"I am not a racist." - William Jefferson Clinton (Interview with Kate Snow, ABC News)
You know Democrats are in trouble when the only two-term Democratic president since F.D.R. is reduced to stating he's "not a racist." Especially when this president was championed by the African American community during his presidency, right up until Jesse Jackson, Jr. questioned whether Hillary Clinton cried for Katrina victims, the primary moment when the baiting over race began. But once someone like Bob Herbert starts drawing out phallic symbols and juxtaposing "call me" references from Harold Ford days, when there are none, you know we've all gone down a rocky one way road. Can Keith Olbermann bringing up the phalluses be far behind? Nope, he did that just recently; yet another moment when Mr. Olbermann chose his anti Edward R. Murrow persona that lurks within. You'll have to figure out why Bob Herbert also selected the role of being James Clyburn of the general election. It's certainly not going to do Barack Obama any good at all. But John McCain's got to love it.
Everyone knew we had racial issues in this country, but what we're seeing play out from the primaries to the general election isn't coming from American voters. It's coming from Democrats, politicians, analysts and strategists, including liberal columnists and media types, including bloggers who jumped the race gun, all because Richard Nixon, the GOP's southern strategy, followed by Lee Atwater, once divided to conquer in order to win the presidency, back when race baiting was the thing.
However, when you have William Jefferson Clinton feeling compelled to say in an interview that he is "not a racist" after a tough Democratic primary season, you know that whatever sins the GOP delivered before (and will again), they've now been passed along to Democrats and so called progressives in an effort to either get ahead of what is believed to be coming, or to draw a line on a dare that challenges people who are afraid to stand up to false race charges, because in America, we all know the prejudice is there, especially if you're willing to conjure it up, ala Bob Herbert.
Not even William Jefferson Clinton is safe. Can anyone doubt why he holds fury?
Jon Stewart had a blast with all of this as you can see in the video above. It made my heart sing to see him roundly reject the race baiting, while ridiculing the players on both sides. Because Democrats have lost our race cherry, which in a year that was supposed to be a walk, we seem intent on making it a slow, embarrassing crawl.
But what this whole affair does for Democratic nominee is something quite horrifying. Not only does this recent back and forth on race belittle the candidacy of the first African American who began this general election with an overwhelming advantage. It hands John McCain a shield, protecting him and his party from all the scurrilous things that will no doubt continue to be said, emailed and whispered about Barack Obama. Because when the politically astute hear an African American Democratic candidate telling a crowd that his Republican opponent will ask "Did I mention he's black," when his opponent has done no such thing, we hear ugly things echoing forward, as a disquieted wolf cries. It also rips the scab off memories, which many of us are trying to put down for country.
So, let Bob Herbert trot out imaginary fiction of phalluses in McCain ads, citing scantily clad white women, in rhetorical flourishes of race baiting that would make someone prejudice blush at the audacity. Keith Olbermann can ask Jonathan Alter about them, too, because he long ago proved he has no boundaries on his type of "journalism." However, when on the same day William Jefferson Clinton is compelled to insert into the political blood stream that he's "not a racist," the combination of sound bites meets up in a fusion so explosive for Democrats that it becomes a gift of dynamite for Republicans that could propel them to a racial high road they don't deserve to hold.
"I am not a racist" is something William Jefferson Clinton should never feel compelled to utter. That he did sends a message to John McCain, which was delivered loud and clear when Obama stated "Did I mention he's black?" Republicans won't make Democratic mistakes, because they don't care what you call them, as long as they win. It's repetitive, but it's also a reminder.
This all traces back to the Democratic primaries. It also traces back to Rep. James Clyburn, who inflamed it because he could and he knew it would work, though it left carnage behind that's not long forgotten. Oh, and by the way, like Bob "fantasy phalluses" Herbert, neither of these guys are white. Just in case you're keeping score. McCain is and right now it's his advantage.
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Why should he be? He holds no office, shares the past president title with others and made an ass out of himself during his campaign--ooops I mean his wife'e campaign.
Taylor has been the ONLY online (and I guess on air but not in my neck of the woods) pundit who transcends the disputes between these committees and the very real clashes between the many parties involved. She has strongly stated her preferences and then when her first choice - Hillary - did not get the "apparent" nomination she strongly shifted her position. Hey, look at her website.
I wish you, Taylor, would write an article on the relationships between these committees and their players.
Of course I am assuming you all know Obama is a player for the DNC and Bill is for the DLC. Hillary is, IMO, in her own class. Her committee has yet to be formed and it might be the best yet.
But now he can't, and he's blaming Barack Obama for it.
Y'all sink yourselves. McBush doesn't have to do anything.
Apparently you missed the post on HuffPo detailing the Clinton campaign's strategy for using racial rhetoric in order to convince White voters that Obama is the "Black candidate", another Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton running for President. Look, I am an African American young woman and I do not believe that the Clintons are racists, and I tell other Blacks who say otherwise that I do not believe the Clintons are racists. But they ARE seasoned politicians who thought they could get away with engaging in race-baiting in order to win. They expected a backlash against Obama (and ultimately a loss in the election) from White voters for criticizing the Clinton's statements because the Clintons have had (until now) such a positive relationship with the Black community for many years, and Bill was affectionately called "The First Black President". They thought that people would say "how dare Obama accuse of all people, the Clintons, for trying to marginalize him as the Black candidate", he's just "playing the race card."
"the unreferenced media" rest my case
"the system" many practitioners cashing cheques from a myriad of pay masters who both with and without integrity and with or without accountability foisted inevitable compromise on "the Clintons" and all and I mean all others--now there's a debate.
By the way you are right but the bigger picture is lost on them--and for--everyone else. In order for Barack Obama to be elected you better get every friend you have to the booth because one thing Hill had right... it ain't gonna be easy.
To ensure that white "low information" prosperity challenged voters weren't swayed to Obama the Clintons used "dog whistle" politics by bring in "Jesse Jackson" - the hidden message to the targeted voting block (hence the term dog whistle politics) was this guy Obama is a Blaa-ack candidate only - just like Jesse - and won't do anything for you "hard working" white folk.
It worked - but not well enough - more people recognize the technique - especially now that it has a name.
Again, he's not a racist (and she's not a racist), but he was probably campaigning too aggressively. It's unfortunate, and while I hated to see it, I think the press was correct in asking him about this.
And what's wrong with calling Bill Clinton a racist? The quote about him being the first AA president referred to how much trouble he got into, not about his own views on race.
But I will say this about the phallic symbolism - has no one ever heard of subliminal advertising??
It's called "subliminal" for a reason. Just because we don't consciously register the message doesn't mean we didn't subconsciously understand the communication.
Mentalist Derren Brown has proven that fact over and over again, as seen on his Sci Fi channel TV series where he consistently gets people to say or draw or choose predetermined things he subliminally suggests to them visually or auditorially.
So we dismiss subliminal messaging at our own political peril.
Bill and Hillary thought that b/c of their past relationship with the black community, they could get cute with race, and it blew up in their face.
Are they racist? No. Just ruthless and calculating.
Also, you can bludgeon other dems with the PC stuff but not republicans. They could care less and will laugh at you. By then you will have driven off many potential allies because you have accused them of things they are not really guilty of and you have done that simply in order to win a primary. How hopey changey of you.
Therein lies the subtle but dramatic reason why old John just might win.
Clinton was 'dubbed' the first African American president by writer Toni Morrison but it wasn't because of his political record...she was attempting to show how the Repbulican attacks on Clinton regarding his extramarital affairs was similar to the plight of African Americans, especially African American males...
Like John McCain, the Bill Clinton of today is not the Bill Clinton of the 1990's. In the 1990's Bill Clinton was careful in the words that he chose. Today's Bill Clinton opens mouth and inserts foot.
And what's wrong with calling Bill Clinton a racist? The quote about him being the first AA president referred to how much trouble he got into, not about his own views on race.
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That is redicules. Hill had 67% of the black vote at that time.....; so what would be the advantage of playing the race card. You know BC is a much more astute politician than that. The MSM and certain politicians like Clyborn and Kennedy wanted to leave that impression.........and they did.
The fact is, only one Democratic candidate can really claim to have had an advantage going into this primary, and that was his wife. She pissed it away through bad choices, poor hires, and a slipshod operation all the way around. Despite what the pro-Clinton faction would have you believe, the race wasn't so much stolen by Obama because of race, but won because Obama out-classed his rivals at just about every level. The Clintonian sour-grapes recently aptly demonstrates this, as they are highly reluctant to give up power in the party, and Bill's continued invokation of race and racism is clearly designed as a passive-aggressive attack on Obama. Once again the Clintons are displyaing their class.
The up-side is that despite Taylor's whining about how this only helps McCain, like so much else in Obama's campaign, she has underestimated the determination of the people involved. Will McCain make political hay out of this? Maybe -- but it's unlikely that anyone who would respond to this sort of thing would have voted Democratic anyway. The truth is that McCain's playbook was vetted and authored by the Clintons, and a Democratic loss in November (unlikely, at best) will be squarely laid at their feet.
the king and queen can do no wrong. all hail!