Geraldine Ferraro and Samantha Power -- Ugghh!!

Samantha, thanks for stepping back. Gerry, thanks for nothing.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been having some fights lately. But mostly fair fights. She is questioning his credentials to be commander-in-chief; He is questioning her on tax returns. Not pleasant discussions in either case. But they are clearly real issues and most importantly, they are between the candidates themselves.

That is what we want in this race -- for Clinton and Obama to make their own case.

When folks try, on their behalf, to make a case through personal attacks, they aren't just hurting their own candidates, they are hurting all of us.

Samantha Power made a big mistake. She said something mean and personal and hurtful. And then she had the grace to apologize and step back.

Unfortunately Gerry Ferraro said something mean and personal and hurtful and she has been graceless and offensive in her own persistent defense. Not to mention tarring Hillary Clinton with a comment that the senator doesn't and shouldn't ascribe to reality.

Yet, Ferraro is bewilderingly insistent on staying in this fight. Even resigning from her support for Hillary so she can keep making a mess that Hillary is blamed for. As they say, with friends like these...

Have I said yet how heartbreaking it is for me to write this about Gerry Ferraro? I was 24-years-old at my first Democratic Convention serving with honor as a podium assistant when she stood up to receive the nomination to be vice president. I couldn't have been more proud.

Her formulation that Barack Obama wouldn't have the success he's experiencing if he were a white man is frightening. That somehow, his accomplishments in life and his standing before us as a presidential contender is a form of affirmative action isn't just offensive, it is bizarre. Fatherless at two, and dragged around the world. He made his own life. He is in this race because he is a touchstone politician. And I said that with admiration. In Obama we have a candidate who doesn't just understand that politics is about each of us, he actually has the talent and natural gifts to make us believe it, too. Hillary Clinton offers us a commitment to new policies we've been hungry for these last eight years. Her forward thinking on solutions, her determination on our behalf and her endurance as a leader get my support. Both offerings are worthy. Both of their offerings are also shaped by their experiences as a black man and a white woman only in the best way, NOT the easy way.

Dr. Imani Perry, a professor at Rutgers University wrote yesterday:

"...we can look at this another way: If Barack Obama were a white man, these gifts he possesses might not have developed in the way they did. Each person comes into the world with a unique spirit. The interface of that spirit with the body into which he or she is born and the society and family in which he or she lives and grows, creates the human personality. Perhaps Obama's encounters with bigotry and the diversity of his experiences shaped many of the qualities we admire in him. Perhaps being born on American soil as Barack Hussein Obama, a biracial second generation American in a body that is always perceived as a 'Black man', gifted him with a second sight that voters are looking to in troubled times."

Robin Morgan, the accomplished feminist writer said of Hillary's Clinton's value as a female president:

"...Women have endured hatred, rape and battery, being the majority of the poor, of refugees, of caregivers, and the powerless. We know that at this historical moment women experience the world differently from men -- though not all the same as one another -- and can govern differently..."

If either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama is in this race because of their race or their gender, then it is only because it is an inexorable part of them pushing internally to succeed. They weren't given any extra breaks.

Follow Hilary Rosen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hilaryr

Comments

[thatvisionthing]

Give Ferraro a break! If nothing else, think of A Boy Named Sue. "It's that name that's helped to make you strong..." And she might as well turn around and say of Hillary that she wouldn't be a presidential candidate if she wasn't married to Bill. We all come from someplace, we all have heritages and unique circumstances. But we don't all become presidential candidates.

This country has an awful history of racism and intolerance. It's one of the things that's making us sick in Iraq. How wonderful that we have a candidate like Barack Obama, coming from such a background, with such a perspective on appreciating differences and uniting toward a common goal. How wonderful that we don't have to be doomed to another president of the United States of Republicans, or the United States of White People, or...

[DownwithFearMongers]

I respect and agree with this artical completely.

[valleygent]

I say hire Samantha Power back in a very public way. Hillary and Ferraro; climb back under the rock labled "dinosaurs" and let us attempt to conduct some democracy. Hillary pay special attention to the one called T REX.

[azphil]

Fully agree, Samantha Power should not remain in the wilderness. I saw her do an interview with the BBC's pit bull, Jeremy Paxton, and she was first class. More than held her own with one of the toughest interviewers around. She was classy, articulate and forceful. Not a talent we should allow to go to waste because Rove/Clinton is too sensitive.

[moxymama]

What makes you think that she's in the wilderness? She may have resigned publicly, but if you think she's not advising him without the benefit of any title, if you think that he has actually distanced himself from Powers, than you're crazy.

And, by the way, someone who writes and researches about genocide should never casually call another human being a "monster."

[Dyogenes]

Ms Rosen's extremely smooth article had me for a few minutes. Then I realized: there is No moral equivalency between the misstatements of Power's offhand Monster remark about HRC, and Ferraro's repeatedly racially charged snarks and disparagements of Sen. Obama considerable and well-documented achievements.

Beyond the obvious curiosity that HRC grooved on SNL's Bitch slap while whining about the Monster remark--which defies my experience with women executives who'd much rather be called a Monster than a Bitch--is the core issue here: bating and ENERGIZING her base-- less educated, lower income WHITEs, including miners, blue collar workers and miscellaneous other rednecks--at ANY COSTS!

Her only effective tact against Obama are garbage-dump, below-the-belt punches like this.

Unable to elevate herself among the larger electorate, HRC et al continue to do and say anything to discount and disparage her steadfast, indefatigable AND respectful opponent Barack Obama. "He voted against the Energy bill; he double-dealed on Nafta; he may be Muslim; ".... Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

All willful disinformation to slam and slander the guy SHE wants for her VP. Is this madness or what?

[Dyogenes]

3.13.08 - "Nationally, McCain is viewed favorably by 53% and unfavorably by 43%.
Obama is now viewed favorably by 52% of likely voters nationwide, unfavorably by 44%.
Clinton earns positive reviews from 47% of Likely Voters nationwide and
negative assessments from 50% ..." Rasmussen Reports

Her constant character attacks on Barack' are elevating McCain fgs!

The Superdelegates need to commit to Obama NOW and put her
and the Democratic Party out of this misery.

[andhakari]

Given the history of the Clinton campaign, I'm afraid the Ferraro nonsense may be intentional. There seems to a not too subtle suggestion here that, because some black people prefer Obama in part because he is black, it's OK for white people to vote for Hillary because she is white. And, no secret here, there are a lot more voting whites than blacks (especially amongst super-delegates).
One Clinton web-site I visited yesterday had a news link titled : "Blacks for Obama, Whites for Hillary". What do you think they're doing?
Every day, Clinton digs herself further into a hole, always threatening to drag the rest of the party in with her. I didn't start this campaign as an Obama supporter, and I didn't object to Hillary, but there's no question who has my whole-hearted support now.

[azphil]

Sorry, Samantha Power did not make a mean, personal and hurtful comment. She said what many democrats feel and that is that Rove/Clinton will do anything to get elected, She was right in her analysis. The "monster "bit may have been a bit sharp for American tastes, but in many parts of the world it would have been considered part and parcel of the rough and tumble of politics It was nothing compared with Ferraro's comments or Wolfson's snide "Ken Starr" jab. For the good of the campaign Samantha Power fell on her sword when she shouldn't have. Compare that with the Rove/Clinton team who, when challenged, call for more swords or better still napalm.

By the way that sickly odor you can smell is caused by the burning of the party's chances of winning the WH and probably the Senate due to Rove/Clinton's attack on the party base. if she's the nominee the African American vote won't be there in Nov and neither will the progressive wing.

[Uselessboy]

Hillary is history's first candidate with the break of being the most recent same-party President's spouse, and using much of that experience as her resume.

If that's not a break, then why is it on her resume at all?

[Uselessboy]

There's never before been a candidate for President who was the spouse of the most recent President of their party.

If that's not a break, how can it be on her resume at all?

[Superfelo]

We think it is a legitimate reason that people out of ethnic pride, or what have you, would support a candidate. Although when Alan Keyes runs his support among African-Americans does not seem to register a great deal, though he is a Black man.
We also noted, when Hillary's coronation seemed a sure thing, most African-Americans were very supportive of her, and dismissive of Barack Obama, when he was an unknown quantity; but a funny thing happened on the way to the primaries,
African-Americans, and many other voters, began to see the man Barack Obama is,
and they began to pay attention, and they liked what they saw and heard.
At the beginning of the campaign we used to ask many African-Americans about
Barack Obama and they were most concerned about issues, and where he stood about them.
Most people of Irish descent, were proud that JFK was running and that he had Irish roots; so were Women and Italians when Geraldine Ferraro was chosen as
Walter Mondale's running mate. In Astoria, Queens (in NY) the people of Greek descent
were overflowing with pride, and collecting cash to support Mike Dukakis, who had Greek roots. Even Hillary Clinton stretched the band to find that she had Jewish roots, accident? No, the Jewish vote.
Therefore, it is nothing unique, unusual, out of the norm, that African-American support in droves Barack Obama, in part because of ethnic pride; but also because the man has a solid message of hope and change worth listening to. It is not about race; it is about the issues, and who could best champion the people and at the same time, because of his mettle and judgment is ready to be Commander in Chief. Geraldine, Geraldine, Geraldine, Maggie Williams, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton, have you guys no shame, no decency, at long last? Enough said.

[WordManMI]

Geraldine Ferraro did not say anything that was either racist or untrue. She hit the nail on the head. The media and many in the Democratic Party have been swooning over Barack Obama for the past four years without a genuine vetting or scrutiny. While Hillary Clinton may not have as much legislative experience as the average candidate this cycle, she certainly has a great deal of public policy experience and a whole lot of battle scars from multiple investigations. As I posted at another page here, I almost fell out of my chair today when Chris Matthews wondered when in American history has a black man ever had any political advantage of a white woman? I guess he missed that day in school when the 14th Amendment was discussed. LOL! Believe it or not, but for several decades, black men could vote and hold elected office before women of ANY race could!!! I might remind you all that the same Chris Matthews, who is clearly in the tank for Obama, stated a few weeks ago that the only reason Hillary is in her present position is because people feel sorry for her when her husband cheated on her. This whole thing is getting disgusting.

[thebirdstheword]

The 14th amendment was a piece of paper. Do you think that things magically changed as soon as it was written?

[moxymama]

Do you think things magically change the moment Barack Obama proclaims for change?

[bobdob]

I'm sorry, but your closer is crap. Hillary has been given every break in the world. From her privileged upbringing to her political advantage of having been the wife of the president, Hillary has been given every break in the world. Even her list of accomplishments as First Lady were handed to her by her husband.

[Griff66]

Thanks Hilary Rosen!

Well voiced..... we need more Americans like you speaking from the core of your being
rather than from the envious side of your soul.
Quoting the professor from Rutgers hit it for me.. We ALL have our uniqueness and Obama brings
to the table something that some of us wish we could have experienced.. But what I am grateful for
is I get to see it in my lifetime..

Thanks for the post Hilary.. you have always been true and fair

[Leefeller]

The continued mouthing by Ferraro seems to be a plan to garner up votes from bigots for Hillary. Her statements and stand on her statements is the way racists act, acting like the victim.

[DoAsISay]

Thank you Hillary Rosen. This means a lot because you are a Clinton supporter. If only Clinton had more people like you on her staff, and her committees.

[Centaur]

And if HRC wouldn't have come out with the statement that only she and McCain had the only qualifications to be president. That's as bad as Ferraro's comments. Get her to "reject and denounce" that and perhaps all is not lost. Anyway, Ms Rosen, I applaud your effort in refuting Ferraro's asinine comments.

[donaldw6]

Amen

[fjstratford]

Look who's racist now!!

Obama's Spiritual Guide: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11 because of its treatment of blacks

-from abcnews dot go dot com

[Livvy]

I can only guess that the Clinton people see some benefit in Ms. Ferraro continuing to behave this way. I can't imagine that they have clearly told her to stop it and she continues on? At any rate it makes me cringe on her behalf.

There was a very nice piece about Samantha Powers in the Seattle PI today. I have always admired her work but this made me like her very much in a personal way.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/354796_power13.html