Well, Obama has won Mississippi. For those who are into that sort of thing, you can dissect the way the demographics broke at this post at Crooks & Liars. And you can, of course, speculate on what’s going to happen, and argue the toss based on either campaign’s talking points. Let’s face it, that’s what almost everyone is doing, because actually it’s impossible to adjudicate between arguments like “but Clinton has won more bigger states and therefore will be better placed to beat McCain” or “but Obama appeals to more Republicans and Independents” – incidentally Hillary picked them up in the Magnolia State. This thing is going to be sorted out by powerbrokers, and the only real questions remaining are whether the outcome will be pretty or disastrous, and whether the near even split among Democratic voters and the way the party will resolve it will actually determine or impact on the general election.
But I was struck by one headline (I forget where now) that ran along the lines of “primary overshadowed by Ferraro gaffe”. Mondale’s 1984 Veep candidate and former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro isn’t the only person to have been consumed by a media/campaign firefight – Obama’s foreign policy advisor Samantha Power got the sack because she called Hillary a “monster”. Both have reason to feel ill treated. Power made her remarks off the record but the journo went ahead and quoted her anyway and made them the headline. Perhaps she’d missed somewhere the briefing on the arcane art of dealing with journalistic terms. Power was also in trouble for talking policy and nuance instead of campaign soundbites.
In fact both Ferraro and Power were actually making reasonable comments. Power was trying to say that Hillary was a ruthless campaigner. Ferraro was pointing out that had Obama been white, a first term Illinois Senator would most likely not have been in the race at all. Both are true, and are hardly original. It’s the language chosen, and the ambiguity of meaning that have seen them seized upon by both the media and the other campaign’s operatives. It virtually ensures that you can’t have smart people upfront who aren’t totally disciplined, as candidates themselves are, in always being on message, which I reckon is a pity. The accusations of sexism and racism respectively (both false) also point to the real toxicity of identitarian politics in America (something whose crazy dimensions you really have to have lived there to grasp) – which, sadly, is being played for all it’s worth by both campaigns. Pause to think about that next time you start to think about how fantastic a black man and a woman are the two Democratic candidates for President in 2008. It is fantastic, but there are a lot of vicious demons tied to racial and gender identity in the US, and they’re being invoked by those candidates themselves. What we’re seeing here is very far from a civilised and civil public sphere, both in the arguments about how to resolve the impasse and the way the impasse itself has been created.
Is this post intentional satire? If so it seems a little subtle, I might almost believe you think the counterfactual ‘had Obama been white, a first term Illinois Senator would most likely not have been in the race at all’ was so obviously true that argument was unnecessary. But then my favourite bit is where at the end you seem to say that thanks to the candidates being a woman and a black we have lost the civilisation and the civility from American politics. And all I can think is too right, hopefully in 4 years we can go back to all white men and get back the civilised civility of 2000 & 2004.
I didn’t read it like that. I don’t think there is any direct causality being claimed or implied. I read it more as ‘Even now, it’s still uncivil and uncivilised and there is a new set of problems.’
(Love the new improved comments preview, now with gravatar!)
Is “identitarian” a word?
I have read the background to that sacking of Samantha Power for being quoted in the Scotsman as saying that Hillary Clinton was “a monster”. The complete piece went along the lines of “Hilary Clinton is just a monster – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything.” Power, having tried to retract her comment midsentence, had to put up with the paper publishing the quote as a headline. I understand that the rule for journalism is that unless things are explicitly agreed to by both parties as being off the record before the interview, then anything said is fair game. Hilary Clinton may be a monster who will stoop to anything to win the nomination, but it seems like Power probably should have lost her job for being so stupid as to be candid with a member of the press, and a member of the British press at that.
Cheers….
“It’s the language chosen, and the ambiguity of meaning that have seen them seized upon by both the media and the other campaign’s operatives.”
It all sounds like an euphemism for “crap phrasing got her hammered”. I have little sympathy for Ferraro, especially after her follow-up “Is it cos I is white?” remarks.
Power over-emoted and Ferraro engaged in deliberate race-baiting, even going so far as to continue the argument over at Bill O’Reilly’s show on Fox. Her statement has no factual basis, serving only as an appeal to “affirmative action” opponents. She has resigned from the Clinton campaign, but she was never going to be fired. Unlike Power, who’s just a staffer, in the end, Ferraro has a public profile, which would have made her dismissal damaging.
The Democrats I know are all very proud to have both Clinton and Obama as the front-runners and will vote for either following the convention, but we are also fairly disgusted with how easily the respective campaigns have fallen into negativity. Speaking for myself, my overall impression, however, is that Clinton’s gone to the Dark Side earlier and more often.
I think what Power said is probably true.
And I read the post as Dr Cat did at comment 2. Obviously what’s being argued is that despite the presence of two frontrunning non-traditional candidates, it’s not just that it’s business as usual in the mudslinging game in many ways, but also the candidates’ own departure from the middle aged white guy template is being used by each campaign as a political weapon. Which it is.
I also think it’s interesting that comments from Australia tend to follow the well-worn grooves of the campaign and US media talking points. Maybe the fact that the post is saying something different accounts for the misreading.
Well, let’s herd the elephants in the room: Clinton’s team have stooped to race-baiting.
It may be “true” that a white first termer wouldnt be runnning, but the dog-whistle is clearly that he’s getting ahead on some “quota” system – which you may already be pissed off about, young male white voter..
…and Obama’s team have stooped to misogyny on more than one occasion.
I continue to be amazed that Obama gets away with claiming to be above politics while running a campaign that’s just as down and dirty as Clinton’s – if done rather more cleverly.
I haven’t been following as closely as some, Mark. I guess “monster” was in the ballpark, but what are some other examples?
I was struck the Obama made the person concerned resign, and Clinton didnt (well, not till later)
I haven’t got time to go look, Lefty E, because I’m out of the joint now, but you will find heaps on US feminist blogs.
Clinton couldn’t make Ferraro “resign” because Ferraro wasn’t being paid to do anything. She was a supporter, is all. Whether you believe she said what she said because she’s part of a vast Clinton conspiracy, or whether you think she just said something dumb and probably self-aggrandising is up to you of course.
Well, I’d probably pick someone outside my campaign team too! These guys didn’t come down in the last shower.
I really dunno: but she’s WAY too senior a democrat, and in the pro-Clinton camp, to be self-evidently speaking for herself, and off her own bat.
Just sayin, I wouldn’t draw that conclusion lightly.
Mark, yeah I got that the reading I gave of the end was particularly ungenerous – if not outight distortionary. I was just highly amused at the word choices of ‘civilised’, ‘civil’, ‘demon’ in trying to discuss the nasty side of the identity politics.
I think the main problem with what Kim argued is the way that the charges of racism and sexism can be falsified. There has been misogyny and racisms galore through the campaign, and part of the benefit of the campaign is that while the racism of Ferraro’s comments or the sexism of the continual meme of Hilary’s shrillness (for instance) might usually be ignored it actually gets publicly critiqued during this campaign. The problem comes when racism or sexism get cast as purely intentional. As in: in order for what Ferraro to have said to be wrong she has to have been meaning to race-bait or dog-whistle.
I’m just throwing this out there: but isn’t much of the “shrillness” meme from the media and commentariat, rather than Team Obama?
To perhaps go to one of Kim’s point – I do think the media understands ‘Racism is bad 101′ better than they get a whole range of gender stereotypes. As such, I do tend to agree Clinton has a tougher media ride.
On the available evidence Power and Ferraro both deserved to fall on their swords. Power was echoing the tes of thousands of online comments making personal attacks on Clinton, the kind that are rare about Obama.
There has been a lot of description in the media of the racial, gender and class demographics for the primaries and caucuses. However they are dangerous territory for people in the political arena. Questions such as why do so many white middle class women support Barack are not PC? The best post I’ve seen about the divide within Democrat women is Come Together? Yes, We Can.: “We can be fed up with the media’s treatment of Clinton and still vote for Obama. We can be inspired by Obama’s promise and still vote for Clinton.” Unfortunately t is not the spirit of the times.
“In fact both Ferraro and Power were actually making reasonable comments”
Kim, if Ferraro’s comments were so “reasonable”, why do you reckon she “stepped down”?
[Reuters
Wednesday, March 12, 2008; 5:26 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro stepped down on Wednesday from her finance position with Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, a campaign spokesman said.
The decision came after Ferraro, the only woman to run on a major U.S. party's presidential ticket, said Clinton's rival, Barack Obama, would not be ahead in the Democratic presidential race if he was not black.
Ferraro was a member of the campaign's finance committee and raised funds for Clinton's White House bid, the campaign spokesman said.]
Maureen Dowd on Ferraro: “Geraldine Ferraro, who helped Walter Mondale lose 49 states as his vice-presidential running mate in 1984, was clearly stung at what she considered Obama’s easy rise to celebrity and electoral success. Last Friday, Ferraro, who is on Hillary’s national finance committee, told The Daily Breeze, a newspaper in California: “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any colour), 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.”
(From a NYT piece in today’s smh.)
Kim: “The accusations of sexism and racism respectively (both false) also point to the real toxicity of identitarian politics in America”
So Kim, could you please amplify on why you consider accusations of Ferraro’s “racism” to be “false”?
And here’s an interesting essay fresh off the tubes, which supports your assertion, Kim., “This thing is going to be sorted out by powerbrokers, and the only real questions remaining are whether the outcome will be pretty or disastrous,…”
“Rarely in American politics have so many people ever intentionally voted for a candidate they hate so much. Approximately 40,000 Republicans in Mississippi decided to vote for Hillary Clinton in order to help her destroy the Democratic Party this year with a divided convention. Hillary Clinton’s “big wins” in March failed to help her close the delegate gap, and she cannot possibly win the pledged delegate race against Obama. The only hope for Hillary Clinton is that Republican voters will help her reduce the gap against Obama, and that the superdelegates will somehow be convinced to obey the will of Rush Limbaugh and his acolytes by stealing the election from the legitimate voters.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/mississippi-limbaugh-ef_b_91112.html
Kim: “and whether the near even split among Democratic voters”
Kim, HRC is significantly behind on delegates as well as the “popular vote”
Samwoman makes a compelling case, even if her style is reminiscent of philip travers:)
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/9/184226/0219
Al Gore was a first term Senator when he ran for Democratic nomination in 1988.
Of course Gore had had 8 years congressional experience before becoming a Senator, much as Obama had 7 years as an Illinois Senator before becoming a US Senator.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/election08/79427/
Bloody brillaint short vid on your link, codger.
Right in the bread-basket, you old bastard!
It looks like this isn’t your first offense, Ms. Ferraro
John Edwards was also a first term Senator with no earlier legislative experience in 2004.
Yep, Saigon, Gerry Ferry’s got form orright.
Kim: “Ferraro was pointing out that had Obama been white, a first term Illinois Senator would most likely not have been in the race at all. Both are true, …..”
Guess we’re just gonna have to have one of our respectful disagreements on this, Kim.
The Big O tees-off on Brutusina and her handlers:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/12/olbermann-slams-clinton-i_n_91256.html
Gerry Ferry: “Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”
Oh, what a cruel, cruel world it is out there for poor rich white victim, Gerry Ferry! Next thing you know Gerry’ll be sidling up to Fox to defend herself from these vicious attacks.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/11/obama-ferraro-race-flap-r_n_91047.html
Lefty E: I’m just throwing this out there: but isn’t much of the “shrillness” meme from the media and commentariat, rather than Team Obama?
Team Obama was the one who thought up the dog-whistle about Hillary being possibly, you know, unreliable, or something… around… you know, certain times of the month…nudge nudge…
Which was particularly schtoopid considering that Hillary is probably post-menopausal. (Stand by for the ageist dogwhistles!)
Yeah, I was also interested to see some evidence that Republicans are trying to keep Hillary in the race.
Im not anti-Hills at all: but from the perspective of a neutral on the democratic primary, I’m starting to think Obama may well give McCain an almighty bath in November; and further, than republicans are pissing their pants over the way BO mobilises independents.
Im liking Obama/ Edwards 08.
There’s no doubt that a black person would have a harder time becoming president of the US than a similar white person. We only have the whole of USA history to show us that. I don’t understand Kim’s assertion that Ferraro’s point was valid.
Why not make, therefore, the similar claim that Clinton is only where she is because she’s a woman?
I think they are both where they are despite their demographic.
Oh, not here too.
The conduct of a fair proportion of the feminist blogosphere in the last month with this election campaign has been nothing short of disgusting. Obama made one awkward, off-the-cuff comment which, while probably sexist, was never intended to be a talking point, and it was seized on by a right ton of white feminists as the perfect opportunity to excuse Clinton’s racism.
For gods sake, Clinton was making race-baiting her bloody campaign strategy (trying to marginalise Obama as “the black candidate”) until black voters crushed her in South Carolina for it, and now seems to be trying the same thing again by bringing out Geraldine Ferraro to do her dirty work instead of Bill. The Clinton campaign been the most racist Democratic presidential campaign in my lifetime.
There’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that Obama is anything but a feminist ally, and frankly, I trust him a lot more to actually enact feminist policies than I do Clinton. The “but Obama’s a misogynist!” meme that white feminists have been pushing is groundless, racist, and has been provoking quite a lot of outrage at said bloggers from minority communities.
The Clinton campaign been the most racist Democratic presidential campaign in my lifetime.
And almost in my lifetime, but not quite. I was five months old when George Wallace got shot.
Saigon, what is it with you people? Even the cartoonists are biased. Can’t you understand that HRC and her proxies are just calling it as they see it?
Fri March 14: Gerry Ferry explains her “lucky” comment. Lucky like “Strange Fruit”.
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/laloalcaraz;_ylt=AncCDlsjTK9HbdAVgj0TGUPV.i8C
Fri March 14: Straighten Up and Fly Right and you can be my VP, boy! http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/robertariail;_ylt=Ap4c.hQhZeHVIBK0z8MoTB_e.sgF
Thurs. March 13: Moses Ferraro.
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/tonyauth;_ylt=AiVx2OuJRU2hSXQc8HmsXEoV2r8F
Thurs March 13: Just calling it like it is, that’s all.
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/mikeluckovich;_ylt=Av.0_jPK1DZUrd2nMdlMm_dR_b4F
BTW here’s the link to the BBC interview that Samantha Power gave. She came across as a particularly intelligent and principled person and made a convincing case for Obama’s sincerity, diligence and integrity also.
On Ferraro, she wasn’t the first to say what she said. Phillip Adams interviewed someone, a black female writer on race issues, I think, who went as far as to say that Obama wouldn’t be where he was without his black slave-descended wife.
She was saying that there was the world of difference between immigrant blacks and slave-descended blacks, and between east and west African blacks. She suggested that if Obama had the identity of slave-descended blacks then white people wouldn’t vote for him in sufficient numbers. Also black people have tended to switch to Obama after Iowa showed that white people will vote for him.
Personally I have no feel for American identity politics. I’m just relating what I heard.
Today there was a news item about a black preacher that Obama admired who ripped into Hillary in no uncertain terms for being white. Obama immediately dissociated himself from the view, as Hillary did with Ferraro. I tried unsuccessfully to google for the news item and in doing so turned up all sorts of unsavoury crap.