Reply #91: Dean on Race

[mbali]

Thanks for your response.

Howard Dean has repeatedly said that he is the only white politician talking about race to white audiences. As I said, at first I thought it was unfortunate but unintentional hyperbole, but he has continued to make this assertion, even when challenged by others. Now that it's been pointed out that other candidates have been talking about race to white audiences, he says that he is the only one talking about it the right way. His refusal to back off of his comment or to acknowledge that he is not the only one talking about this issue in a meaningful way has led many people - including me - to conclude that he's either a blowhard or clueless.

Here are some examples:

"I'll tell you why I connect with African American audiences. I'm the only white politician that ever talks about race in front of white audiences." CBC Debate, September 9, 2003

"STEPHANOPOULOS: Just the other night at the Congressional Black Caucus debate, Senator Edwards took you on because you said "I'm the only white candidate in the race who talks about race to white audiences." He said that's simply not true. And he's right, isn't he?

DEAN: No, he's wrong about that. White politicians always go before black audiences and talk about affirmative action, all this stuff. Sometimes they, as in Joe Lieberman's and Senator Edwards' and others' case, talk about protection of civil rights. They talk about what they were doing in the civil rights movement in the '60s and all that. That's not talking about race. If you want to talk about race and you're white, you have an obligation to talk about the un, the unconscious bias that people exercise over hiring practices, the fact that ...

STEPHANOPOULOS: But that's not what you said in the debate. I've been on the campaign trail with these guys. And Senator Kerry, Senator Edwards and Senator Lieberman, they talk about race in every single stop.

DEAN: But they don't, none of them have attacked the quota system.

STEPHANOPOULOS: All have attacked President Bush on affirmative action and said he shouldn't call a quotas.

DEAN: But they, well, long after I did.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Now, why not just say, you know, maybe I shouldn't have said it that way?

DEAN: Because I think I'm right." THIS WEEK, September 14, 2003


And, even though he's been called on it repeatedly, just last week on Tavis Smiley's radio show, Dean again made this erroneous assertion.

I just don't understand it. Either Dean is lying or he really believes that he's the only white politician talking about race in any meaningful way. I don't think he is a liar and would never accuse him of such. So he must believe that what he is saying is true. And if he does believe this, what does it say about how in touch he is with the issue?

I'm certainly not speaking for all African Americans. But I do believe that my views represent a significant number of black voters who are not impressed by the kinds of claims that Dean is making. And this is reflected in the lack of significant black support he is getting. Despite his efforts, Dean's support is still concentrated among whites; even though some blacks do support him, he's not gaining much traction among African Americans. He's certainly not catching fire in black communities the way he has in white communities; I think that his reputation for being disconnected from and out of touch with blacks is the reason for this. This reputation may not be fair - after all, it's not his fault there are no black people in Vermont :-). But these kinds of comments do nothing to alleviate the impression.

I once had a high regard for Dean. I'm disappointed in him.