George Washington exemplified. Then, too, the South was in a long depression after The (Civil) War, and the sons of poor subsistence farmers had to find another career than farming, and what more appropriate career than warrior?  

It reminded me of an incident many years ago when I lived in West Africa.  My husband and I were stopped by a military checkpoint and my husband was asked where he was going.  He told the soldier, who then pointed at me and said in French - "and that one there"?  We laughed it off, but it was clear to me that this man felt I wasn't even worthy of notice.  I was just the female thing accompanying a man in the car.  There's just no way to paint this comment by McCain as anything other than a dismissal of Obama as a peer and an equal to McCain.  The use of that phrase spoke volumes.    

There were four moments during the event that convinced me that this was racist.

1.) The "That One" moment
2.) The assumption that the African American young man had never heard of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
3.) The minimal eye contact with Ms. Jackson who asked the environment related question, while McCain was practically in the other questioners' faces when responding.
4.) The minimal eye contact with Sen. Obama in both debates. McCain finds it deplorable that he has to share the stage with an African American man whom he will soon have to call "Mr. President".

As persons of color, that's how my husband and I observed it.

Locked on target

you're from "Communist Country," according to John McCain's brother. :)

Joe McCain called Arlington "Communist Country" because it offers opportunities and services to "those ones", -immigrants.

The debates are supposed to be between equals. By calling Obama "that one" he is telling us he is not one of us. He is one of "those".

Yeah - that one really got my attention when he said it.  The gentleman was fairly young if I recall and maybe that's what McCain meant.  But basically he said that the questioner was ignorant or uninformed or uneducated or incapable of understanding such details.  No matter what he meant, it was still a major insult to the person asking the question.

I thought instantly what a stupid comment it was.  Who does he think we are, Sarah Palin?

That one (point #2) and the "that one" really got me.  Both statements so highly disrespectful.  I also thought McCain just seemed uncomfortable, and the town hall style was supposed to be his strong suit.  He kept getting up and down and walking around and at one point, it looked like he was giving hand signals to someone.  Those chairs may have just been very uncomfortable to him (can't say I blame him with all his war wounds), but he also seemed to be too jittery.

To me that was much worse than the "that one" comment.  He was talking down to the young man who questioned him.  I was offended myself - I'm white so I wasn't offended because I felt racially slighted, I just felt like he was being the typical elitist.

I think people will see that as both racist and elitist, depending on your perspective.

Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Unlike Sarah Palin, I read the newspapers, so I've know for some time what Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are/do.

I don't think; however, that it was a slight at the guy who asked the question. I think McCain just thinks we're all idiots. I mean, after all, he's the one who owns 13 houses, not us.

I was insulted about McCain's assumption that the gentleman who asked about the mortgage crisis was dismissed as someone with the intellect of a child.  I noticed that McCain made eye contact with those who resembled him most, and used their names when responding. I noticed he barely made eye contact with the lady who asked the environment/green jobs question but had not as big an issue with the other women who asked questions.  

I am a latina, so it was obvious to me.  I dropped my jaw when McCain dehumanized Senator Obama as "that one" while referring to himself as "I".  That was not the only slip McCain made.  I figured McCain as usual would be given the benefit of the doubt that never seems to be given in the opposite direction.

McCain reminds me of someone I work with, who at times I can tell has problems dealing with my other coworkers who are not white or like me, are women.  He is not at all respected.  He parrots most of the far right talking points.  I really should bring it up how much this guy reminds me of Mccain.

http://thatone08.com/   It's going to stick

for McCain?

It was code to all the closet racists out there( All of whom have a right to vote)  to go forth and  vote their racists hearts.
Its the only weapon Mccain has left, and he would be a fool not to use it.

The challenge for Obama, is to  get out the vote! and turn back the tide of racism.

So, Mccain, as he gets further behind, will be less  subtle in his use of code .  the less subtle he gets, will be a sign of how desperate he gets.

But realized that he's not supposed to say "boy" to a fully grown black man, so he changed it to "that one."  

Disgusting -- just shy of calling Obama the N-word.  

Perhaps because it's started to become a pattern....
Here's my take on it:
http://momocrats.typepad.com/m...