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[novapsyche]

Eugene Robinson explains the pain of Joe Biden's quip about Barack Obama: An Inarticulate Kickoff

I realize the word is intended as a compliment, but it's being used to connote a lot more than the ability to express one's thoughts clearly. It's being used to say more, even, than "here's a black person who speaks standard English without a trace of Ebonics."

The word articulate is being used to encompass not just speech but a whole range of cultural cues -- dress, bearing, education, golf handicap. It's being used to describe a black person around whom white people can be comfortable, a black person who not only speaks white America's language but is fluent in its body language as well.

And the word is often pronounced with an air of surprise, as if it's an improbable and wondrous thing that a black person has somehow cracked the code. I can't help but think of the famous quote from Samuel Johnson: "Sir, a woman preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all."

Articulate is really a shorthand way of describing a black person who isn't too black -- or, rather, who comports with white America's notion of how a black person should come across.

Comments

[vrax.livejournal.com]

I actually found the "clean" part of that comment a lot more offensive and disturbing than the "articulate" remark.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

As did I. But as Mr. Robinson said in the beginning of his article, what was meant by that word is fairly obvious and really needs no deconstruction.

[vrax.livejournal.com]

Good point.

[davehogg.livejournal.com]

[Disclaimer: I was briefly a volunteer for Biden's campaign in 1988.]

Biden is a dipshit, but I think he pretty clearly meant "clean" in the sense of "not corrupt", not "bathes regularly". Given the current climate in Washington, having an unblemished record is a pretty good start to the campaign.

"Articulate", though, was stupid, and the statement as a whole was political suicide.

[vrax.livejournal.com]

I think that's the only possible way to put a positive spin on it. But listening to the comment I felt as though clean was short for clean-cut and was basically the appearance-centric equivalent of calling him articulate.

I'm really hoping for an Edwards-Obama ticket at this point.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I agree with the analysis of "articulate" by Eugene Robinson.

I cracked up, though, when he was talking about Condoleeza Rice, and ended with "Think she ought to speak in complete sentences?" Well, her boss doesn't. Hah!

[brendand.livejournal.com]

I missed the part where Biden said anything in the first place.

[dionysus1999.livejournal.com]

Biden needs a thesaurus. Let's see, a few uncharged words:

Dynamic
Captivating
Engaging
Enthusiastic
Powerful
Incredible