Sunday Roundup

The Clinton campaign has never looked as hard into the future -- or the past -- as it did last night. Hillary had already left South Carolina for Tennessee, and Bill was giving a semi-concession speech from Missouri, looking forward to the millions of people who will be voting on Super Tuesday -- since the hundreds of thousands in South Carolina didn't exactly go the way the Clintons had hoped. And he desperately tried to spin Obama's triumph away by telling reporters that Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice, in 1984 and 1988. But however hard the Clintons are trying to look forward to our Super Tuesday future or drag us into the Jesse Jackson past, there are some stunning numbers in the present they have to deal with: Obama got 295,091 votes to Clinton's 141,128 (more than twice as many). He got more votes than John McCain and Mike Huckabee combined (279,723). He won 78% of the black vote, 25% of the white vote, and 52% of the non-black vote under 30. And he was more than a little responsible for the fact that Democratic turnout was twice that of 2004 (532,000 to 280,000). These numbers are pretty hard to run away from.

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Comments

[sbowerman]

Democrats and Republicans and the undecided should read Frank Rich in Sundays New York Times.

[NABNYC]

I don't know if we should call the Clinton campaign "Clueless" or "The Arkansas Chain Saw Massacre." Bill and Hill do seem to be the prototype for Ken and Barbie go to Arkansas. They are the epitome of the privileged white American couple who believe the only thing that matters is them getting more power and more wealth.

There is a theory that the more privileged people are, the less aware they are of others around them. They are less aware or concerned about making offensive comments. If we go by that, then Bill's onslaught of southern code racist words about Obama reflects his inherent racism as well as the arrogance of privilege. As he said yesterday, he doesn't care what anyone else thinks about him. And Hilly ratifies his comments because it benefits her.

As Maureen Dowd has apparently noted, Hillary's campaign more and more consists of her sending out her husband to coerce and bully people into voting for her. Which is a concession by the strategists that if Hillary had to run on her own, she would not stand a chance. That's probably because the 35 years' experience she keeps talking about consists of being a wife and accompanying her husband on his business trips.

The fact that Bill and Hill do not care if they devastate the Democratic party, reviving old hostilities or racism, is consistent with Bill's unrestrained promiscuity when he was in the white house. He didn't care that the Democratic party and democratic politicians would be sullied and tarnished by his out of control behavior.

It's the Bill and Hill Show, and nobody else matters.

[olderdem]

It seems what Bill Clinton is most worried about is his legacy. He always wanted to be president again to try to redeem his personal shortcomings in his last term, and Hillary is his ticket. If Obama wins and becomes the transformational Democratic President that so many believe is possible, Bill Clinton’s 2 terms in office will become just a footnote in history highlighted by his bad behavior and impeachment. The Democratic heroes of the last 100 years will become Roosevelt, Kennedy and Obama. Bill is so desperate to destroy Obama – it’s not about Hillary or the Country, it’s about him. He believes any short term damage to his reputation can be fixed once he, I mean Hillary, becomes President.

As one of his supporters in the 90’s, he has lost me – forever. I once regretted that Bill couldn’t run again. I’ve come to understand him a lot better in the last several weeks. I was blind and now I can see.

[NABNYC]

"In our time and place, the notion of "whiteness" is a notion that arrogates unto itself the privileges of greed and dominion. Racism is by this definition the rigor mortis of the dead heart, the status quo that petrifies itself, excluding feeling -- "I don't want any n[****] grandchildren." ... "Power insulates the privileged and keeps them from the world with its transformative possibilities and its ultimate redemption."


"To me, "white" stood for, and stands for, not so much a degree of pigmentation as a set of attitudes that takes privilege as an exclusive right. ...." May 17, 1994

From "Manifesto of a Dead Daughter," by Patricia Eakins.

[BardEric]

Hllary needs to shorten Bill's leash QUICK! While he was a great prez, and a good public servant,we all know he tends to pursue the things he is passionate about, well, passionately. But he needs to tone down his rhetoric and channel the passionate visionary he was when he first ran against Bush Sr. in '92 if he wants to truly help his wife.

[NotPC]

I am a Republican, and I am LOVING this race between Obama and Hil. I have been waiting for years for someone to finally take the Clintons down, and by gosh, I think Obama can do it. Though I think there will be a big price paid in the dem party when this is all over, as it is clearly causing a divide within the party. But, again it's quite interesting to watch.

[longislandlol]

Wonderful numbers -- now we cannot rest on our laurel' wreathes-- it's hard work- we can do it-- he represents all of us-- he is white- he is black - he is everything...

[BardEric]

Congrats to Sen Obama for the victory we all already knew he was gonna win..The media has beaten that dead horse with the polling whip since before the voting booths were even set up..Not even the Clintons REALLY thought they would win in S.C. Time to dust themsleves off and move on tho the next battle, which I believe is going to go down differently for both of them. The "were not bringing it up, but it's there" race/gender card that BOTH candidates purport NOT to play (please note the sarcasm folks!) isnt going to fly farther north, and out west. So both campaigns (and thier respective spouses) are gonna have to find something more interesting to talk about now.I'm leaning Clinton still, but WHAT was that comment from Bill that was basicly -yeah well Jessie Jackson won two primaries here too and he didn't get the nomination either.. The ONLY connection between Obama and Jackson, in that context, is race! Bad Bubba!!! SIT!!! STAY!!! We can elect your immensely qualified wife without THAT kind of help from you.

[WilliamGossett]

Bill is not the brilliant strategist as he has been made out to be:

1) By trashing his Democratic rival he has antagonized a significant number of people who will not vote for Hillary in November. They will not vote or they will vote for McCain. In effect, he has insured that Hillary will never win the general election.

2) In 1993 he selected Lloyd Bentsen, a sitting senator from Texas to be Secretary of the Treasury. By doing so, he exposed that seat to early GOP takeover - which happened.

3) After the Supreme Court had unanimously decided that the Paula Jones case could go forward while he was still in office, he could have settled and stated that his duties as President precluded him from getting "wrapped around the axle" about a civil suit and that his obligation to the American people was to not detract himself with this matter even though it meant settling under less than ideal circumstances.

Bill has some genius and most of his policies were in the right place but right now, his strategies are worthless.

In fact, we would be better to see what his inclinations are and to do just the opposite!

[DietrichMoody]

All the Clintons need to do is count on their toxicity to stay a float and win here and there. Like a bad relationship, you mistake comfort for progress and stay in it. Many people will continue to vote for the Clintons because it feels comfortable, and they have a history.

She will have wins, but there is a real struggle here. But the more Clintons lose the more APPARENT their toxicity becomes to the generally aware public

Regarding South Carolina, Hillary and Bill, you cannot spin your way out of 55% to 27% disparity, not when Hillary "and Bill", were leading by more than 20 points in the state not a month ago.

[dana94591]

I just read Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg's endorsement in the NYT and I am so happy to see the Kennedy's jump on this train. I feel it is time! We need to change the leadership in the Democratic party because it is so rundown and demoralized. Yes, to vision and hope comes with the Obama candidacy. Can America transcend race? It is possible if they are able to vote for hope for the survival of our nation through Barack!

[beaves35]

People, to accuse the Clinton's of being racist is ridiculous. They, particularly Bill, have never done anything to denigrate or harm African Americans. They are simply running a political campaign and right now Barack Obama just happens to be their opponent. Barack is doing the same thing to them, his opponent. Unfortunately for the Clintons they are white and Obama is protected by being black. In today's climate, if a white person utters anything that can even remotely be connected to race, they are immediately turned into racists. I suggest you think of both Hillary and Barack as both being white men, and then compare and contrast them to see who you should vote for.

[DietrichMoody]

Regarding South Carolina, Hillary and Bill, cannot spin your way out of 55% to 27%, not when Hillary and Bill, were leading by 20% in the state not a month ago.

But Hillary and Bill, spun their way out of New Hampshire, calling it a comeback, but only winning by 3 points, in a massive turnout, instigated by Obama which apparently helped Hillary and Bill, and Hillary and Bill where leading by more than 30% not a month before that primary.

I get it, ignore the losses, and SPIN every close victory Hillary and Bill,have as a COMEBACK even though, Hillary and Bill, WERE LEADING BY MORE THAN 20% IN EVERY POLL not one month prior.

I would be more concerned with why ordinary thinking people are opting for a second choice. Hillary and Bill, Try not to be so divisive, dismissive or entitled or maybe this is just authentic to you, and can't help it, its like an itch you need to scratch.

Like my Grandpa said, you can't do the big things well without showing that you can do the little things as well if not even better. Treating lost primaries as an exhibition to the big game is like not practicing for the big match. I don't care how much the press buys into Hillary and Bill's "alleged" brilliance Hillary and Bill, are not that smart. Being crafty and manipulative is not smart, it pays its price down the road, especially when other people start to get it and figure it out. In this post 9/11 world, there is an awareness among Americans that is breathtaking.

[DietrichMoody]

Regarding South Carolina, Hillary and Bill, cannot spin your way out of 55% to 27%, not when Hillary and Bill, were leading by 20% in the state not a month ago.

But Hillary and Bill, spun their way out of New Hampshire, calling it a comeback, but only winning by 3 points, in a massive turnout, instigated by Obama which apparently helped Hillary and Bill, and Hillary and Bill where leading by more than 30% not a month before that primary.

I get it, ignore the losses, and SPIN every close victory Hillary and Bill,have as a COMEBACK even though, Hillary and Bill, WERE LEADING BY MORE THAN 20% IN EVERY POLL not one month prior.

I would be more concerned with why ordinary thinking people are opting for a second choice. Hillary and Bill, Try not to be so divisive, dismissive or entitled or maybe this is just authentic to you, and can't help it, its like an itch you need to scratch.

Like my Grandpa said, you can't do the big things well without showing that you can do the little things as well if not even better. Treating lost primaries as an exhibition to the big game is like not practicing for the big match. I don't care how much the press buys into Hillary and Bill's "alleged" brilliance Hillary and Bill, are not that smart. Being crafty and manipulative is not smart, it pays its price down the road, especially when other people start to get it and figure it out. In this post 9/11 world, there is an awareness among Americans that is breathtaking.

[OVERSTREET]

One disturbing FACT: Edwards, Obama and Clinton agreed NOT to compete in Florida. How in the name of first grade common sense can Hillary tout a possible victory in the Sunshine state? Her inability to stick to a simple agreement is baffling. One final note: It is impossible for President Bush to give a state of the union address. The only thing he should be doing is addressing his "state of mind."