Touré Ridicules ‘Constant Minstrelsy’ Of Herman Cain’s Presidential Campaign

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by Colby Hall | 2:11 pm, November 1st, 2011

» 96 comments

With an African-American sitting atop the GOP polls right now (as well as a sitting African-American president running for reelection next November) the issue of race — and predictable allegation of “playing the race card” — have once again become front and center in the world of opinion media. Last night, Touré appeared on MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, and drew a clear distinction between racism and racial politics, before calling out conservative commentators who have made Herman Cain‘s race — and his treatment by the media — a major issue in the last few days.

After playing clips of conservatives Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh ostensibly using Cain’s race as an explanation of the recent scrutiny that comes with a candidate at the top of the polls, O’Donnell admitted that he couldn’t make any sense of the “blender of Republican racial politics that’s gotten mixed up together,” and wisely handed off to Touré.

The left-of-center author of Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness made quick work of those on the other side of whatever ideological divide exists between them, by dismissing poorly these thought-out calls of racism which really only serve to muddle the discussion of race to the point where interested individuals suddenly want no part of the discussion.

But his harshest criticism was saved for Cain, a target that he has quite publicly blasted before:

I think that Cain, interestingly, does not exist without Obama preceding him. He rights the ship in a lot of people’s minds or rights the scales. Because Obama is alpha. He is brilliant. He’s a man you had to take seriously. He’s a constitutional law professor that you had to take seriously when he spoke.

Cain sort of reasserts the scales the way people want it to be. He’s charismatic and his ideas are not serious or well thought out. There is this constant minstrelsy aspect. He is the one who says he wants the secret service to call him “corn bread.” He says things like oh, “shucky ducky.” This is deep black slang he is using that we have not seen on a national public stage before and in the yellow flower ad that you brought out on your show a few days ago, isn’t he the one that gets punched in his own ad? What sort of man who presents himself as alpha and wanting to be the leader of the free world would get punched in his own campaign ad? It doesn’t make any sense.

And yet Cain allows the GOP to have this sort of force we’re not racist we are supporting this black man. even at the same time he admits this myth of black civility and self about negation and you don’t have to take us seriously sort of thing. That Obama threw it out of whack because you had to take him dead seriously.

It is quite a provocative notion to suggest that Cain’s certain act of “minstrelsy” as a presidential candidate has only been afforded by Obama’s candidacy before him. While it is not a terribly unreasonable point of view, and it rightly recognizes Obama’s historic campaign that came before him, this sort of analysis ends up defining both candidates in a rather one-dimensional manner, as if the only thing that mattered with Obama and Cain was the color of their skin, cultural upbringing and racial identity. Such is the problem with discussing race and racial politics: there is far more to both candidates Cain and Obama. That is not to suggest that race and racial politics should be ignored, rather, these are hot-button topics that always end up…well, muddling the conversation.

The use and abuse of racial politics and rhetoric is a dangerous game to play, particularly played irresponsibly, as Touré has alleged of Rush Limbaugh. It is likely only a matter of time that someone makes that very same allegation of Touré, but until then, watch the clip below, courtesy of MSNBC:

Herman Cain, Last Word, Lawrence O'Donnell, msnbc, Toure

Anonymous

Says one of MSNBC’s resident token negros.
Michelle

The reason liberals hate Cain so much, aside from the fact that they hate black Conservatives in general, is because he totally neutralizes their stated goal of crying racism at anyone who dares to disagree with Obama. It doesn’t work anymore. Instead, it is showing who the real racists are and they are on the left. Obama didn’t receive anything close to the racist vitriol Cain has from the left.
Anonymous

Looks just like “Buckwheat.” And this is the direct result of “Affirmative Action?”
Anonymous

Because Obama is alpha.. He’s a constitutional law professor that you had to take seriously when he spoke. ”

Yeah like when he talked about the 57 states or when he praised the “intercontinental” railroad or said that ”The Middle East is obviously an issue that has plagued the region for centuries.”
Michelle

Don’t forget the “corpsman”!
NDanielson

The talentless, clueless left. Without race this one would be busing tables at a pizza joint. In a predominantly white neighborhood.
Anonymous

Libs and Dems hate Cain because he destroys their entire appeal to minorities- Cain, Rubio and other successful minorities prove that you can be successful without govt. assistance and that is a very direct threat to the Dem premise that minorities can only be successful with the help of Dems and libs.
Anonymous

Yep! That one too!
Anonymous

What a pretentious d-bag this guy is. Anyone know this clowns real name? Admit it Colby, you feel kind of silly having to call the dude “Toure” in your posts. Like he’s some kind of talent warrenting the single name status.
JimmyTrackScorn999

I can see the rusty gears moving around in the conservative’s brain:
“But if blacks won’t like Herman Cain just because he’s black, then why did they vote overwhelmingly for Obama? How are we going to steal back this section of the electorate during the general election? We couldn’t say that not voting for Cain means you’re a brainwashed African American, because that would be insulting. Dang it, we’re stuck with Romney!”
Anonymous

This guy would be more believable if he were in black-face,
ceeza

Why are buckwheat and affirmative action in quotations?? Which racist exactly are you quoting? Or are you simply quoting the voices in your tiny head?
JimmyTrackScorn999

Yes, because affirmative action (not capitalized, not a proper noun) should produced individuals that are similar in appearance to Western Europeans.

I heard when you get your bachelor’s degree, they give you a tub of relaxer. If you get your master’s degree, its a hot comb.
Michelle

Yep, they hate any minority who refuses to play the victim, as Dems have told them they are.
Machrat

This has nothing to do with race. It’s about integrity. Cain initially lied about the accusations, settlement, et al and then reversed course when he realised that this info is easy to find. I don’t know if he harassed these women or not; the point here is that he lied. Period.
Anonymous

Wow- all those words for nothing, you racist.

And lets look at the logic of the lib brain:

“Conservatives support Cain because they are racists.”
JimmyTrackScorn999

Classy.
ceeza

Mr. and Mrs. ShortBus
Busslug

Liberal black = good, smart, alpha, to be taken seriously
Conservative black = token, crazy, minstrel, Uncle Tom, house negro, oreo, sellout

Just trying to keep the labels straight. Gotta make sure which ones are acceptable after all. Hope the thought police brought their whips and chains.
Anonymous

Yes, I quite liked it myself, you racist!
Anonymous

Mr. Irrelevant weighs in.
Rick Patel

Toure must be French; because it’s “Man of the Forest” translated from Bahasa Melayu.
Moosenuts99

You need to reread the article.
Anonymous

He wanted to go by the name “Cher” but it was already taken!
Moosenuts99

You don’t know what pretentious means
Moosenuts99

BUT BUT BUT 57 STAAAAAAATEZ

Dude, Cain doesn’t even know what Neo-conservatism is. If he doesnt know the history of HIS OWN PARTY, what makes you think he knows the history of ANYTHING

BUT BUT BUT 57 STAAAAAAAATEEEESSSSS
JimmyTrackScorn999

I’m a liberal, and I have great respect for black conservatives like Thomas Sowell. Not because I agree with him, or because he’s black, but because he is one of the smartest authors alive. Cain is no Sowell. No amount of singing and joking will substitute well thought out ideas.

Cain has zero political experience, so his private sector experience will have to go through extra scrutiny. That’s just fair.
Moosenuts99

WHO HAS ASKED CAIN FOR HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE

There is nothing more RACIALLY CHARGED than that BS
Busslug

I did. Thank you. He essentially called Cain a minstrel because he doesn’t think the way “blacks are supposed to think.” Of course we’re just using Cain to hide the fact that we want them “hanging from trees”. Shhh…don’t tell anyone.
Anonymous

But Cain can produce a real BC!
Busslug

I have no problem with that. I agree, people do like Cain because of his charisma, the same way they liked Reagan. He’s jovial and happy and positive, not “minstrelly.” The fact that he has private sector experience goes along way when we’ve been dealing with inept career politicians for so long. America needs someone to get us out of the mire, and Cain has a noted history of doing this with numerous companies. Let’s talk about that, shall we?
JimmyTrackScorn999

So, a black man, was being racist? Oh well. I guess this is what conservatives call reverse racism.
Anonymous

History of the GOP?

GOP history- You want to talk about GOP history?

Passed the 13th amendment banning slavery over Dem opposition
Passed the 14th Amendment granting citizenship to former slaves over Dem opposition
Passed the 15 th amendment giving the vote to blacks against Dem opposition
Passed the CRA of 1866 against the opposition of Dems
Passed the CRA of 1957 & 1960 against Dem Opposition
Passed the CRA of 1964 with a greater majority of votes than Dems who filibustered against it
Integrated public schools
Voted for the Voting Rights Act in higher percentage than did Dems

I think YOU should read about the history of the Democratic party, child!
Nancillarypeloslinton

This is a bit like black on black crime. Black people love to use racist putdowns of other black people. Look white people, don’t try this shit at home!
Anonymous

Isn’t Touré a 9/11 Truther?
Anonymous

Toure just telling it like it is. Cain is a joke. No one in his right mind would consider a guy fit for any office who says things like no bill longer than 3 pages.
Michelle

So when McCain was asked for his, it was racist? Get over it!
Anonymous

Wow- reading certainly isn’t your strength is it, dear?
Michelle

Indeed he is. Then again, about 35% of all Dems are loony truthers. That’s probably why it’s so hard to take them seriouslyi.
Nancillarypeloslinton

Touré, in another life, sashayed his way into some of the finest salons and shops throughout Europe, you know the old days before Globalization. The puffy shirts and lipstick should have been a dead giveaway, but of course, he had become the voice for angry mouth’d flits everywhere!
Busslug

Yes, give me more 2000 page ones that couldn’t be understood unless you have a law degree, that need to be passed “so we can see what’s in it.” Brevity is not only the soul of wit.
Tex45

Cain has been performing at Koch Christmas parties for several years now.
Anonymous

Thank you, Mr. Racist!

And Obama has been the Dems “Plantation Negero” for nearly 3 years now.
Anonymous

So your siding with the 9/11 Truther?
614CPA

I won’t even try to argue that elementary line of thinking but I’ll play along for a second. Now, are you telling me that YOU and all your spin wizards are going to go in that booth and vote for Cain? Didn’t think so.
Ark

No…it’s just a wingnut lie to try to discredit him.
hilarity

best comment i’ve ever read
614CPA

Not true. Herman Cain is just an idiot, that’s all. If he had any strain of substance people would listen. Unfortunately he’s such a wannabe that he’s trying to please a group that doesn’t even like him.
Tex45

Herman ‘Fred Sanford’ Cain doesn’t even take himself seriously. The joke is on the Baggers.
Anonymous

Try and read again. If you still don´t understand let someone explain the meaning of my comment word by word by to you.
Anonymous

You don’t read much do you, dullard?
sam

lemme beat Stonepark to it…
RACIST!!!
haha what a clown
…I agree completely machrat
Anonymous

You’re too ignorant to see you just proved Toure right about everything he just said with this one post.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gregory-Smith/100001741334953 Gregory Smith

Toure is full of crap, at least Cain has ideas, which are quite serious and well thought out in my opinion. Did Obama have ideas during his election campaign? Please, hope and change are not ideas, they’re campaign slogans. Cain is likable because he talks straight, tells it like it is, offers concrete solutions, is politically incorrect and doesn’t try to get along with everyone like most politicians do. I love Herman Cain, even if we disagree on a few minor issues.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
DEFENDER-90

And Obama has been shuckin and jivin for Georgr Soros.
Nancillarypeloslinton

Heard his favorite team is the Packers if you know what I’m saying’!
Anonymous

Can´t feel sorry that things aren´t dumbed down to the lowest level of intelligence.
Onne

All that’s left for Cain to decide is what time slot at Fox does he want.
Busslug

Dumbed down does not equal simplified.
Anonymous

Congrats, you just agreed with Toure on one thing without noticing it.
Lizton

“Even though Cain won’t be the nominee, his candidacy tells us a lot about the psychology of GOP activists. Our team wants someone authentic, creative, fresh, bold and likeable. And we don’t have much tolerance for too many facts or too much information.” – GOP operative Ed Rogers.
Anonymous

That little tidbit of conversation was really telling. The two of you are so out of touch on this issue, it’s not even funny. You think that 95% of black voters who voted for President Obama are brainwashed, incapable of forming a rational conclusion as to what is in their best interests, “playing” the victim, and clinging to government assistance as their only means of getting by in life. This meme coming from a lot of people on the right, such as yourselves, and filtered through Herman Cain, is little more than an attempt to invalidate minority votes, in the public eye. You would have people believe that they don’t really count because they are either brainwashed or incapable of deciding what is in their best interests. It just does not fit into your world that blacks may be a bit more in tune with issues within black communities than you are, and thus more qualified to decide what direction to move in. I left the bait out on that last statement. Let’s see if one of you idiots bites. I wouldn’t be surprised if you did, despite the warning. Cain, and Rubio are not the only successful minorities. Don’t try to twist it. You can add President Obama to your list, Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman, and many others who do not agree with the right wing. Blacks aren’t waiting for conservatives to come along and save them from the “plantation.” I always say that systematic, institutional, racism is a problem that was not created by one person, and it won’t be solved by one person. In the case of people like you though, perhaps the best help you, and those on the right who think like you, can offer is to just step aside and stop obstructing what progress has been made on that front.
Anonymous

REALLY!!!!

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/page/243693_MSNBC_contributor_Tourandeacut

DAMN! You just got pwned!
http://OsamaObamaBIDENbiNLAden.blogspot.com/ ThisSoundsCrazy

We need more government trolls conducting psychological operations on message boards.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gregory-Smith/100001741334953 Gregory Smith

Gee, projecting much? Replace the word Cain with Obama and the statement rings truer.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/people/Gregory-Smith/100001741334953 Gregory Smith

Please enlighten me, where did I agree with Toure? Frankly, I think it’s the Democrats who are projecting their own racist feelings about Obama into Cain. While Obama is their messiah, Cain is their escaped slave. “Boy, what you doing being a Republican? We gonna whip you ’till you start talking like a good Democratic negro.”
Anonymous

Definition of PRETENTIOUS. 1: characterized by pretension: as a: making usually unjustified or excessive claims (as of value or standing)

Perhaps Lord Toure would have driven the point home for you.
Jason

Sorry, he’s absolutely correct. The white liberals at MSDNC trot this afro haired sideshow freak out once a week to say all the vile racist shit they can’t say out loud themselves.
JimR

I know who he is.
Perez Hilton.
Anonymous

toure is a hoe
Hooligan

hahahahaha, this guy is funny, minstrelsy, coming from a token msnbc black, you’d think he would be embarrassed but i guess when you are currying favor from the plantation owner larry o’, you gots to keeps youze manners in line, hey toury, what do you say after the cameras are off, thanks ya misser o’

now go get yo shoe shine box boy, misser o’ needs a good shoe shine
Anonymous

A lot of people on the right are living in a fantasy land in which they hope to use Herman Cain as a race shield. They think they can use one man to invalidate the vast majority of black voters. He is the megaphone through which the nastier elements of right wing ideology can be filtered. He is their “get out of being accused of racism free” card. Many of them want nothing more than to hijack the issue of racism and turn it into a side show, in hopes that America will tire of dealing with the subject, freeing them to spout off the nonsense they currently have to let Cain take the lead on, free of social repercussion. I will not call Cain a tool. That would imply he’s being used without gaining anything in return. I will call him an “Uncle Tom” though. It is not a racist term, no more so than calling someone a turncoat, though it is awfully incendiary. It should be reserved for those that truly fit the mold. In my opinion Cain does. It is not because he does not vote Democratic. It is because of his constant attempts to marginalize black opinions, black voters, and the role he plays for the GOP. It is his actions that earn him the label. Herman Cain, much as he did during the civil rights era, is looking out for the personal agenda of Herman Cain, by painting himself as the type of black that Ann Coulter can tout as being better than the blacks supposedly dwelling on what Cain describes as the “plantation” in his constant attacks on blacks. It is one thing to ignore the group in favor of personal advancement. It is quite another to constantly step on that group to propel yourself.
Anonymous

Exactly.
Every white host on MSNBC (all of them in other words) always has their in house negro right next to them to insulate themselves when they go racial on Cain.
Tour’e is just some puppet for the DNC plantation whose only contribution of note to MSNBC is his skin color because to be quite honest he ain’t that smart. Juan Williams he ain’t.

“Attack Herman Cain..? Yassa’ boss “
Anonymous

He also said that Cain is likable. D´oh! Just used other words. Just in other words.
Anonymous

Uncle Ruckus Cain is good at what he does.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

no conservative knows what neo-conservatism is… other than being a pejorative term used by liberals…
Anonymous

Yep you 2 are right… them righties sure are racist…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ctO7fdrcc

oh wait… wrong video. Maybe you 2 could get together with this crowd… you fit.
Anonymous

Obviously you are not talking about Tour’e because he is a college dropout.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

it’s the so called experienced career political hacks that should have to go thru the extra scrutiny… the less “political” experience one has, the better… kinky friedman said it best when he ran for texas governor, “how hard can it be?”… the same can be said of the presidency, seriously, how hard can it be?… we set these bozo’s up as messiah’s when all we really need is some basic competence…
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

ask tim pawlenty how easy it is to get hired by fox news…
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

“a lot of people”… “many of them”… thanks for the detailed demographic breakdown, you’ve just proved unequivocally that conservatives are inherently racist… can’t argue with those facts…

oh, and thanks for making it cool to gloss someone an uncle tom… and be sure to let us know when the coast is clear to drop n-bombs with impunity…
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

it’s not his fault, his teleprompter is misinformed…
wildbiker

614PCA, I’m guessing your criteria for idiot must include Obama then. If there is a man without substance, it would be him. And there was no greater wannabe than Obama, the candidate. So, how about we table the teenage criticisms and see substantive discussion about policy you don’t like that Cain supports.
Norbit

Rush kicked your arse, you racist!
Anonymous

LOL@ “He is more of an entertainer!”!

Clown! I’m saying it since the beginning of his campaign. This cannot be a person.

This is a reality satire program.
Anonymous

“Neo-conservative” is progressive coded dogwhistle-speak for JOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
http://www.thecobraslair.com Cobra

And Rush Limbaugh has a degree in….

–Cobra
http://www.thecobraslair.com Cobra

You right wingers have gone and jumped the shark on Herman Cain.

Tell me what other politician running for President, at a press conference,breaks into song?!?
http://youtu.be/pZe75JSXhyU

You’re gonna defend that “performance”, Hooligan? All Cain needed was a little sand on the dais and a banjo for the buck-dancing exhibition. There is no way in HELL you would EVER see serious people of substance like Colin Powell or Condolezza Rice behave in such a manner, but apparently, in today’s GOP, all you have to do is say you’re Republican, and you will be defended at all cost no matter what you do or say.

–Cobra
OSux

With his big lips and nappy hair Toure just got back from the tryouts for the new buckwheat part.
Anonymous

Great comment, Censure.
Anonymous

The tea baggers and their flunkies the Repugs, had better pull their heads out of their asses and find a viable candidate to challenge the President next year or 2012 will feel like 1865 all over again. A total and complete lost cause.Then what will be the excuse? Go and try to sell this bullshit to those young people in New York plaguing the Kocksuckers at wall street. I can’t wait to smoke this cigar over the smoking, rotting corpse of the GnOP.
Anonymous

When will you inbred, snaggle-toothed, Pig and sister porking,poor white trash take a look at the calender? It is NOT 1950 anymore. Your era of privilege is over! Your president is black! Resistance is futile! You are under his authority whether you like it or not(ha ha). Now stfu or we’ll sick the secret service on ya’. They will wax that little pink ass.*

*oh lordy can’t wait.
Tormentor

Wow, you are clueless aren’t you? Actually racism is not quite right, bigotry would be more appropriate.
Anonymous

Yeah, well, Toure is just jealous that he can’t sing, and he can’t dance either.
AliveStillKickin

Toure should talk to Maddow about switching sex organs.
Conservativesage

Let’s all come to an agreement: Everything that the left and or blacks disagrees with is racist. Everyone who disagrees with Obama is racist also.