Reality? You Can’t Handle Reality!
The BBC headline reads: Clinton aide quits over race row. The truth is an old and honored Democrat was subjected to a media campaign that spun what she said into what some people wanted to hear, and not for the first time.
Let’s take a short video break with a classic, The Byrd’s Turn Turn Turn, because spin is all there is. When someone presents reality, they must be beaten down and driven out.
Kevin Drum talks about Obama’s Luck and says: “Contra Ferraro, if Obama were a white man he’d still be getting plenty of attention.” Right, you mean like Edwards got, is that right, Kevin? Or maybe, the most experienced individual in the race, Bill Richardson, who unfortunately doesn’t have an Hispanic name to go with his roots, or he might have been a contender.
The media decided the Republicans would provide the white male, because that’s all they have, so the Democrats must supply the contrast with a woman and a black man. The decision was made, and discussion of white males running for the Democratic nomination evaporated.
Did you ever look at the Dodd campaign’s debate clocks? It was obvious: the media wanted the woman and the black man. Clinton and Obama got the questions; Clinton and Obama got the airtime. Run a check on the media coverage – the VSP decided it would be best for country, while the media conglomerates decided it would be best for the profit margins, if it were between the woman and the black guy.
But Obama opposed the war. Well, one of the 9/11 widows asks Obama the question: ‘Where Were You In ’02?’. Obama makes the “anti-war speech” that no one heard in a state senate campaign in Illinois, and this is his claim to fame. Did he protest and work against the war like Dennis Kucinich? No, but he made this great speech that no one heard, so he’s a hero.
Anyone who denies that being black didn’t help Obama in South Carolina and Mississippi, isn’t paying attention, and that is the point Geraldine Ferraro is making: no one as thin on experience and achievements would be in this position without a “hook”. Her “hook” was being a woman, and his is being black. Welcome to the real world, it’s the reason the media pays attention to him rather than others.
Because women ran before, Hillary Clinton can run today, and being a woman helps her with certain groups. Because blacks ran before, Barack Obama can run today and being black helps him with certain groups. Because Shirley Chisholm ran in 1972 they both can run today and be considered serious candidates. This is a decades long process.
As Avedon Carol says: Shhhh!
14 comments
Being black helps with some groups and hurts with others, no doubt, as does being a woman. I don’t think either of these are affirmative action candidates, however, except perhaps in the sense that all votes are affirmative actions by voters for their own preferences.
What Geraldine Ferraro said was damaging, it was ridiculous, and given its non-retraction, it was intentional, and therefore probably calculated. This is not amateur hour.
Oh, and that kind of BS will play well in Pennsylvania, there’s a lot of blue collar racism even in the cities. Hillary Clinton will do very well in that state.
Maybe if I were black I would understand what all the hoopla is about on this. I think Ferraro was right. She said if her name had been Gerald, she never would’ve gotten the ’84 nomination. And I don’t know that she should be forced to retract what she said if she believes it.
And while racism may be an issue, sexism definitely is. I, personally, know several people who will not be voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman.
Ferraro has been around long enough to know that her statement would cause a fuss.
I too think it was deliberate. She actually said what a lot of people only dare to think. Now it’s being openly discussed. Mission accomplished.
…I was giving this some thought over the last couple of days ’cause I was thinking about posting on it, but now I don’t have to. I was pretty sure that I understand the point that Ferraro was trying to make, but I’m not sure that there is a way of making it without being spun as being a racist comment…
Like everything this Primary season, it’s a wash.
Geraldine Ferraro is in her seventies and dying of cancer. After all the garbage she has had to put with in her life, and especially during that ’84 campaign she is free to say whatever she wants.
I spent years on an Equal Employment Opportunity board when I was on state civil service in New York. I dealt with complaints all the time. Some were egregious, some were subtle, some were stupid, and some were being too thin skinned to live on this planet.
This was a comment in a local newspaper in a small town in California that was sought out and highlighted by partisans to generate a controversy. The premeditation in this [did I mention that the civil service job I had was criminal investigator] was not by Ms. Ferraro.
If I saw a little more condemnation of the sexism in this competition, I might feel differently, but when you go out looking for something to be outraged about, don’t expect to be taken seriously.
I don’t care who wins this because I’m a liberal and won’t vote for either one of them, but if I was inclined to vote it wouldn’t be for the individual who is doing his damnedest to disenfranchise me.
Who do you blame for your disenfranchisement, Bryan? Florida got screwed no doubt about it, but there’s not even an arguable case that Michigan had a fair contest.
Michael, I have no concern with Michigan. I don’t live in or vote in Michigan. You need to consult someone in Michigan.
My understanding is that Michigan has a Democratic governor and Democrats control one of the chambers of the legislature, so I would assume that the Democrats in Michigan had some control over what went on there.
Republicans screwed Florida. What else is new?
As I understand it, at the convention the rules committee can seat the Florida delegation if it chooses, but it will have to solve both Florida and Michigan.
Not exactly, Michael, the Republicans set up the situation, but the Democratic National Committee screwed us.
Five states violated DNC rule 11A, but only two were penalized. That is not a fair way of conducting affairs and Floridians know it.
I replied on the other thread where you provided the background history of this. I agree that the Florida delegation has a good case for the rules committee to seat them.
That meeting takes place after the fact and is worthless.