I think we have just been divided

[LittleBlue]

The exit polling shows most blacks for Obama, white women for Hillary, and white men for Edwards, according to the following ABCNews link: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/Story?id=4195240&page=2

And now Bill Clinton makes a comparison to Jesse Jackson. This is after a racially charged month of campaigning, including a stupid interview by Hillary about LBJ and MLK. Why did he have to do this? Jackson is a racially divisive figure. He could have just congratulated Obama on a hard-fought victory, and said Hillary would win on Super Tuesday. Why do this? Why?

Now we're voting on racial lines, and talking about race. This never needed to happen. When those Super Tuesday results come out with Latinos and whites on one side, and blacks on the other, how will that look right after these heated racial debates? The party could be irreparably damaged. Makes me sad that a madman like Bush is in the White House, and we are talking about race. Scandals? Fine! Voting records? Fine! Just not race, that's what Republicans do! What a disappointment this has become for me.

[Muttocracy]

1. was that in his speech tonight? I didn't catch it (no TV)

If he said that, that's pretty nasty. I hope HRC will lock up Bill. He's hurting her campaign (not just with blacks), hurting the Dem party, hurting HRC's chances with independents who will think, I don't want him running around as a loose cannon in the White House.

[LittleBlue]

7. They're playing it all over the news. There are links on Drudge and HuffPo

and the Republicans are laughing their asses off because for the first time in decades, we have possibly alienated blacks from the DEMOCRATIC PARTY!

[Muttocracy]

11. well, maybe from the Clintons, but not the Dems n/t

[Mojorabbit]

2. Obama got a quarter of the white vote

which is wonderful considering he was only polling 10 percent prior to the election. He has some motion now. Polls showed people were turned off by the negative campaigning. Hopefully all the candidates will pay attention.

[jasmine621]

5. In an open primary in which many Republicans did not vote for

their own candidates. Think out of the box.

[EFerrari]

10. In such a contest, he drew as many white males as Her Inevitability did. n/t

[Barack_America]

17. 4% of the voters were Republicans. And they voted for Edwards. So stop with this.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21226006/

[patrice]

25% of White vote extrapolated to national . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4221875

[Mojorabbit]

40. I don't think you can extrapolate

it because people are not going to all vote on the basis of color. The last national polls I saw showed all our candidates would do well in the general but those change from day to day.

[rufus dog]

42. Not sure extrapolating SC votes is valid.

They are still arguing over the Confederate flag in SC. I am guessing that it would be the white people arguing to fly the flag - just a guess.

[durtee librul]

3. I couldn't agree more with you on this race thing...

We have enough problems in the country without this crap.

CNN was saying that 'maybe' the press was keeping the issue of race in the front. Anderson Cooper kept saying to put it away and not talk about it, but the Bill Bennett's and the Donna Brazile's just won't let it die. I just wish Donna would go away.....far away.

My guy is still Edwards, but I could go to Obama. I still carry his speech from the convention in my daytimer.

The one thing I won't do, is vote for Hillary. Sorry HRC folks, it is a personal thing and I am not getting into it with anyone. It's my business and that's that.

[KittyWampus]

4. The Clintons NEED to marginalize Obama as a "black candidate". It's their only hope

[HopeforChange]

14. That will make the Clinton Duo look even worse

HRC needs to get Bill off the stump. If she can't run her campaign without him speaking louder and more that her then how can she run the Country without him? This is what people are asking. Are we voting for HRC or are we voting for Old Bill Again.

[Maribelle]

26. I thought Obama played up the black man role quite well all on his own.

I don't believe for a second that anything the Clintons did or didn't do changed the outcome of South Carolina that dramatically.

When Obama was first running, he insisted on stressing his biracial blood. I thought this was beautiful, and inspirational to the many biracial children I have worked with in the past who desperately wanted to shed the yoke of the labels society planted on them, with total disregard to their loving white mothers or loving white fathers. For decades now biracial children have only wanted to be called biracial.

When Obama's numbers didn't budge an inch with African Americans, suddenly black began to ooze.

This is an historic event, potentially the first black man to become president.

One problem. Obama said from the beginning he was biracial not black. But then he never mentioned his white mother once the being black thing moved his numbers.

Obama might be inspiring to the super rich white children, such as the children of Caroline Kennedy, but he sure did shatter dreams and hopes of poor biracial children in the inner city. JFK would not be proud. JFK would have heard the MLK inflection Obama injected into his speech pattern. RFK would have shuddered at the southern black vernacular the man from Chicago found inside himself in South Carolina. And I would hope they both would have expected better for their grandchildren then to be inspired by a play actor.

[LittleBlue]

28. You're part of the problem. Bi-racial children, super rich white children, etc

You've divided everything into these little ethnic and socio-economic groups. This image is hurting the party. Stop talking about race! You want to lose again this year? Keep it up.

[Maribelle]

30. Perhaps you need to read the post I responded to. I divided nothing.

And you are totally wrong about ethnicity groups of different income levels. This is the Democratic Party, and our little groups create our synergy.

[Frances]

6. Jesse Jackson is not a racially divisive figure to me

He may be to Republicans, but I have always admired him.

He fought for Civil Rights when that meant putting your life on the line.

I think every DUer should respect that fact.

Do people not know the history of the Civil Rights movement? Are we going to throw the people who got the vote for African Americans under the bus?

[LittleBlue]

13. He may have done some great things, but he was at the center of the Duke Lax

thing, and so many other events which divide white and black. There is no fucking need for this! We both want the same damn thing! Why bring up Jesse Jackson out of nohwere and compare him to Obama? There is no link except their color!

[RaleighNCDUer]

34. Why? He brought up Jackson because Jackson won SC primary

in two different elections, and each time faded in the rest of the country. The implication was that, as the 'black candidate' it was expected for Obama to win SC, then fade away on supertuesday. Try to make him the black candidate, instead of a Democratic candidate.

I used to like Bill.

[Jai4WKC08]

18. Me neither

I voted for him in 92. I like him just fine.

[Maribelle]

31. My mother voted for Jesse Jackson, with pride.

I was shocked at the MSM reaction to Clinton mentioning his name. Where on earth did that come from?

[kerstin]

32. Apparently being black and standing for something makes you racially divisive. n/t

[Barack_America]

8. Obama basically tied Hillary for the white male vote.

So Bill can huff and puff all he wants about Obama being "the black candidate", but the country apparently isn't listening.

[patrice]

9. The solution to this is for it to be an Edwards/Obama or Obama/Edwards ticket.

I suppose everyone has all kinds of reasons why that can't happen, but THAT'S what we need in order to win.

(And NOT an Obama/Richardson ticket like someone said earlier this evening, 'cause that would only make the whole Race thing about ten times worse.)

[Muttocracy]

16. I think Obama needs someone with foreign policy experience n/t

[Mojorabbit]

41. I'd love for it to be Biden. n/t

[UALRBSofL]

22. The problem is

I have a feeling, just a gut feeling most of the Clinton supporters won't vote or will do a Clinton write-in. I'm voting for Hillary but if it happens to be Barack I'd vote for him as well. I can't see another Bushit in the White House.

[Steely_Dan]

12. I Could Not Agree With You More

I've been warning of this for a couple of weeks now. As I have stated before, the two front-runners should have been smart enough to see this coming and stopped the media in its tracks. But they are so driven to get into the Oval Office, they will sacrifice ANYTHING...including the welfare of this great country. In agreement with the OP, I stated this morning that the SC primaries would tell us what kind of party we have become....And like the OP, I think we now know.

Shame on both front-runners for putting their personal ambition ahead of this country.

-P

I guess Biden is looking pretty good right about now. I Just shake my head.

-P

[Muttocracy]

19. yep (from another Biden supporter) n/t

[LittleBlue]

21. It could have been buried tonight. But out of nowhere came this Jesse Jackson comment

totally out of place. I couldn't believe my ears. I did a double-take and thought MSNBC was hyping up nothing. Then I heard it again. They will play this non-stop. I shake my head in disbelief that this totally unnecessary race-baiting.

[Texas_Kat]

36. Then I guess you missed the black commentator

going after the MSNBC talking heads for being dismissive of Jesse Jackson. He won South Carolina twice and should be respected for what he's contributed to the Democratic Party. How dare you claim that recognizing his wins in SC as some sort of racist bullshit.

You have no soul.

[Steely_Dan]

38. "You Have No Soul"

Repeat that to yourself over and over and see if it dawns on you that it is this kind of comment that furthers the problem. It matters not if you are right or wrong...this kind of statement reflects your blind passion and distain for anyone that disagrees with you. You see, it is not a matter of who is right or wrong, it's matter what is right or wrong.

Let's see..."you have no soul" What can I come up with? Ummmm

You are without heart and mean-spirited...not worthy of being an American.

Now, do you see how silly that sounds and completely detracts from the discussion?

Perhaps not.

-P

[Texas_Kat]

39. You're entitled to your opinion

Anyone who denigrates the efforts of those who have fought the hard battles and won (and Jesse's had his share of victories) either doesn't remember anything or doesn't care.

I'm highly suspicious of anyone who thinks that black leaders (including Jesse Jackson) are some sort of lame joke like this poster did. That would constitute most of the members of the Republican party.

[Zorra]

15. WTO HQ has it all under control. n/t

[OzarkDem]

20. That's the intention, to divide Dems

That's why the primaries need to continue so we can reach consensus among ourselves.

[pscot]

23. Who knew that Bill Clinton was such an asshole

For 8 years he was so busy triangulating that he could never bring himself to dis the repukes. Him and George the 41st are homies. Now, all of a sudden, when it comes to Barack, he's as feisty as a mongoose. WTF?

[ChiciB1]

24. The Post Is CORRECT! Listen AT YOU PEOPLE!! You Think Clinton & Obama

are doing this for THE PARTY?? I can read, and I read enough for one night! It AIN'T GONNA stop, AND too many people have rings in their noses!

I've read too many threads here pleading for the nasty fighting to stop, but even if there was the possibility of it stopping on the blogs, THE OTHER TWO candidates aren't going to STOP!!

Clinton today, Obama tomorrow... HAVE at it!!

[butterfly77]

25. Why can't he say Jesse Jackson..

Jesse is a friend of his, he is talking about how it relates to the elections. This is the same type of shit that has help spread that fairy tale nonsense...

[LittleBlue]

27. Just stop it! Edwards won SC and lost the nomination

He picked the black, polarizing example. Even the media types who were at the event were shocked by that unnecessary comment. The only connection between those two is race.

[sjdnb]

29. Thank you for stating so well ...

what I've been increasingly upset about this entire primary season.

Hillary, Bill and their supporters say dumb a$$ stuff (God knows why - they weren't like this before) and, Obama's camp/the M$M (IMO) exacerbate/harp on it, adding fuel to the fire, for what I can only presume to be political/self serving reasons - And NEITHER the Clinton or Obama camps nor the M$M seem to give a rat's rear about the psychological, political, cultural, and sociological damage it might be doing to the country.

It's just gotten far too ugly to look at.

[stravu9]

33. Yep!

We're doomed!

[Tulkas]

35. Lets just talk about Iowa 2% Black and Clinton comes in 3rd

No racial argument there.

[rufus dog]

43. and that was the comment I was waiting for on MSNBC

and I never heard it! Only a racist Pat saying Obama did well with whites in Iowa, then started to decline in New Hampshire and NV and had low numbers in SC.

[Neshanic]

37. Really. You think? Understatement of the year.

[NastyRiffraff]

44. Why didn't Bill use Edwards as an example as having won SC?

Perhaps because he didn't exactly fade away...he was on the 2004 ticket. Perhaps because he's a presidential candidate right now.

I'm no Clinton apologist, but I certainly can see why he used Jesse Jackson (whom he likes) as an example. I think some people are too quick to see racial undertones when they don't exist. If Jesse Jackson were white, no one would have thought twice about that statement.

Unbelievable. If we're going through this now, imagine what it will be like in the general race.