At first I thought I simply missed it. Surely with all of the talk of racial tension on the campaign trail (a story that the media has covered at length) along with the story of the Clinton campaign's increasing disconnect with black voters and the Obama campaign's alleged disconnect with Latino voters, someone would have mentioned it. But a quick review of some of the major news outlets' online coverage of the story here and here shows that not many did. A few television outlets compensated by showing a picture of both Doyle and Williams thereby allowing viewers to fill in the blank, which actually made the absence of any mention of their race all the more obvious-and amusing.
So what gives? Is it that Williams's race is really irrelevant and therefore media outlets were simply doing the right and journalistically responsible thing by shying away from mentioning it? Or was this an example of political correctness actually torpedoing a good-and newsworthy-story?
To be clear, Maggie Williams is much more than a black political operative. She is one of the most well respected operatives to operate, not just in so-called "Hillaryland," but in Clintonland period, which in a world that includes both Paul Begala and James Carville is saying an awful lot. While many outlets noted that she previously served as Sen. Clinton's Chief of Staff in the White House, they neglected to mention she also once led the former president's Harlem Office. In a nutshell, she's got the goods. But it is also no secret that in recent months, the Clinton campaign has lost some of its famed luster among black voters. At this point with Obama capturing approximately 90% of the black vote in the most recent primary contests, the campaign has probably given up all hope of seriously competing for black votes as long as candidate Obama is around, although they'd never admit that publicly. But instead, after some racially tinged stumbles, including former President Clinton's dismissive assessment of Obama's South Carolina win, the campaign has to look ahead to the general election when some major fence-mending and wound-healing will need to take place should Clinton become the nominee.
With John McCain the likely GOP candidate, someone known for his appeal to Independent voters, Clinton will need to rely on her traditional Democratic base of support more than ever. That includes black voters.
Which brings me back to Williams. As qualified as she is, Williams represents a powerful symbol for the campaign. While much has been made of Clinton's strong support among female voters, particularly older women, much of that support has come largely from white women. It is worth noting that this support has elicited its own share of racially charged melodrama, such as when feminist icon Gloria Steinem, attempting to defend Clinton's candidacy, seemed to argue in a New York Times Op-ed that women have it tougher than black men-a sentiment she later clarified as not representative of what she intended to convey. Williams's high profile presence could do a lot to bridge some of this divide. The other reason the issue of race is worth noting here, is because Latino voters are another group that likely GOP nominee McCain has traditionally done better with than most Republicans, and increasingly, their Democratic partisanship is not a given. This is one key reason why so much media speculation in recent weeks has focused on whether or not Obama will be able to successfully compete for Latino voters in a general election. Yet now that Doyle is no longer in the Clinton campaign's driver seat -- a historic appointment that was heralded by Latina magazine -- an argument could be made that the Clinton campaign's recent round of staff musical chairs could tarnish the campaign's image with the Latino community just a bit and perhaps already has.
The point is the issue of race is not relevant to every story. But it was relevant to this one, which is why it's too bad that no one covered it.
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Keli, you really need to get over the hate.
What's relevant is that The Clintons made the change from Latina chairman to black chairman the day before the so-called Chesapeake or Potomac primaries. Will they make another change before Texas, or is the Latino vote no longer playing out for them? I see some Latinos upset by the move, particularly since The Clintons are playing the blame game on Patty Solis Doyle with the evaporating campaign funds.
In the end, we vote for those most like ourselves. The 90% black vote for Obama underlines this.
I'm a screenwriter in Los Angeles who is turning 40 this year and who was also planning on voting Obama in November. But what I've been witnessing, things such as this particular blog, are beginning to disturb me greatly. If the only way the Obama camp can win is by tarring the Clinton camp as Archie Bunker bigots, then please count me out of the process. This type of lying to a public who knows the Clintons is only going to turn them off. It's turning me off, I can say for sure.
An example was when Bill Clinton was raked over the coals on every single news outlet for using the word "fantasy" in his now infamous speech. Anyone who watched the entire speech knew he was not stating that a black Presidency was a "fantasy". Anyone with any type of synaptic function occurring in their brains knew this. Yet there was every black minister and commentator blasting away at the Clintons for their created racial moment. It made me wonder if these people even saw the speech in its entirety or if they were just relying on what they'd been told. It truly disgusted me.
Now Keli writes a blog here regarding the bombshell of Hillary's ol' racial switcheroo in her campaign.
Keli, I have your next story! Jocelyn Elders! Think about it! Bill Clinton PLANTED the first black surgeon general in his cabinet KNOWING his wife would one day run against Obama! See the connection? Run with it Keli! Get the scoop!
Jesus.
thank you, melak
Jesus-
Right on!! I agree that it has been disgraceful that these people have twisted Bill Clinton's words unfairly. MSNBC staff then took this as gospel and said the Bill Clinton has now introduced race into the primaries. What a bunch of BS!! I will look closely to see if this behavior persists.
I wonder why she didn't place maggie in charge in the first place. Oh wait, I know why. Check out this great article in the Atlantic about Hillary's "experience" and "management excellence" with her campaign staff. WARNING IT IS EERILY SIMILAR TO ANOTHER PRESIDENT WE KNOW
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200802u/patti-solis-doyle
There goes another so called "journalist" seeking very subtly to play the race game again...we are REALLY fedup of these games and the perpetual race baiting. Get a life; go get a job filing taxes or something. ENOUGH of the BS!!!
This is just silly. Maggie is a very good political operative and it doesn't matter that she is black, she's good. Don't try to down play her skills to the fact that Sen. Clinton needs black votes!
This is almost as bad as the Hispanic people getting upset because Patty's role was deminished (esp. here in NY)...she needed to sit down. She didn't know what she was doing and she was in over her head. It had nothing to do with her race. Maggie is better than Patty period. Maggie can get it done, though it might be too late for Sen. Clinton anyway
I hope they start playing the "issues" card soon.
I find it very sad that you belittle a woman's career, and intelligence and state she was assigned a great position just because she is black.
Does he 20 year relationship with Hillary account for nothing? Does her life of achievement account for nothing?
You just smacked her down and diminished her to nothing but a patsy. I am sure Maggie really appreciates your opinion.
The Obama mania is as irrational as the Hillary hate.
whatever Hillary says or does, or Bill says or does, it will be misinterpreted and turned against them.
People hate Hillary and can't even tell you why because they simply repeat what the pundits tell them. The hate is based on allegations, not facts.
Well, how about these facts then:
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=076fd56f-4aca-4683-a9d1-3c55d748946e
well, there was Kenny Lay with Enron fame and Abramoff and lots of others.
I dislike Hillary based on her record of triangulation, political opportunism, and poor judgment as a Senator. Her votes are her votes, and are not "allegations." She wants to claim 35 years experience, but the best I can tell is she's only been a Senator for 7 years, which is less time holding public office than Obama. All this, along with the way the Clintons have conducted their campaign, under the guidance of the truly slimy Mark Penn, contributes to my SOLID decision to NOT support her, under any circumstances. Just the facts... Also, I am NOT maniacal about Obama, but the enthusiasm, vision, and freshness that he brings to the race does inspire and uplift me, which is why he gets my vote, even though he wasn't my first choice. That would be John Edwards.
greejambri,
you are generalizing, nothing specific. Since Obama was not in the senate when the resolution for Iraq came up we can't tell how he would have voted. He may not have had a second term had he been there and voted against the resolution. Any Senator considering to run for president could not appear to be soft on defense. Edwards was there and he voted the same as Hillary.
Based on his three years in the Senate how did he vote?? By all accounts mostly like Senator Clinton.
Bush got a blank check, yes, but he did not have to cash it in. Bush decided to cashe it.
You mean, re-elected like the 50% of democratic senators who voted against the war?
You are the one playing the race card here - shame on you.
This woman has worked for years and years with the Clintons.
If you don't want it to be perceived as racist - don't play the race card.
Seems to me the blacks are the ones playing the race card - not a good way to look forward.
Shame on you.
Keli, you are afflicted with "race" paranoia. I know.. as a black man that used to happen to me sometimes. I've learned to controll it. race is not the undercurrent of EVERYTHING!!! pls get past it.
Keli,
As a sistah, I could care less what color Mrs. Clinton campaign manager is. The only color I care about is the color of Mrs. Clinton character and right now it ain't looking good.
Maybe the Latino population cares that Mrs. Solis Doyle was latino, but I sure don't. Nor do I care that Ms. Williams is a sistah. Her appointment will in no way change my mind about Mrs. Clinton...ever!
Seems that the issues are not really with Hillary or Barack. Missteps here or there from both parties not withstanding neglect to credit excellent overall records both have every right to portray. Seems that once the voters themselves get past voting their specific ethnicities alone and; the media chooses not to examine every minute detail of what is ever said or done by the candidates, then it seems the campaigns will only need to concern themselves with ability alone.
Everytime Hillary makes a decsion there is some devious or manipulative motivation behind it. To believe that that campaign made this decsion at this point in the campgain is narrow minded and quite disengenuous. First and formeost - by a significant margin -pragmatic people can only conclude that Maggie is on board becase she is the best person available to correct the performance of the campaign " an outstanding administrator with proven results who has worked with Hillary for dozens of years. Who else would be availiable with that kind of talent? To conflate any other motivation or reasoning for the decsion attempts to bring to life an issue that will only attempt to take another undeserved attack at Hillary while Barack continues to get a free pass.
Mmmmm........ Williams is there 'cause she's one tough, brilliant babe, and loyal to the extreme no matter the consequences. I mean, here Maggie, take this bag from Johnny Chung, but pssst, don't make a big deal about it. So folks, sit back and watch Hillary's phoenix moment, compliments of an adroit Williams. Witness the arrival of Senator Clinton's VP nominee -- Senator Obama.
So WHY was Maggie not chosen to lead the campaign from the BEGINNING. Patti Solis Doyle was a complete screw up. She burned through 30 MILLION DOLLARS in Clinton's senate uncontested campaign and raised screams from donors. Yet Clinton appointed Doyle to head up her campaign for president. WHY? Because she was a loyal Bushie (oooops I mean Hillbot)
See how loyalty trumps all in the Clinton Campaign. WARNING IT IS EERILY SIMILAR TO ANOTHER PRESIDENT WE KNOW AND DESPISE
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200802u/patti-solis-doyle
Patti darlin' ran the campaign intended to keep "bumps" from getting in the way of the "inevitable" candidate. No one at first saw the rise of a gifted, elegant Obama with his smooooth message of "change." Exit the nice Patti, enter the hardened, adept Maggie so now the real campaigning begins. Let's see if the Obama message sustains without substance behind it. Don't believe me? Hillary's very first speech with Maggie's direction has been about Obama's lack of substance in his message. Hillary = "speeches don't put food on the table." (Take that, Obama.)
Seems everything is a conspiracy for those who hate Hillary. I was around during Johnny Chung witch-hunt as well as dozens of other orchestrated attacks to destroy Hillary Clinton. Did not work, she is still standing. Why don"t we start some policy discussions that would actually affect the country? Why don"t we talk about who can best execute those policies? Low blows are par for the course for the Obama fanatics, some day the media will get a backbone and wise up.
OK how about this.
Clinton"s idea of leadership is very different. Her effort to reform health care shortly after her husband took office was notable in that no one mobilized the public. Her team took polls, conducted focus groups, and engaged interest groups. But they never mobilized the public. And although an outsider at the time, she tried to play the insider game. But in the insider"s game, only the insider"s reality counts. So she lost " and so did the millions of us who never had an opportunity to help make the health care "changes" we needed and wanted and deserved.
Now Clinton wants us to hear what she will do "for" us, what "she" will deliver " much as a lawyer, drawing strength not from her client but from her expertise, argues a case. Obama, on the other hand, urges people to join with him in acting for themselves and each other. A former community organizer, he learned that changing ourselves and changing the world go together, and that without mobilizing the strength of people who want change, it won"t happen.
America doesn"t just need "change""it needs the kind of change that mobilizes those who want and need it, rather than relying on those who resist and fear it. Clinton made her key mistakes on health care in 1994; fourteen years later, what the imbroglio about Martin Luther King and LBJ shows is not racial insensitivity but that she"s never learned the real lesson about how to make change that matters and lasts.
http://tpmcafe.com/2008/01/21/clinton_obama_mlk_leadership_f/#more
What color is Obama's campaign manager?
Must be the only black person not to vote for Obama. How could she be so racist.
Thank you, Keli, for confirming my suspicion that this was a cynically calculated move to try to get more votes from African-Americans, in light of their quite logically flocking to Senator Obama's far more attractive campaign. And it's characteristic that someone had to be thrown under the bus to do it, with planted rumors of "lying about the campaign's financial status".
Geesh, if that were the case then Doyle would have been held over for Texas. Get real. It has and always will be that the Obama camp is the one throwing the race card into the primaries. At whatever cost. Well the cost could be a broken party and another 4 years with McCain.
The fact that Maggie Williams is black should neither hurt nor help Clinton's campaign.
The fact that she knows where the bodies are buried and has apparently decided to "go negative" in order to get a win in Texas, Oh, and PA, may say a lot.
More telling was the dismissal of Doyle amid charges of money mismanagement. Hillary apparently had no idea where the money had gone and had BILL spend several days going over the books.
Leadership and experience? Really?
I am in full agreement with you. Race probably not the issue here. Hillary's campaign is taking a beating right now, so Hill is reaching for the familiar. Maggie does know where "all the bodies are burried" and Im sure that Mrs Clinton has a comfort level with Maggie after so many years of working together. She's goin home to "momma" after getting her knees scraped up on the playground.
Goff we get it. Biden and Clinton remarks: code words = racism. BHO New Hampshire loss: Bradey effect = racism. Older white women = racist.
Why is there a need for many to qualify that they are "white" and will be voting for Obama?
If 89% of whites voted for Clinton?
put the race card back in the deck please.
your upset that no one mentioned race? well, i am certain that the msm has a reason for NOT discussing it. BUT if hrc made any mention, youd be crying foul and saying that the clinton campaign was exploiting williams, so spare me. please.
Does this reactionary drivel stem from the fact that Hillary's about to lose?
I believe (maybe you'll have to go back and take the Hillary blinders off) that the writer said that the press, which usually likes to hammer home the racial he said/she said, was strangely quiet about Ms. Williams race.
Take a xanax, and calm down. Mrs. Inevitability is coming to an end.
The issue seems to be that no one ELSE made an issue of it and that IS the issue?
You have got to be F@#^ing kidding me?
let the baiting continue..
So is Hillary a racist for dumping the Latina for an AA? Or is the fact her campaign has been suffering a reason to fire her? If she (Hillary) continues to slide down and fires Maggie in a month or two, is she a double racist? Personally, I think she is a sexist for not hiring a male. Touché!!!
Why do you hold Begala and Carville in such high regard?
Posted February 13, 2008 | 07:14 PM (EST)