Ben Affleck expresses
mixed feelings about McCain’s defense of Obama
by Zachary
Chin
October 29th, 2008
Actor/director
Ben Affleck appeared on Real Time with
Bill Maher and provided a fresh perspective on the recent defense of
Senator Barack Obama by McCain. Affleck criticized the popularized dialectic
between people of Arabic descent and the term “decent people.” What Affleck
finds disturbing is not only the false labeling of Obama as a “Muslim” or “Arab”,
but also the assumption by so many that these terms imply poor character and
indecency.
Weeks ago, supporters of Senator
John McCain collectively booed their candidate at a rally in Lakeville,
Minnesota after McCain parried an attack by a woman who attended the rally who
claimed Obama could not be trusted because he was “an Arab.” The crowd groaned
at McCain’s defense of his opponent and his assertion that voters should be “respectful.”
With November not far away, heated attacks by both candidates have been
popular, and McCain’s sudden shift away from the fray evidently disappointed a stadium
packed with republican voters from Minnesota.
Known left-leaning public
figures such as Rachel Maddow have come forth to say McCain has taken the high
road and that he should be commended for his integrity. His defense of his opponent
did not go unrecognized, and many believe that McCain did the right thing in
dialing back the attacks on Obama.
Links to videos:
Others, like Affleck, are not as
easily convinced that McCain is having the right argument with his supporters.
Responding to the woman’s concern, McCain shook his head and replied that Obama
was a “decent, family man.” Affleck is concerned that in McCain’s defense of
his opponent, he made the implication that Arabs could not be decent people,
for McCain did not respond simply by correcting her perception of Obama’s
ethnicity.
Fox National News has devoted
over ten segments to exposing Obama’s true heritage. Some argue that he is a
Muslim or is of Middle-Eastern descent and others claim he is not, but many
shrug their shoulders and ask “So what?” According to Affleck, McCain’s
response to the woman’s attack on Senator Obama just reiterated the same
language that there is a natural opposition between Arabic people and
trustworthiness.
With disgruntled republicans
criticizing McCain’s defense of Obama from the right, and others criticizing his
method of defense, support for the Senator may suffer as voting day draws near.
