…a factory worker in Cleveland, who works the third shift so she can take her son to school and then to practices for the four sports he plays. Pausing recently at a Walmart, she said, “Honestly, I don’t know what to do. I really don’t want to vote for McCain. You can tell he only cares about rich people. Sarah Palin wears glasses that cost $300. McCain’s wife wears Gucci clothes. Which means they don’t know anything about people like me.” Into that stew of assumptions, she adds, “I hear that Obama’s a Muslim. If he is a Muslim, that would be a problem because the terrorists already attacked us.”
From “Maxed-Out Moms” by Karen Tumulty in Time Magazine, Sept 29 2008
Yeah, he’s a Muslim.
Also, I hear his pastor said some pretty bad stuff.
And I bet he’s an atheist, too.
That just screams “I’m trying to hold on to some veneer of legitimacy for what boils down to a lingering relucatnce to vote for the black guy.”
Nah, what it screams is “I’m Confused?!” Like a lot of Americans (including me), she can’t see any good reason to vote FOR any of the candidates, so she’s looking around for a reason to see who she wants to vote AGAINST.
I’m trying to figure out the glasses bit. For one thing, I’m curious how she can figure out what Gov. Palin’s glasses cost based on pictures that I doubt have sufficient detail to permit reading the manufacturer’s name. Has she never heard of “knockoffs”? Second, I wear bi-focals and I don’t get designer frames and they still cost > $200, so what’s the big deal? Presuming that you’re buying prescription glasses and not “reading glasses” at Wal-Mart or your local pharmacy, what does she think they cost?
Buy online, and take the gamble that you’ll get something that looks really dorky on you, and you can cut that significantly and still get quality frames.
Me, I pay $300 for glasses, but I wear them for six years.
Back on topic, figuring out Obama’s religion would take all of 8 seconds. Either she’s trying to cover up an ulterior motive, or she just plain doesn’t care enough to invest that 8 seconds.
…or she’s been misinformed by people who are deliberately going out and spreading lies because they know it’s their only possible hope of winning an election.
I’m curious how she can figure out what Gov. Palin’s glasses cost
Her glasses have actually been all over the news. And apparently they cost $375. Without lenses. But the coverage has mostly been about her celebrity image, and I’m sure the McCain camp didn’t intend for the ‘rich people’ connotations.
“…or she’s been misinformed by people who are deliberately going out and spreading lies because they know it’s their only possible hope of winning an election.”
That.
I don’t really wear glasses, though I have a pair for driving at night that I think cost $190. (I remember because I somehow screwed up my insurance when I got them a few years ago.) But coming from a family of people with really bad vision, $300 didn’t seem like that much money for glasses to me, either.
If I were to guess at this woman’s motivations, I don’t necessarily see racism at the forefront of her non-factual stumble. I’d guess she has absolutely no information about the election, but didn’t want to admit that to the reporter, so she just cobbled together the last couple things she’d heard. I’d sincerely wonder whether she even plans to vote. I get total, uninformed, lazy apathy off of her statement.