NASCAR Racers Snub Obama. Precedent? Not Likely
By Gary Anthony Ramsay
Washington, DC - Conservative golfers have been making some of their politics clear in the last two years. Now it seems the 99% white NASCAR world is following suit. 5 of 12 drivers invited to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama, declined the invitation. Yahoo Sports says the racers claimed scheduling conflicts, but the meeting is not set on a race day, but rather on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.
Drivers Gregg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart all declined. President Obama said the event was to celebrate the drivers' athletic achievements and their public service acts. NASCAR racers are generally heavily involved in charitable programs, with many drivers forming their own charities.
Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth have accepted and will meet with Obama on the 7th. The time slot opened up due to the fact that the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, refused to allow President Obama to hold a joint session on that evening to address the nationwide jobs situation.
The real reason for skipping the meeting will likely not stay a secret for very long. Unlike professional golf, loose lips have been know to expose many a driver. However, political discontent has not made headlines in the world of auto-racing like it has in golf. Comments by Fred Funk, Paul Azinger revealed the right wing underbelly of athletes who participate in a sport that average Americans have to spend a lot of money to take part in.
If Black and Latino members of the 2006 Florida Gator team or the 2001 Duke University basketball team had snubbed George Bush, conservative media mouthpieces would have called it an amateur, "Bush League" move. (No pun intended) Don't expect to hear any such criticisms from Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh or any of those types about this.
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An "invitation" is just
An "invitation" is just that....an invitation. So I guess if Barney Frank invited your teenage son to a party at his house you should allow him to go out of respect for his political office?!?!
If you disagree with someone's general philosophies and don't want to be in their company, their social standing or elected position shouldn't dictate your attendance. What kind of logic is that? If our forefathers would have continued bowing to the King of England out of respect for his monarchy you wouldn't be sitting in your cushy D.C. office tapping on your laptop with a latte' in your hand.
Oh, and your hypocritical article does exactly what you accuse Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh of doing if the shoe were on their foot. Nice.
Go back to your Ivy League school and get another degree. Poli-Sci is not your strong suit.
NASCAR Snub
Rednecks
Shame on Those Drivers!
I am totally offended that five Nascar drivers declined an invitation from the President of the United States. All Americans must RESPECT our elected officials regardless of their beliefs or our system will fail. This is a democracy where parties must be considerate of each other.
FYI I am crossing out the five drivers that declined on my Nascar 2011 poster. This is a shameful move on their part.
I will never cheer for them again ....if they are so low.... as to dishonor ANY president of the USA.
Nascar Snubs Obama
Was it reall necessary to say "99%" of WHITE Nascar drivers snub Obama? Racism much?
Common sense bias
Wag...
This president has been driving the car with dozens of other hands on the wheel, trying to run the car off the road. The use of parrot phrases like "socialist community" and "idealogue who is in way over his head" only tells me that you watched Fox News channel tonight.
The economic crisis this country faces wasn't in this administration and that's what the right wing continues to sell.
Like WMD's in Iraq, it simply is not true.
It's not being liberal to see that obstructionism has ruled and will continue to rule the day until "You get your country back" From whom it is still not clear.
But I digress.....The 7 guys who took the invite have much more to lose than the also-rans who snubbed. But they did it anyway. If the next president is a Republican and goes down the old GOP way and billions get lost in a war or some other debacle, and athletes decide to boycott a trip to the White House over it...remember what I said here. They will be vilified for it while you praise the ones that do it here.
NASCAR SNUB
Why shouldn't they put their feelings out there after all these guys put their loyalties (company logos) on their work clothes everyday. They will not do anything to upset their sponsors. So now I know will refrain from using don't Valvoline, Subway, Shell, Reeses, Pennzoil, Coca Cola, Office Max, Burger King and 3M products. Wait a minute, is that a military logo I see?. . .
GARY: your liberal bias is
GARY: your liberal bias is showing! It is more patriotic to pray for the demise of a socialist community organizer than to allow him to use your achievements to try buy his re-election. (PS: i live in illinois - the country is learning what we knew, this guy is an idealogue who is in way over his head)
The real reason is simple. This president is the most extreme president we have ever had. He has divided a country and you know it. Nascar is about community and the best man winning. Your president is about taking the winner's Chase points and giving those points to the 43rd finisher because he needs them more. Every driver should boycott this transparent attempt to appear mainstream by leaching off the achievement of others.
This is a terrible time to
This is a terrible time to expect NASCAR drivers to come party at the White House. Just shows that Obama knows nothing about racing. Two races to get in the Chase. No time for fun now. Invite the Dec through Feb...off season. This is all politics for Obama's re-election. Dumb on his part