Wow, race and gender are being forcefully stuffed back in the closet by both Clinton and Obama. Seems we just can't be grown up about this.
I'm a little behind the times regarding the all the gaffes this week that led to yet another Clinton oopsie, but I decided to check it out today. Hillary did make a big oopsie, and then she just made it bigger ... and bigger. First let me say, that I don't think Bill's "fairytale" comments were bad at all. It's really the fact that he was so animated about it that made people pay attention. He clearly isn't talking about race in his comments about Obama's position on the Iraq war.
Now that I got that out of the way, what the hell is wrong with Hillary??? Is she pulling a Howard Dean on us? I really think she is. Her comments did truly diminish Dr. King's role in getting civil rights legislation passed in this country. Clearly, Hillary is trying to say that as president, she knows it's her role to get important legislation passed and it takes a lot of work - not just a hope and a prayer, which she implies will be Barack's strategy. But she's taking this campaign theme too far and every time she gets caught up in trying to explain herself, it just gets worse and worse. Okay already, being president is hard work, but what Barack is saying is being president is about being a leader. Being a leader is about having a vision for the country. Hillary has the nuts and bolts of it down; Barack has the vision. Morph them together and they'll make a great candidate.
But Hillary's foot-in-the-mouth episode has opened up the Democrat's Pandora's box. I know we're all really proud of ourselves for having two viable candidates who are also minorities, but that's as far as we're willing to take it, apparently. Now that we got the minority representation out of the way, let's not discuss what this means and how it will impact the way we will vote. It won't impact our decision, right? We're beyond that, right? Here's the real fairytale.
"We both have exuberance and sometimes uncontrollable supporters," Clinton said, adding that "neither race nor gender should be part of this campaign." I found this quote in today's Washington Post. This is the worst thing I've heard her say yet. And unfortunately, Barack whole-heartedly agrees.
Race and gender are ABSOLUTELY a part of this campaign. Hello??? A Black man has a real chance at winning the nomination. Oh, and a woman has a real chance of winning the nomination. This is historic. How could we not talk about it? For one thing, if the campaigns talked about it, they'd be giving their opponents' campaigns some credibility. At least Bill Clinton had the guts to admit that the African American community has a lot to be proud of with Barack's success as a candidate. It is significant, and each campaign would have to acknowledge it if we talked about it.
No, I don't think Hillary should be standing around saying "Vote for me and FINALLY get a woman in the Oval office." Nor should Barack be asking for votes because he's black. The discussion should be about what work is left on our race and gender issues and how this historic moment might bring the country closer to healing the wounds of oppression.
Our country is desperate to heal and this campaign provides the perfect opportunity to move forward. However, the Democratic leaders are afraid of having their record reviewed on this topic. Frankly, the Democrats have been pretty complacent in allowing the demise of the Black middle class, urban centers, education for the poor and disenfranchised, and I could go on and on. Republicans haven't done a better job. Frankly, I think they could care less. But that's not the point. If the Democrats are going to claim to be the party for minorities to have safe haven, then they have to relentlessly advocate on their behalf. And let me make clear that the list above may look like I'm targeting the causes of African Americans, but they are women's causes too. Who make up the majority of the poor? Women. Women of color are disproportionately represented, but it's women nonetheless.
So why shouldn't race and gender be a part of this campaign? All of our progressive initiatives are really about race and gender because of the disproportionate representation of minorities and women in the big gaping cracks of the American Dream.
These two need to grow up and demonstrate the leadership they say this country so desperately needs.
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2 comments:
Sweetheart, I have to disagree with you. As much as I share your enthusiasm about the fact that it's very possible (perhaps even likely) that the next POTUS will be a black man or a woman... I don't think that should be part of the campaign. AFTER one of them wins, then we can have the celebration, and talk about the racial issues, or gender issues, or whatever. But I hate "identity politics", and I can't help but think that any substantial discussion of gender and race in this campaign will just come across as "vote for me because I'm black/a woman". Hill already said in the NH debate on 1/5, "I embody change... Having the first woman president [would be] a huge change..." Likewise with Obama. I know that you would like there to be a big debate and discussion about gender and race in America. I just don't think the presidential primary/election is the time to do it. Not if you want "our" candidate to win, at least. I'd much rather see the discussion focus entirely on who is most fit to lead the nation, since on that score alone, Clinton and Obama and Edwards (my personal choice) are better than almost any of the Republicans, with the exception of McCain as you noted.
If we try to find the "right" time and place for this discussion, it will never happen, resulting in where we are now, which is accusing each other of "making" the campaign about race or gender. How is this back and forth more productive than a real discussion about race and gender? It isn't and it's only making things worse for us as the Republicans widdle down their candidates and we're pointing fingers. But I like your dissertation of a comment! :)
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