Thursday, March 13, 2008

You Might Be A Racist, If..

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." Geraldine Ferraro

Is it too late to rescind my vote for Geraldine Ferraro for Vice President in '84? I believed she had some damn sense at the time, and I voted for her because she was a woman trying to make history, running against the "Cinemascope" Reagan production. But her latest comments on behalf of the Hillary Clinton campaign are so repugnant, that as a person of color, I find them to be ghastly offensive. Never mind that my color these days is a translucent, pinkish tan. Hillary managed to call the statements "regrettable," but did not totally repudiate them, just as she said that Obama was not a Muslim, "As far as I know."

When confronted about her remarks concerning Obama and asked to apologize, Ferraro said she not only "stands by her statement," but added this:

"I have to tell you that what I find is offensive is that every time somebody says something about the campaign, you're accused of being racist."

Examine Ms. Ferraro initial words carefully. When you opine that a person has accomplished his achievements only because of race, and he could not have reached that high place but for his race, if you're not speaking of the President of the NAACP or Clarence Thomas, then you might be a racist. And,in Maureen Dowd's words, the "shoulder pad feminists," including Gloria Steinem, have rallied to her defense.
These are not idle words, and if the Clinton campaign is in control of their message, as they say, someone should wrest control of the attack machine before they start a gender war and elect John McCain by default. Hillary's bloodletting and ruthless march through the primaries may well allow the criminal presidency of Dubya to enter its' third term, with a geriatric fighter pilot at the switch.

I am continually baffled by Hillary Clinton's sway over women past 60. I know it's the truth, because after my vocal support for Obama, neither my mother nor my sister would tell me who they voted for in the Tennessee primary. And there's a growing trend that says if you dislike Clinton, you're anti-feminist. Here's some breaking news: Hillary Clinton is no feminist. Her hawkish war views and the enabling of President Zero to threaten Iran, along with her co-sponsorship of a constitutional amendment about flag burning, were all political calculations designed to appeal to the most machismo quasi-patriot and characterize her as another Maggie Thatcher. But after seven years of the Moronic Chucklehead, people are tired of militarism, fear, distortions, and lies and Hillary finds herself, like so many other sucker Democrats, with her faulty judgement that followed the false drumbeat of the Bush regime into an immoral war, on full display.

Bill Clinton's presidential campaign was remarkable because he usurped all the Republican party's election tactics. He raised more money, took more contributions from PACS, infatuated Hollywood to part with enormous sums, and co-opted the GOP's pet whipping boys; welfare, rap music, free trade, and law and order, until he could present himself as a "New" Democrat and get elected. But that was then and this is now, and after this last food fight of a presidency, I want an "Old" Democrat, not Joe Lieberman lite. Clinton's slash and burn politics are of the past and are beginning to smell of rot. It's not that Clinton is opposed because she is the first woman to run for the nations' highest office, it's because she's a lousy candidate, worse than John "Lurch" Kerry, pandering and pontificating, desperate and derisive.

Bill's hatchet job on Obama in South Carolina, comparing his candidacy to Jesse Jackson's, and the recent Ferraro outburst, are intentionally designed to marginalize and diminish the Senator in the eyes of the electorate. Ferraro's indignant defense that it is "she" being attacked, demonstrates the mentality of otherwise "good" people encapsulated in their own privileged worlds. To paraphrase the comedian Kat Williams, "She needs to get her some Negro friends." No one appears more ridiculous than someone making an overt racist statement and then trying to explain how some of their best friends are black. Ask Don Imus.

The complete implosion of Governor Eliot Spitzer is, to me, mainly a New York story that proves that hypocrisy knows no party and arrogance has no gender. But I am sure there are others, like me, who are reminded by the Spitzer episode of exactly why they don't want Bill Clinton back in the White House. Spitzer proved he is just another Jimmy Swaggart in a starched shirt and should have nothing to do with the election. Only these New Yorkers; Spitzer, Clinton, Ferraro, Giuliani, Bloomberg, Kerik, have collectively lowered the national discourse to such a gutter level, that Barack Obama seems like St. Jude in comparison. And, let's face it, the despicable tacticians behind the Clinton campaign, Mark Penn and Howard Wolfson, are an embarrassment to the Jews. Spitzer, however, might really be a stealth civil rights pioneer, who's blatant stupidity made way for the first black governor of New York.

Hillary's staunchest supporters don't get it, or don't want to get it. Like Clinton, they believe it is her turn and her time. But that time has past while she was pandering to the right. She had the money, the organization, and the media ready to coronate her as the candidate, but from DAY ONE, when she entered the Senate, every vote and every speech was designed to advance her political career, regardless of her personal principles. She figured that if she positioned herself as a "new" Democrat, which means demonstrating all the false patriotism and jingoism of the GOP, she would be palatable to Republican voters and merely assume all the Democratic votes were hers for the asking. But she figured wrong. Time and tide wait for no woman either, and Hillary Clinton has landed on the wrong side of history. In fact, without any further election shenanigans or manipulation of "Super Delegates," Hillary, herself, is history, and, hopefully, the era of blood sport politics along with her.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Again, without me ever saying a word,you have spoken my thoughts. Of course more eloquently than I ever could,but with just as much passion. Thank you Randy for speaking the truth.So many of us want to say it but just don't have the right words. Keep up the good words my brotha', and stay real.We only need the truth to set us free.

Anonymous said...

In defense of her comments she actually said that she cared "about the black vote". Not black people, just the black vote.
Unbelievable.
I am female and most of my friends are Hillgals, not me. My momma didn't raise no fool. Obama!
Thanks for another great blog.

Anonymous said...

Ferraro spoke the truth. A white man or any woman with the same qualifications and resume as Obama would have gotten NOWHERE!!!

You just can't see it. If you examined each candidate's qualifications, without seeing any name attached to the information, your tune would be different.

You are as "old school" as those you criticize. Nothing will ever change you. Not even the truth.

Anonymous said...

Randolph--A pretty piece. Hillary's arrogance nailed. OB beginning to look more and more "Presidential" next to our screeching long nailed cat. Did you catch Keith O on MSNBC last night. Jet fueled brain with an opening for the exhaust just below his nose. It was beautiful and scathingly so. I look forward to an Obama Presidency truly as the opportunity of our lifetime. If for some reason it doesn't come to pass, I'm not sure what I'll be able to do with the disappointment. I won't want to be here. Best to MG1.

Anonymous said...

If all your bed sheets have eyeholes, you might be a racist

Unknown said...

thank you again for your eloquent commentary
dan

Anonymous said...

Yep! I have to agree with "9:33am Anonymous"...Ferraro spoke the truth. If the truth hurts and is not acceptable, then DO something to give the world a new TRUTH! But let's stop pretending and hiding under the covers...just peeking out to shout "Racist/Sexist!" when someone tells it like it really is! I actually heard a (white) friend of mine say, "I would vote for Obama for President...because he is handsome, charismatic, and most of all, what a wonderful message to send to the world on how far we've come (on race issues) in this country!"
Is Ferraro a racist? I don't know... but her statement,in my opinion, wasn't racist/sexist..It was a statement about our society.

Anonymous said...

Old School!! Hell yes he's old school, hell he's pre-school. Only a born again hippie would or could understand what old school really means. This article is not just about race it's about the truth and whos telling and whos not.It's about WANTING a new truth. No one person can run this country. But I have the feeling Mr. Obama will surround himself with smart women and men to run this country as it should be. But then I guess we'll just have to wait and see.For me I'm voting to keep those ass-hole GOPs OUT. Yes We Can. Right On.

Anonymous said...

"Ferraro spoke the truth. A white man or any woman with the same qualifications and resume as Obama would have gotten NOWHERE!!!"

What a crock!!

If Obama was white, this would have been over before it started, and he would be the presumptive nominee. Obama being black has hindered him, not helped him.

Anonymous said...

Emininently worth reading, BAH.

Bubby said...

Randy, your writing is so articulate -- as always. The truth is Obama is about 20 years too inexperienced for the job but he will I'm sure have savvy advisors.
Hillary is full-of-it or she never would have stuck with Bill. Vote for Obama: the election of an African-American President will immeasureably boost our image overseas. I was just two weeks in Germany and know this to be a fact. All the Germans with whom I spoke want Obama!

geno722 said...

Ahh... it wasn't smart of Ferraro, probably, to say it, but it's probably true. David Gergen, who has some experience in this area, summed this up on one of the news shows last night. The fact that in the upcoming election we'll be choosing between an older white male Republican and two Democratic candidates neither of whom is a white male is simply going to be an issue to discuss. Will the race and gender of these candidates make a difference in the outcome of the election? You bet it will. Yes, it could be equally said that if Hillary weren't a woman - or the wife of an ex-president - she might not be in this position either. But, because race might possibly be a factor, nobody can talk about it?

That said, it's also baffling why so many media and bloggers have suddenly decided that Hillary is the devil. The media is basically giving this Democratic nomination to Obama with their current spin. Personally, I don't care who the nominee is, as long as it's a nominee who can handily end the Republican stranglehold in the White House. Funny, that's how I felt about the Memphis mayoral election. Anybody but Herenton.

Anonymous said...

I realize this site is mostly visited by those of liberal, progressive, or democratic persuasion. Choose the word you want, I don't care for labels. I would like to ask a question, if I may be permitted to change the focus of this thread.

I would assume that those referenced above are against drilling in Anwar. I do not understand hte reasoning of the democratic party and honestly solicit your input.

Here's the way I see it. I think when most people pull up to the pump they don't care where the gas came from. I don't believe that the origin of the gas will affect their normal driving routine. That means the amount of CO2 put in the atmosphere won't really change based on the source of the oil.
If we drilled and refined our own oil, we would import less and probably still burn the same amount. If we drilled our own we could control the price more and get some relief for the average American family, after all the democrats are for the working man Right?. We could also reduce our dependance on foreign nations.

The 2,000 acres proposed for drilling are less than 2 one thousandths of the 11 million acres available. So here is my question:

What price does gasoline have to get to before you will support drilling in Anwar, and off our coasts and building new refineries?

$10.00 a gallon?
$20.00 a gallon?

What do you say? And please give me a number.

Kevin Myles said...

For those who say that Geraldine was right and that Obama is making only on account of his race; consider the converse...

If John Edwards had run with Obama's Political team, with Obama's fundraising strategy, with Obama's message and his delivery, with Obama's campaign style, and with Obama's debate skills... don't you think he would have had a better outcome?

John Edwards was the 3rd person in a three man race and the reason he didn't get any further was that both Hillary and Obama were superior in these respects. Simply put, Clinton has a powerful political machine built and honed over 35 years. But while it is in all ways impressive, Obama has assembled the strongest political machine we've seen in electoral politics.

Nobody has ever come close to having a million individual donors. Nobody has ever had nearly the number of "Boots on the Ground" to organize in cities and towns across the country. Nobody has ever raised 55 million dollars in a single month. This is unprecedented.

To ignore all of that and attribute his sucess to his skin color is just plain silly...

Anonymous said...

Why can’t someone make an observation and not be called a racist. Her history says she is not. The first part of her quote was that if her name were Guard and not Geraldine she would not have been the VP candidate. What her real motives were, I don’t know. If you think every statement made is 100% calculated we are in big trouble. I am just curious how many white people on this blog really live their convictions. How close are you to your black friends. Do you vacation with them? Do you talk on a regular basis or just when you happen to be in the same place. Have you done work within the inner city to help raise its level of life? It sounds like everyone is upset with Geraldine because they are afraid that her observation deep down are theirs. I have no problem with what I say because I live it. I am a White Jew and just formed a company with a Black friend. I play golf on Sundays in a group of both Black and White, not my business partner. We go on golfing vacations & I room with a Black guy. We talk on the phone and play cards and socialize in general. I could go on and on, but you should get my point. I hope that the people on this blog will put their convictions into action and this country can actually move forward. If we get to the point that we have to be afraid to speak or make and observation, as it is today we are doomed. If I took offence at every Jewish comment I have heard over the years I would have exploded by now. You have to take your time to educate the people who make the comments. Most of them come from their upbringing or from ignorance. If they just hate too bad for them.

Anonymous said...

I think race is EXACTLY what has brought Obama this far. We live in a society that looks FIRST at, well...LOOKS! Handsome, Pretty, Black, White, Male, Female, etc. Obama and Hillary have broken the mode of the "typical middle-aged white male for President" routine...so, of course you have people coming forth in record numbers (to raise money, work for, etc.) Do you think that would be the case if Obama WAS the "typical middle-aged white male for President??" First of all, a majority of African-Americans are excited and behind Obama BECAUSE he's black...first and foremost! Second of all, there are many well-to-do white liberals who think it makes them LOOK good..and fashionable, to stand behind the African-American canidate....first and foremost! At the same time, there are many white voters who will vote for John McCain JUST because they won't vote for a black...or a woman. ALL of it is wrong! When we, as a nation, reach the point where we can vote for the person who has the qualifications, and a record to show that they have the ability to lead our country (not their gender, race, etc.) THEN we will be able to say (to borrow from an old hippie-era commercial) YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!

Anonymous said...

If a short, pudgey white man named Dave Smith (or whatever) and who was a psychospiritual clone of Obama (same mentality, intellect, charisma, political philosophy etc.) were in the running, Hillary would steamroll him. Ferraro's statement was not racist. She was merely stating a truth. It is unfortunate that in this country a person can only speak in racial terms as long as the statement conforms to certain politically correct norms. One perceived misstep and one is lynched. This has happened countless times. The TRUTH is a hostage in Amerika and has a gun constantly aimed at its head.

Anonymous said...

I hate to burst your Obama bubble, but when the recent clips showing the rants of Obama's psychotic minister, Jeremiah Wright, are released to the general public, and after McCain's political machine makes political hay of his chilling, uber-racist, deranged positions, OBAMA WILL BE TOAST. I am kindly disposed to Obama, but after seeing the clips I am chilled to the bone and wouldn't vote for him under any circumstance. I have been cheering for him, but I am going with Hillary even though I detest her.

Anonymous said...

Going with Hillary huh? PUSSY!!

Anonymous said...

Hey People, when did this become the "Crying Bitches" message board? I want a Democrat to win and I don't care if it is Michael Hooks! Getting us to hate our own candidates makes the Republicans drool. I think McCain is their Robert Dole, TOO OLD. But let's not have Obama or Hillary be our George McGovern.

Speaking of Michael Hooks, that was the last time a young black man came out of nowhere and look what happened. Don't hate Hillary for playing hardball. What do you think McCain will do? He's a tough old fucker and don't believe that he didn't learn something in 6 years of a POW camp. He will have Obama's big ears strung on his "ear necklace" he brought home from Nam.

Anyway, Hillary is a bitch, but she isn't racist or a reactionary fascist. Obama isn't the Black Moses, that is Isacc Hayes.

So listen up Girls! If Hillary gets nominated, you will vote for her AND YOU WILL LIKE IT!

davethedog

Anonymous said...

Over the past couple of years I have been warming up to the idea of voting for a Democrat, partly due to this blog. My only complaint with this blog is that there have been a number of times that I have asked questions in order to become educated in the liberal point of view and I have been completely ignored each time. Does one need to be a card carrying member of the Democratic Party to get a response? In effect, I was asking for a tutor to get an education in regard to an alternative point of view, but to no avail. Maybe that has been inadvertant, though. Another thing is that I was inclining toward voting for a Democratic candidate for the first time in my life (I am an independent with strong libertarian tendencies). But, the Democratic choices this time around are absolutely horrible. The problem is confounded by the fact that the Republican choice is also terrible. For me, the choice is between being stabbed with a knife or shot with a gun. I wish that the Dems had proferred a more palatable candidate. I was really ready for a change in the status quo, but I can't buy the current choices on either ticket. I guess I'll go back to living in my own little world. That's ok though, because I am a benevolent dictator there and I get along well with my subject.

Anonymous said...

Dear 8:36

I ffe the same way. I asked a question about Anwar. I just want to learn how the detractors think. But no one answered.
Maybe the question was too hard.
I'll repeat it.

What price does gasoline have to get to before you will support drilling in Anwar, off our coasts, and building refineries in the US?

What price?
Answer please.

Anonymous said...

Liberals tend to be almost completely idealistic. Pragmatic matters are not their strong suit. The answer to your question is that they don't care how much gasoline eventually costs. If the economy tanks and the evil capitalistic society goes down the drain, then they win. Even if we are living in Third World squalor. It would serve us right. They have sort of a 'whip us, beat us, make us write bad checks' mentality because of our corporate past sins. Global socialism is the goal. That is a main goal of the progressive agenda...a world in which everyone wears black pajamas, rides bicycles and eats rice and beans every meal. No one is higher or lower than anyone else and all live in uniform poverty. Except for the elites, of course.

Anonymous said...

YAHOO! Looks like we've got ourselves a Geraldine Ferraro/Jeremiah Wright Smackdown! In this corner the Fabulous Moolah Wannabe Hillary Clinton & the Ferocious Ferraro...and in this corner... The Golden Boy Obama and The Reverend Jeremiah "Nah Nah Nah" Wright. Guess who's working both sides of the aisle...That Arizona Pit-bull...The Mavrick McCrainiac. Hill came out of her slump a fighter! Will Obama come out of Preachergate the UNITER we thought he was and is called to be. NAH NAH NAH! PEACE TO AMERICA! FatherFarken...AKA...PADRE PATRO

Anonymous said...

Obama"s preacher is the racist--birds of a feather flock together

Anonymous said...

Randy, another great blog.

To Alan I must comment. I too am a white jew and I have worked in the inner city for years, but I do not now nor have I ever thought about my friends in regard to their race and I certainly wouldn't wear their race like a badge of honor.

And in response to

What price does gasoline have to get to before you will support drilling in Anwar, and off our coasts and building new refineries?

$10.00 a gallon?
$20.00 a gallon?

I hope that gas goes to $50 or $60 a gallon. When our wallet is hurt, we search for alternatives to our deplorable oil consumption. The point is not to drill more, it is to strive for the need to drill less.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Nathan for proving that the democratic party is NOT for the common. You would sink the ship, if it proved your point. The trouble is, you WILL sink the ship and it will not mean we will develop solar wind cars for the population.
Face up to it man, oil is going to be here for a long time. We could have it cheaper without comsuming more, if we drilled our own.
Stupid philosophies like yours are why the democrats will never make progress.