There has been much discussion here recently about Hillary's contemporary campaign tactics. Many have made the point that Republicans will be doing the exact same thing (personal destruction), and that Obama needs to deal with it one way or the other, so that we know if he can handle it, and more importantly, if voters will be able to deal with it.
On general principle, I agree that a good solid vetting process is a healthy thing, especially after the mess that was John Kerry in 04. But I am flabbergasted at the insensitivity that Hillary is showing toward her black constituency.
It makes me wonder if she has even spent anytime at all around Black folks.
First of all, the cocaine dealing fiasco is a slap in the face to black voters. Many of us have been the target of police all of our lives, and the black drug-dealing stereotype has cost us dearly. How can we believe that someone who perpetuates this stereotype be trusted to even understand the issues that face black communities, let alone do anything about it.
Second of all, some black folks may have found Bill Clinton's interview on Charlie Rose the other day to be distasteful.
Over on Jack and Jill an author writes;
This is as nice as I can be. There was another undercurrent in that interview, but maybe I'm too ' sensitive' as a Black person and picked up on it. If any other Black folk saw the interview, maybe they'll tell me if they picked up on the undercurrent too.......
Now you'll no doubt notice that he doesn't just come out and say it. The reason is because of a stereotype. However, a later comment nails what he is referring to.
It was in response to the months of parroting of the Hillary campaign talking points by a supporter using the meme that Obama is inexperienced, immature and that he whines, he should just get over it, etc. Maybe because of the disgusting interview with Bill Clinton, all of a sudden a light bulb went off. It seems to me the Clintons are attempting to tar Obama as a "boy" -- with all the disrespectful, condescending, emasculating, just-who-does-he-think-he-is connotations that the historical use of that word implies -- but they are very cunning and keeping it just below most white peoples' conscious radar. I do not know if it was helpful to call out the Clinton's like this, but damn, I am furious and I am not sure their B.S. should go unaddressed. I really feel that Bill's abhorrent statements on Friday were the absolute last straw. He simply cannot continue presenting himself as the "first black president" while simultaneously resorting to arguments against Obama that smack of racism.
Now perhaps it is because I am bi-racial, or because I am only in my mid-thirties, that I tend to dismiss the 'they are condescending to me, and think I am a boy' line of thinking that goes on with some in the black community. I tend to dismiss 90% of racism as ignorance and just ignore it. But this feeling didn't just come from nowhere, and it runs deep among people of color that have been disenfranchised for most of their lives. I expect that the 'well oiled machine' could have perhaps been a little more sensitive to such a key voting block. Especially when Hillary's campaign depends on it. Does she not know this?
Thirdly, having that asshole bring up Obama's Muslim heritage in his endorsement speech, feeds stereotypes -- in an attempt to smear Obama for his heritage. Minorities will be much more sensitive to this than those who's ancestral history are not looked down upon -- you can bet on it. To the folks that don't think so, I ask you this. Does it matter if its true or not?
What I think matters now is, what those black voters that make up her lead over Obama think, and what will they think if she wins the nomination without them.
Are we going to let a prominent democratic leader marginalize the black vote without calling her out on it? To those of you who are defending Hillary -- do you really not care what happens to our party without an overwhelming black vote?
WTF