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Let's Keep Britney, OJ Out of Campaign

McCain campaign beginning to conjure up racially loaded images of the past

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 1, 2008 5:04 AM CDT

(Newser) – John McCain's lurch into negative campaigning is beginning to echo loaded racial issues of the past, according to the New York Times editorial board. The "celebrity" attack ad against Barack Obama featuring Britney Spears and Paris Hilton recalls a Republican ad—from workers now on the McCain team—that juxtaposed a black Senate candidate with young white women.

The McCain response to being called on the ploy was to accuse Obama of "playing the race card from the bottom of the deck"—which is not just a "contemptible" example of blaming the victim, the Times writes, but an apparently deliberate use of the same phrasing as O.J. Simpson's lawyers. "It’s ugly stuff," the Times concludes. "How about we leave Britney, Paris, and O.J. out of this and have a presidential campaign?"

Barack Obama smiles as he talks with diners at Bell Restaurant in Lebanon, Mo., earlier this week. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Britney Spears performs with a snake during an MTV Video Music Awards finale. She's now being featured in a John McCain attack ad against Barack Obama. (AP Photo)

O.J. Simpson sits in a courtroom during a preliminary hearing in Las Vegas last year. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, Pool)

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Let's Keep Britney, OJ Out of Campaign

McCain campaign beginning to conjure up racially loaded images of the past

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Barack Obama • John McCain • OJ Simpson • negative campaigning • the race card

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More Newser Stories

Forget Sticks, Stones; Her Words Are Bullets

Palin's Obama rhetoric fans racist flames

Neither Side Has Played Race Card

Accusations aside, Obama or McCain aren't guilty—yet

McCain Camp: Obama Playing 'Race Card'

Calls Dem's comment that he doesn't look like other prezs 'shameful'

Candidates Keep Punching

McCain, Obama break with tradition and carry their negative campaigning into the election's final days

Mac's Tactics Time-Tested ... But This Ain't the Time

'Tinny and trivial' attacks are too small, and in any case too late, in momentous election

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Let's Keep Britney, OJ Out of Campaign

McCain campaign beginning to conjure up racially loaded images of the past

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • John McCain • OJ Simpson • negative campaigning • the race card

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Forget Sticks, Stones; Her Words Are Bullets

Palin's Obama rhetoric fans racist flames

Neither Side Has Played Race Card

Accusations aside, Obama or McCain aren't guilty—yet

McCain Camp: Obama Playing 'Race Card'

Calls Dem's comment that he doesn't look like other prezs 'shameful'

Candidates Keep Punching

McCain, Obama break with tradition and carry their negative campaigning into the election's final days

Mac's Tactics Time-Tested ... But This Ain't the Time

'Tinny and trivial' attacks are too small, and in any case too late, in momentous election

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?