"Poor judgment" for the description of Michelle Obama as "Obama's baby mama."?

Question

This comment was apparently a racist comment. Why ? I'm not even sure what it is supposed to be in reference to...

Is "baby mama" some sort of derogatory racial remark ?

Answer 1

It's pure racism and ignorance.

Answer 2

it was just a catchy, rhyming comment. depending upon the context it very well might have been seen as a racial remark, but really i think it was just said out of convenience considering how it rolls off the tongue....politicians always want to swing things one way (usually left or right, get it?) lol, but overall they are drama addicts (they have to be to be in politics) who want to cry wolf when someone "allegedly" says anything about them that they themselves either dont like, or mightve misunderstood.

Answer 3

I was a Chaplain in the Indiana Prison system, and African-American prisoners (who were not married) consistently referred to the mother of their children as "Baby's-Momma," never as their partner, or spouse.  I never heard a Caucasian prisoner use the phrase.  But it basically refers to a child born out of wedlock, and thus I think it definitely has a derogatory intent when used by others.  However, when the inmates used it, it was always as a term of endearment, a way of referring to someone special to them, but not their wife.

Answer 4

"Mama" or "momma" may or may not be racially derogatory, depending on context.

I think the general rule is: would you use the same words in a description of a white person? If not, then your wording is by definition racist.

Answer 5

Absolutely; this was poor judgment.  Race is going to be an issue in this campaign (relatively high percentage of voters in KY and WV said that race was going to be an issue in deciding their vote; most did not vote Obama) and to bring something like this up is exceedingly bad.  To me, baby mama is a derogatory remark that has implications on a person's upbringing (don't really view it as a racial issue; however, certainly see where it could be used in that way).