Barack the Magic Negro
Encyclopedia
"Barack the Magic Negro" is a song by American political satirist Paul Shanklin
who wrote and recorded it for the Rush Limbaugh Show as satire after it was first applied to presidential candidate Obama by movie and culture critic, David Ehrenstein
, in a Los Angeles Times
op ed column of March 19, 2007. It was played numerous times in 2007 and 2008 by Rush Limbaugh
and appeared on the 2008 album We Hate the USA. It is sung by Shanklin to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon
". Shanklin impersonates black activist Al Sharpton
, who regretfully sings that white people will vote for Barack Obama
for President instead of Sharpton, because Obama is a magical Negro
(a term previously popularized by Spike Lee), not a real black man from the "hood"
.
Limbaugh was criticized and accused by some of racism for playing the song. The controversy eventually died down in regards to Limbaugh. It was reignited in December 2008, when Chip Saltsman
, a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee
, sent out CDs containing the song to 168 other RNC members as a Christmas gift, hoping to bolster his 2009 campaign for RNC chair. The move backfired, Saltsman dropped his bid to head the RNC, and ultimately African American Republican Michael Steele won the chairmanship.
is an archetype
which was first applied to presidential candidate Obama by movie and culture critic, David Ehrenstein
, in a Los Angeles Times
op ed column of March 19, 2007. According to Ehrenstein, the magical Negro is a non threatening black hero in the popular media, usually the cinema, who was invented to ease feelings of white guilt
over slavery and racial injustice. He is noble and devoid of sexual motives, and appears suddenly, out of nowhere, to magically solve the problems of white people.
Ehrenstein opined that "Obama's fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he's written in his two books, or even what he's actually said". Rather, Obama was a popular contender for the presidency because whites were projecting their "fantasies of curative black benevolence" on him.
", anticipating the Shanklin song, which he began to air the following day. He said he would "own" the term by the end of the week. Limbaugh played the song numerous times throughout the 2008 presidential election season. In response to criticisms that the song had racist overtones, Limbaugh noted that he was not the first person to apply the magic Negro moniker to Obama, David Ehrenstein was. Limbaugh also remarked that Ehrenstein had not been criticized for his op ed because he was a black man and a member of the liberal media establishment, therefore, double standards were being applied to conservative commentary.
Black political analyst Earl Ofari Hutchinson
, who is the author of the forthcoming book, "The Emerging Black GOP Majority", called the song "crass, tasteless, and race tinged, but ... accurate." Camille Paglia
of Salon.com
called the song "very daring and funny", although she felt that Limbaugh had overplayed it.
Al Sharpton discussed the song with a New York Times reporter and stated: "Limbaugh puts things in a way that he can’t be blamed for easy bigotry. Some of the songs he does about me just make me laugh. But he’s the most dangerous guy we have to deal with on the right".
explicitly refer to Ehrensteins' article:
In the song, Sharpton's impersonated voice is made to sound as if coming from a bullhorn, a satirical nod to his well-known participation in street protests.
On December 27, 2008, incumbent RNC chairman Mike Duncan
publicly criticized Saltzman's mailing:
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
commented that "This is so inappropriate that it should disqualify any Republican National Committee candidate who would use it." The chairs of the Republican state committees in North Dakota and Florida concurred.
Peter Yarrow
, co-writer of "Puff, the Magic Dragon", termed Saltsman's distribution of the CD "offensive" and "shocking"
Saltsman defended the CD mailing as a joke and said that he had believed it would be received in “good humor” by members of the Republican National Committee. Saltsman also defended himself by echoing some of Limbaugh's earlier arguments. He accused the media of bias
, of holding him to a double standard
compared with Ehrenstein: "liberal Democrats and their allies in the media didn't utter a word about David Ehrenstein's irresponsible column in the Los Angeles Times last March. But now, of course, they're shocked and appalled by its parody".
Ken Blackwell
, a black former Ohio secretary of state, and also a candidate for RNC chair, dismissed the controversy as "hypersensitivity". Mark Ellis, chair of the Maine Republican Party, said the controversy was no "big deal". A GOP committeeman from Alabama declared it a false issue, a committee member from Oklahoma was certain Saltzman sent the gift innocently with no racial slur intended.
Saltsman's campaign imploded as a result of the controversy, he withdrew from the race, and Michael Steele, an African American was elected.
Paul Shanklin
Paul Shanklin is an American conservative political satirist, impressionist, comedian, and conservative speaker...
who wrote and recorded it for the Rush Limbaugh Show as satire after it was first applied to presidential candidate Obama by movie and culture critic, David Ehrenstein
David Ehrenstein
David Ehrenstein is an American critic who focuses primarily on issues of homosexuality in cinema.-Life and career:Ehrenstein was born in New York City. His father was a secular Jew with Polish ancestors, and his mother was of African American and Irish descent. His mother raised him in her...
, in a Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
op ed column of March 19, 2007. It was played numerous times in 2007 and 2008 by Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
and appeared on the 2008 album We Hate the USA. It is sung by Shanklin to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon
Puff, the Magic Dragon
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by Yarrow's group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song achieved great popularity and has entered American and British pop culture.-Lyrics:...
". Shanklin impersonates black activist Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
, who regretfully sings that white people will vote for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for President instead of Sharpton, because Obama is a magical Negro
Magical negro
The Magical Negro, or magical African-American friend, is a supporting stock character in American cinema, who, by use of special insight or powers, helps the white protagonist....
(a term previously popularized by Spike Lee), not a real black man from the "hood"
African American neighborhood
African-American neighborhoods or black neighborhoods are types of ethnic enclaves found in many cities in the United States. Generally, an African American neighborhood is one where the majority of the people who live there are African American. Some of the earliest African American...
.
Limbaugh was criticized and accused by some of racism for playing the song. The controversy eventually died down in regards to Limbaugh. It was reignited in December 2008, when Chip Saltsman
Chip Saltsman
John "Chip" Saltsman, Jr. is an American politician who has served as chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party from 1999 to 2001, senior political advisor to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and manager of Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign...
, a candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
, sent out CDs containing the song to 168 other RNC members as a Christmas gift, hoping to bolster his 2009 campaign for RNC chair. The move backfired, Saltsman dropped his bid to head the RNC, and ultimately African American Republican Michael Steele won the chairmanship.
Background
The magical NegroMagical negro
The Magical Negro, or magical African-American friend, is a supporting stock character in American cinema, who, by use of special insight or powers, helps the white protagonist....
is an archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
which was first applied to presidential candidate Obama by movie and culture critic, David Ehrenstein
David Ehrenstein
David Ehrenstein is an American critic who focuses primarily on issues of homosexuality in cinema.-Life and career:Ehrenstein was born in New York City. His father was a secular Jew with Polish ancestors, and his mother was of African American and Irish descent. His mother raised him in her...
, in a Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
op ed column of March 19, 2007. According to Ehrenstein, the magical Negro is a non threatening black hero in the popular media, usually the cinema, who was invented to ease feelings of white guilt
White guilt
White guilt refers to the concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently...
over slavery and racial injustice. He is noble and devoid of sexual motives, and appears suddenly, out of nowhere, to magically solve the problems of white people.
Ehrenstein opined that "Obama's fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he's written in his two books, or even what he's actually said". Rather, Obama was a popular contender for the presidency because whites were projecting their "fantasies of curative black benevolence" on him.
Pre-election use by Limbaugh
Limbaugh began discussing Ehrenstein's op ed on the day it was published. He declared that "The term 'Magic Negro' has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008" and sang a brief rendition of Barack the Magic Negro to the tune of "Puff, the Magic DragonPuff, the Magic Dragon
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow, and made popular by Yarrow's group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song achieved great popularity and has entered American and British pop culture.-Lyrics:...
", anticipating the Shanklin song, which he began to air the following day. He said he would "own" the term by the end of the week. Limbaugh played the song numerous times throughout the 2008 presidential election season. In response to criticisms that the song had racist overtones, Limbaugh noted that he was not the first person to apply the magic Negro moniker to Obama, David Ehrenstein was. Limbaugh also remarked that Ehrenstein had not been criticized for his op ed because he was a black man and a member of the liberal media establishment, therefore, double standards were being applied to conservative commentary.
Black political analyst Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is a journalist, author, and broadcaster.Hutchinson is also the author of nine books about the African American experience. He serves as the President of the National Alliance for Positive Action, and is a contributor to The Huffington Post, Blacknews.com and...
, who is the author of the forthcoming book, "The Emerging Black GOP Majority", called the song "crass, tasteless, and race tinged, but ... accurate." Camille Paglia
Camille Paglia
Camille Anna Paglia , is an American author, teacher, and social critic. Paglia, a self-described dissident feminist, has been a Professor at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1984...
of Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
called the song "very daring and funny", although she felt that Limbaugh had overplayed it.
Al Sharpton discussed the song with a New York Times reporter and stated: "Limbaugh puts things in a way that he can’t be blamed for easy bigotry. Some of the songs he does about me just make me laugh. But he’s the most dangerous guy we have to deal with on the right".
Composition
The song's lyrics, sung in a voice impersonating black activist and former presidential candidate Al SharptonAl Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
explicitly refer to Ehrensteins' article:
- "Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper
- Said he makes guilty whites feel good
- They’ll vote for him, and not for me
- 'Cause he's not from the hood.
In the song, Sharpton's impersonated voice is made to sound as if coming from a bullhorn, a satirical nod to his well-known participation in street protests.
Distribution of CDs by Chip Saltsman
In December 2008, Chip Saltsman, who was campaigning for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee mailed the song on a "Christmas CD" to fellow RNC members who would soon be selecting their new national chairman.On December 27, 2008, incumbent RNC chairman Mike Duncan
Mike Duncan
Robert M. "Mike" Duncan was the 60th Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was elected in January 2007, replacing Ken Mehlman, and served until January 30, 2009, when he withdrew from renomination to the chairmanship...
publicly criticized Saltzman's mailing:
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
commented that "This is so inappropriate that it should disqualify any Republican National Committee candidate who would use it." The chairs of the Republican state committees in North Dakota and Florida concurred.
Peter Yarrow
Peter Yarrow
Peter Yarrow is an American singer who found fame with the 1960s folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Yarrow co-wrote one of the group's most famous songs, "Puff, the Magic Dragon"...
, co-writer of "Puff, the Magic Dragon", termed Saltsman's distribution of the CD "offensive" and "shocking"
Saltsman defended the CD mailing as a joke and said that he had believed it would be received in “good humor” by members of the Republican National Committee. Saltsman also defended himself by echoing some of Limbaugh's earlier arguments. He accused the media of bias
Media bias
Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
, of holding him to a double standard
Double standard
A double standard is the unjust application of different sets of principles for similar situations. The concept implies that a single set of principles encompassing all situations is the desirable ideal. The term has been used in print since at least 1895...
compared with Ehrenstein: "liberal Democrats and their allies in the media didn't utter a word about David Ehrenstein's irresponsible column in the Los Angeles Times last March. But now, of course, they're shocked and appalled by its parody".
Ken Blackwell
Ken Blackwell
John Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a black former Ohio secretary of state, and also a candidate for RNC chair, dismissed the controversy as "hypersensitivity". Mark Ellis, chair of the Maine Republican Party, said the controversy was no "big deal". A GOP committeeman from Alabama declared it a false issue, a committee member from Oklahoma was certain Saltzman sent the gift innocently with no racial slur intended.
Saltsman's campaign imploded as a result of the controversy, he withdrew from the race, and Michael Steele, an African American was elected.
Spoofs
- On December 29, 2008, comedian Andy BorowitzAndy BorowitzAndy Borowitz is a comedian and New York Times bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is best known for creating the satirical website , which has an audience in the millions...
posted on his web site a spoofed apology by the Republican National CommitteeRepublican National CommitteeThe Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
for Chip Saltsman's CD.
Other use
- On December 31, 2008, the Fox News ChannelFox News ChannelFox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
displayed the following message in the news ticker at the bottom of the screen: "Happy New Year and let's hope the Magic Negro does a good job". Although the message was submitted by a viewer, Fox News later apologized for allowing it to be aired.
External links
- CNN Reports on the Barack the Magic Negro CD Distributed by RNC Chairman Wanna' Be, December 29, 2008.
- RNC Chair Race Is All About Race, Politico, January 22, 2009.