Letters to the Editor
-
@ bilhelm
She may not realize it yet, nor her supporters, but this comment is the end of her bid.
If there's one thing that Democratic voters won't tolerate is overt racism. Nearly every Democratic pol in this country owes their seat to African-American support. Even Hillary Clinton.
In Illinois in 2000, white voters nearly tied Bush (49 percent) and Gore (48 percent), only to have a Gore victory determined by a 14 percent black vote, 92 percent of which went to Gore, pushing his statewide majority of 54 percent into the winner's column.
In California, another state in which white voters gave Bush 48 percent to candidate Gore's 47 percent, the 7 percent black vote pushed the Democrat over the top.
And even in New York State, consistently predicted as an even probability for Senatorial contenders Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rick A. Lazio, blacks delivered an overwhelming victory to Clinton. Lazio nearly ties Clinton with WHITE WOMEN 50% to 47%.
-
CLINTONS RACIST? NO. DESPERATE? yes
African Americans have had no better friends in politics since Bobby Kennedy. The clumsey attacks show desperation which is a character flaw. I non't think the Clintons were channeling George Wallace:
After the election, aide Seymore Trammell recalled Wallace saying, "Seymore, you know why I lost that governor's race?... I was outniggered by John Patterson. And I'll tell you here and now, I will never be outniggered again." Wiki.
Shakespeare has been helpful sorting this tragedy out:
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing. MacBeth
-
People Who Spew Racist Hate Are Racists. Period
As I'm sure many others before me have said, but it's worth repeating.
Everything Hillary has said and done against racism in her entire life counts for nothing against this.
For those who don't speak dog-whistle, this is what she really said:
"I'm the only thing standing between you and having to kow-tow to a n****r for the next four years."
Crystal fucking clear. Plainly deliberate. Absolutely indefensible.
-
the pettiness and shrillness of it all
these small people who say they will vote for McCain because their horse lost the race is appalling. If there is a crisis in American democracy and culture, it is based in deficiencies in critical thinking. How were Americans able to reelect Bush in a response to fear-mongering and gay-baiting? Witness voters willing to crossing political lines over non-issues, and you have a glimpse into the mindset responsible for past electoral disasters.
-
Hillary Racist?
I have lots to criticize Hillary Clinton for, but I can't quite include racism on the list. Thankfully, Mr. Conason, in your article you too give her the benefit of the doubt.
However, the opposing argument by Clinton people that Obama supporters have manufactured the race issue also misses a crucial point: namely, that the Clintons (both of them) and Ferraro and Rendell alike have all sought to exploit racial divisions within the party, perhaps the the most enduring fault lines between Democrats. They have done precious little to unify the myriad groups that constitute the Democratic party, and though they're not racist, they appeal to the insecurities and the xenophobias of different people in different places across the country. They're not racist, but they're voraciously ambitious and have been willing to use identity politics to serve their ends.
At no point should racial and gender issues have become paramount in this presidential race. The young people who have overwhelmingly supported Obama have been born into an age where these "defining" issues are on the wane, and all Americans look forward to and would like to hasten the day when these distinctions between people are considered utterly illegitimate. I think in elections to come, the new voices of the Democratic party will overwhelm any attempt to stoke up tensions based on "identity" issues, and force a redirection of attention toward issues that truly matter. No, you're not special because you're black or because you're a woman or because you're a working class white! You're special because you're committed to the same ideals that unite the Democratic party.
A good leader, one who looks forward rather than backward, would have anticipated this change in ethos. Obama, for his part, has showed that he's in sync with the movement toward post-racialism, and did his best to avoid the flak. However, it would have taken tact and leadership and discipline on both sides to have steered wide of patently incendiary racial sinkholes, and Ms. Clinton was unwilling to go there.
Mark W
-
Actually, it's ALL non-black working Americans
She carries the "working class" with every ethnic group, except African-Americans.
-
Whew.
I'm late to the party here, but I'd like to thank AKASmith (or was it lateagain?), for pointing out something that I hadn't really thought about.
No, Hillary isn't a racist, but her obsessive focus on electability is divisive (especially in this case), and bizarre. And it's true, I don't get how we've reached this point where continually talking about how electable you are can be viewed as:
1) Important.
2) Interesting.
3) A viable political strategy.
Politically speaking, talking about electability is dead air. "I'm more electabile!" So. And? Either you are or you aren't, but that's not really a message. It doesn't make me care about you, one way or another. It's like if I go with my friend to the video store:
"Hey, what movie should we rent tonight?"
"How about 'Titanic'?"
"Um."
"What. You don't want to see 'TITANIC'?"
"Well..."
"But it's the highest grossing movie of all time!"
"So? What's your point?"
"So? So out of all movies, it's the movie that the most people want to see. So, therefore, you should want to see it too!"
"Have you gone insane?"
...See the problem here? Why would Hillary talking about how electible she is make me care about her in the slightest?(Especially since, if she's so f#cking electible, then I don't really have to care at all, now do I? Other people will choose her as President, whether I give a crap or not.)
...And as the current campaign shows, talking about electibility all the time is a house of cards. It sort of worked when Hillary was ahead in the polls. But as soon as the race was tied, or Obama was ahead, it became useless as an argument. Talking about your own electibity only really works when you're winning.
And what good is a political argument that only works when you're winning? Seems kind of redundant, no?