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Monday, January 14, 2008

Stop the ugliness: vote for the Southern white guy
Posted by Jill | 7:29 AM
I kid, of course. But when you look at how ugly the Clinton/Obama race is becoming, reinforcing the worst right-wing memes about identity politics, wouldn't it make sense to completely disarm the Tweetys of the world by nominating a southern white guy running on an unabashedly progressive agenda?

But the Clintonistas don't care if they end up passing the White House back to the Republicans, as long as Hillary gets the nomination. Here's the kind of company they're keeping these days:

From the moment he took the microphone at a Clinton town meeting at Columbia College, Johnson came across as an accident waiting to happen. He started off referring to Barack Obama as "a young, articulate black man" before explaining, "As a black person, I can call him articulate." Johnson ended up sniffing that Obama is "a guy who says that: I want to be a reasonable, likable Sidney Poitier [in] 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.'"

But these were not the lines that gave Johnson Sunday honors for self-inflicted political wounds. What did it was Johnson's riff that Bill and Hillary Clinton were "deeply and emotionally involved in black issues when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood ... I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book." Despite the laughter from the largely white crowd sparked by the obvious cocaine reference, the Clinton campaign later released a statement from Johnson claiming (warning to readers: Be prepared to giggle) that he was "referring to Barack Obama's time spent as a community organizer."

It is implausible that Clinton (or anyone else in her campaign) whispered to Johnson backstage, "Bob, be sure to mention that coke thing." As political surrogates, billionaires -- just like big-name actors -- are the sort of ego-driven figures who are far too self-assured to follow the make-no-waves scripts provided by a campaign. But what Johnson's off-message comments may reflect is the larger frustration within the Clinton campaign over how to challenge Obama, a candidate bathed in non-stick coating.

Normally, the afterglow from winning the New Hampshire primary lasts more than five days. But Sunday was a day unlikely to be commemorated in Hillary's personal highlight reel. In addition to Johnson's gift of gab, Clinton had to endure an hour of jousting with Tim Russert on "Meet the Press," complaining on six separate occasions that her words were being "taken out of context." She was buffeted over her earlier maladroit comment that Lyndon Johnson had more to do with passing civil rights legislation than Martin Luther King Jr. (It is never a good sign when a Democratic candidate feels compelled to stress, "Dr. King ... is one of the people I admire most in the world.") And once again Clinton had to justify her 2002 vote authorizing the use of force in Iraq. (It is never a good sign when a candidate for president complains to Russert that he is pursuing a "Jesuitical argument.")

After facing off with Russert, Clinton found blessed refuge at Sunday services at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia. Speaking from the pulpit to the largely black congregation, Clinton declared, "This is a moment worthy of celebration. Many of our parents and our grandparents -- and, I dare say, probably many of us -- never thought they would see the day when an African-American and a woman were competing for the presidency of the United States." John Edwards is, of course, still in the mix, but it is a telling symbol of change that the white male is running third.


The Daily Background has more on Bob Johnson and his habit of reinforcing right-wing talking points.

I'm not black, so I can't speak for how it feels to have a white woman campaigning on an "I'm blacker than he is" platform. But isn't it just possible that all this identity politicking is going to turn off not just the sanctified independents that pundits think are so important, but also Democratic voters who want to hear candidates talking about the issues? The Clinton attacks put Obama into an untenable position in which he has to respond, but not too angrily, lest he feed white people's "Angry Black Man" fears.

Is this what it's come to? Are the Clintons so hungry for a restoration that they're willing to jeopardize the best chance for a Democratic sweep in a generation? And if so, doesn't that make them just like the Bush family with whom they're so chummy?

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5 Comments:
Blogger Distributorcap said...
jill

i couldnt have said it any better -- great words.

what bob johnson did was so disgusting and reprehensible -- and obvious. just like the shaheen comment a few weeks ago.

it is also so obvious that the clintons will do anything to get the nomination, even at the expense of handing the presidency to mccain. hillary takes a good moment for herself (those tears in NH were real and were genuine) and manages to poison the atmosphere even more than the days leading up to NH. gotta hand it to her, she is amazing.

i actually had a bit of sympathy for her after the way she has been treated for so long -- no more. this clinton attack machine is so much worse on many levels and so much more insidious than the republican attack machine of limbaugh and coulter - and the repubs just have to sit back and watch her destroy any chance of a dem victory.

i am not an obama fan. but we really do need change -- change as in a complete new cast of characters.
1/14/08, 7:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I very much doubt that Obama can win the nomination (and then the presidency). He has no chance against two opponents (husband and wife, Clintons).

The power of the clinton attack machine (which is greater than GOP or the supposed right wing conspiracy) is that you will vote for it, no matter what.

Take a look at NH. White women with less education or low-income households, voted for Clintons.

The Clintons want to make this effort at a national level.

Obama has no chance. I have contributed to his campaign. Now after NH I have bet for Clintons to win. This way I will get back what I contributed.

It is not that I am not positive. I just read the tea leaves. Clintons are going to muddy, bloody, and defeat him. I am concerned about his family. They will hurt him and for rest of his political career. With this loss, Obama will not be an item in the senate. With Clintons in the White House for 8-years, Obama will be a non-entity.

You have no idea of the power of the clinton attack machine. You will support it no matter what. That is the power. It is zen.

-eorse
1/14/08, 1:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...
". . . sanctified independents that pundits think are so important"

I don't know if 'sanctified' is the right word. With both parties pulling only 25-35% of the electorate, neither democrats nor republicans can win without pulling a hefty share of the independent vote. The independents are usually in the position of choosing the president.

Doesn't that seem like an important group of voters to win?
1/14/08, 2:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...
So far, the only race baiting I've seen (and its the worst I've seen in a long while) has come from the Nader Left. You remember the Nader Left right? They voted for Nader and put Bush in Office for the last eight years. Bill AND Hillary Clinton both did more for working class families in this country than anyone to their right OR left since Roosevelt left office. THAT's their legacy. I love Obama, but let the man earn it. Hillary would make a damn fine president.
1/14/08, 10:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...
It always has been the southern white guy. how else could it play out? History tells us this. hillary needed the foil of obama to put her in contention/public forum. The powers that be made sure this happened. without him in play, she doesn't get the coverage, winds up looking closer to G. Ferraro (another woman candidate married to a scandal plagued husband). Once she bests Obama (Obama never had a real chance), It's either her or edwards. That's when the history kicks in.
1/15/08, 12:52 PM  
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