It's so unusual to see a black person at the McCain-Palin rallies (I suspect it might even be a little dangerous to show up to some of the Palin ones, without clear identification proving you're a Republican...) that it caught many people's attention when an African-American man stood up at the John McCain rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin yesterday, declared he'd taken an "ass whooping" for supporting McCain (RawStory has the video) and "begged" him to get down even further into the gutter with his campaign. As reported in the WaPo:
"It is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama, that you hit him where it hits, there's a soft spot," said James T. Harris, a local radio talk show host, who urged the Republican nominee to use Barack Obama's controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., and others against him.
"We have the good Reverend Wright. We have [the Rev. Michael L.] Pfleger. We have all of these shady characters that have surrounded him," Harris bellowed. "We have corruption here in Wisconsin and voting across the nation. I am begging you, sir. I am begging you. Take it to him."
The crowd of thousands roared its approval.
He could only have scored better if he'd ended with "drill baby, drill..."
UPDATE: Here's the video:
So who is Harris (besides the latest contestant to try and steal away Clarence Thomas' "world's most hated black man by other black people" title? According to his WTMJ AM 620 station bio:
James began his career as a professional educator teaching high school history at Brown Deer High School. Throughout his career he has pursued global travel, visiting Western and Eastern Europe, India and West Africa, where he immersed himself in a multitude of diverse cultural systems in order to better understand the culture of his hometown of Milwaukee. Long before getting an opportunity to host his own show, he was known to many WTMJ listeners as the caller named James from Sherman Park.
He also has his own website and blog. Here are some of this thoughts, from just after Tuesday night's debate:
I don't know what else to say. If I were undecided, there was nothing in last night's debate that would flip me to one side or the other. But I'm not an undecided... I have convictions. I can think, reason and discern. It seems to me that in order to appeal to the undecided, one should present a strong ideology.
Moderate Conservatism vs. Socialist Liberalism.
Sigh.
OK... Let's try fear!
I fear socialism. I fear liberalism. I fear a Barack Obama Presidency.
One way or another, things are about to really change. The fate of the free world lies with 20% of Americans who have no convictions.
That's frightening!
Yes, my man. Frightening.
You know, my radio mentor's name is James T, also. Thank God he's sane, and not running around begging John McCain to dive deeper into the gutter. Not saying Mr. Harris doesn't have a right to his own politics ... just that he should be sure to wear his McCain T-shirt if he goes to any more rallies ... best way not to be told to "sit down, boy!" (ahem...)
BTW, if you've seen the "angry man" video, did you notice that McCain seems deeply uncomfortable with the campaign he's running, and the crowd he's in? He answers the "angry man" with an oddly juxtaposed call to "act together as one nation, indivisible..." not what the crowd wanted to hear. Just an observation... Watch for yourself:
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Tell a friend
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"[T]he practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.' Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, August, 1788
