Article: Ben Affleck expresses mixed feelings about McCain’s defense of Obama

Ben Affleck expresses mixed feelings about McCain’s defense of Obama

      by Zachary Chin

October 29^th, 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:

 McCain booed at rally in Lakeville, MN

 Ben Affleck's take on the perception of Muslims and Arabs in the United States

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.