Letters to the Editor
Uncle Fester
Published Letters: 1346 Editor's Choice: 12
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@damnthatxanadu: Strategy and Tactics v. Skin Color
[Read the article: Ferraro resigns from Clinton campaign]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]But how much does being black count for? If Barrack WERE white basically he would have been the twin brother of Edwards. People would have been, "ho hum". Being black made "the difference that is the difference."
I think we are living in separate realities here. I have a very different view of the campaigns. I have no idea how much being black counts for other than more for some, less for others. I don't think it's why Obama is winning. Last year I thought Obama was a lightweight who was going to get crushed and was looking to see more from Biden, Dodd, and Richardson. I really thought it would be cool if Richardson could get something going (he never did). Obama is not the Black Edwards. I will enumerate a few differences:
- Didn't vote for Iraq
- Not a trial lawyer
- Is a far,far better speaker
- Didn't lose last cycle (not stale)
- Went with the change mandate
And I think soley focusing on the personal qualities of the candidates is extremely misleading. It's pretty widely discussed (except on Salon) that Hillary's campaign has made some big strategic miscalculations.
Obama's campaign is very different from those of Edwards and Hillary. The only reason that Obama is the front runner now is that he racked up big wins between super tuesday and March 4th. That was all planned, and a plan that took months to execute, starting early last year. I think that is the difference. A black or white or green Obama with no 50 state plan loses to Hillary every time. And if Hillary had a 50 state plan, Obama would probably be gone now too. She's the one that thought shock and awe on Super Tuesday would carry the day. That's why no money was left on Feb 5th. I don't think any of this stuff was 'accidental' on Obama's part, other than good fortune that Hillary didn't take a 50 state approach.
Meanwhile Hillary has spent the last several months trying to discredit the Obama message. That didn't work well, so now the campaign is trying to discredit the messenger.
So yeah, I find the fact that Obama had 11 campaign offices in Wisconsin while Hillary had 4 to be more significant rather than his blackness. Especially when that pattern is repeated in other states such as WY. Last time this year, he wasn't black enough. Now is he too black?
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@LibertyOrDeath75: Still too early to chose death
[Read the article: Ferraro resigns from Clinton campaign]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Hang in there, buddy. Who knows what McCain will do if elected. That's what scares the democrats and the republicans.
But just think of all those judicial appointments and the SCOTUS and the DOJ, and all the policies that McCain has now endorsed in order to become the one.
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@damnthatxanadu Too deep in the reductionist pit
[Read the article: Ferraro resigns from Clinton campaign]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You'll have to dig yourself out. Yes, I know Obama is black. Yes, I think it is cool. No, he isn't Edwards. Condi Rice is Black. I'm not voting for her. Alan Keyes is Black. I'm not voting for him either. Colin Powell is black. Might vote for him someday, despite the U.N. stain.
I'm saying we the people are.
No, it's you some of the people.
When we can't say what is true then what we are saying is a lie, no matter how many superlatives you want to paint it in.
Slippery thing, the truth. I read many opinions, but little truth. I'm wary of people who declaim, behold the devine revelation.
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black has NOTHING to with it?
[Read the article: Ferraro resigns from Clinton campaign]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Tell that Barrack being black has NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING to do with your vote or your support for him.
I keep doing a bad job of explaining myself. I know Obama is black, and yes I think that is cool. But being black is not a pre-condition to get my vote, nor is it a necessary or sufficent condition. Just like Hillary being female is not enough for me to vote for her. It's a plus just like Obama, but there are a lot of other factors, such as Iraq. Remember Edward's Iraq vote? The one he really regretted? As I mentioned before, there are black politicians that I won't vote for, such as Condi.
And I think that fact that you and Ferraro have singled out ethnicity as the sole determinant out of a large number of factors for voting is bullshit. If you think Obama is the same is Edwards, then you are not paying attention.
If you think Hillary is behind in delegates and popular vote because of skin color, then you are not paying attention.
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Live from the PIT It's the reductionists!
[Read the article: Ferraro resigns from Clinton campaign]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To reduce Ferraro's statement to simply being racist WITHOUT looking at the whole complex issue?
Once again, we're coming from really different places. I don't know if Ferraro is racist, or if her statement is racist. I just think it's false (though bullshit sounds better). And I would argue that the more complexity you add to the issue, the less likely that any one factor, such as skin color or ethnicity is the overwelming determinant. That's exactly why Ferraro's comment was a mistake, because it was reductionist. Just add black and you're golden. Take the black away, and you're just another bum looking for a political appointment on Hillary's team. I don't think so.
Why won't you consider that Obama has a better campaign from a technical, tactical point of view that has nothing to do with each candidate's history or even positions on the issues? Or at least tell me why you think Hillary's is equal or better. That's also cool.
From my point of view, you are telling me that all the volunteers, political consultants, marketing, fundraising, internet crap, TV ads, mailings, and all the other annoying political detritus doesn't matter.
I also think that Hillary's LBJ v MLK statement was a big mistake. Once again, it didn't have to be rascist to be a large blunder. The rule is don't attack or diminish the Mythical hero. We cut him or her monsterous slack and overlook their many faults. And that's what MLK is. A mythical hero. He'll be remembered long after LBJ is retired to the dusty bin of second tier presidents. Sorry LBJ.