I'm disgusted over how many DUers are using Republican talking points to defend Ferraro's comments.

[Drunken Irishman]

Do you not get that the same argument Ferraro and her defenders are holding up is the exact same argument Republicans have been using for years to undermine affirmative action? Ferraro's statement, saying Obama is only winning because he's black, essentially means he isn't winning it on his own. And that's the exact same talking point conservatives use when it comes to affirmative action -- that blacks and women are chosen not because of their own skills, but only for their gender or color. Stooping to the level of conservatives and their anti-affirmative action agenda by using their own talking points is a new low for some here. But, after all I've seen this primary season, I'm not all that surprised.

[Quixote1818]

1. THANK YOU ! K and R. nt

[anigbrowl]

2. Sad, isn't it.

I never thought I'd be hearing Democrats make those arguments. I'm pretty sickened by the whole Ferraro thing - for 24 years (I forgot about 1988) I thought she was a heroic trailblazer. Now look at her.

[CountAllVotes]

7. that is how I feel too

I supported her on the Mondale/Ferraro ticket. I regret it now some 20++ years later. What an extreme disappointment she is. In hindsight, I am glad that she never became the vice-president.

She shows her true self after all of these years. I am beyond disgusted as well. :(

[cui bono]

3. Despicable. n/t

[papau]

4. If you read Ferraro as refering to democraphy and proportional delegates - she is not racist - just

noting something obvious.

TPM http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/182937.php is wrong IMO when claiming that Obama's race in the Democratic party primary is a disadvantage as it appears obvious to me that the proportional structure and demography of the primary/caucus contests does favor the person who can get a massive majority of the African American vote. It is the 90/10 split (tonight 91/9) that in turn is a result of more than ethnic pride that has allowed a thin resume but great speech giver to run ahead on delegates despite getting 1/3rd or less of the non-AA vote.

The general election does not have the same demography - and the media will not be in 24/7 sexist mode but will return to 24/7 GOP cheerleader mode in the fall. Plus the decrease in the Obama vote in Ohio in the final days has put to rest the idea that the more he campaigns the more people love him. The result of pretending this process picks the strongest general election candidate is to decieve ourselves about how hard it will be for Obama to defeat McCain in the fall.

TPM is right that not being tall, male, northern European, white and monied is not having having all the US biases in your favor - but for the Democratic Party proportional allocation primary tall, male, privileged background persons can indeed have the advantage in primaries "because they are black" if they can make a racist race of the contest in AA areas while having a media that lets them appear above race to at least a reasonable percentage of non-AA's.

To dismiss the obvious demographic truth is to be dishonest.

[knowledgeispwr]

16. but she made the same comment about Jesse Jackson in 88

and what about Carol Mosely Braun, Al Sharpton, heck, even Alan Keyes? These are all other blacks who ran and didn't have the success that Obama is having.

[boppers]

23. Thin Resume?

Well, I guess that explains some things. People don't *want* to see things they don't want to believe.

[scheming daemons]

5. EXACTLY... Ferraro made the EXACT SAME argument that Repukes makes against Affirmative Action....

...

and Hillbots will contort themselves in order to find a way to defend it.


The cognitive dissonance in their brains... if they are INDEED Democrats... must be amazing.

[snappyturtle]

6. Why would we expect anything different? Haven't exactly heard

roaring disapproval of Sen. Clinton's affirmation remarks of McCain....the repukes will be using that to this fall.

edit: after thought: I guess Ferraro thought "lucky black" wording was superior to "token"...although I wouldn't be surprised to hear that from her now. I mistakedly thought our nation had come through the rabid perjudiced years and were somewhat enlightened now...so sad.

[Carrieyazel]

8. She didn't say Obama is only winning because he's black.

What I got from her statements is she's saying that his race is a primary factor (but not the only factor) as to why he's in the position of being slightly ahead at this stage of the Democratic nomination. You can't deny that race is a factor here in his meteoric rise to the cusp of the nomination. And why is that a bad thing? It should be celebrated. A skilled, intelligent man who is also biracial has achieved great success. I've had conversations with black voters who've told me personally that they're voting for him primarily because of his race, and they have no problem saying that. A lot of white voters are saying that they want to be a part of making history and electing the first president with African heritage. Race is there, like it or not.

And Repube talking points are not being used here. We're not talking about affirmative action (which I support), so inserting that in the discussion looks convenient but is avoiding the real issue.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Her comment was if Obama was a white person, he would not be here.

Meaning he didn't get here on his own merits, rather the color of his skin. That is no different than the comments made by conservatives against affirmative action.

[Carrieyazel]

12. Ferraro has to believe that his own merits have played a role as well.

I can't see her dismissing him on the merits, as conservatives totally ignore with affirmative action.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. She did.

And she hasn't said anything for me to believe otherwise.

[knowledgeispwr]

14. But as was pointed out, she said Obama wouldn't be where he is if he weren't black

that's saying he wouldn't be winning if he weren't black.

[Carrieyazel]

18. And would he have won Mississippi by such a large margin tonight if he wasn't black?

Of course not. He got 91% of the black vote tonight against another liberal Democrat. Even Edwards would not have gotten that.

[EffieBlack]

24. Can you name any other black candidates who have won 91% of the black vote in Mississippi?

If you can't, you need to stop claiming that Obama is winning only because he's black. Black voters aren't stupid and they aren't color struck. We're just as intelligent and discerning as everyone else. And we don't vote for black candidates just because they're black - as demonstrated by the fact that we did not vote in overwhelming numbers (or even in a majority) for Al Sharpton or Alan Keyes of Doug Wilder or Carol Moseley-Braun.

Claiming that Obama is winning because he's black is not based on any fact but is instead driven by narrow-minded and flat-out wrong assumptions about black voters and black candidates that is pitifully on display in recent days.

[angie_love]

9. K&R

[provis99]

11. So would Ferraro agree Clinton only did well because she's a woman?

[DemVet]

28. Possibly, because...

...she said the only reason she(Ferraro) was on the ticket in '84 was because she was a woman.

[TheZug]

15. But it's for Hillary, so it's okay.

[StevieM]

17. I'm disgusted by how Obama uses the GOP talking points to trash the Clintons (eom)

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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[DesEtoiles]

19. kick

[Colobo]

20. Ferraro made the same argument against both Jackson and Obama.

Why would it be?

[mmonk]

22. Yep, it's the same.

I reiterated that in another thread. Plain ol Jesse Helms tactics.

[Az_lefty]

26. Ferraro's comments are patently racist...

Obama's where he is because of talent, not some affirmative action program.

[MethuenProgressive]

27. Obama DUers post RW hate speech shamelessly:

"IMPORTANT QUOTES ABOUT BARACK OBAMA"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5041827

This stuff has no place on DU.