Topic subject Obama Needs a History Lesson about Hillary and King

[rodeodance]

Forum Name Editorials & Other Articles
Topic subject Obama Needs a History Lesson about Hillary and King
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x331957#331957
331957, Obama Needs a History Lesson about Hillary and King
Posted by billbuckhead on Mon Jan-14-08 07:43 PM

Obama Needs a History Lesson about Hillary and King

Posted January 14, 2008 | 11:15 AM (EST)

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

The Obama camp did it again. They manufactured yet another issue out of a non-issue when they pounded Hillary Clinton for supposedly defiling Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by minimizing his role in the civil rights struggle. Here's Hillary's terrible sin per the Obama campaign crowd: she said that Dr. King's dream was realized when President Lyndon Johnson shoved the 1964 Civil Rights Bill through Congress. This was anything but a put down of King.

Hillary paid tribute to King for laying the groundwork for the civil rights bill and gave justifiable credit to Johnson for ramming the bill through a bickering, divided and very recalcitrant Congress. Her point was that presidents that have their public policy priorities screwed on right can make changes, monumental changes, for good.

If Hillary could be faulted for anything it's that she didn't go far enough. If Johnson hadn't forcefully intervened and jawboned, prodded, arm twisted, and embarrassed the slew of wavering and hostile Congressmen to the bill into supporting the bill, or at least tempering their opposition to it, King's dream would have remained just that, an empty dream. King recognized that. In a Playboy interview in 1965, he said this about Johnson: "He has demonstrated his wisdom and commitment in coming to grips with the problem (racial discrimination). My impression is that he will remain a strong president for civil rights." History amply proved that, and Johnson despite his Vietnam War tumble from historical grace, still is regarded as the president that did more for civil rights than any other president.
-----------snip-------------
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/obama-needs-a-history-les_b_81377.html >