Letters to the Editor
designated_knitter
Published Letters: 117 Editor's Choice: 3
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Since when is Obama responsible for MSNBC punditry?
[Read the article: The other 18 million]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I agree that Chris Matthews has been a sexist jerk. And Olbermann was certainly a harsh critic of Clinton's -- however his criticism was based on the approach she took and not her gender.
However, how is that or any other pundits harsh critism and insensitive language Obama's fault? Did Obama urge Olbermann to make his special comments? Did Obama make the rest of the media call for her exit?
Obama NEVER EVER voiced the opinion that Clinton should drop out. He ALWAYS maintained that she should stay in until June 3rd. He has always treated her with kid gloves even while taking it on the chin from her brass-knuckled punches. The only even vaguely sexist thing I heard from him was the "sweetie" comment.
I understand that many people are ticked off at the way this campaign has been covered by the media -- and rightfully so. But to equate the media treatement of Hillary with Obama is like saying that I am responsible for what you write. They are two distinct entities and should be judged accordingly.
Frankly, if I may be so bold -- the thing that had the MSNBC team up in arms on Tuesday (and apparently the entire democratic consituency that was supporting Clinton) was the fact that she was publicly pinning Obama against the wall trying to blackmail him into the VP slot. And face it -- the VP slot *IS* (supposed to be, at least if you don't count Cheney) subservient to the president. Twas thus and ever shall be! As one politician said, the job of the vice president is to not upstage the president. Frankly, that is not a job that Hillary would be good at and she proved it by the way she behaved on Tuesday and Wednesday by publically airing her VP campaign to the media.
And while I am thrilled to see Hillary finally "suspend" her campaign, she did not do so UNTIL it was abundently clear that her supporters were about to abandon her publically en masse. The congressional delegation AND a group of senators had to have TWO separate conference calls BEGGING her to get out. As Rangle -- an ardent clinton supporter -- said, they pledged to be with her until the end. "Our problem is not being able to determine when the hell the end is."
Respect is a two-way street. Obama has bent over backwards to praise and suck up to Clinton but has stopped short of allowing himself to be strong-armed to taking her as his VP candidate. However, Clinton has shown very little more than perfunctory lip service to Obama by congratulating him on his campaign -- while not acknowledging his accomplishments and his victory.
And, for pete's sake, cut the man some slack! It hasn't even been 48 hours since he was declared the presumptive nominee. He has been busy with the Israel lobbyists, attending to actual Senate business etc and has not even had the opportunity to sleep much sit down for lunch with Gerry Ferraro.
And it is also unreasonable to expect to have it both ways -- reaching out to Gerry Ferraro and other hate-speech feminists before Clinton has even dropped out of the race. If Clinton and her supporters would like to see the Obama camp make overtures of reconciliation, then they need to actually concede and quit acting like the advesary. It would be like an army completely disarming before truce has been declared and fighting has actually stopped. If Clinton wants to be accepted, she needs to first lay down her arms. Until she does that, she is still "the enemy" (in the metaphoric sense -- not the actual sense).
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One more comment about Gerry Ferraro
[Read the article: The other 18 million]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Joan apparently said that she would love Obama ask Ferraro on her thoughts about winning Reagan Democrats. Frankly, she is probably the last person who is qualified to speak on that subject since the Mondale/Ferraro ticket received one of the worst drubbings in presidential history -- they carried exactly ONE state-- Mondale's home state. Prior to her VP run, she won 3 2-year terms to the House of Representatives. After that, she lost EVERY election in which she ran.
It seems to me that about the only useful advice Ferraro might have for Obama is how to lose an election -- not win it.
However, I will concede (as has Obama, by the way) that he should make use of Bill Clinton's expertise in winning over Reagan Democrats. Obama said yesterday that he considers Bill Clinton to be one of the most talented and successful political strategists and that he hopes to draw heavily on his widsom and experience in the coming campaign.
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@karen22
[Read the article: The other 18 million]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"The two jobs that prepare you for President are Governor and US Senator. Obama lacks experience. Just accept it and move on."
I guess that means JFK, Eisenhower, and FDR weren't qualified since none them were governers or US Senators prior to running for office.