Milking a story for all it's worth, media uncritically report crumbling allegation that Democrats threw Oreos at Steele
Since Maryland's lieutenant governor, Republican Michael S. Steele, announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on October 25, numerous media have reported as fact allegations that, at the September 26, 2002, Maryland gubernatorial debate between Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Democratic supporters of Townsend threw Oreo cookies at Steele -- then a candidate for lieutenant governor. The accounts have referenced the incident as a racial slur of Steele, an African-American; in such a context, Oreos represent, as the website of Washington, D.C., radio station WTOP noted, a "slur for being black on the outside and white on the inside."
But as The Baltimore Sun reported November 13, eyewitnesses at the debate -- held at Morgan State University's Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center in Baltimore -- dispute the allegations of cookie-throwing, and accounts of the purported incident offered at different times by Ehrlich, Steele, and Paul S. Schurick, Ehrlich's communications director, contradict each other. Moreover, the Sun noted that initial news accounts of the debate made no mention of Oreo cookies at all. The first mention of cookies surfaced five days later, when the Sun reported Schurick's charge that Oreos were passed out -- not thrown -- by Democrats at the debate.
A Media Matters for America review of media coverage of the alleged Oreo-throwing incident has revealed little evidence to substantiate the claims originally advanced by Ehrlich, Steele, and Schurick. Reporting on the issue has varied greatly, giving wildly different accounts of the story, but a brief history of the Oreo-throwing legend demonstrates how this baseless allegation made the transition from partisan talking point to a "fact" reported in the media.
Following Steele's recent announcement of his candidacy, the allegation has resurfaced in numerous media outlets, including The Washington Times, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Sun-Times, that have asserted the allegation as fact. For instance, a November 2 article in The Washington Times listed "pelting [Steele] with Oreo cookies" among the "racially tinged attacks" directed at the candidate by his opponents. Similarly, on November 6, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell wrote, "Steele has been subjected to the worst racial slurs imaginable. At one debate, a group of black people pelted the stage with Oreos." Media Matters' review found the following examples:
- The Washington Times editorial page: 10/31/05, 11/4/05, 11/15/05.
- The Washington Times: 11/2/05.
- Fox News' Sean Hannity (on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes): 11/4/05, 11/16/05.
- National Review editor Rich Lowry (on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes): 11/2/05.
- Scripps Howard syndicated columnist and National Review Online (NRO) contributing editor Deroy Murdock: 11/3/05.
- Washington Post metro columnist Marc Fisher, in an online chat: 11/3/05.
- Washington Times metropolitan columnist Tom Knott: 11/3/05.
- The American Spectator: 11/4/05.
- Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell: 11/6/05.
- The National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service editor in chief George Curry, on National Public Radio's (NPR) News & Notes with Ed Gordon: 11/9/05.
- The Investor's Business Daily editorial page, 11/10/05.
- MSNBC's Tucker Carlson, on The Situation with Tucker Carlson: 11/14/05.
- NPR's Ed Gordon, on News & Notes with Ed Gordon: 11/15/05.
The Baltimore Sun reported November 13 that "[n]ewspaper articles and television news reports" from the night of the gubernatorial debate made no mention of the alleged Oreo cookie incident, and "representatives of the news departments at television stations WBAL, WJZ and WMAR and Maryland Public Television said they have no video of the incident."
In fact, the first reporting of anything resembling the purported cookie-throwing incident came five days after the debate, on October 1, 2002, when the Sun itself reported that "Ehrlich spokesman Paul Schurick said Democrats in the audience ... distributed Oreo cookies" at the gubernatorial debate. The report made no mention of anyone throwing cookies at Steele.
Two weeks later, The Weekly Standard's Jeffrey Goldberg reported as fact Schurick's allegation that Oreo cookies were passed out at the debate. In an October 14, 2002, article in the Standard's "scrapbook" section, Goldberg wrote that "supporters of Townsend passed around Oreo cookies" at the debate. Syndicated columnist George F. Will was next to pick up on the Oreo story, writing on October 21, 2002, that "[s]ome of the audience had distributed Oreo cookies to insult Ehrlich's running mate." Additionally, on October 31, 2002, The Washington Post reported that, according to Ehrlich, Townsend supporters "mocked" Steele by bringing Oreo cookies to the gubernatorial debate.
The first allegations of cookie-throwing surfaced on October 21, 2002, when the Associated Press and The Baltimore Sun both reported that on October 20, 2002, Ehrlich told an audience assembled at a Jewish day school that "Townsend supporters at the debate threw Oreo cookies" at Steele. The Salisbury, Maryland, Daily Times reported October 22, 2002, that "the Ehrlich campaign" claimed "protesters at the debate threw Oreo cookies at Steele." The Washington Times reported Ehrlich's claims on October 29, 2002.
London's Daily Telegraph was first to report Ehrlich's accusations as fact, claiming on November 2, 2002, that Steele "was bombarded with Oreo cookies" at the gubernatorial debate.
A half-baked smear
Ehrlich's allegations of cookie throwing conflict with Schurick's initial account of the purported incident, which included no mention of cookie throwing. But Schurick has since changed his story. The November 13 Sun article reported that Schurick claimed "he saw people passing out packages of the cookies ... before the debate," and that Democrats "let fly with the cookies" when Steele entered the hall:
"It was raining Oreos," Schurick said. "They were thick in the air like locusts. I was there. It was very real. It wasn't subtle."
But Ehrlich and Shurick's current claims about the alleged incident differ greatly from the accounts of eyewitnesses at the debate. In the Sun article, a university staff member disputed Schurick's account:
"It didn't happen here," said Vander Harris, operations manager of the Murphy Fine Arts Building at Morgan State. "I was in on the cleanup, and we found no cookies or anything else abnormal. There were no Oreo cookies thrown."
Three other eyewitnesses quoted in the article could not confirm the cookie-throwing reports:
Clint Coleman, a spokesman for Morgan State who was at the event, said he saw lots of unseemly behavior but no Oreos.
"There were a lot of things, disturbances, by this group of outsiders who were bent on disrupting the debate," Coleman said. "But I never actually saw Oreo cookies being thrown at him."
As for "raining Oreos," Coleman said, "I can tell you that did not happen."
Neil Duke, who moderated the event for the NAACP, said last week that he didn't see any cookies.
"Were there some goofballs sitting in [the] right-hand corner section tossing cookies amongst themselves and acting like sophomores, as the legend has it?" Duke said. "I have no reason to doubt those sources; I just didn't see it."
Wayne Frazier, president of the Maryland-Washington Minority Contractors Association said he watched Steele walk into the auditorium that night but saw no Oreos.
"I was there the whole time and did not see any of the so-called Oreo cookie incident," Frazier said. "It could have happened and I didn't see it, but I was in the auditorium from start to finish."
Moreover, Steele's initial accounts of the debate made no mention of the Oreo incident. The Sun reported that "Steele was quoted in two articles that appeared in the [September 27, 2002] newspaper talking about the pro-Townsend crowd and what he called race-baiting by her campaign, but he said nothing about cookies." Yet according to a November 22, 2002, report by the Capital News Service, Steele later "said an Oreo cookie rolled to his feet during the debate."
The Sun also reported that Ehrlich "said on WBAL radio that his father was hit in the head by one of the cookies," although "Schurick would not make Robert L. Ehrlich Sr. available for an interview."
On November 15, the Associated Press reported that Ehrlich has now "said he did not personally see cookies thrown at Steele because he was on stage," and "said he doesn't know who might have thrown them." The AP also reported that according to Steele, "Oreo cookies were tossed in his general direction as he left the debate at Morgan State University," including two that "rolled up" next to his shoe.
Steele's new story differs from Schurick's, which places the cookie-throwing before the debate, and differs from his own earlier account to the Capital News Service, which placed the cookie-throwing during the debate.
According to a November 15 article on WTOP's website, Steele claimed he had seen "one or two" Oreo cookies "at my feet" at the debate. During a November 16 appearance on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Steele also confirmed to host Sean Hannity that people had thrown Oreo cookies at him, although neither Steele nor Hannity specifically referenced the gubernatorial debate.
The food chain: numerous media repeat the Oreo story
Following the Daily Telegraph story in which Ehrlich's cookie-throwing allegations were first reported as fact, the Oreo story all but died, although several media outlets continued to report as fact Schurick's allegation that Oreo cookies were passed out at the debate, including:
- The Weekly Standard's website, the Daily Standard: 11/4/02, 11/5/02, 11/6/02.
- Syndicated columnist Gregory Kane: 11/16/02.
- Scripps Howard and NRO's Murdock: 1/6/03.
The allegations of cookie-throwing also resurfaced during the 2004 Republican National Convention, where Steele delivered a prominent address on August 31, 2004. That day, the Sun reported that "Steele and Ehrlich still talk about how supporters of former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend tossed Oreo cookies at Steele during the lone gubernatorial debate in 2002." On September 1, 2004, The Washington Post reported, "During the 2002 gubernatorial race, supporters of Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D) threw Oreo cookies at Steele." But soon after, the Oreo cookie story fell once again beneath the media radar, going largely unmentioned until after Steele announced his candidacy for the Senate.
Since then, media coverage of the alleged Oreo-throwing incident has increased, as has the media attention given to other iterations of the Oreo story. On November 3, the Associate Press reported that "Oreos were distributed" at the debate, and The Washington Times reported November 15 that Steele had been "smeared as an ... 'Oreo.' "
The November 15 WTOP article described a conversation with S.A. Miller, the Washington Times writer who penned the November 2 article on the alleged cookie-throwing, as well as other Times articles that made oblique references to Steele and Oreos (11/3/05, 11/7/05, and 11/15/05). According to the article, Miller initially told WTOP he had attended the September 2002 gubernatorial debate and had seen Oreo cookies hit Steele. But WTOP reported that, "[w]hen pressed, Miller said he couldn't swear in court that Steele did get hit with cookies because he didn't actually see it happen." WTOP also reported that "Fran Coombs, managing editor for the Washington Times, told WTOP Miller denies ever speaking to WTOP and said Miller did not attend the Morgan State event."
Thanks to Thomas F. Schaller, assistant professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who contributed information for this article.
--fits the usual pattern...."clinton aides defaced whitehouse computers & offices after election"...."wellstone funeral turned into partisan orgy"...."north vietnam attacked u.s. warships in the gulf of tonkin"...and so on, and so on.
wow, this is just like the time those democrats threw oreos at McCain's black baby.
Mmmm, milk and Oreos. . .
Michael Steele appeared as a guest on Hannity&Colmes recently (I think it was last week)...Hannity said to Steele (I'm paraphrasing here) 'That's just awful that in this day and age that you're called an Uncle Tom and they're throwing oreo cookies at you". Steele NEVER made any attempt to correct Hannity. In fact he seemed to agree (by saying it was sad or something along those lines)
I REMEMBER thinking...ah too bad that thread about Steele&the oreo cookie thing is long gone, or I would have posted this exchange.
Now lo&behold....ANOTHER THREAD about this topic.
I've no idea IF they threw oreos...AND I'd suggest it HAS NOT been proven they didn't. AND Steele apparently is allowing the "story" to continue. I mean WHY didn't he say to Hannity ' They didn't throw oreos'... HERE was HIS perfect opportunity to clear things up --IF it wasn't true. Is he lying?
Didn't anybody film THIS event? That would clear up everyone's dueling memories FAST!!
"I've no idea IF they threw oreos...AND I'd suggest it HAS NOT been proven they didn't."
I would suggest that the varying stories, especially when contrasted by the very consistent denials of any cookies being seen by the people at the event, disprove themselves. Now it is possible that Steele's account is true;one idiot very well could have rolled a couple of cookies towards his feet, and very few people might have seen that. That makes one of his opponents that might be charged with such crude behavior, but the story that his opponents acted en masse is clearly hard to believe at this point, and you shouldn't need video to clear that much up.
"Now it is possible that Steele's account is true;one idiot very well could have rolled a couple of cookies towards his feet, and very few people might have seen that. That makes one of his opponents that might be charged with such crude behavior, but the story that his opponents acted en masse is clearly hard to believe at this point, and you shouldn't need video to clear that much up."...by brabantio
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Well then WHY didn't he correct Hannity? Perfect opportunity to explain (YOUR scenario) that just ONE of his opponents threw a cookie or two at him, but that he wasn't bombarded by the crowd. Seems to me it would have been the time&place to amend ANY wrong impressions.
Anyway, I'm just reporting what I saw/heard Steele say--or not say-- on Hannity&Colmes.
You're free to interpret it anyway you'd like.
And I have to disagree about a video not being helpful...Steele appears to be sticking to the story that he was pelted with oreos, others that were there say it's NOT true. A video would clear THAT up nicely.
"Well then WHY didn't he correct Hannity? Perfect opportunity to explain (YOUR scenario) that just ONE of his opponents threw a cookie or two at him, but that he wasn't bombarded by the crowd. Seems to me it would have been the time&place to amend ANY wrong impressions."
Perhaps he is lying. The oreo story is helpful to him, assuredly, and he has no motivation to correct the record. But I would have to see the specific words, from your description "you're called an Uncle Tom and they're throwing oreo cookies at you" Steele could easily have considered that to be a fair portrayal of one or two oreo cookies thrown or rolled at his feet. Steele is not an idiot;why point out falsehoods being spread in his favor unless he absolutely has to? I don't think his lack of correction necessarily proves or even indicates anything one way or the other.
"And I have to disagree about a video not being helpful...Steele appears to be sticking to the story that he was pelted with oreos, others that were there say it's NOT true."
I'm not sure Steele is saying that, as I mentioned, he left some room for interpretation there. You seem to think, and correct me that if I'm wrong, that because there are two different sides here that they are equally credible. They aren't. What motivation do the people working cleanup or in other capactities at the event have to lie? Their side is consistent; "I didn't see it" or "it didn't happen". Meanwhile, the other side has many different stories amongst itself, which damages its own credibility in a major way. I'm not saying video wouldn't help, but that you shouldn't need to see it to figure out which side is much more believable here. Don't you think that if it had happened, somebody would have gotten video of it? Not that the lack thereof definitively proves it didn't happen, but it's a very strong indicator that the story is bunk.
"I've no idea IF they threw oreos...AND I'd suggest it HAS NOT been proven they didn't. AND Steele apparently is allowing the "story" to continue. I mean WHY didn't he say to Hannity ' They didn't throw oreos'... HERE was HIS perfect opportunity to clear things up --IF it wasn't true. Is he lying?"- jeter2
jeter, it has been pointed out many times on this board, it's damn near IMPOSSIBLE to disprove a negative. They make the allegations that something happened, they have to prove it happened, not the other way around.
As to why Steele isn't saying it didn't happen now, well, if the story goes away, so does he. It's the only thing he's famous for, and it gets him publicity, which is something he wants now that he's running for Senate. And since they CAN'T prove it didn't happen, the story stays alive. Problem is, if they ever do prove it didn't happen, then he's a liar and he's done.
Jeter:
I am sorry I can't get you a link to this, you have to register and it's too much trouble. I trust that you trust me enough to know I am not making this up; but if you register online with the Baltimore Sun you can actually link to the story. In the Sunday edition of this week’s Baltimore Sun Paper there is an editorial by C. Fraser Smith entitled “Cookie Story takes Flight in battle for Senate Seat”. He reports being on the stage as one of the panelist at the venue where this incident was supposedly to have occurred and he saw no cookies being tossed. He also says none of the media that was present reported witnessing any such incident and neither did any of the officials from the University where the event was held. If this incident truly happened surely it would have been widely reported in the media. Also why weren't there any cookie tossers arrested? This would have been an assault perpertrated in front of hundreds of witnesses. The article also states that this assertion originated not with Michael Steele but with Bob Ehrlich our Governor. Moreover, there are several versions of this story about. In one version cookies were tossed and in one has the cookies just being passed around by college students in full view of Steele, and in one they were rolling cookies on the floor and one landed by Steele's foot. Our Governor is the first Republican governor Maryland has had in 30 plus years and after the shenanigans by this governor and his team I think he has ensured that were not likely to see one again soon. Our governor is an ex- US Congressperson with close ties to the Washington scene and close ties with the Rove gang. We have witnessed the Rovesque political dirty tricks locally; I mean right out of a Rove handbook. One of the governor's political strategist and staffers was recently fired for starting Internet rumors about Baltimore City's Mayor O’Malley having an extramarital affair. I had heard that rumor for the last three years, and in one version the mistress was reported to be Black. The Mayor is White, so I am guess the racial thing was thrown in later for good measure. The governor publicly apologized to the mayor and the staffer was fired. The mayor is a Democrat and is planning to challenge Erhlich in the next gubernatorial election. I am sure this incident has helped the mayor because he is already leading in the polls by a large margin. The governor also got in PR trouble for banning reporters from state house briefings who he thought reported stories that weren’t favorable to him. This cookie srory is beginning to sound like a fish story.
"I am sorry I can't get you a link to this, you have to register and it's too much trouble. I trust that you trust me enough to know I am not making this up; but if you register online with the Baltimore Sun you can actually link to the story. In the Sunday edition of this week’s Baltimore Sun Paper there is an editorial by C. Fraser Smith entitled “Cookie Story takes Flight in battle for Senate Seat”. He reports being on the stage as one of the panelist at the venue where this incident was supposedly to have occurred and he saw no cookies being tossed.....
This cookie srory is beginning to sound like a fish story."...by Lynn
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Hi Lynn, thanks for the info, and I do trust you enough-more than enough actually :-)
I wasn't really even trying to prove that Steele was telling the truth about the "incident"...BUT when I saw the topic of THIS thread, I recalled seeing Steele on Hannity&Colmes, and found it interesting that Steele seemed to be allowing the "story" to continue. He could have easily corrected Hannity, BUT did not.
I must admit I find it amazing that Steele&his backers would persist with this story when it does appear so many are refuting it. And I'll admit it did make me wonder IF Steele could have been telling the truth....though so much indicates otherwise.
BTW thanks for the low-down on Maryland/Baltimore politics...sounds more "interesting" than our Massachusetts/Boston brand LOL!!
I found the transcript from that evenings program (I had paraphrased the conversation in my original post)
I'll just leave a SMALL portion of the transcript&the link.
*It's the NEXT TO LAST question that deal with the oreo cookies*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," November 16, 2005
HANNITY: But first, the race card may be in play in the Maryland Senate campaign, where the first African-American to serve in a statewide office, Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, is running for the Republican nomination.
Now, the Washington Times reported that Steele has endured racial slurs and cartoons for years. In 2001, he was called a, quote, "Uncle Tom" by the president of the state Senate.
Earlier this year, a liberal web site called him, quote, "Simple Sambo," who wants to move into the big house. It also depicted him as a black-faced minstrel. And according to reports, he was pelted with Oreo cookies during a 2002 campaign stop.
And all of these attacks and all of these slurs were made by liberals and for one reason: Mr. Steele is an African-American Republican
Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele, he joins us on "Hannity & Colmes" tonight for an exclusive interview.
Michael, first of all, I am very sorry in this day and age to see that any American has to live through this, but it is — the fact that it is — there is not outspoken condemnation of this by Democrats is even more shocking in this day and age. Tell us what's happening.
LT. GOV. MICHAEL STEELE (R), MARYLAND SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, it's the nature of the beast that we have to live with. As you know, if you an African-American Republican, it's not easy going. Our state is 2-1 Democrat registration. It does tend to have a left of center bent politically.
But the reality of it is that, you know, a lot of these condemnations, a lot of these invectives really come out of fear that there's a different voice on the stage, there's a different mindset that's emerging, not just in the black community but across the state that I think reflects a desire for empowerment, a desire for greater opportunities, not the status quo type of government that we've been fed for many generations.
But an opportunity for people to expand and to think for themselves and to come to — you know, through independent thought what makes them different and what, you know, what they need to do to aspire and meet their dreams.
HANNITY: Michael, let's talk specifically about what you've had to endure. You had Oreo cookies thrown at you.
STEELE: Yes.
HANNITY: You've been called all these horrible names.
STEELE: Yes.
[link to www.foxnews.com]
jeter2:
MD politics can be very interesting. We have always had a cast of characters. Talk about choosing the lesser of evils.
You know Steele didn't really go into detail about the cookie thing, but he has most certainly been called an Uncle Tom. I called him that myself when I read his take on the country club thing.(I'm not perfect) I also saw the minstreal picture on that website before it was recently changed. It was in poor taste and it's not fair. I don't want a mud slinging campaign with Michael Steele. I can honestly say that even though he doesn't sit well with me. I don't trust him, his too politiciany for me. My candidate for the US Senate however probably doesn't stand a chance. If I see toward the end of the race that Kwesi Mfume isn't a contender, I will throw my support behind Ben Cardin.
Oops, he did answer in the affirmitive about the cookie thing. If somebody threw cookies at him he should have had them arrested. That's battery not to mention it's an absolute waste of a perfectly delicious cookie. I love Oreo cookies.
"If somebody threw cookies at him he should have had them arrested."
That's why I believe someone may have just thrown a couple or rolled them at his feet. He can be telling the truth, and yet the "pelting" story can be false. Any video of the event probably would not have caught that (my A/V experience is you don't do full body shots), and there would be no means or reason to file battery charges.
"If somebody threw cookies at him he should have had them arrested."
"That's why I believe someone may have just thrown a couple or rolled them at his feet. He can be telling the truth, and yet the "pelting" story can be false. Any video of the event probably would not have caught that (my A/V experience is you don't do full body shots), and there would be no means or reason to file battery charges."...by brabantio
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Hannity put it very simply& Steele answered just as simply:
HANNITY: Michael, let's talk specifically about what you've
had to endure. You had Oreo cookies thrown at you.
STEELE: Yes.
Thrown isn't "rolled" nor is it "pelted"....so either Steele is out&out lying or maybe a few cookies were "thrown".
Of course the bottom line here is that people were angry, and rightfully so for Steele's lack of backbone when it came to speaking up to the Governor about his choice of venue for a fundraiser. Of course name-calling and the throwing of even one object (cookie or whatever) should not be condoned...understood maybe, but not condoned.
I still say it's too bad there's no video...hell someone always seems to have a video camera around these days for everything else ;-)
"Thrown isn't "rolled" nor is it "pelted"....so either Steele is out&out lying or maybe a few cookies were "thrown"."
It's vague, that's why I don't think that it proves anything about him lying or that it proves the story at all.
"Of course name-calling and the throwing of even one object (cookie or whatever) should not be condoned...understood maybe, but not condoned."
I don't condone it myself, of course, I called anyone who did such a thing an "idiot".
"I still say it's too bad there's no video..."
It sounds to me like there was video of the event, there's just no video of the "oreo incident". To me, that just suggests it didn't happen.
"It sounds to me like there was video of the event, there's just no video of the "oreo incident". To me, that just suggests it didn't happen."...by brabantio
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I think I'm gonna agree with you on THIS one. Maybe you're right- one errant cookie got tossed--who knows? BUT that's ALL it would take to BLOW the story up.
You know IF they had video of Steele being pelted with Oreos, it would have been shown on Fox around the clock. Even I can admit that ;-)
"Oops, he did answer in the affirmitive about the cookie thing. If somebody threw cookies at him he should have had them arrested. That's battery not to mention it's an absolute waste of a perfectly delicious cookie. I love Oreo cookies."...by Lynn
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Steele did answer: "YES" when Hannity asked him if they threw oreo cookies, but he did NOT elaborate. So IF it didn't happen, then he's lying. And if it did happen, you're right it's a waste of a perfectly good cookie ;-)
I love Oreo cookies too! And Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter...well damn, now I'm hungry.
Ya think he actually wants this cleared up? I don't think so. It's to his advantage. Please, he could even justify it by thinking - they "threw" it at him in a very figurative sense. See, passing the cookies around can be seen as "throwing it in his face" that they are equating him with an oreo. Of course, oreos might just have been on sale.
I can not tell a lie: i was present at the debate; and I am a partisan for the election of Kathleen Kennedy as Governor; and I did throw confectionary treats at a rally. But I can not tell a lie.
I never threw an "Oreo"; nor did I throw any "Chip's-A-Hoy" either (I like them too much; their chewy softness and chocolaty goodness!)...
I threw "Hydrox" cookies at that rally; I can not tell a lie.
And for two reasons did I throw "Hydrox" cookies: one, because they're the much cheaper (and more poly-unsaturated oilier) version of "Oreos"; and two...
I don't like Kathy that much, as to sacrifice my most favored cookie.
Perky White Girl Speaks: Vote Mike Steele for Senate. Black liberals hate him, so you know he's an OK guy! *significant wink*
I am beginning to believe that’s the purpose of the story and painting MS as the victim of racial slurs will somehow make him sympathetic to Conservative voters. MS the long-suffering Black conservative is being persecuted by those Black Liberals because he saw the light and they didn’t. In addition I have decided that while the term Uncle Tom is a pejorative I don't feel it rises to the level of a racial slur. I looked up the terms -
racist -[link to www.webster.com]
and the term uncle tom - [link to www.webster.com]
The term is just very descriptive of a certain behavior. BTW, why is calling a Black conservative an Uncle Tom (when the shoe fits) racist, but Black and White Conservatives referring to Black Liberals as living on the "Democrat's Plantation" not racist? You can't have it both ways.
For instance I find Steele’s reaction to the exclusive country club thing very Uncle Tommy. He didn't want to offend the power structure he needs to support his senate campaign. If this this cookie story turns out to be greatly exagerated, I don't think it was a smart move on their part. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in this state period; and if this story is disproven there will likely be a backlash among Blacks in the state who will resent the attempted manipulation. That said, MS should put forth his pltform honestly and let Maryland voters decide who they feel is the best person to represent their interests.
I lived on the MD/VA state line at the time of the debate, and not word one was made about Oreos being thrown by ANY media that I heard at the time. This would include the very conservative local talk radio station that I would listen to (it was also the station that broadcasted all Baltimore/U of MD sports; my main reason for listening). If this event had actually occurred, not only would have Mr. Franklin been yelling about it on the radio, but it would have made national news. Does anyone really think that a black politician getting "pelted with a rain of Oreos" would not have made national news? The event was televised, for God's sake! This was a big deal gubernatorial debate that all of the local media, including Washington media, covered. With all of that coverage, the burden of proof falls squarely on the shoulders of those making the accusation. And as far as calling Steele, Ehrlich and others putting forth this story liars, they are. I have no problems saying this since they have been saying that EVRYONE ELSE who attended the debate and all said nothing of the sort happened liars. So, do you want to believe the 3-4 people who gain great political advantage or the several hundred eyewitnesses, many of who have nothing to gain? I will go with the several hundred.
anybody remember that guy in west virgina, who took his 4 year-old daughter to a kerry rally, sometime before the 2004 election; and he gave his daughter a bush-cheney sign to hold up, and out of nowhere a thug grabbed the sign from the little girl's hands and tore it up, making the kid burst into tears; and all of this was conveniently captured by a professional photographer just 10 feet away; and it was only after the foxy media ran with this bombshell "pro-kerry thug makes little pro-bush-cheney girl cry", that people discovered that not only had the girl's father been the target of previously staged political assaults such as this, but that the pro-kerry thug that tore the sign up was eventually identified as the guy's son (the little girl's big brother!).
now west virginia and maryland border one another, but i don't think there's any chance that that guy (and his family) are involved: it's missing the key element to that other political assault...
...a little girl in tears.
unless somebody wants to spice this story up a bit, and make it so that the oreos had been snatched from a little girl's hands; a little girl wearing a pro-steele t-shirt; and made to cry by the thug who stole her cookies; a thug wearing a pro-kathy t-shirt...
...a thug who bore a striking family resemblance.
Black Commentator.com commented on Liar Micheal Steele's race-baiting race victim scam, as well as on the cowardly and/or corrupt and/or racist white Maryland Democrats joining forces with their equally cowardly, corrupt, and racist white Maryland Republicans in their efforts to silence black opinion in another area on Steele:
[link to www.blackcommentator.com]
Next, on the black web site Anderson at large, run by black independent Faye Anderson, when commenting on right wing racist of color Micheal Steele:
[link to www.andersonatlarge.typead.com]
Finally, on the only national black talk radio channel on Satellite Radio, XM 169/THE POWER, specifically on black talk radio host Mark Thompson's show Make It Plain, Thompson and his black callers from Maryland and other states all blasted and barbecued Steele as a liar, and they also said that Steele has made a career of opposing black causes, and sanctioning the racist actions of whom Thompson labeled Steele's cheap-touped boss, Maryland's White Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Black talk radio is already 100% to one AGAINST Micheal Steele on this Oreo Cookie Scam issue, among other things.
Thompson also said that 90%+ of the black voters in Maryland are against Steele because they don't like the racist company he's keeping, and because of the support from racist white conservative quarters that he's drawing.
The dis-likes of right wing white conservative racist Republipunk rightie scum like Chiceknahwk Liar Hannity, Ann "Racist Hate Hag Transsexual Scum" Coulter, are 2 examples right there of the fact that Steele'c commanding the racist support of the anti-civil rights/pro-segregation conservative white Republican cabal.
ONE MORE SOURCE which addresses and most likely says that Micheal Steele is flat out LYING is The Daily Howler:
[link to www.dailyhowler.com]
Sadly, the right wing conservative corporate Republican media in Maryland and elsewhere is doing everything they can to help Steele get elected.
For those who don't know or believe, the right wing conservative corporate Republican media in Maryland is pro-Steele and pro-Ehrlich and pro-Republican, much like the national conservative media's pro-Republican.
It's a good thing that the African-American media and the black talk radio stations like Xm 169/THE POWER are exposing Steele's lie.
there's nothing to discuss. no tangible evidence exists that this event ever occurred, other than in the fevered imagination of bob ehrlich and company. it wasn't reported anywhere, by any media; right, left or center.
i live in the d.c. metro area, we'd have been drowned by reports of it, had it really happened. we weren't.
Before I began making my comments about Michael S. Steele, it is important that I point out that I am a person of mixed raicial (black,native-indian)heritage,most importantly,a woman of color.Therefore, I may say something that others may not feel they have the "racial moral authority"to say.No worries,I might just say it for you.
Wether or not the allegations about the OREO cookie fiasco are true or false,matters not.Wether the Democrats were simply passing them out in silent protest or were ready to lauch an all out cookie war is irrelivant.The point being made here is that the majority of the Black American comunity ,most of whom vote democrat,oppose strongly those who we consider to be sell-outs.Now,what is a sell-out? A sell-out is NOT someone who say,dates outside of their race or went to some prestigious college and doesn't speak in the stereotyped "black" language.I will go as far as to say that a sell-out isn't even a Black person who cannot recall the name of a single rap artist.So,I said all that to make clear that when we call someone a sell-out,we do so because the individual has literally sold us out.Which brings me to why Michael S. Steele is a sell-out.The Republican Party is one that has been active in doing away with laws that protect the Non-Whites in this country.They seek to take away Civil Rights Laws,Affirmative Action Laws,strengthening laws that protect from Hate Crimes prosecution,and refuse to so much as hear or address issues facing the Black American Peoples.That is why, when a black politition,calls himself a Republican,he is called a traitor and a sell-out.There are a few Blacks with a UTM (Uncle Tom Mentality)They are similar to the free slaves, back in the day who said "I's gonna stays wit da massa.My massa dun bin good ta me.My massa feed me" This same mentality has infected,like a disease, a handful of our fellow blacks and that is why you see the OREOS and the name calling.Just like I would expect white Liberals and Progressives to aggresivly speak out against White Supremists,Blacks who support those Suppremists,(Republicans) should be spoken out against as well.
Deanna said:
".Just like I would expect white Liberals and Progressives to aggresivly speak out against White Supremists,Blacks who support those Suppremists,(Republicans) should be spoken out against as well."
I agree with you most definitely Deanna!!! Problem is now with the media being manipulated/scared/or whatever by the conservatives, those of us of color who dare criticize conservatives of color will be demonized/be made out to be living on the "Democratic Plantation"...
I guess it's "politically incorrect" now for Blacks to be critical of Black Conservatives..
ugh......
Can't we all get past this bs.... Please......
Hey, does anyone know if there was fried chicken & black eyed peas served before the debate????
Oreos??.....being thrown on stage???....my word, grow up media!!!
--if all else fails, they will resort to the old "well, can you PROVE that oreos were NOT thrown?"
At the end of your article you have this:
Thanks to Thomas F. Schaller, assistant professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who contributed information for this article.
This Thomas Schaller guy is so far to the left, that if the world were flat he would fall off.
The fact is this: Liberals/Democrats can't stand an "African American Republican" ... it scares Libs/Dems to death.
But the funniest part of article is that you are crying because the story was reported.
But the funniest part of article is that you are crying because the story was reported.
by propokerplayer - Tuesday November 22, 2005 12:07:48 PM EST
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I think it's reasonable to be unhappy when the press reports something as having happened when it didn't happen. I would hope any reasonable person of any ideology would be unhappy in those circumstances. Or do you like being lied to?
propokerplayer:
You are an absolute genius. I am terrified of Black Republicans. I have dreams of them chasing me and then suddenly I find a mound of oreo cookies and I start pelting them with them and they go down just like Goliath.
I am deliberately being ridiculous to illistrate how ridiculous you sound.
The fact is this: Liberals/Democrats can't stand an "African American Republican" ... it scares Libs/Dems to death.
To propokerplayer...
...I don't think it would be a stretch at all to say that there are more conservative African-Americans scattered throughout our society than you're probabaly aware of. It's that many of them can't stomach the policies of the evangelical/far right pundits in the Repubican party....AND, I don't blame them....just to throw a few cookies.
Deanna's comments on the anti-black black conservative Republican racist white supremacist devotee Micheal Steele and Steele's self-hating racist love affair with white supremacy:
"Whether or not the allegations about the OREO cookie fiasco are true or false, matters not. Whether the Democrats were simply passing them out in silent protest or were ready to lauch an all out cookie war is irrelevant. The point being made here is that the majority of the Black American community, most of whom vote democrat, oppose strongly those who we consider to be sell-outs. Now,what is a sell-out? A sell-out is NOT someone who say, dates outside of their race or went to some prestigious college and doesn't speak in the stereotyped "black" language. I will go as far as to say that a sell-out isn't even a Black person who cannot recall the name of a single rap artist. So,I said all that to make clear that when we call someone a sell-out, we do so because the individual has literally sold us out. Which brings me to why Michael S. Steele is a sell-out. The Republican Party is one that has been active in doing away with laws that protect the Non-Whites in this country. They seek to take away Civil Rights Laws, Affirmative Action Laws, strengthening laws that protect from Hate Crimes prosecution, and refuse to so much as hear or address issues facing the Black American Peoples. That is why, when a black politician, calls himself a Republican, he is called a traitor and a sell-out. There are a few Blacks with a UTM (Uncle Tom Mentality). They are similar to the free slaves, back in the day who said "I's gonna stays wit da massa. My massa dun bin good ta me. My massa feed me" This same mentality has infected,like a disease, a handful of our fellow blacks and that is why you see the OREOS and the name calling. Just like I would expect white Liberals and Progressives to aggresivly speak out against White Supremists, Blacks who support those Suppremists,(Republicans) should be spoken out against as well.
=============================================================
Truer words have never been spoken on this board before.
They HAVE been spoken by XM 169/THE POWER's Mark Thompson, and black talk radio hosts and callers on THE POWER and other black talk radio stations, especially those in the Maryland-D.C. area, have been blasting and barbecuing both Steele and his racist white conservative Republican supporters for this stunt and for racist Micheal Steele's racist race card scam.
The right wing white conservative racists on this board like the racist in-law-school (he's a home-scholled white supremacist, much like those racist white supremacist Olson twin types), racist propokerplayer who's a racist who hates black people except for anti-black black conservative racists like Micheal Steele who hates black people more than he does, and the racist white supremacist Thomas F. Schaller, who also has a racist anti-black "support" of Micheal Steele.
Black talk radio has exposed these and the rest of the racist white conservative Republicans in Maryland and elsewhere that continue to tout this Oreo cookie lie that Steele and his racist white conservative "supporters" continue to run.
Also, thew racist white supremacist conservative Republican propokerplayer and the white supremacist home schooled NOT-in-law-school continue to display their own racist hatred for black people wtih their use of the right wing phrases like "Democratic Plantataion" and other racist anti-black phrases filled with racist steretypes of blacks.
Their right wing racist support of their other "favorite" black Republicans, the anti-black black conservative racist Condoleeza Rice and the anti-black black conservative racist Clarence Thomas, oozes to the surface, since both Rice and Thomas are staunch opponents of civil rights, and since both favor Bush's and the Republicans' efforts to repeal civil rights laws and reinstate segregation, among other things.