Hillarysworld

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Hillarysworld -> Bill Clinton Forum -> 1/14 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RCP)
Post Info
TOPIC: 1/14 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RCP)
Jen the Michigander


SuperModerator

Status: Offline
Posts: 1788
Date:
'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RealClearPolitics 1/14/10)
Permalink  
 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/01/14/first_black_president_assailed_as_racist__99877.html

How did Toni Morrison's "first black president" become a racist? Political commentators now routinely receive Bill Clinton's remarks with the worst possible racial assumptions. The benefit of the doubt many progressives extended to Harry Reid or Joe Biden, by contrast, has been withheld from the president whose ties with blacks were once storied.

The new book "Game Change" reports that Harry Reid once privately said, "the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama — a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect.'"

President Obama immediately absolved Reid because, as he said in a television interview, the majority leader was "a good man who's always been on the right side of history." Democrats' argument: context matters. But if context matters, why did the Clintons, and Bill Clinton still to this day, not earn the same presumption?

Bill Clinton has indeed made some questionable remarks. But unlike Reid and Biden, did any of his language actually utilize racially fraught words?

Many Democrats excused Reid because he was from Searchlight, Nevada, and of the generation that used the word "negro." But this is the Democratic majority leader! Blacks are the most loyal bloc of the Democratic Party. How can Reid be so socially disconnected from blacks today as to use the word "negro?"

Still, as columnist Mary Mitchell pointed out in her defense of Reid, talking about race is not the same as racist talk. But the irony is that some of those who continue to attack Bill Clinton as a racist, while granting absolution to his peers for racially charged statements, should know better. That irony is compounded because Clinton's history with blacks is far deeper than Reid or Biden and his phrasing less offensive.

Certainly, black leaders opposed Clinton's support for welfare reform but they also championed his appointments of blacks, defense of affirmative action and initiation of a national conversation on race.

In the end, Bill likely overestimated his bond with black voters in 2008. He veered into racial subjects that most white politicians dare not. Clinton learned the hard way that he was not the "first black president." And therefore, on this subject, he lacked the rhetorical latitude of someone who is black.

But then, Morrison's point was that no president before Clinton had so visibly affirmed cultural blackness. Clinton's bond with blacks was, at its deepest, symbolic. Clinton was the first president-elect to attend an Inauguration Day prayer service in a black church, praying where figures like Frederick Douglass once preached. We knew this Clinton for eight years. Do a few arguably contentious statements truly merit forgetting him?

__________________

4145952823_2e0edce16f.jpg

Nobody puts THIS baby in the corner!
freespirit


Moderator

Status: Offline
Posts: 1695
Date:
Permalink  
 

Good find, Jen. I'm glad to see people speaking out in defense of Bill. Of course "political commentators now receive Bill's remarks with the worst possible racial assumptions". Most of them choose to make the worst assumptions of any kind about Bill Clinton. For this unverifiable remark, allegedly made to someone now dead, to be given any credence is absurd. Those who assume the worst about Clinton based on this statement want to do so. I don't believe those commentators actually think he's racist anymore than they think Reid is not. It's spin, spin, and more spin - all for the purpose of slamming Bill, and through him, Hillary.

I agree that the article is correct in stating that Bill overestimated the loyalty the African American community had for him. Of course, I'm sure he didn't expect Jessie Jackson Jr. to falsely accuse him of being racist. Remember the article several months ago in which some news reporter stated that the racist accusation was part of the Obama campaign strategy all along - can't remember which reporter it was.

The Clintons have done more for the AA community than Obama has. O screwed over his own constiuents in Chicago, many of whom were AA, when he and Reko allowed them to spend a freezing winter in apartments Rezko was supposed to have restored with money BO help him get. The restoration apparently didn't include fixing the heat. Bill Clinton would have never don something as inhumane as that.

Whatever mileage the political hacks get out of this race card thing, they had better use it while they have it. I have a feeling people are beginning to distrust everyone in the media, just as they already distrust anyone in politics - and with good reason.

__________________
It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.  ~Susan B. Anthony
Amy Dugan


Platinum

Status: Offline
Posts: 495
Date:
Permalink  
 

i posted an article last night from Salon by Jo Conoson also talking in defernse of Bill. only 3 read it so you all check it out

__________________
Amy Dugan
Amy Dugan


Platinum

Status: Offline
Posts: 495
Date:
1/14 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RCP)
Permalink  
 

President Obama immediately absolved Reid because, as he said in a television interview, the majority leader was "a good man who's always been on the right side of history." Democrats' argument: context matters. But if context matters, why did the Clintons, and Bill Clinton still to this day, not earn the same presumption?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/01/14/first_black_president_assailed_as_racist__99877.html

GREAT READ!!!!!



__________________
Amy Dugan
Sanders


Diamond

Status: Offline
Posts: 4567
Date:
RE: 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RealClearPolitics 1/14/10)
Permalink  
 

Hillary's campaign was founded on EXPERIENCE. One can easily interpret the quoted line (if it is an accurate quote) as about experience. That is the context.

The other day, on Hannity, Geraldo refused to call it racist remark and asked what is the context. I hope more people ask that question. His question more importantly points out that we do not know the context from which it was drawn. In the absence of that, we have to look at the larger context of the election... where the biggest argument being made was EXPERIENCE and READY ON DAY ONE.

__________________
Democracy needs defending - SOS Hillary Clinton, Sept 8, 2010
Democracy is more than just elections - SOS Hillary Clinton, Oct 28, 2010

Madam Secretary Blog at ForeignPolicy.com
Project Vote Smart - Stay informed and engaged!
Alex


Diamond

Status: Offline
Posts: 1191
Date:
Permalink  
 

"But if context matters, why did the Clintons, and Bill Clinton still to this day, not earn the same presumption?"

Because no way would this moron Obama have been able to steal the presidency without twisting everything out of context and proportion, not to mention also needing billions of dollars and a criminally complicit media.  And we all KNOW Dirty Harry Reid, who was or is in charge of looking into voting irregularities, was one of the biggest players in this coup d'tat (sp?)!

__________________

Barack/Barry:  If you're NOT LEGIT, then you MUST QUIT!!
Building 4112


Moderator

Status: Offline
Posts: 798
Date:
Permalink  
 

Yes, and just this week (can't remember who he was) said we needed to talk about racism.
Then he goes on to say how the Clintons were wrong to attack Obama during the campaign.
Also he wanted everybody to visit his site, and is working Black History Month. I don't
know what they are recording as to the History of the Clintons...........but I can tell you
what they are not reporting, and that is the racist remarks that are made by blacks on
blacks..........in this case, one former black city commissioner of SF, called out Michael
Steele as a SPOOK.

They don't seem to want to talk about the racist remarks made by black leaders against
Michael Steele......

__________________
Hillarysmygirl16


Administrator

Status: Offline
Posts: 2818
Date:
Permalink  
 

First of all Toni Morrison is an idiot for making that statement.
The actual saying at that time was "Bill Clinton is the first Nigga President." It was started in the hoods BECAUSE of the treatment Bill Clinton recieved from the media. We said he was treated like they would treat a black man.
The fact is Bill said nothing racist period.  The press is making that up.  Perhaps we should call Bill Clinton this instead of admitting that Democrats are racist too.


__________________

4459303562_3f593359a2_m.jpg
Hillarysmygirl16


Administrator

Status: Offline
Posts: 2818
Date:
RE: 1/14 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RCP)
Permalink  
 

MERGED

__________________

4459303562_3f593359a2_m.jpg
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Hillarysworld -> Bill Clinton Forum -> 1/14 'First Black President' Assailed as Racist (RCP)
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard