Obama has finally played his hand out. Today Bill Clinton called him out on playing the race card in the primary. And for good measure laid into that weasel from South Carolina, Jim Clyburn. Clyburn, you will remember, is the “distinguished” AA congressman from SC who tried to pretend he was neutral and a friend of the Clinton’s all the while preparing to stab them both in the back by suggesting that they had used racism as a tool in the battle for the state. Here’s what Bill said:
When Clyburn’s name was brought up as a supporter who criticized the former president, Clinton interrupted to say Clyburn was never a supporter of the Clintons.
When Clyburn’s description was changed to “longtime friend,” Clinton replied, “Used to be.”
Pressed on whether Clinton “severely damaged” his standing with African-Americans as Clyburn has claimed, Clinton snapped, “Yeah, that may be. By the time he got through working on it, that was probably true.”
Check out the video, its really revealing. When asked if Obama is ready to be President, he dodges the question. About Obama’s qualification, he says he is, according to the US Constitution. That basically is anyone who is a US born citizen and over the age of 35. By that standard about half the population is qualified.
This was accompanied by actual proof that the race card is losing its effect. Recently the McCain and Obama camps have been exchanging charges of race-baiting. First the Oborg went half crazy suggesting that having OMG!! white girls in a video with Obama was the most racist thing EVER!!! Good thing we had Riverdaughter to remind us of Obamagirl. Not to mention commenter Woman Voter who dug up this quote from Obama himself:
“Andy Warhol said we all get our 15 minutes of fame,” says Barack Obama. “I’ve already had an hour and a half. I mean, I’m so overexposed, I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse.” – Barack Obama, in February 24th, Washington Post
also on CNN.com
You can judge for yourself, here for the McCain ad or here for Obama’s comments (only listen to the first 30 secs, Laura Ingraham may be hazardous to your mental health). Rasmussen today provided us with some actual evidence of how the American public is taking all of this in, and it doesn’t look good for Obama.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the nation’s voters say they’ve seen news coverage of the McCain campaign commercial that includes images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and suggests that Barack Obama is a celebrity just like them. Of those, just 22% say the ad was racist while 63% say it was not.
However, Obama’s comment that his Republican opponent will try to scare people because Obama does not look like all the other presidents on dollar bills was seen as racist by 53%. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree.
Obama, here’s one I bet ole Donna’s Momma forgot to tell her. When you play with fire, you’re gonna get burned. You can only call decent Americans racists so many times before they tell you to go jump in a lake. PUMA ROAR:
Filed under: Barack Obama, Media, Politics, Presidential Election 2008 | Tagged: Bill Clinton, Jim Clyburn, PUMA, PUMA HAKA, race
This guy sounds more and more JUVENILE!!!
If he keeps it up, we may not have any worries by the end of the month!!!
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ASTROLOGY:
An excellent prognostication here:
http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/sunday-summer-reading-obamas-natal-chart/#comments
I am so tired of listening to these tools intimate and insert their version of ra^cism into every discussion. I personally do not like black licorice, is this to be perceived as ra$cism as well? Are we forever having to censor and filter everything we say going forward if this idiot becomes C in C to avoid being labeled as such? Yes, I clearly do believe that.
Any criticism, any questioning, any right to know what is being done in our name will be labeled and the stifling of our discourse will be further eroded. He now distances himself from the press corp during campaign stops which is only a warm up of what to expect during his future administration.
People are tuning out because they see the foolishness of this tactic and refuse to participate. The reason for his fall in the polls, if believed, may lie directly with the road his campaign has taken.
Bill and Hillary were just the beginning.
I do like black licorice, but do not care for chocolate ice cream. Chocolate itself (milk chocolate), I love, but not chocolate ice cream. Can I have a r@cial profile done on me using those data points?
SophieL: Yes. In your case it is subliminal. And please consult your politically correct dictionary going forward. Donna B is watching and taking names.
The race argument is the one that really wears thin quickly outside the Democratic primary. Unfortunately, these campaigns are hour by hour day by day and we don’t know from one day to the next what is going to stick and what won’t. But I would agree that the race card will officially be retired at this point.
I am waiting for Obama’s two year old temper tantrum moment… (We know that he has it in him…)
gary: Thanks for the video. I do respect and like that man.
ben: But what else do they have? He shifts his positions so often and awkwardly that they need the diversion.
If I say “White Guilt,” am I being racist?
This reminds me of when ‘pubs started calling the media “liberal.” It worked: got the media to Bend Over Backwards to prove it wasn’t and look at it now, it couldn’t get any LESS liberal…and bonus: “liberal” is a dirty word in most people’s minds. Call anyone who mentions Barack’s skin color a racist (unless the person is OF color) and voila: people vote for him to prove they’re not. It is sickening.
Kate certainly is a sneering little thing, isn’t she? President Clinton deserves more respect than she tried to give him, fortunately he commands it one way or another. GMA better send out a smarter, more thoughtful reporter the next time.
Thanks, Gary. I will always love Bill no matter what the haters say. They are just making themselves look small.
OT: T. Boone Pickens is on Larrry King. Interesting discussion of energy alternatives.
The race card has been totally overplayed.
If the Obama campaign thinks that voters will vote out of guilt or shame or racial payback. think again. Personally, I’m sick of the accusation and absolutely resent the Obama campaign injecting, embedding or insinuating race evertime things get rough. The fact that Bill Clinton has been labeled a racist is so outrageous it makes my head spin. The Clintons have dedicated their lives to improving the living conditions and welfare of minority groups with a special emphasis on the AA community.
To kick the Clintons in the teeth, act as if Bill Clinton in particular has done nothing in terms of humanitarian programs, is to discount any progress that has been made in our long struggle towards racial understanding, equality and acceptance. It sets us back decades. And the responsibility for that sits squarely in the Obama camp.
The Obama camp will sow what they reap. Shame on them all! The whole affair disgusts me. While Barack Obama was having his faux love-fest in Berlin, Bill Clinton was in Africa implementing his fight against malaria program.
Which was less self-serving? You choose.
Yep…that race-baiter clyburn and then cheered on by Arturo davis – AL, and Jesse Jackson Jr – IL…
Those folks aided and abetted by Kennedy, Dashcle, Kerr y and the gang.
Bill Clinton is smarter than all the media jerks combined. He and Hillary are 10 steps ahead of all of them. If the media think they are smart- so be it. They will soon find out what fools they are and have been.
I watched O’Reilly tonight (I will say 2 Our Fathers and 3 Hail Mary’s as penance) and he had Juan Williams on who said that the interview today with Bob Herbert was ridiculous. He said even the least savvy voter would recognize that the McCain campaign were merely focusing in on his “celeb status” along with Britney and Paris and there was nothing in the ad that could be misconstrued as ra&cist.
It was his opinion that the Obama crowd is doing more harm than good in looking for reasons to use this as a campaign wedge.
The Obama campaign always keeps us guessing. The McCain campaign is certainly the turtle in this race, slow and predictable.
I think the Obamanation needs to move beyond personality at this point. It will only get you so far. He’s not going to get to 50.01 just on personality. So he has plenty of time to figure out something else.
pat, you’re exactly right, and I meant to put that somewhere in the post but forgot. They have nothing else. he has a paper thin resume and NO experience whatsoever. I’ve never seen a campaign in such turmoil over a VP pick because they can’t find someone who doesn’t make him look bad and who is willing to do it. I don’t know what they promised Bayh if (when) they lose, but I’ll bet its something juicy where he doesn’t have to do a whole lot of works but gets sucked up to by everyone in the pary…like party chairman maybe…..
Ben,
What else does Obama have to use?
during the primaries he talked about the ‘distractions” that kept him from talking about ‘issues”… heh.
The funny thing about that is, his “issues” kept him from talking about anything but “distractions” because there is no substance there…
His answers my friend, are blowing in the winds, the answers are changing with his poll driven whims…
My analogy is kind of garbled, sorry. As a white girl raised in the ghetto of Detroit in the 60’s and 70’s, I feel free to discuss racial relations, and was on victim end of bigotry during my developmental years, but let me tell you, the Dem friends and family I’ve told I despise Obama don’t feel so free to comment.
The Friday after Thanksgiving used to be called “Black Friday” because it was the biggest shopping day of the year. The stores would go from red ink to black ink in profits.
Some damn fool decided it was a racist term.
The backtrack barak team is just as stupid with the race thing.
Who is the real racist? The one who cries racist when it does not exist or the one using a well known term.
I can not wait from this bunch to be gone.
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS AND BUBBAS RULE
Pat you are a trooper! All i have is the Confluence and occasionally Rush during the lunch hour. I was taking a car load of colleagues to lunch the other day and I turned on Rush…one called me an Enigma. I liked that!
kate snow really was a total asshole in that interview. At least the rest of the villagers manage to show a little decorum when interviewing a former president. Her disdain was palpable. Of course it has no effect on Bill. He is the master when it comes to controlling the conversation. And themessage I got is that Bill is 100% PUMA
But truly my best friends happen to be from grade school and high school so natch-rully they are black or bi-racial (my experience of bigotry didn’t blind me to the fact that skin color is skin deep and MLK was right, should judge the person by his character). Ok, enough about me, just wanted to clarify my comments.
ben: I do not want to see him redeem himself. Let him continue down this road and then implode. Personally, I cannot see what he can do at this point to win his way back into the “hearts and minds” of the voter. He has already issued one speech based on ra*ce, he cannot continue to do so.
He does not want to work for this. In his mind, it is owed him. Somewhere along the way he became convinced, either by his handlers, or a combination of the press and the adulation, that this was his to have. He is past caring. That is why he has backed off debates with McCain as he originally called him on. His appearances are all speeches. If there is a press conference, he does not do well.
This is as good as he gets. That is why they can march this ra*ce card out into the arena since they have little left to play on. His creds are very, very weak.
There is always that turning point in the presidential campaign when sides start to coalesce and opinions harden. Are we there yet?
it’s not that I think Obama has anything else. It’s just that I know they can manufacture anything at any time. They have no shame and no sense of self or conscience. Anything is possible.
Sharon,
You are not alone…
I wondering…
When he said, “I think everybody’s got a right to run for President that qualifies under the constitution.”
If there’s one thing Bill taught us, it was to parse sentences. Think there’s some foreshadowing here?
Audacity Watch Article is Must Read:
http://audacitywatch.com/?page_id=46
If I were in some kind of trouble, I would definitely want Hillary and Bill Clinton on my side.
They would fight tooth and nail for me. I would not have to watch my back as they would have it covered.
America would be so much safer with Hillary Clinton than backtrack barack.
They both love this country. backtrack barak not so much.
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS AND BUBBAS RULE
I thought about that, too, Sophie.
Helen I think you have something there. The McCain campaign is trying to put that message together.
Although I feel some glee at Steve Cohen & think the chickens are coming home to roost for him, the race-baiting is an ugly turn of events. B0 has lowered the bar on race relations in this country, and that bar will continue to drop. Is this the future, where every black candidate running for any office charges racism against any white candidate?
Ben,
I think we are still in murky waters…
I agree about the shamelessness and lack of shame, sense of self or conscience. I would call that a lack of moral fortitude about Obama and his campaign.
And yes, I believe all things are possible!
Hillary 08!
Two things: (1) This is a great post. I think it’s really smart and one of the best posts I’ve read since coming here (and they’re all good) (2) garychapelhill, couldn’t be more right. Bill Clinton is a PUMA! He can barely hide his contempt for Obama. I’m not sure Hillary is a PUMA but Bill sure is. That makes me think I’m in great company. I already knew I was, but having the President on our side feels terrific!
But I believe anyone running for president has to have a certain quality of narcissism to even begin to contemplate a try.
Bill Clinton certainly had a streak of that, and to some extent, so did Hillary. We want our candidates to at least believe that what they expound they actually believe. We would never take seriously some wuss who got up there with an “aw shucks” appearance to meet with leaders and attempt to make some sense of world views.
This guy may have an overarcing sense of entitlement and narcissism running through his veins. But if he was approached and told this thing was his from the beginning, and I am thinking that is probably as near to the truth as we are ever likely to know, then why would he not take for granted that this is over for all intents and purposes?
Hillary refusing to back down was the first major impediment on his route to the WH. The DNC thought they could float him because of the pall over the country wrought by the GOP for 8 years. What they did not bank on is that most of us holdouts sought a better candidate and refused to buy into the product.
I don’t think this man can be solely held accountable for feeling the way he does. He was fed this narrative from day one.
What Gary did with his post is quite possibly catch the current mood of America and her voters. Is this the moment when the tide begins to turn? The polls don’t really show too much other than we are still, like always, a divided country, and when people vote for president it is such a different vote than when you vote for any other race. It’s immensely personal. I don’t see Obama going into the 30s anytime soon. He will probalby pop back up because, well, that’s just how it works and the media wants him higher and will commission the polls to get him up there.
Helen, funny you should say that.
I have jokingly told people that the way I determined who to vote for in the primaries was to imagine which candidate I would want on my side in a bar fight.
Don’t even have to think about it.
I have no doubt only HRC would be guaranteed to get me out alive and unhurt.
Obama knows that Bill Clinton is one of the most astute politicians to come along in decades. There is nothing more that they would love to have than his undying, whole hearted support. They know they won’t get it but boy, would they just love to have him out there on his behalf!
Bill Clinton, if he does any campaigning for him at all, will give such a half hearted effort that they may regret forcing the issue. Bill Clinton for sure is no dummy. He is a two time elected president with high ratings still much beloved by the people. Hillary may have to play along, but Bill has nothing to lose.
His response to the reporter, while leaving a lot unsaid, spoke volumes. He will get his payoff in the end. Nobody accuses him of bigotry and gets away with it. Nor should they.
As another commenter pointed out on NQ, another reason for Britney and Hilton appearance in that McCain ad is the media obsession with such celebrities (like they are obsessed with the celebrity du jour Princess Obama).
princess obama!!! my new favorite!!!
a la Princess Di, I picked it up from the Brit blogger Melissa Phillips.
sharon got trapped in moderation earlier, but she said this:
I think the comparison to the repubs invention of the”liberal media” is right on
pm317: Exactly. Vapid, and with little reason to command the attention of their every move. Brit’s day is over but her antics draw the crowds. Paris has absolutely zero talent and she is photographed for reasons beyond my comprehension. Putting him up there along with these celebs just illustrates that the same adulation and attention are based on nothing more than the build up of people who are more than undeserving. Celeb is the way to go in this country. We feed on it.
instead of England’s Rose, he can be Ilinois’ Cornstalk
Gary, thanks for the post. I just wish Bill Clinton could tell us how he really feels. He and Hillary choose their words wisely but I really want to know what else is there.
And thanks for bringing up Donna B’s momma. I just love talking about her. She sure did raise a fool.
I think that does a disservice to princesses everywhere.
Wonder what B0 would have whined about if the ad had shown Celebs other than Britney/Hilton? I know this works for McCain because America we’ve been led to believe young white girls in the spotlight are stupid whores, but who would have worked here?
What if he had done Brangelina? What about Clooney? Cruise? Oprah? Halle Berry?
I loved Princess Diana and still miss having her around but I always compared the early Obama phenomena as similar to the hysteria after Princess Diana’s death. Hillary was much like The Queen wondering what in the world was happening and thinking the country would soon reject “this mood.” This was particulary true after NH.
before NH.
Pat, I wrote a comment on Anglachel about 3-4 weeks ago about how celebrity culture had infiltrated the presidential (Dem side) of the election and now to see McCain guys pick it up is rewarding. I don’t care if it makes him win but I want Obama and the media to pay, and pay dearly. They can’t sell us an unprepared hack like they sold us Bush (and the war and the rest of it.)
Puma-SF, I thought his feelings were pretty clear in that interview. What I find interesting is that no other media outlet has really touched this yet. I think they’re still trying to figure out how to spin it. The Obama campaign hasn’t said a word. If Bill had said this stuff during the primary, he would be front page/headline on every media outlet. They’re afraid of him and they don’t know what to do now…
Only Bill Clinton could say, I’ve got more to tell you, but first we have to elect a Democrat, and then I’ll tell you what really happened.
He called Clyburn disloyal, and no longer a friend. The best he could come up with for qualifications were his age and birthplace. –not to mention the allusion to the birth certificate story–He said that he wouldn’t talk about the horrible things done to them during the primary (which iin and of itself says volumes). By saying “I am not a racist” implies that he believes they called him racist.
The girl who called me from the Obama campaign today, when confronted by me with the allegations of racism towards the Clintons, said “Barack never personally called them racist.” I laughed at her.
Yeah, the racist label is incredibly offensive, especially to those of us who haven’t had a racist thought in our lives. Incredible slander has been committed against Bill and Hillary Clinton, and all of us. Someone in another thread riffed off that JayZ song: “I got 99 reasons but race ain’t one.”
Seriously, race wasn’t a negative at all for Barack in my mind. I can’t think why he and his handlers would ever think it was for we Democrats.
Meanwhile, Bill really did tell it like it is, didn’t he? Barack is as qualified to be president as I am. And I am relatively smart, a quick study, had not problem winning a school board election. Why not? Most of us could run. But he also said that a VP with 8 years of experience would still find himself unprepared to be president. I think it’s pretty clear from the interview that Bill is a PUMA. Oh, he can’t say it but this clip leaves no doubt in my mind. Bill tried to be fair to the guy and to stay in the real world and all he got was a knife in the back. I didn’t buy his las memoir, but if he writes one after next year, I will stand in line for hours to have my personal copy autographed by the man himself.
OBama & Co. trying to paint the Clintons as racist probably would have been enough of a reason to turn me PUMA.
Shame on them all!!
Bill is so a Puma he cannot help himself…he cant wait to say “I told you so” on November 5th if obambi is the nominee and gets clocked….
He will go to Chicago march in to DNC HQ grab Donna Brazile by the hair and drrop her down the elevator shaft…the last words she will here are “thats for shafting my wife on May 31st you souless b*tch”
Then he will go into Deans office grab the doctor and BO and MO by their collars drag them out into the street anfd throw them under a bus….and the last words they will here is ” its you turn jack asses and in 2012 dont call us we’ll call you!”
I can here that in his voice…
fuzzybeargville
Ben,
I agree with this:
” But I believe anyone running for president has to have a certain quality of narcissism to even begin to contemplate a try.”
Then, we have the problematic problem of the MSM acting like and indulgent parent and allowing certain behaviors, attitudes and complete lack of conviction on issues get a pass.
He is not seasoned enough to be a strong leader, he knows not himself, but the projection of himself from those who cast nonexistent attributes on a symbol of way too little substance. It is as if he believes and lives off of the hype.
Ben, perhaps Obama never personally called Hillary a f**king whore or a c*nt or a bitch, but his supporters did and the media did. Not only did he not ever denounce that, but he took full advantage of the hate.
As I’ve said before, if the OFB are going to ignore context and focus solely on “subliminal” images then they how is Obama constantly telling people how he is the product of a sexual relationship between a white woman from Kansas and a black man from Kenya not ra*cist?! This is all bullsh**!
On break. The field is cut in from 4176 to 1596. The siege continues.
I promise. I am not playing the race card.
parentofed,
You said it! Yes! One of my many objections to BO.
It was a black person who first called Bill Clinton “The First Black President,” wasn’t it?
Leave it to some empty suit with nasty streak to tear Clinton and his legacy down. It’s too bad Obama couldn’t have started an “adult” conversation about race relations. When the dude threw his white granny who raised him under the bus, it was the beginning of a bad slippery slope and he’s a-flailing now.
those Dems are going to have to work hard to get me to the polls.
I agree Parent but trying to explain this to a delusional member of the Collective was pointless. She was just STUPID but I don’t think she was a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model with a PHd in Architecture.
I loved an old editorial I read about Obama… Should one vote for Obama? Yes, for the US Senate, but never the POTUS.
Please…i have a friend who cant get over the fact that he calls himself *blak* when he’s half white. It’s all just a big hot tranny mess!
ben, lol
BTW I wasn’t criticizing your answer; there is no way to say everything you want to say in one conversation or one post.
When you spell it “blak” I think of my cat horking up a hairball. Smart kitty!
Ben, it looks like that is their defense now — he never called x ra*ist. I heard that line from Daschle on Fox Sunday. BTW Graham was very tough on him ( and angry that they won’t succeed pulling the same stints they did during the primary. So next time somebody uses that line (he never personally called x ..) we should respond that we hope he is not that dumb.
Sharon-Yes, it was the writer, Toni Morrison, who referred to Bill Clinton as the first black President. He was loved and respected by most people of color. I believe that he still is.
Could someone PLEASE…. find the video of Clyburn,
“THROWING OUR BELOVED PRESIDENT CLINTON UNDER THE BUS”!!! With Rahm Emanuel , the democratic Tom Delay “egging” him on!!
**We got to stop this FRAUD!!
I wonder if we’ll ever really know why the Dems decided to pick Obama. He is a terrible choice.
I wonder how Dean and Pelosi will feel in November when they go down in history as the laughingstocks of all Politicians ever. Their legacys will be this one event “squandering the Democratic Brand for personal gain”.
Toni Morrison, who dubbed Bill Clinton “The First Black President,” supported Obama.
NH, they chose Obama the same reason the Repubs chose Bush. Take someone who comes across as likeable, good education, has a something extra selling point [dad as POTUS or black, the press likes, but too damn dumb to realize that they don’t really care about him, just what he can do for them. Obama seems to believe that the party elders, DNC, media, corporate interests really like him, He’s special.
It’s the story of Shirley Temple. When she asked her mother why so many people loved her, her mother explained that they don’t really love her, they don’t even know her, they just see something in Shirley that makes them feel good about themselves. Some story like that.
I am a bit of a outsider looking in — a 20 and odd years immigrant but a recent citizen and so on. In the last 8 years after the 2000 debacle I was thinking that the American electorate just had to be better than this.. and now I get to see and participate in this (PUMA) movement — I am proud of the way we are reacting to all this and we should see to it that the perpetrators don’t get rewarded. This is exactly how it should happen — citizen driven to correct the follies of the corporations, party corruption all leading to other bad things.
{Though I was very young to understand, older siblings tell me about the way the Indian democracy for all its faults regained its citizen power in the 70s when it wrestled control back from the Emergency rule instituted by Indira Gandhi (and her younger son) by soundly defeating her at the polls.}
NH: I think they picked him because he’s blak, can deliver a speech, and has no record. Like GW Bush, he’s the pretty face on the cover of an ugly machine.
ben carlson, on August 4th, 2008 at 10:12 pm Said:
The girl who called me from the Obama campaign today, when confronted by me with the allegations of racism towards the Clintons, said “Barack never personally called them racist.” I laughed at her.
…………………………………….
Yup, going door to door and calling is going to be very hard, especially when they keep pulling the ‘race’ card when there isn’t any reason. That is why I am in exile as we are never going to be gushing about him like the reporters on that plane.
Jim Clyburn is feeding this to the press with Obama Camp’s knowledge and approval. We all remember the campaign memos with Clyburn pushing the ‘racism’ charge during the primary. I am so glad that Bill got the reporter to admit that it was Jim Clyburn the ‘Clinton supporter’ NOT!…unity my PUMA!
Notice that they didn’t complain about this:
‘Obama, The One’
I think Obama’s arrogance is that he actually believes them and the press and sees himself as a great leader and a man of ideas. If he wins, he is in for a rude awakening when they send him off vacationing to his equivalent of a ranch in Crawford so they can run things.
I wish we could show more inflection in our posts. I think some of our sarcasm is lost in translation. I think they chose him because on one level they thought HRC would lose in the general and on another level it was about money and keeping the AA vote in line. that vote had bled some in the 2004 race. Ultimately, it was about power and $. They couldn’t control the Clintons.
Ben, they still can’t control the Clintons!
ben, you’re right, a lot of it was to retain the black vote for Dems.
I sometimes seriously wonder if the Democrats WANT to be in the executive office. They didn’t do much about electronic voting irregularities. “Impeachement off the table” was a slap in the face to voters who just helped them into congressional majority. At least this primary season has pulled the blinders off (anyone paying half attention) regarding them being the party for the poor, middle-class, and women. “You got nowhere else to go” is the new mantra they say so suck it up and like it?
That was a very good piece and good interview to get, particularly since Bill isn’t giving interviews on this subject these days. Notice that Bill agreed to talk to ABC. hmmm.
I think they picked Obama because the only way to kick the Clintons out of the Party was to run a black guy against Hillary and accuse them of r*cism.
What white guy could have beaten her this year?
For those who missed some of the reasons why Bill said Clyburn “was” a friend… read this:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/black-congressman-denounces-b-clintons-remarks/
Y’know Sharon, sometimes it felt like we had no where else to go. But I believe it is particularly wonderful that we all found each other. With each step along the way in this process, we will talk amongst ourselves, and realize there are options. Ultimately, we will pave a new way to go.
I’m not sure Toni Morrison was the first black person to refer to Clinton as the “first black president,” though recently she gets the credit.
Black comedians were making the observation while he was in office, saying that since he was being prosecuted for things not usually criminalized, he was being treated like a black man.
Think DWB, driving while black.
Even though to be honest, I’m not sure when Morrison made her comparison.
I watched a few minutes of that program before Larry King on CNN. The woman ran bits of the video you showed here, but the way they edited it, cutting at least 50% out, and then pieced together what they left, they made it seem as though the whole interview was him saying that he had been that he regretted not suggesting some things to Hillary, regretted some things he didn’t say to the public, some things he did say, but he had never said anything racist. The whole issue of Clyburn, his betrayal, and his “work” done that hurt Cinton’s reputation and standing with the AA was omitted.
The”panelists” were very annoying, especially the AA one, who said that Clinton ridiculously had to defend himself from seeming racist because he is so hurt that he is no longer the darling of the AA community.
I almost went back to screaming at the TV again, but withheld.
I guess we need to start looking forward. I always wondered what it would be like just to “not care” and be a low information citizen. I’m trying to become that way by not watching or reading news.
Ben, my eyes are completely forward. If I can’t have a competent president, I’ll take a trustworthy one. In the meantime I have to survive college.
I think big dawg is waiting I really do if its Obama in september all of a sudden Nelson mandela and every world leader is going to request he be at some event so he doesnt have time th shill for Obama thats what I think will happen.
Hillary will be to busy on the hill to be on the campaign trail…then on november 5th when Obama finds that the landlord of the white house(the voters) gave a lease to a different tennant he will go back to the hill scratch his head and call the whole country rasist…
fuzzybeargville
his next book will be titled ” A voice in a racist land”
Ben, I feel the same way. I don’t want to participate in political discussions since I can only say “none of the above” when asked who I support. After being a pretty vocal Dem defender, people glance over at me when the subject comes up and I say nothing, just grab some Sunday ads to peruse (weekend at teh coffee shop scenerio). The dems can go on without me right now since I canNOT condone their corruption.
josgirl: Wikipedia thinks so. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Morrison#Politics
I was disappointed that she supported Obama because I’m a huge Toni Morrison fan. I met her twice (we used to live in neighboring towns) and she is every bit as compelling in person as she is on the page.
Yup, you guys are right. Bill is a Puma and I really want Chelsea to be a Puma, too.
sorry Obama’s next book will be titled:
“an intellegent Voice in a Ra*cist Land”
I still think if obama loses it means that big dawg is in charge of the party….
that singer Bernie Mac has Phnumonia(sic) the karmic curse contines….
fuzzybeargville
SophieL, I’m not arguing the point, I was just trying to clarify based upon my memory.
So what was the conclusion on the bellybutton issue from what I could tell PUMA’s tend to be innies….
did not see to many outies…in any age group…
fuzzybeargville
Well, I have felt so ambivalent about this whole process when BO became or presumptive nominee. I know what I will do in November, so why spend time blogging and digging to be informed…
Many of my Republican girlfriends that were going to vote for Hillary are all over McCain now. I live in a red state, so why should I care that one potential POTUS will be horrific for us?
Both are bad… but one used undemocratic and the thuggish behavior of supporters to get the nomination.
I care about not getting Obama elected because I care about our country, I care about Democracy, and I care about the future for my children. What does Obama care about? I have no idea, as, I can only rely on “change’ of his positions when he feels that it may help his polls.
Why was Bayh as VP leaked? I surmise that if BO’s Poll numbers do not rise by then, we may bye, bye to that floater… he will be flushed. There is no more room under the bus.
Kate Snow was sitting within 10 feet of me at the Dallas rally. I should have knee capped that evil doer then. I was thinking about it. That these cheap opinionist get away talking to people of distinction the way they do, really pisses me off.
Bill wanted to give the PUMA roar – I could tell.
I must say all of you need to hold the faith. BO dropped like a rock in the last week – even with his world wind tour. He’s got nothing to keep him elevated this week. All of his buds have gone home. He is home alone. Other than plagiarizing Hillary’s brain the next couple of weeks, he got nothing’.
I say he has worn out his welcome. He has nothing to say that anyone believes or are interested in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vBcWQx8JK4
I like Shirley Bassey – does that make me a r*cist?
josgirl: I didn’t think you were arguing, I thought you were wondering…
Barack – tell MO to gas up the Chevy Minivan. You are headed back to Chicago.
U-Haul – pick up the office equipment and supplies and head back to DC. Leave the staff behind – we won’t be needing any of them in the new Party.
PUMA HAKA
Carol said: Other than plagiarizing Hillary’s brain the next couple of weeks, he got nothing’.
It seemed to me that once the primary was over, he stopped plagiarizing Hillary–he got quiet. Then he started plagiarizing McCain.
Okay, Sophie, no harm, no foul.
I just remember D. L. Hughely and a bunch of other comics making the same observation.
It was pretty much a universally accepted truism in the black community back in the day.
Screw Toni Morrison. She backtracked about the Clinton remark in her haste to declare herself an Obama supporter. Cannot remember the gist of the entire recant but it went something like her words were taken out of context. Anything to step onboard the Obama Express. I loathe people like this. She was willing to diss Clinton in favor of that no nothing. Ugh.
The Wikipedia entry:
Morrison caused a stir when she called Bill Clinton “the first Black President;” saying “Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald’s-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas.”[10] This opinion was both adopted by Clinton supporters like the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC)[11] and ridiculed by critics. It should be noted that, in the context of the 2008 Democratic Primary campaign, during which Clinton made some remarks that were construed as unsympathetic to African-Americans, Morrison revisited her statement. Morrison stated to Salon magazine: “People misunderstood that phrase. I was deploring the way in which President Clinton was being treated, vis-à-vis the sex scandal that was surrounding him. I said he was being treated like a black on the street, already guilty, already a perp. I have no idea what his real instincts are, in terms of race.”
The one thing I’ve always liked about Bill Clinton is his straightforwardness. This man is no side-stepping coward. He was absolutely dead-on calling out Clyburn and calling him what he was–a back-stabbing weasel. Good for you, Bill! That clip made my day. Thanks for the great post, Gary.
I can identify racism. I was told a story about my grandfather, whom I adored. He was a big, big fan of Ella Fitzgerald. Had all of her records back in the day. He was also an Irishman and she had an Irish last name.
This was in the day before tv. When he eventually saw a picture of Ella and found out she was black, I was told he threw out all of her recordings and never listened to her again. This is racism. Not liking someone based soley on their race. Made me feel somewhat differently about my grandfather. Sad.
“I must say all of you need to hold the faith. BO dropped like a rock in the last week – even with his world wind tour. He’s got nothing to keep him elevated…”
Thanks Carol, I needed to hear that. I have been on the verge of an anxiety attack since the news yesterday afternoon.
Good night, everyone.
Watching Bill Clinton go on TV and say “I’m not a racist” as if he were Don Imus is really painful.
I can tell you watching my own relatives that the job the Obama campaign did on Bill Clinton wreaked havoc on his reputation and by extension that of his wife in the black community. Those discussion are still tabu in our family because they never ended well. People used to be surprised when I told them that the Clinton campaign had far more AA in high position than the Obama campaign, and that most of those people have been with the Clintons for 15+ yrs.
Bill Clinton is still rightfully pissed and I can fully understand why.
I lost all respect for Toni Morrison when she “clarified” her earlier comments about Bill Clinton.
Why did she not correct her intentions when she first uttered them and they were quoted?
The most sickening part of this is – Bill Clinton was in AFRICA on a humanitarian mission……while accused of being a RACIST by some bimbo reporter who couldn’t hold it together.
Thanks for the clip. It makes me sad that Bill even has to defend himself. I am really looking forward to hearing what he really thinks and feels after January. He says he is not angry, but you can tell he is p*ssed, and rightfully so. I wish he hadn’t complimented Obama so much (”an extremely gifted politician” etc.). I don’t think he got where he is on his own in any way, shape, or form. In Chicago, it was Emil Jones. In this race, it was Axelrod, the media and the DNC that carried him along. He was new and “not Hillary” and reads well off a teleprompter. Beyond that, I just don’t see it.
Love u Big Dawg. It’s a disgrace the way they were both treated. I will definitely not forget.
fif..he called him a “gifted politician” and “ambitious” hardly the kind of compliments I’d want from a former ex pres…how bout patriotic, loyal, trustworthy…didn’t hear him use any of those words
gary, I agree. isn’t there a phrase something like condemning with faint praise like when we say in the south “bless his heart”
Fuzzy, “his next book will be “an intelligent voice in a r@ci$t land” I, too thought wonder if he is writing a book, if so like the title. Like someone else said, I will stand in line for the book, if not then all the brave, very brave, media types will be competing for that interview. I can’t wait.
did anyone notice the snide remark at the end about Chelsea walking around in her “designer heels’? What was that all about???
phala–exactly.
To hell with any of the press that go after him like that! I will ALWAYS hold President Clinton in high regard. The press and what they say DOESN’T count. WE do! Love you, Big Dawg!
The Dems picked Obama because they thought he’d be a sensation and bring
money and votes into the Democratic Party. He looked the part–is bi-racial, and followed
the Dean Plan, which was devised after Dean had to drop out–no national recognition was a main qualification. The plan was the win over
the Influentials on the net such as DailyObama and HuffPoop. There were a
half dozen points to the plan and Obama fit it as well as anyone.
Donna Brazile published an article in Slate Magazine on Nov. 5, 2004 about
how it is time for the Obama factor.
This Manchurian Candidate has been in the works since he was asked to
give the keynote speech in 2004. The L.A. Times, now owned by a Chicago
corporation was able to obtain the secret divorce records of Obama’s opponent and smear the man. BO
ran without competition (Keyes was brought in from out-of-state three weeks before the election.). Hillary was supposed to get out early on as instructed. She was
the fly in the ointment.
Liked this from Clyburn:
So Jim Clyburn personally ran a poll to get that “unamimous” view? Bullllllshit.
Obama and Co. will find out the r@cist shit won’t work in the general election. If, God forbid, he got elected POTUS and then got into a tiff with, say, Gordon Brown, Sarkozy, or Merkel is he going to accuse them of being racist?
No matter how the election turns out (and hopefully not Obama as POTUS) I can’t wait to hear what Bill has to say in January (after the inauguration?) I bet he’s gonna let it fly!
Oh hell I’m in moderation for the “r” word. I let one slip through.
It is also difficult to have the media state that Bill hurt her campaign, when in reality he helped her quite a bit.
It was the media that desperately tried to find something about Bill and then turn it around and make it negative (like they did to Hillary) .
It is the media who hurt her campaign with their incredible bias.
CB, I was on my way to beddy-bye but read your comment about Ryan’s sealed divorce papers. Have wondered for a long time how that got out. Anyone could have beaten Keyes. Also wonder why that was the best Republicans could do.
#
parentofed, on August 4th, 2008 at 10:16 pm Said:
Ben, perhaps Obama never personally called Hillary a f**king whore or a c*nt or a bitch, but his supporters did and the media did. Not only did he not ever denounce that, but he took full advantage of the hate.
**************
Jake Tapper was the one who compared Hillary to Tonya Harding kneecapping BO, and then attributed the Tonya Harding meme to a talking point circulated by BO’s campaign.
BO knew what was going on – he wanted to drive Hillary’s negatives up, exploit the “polarizing” image. He absolutely took full advantage of the CDS hate but he also created it.
Gary,
Thank you so much for posting the entire interview. All I had seen previously was the part where Bill says “I am not a racist.” On Morning Joe yesterday, they had the nerve to say they were surprised by that and that of course everyone knows Bill C. is not a racist. I thought Bill did a great job in that interview–too bad it won’t be played except for the parts the media can twist.
CB: I think so too.
Exactly Bill nailed AGAIN and at the right time, get a grip Obama’s campaign is all about the race card just like Bush he is tapping into a under represented fearful angry demographic in the County to turn them out inflame their passions and integrate the electorate with the new non white collective majority that believes they have been oppressed held back in a white world.. The problem is Hillary Clinton didn’t call him and the Party on it and stood by playing the Party growth sing along while he and the DNC used powerful white people as their foil make no mistake, you just aren’t hearing the dog whistle, the CODE cause it’s not intended for your ears, that’s why Obama all of a sudden found policy’s to discuss instead of himself this week, but denial is a bad trait even on a Donkey. Where the Dem Party is now destroyed brken truly is they anointed Obama by cheating not on the merits that was unnecessary and wrong and why his nomination is not the celebration it could have been. Ugly dumb lazy that has harmed the country and escalated division in our communities by inflaming anger fear and hate between these demographics. We all have a role not just Bill Clinton call the Democrats Party SD’s, DNC and elected officials on this platform of hate and divisiveness they are wrapping opposition in racism just as Bush et al used Values. This stuff is rancid lazy cheap and they blew it and the hope that the electorate would be cowered to discuss the Party’s chosen rancid Rovian Political Strategy with attacks like they used recall traitors unpatriotic all they same vague inflammatory hard to define defend silly we are PUMA’s empowered individuals who will build a new honorable path for politics.
Yes the elecorate jsut went UHUH though so….
[...] the video by “garychapelhill” at Riverdaughter’s blog, The Confluence: “America calls Obama’s bluff on the race card.” First, here’s the video. Next, the reader’s must-read insights on what Bill [...]
Barack’s ‘platinum frequent flyer’ status on playing the race-baiting card seems to have expired!
Did this arrogantly solipsistic rat from the Chicago political sewers really think that he could vilify one of the best (and most beloved by African-Americans!) Presidents who ever graced the White House, and escape metaphysically somehow from being exposed for the vacuous over-educated bimbo that he really is?
Surely, President Bill Clinton is more than admirably controlling himself with his carefully constructed statements to ‘journalists’ (?) who get their on-the-job training chasing bimbos out of rehabs!
Riverdaughter’s posting of Barack’s remark: “I am so overexposed, I make Paris Hilton look like a recluse” is priceless and it may mark perhaps one of the few occasions where this narcissistic comedian-rapper-wannabe (via Ludacris, JayZ and Bernie Mac) shows signs of self-recognition! Of course, he was again bringing attention to his favorite subject: Himself!
Barack will come to regret his own contemptuously formed and secretly-taped remark at the elite Frisco Getty fundraiser: “the working class folk are bitter and cling to their religion …and racism” BHO actually said “people not like them”, i.e., ‘racists’! This anorexic resume holder is dexterous with language and you will recall he said Sen. Hillary Clinton that she “periodically, when she feels down, launches her attacks…” implying she’s menopausally unpredictable!…And the same with his infamous “the claws are coming out” and “she’s likeable enough!”…
This Chicago political sewer graduate is using language rather smartly (so he can deliver a racist or misogynist insult without the dumber-than-dumb “journalists” ever getting wind of it! ) Barack’s usage of language is really quite *”catty”* if you want to give it a name. This is because the Presumptuous Nominee’s arrogantly solipsistic nature does not allow Him to make a firm, principled, strongly and consistently-positioned statement about anything that lies outside his metaphysical orbit. It must be suffocating to be Obama and his lack of political oxygen is quickly diminishing and it shows in the polls.
The funny thing is that his linguistic hhieroglyphics can be instantly deciphered by perceptive voters quicker than you can say P-u-m-a! Metaphysically speaking, they sense this man ain’t real. Right, sweetie?!
Come November, the 18 million cracks on the DNC ceiling will shatter it, exposing sufficient Light to cure the Obamyopics of their dangerous affliction! Unless they choose to see the light in August and save the (ex)Democrats from themselves. The world can’t afford a third Bush-lite term….
*************
Hillary Clinton ‘08
The comment in the post above about the “white girls” juxtaposed with Obama bringing in some weird “racist” narrative, at least according to Axelrod, is ludicrous!
Do you recall back in January what Jesse Jackson Jr. said (at the time he was co-chair of the Obama Campaign):
“I think it’s the natural thing, since O.J. Simpson case, for Obama to knock down a white woman”! This quote is not exact. Please see YOUTUBE with JESSE’s comments as they were revealing and no journalist has ever picked them up. they’re dynamite if ever found by the McCain campaign!!
In other words, Jesse Jr. was saying that there’s a similarity between O.J. and Obama being black and also they both want to “knock down” a White Woman. For O.J. Simpson it was Nichole and he clearly implied on camera that in Obama’s case the woman to knock down is “HILLARY CLINTON’!!!
This is potentially explosive in the hands of the McCain gang….And proves that the RACE CARD was played by his own campaign by use of these analogies and inferences!! Incredible. It is, i am sure. on Youtube and the key words were “natural thing” and/or “attractive thing” and “O.J. simpson” and “Jesse Jackson Jr. co-chair…. ”
This remark was stupidly uttered by Jesse Jr. back in January in Iowa or N. Hampshire–google both…
I wish Bill Clinton would speak out now. He doesn’t owe the party anything after the way they’ve treated him, and its not like Hilary is getting the VP slot.
[...] America calls Obama’s bluff on the race card Obama has finally played his hand out. Today Bill Clinton called him out on playing the race card in the primary. [...] [...]
Cynthia McKinney is the feminist African-American GREEN candidate and would represent a very good choice for those whose vote for McCain wouldn’t have much of an impact–or don’t want to vote Republican.
Cunthia is a firebrand and it’s worth listening to her at least once. She’s a committed women’s rights advocate and an intelligent passionate person who cares about people. She’d be a fine “protest vote” or “NoBama vote”! Her supporters don’t like Obambi at all..
Please check this by Tommy Christopher:
TROUBLE IN PUMA PARADISE.
It was posted August 4th 8:24 pm in “POLITICAL MACHINE.” AOL News.
It makes wildly unsubstantiated, vicious allegations that Obamabots are infiltrating Pumas’ and Darragh Murphy’s own records!!
Incredible! And warrants either a rigorous response or ignoring this crap altogether. Is this moron Obamabot pseudo-journalist writing for AOL?? What a typical vicious little piece of Obamabotic crap…
There is something there behind of what Bill Clinton said. lThose people they supported before were shallow, only after their personal interest. These people who have turned their back on them, have no space in my mind, they will never win the election int he future.Shame on them!
Even the black community, for all the things that the clintons have done for them, they have forgotten everything very ungrateful. they look up to obama as if he can do something for them, obama would only want to do something for himself. his obsession to become the first black president. he will always be like his radical friends especially pastor wright.