Letters to the Editor
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Ferrarro is an idiot
This comment was part of an established pattern of histrionic ranting by Ferrarro during this campaign. But this particular comment was -- whether it was racist or not (I say it was) -- totally unnecessary and served to bring race once more into a discussion where it doesn't belong. The campaign shouldn't be about denigrating Obama's optimism or charisma or crediting his race for his success. It should be about judgment, policy positions, and leadership qualities.
Ferrarro was one of the loudest complainers when the other Democratic candidates ganged up on Clinton in that debate a few months ago. She claimed it was misogynistic and sexist, when in fact it was just people who were behind in the polls trying to take down the front-runner, an obvious and unremarkable tactic. She was quoted all over the place crying "sexism" and making Hillary into a victim, when instead the Clinton campaign should have recognized that it was appropriate for the other candidates to call Hillary's record and statements into account.
A couple weeks ago Ferrarro wrote a petulant, condescending op-ed in the New York Times about superdelegates, explaining that whatever all the Democratic primary voters decide doesn't really matter, because the party insiders know what's best for us.
The whole thing about saying the Obama campaign was discriminating against her because she's white shows her to be overly race-conscious, clueless, and possibly certifiably insane. She needs to shut up and get off the political stage for good.
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Parsing the point
You are absolutely correct that "there are many obvious factors that contribute much more to Obama's success than his race ever could." But, Ferraro is also absolutely correct that "If Obama was a white man he would not be in the position."
To start almost at the beginning, Obama's first book is one of the best young men's memoirs I have ever read. Would he have been given a contract for that book if he had simply been the first editor of the Harvard Law Review to come from Hawaii?
Can anybody deny that there is something thrilling in the idea that American may be ready to elect a qualified candidate of color?
She did not assert that his race is a 'sufficient' cause for his achievement. At most she said that it was a "necessary" cause. But who could deny that it has been an important cause?
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Alex... you too
What the hell is going on at Salon.
All of you have your lips stuck to Hillary Clinton's ass. Ferraro's comments were so outrageous, so obviously wrong, and yet she was and is SO smug (like Hillary) and so... angry that Obama -on his own merits- is taking away a WOMAN'S chance at the White House.
The truth is both Ferraro and Hillary have had their positions handed to them. They did not earn them. Hillary rode her husbands coattails into the Senate. She has had every possible advantage: she had all the party powerbrokers, a pile of money (in the beginning) her husbands name, and yet she has run a truly pathetic campaign.
She has managed to divide the party and all but destroy the chance of ANY democrat winning in the general election.
And you ass-kissers at Salon just keep puckering up. I just don't get it.
Hillary created this mess. She is the one who after losing 11 straight primaries decided to go negative and "become a fighter".
Salon should be pointing this out instead of puckering up.
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Response to Koppelman's piece on Ferraro
Amen. Finally an sane analysis of these remarks by Ferraro. Those of us who support Hillary are excited about the prospect of the first woman president. We always are quick to say that we agree with here positions and the fact that she is a woman is a bonus. And many of Obama's supporters are caught up in the concept of the first black president. Yes, he does draw votes because he is black. That in itself is not a bad thing. It is not the only reason that Democrats are voting for him just as the fact that Hillary is a woman is not the only reason her supporters are for her.
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@ UberBlonde and James65 Inside Baseball
It's interesting that due to your experience with campaigns that you think Ferraro's comments are an inside-baseball moment gone awry. I would welcome any additional details. You may indeed have superior insight to the situation, but the rest of us must draw conclusions based upon the information we have at hand. This situation brewed over a period of days, so there was ample time for clarification; clarification that was not forthcoming. Everybody knows that Obama is black, but a lot of us in the great unwashed horde think that his success is due more to his oratory, his message, and his campaign groundgame than his skin color.
Random quote from the dead:
Napoleon was asked whether he preferred courageous generals or brilliant generals. Neither, he replied; he preferred lucky generals.
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Well...
Somehow this analysis seemed to avoid any discussion of the reaction by the Clinton campaign, as well as the fact that Ferraro began making these comments awhile ago (originally in that small newspaper, as you mention) but continued to make them over and over again, on radio, on TV, even on the O'Reilly Factor, before anyone from the Clinton campaign sought to stem the tide. It doesn't matter-- the message is out there. Whatever overreactions you believe anyone has had have already done the damage. It's too bad she said what she did so many times, and it's too bad that she also said felt she was being attacked as a white person. The flames have been fanned, and with this fracas and the videos from Rev. Wright circulating, Obama is easily boxed into the black candidate role. I wouldn't be surprised if, looking back on this all from a President McCain administration, this week was the week that was the turning point for the Hillary Clinton nomination.
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thank you
Thank you for the voice of reason and please stick to it - too many other people, including Mr. Olbermann, are falling by the wayside in terms of my respect for their judgment these days. It seems to me that Ms. Ferraro's comment was probably racist, but I think reasonable people can disagree on this point. I certainly think the comparison to Samantha Powers is inapt - Ms. Powers called Hillary Clinton a monster, a clear personal attack which she justifiably apologized for (and she herself characterized as a rookie mistake). Ms. Ferraro posited her theory on the effect of Obama's race on the success of his campaign, and she didn't do it in clear enough language to let us know exactly what she meant. That's it. Nothing more. As to her point, she was wrong and she is a loose cannon and probably an asshole and yes, probably racist, but also clearly not the sort to apologize easily. And she resigned and Hillary repudiated her statement and apologized on her behalf - and the same time Hillary was apologizing, Mr. Olbermann was off on his little tear. For the love of god. Let's move on so the candidates can run their frickin' campaigns, already.
This whole flap does serve to remind me that race is still a big deal in the US - both in terms of present inequities and in terms of a deep and painful national memory. I think that's partly why the white Obama supporters are DYING to see him in office. Because then maybe they will be able to feeel a little bit less guilty when they drive their BMWs through the hood.