By now we’ve all heard the “insensitive” remarks about of former VP Candidate Geraldine Ferraro. Here. Worse still was the apology. Here. Click the link if you must but it’s the same old crap, “I’m sorry if anyone was offended” and the ever popular “I was taken out of context.” Sure, and Jimmy the Greek was taken out of context, as was Don Imus and Bill O’Reilly. Placed in the proper context you might find that Hitler merely wanted to consolidate the Jewish population of Europe for their benefit. God knows that finding kosher products in Prague can be a bitch.
After hearing Geraldine’s line of reasoning, I swore that I’d heard this before. It was really bothering me, who had said this crap before? Then it came to me like a flash. Let me take you back, the year 1987, the person making the outrageously ”insensitive” comment, Isiah Thomas.
After a NBA playoff game, Isiah Thomas, obviously upset, offered the observation that Larry Bird (hallowed be thy name) would only be regarded as an average basketball player if he where black. Larry Bird average? In the pre-Air Jordan era of the NBA, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson carried the league on their backs for years. There was nobody else to watch in the league. I don’t remember it ever being said that Isiah Thomas puts butts in the seats.
Many have said that the one unavoidable aspect of the coming election, should Obama get the nomination, is going to be a race. The McCain camp is no doubt crafting an anti-Obama message that avoids sounding racist. Here’s a hint for McCain’s people and Clinton’s people, stop bringing up race and it shouldn’t be an issue.
The former president, compared Obama to Jesse Jackson and then wondered why people took it as being insensitive. Ferraro, a Clinton backer, makes a claim that Obama is successful because he’s black and then she wonders why people are categorizing her statements as racist.
Dr. King once put forward the notion that there would come a day when people are judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin. Geraldine, I’m sure that you could have come up with a criticism aimed at Obama’s character or experience. Try that next time and you won’t have to make non-apologies all over the place.
I couldn’t believe that Ferraro said that. Even worse in my heart of hearts I can’t believe that I almost agree.
If a man were to imply that it is Hillary’s girly parts that are making her news, people would be scandalized.
Attack based off of policy and politics. In the end- that is what matters the most, not gender or race.
It’s funny how the party that emphasizes equality and the ending of racisim ends up with senior members making racist remarks.
If Ferraro isn’t woman enough to fully apologize, or Clinton won’t remove her from her fund-raising campaign, then they’ll get what they deserve – the contempt of Young America for a whole generation.
It is Obama’s caliber as a SPEAKER that has gotten him where he is. I cringe in embarassment every time I see McCain and Hillary speak. I like them and they seem like they mean well but, good god, they are not inspiring…at all.
It is definately his ability as a speaker, maybe the best speaker of my lifetime, but I do feel like he would be in a different position without the race factor for two reasons:
(1) He can get away with references that his opponent can’t.
I heard one of his speaches yesterday were he said “you’ve bamboozled, you’ve been hoodwinked” this is a direct quote (and no I wouldn’t call it plagurism) from Malcolm X’s famous speach, imagine if Bill Clinton tried to throw that one out there.
(2) He kills Hillary in the Black Vote
In Mississippi Obama got the black vote (36% of MS democrats) by a margin of 9 to 1; Hillary got 9% of the Black vote. Nine Percent! In 1994 a Clinton/Thurmond ticket would have gotten better than 9%.
Black Americans care about the issues about as much as every other person in this country, but certain things just can’t be ignored. In the Mississippi exit polls 59% of Obama voters said that the race factor was most important. In La. this was 49%, in Wyoming at least 85% said that had they known black people existed they would vote for them more often.
I am not taking anything away from Barak Obama, but I still say that he would not be in the position that he is in if he wasn’t black. I admit that I could be very wrong about this.
I hardly think you can fault Obama for his skin color, though. Mexican politicians get away with things, just like white ones get away with things. The honest truth is that it is the fact that Obama is black that has helped shaped his experiences, which in turn have helped shape him into the person he is. The fact that he is black is inseperable from the fact that he is compassionate, the fact that he is faithful, the fact that he is carefully spoken, etc, because he has become all of those things as a result of his life as the black son of a white woman.
I could ramble on forever, so I’ll stop myself, except to say that the reason Obama is such a superstar is because so many people can close their eyes and remember the way they felt during his 2004 DNC speech. That feeling is like a drug. That feeling is addictive. That feeling has NOTHING to do with the fact he is black.
Shush, there is no question about that. He trully inspires soul and articulates a vision for this country that makes you excited, after eight years, about the future.
I absolutely don’t fault Barak Obama for his skin color. I can only imagine what life would have been in his day raised by an interacial couple. Every achievement worth having is difficult and any factor, such as racism can derail a life forever.
His life is a big middle finger to everyone I wouldn’t want around my children. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not faulting him for his race. His life experience has taught him everything he needs to (most likely) become the most powerful man in the world, and his race probably contributed significantly to some of the most difficult personal obsticles that keeps people from greatness.
I’m simply saying that, and fuck it I’ll come out and say it, he would not have beat the Clinton machine in the democratic primaries this year if he hadn’t been (and still is) black. So many of his endorsements would have gone to Hillary.
I think he’ll make a better president that Hillary; that isn’t the issue. The issue is that this year was promised to someone else, and unlike alot of other fizzled frontrunners; she didn’t make the kind of mistakes that kill the favorite.
He will inspire people (and probably has already) that hold the stupidity and evil of racism in their hearts. It’s just that a less inspirational and probably less qualified person would have beat him in the primaries.
Just my analysis. I could be completely wrong; and would be grateful for any correction of my opinions.
Duke, I’ll agree with you there. As I said during the early days of the primaries, I’ll bet ANYTHING that Edwards was wishing he was a Hispanic woman so he could get a little media buzz!
Being black hasn’t really hurt Obama’s campaign, and in many ways it’s helped. But I don’t think it’s fair to say that it’s only the color of his skin that has gotten him so far, because he’s not the first black politician and not even the first black presidential candidate- he’s the first black one who has a fighting chance at winning, and that fighting chance has to do with everything else he is as well.
People, the district is just Hollywood for ugly people, this has absolutely nothing to do with the core of democracy, and unfortunately, society’s weakness for gossip has gotten us to the point where we no longer change our country through pure ‘people power’, nay, rather spreading rumors and distractions about each other. Jesus, sometimes I feel like I’m perpetually in grammar school. Hilary is that popular nerd and Obama is the hot jock that has decided to take his life seriously. This all has absolutely nothing with running our country, nothing. Let’s stop being side tracked shall we?
justWOW – Agreed, the campaign’s have devolved into to name-calling and no one is talking issues. It’s sad and does not bode well for the Dems chances in November.
P.S. – D.C. may be Hollywood for Ugly people, but I’d rather think that Hollywood is D.C. for stupid people.
But that would be oh too simple, doncha think?