Letters to the Editor
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Race?
One thing to note is that this isn't really racist. It's more like Bill's South Carolina remarks. Basically the argument is that Obama isn't good enough to make it on his own, so he's lucky he's got race to use a crutch. This dismissive and belittling talk has been a staple of the the Clinton campaign. Barack hasn't been focused on race at all. He has run on his message and it is his message and his personal character that are the primary reason he is where he is. To say it is all about race is insulting to not only him but also his supporters (a great many of whom are white).
It is ironic though, that it is really Hillary who is playing with the crutches. Most of the experience she is touting is related to her marriage to Bill. Very little of it is the creation of her own work. Much of her political contacts are old buddies of Bill's. She's even recycling some of Bill's old speeches.
All that said, everyone owes their success to others to some degree. Certainly W wouldn't be President if it weren't for his family. JFK would almost certainly never had gone that far without his father. Most people seem to get their job through personal contacts. Sometime a common religion or shared heritage can forge bonds. I think to single out Obama's race is just disingenuous.
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And then there's Keith Olbermann's commentary
If you want to hear some stern words on this subject, check out Keith Olbermann on MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23601329#23601329
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busy body
That is what depresses me by far is the sad state of our economy.
We're not heading, we're full into a recession and in my opinion we're headed for a depression. Jobs on every level are being outsourced to foreign countries, white collar, blue collar, etc.
The housing market bubble finally blew up to reveal the subprime mortgage crisis, the dollar is in a death spiral, we manufacture what in this country now? Plastic twist ties?
Where is the long term planning to provide decent jobs and a better future to Americans? Have we become or are becoming an entitlement state? Nearly every industry is collapsing that provides actual labor for people.
Not everyone is cut out to work in IT and pray tell what companies are actually putting the investment into Ohio to give us this brave new digital future?
My apologies, this is OT but busy body has it right.
I'm afraid we're f**ked.
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Surprided as well
that nothing appeared in yesterday's Salon about this situation. Odd. What gives? Oh, yes, and where was Joan Walsh?
Equally odd. And noticed.
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yet another david
thanks for the olberman link
wow, on fire
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Farewell Ferraro!
Good riddance to racist rubbish.
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You Think Obama Would Be Winning 80-90% Of The Black Vote If He Were White?
Come on people. There's some truth to what Ferraro says. Of course, being black does hurt him with some white voters, especially in southern states, but not nearly as much as it helps him with blacks, who, after all, comprise a huge percentage of the Democratic primary electorate.
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@ Asher
Oh for heaven's sake: Are you really saying that a black man in America has so many advantages?
Sure, that's why Obama, if elected, would be the 20th black American president.
Oh wait ... he'd be the first?
Never mind that point then.
As for him getting so much of the black vote, what would you expect? The Clinton campaign has insulted and appalled large swathes of the African-American community.
They're not voting for her now, because she doesn't deserve their vote.
And should she manage to steal the nomination, they won't vote for her in the general election, either, such is the depth of the revulsion toward her tactics. And she can't win the general election without the African-American vote.
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@Asher Steinberg
You Think Obama Would Be Winning 80-90% Of The Black Vote If He Were White?
Or would Clinton be getting 75% of the white vote if she were black?
I have to think part of the remarkable racial split in Mississippi was due to the harsh racially charged language and arguments being used by the Clinton campaign. Mississippi was always going to be fairly racially divided, but I think the extremes that were reached were significantly driven by Clinton's approach to the race issue.
Come on people. There's some truth to what Ferraro says. Of course, being black does hurt him with some white voters, especially in southern states, but not nearly as much as it helps him with blacks, who, after all, comprise a huge percentage of the Democratic primary electorate.
Yes, but you really should watch that Olbermann clip linked above. It does a very good job of outlining what the real issue is (I make the same argument in a previous post, so I will refrain from repeating it).
It boils down to Ferraro saying that Obama is a affirmative action candidate while Clinton (despite making waves as the first viable female candidate) is somehow the real deal and not affected by things like race or gender or familial affiliation.
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I didn't really care about this until...
she said she was "being discriminated against because she was white, how about that?" and how everyone called her a "racist".
To me, that type of arrogance is just plain stupid. No one called you a racist, quit playing the victim. You screwed up, take credit for what you said.
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Funnily enough...
...I also noticed the utter absence of this issue which is getting reasonable play in the non-US media as well (where I live). I cynically said to myself, "what's next, a front pager on atheism/religion as a distraction?" (which is becoming red meat for this site for generated controversy rather than intelligent discussion).
Lo and behold...
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Sorry to keep posting . . .
But the more I think about this, the madder I get.
Hillary insisted that Obama both "denounce and reject" the support of Farrakhan, even though Obama had never sought Farrakhan's endorsement and Farrakhan was in no way affiliated with Obama's campaign. But Hillary is allowed to argue that the issue is closed because she "disagrees" with Ferraro's comments.
I've heard Hillary supporters trying to argue that the Ferraro's comments weren't that bad; that Ferraro is telling the "truth" as she sees it.
And it just sickens me.
Are Hillary supporters really trying to argue that Obama is winning by all major barometers (the pledged delegates, states won, and the popular vote) simply because America is enchanted with the idea of a black candidate? If so, then why hasn't any other black candidate been as successful? Is Hillary's campaign really trying to say that Obama's brilliance, his degree from Harvard Law, his work as a community organizer, his work as a local politician, his accomplishments in the Senate and his incredibly smart campaign are all secondary considerations when held up to his being black?
I am so tired of the spin and the hypocrisy. If, as a Democrat, as a woman or as a someone who is interested in moving our culture past out-dated hang-ups about what ethnic group or gender has it easier or better, then you can't try to excuse this.
I am not suggesting that if you are a Hillary supporter Ferraro's comments should make you want to vote for Obama. But please, at least have the decency to say they were wrong.
Watch the Olbermann video again:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23601329#23601329
and tell me that you are not outraged by this.