Hillary Clinton on Ferguson: 'We Can Do Better'

[IDemo]

Source: NBC

Hillary Clinton on Thursday delivered her first public remarks on the death of Michael Brown, saying her heart broke for the teenager’s family and that Martin Luther King Jr.’s calls for racial equality are “as fiercely urgent today” as they were 50 years ago.

“We can do better. We cannot ignore the inequalities that exist in our justice system, inequalities that undermine our most deeply held values of fairness and equality,” Clinton said during a speech in San Francisco.

Brown was unarmed when he was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, on Aug. 9. The black teenager’s death resulted in protests and violent clashes with heavily armed police. The potential 2016 presidential candidate said she applauded President Obama for sending Attorney General Eric Holder to Missouri to oversee the investigation.

“It was 51 years ago today that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called us to live out the true meaning of our creed to make the dream real for all Americans,” she said. “And that mission is as fiercely urgent today as when he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.”

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/michael-brown-shooting/hillary-clinton-ferguson-we-can-do-better-n191296

[Thinkingabout]

1. She is right, we can do better.

[roguevalley]

8. we can and we can start with her. I don't appreciate remarks about

her 'broken heart' when the dead child in question is now on the second or third day in his grave. I guess it was politic to finally speak. 'fiercely urgent'? WTF? Three weeks late to the dance and she's quoting some line dredged up by a flunky to show us her concern. Too little, too late.

[RiverNoord]

49. 'We can do better' is just simple bullshit.

'We must do better' is a real statement of values. That's why she won't say anything of the sort. Too much ambition and carefully scripted statements that don't actually mean anything.

[Volaris]

55. How's that old line go?

--Politics is the art of DELAYING a decision until it is no longer relevant--or something to that effect?
I don't think anyone EVER has suggested that she isn't a good politician, but maybe another politician ISN'T the answer this country needs right now...

(ON EDIT) Of course, the alternative to the Professional Politician at this point would likely be another President Jr. type (or worse), sooooo...

[840high]

56. +1

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

58. Hillary can do better, geez. Way to get out in front, making brave statements - how embarrassing.

[stonecutter357]

2. Hillary 2016...........

[cosmicone]

3. Go Hillary! n/t

[heaven05]

4. about damn time

[bigworld]

5. It took her three weeks to come up with that?

I want to like her, but again she's coming off as entirely too programmed, too focus-group-tested, too smooth by far.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

59. She does come across like a pre-programmed robot, which is Hillary at her best. What's really scary is when she starts wingin it.

[William769]

6. Kick & recommended.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Took her long enough to come up with that bit of fluff.

[monmouth3]

9. She had to wait and see how the wind was blowing..n/t

[darkangel218]

10. Lol!!

[azurnoir]

23. +1000

[Phlem]

13. I know right!

she just can't help fucking up.

[SamKnause]

11. Apparently not.

When can the citizens of the U.S. expect some radical change if "we can do better" ?????

Do we need more research ??

Do we need a committee ??

Do we need to pass more legislation ??

Do we need more police ??

Do we need more jails ??

Do we need to cut spending on education ??

The answer is NO to all of these questions.

You have identified the problem.

You have ignored the problem.

You have let the situation fester.

You and your cohorts in DC and on Wall Street have passed legislation that created this situation.

Our "Supreme Court" made judgments that created this situation.

Our justice system is designed to create this very situation.

From where I sit, I don't think you and the majority of your cohorts in DC and on Wall Street thinks there is a problem.

I think the people you take your marching orders from like things just the way they are.

Flame away.

P.S. Maybe we could declare a war on racism. That always works out well. The war against drugs has been working for decades.

[WilliamPitt]

12. Profiles in courage.

Reminds me of the old story about the French aristocrat who watched an angry mob run by and said, "I must find out where my people are going, so I can lead them."

*sigh*

[Shemp Howard]

28. Good story that, and appropriate.

The story about the French aristocrat is a good one. I think I'll steal it for use in some of my discussions elsewhere (but not here at DU).

[BootinUp]

31. The question is how many people (not limited to DU) listen to her.

I leave that for you to ponder.

[treestar]

64. It should be about what the people want

Not much wrong with that.

[WilliamPitt]

69. The people want leadership

Last I heard.

[treestar]

75. the people want someone else to tell them what they want?

or just wait for someone to be leader-ish enough to tell them what they should think?

[Jester Messiah]

14. No shit! Ya think!?

What a vapid, trite, useless non-statement.

[Robbins]

15. I have to say

While she isn't my choice for nomination In 2016 I have to give her props for mentiong inequalities In Justice system calls for
racial equality as urgent today as in 1960's.

You will never see any republicans Including Rand Paul talk like this.

[brooklynite]

16. How did I guess?

People complained when she didn't say anything...

People complained when she said something...

[joshcryer]

27. She could've went down there and marched with the protestors.

And people would find something to bitch about.

[roguevalley]

32. no they wouldn't

[rhett o rick]

52. I think everyone knows that she wouldn't do that. That's the point. She is part of the Aristocracy

and everyone knows it. Some accept it and are ok with living in an oligarchy and some can see thru her rhetoric.

H. Clinton supporters can complain about those that complain about her, but not one has even tried to show that she is a candidate for the people. I think they know she isn't but they are willing to live in an oligarchy.

Support the American Aristocracy and nominate H. Clinton-Sachs.

[1StrongBlackMan]

37. LOL ...

And guess who is NOT complaining?

Here ... Let me give you a hint:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1187&pid=856

And, not because we are "in the tank for HRC"; but because, a comment STILL leaves Michael Brown dead.

{Disclosure: In an earlier thread, RE: HRC's silence, I expressed my disappointment that she had not commented and that it would go into my primary voting calculus.}

[Garion_55]

17. this case is not about race!!!

this case is about excessive use of force. the colors of the people involved dont matter.

i truly believe that that cop would have gunned down a poor white person who defied his authority just as easily. i dont think he was seeing any color that day other then red.

[blackspade]

35. Then you haven't been paying attention.

Your belief is incorrect.

[roody]

38. Glad you are here. You will learn a lot.

[Garion_55]

42. im not incorrect.

what evidence is there that this cop gunned down this unarmed person in cold blood BECAUSE the person was black? did he yell any racial slurs while he was murdering this person? whats the evidence that race played any factor at all? because to me all im seeing is an out of control cop who lost his fucking mind and gunned down someone who dared stand up to his authority.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

68. What you said isn't incorrect. It's idiotic. nt

[ariesgem]

51. Lawd

WTF world are YOU living in??

[treestar]

65. not sure I agree

the white person doing the same thing might not seem to him to be a "deadly threat."

[Purveyor]

18. Oh WOW! She really went 'out on a limb' now didn't she.

Write-in Jimmy Carter 2016@!

[ReRe]

19. I did notice...

... that she had not commented publicly about the injustice per death of Michael Brown & subsequent overkill by the local police. I don't remember ever voicing a complaint about it though.

So what I say is this now: Too little, too late, Hill.

[bigworld]

20. Compare what she said to what Rand Paul said

http://time.com/3111474/rand-paul-ferguson-police/

[Metric System]

22. READY FOR RAND!!!

[wolfie001]

25. He'll say anything to get some ink.

He agreed with "most" of the Civil Rights legislation. He had a problem with the part where business owners had to serve minorities. Shudders, he was downright appalled at that aspect of the bill. His policy is as fake as his artificial pompadour.

[LovingA2andMI]

44. Not a fan of Rand Paul, however...

He was at least TIMELY with his Ferguson statement. In contrast, Hillary AVOIDED the issue for weeks on end and then only says "We can do better" four days AFTER the child is buried --- which in itself took nearly three weeks.

Hillary lost the African-American vote in 2008 and come the RIGHT candidate (CALLING BERNIE SANDERS) she will do the SAME in 2016. Her late to the mic response about the murder of Mike Brown, will NOT be forgotten anytime too soon by the African-American Democrats Community.

[sorechasm]

53. Bland leading the bland...

...playing the sound byte band.

[C Moon]

21. Um. That's not all she said. :/

[Iggo]

24. Well, that was underwhelming. But at least it was something.

And she's right: We can do better.

[randys1]

26. I just wish she would pull out of the race so we can have president Rand Paul

of course I dont know what I will tell my female and minority friends who within months of his election will be living in hell

but Hillary isnt perfect so I say lets just have some fun with a fascist for a while

[Jester Messiah]

63. Then I guess you better hope someone other than Hillary gets the nomination. [nt]

[PFunk]

29. Well, better late than never.

And I have the feeling she'll prefer the later if possible.

[BootinUp]

30. Only 12 recs? DU blows lol. nt

[4now]

33. Whoever runs against her can use that as their slogan "We Can Do Better"

[blackspade]

34. "We can do better"

No shit Sherlock....

"We cannot ignore the inequalities that exist in our justice system, inequalities that undermine our most deeply held values of fairness and equality”

Fairness and equality have never been deeply held values in this country. Fairness and equality have been fought and paid for in blood.

More worthless political platitudes....

[BootinUp]

36. "More worthless political platitudes...."

That seem to work. LOL.

[rickyhall]

39. Master of the obvious.

Maybe she was waiting for Jon Stewart, who was on vacation.

[DonCoquixote]

40. wow.....

The time to speak was a few days ago. Three a.m calls can be about Domestic matters as well, not just whether or not we get to bomb brown people.

I am NOT impressed.

[shaayecanaan]

41. She can do better (nt)

[LovingA2andMI]

43. Yes, Hill, we can do better than....

You. Seriously? Waiting almost three weeks and after Mike Brown is buried (that process took a bit) to comment on his murder. Really?

First, you would have been at this point better off, saying NOTHING.

Second, who cares what you have to say now.

Third, it appears the murder of Mike Brown was an afterthought to you. The African-American Community will REMEMBER in 2016....believe that. Especially, following it took NO TIME for you at all to say President Obama's policy on Iraq/Isis was "Stupid" before "taking it back".

Don't worry Hill....first, we know you are NOT Bill and second, you just want to be President to fill some inherent unmet need. That's not the President we need!

RUN BERNIE SANDERS, RUN!

[tularetom]

45. She can do a lot better, but she doesn't seem interested in doing so

The Clintons apparently believe there's a huge number of lower middle class white voters out there that they can pick off from republican candidates if they don't appear to be overly sympathetic to the conditions faced by black citizens.

Black voters will never go into the booth and pull the lever for the likes of Rand Paul, but they very well might sit out the election if Clinton doesn't give them a better reason to vote for her than what she showed with this innocuous bullshit statement. She was obviously taking a retain of crap from black leaders and she had to say something. She'd have almost been better off to keep quiet than to come out with that.

Maybe she can't do better than that, but we can do a lot better than her.

[Sienna86]

46. A young man died and that's her response.

Not enough.

[sendero]

47. HRC is starting to sound more and more like Obama..

... which would be a good thing if it was anything beyond words.

[BlueStater]

48. "We Can Do Better."

Funny. That's what I always say to myself every time her name gets trotted out for the presidency.

[ariesgem]

50. Hmmmm....

Let's see.. 3 weeks ago

Cops shoot an unarmed black teenager who lays dead in the street for hours

Citizens of Ferguson come out to protest

Cops bring out their war-ready tanks, rubber bullets, police dogs and teargas - ready to go to war with the citizens

The story gets worldwide coverage

The President along with politicians were making their statements

When Hilliary was asked about it as it was going on, she chose to ignore the question and slip through a back door...

Fuck her canned "Martin Luther King" response. Don't need to be lectured to. If she cared about what was happening, she would've spoke on it - AS IT WAS HAPPENING. As an AA, I find her 'late to the party' response offensive... You shouldn't need a prepared statement to speak from the heart. She doesn't give a shit about this.

Day late, dollar short ...

[Alkene]

54. We came, we saw, we said we can do better. n/t

[broadcaster75201]

57. Wow. How edgy and brave. /s nt

nt

[candelista]

60. This story did not seem to attract many Hillary fans.

This can't be a representative sample of DU. There are more Hillary aficionados than this. For some reason, only a few Hillary supporters commented. I wonder why.

[Beacool]

61. Because we are sick and tired of the anti-Clinton sentiment that permeates this site.

I for one barely come here at all anymore. We have other places to go to that don't spew vitriol against either Clinton 24/7.

[Deadbeat Republicans]

67. Don't let it get you down,

there's always Black Box Voting to support the sandbox...

[Evergreen Emerald]

70. Agreed

As I stated downstream, it does not matter what she says it will be twisted and given the most negative interpretation. Bizarre.

[Evergreen Emerald]

73. I was not talking to you

And, it appears that only her vote matters. When she was secretary of state, there was whining about her vote as well...yet no other politician's vote seems to matter.

[Beacool]

80. Well, haters gonna hate.

They are ever so predictable.

[candelista]

74. Thanks for your reply.

I didn't realize it was so pervasive.

[Beacool]

78. Yes, sadly it is.

I'm done with arguing non-stop with people who only spew negativity about two people who I personally know to be undeserving of so much vile.

Oh, well..........

[ashtonelijah]

71. I'm a Hillary supporter, but I just don't comment much

And I definitely don't bother to get into discussions or debates over Hillary here. It's pretty clear that some people here would rather repeat 2000 and Nader us in 2016 than see Hillary Clinton win the presidency, so I just don't see the point in trying to change their minds.

[Beacool]

79. They hate her too much to even care.

If she does run, and if she wins the nomination, there are some here who would rather vote third party or sit on their hands and not vote for her in the general election.

Since I don't know whether she will decide to run, it's a waste of energy to continue to argue with these people. If she does run I'll spend as much of my time and money as I can to try to get her elected, until then I have decided that all these folks can rot in their own venom. I have better things to do with my spare time.

[blkmusclmachine]

62. Tepid. Canned.

A day late, and a dollar short

[Evergreen Emerald]

66. It would not matter what she said...you all will

Twist it to the most negative possible interpretation and continue the bizarre hatred of her.

[Maedhros]

77. Opposition to conservative policy is not hatred. [n/t]