Obama fury over Clinton backer Ferraro's race remark

[catgirl]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Barack Obama's White House campaign lashed out in fury Tuesday after a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter attributed his stunning march through US politics to his race.

Obama aide Susan Rice called for Clinton to fire Geraldine Ferraro, the only woman yet to run on a major party's presidential ticket, after her comments Friday to a Los Angeles newspaper.

"That's a really outrageous and offensive comment," Rice said on MSNBC television after Ferraro, who sits on Clinton's finance committee, had said: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."

"It is the sort of comment that we have heard repeatedly, I'm afraid, from some of the Clinton surrogates," said Rice, Obama's leading adviser on foreign policy.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080311/ts_alt_afp/usvotedemocratsracism

---

I'm stunned that she would make these comments.

[truthisfreedom]

1. Oops.

[unc70]

64. Faux outrage. Not news. GF has said same about herself.

This is manufactured outrage for today, maybe to help somehow in Mississippi. GF has said similar things repeated in interviews, usually discussing that aspect of her being selected as the first woman on the ticket of one of the major parties.

If Geraldine Ferraro had described chance or luck using a phrase like "right place at the right time", would people be reacting the same? She has discussed the aspects of luck or timing in numerous interviews over the last twenty years, long before Obama came on the scene. Many have noted that Obama, like Bill Clinton, had been lucky in his "choices" of enemies and opponents. Making such an observation does diminish that they were prepared to act when they saw the opportunity. Unless you believe that everything is pre-ordained (e.g. part of God's detailed plan for mankind) and you have no ability to change it, then you have to accept that luck or chance or timing play an important part in one's life.

Limiting this to "big" things, Ferraro's statement is so trivially obvious that I see no rational counter-argument. Would Obama be a senator if the Ryan sex scandal had not removed Ryan from the race? Would Obama have been a serious candidate in 1984, 1988, or 2000? Would Bill Clinton have been elected in 1992 without Perot? Probably not, but who can really know.

[yardwork]

66. My co-worker, who is black and doesn't pay any attention to DU, is genuinely outraged.

If Hillary thinks that the outrage among African Americans and many Anglo folks (including me) is fake, then she has a worse tin ear than I thought. She would be wise to let Ferraro go from her campaign and come out strongly against the comment.

It is NOT manufactured outrage among a lot of ordinary people out here in the real world. Hillary ignores their feelings at her peril.

[unc70]

75. More "manufactured and manipulated" rather than "faux" outrage

How many of you who are outraged about Ferraro's statement have read it and its followup at the dailybreeze.com? The "framing" by the Obama campaign distorts what she said and she has been saying similar things for the last twenty years in reference to herself and to others. Ambition needs preparation and luck to succeed. GF has said almost exactly the same things for several years, so why is it being trotted out now?

Lot's of things must come together for anyone be seriously considered for President. To even begin competing, the candidates and their spouses should be very smart, well educated, articulate, and poised under pressure. Most have attended either Harvard or Yale. They need a compelling life story with a simple narrative where they and their families have struggled to finally overcome the many obstacles in their path and, God willing, to become your President. And as they say out west, when the legend becomes fact, print the legend. And, of course, they need a gimmick. That is how it is, Pilgrim.

Both Clinton and Obama have tried to trade on gender or race, while alleging racism or sexism being used against them. The Obama campaign has been the most effective doing this. Remember Obama's "joke" that this was an historic election with an African American, a woman, and uh John?

Maybe as an Edwards supporter, I was more aware and more sensitive to the various campaigns, how they did things, and how the media limited what most people saw, ignored most policy issues, and concentrated on money, process, personalities, polls, and the horse race. Whether the reporters liked or hated or dismissed or ridiculed a candidate determined which candidates were allowed to compete, true for Dems and Repubs.

How many of you remember the national polls after Iowa? Do you remember how Obama surged? Then you would be wrong. In that period, Clinton dropped from 43% to 36%, Edwards gained 9% nationally to 23%, and Obama _surged_ from 24% to 25%. Eventually, under a media barrage of Obamania, dumping on Clinton, and almost no mention of Edwards (much less anyone else), you began to see Edwards loose most of those gains. During that period, about half of DU were supporting Edwards. http://journals.democraticunderground.com/themartyred/39

Maybe I am just parnoid and really afraid that they are helping us choose a candidate, either Clinton or Obama, who will explode in our faces after labor day, thus giving the Republicans control of the Supreme Court for the remainder of my life and well beyond. My worst fear was expressed on The Daily Show just after the strike ended.

Larry Wilmore said that Mr. Obama is "beating" Mrs. Clinton because he's getting a big bump from Black History Month. The show's "Senior Black Correspondent" then cautioned a sensible return to cynicism:

"After America gets the chance to vote for a black man for president," Mr. Wilmore quipped, "they will decide that about as much change as they want will be 73-year-old white Republican."



So I ask, how did the democratic party come down to deciding between the two most conservative of our candidates, the two most cozy with corporate interests, the two most likely to keep troops in Iraq, the two with the most baggage, the two with the most problems for down-ticket candidates, the two that Republicans might be able to beat? Do we have a collective death wish, or is it something more sinister?

Do we have any plans if things go seriously wrong? For example, we select Obama as the nominee while leaving the Clinton supporters very unhappy; then some widely rumored Obama "problem" surfaces or maybe the Rezko situation goes from "embarrassing and boneheaded" to "stupid and criminal". (Or swap Clinton for Obama and we swap Obama's shady ME associates with those of Clinton). Either way, we all are screwed.

BTW I was really depressed last week watching CNN report from Ohio about how John Edwards cast a long shadow over that primary because he had been the choice of so many there.

[unc70]

73. Bad typo: too late: should be "does NOT diminish that they were prepared"

Sorry about that.

[papau]

2. saying "Obama's success revealed the "very sexist" attitudes of the media" is racist?

or is it very truth telling?

[texshelters]

8. It was about him being black

not male.

Yes, the media is sexist. Is Obama? Am I for thinking rascism is bad?

Tex

[skypilot]

3. He's lucky to be who he is?

WTF is that?!?! I've stayed out of this whole Clinton vs. Obama mess on these boards but this comment just slays me. This is only a stone's throw (if that) away from calling him an affirmative action candidate. You know, he's only getting support because he's black.

[yardwork]

14. That's exactly what it is.

It's ridiculous, too. John Edwards became the VP nominee with even less elected experience than Obama.

Ferraro's comment comes across as racist, petty, and jealous.

[ClassWarrior]

4. No kidding. What was she thinking?

NGU.

[goclark]

25. She was thinking ~ " Now what was Hillary telling me to say"

She is simply the talk puppet.

Shame on her, she was a sorry candidate and for sure she would not have been selected if she was a man.

Mondale might have been able to win without her on the ticket.

And she has the nerve to diss Obama! :mad:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. I'm not.

This is a last ditch, into-the-breach election for the DLC wing of the party. One thing we should have learned is that they will use any argument, no matter how specious or distasteful in seeking their desired result. Know also that this is the sort of statement one can expect to be generated by Mr. Penn and his associates.

Which is not to say all of Mrs. Clinton's supporters are DLC adherents or that they necessarily agree with this statement or Mr. Penn's well-documented practices. I am sure many do not.

[maseman]

6. You know what

Sometimes you might think something but you should certainly know when not to say it. You would think Ferraro, even if she is a racist, would keep her yap shut.

This will look VERY bad for the Clintons.

[mitchtv]

9. ah yes "The Cliintons"

No hillary ,but The clintons

[MediaBabe]

70. Yeah, 'the Clintons'

And you'll notice that popular opinion is that the Clintons have time to talk to every single backer, every worker, every person who supports Hillary and individually instruct each and every one of them on what exactly to say, what to do, when to say it, who to say it to, to devise each person's strategy, to spell out every nuanced statement.

[texshelters]

7. Yea, cause being black gives you a head start in life, right?

We have all learned from G. Ferraro that being black give you a head start in life. If Obama had been a whilte man, he wouldn't be winning. It never worked in the past, this running for President as a white man. All this affirmative action in the Presidential race has got to stop!!

First Obama is blamed for being a good speaker and now he's winning because he's black. That explains how he won in the black bastions of Vermont, Alaska where all the black folk go to summer, and in Minnesota, the blackest state of them all! How do racists get into such high office?!

Tex Shelters

[superkia]

30. I wasnt going to say it but I am glad you did! I was thinking to...

myself, wow I didn't realize how lucky I was to be black in America. I have always started from the bottom and worked my way up through hard work but now I realize I was awarded every promotion because of my skin color. I think I am going to start mentioning my blackness more often in the workplace, maybe I could get a great position out of it.

[pokercat999]

46. Well, I'm black too and it hasn't seemed to help me.

Just because I'm from the lighter, much lighter side of my family I don't get the breaks my brothers and sisters do. I've never been offered a CEO's position or even Sr VP. I've tried everything; bought that skin tanning stuff by the case, dyed my blond hair black, got brown tinted contacts, spend as much time as I can in the sun and the best I can do is look a little Latin. It's tough to be an albino with all the great jobs going to my dark skinned brothers and sisters.

:sarcasm:

[krkaufman]

49. just what I said yesterday... Ferraro implied O to be the "Affirm. Action Candidate"

Unbelievably disgusting. And makes me a little glad she got her ass handed to her in '84.

[jody]

10. If BO is upset about that comment, he'll never survive the attacks if he's the Dem candidate. n/t

[texshelters]

13. What's the logic here?

A lot of things upset me, but I survive. Being upset doesn't mean you don't thrive.

I don't understand the logic here. Certainly, the party more likely to contain racists is the Republican party. Don't we expect better from the Democrats and G. Ferraro though?

Tex

[jody]

16. My point is the Repugs with Rove still playing a dominant role will smear BO with every quasi-fact ,

half-truth, and rumor from his entire life.

[texshelters]

29. And we should thank the Clinton campaign for what?

Not being better than a Republican?

Getting Obama ready for the general election?

For getting the country ready for a nasty fight in the fall?

Just because Republicans will be worse doesn't make the way Clinton is running okay.

Tex

[jody]

34. I've seen no evidence that Hillary directed Ferraro to make a comment. IMO there's enough blame in

both BO's and Hillary's camps.

For example, there is anecdotal evidence that BO's campaign aggressively encouraged people to attend caucuses in areas that were not their legal voting location.

Here on DU, we have polls in which respondents say they will not vote for the ultimate Dem candidate unless she/he is their preferred candidate.

That's OK but IMO that defeats the idea of a political party.

Such people are "Fair Weather Democrats" who vote Democrat only when things go exactly their way.

[catgirl]

45. Your comments here fit right into the HRC spins/lies/crap

Care to comment on the topic?

[jody]

53. I replied to texshelters. Thanks for offering your opinion. n/t

[catgirl]

60. You put your comments out there- it's all fair game (nt)

[texshelters]

47. Yea! I'm not a Democrat!

I believe that Obama people on the local level are doing what they can at the caucuses. I'll leave it at that since I don't know what the rules are, how they got in, and what the enforcement is. I don't think Clinton would ask Ferraro to say that, and I don't think it was planned. It does however show the beliefs of some of Clinton's supporters.

I can in good conscience not vote for whomever because I am not a member of the party, I am just on the same side of the fence. Read the latest Pew Poll about attitudes, and you'll see not all Democrats are created alike.

Tex

[jody]

56. So you are not a Democrat! I hope someday you do become a Democrat and help our party fight for the

goals stated in our party platform, see http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf.

I assume you know whether BO or HC is elected president, they can do nothing without money appropriated by congress.

The only way BO or HC can do anything is with congressional support and that means the support of the Democratic Party and that includes getting elected.

[texshelters]

58. Yes I vote Democratic

but I dislike the undemocratic two party system and would like more progressive democrats to win.

However, I did vote for Gifford and will vote for her again in the fall.

Peace,
Tex

[jody]

59. I understand but I didn't mean just voting Democrat, I meant working for the Party regardless of

whom the candidate might be.

Using that requirement, I wonder how many Democrats we have?

[texshelters]

62. No

I don't believe in the party, only candidates.

Like I said, I believe the two party monopoly is undemocratic and hurts the working classes. Yes, even the Democrats. I did call Texas for Obama though and work on campaign for light rail, school finding and against anti-immigration and homophobic bills in Arizona and California. I guess I'm not a Democrat, because I won't be working for the party of Lieberman, Clinton, Kerry and Pelosi.

However, I will never vote Republican.

Tex

[jody]

63. "I don't believe in the party, only candidates." Generally such voters are "independents". n/t

[texshelters]

72. Yes

I said I wasn't a Democrat already. However, I am on that side of the fence.

Tex Shelters

[yardwork]

15. Perhaps he should just ignore it, like Kerry?

Yeah, that "ignore it because nobody will pay attention" approach has worked real well for Democratic candidates in the past.

/sarcasm

[goclark]

27. He is not upset, he has heard stuff like this all his life

So have most African Americans that advance in God Bless America For White People.

He is not upset about what she said, he is disappointed to know that a Democrat would say such things in this Century.

And now he has to act surprised and shocked but he is not really surprised.

He is a tough cookie or he would not have made it this far ~ I'm more worried about the Puppet Show that Pillary is producing.

She's a puppet and H pulls her strings.

[jody]

38. Please present facts supporting your assertion Ferraro is Hillary's puppet. n/t

[CreekDog]

33. I'm upset about that comment

Are you?

If not, you should be.

[jody]

35. I guess you can find many comments each day that upset you. If so, you'll have a very sour life. nt

[CreekDog]

40. you seem to have a lot of opinions but you won't take a stand on that statement

you know we won't all jump on you just if you were to agree that the statement was wrong.

[jody]

42. Is the statement below the one that angers you?

"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"

To reject that statement one would have to be naive enough to believe that BO is not the beneficiary of loyal supporters who are enthralled by his sermons preaching "hope, change, hope, change".

If mere words can change a nation like the U.S., the world's longest experiment to see whether a multicultural society can govern itself, then all the programs BO promises will bear fruit with a few magic incantations.

Have FAITH and chant “HOPE, CHANGE, . .. HOPE, CHANGE”, you will be invested with supernatural powers that will allow you to defeat all the demons in your fantasy.

[PaulaFarrell]

51. So what does that have to do with his race?

None of the things you mention revolve around or even touch on his race. He's a stunning orator, and a man who has managed to convince people, legitimately or not, that he will be a catalyst for change. You don't think it's enough, and that's your opinion.

What Ferraro is actually saying is that Obama has been given a pass because he's black. It's an ignorant thing to say. And even if it were true that Obama was not attacked by the media as much as, oh let's just say, Clinton, that would still not have given him the
votes he has gotten. He's where he's at in spite of, not because of, being black. But you don't hear him whinging about it, unlike Clinton and her gang. It's amazing that they try to play both sides - first trying to scare up a little latent racism, and when that doesn't seem to work, complaining that it's easy for him jsut because he's black. What an idiot.

[jody]

52. I replied to CreekDog . Thanks for offering your input. n/t

[PaulaFarrell]

57. you're extremely welcome

BTW, you do know it's a public forum?

[krkaufman]

50. You're right.

And he's not upset.

[NOLALady]

54. I'm certain he has heard worse.

The comments start in Kindergarten when you are "different".

[cali]

78. oh please, hillypoo whines about everything

Look how upset she got about the health care pamphlets sent out by the Obama campaign. She was screaming and ranting shame on you! Look how she whined about being asked question first in debates. Or how she whines about caucus states, or states with high numbers of AA voters. How on earth will such a whiner deal with the attacks in the general? She whines and complains in state after state after state. She's fucking pathetic.

[texshelters]

11. I don't think Clinton is a racist

nor do I think Obama is a sexist.

However, I think Clinton will stoop to anything to get elected because she feels entitled and better than everyone else. She doesn't mind surrogates doing the dirty, racist work.

I don't see Obama condemning sexism, even if some of his supporters would. What would be the point for him? He would be crushed by Clinton and the women's vote. However, he gets more and more of the women's vote as the campaign goes on.

Tex

[yardwork]

12. I'm furious, too. Ferraro should resign from Clinton's campaign immediately.

There's no excuse for those remarks.

[catgirl]

17. I agree she should resign!

And btw, the only sexist person in these campaigns is BILL CLINTON who
treats women like pieces of meat. Did you know he had a nearly 20 year
affair- from the mid 70s - early 90s. Of course he cheated on his mistress
with many others (or at least tried to).

[Igel]

39. I can find that Ferraro is a HRC supporter.

I can't find anything saying that she's actually affiliated with the campaign any more than Farrakhan is "with" BO's campaign.

If she's a staffer, advisor, or consultant, she should resign. Obviously. If she's not a staffer, advisor, or consultant, let's hear the calls for Farrakhan's resigning from the Obama campaign. With, of course, insistent, persistent questions if no resignation is forthcoming from either one--and we can disregard the excuses.

Sound fair?

Of course not. But partisanship does that to notions of fairness, both for Ferraro and for others.

As for there being an excuse for those remarks, first one has to at least make a good-faith effort at understanding them before making such a judgment. Otherwise one has not only substituted partisanship for principle, but also for critical thinking.

[yardwork]

44. If Ferraro isn't part of Hillary's campaign, then her comments aren't Hillary's fault.

I may have misunderstood. I thought that Ferraro was a staffer. Thanks for clarifying that!

[BearSquirrel2]

18. "lashed out in fury"

The Obama camp is too cool to "lash out in fury".

[defendandprotect]

19. I don't think a populist message has a color --- women come out for Hillary,

men vote for Hillary ---
People of color are interested in Barak's campaign ---

But, overall, I see this as -- save Kucinich and Edwards messages --- the
mostly populist message of Barak ---

[splat]

20. Sorry, you're upstaged by Elliot's Pincer

[bellasgrams]

22. Who?

[splat]

24. That Spritzing man

[HCE SuiGeneris]

21. "lashed out in fury" JHC! This is such racist bullshit.

Scary black man lashing out!!!! Fuck the MSM.

[splat]

26. What's racist about lashing out in fury? Jesus did it!

[Ztarbod]

23. Hillary is a candidate because

she is married to Bill. Same type of crap.

[splat]

28. Read some history

[davhill]

69. Does anybody seriously maintain otherwise?

That she would have been a candidate for President in 2008 if she had married someone else or had never married?

[musiclawyer]

31. Geez , it took them a whole day to forefront this

But I can understand why. I think they were waiting for Spitzergate to run out of the news cycle

[Divine Discontent]

32. another DEM hero down the tubes for me, personally

to think she would say such a ridiculous comment is shocking. Coming from a woman, she knows the bigotry posed to people that are different than white men, and she succumbs to ignoritus.

[Deny and Shred]

36. Wow, Geraldine. What ARE you thinking? Consider the source.

This coming from someone who is famous for breaking ground because she was a female running as VP. I pulled for her then, always wanted her to come off well.
I remember the '84 election. She may have had some wonderful policies, well-reasoned positions, have been a capable politician, BUT one wonders if that was enough, and if she'd have been on the ticket if she was a he.
All anyone I knew, young and old, could say about her was what ground she was breaking, that Fritz was making a statement, wouldn't it be historic if... - never what about her policies on this topic or that.
She did fall off the political radar after that. This is the first I've heard from her in a long time, and I would have thought she, of all people, could see beyond the fact that Barak is black and Hillary is female, and that it should be about issues. Nobody seemed to be able to get past her female-ness in 84 to listen - now she seems to be returning the favor.

[texshelters]

48. Ferraro only got where she is because she's

a hard working person who can be compassionate.

Too bad she can't see that in a mix-race man a well.

Why is that he got to his position because of his race, but not her because of her gender.

Because, it's BS. That statement about working harder, I still believe it's true in many ways.

But this racist rant? Give me a break!

Tex

[xxqqqzme]

37. Oh, it's not Obama but the campaign

'...Barack Obama's White House campaign lashed out...'

Funny that headline is worded the way it is......

[MilesColtrane]

41. Notice how an aide's measured response to an offensive statement becomes...

..."Obama Fury" in the headline.

Yes, we've all got to be wary of those furious black men.

[ryanmuegge]

43. Not that she'd know shit about winning.

[DemCam]

55. sick sick sick of Obama campaign hurling racist at HRC

this is getting tiresome, old, immature. and very troubling to say the least.
is this the only way they think they can win? what about some substance for a change?

[yardwork]

67. I think it's sick to blame the victim. In fact, it's disgusting.

Obama isn't hurling anything at anybody. Geraldine Ferraro made an unacceptably racist comment and got called on it by a lot of people, white and black. Obama has wisely stayed above it.

It looks especially bad for Hillary as she made a fuss about the "monster" comment last week and Obama immediately fired the advisor who said it. Now Hillary looks like a hypocrite.

I'm far from a partisan hack. I was supporting Hillary until a few weeks ago. I'm calling this one the way I see it.

[NoodleyAppendage]

61. So, her point was that Obama is the "token black" of the primary race? WTF!

I guess I can't expect anything less from the DINO/DLC, faux Dem, Repuke-lite, corporate sucking, "old guard."

Ferraro is a RACIST ASSHOLE. No other way to interpret her comment...but I'm sure a few of the koolaid drinkers around here will find some way to justify her comments.

J

[Lex Talionis]

65. "I'm stunned that she would make these comments."

Why? Obama was supposed to be just a "token". Him getting this far scares them. What ever his faults, he is not one of them. So, the inherent racism that is in everyone is coming out. Power is shifting. That's got to be a good thing.

This election was supposed to be about Hillary, and womens struggle against the system. Obama has stolen that. Very interesting times we are living in. I'm backing him just because he has shaken the house of the Elites, of both sides, to its rotten foundations. That is a very, very good thing I would think, and I wish Obama well.

[MediaBabe]

68. "Obama fury" this will be the basis of a swiftboat campaign

Watch out and be prepared. This isn't an accidental headline, it's a well thought out basis for a Republican swiftboat campaign about having an 'angry black man' in the White House. If we Democrats are not careful with what we say makes Obama "angry" we will be seeing this and more turned back against Obama with a vengeance should he be the nominee.

The Republicans have all the time in the world for Democrats to lay the foundation for them during these primary races. All they have to do is sit back and wait while we do the hard work then pounce in for the kill in the run from August to November.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

74. i dont think so.

They'd rather paint him as pacifistic. Fury is too much their domain, it detracts from McCain's message of "all war all the time". Fury isnt a deterrant for independents.

[dusmcj]

71. we haven't come a long way, baby

Here's a way to look at the Ferraro comments: both Dem candidates bring with them revolutionary social implications, by virtue of the minorities they're members of (sorry, please don't waste time arguing that that isn't so. That's not the same as saying that that's the only reason they're succeeding, but it absolutely is a fact). Ms. Ferraro may be picking up on something that others have mentioned as well, including Gloria Steinem in the NY Times: America no longer has fear of a black President, but it sure does still have fear of a woman President. Take a measure of the current state of the public's attitudes, and I wonder if you would find that on average, non-blacks are perfectly willing to work and live side by side with African Americans, to acknowledge the illegtimacy of past injustices to them, and to operate on a level playing field with them without demand for preference based on race. On the other hand, how many Americans are willing to acknowledge the sexism institutionalized in "family values", in traditional sanctioned relationship structures - why do we even contemplate a "marriage amendment" ? - and in the suffering inflicted daily by virtue of sexism - rape, lack of access to family planning, socioeconomic imprisonment in dangerous relationships, glass ceilings in the workplace - and the waste of potential of a full 50% of the population, all without significant questioning by society ? The next time some aging groaner blurts out "nine women can't make a baby in one month" when the topic is ostensibly work scheduling but there's a woman running the meeting, you'll know what I mean.

This is significantly a failure of the feminist movement, which to unfortunate extents has taken to orbiting its own navel like much of the rest of the cultural opposition in the last 25 years, but it's also a failure of the American public. When a woman (see CNN re: americans think racism is worse than sexism) can mouth the words that while sexism is bad, it hasn't killed people like racism has, we know we haven't come a long way, baby. The personal still is political, just like it was in 1968, and until we start cleaning house at home, and deciding how much we want to curtail freedom in order to perpetuate the species, these problems will persist.

I suspect that given Gerry Ferraro's long political history, she may have been pointing at this phenomenon in her comments about why Obama is succeeding.

[Cha]

76. They were in a "fury", huh? Or is it

AP's fooking drama shit uppin' the ante?

[TML]

77. I'm not

She made the same comments about Jesse Jackson in 1984.