I'm sure you are right. And the last thing I want to do is to give them ideas or to be a concern troll.

I'm just trying to describe what I feel they are trying to do. And, although I agree with you that we should not be paranoidly focused on what the other side is trying to do, it does help to be aware and react quickly.

Just my two cents.

of error is good for McCain, because it shows that 44% of Americans won't vote for him.

it would be laughable if it weren't so sad. It's starting to sound like the hysterical "9-11, 9-11, terra, terra, terra." screeching of the Republicans in 2004.

But for whatever it's worth, I am not in the least inclined to look for racism where there is none. In fact, as a foreign born individual things like affirmative action often sound... well foreign to me (not to say I don't understand what their role is given the history of the US in this respect).

I think you are completely misreading my post, my friend (perhaps what I wrote was confusing to start with).

I am not saying that most white Americans are racist. In fact, I am convinced the opposite is true. To be frank, I don't think that most republicans are racist and think that people like Karl Rove are not racist.

What I do think is that we all hold subconscious stereotypes that are not necessarily racist (certainly not consciously racist) but that do play a role in our reactions.

Take a look at this link:
https:/implicit.harvard.edu/implicit
(I haven't posted in a while, I forgot how to embed links)...

All I am saying is that I think Rove, being a very smart and amoral politician (didn't say immoral, though), are trying to play these stereotypes in McCain's favor. I think it's undeniable that the image of the smug, sleazy OJ is seared in the collective American imaginarium. I think this is what they are trying to conjure up. I could be wrong. But I am not in the least motivated by racial victimology.

In fact, now that I think more about it, I don't even think they are trying to explote racists views per se, but paradoxically, an image that has to do with the very sentiment you are expressing in your post, which is not in the least racist: the largely justified pushback against racial victimology. That's what the OJ Simpson stereotype represents to me: the succesful minority that achieves the american dream and then fools and cheats to get his way, using racial victimology along the way.

I realize my argument is not well supported in evidence. It is more of an impression, a hunch. And, of course, you are entitled to deride my opinion. I don't happen to believe it is risible.

As stated above, this is probably my fault. I don't necessarily have a well structured cogent argument for what I am trying to say, and this probably results in my message being confusing.

What I can tell you is that as I wrote above in response to another comment, I am actually very much against racial victimology and this is certainly not what motivates my post.

I've attempted to explain myself a bit more in the response above. I'm not sure my argument is any clearer, but I think there is at least a kernel of truth in what I'm trying to say and dismissing it as just "playing the race card" or racial victimology is not productive.

I am also describing my own reaction to Karl Rove's depiction of Obama. Upon reading it I immediately thought of OJ. It was automatic and certainly involuntary. Perhaps I am a complete anomaly. I think not.

But perhaps arrogance too is in the eye of the beholder.

All I see is a proud, confident and capable guy. Not sure how you get that vibe, but of course, you are entitled to your perception.

On a side note, part of me was dismayed (because I saw it as playing to this "arrogant" narrative) and part of me was amused/delighted (because I saw it as unscripted and authentic and frankly quite human) with Obama's comment on the recent foreign trip: "I'll admit we did it really well".