that Ferraro is playing out raw personal issues on a national stage. Not helpful to anyone.

Here I have to echo a call made by Weeping for Brunnhilde and others for a piece on Salon really examining WHAT exactly defines racism, and, while we're at it, sexism.

We need to have a platform off which we can launch serious discussion of the differences between bigotry, prejudice, and the various "isms."

This is my humble contribution to a very complex and difficult subject. I will talk mostly about racism, but please don't take that to mean I am not concerned about sexism.

Racism, contrary to what some folks think, doesn't require a conscious animosity towards people of color. It does require a blindness towards the struggles imposed on blacks and other minorities because of the color of their skin. That same blindness towards women's struggles on account of their gender is what constitutes sexism. Also, ignorance and/or denial of the historical biases against the empowerment of blacks and women is a necessary ingredient.

Ferraro exhibited ignorance and white privilege when she stated that Obama only got where he was because he was a black man--in other words, he received special privileges because he was a black, not a white man. That statement was ridiculous and laughable; the fact that she could make it shows that she is indeed racist--not in the sense of wanting to put on white robes and kill and maim innocent black people, but in the sense of being completely unaware of the idea of white privilege, and ignorant of the structural obstacles to achievement by African Americans that still persist in this country.

AKA Smith and others have been accused of racism, and protested violently.

But guess what? Being accused of racism is not the end of the world. In fact, it is the beginning of a new world when someone who is accused of being racist stops and considers the possibility: what if I am racist? What if?

Have you (if you are white) ever sat down with a black person and had them ask you, "Do you ever feel guilty about what your people have done? Do you feel you bear any personal responsibility for racism? What do you try to do about it?" and answered honestly? It's an edifying experience, I recommend it.

Like a previous poster (Celia in SF? I don't recall), I feel myself to be racist and sexist sometimes. She described herself as a "recovering white folks hater," while I'm more of a formerly-afraid-of-black-people liberal and recovering man-hater. I'm working on being less so. I also believe that most everyone is racist and sexist to varying degrees. I also don't believe these are character failings, only a natural result of growing up in America.

Once this is pointed out to you, though, it does have the potential to become a character flaw: if you choose to ignore the implications and continue on as before.

As far as Ferraro's complaint about sexism against Hillary goes, I agree with what many others have said: of course sexist strategies were used against Clinton. I don't think the bulk of these came from the Obama campaign, but from the media. I don't think that sexism was the determining factor in her defeat. If it was, it rather undermines her "I am the most electable candidate" argument, don't you think?

I am a feminist, and I voted for Obama, and I would vote for Clinton, if she were the candidate, because I care about women's rights. I honestly can't understand why anyone would vote for McCain to spite Obama for Clinton's loss. It's the silliest thing I've ever heard of.

If you don't think that Hillary faced some serious sexism that seemed to have trumped racism in this primary election than ask yourself this question:

If Barack Obama was a woman named Barbara Obama who had his same level of experience, his same name recognition and his same career achievements, would she be the one winning right now? Better yet do you know any woman that could beat Hillary today.

I rest my case!

White women have more political power than black men.

Presidents of the United States:

43 whites

0 blacks

0 white women

0 black women

First Ladies:

39 white women

0 black women

Senators:

99 whites

1 black

16 white women

0 black women

The same holds for the U.S. House, governorships, state legislatures, and local governments.

On the face of our earth, there is no black former First Spouse who can run for president with the support of their former black President spouse. Senator Clinton had a big head start and blew it.

Don't get it twisted. By the numbers, white women hold more political power than black men and women combined. Ferraro and Shorenstein need to get a grip.

is the kind of old guard coronation for Clinton that has gotten us Democrats BLASTED or PUNKED OUT in 7 of the last 10 elections. By her own words, Ferraro is the party's affirmative Action Baby and an ungrateful one at that. Sexism, goes both ways. Saying you won't vote for a candidate because SOMEONE ELSE says or does something offensive is equivalent to guilt by association. She doesn't like his supporters or spokespeople, so she will vote against him. Let her go.In the end, Sexism, Racism or any other "iism" that does not respect an individual's right to be judged by the content of their character is foolish and wrong. Ferraro is doing McCain's dirty work for him by ginning up ridiculous issues that take the party's focus off of the general elaction.

I am an Obama supporter. But not because he inspires me the way he does others. I see in him a bland sort of competence and intelligence that we need in government. He also has a hard streak that hides behind the smile and the humor. He has cojones. He just kepps his zipper closed. He's a different kind of man. Man first. Label second. And that, I believe is what galls Ferraro so much. He doesn't wear grievances on his sleeve. He doess'nt wear the Blackwomangreenlaborprolife tags that they issued him so they could quote him a price. She is too corrupt to accept a Obama's sweeping in out of the blue and cooly toppling the staus quo by playing the game on the party's terms. She doesn't like audacity of a man who swept past the pecking order and owes her nothing. She's from New York. She wants to get her beak wet.

As a party, we have always been fairly disfunctional and we've always had to cut deals with each other to get anywhere. I say we cut Geraldine out this time but save her a place at the table in case she wants to come back. Geraldine, we'd love to have you. But we won't be your hostages