Letters to the Editor
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Precisely on target AKA Smith
Obama and his supporters let the racial genie out of the bottle with their unwarranted attacks on Hillary Clinton for factual, pertinent statements about LBJ's role in passing historic civil rights legislation. This effort to malign the Clintons' well earned respect and affection amongst the African-American community helped Obama make a comeback after New Hampshire, but it has tarnished the campaign since.
At least the Obama campaign staff no longer tries to sell Mr. Obama as the uniter.
The huge gap between who black and white voters choose in the primaries, though limited to diverse states, tells a story that is as unfortunate, as it is difficult to ignore.
I am deeply saddened by what has transpired and the current state of the campaign.
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Sheeesh
This country is going to hell in a handbasket if a black man gets elected. But the country has already gone to hell in a handbasket, so who do we blame?
Honest Bill "I did not have sex with that woman," and his honest wife whose halo keeps sliding off her head every time she demonizes BO? But she apologized to the African American community over and over again yesterday, something she almost never does. Lesson: she needs the AA vote. She is toast. Honestly
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She owes an apology to Democrats
She said nothing to enhance the Democratic party. Her comments had no upside. Whether or not they were "true," they certainly were ill-timed and damaged the Party in general.
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The myth of the self-made man is usually a right wing myth, not a Joe Conasan myth
Such are the perils of tokenism. As she has forthrightly acknowledged, to her credit, her sudden elevation was attributable to her gender rather than to any innate quality of her own. She had no discernible qualifications to serve as president if anything happened to Mondale. And she had done nothing to earn her place on the ticket that had not been done by a couple of hundred other House members. Many if not most of them had done more.
Obviously the same cannot be said of Obama. He has run a masterful national campaign against a rival whose nomination was said to be inevitable when he began, and he has had to rely on his own powers of inspiration and persuasion to get this far. And the polls indicate that his story may have a far more uplifting conclusion than hers did.
Being a good speaker. Running a masterful national campaign. THESE ARE NOT QUALIFICATIONS TO BE PRESIDENT. THESE DO NOT INDICATE THAT YOU CAN BE PRESIDENT. They show you are a good politician. And that is all.
Obama has a lot going for him. He is also lucky to be a black man at this point in our history in this particular presidential race.
The myth of the self-made man is usually a right wing myth, not a Joe Conasan myth. The myth that I did it all by myself, with no handouts, with no luck -- that's the right wing myth, the myth that then comes back and says, I am a self made man, therefore you should be one too and if you are not, it is your fault.
Ferarro said nothing wrong, and if we read her statement in its context, the way context is describing in "The Hunting of hte President", you would see she was not describing Obama's luck in being black, but describing Obama's luck on being black in this particular race at this particular time.
Eddie Murphy or Chris Rock once said something about racism like this: that they were incredibly fortunate individuals, but racism was such that no one would trade childhoods. But ya know, Obama grew up until High School in a middle class family in Hawaii in an environment he says he was able to observe many cultures in a mutually respectful way. He then went to Occidental, Columbia and Harvard. This is not your typical African American upbringing, and many many people would definitely consider trading childhoods with him. I would.
Stop political correctness. Start honest dialog.
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@Won't get fooled again
Obama and his supporters let the racial genie out of the bottle with their unwarranted attacks on Hillary Clinton for factual, pertinent statements about LBJ's role in passing historic civil rights legislation. This effort to malign the Clintons' well earned respect and affection amongst the African-American community helped Obama make a comeback after New Hampshire, but it has tarnished the campaign since.
Nobody needed a "Black Candidate". They needed an effective president for ALL people . OB's hideous race-baiting and ever escalating nastiness has now ensured we won't get one. And he knows he can't win with a liberal white and urban black vote. No one ever has and no one ever will. We very much needed those blue-collar, working women elderly, hispanic and independent voters he's near entirely alienated.
His supporters are the ugliest,base and self-destructive people I have ever come across. Bar none. He has encouraged them to be like too that which is just repulsive.
I understand that Michelle and Obama said they didn't care if they won and just liked the competition. There is only one reply: Clearly.
Regardless, the way they have divided the party AND the country along the racial lines that took so very long to make the limited healing we did makes them just the scum of the earth in my book.
They'll drive back to Lakeshore Drive in November like Oprah Winfrey, financially better off for it, and it won't bother them a bit either.
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@won'tgetfooledagain LBJ was self inflicted disaster
Obama and his supporters let the racial genie out of the bottle with their unwarranted attacks on Hillary Clinton for factual, pertinent statements about LBJ's role in passing historic civil rights legislation.
I don't see how it is possible to think that anybody can critize or diminish a mythical hero like MLK and not expect to land in major doo.
It doesn't matter if it's true or not. Sorry. People don't want to be told their heros are mortals. An Astute politician should understand this.
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It's interesting
I'm not an Obama supporter because I long for some great day when I can, as a white man, see the a black man in the White House. I don't pity him or believe that he needs his chance or anything remotely close.
I support him because of what he stands for, his message, and yes - his accomplishments. I wouldn't care if he were white or any other color. He has sold me. You can say what you want about any other candidate, but Obama has me convinced he is the best candidate for the job. The other candidates have not. It is actually, really simple.