There is a difference between calling Hillary Clinton "racist"....

[shomino]

And implying that she thinks the "white working class voter" is racist.

Obviously Hillary is not racist, but does she think she is getting that vote because THOSE people are racist? That is the question raised by the recent interview.

I just wanted to clarify that I do not think Hillary Clinton is racist at all, and I do have respect for her as a Democratic Senator and candidate for the Presidency.

I just think that these recent statements in the USA Today article are exploiting race divisions when we should be working to eliminate them instead.

[SoonerPride]

1. No, it called race-baiting. And she's good at it.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/05/whats-new-4.html

[YDogg]

3. as far as I know

[Webster Green]

2. She may not be racist, but she is race-baiting..

She is despicable! :thumbsdown:

[shomino]

8. Nah, I wouldn't go that far.

She's a politician. She's just more likely to play the despicable political games than Obama.

Let's not forget, Obama is actually very UNIQUE in that he does not use this kind of politics.

Hillary Clinton would still be the lesser of two evils in comparison to John McCain, I would still vote for her if those were my choices. (Although I would hold my nose while doing it.)

She's just a classic politician playing classic political games. Let's not forget she's been playing these games for so long, it must be hard to switch up the gameplan when an opponent is actually taking the high road for once...

[Webster Green]

15. Well, you are certainly entitled to be wrong.

I respect that! :smoke:

Edited to add: Welcome to DU! :hi:

[DemVet]

23. Define race-baiting.

If you can.

[ShortnFiery]

20. No driving WEDGES between Whites and "People of Color" is the epitome of discrimination - RACISM!

:grr: :puke:

The Clintons both race bait and discriminate by driving racial wedges that will set us back over 20 years.

YES, IMO, that makes the Clintons RACISTS. :grr:

[frickaline]

26. hmm, according to Webster ...

this is the actual definition of racism:
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race
2 : racial prejudice or discrimination

and this is race-baiting:
the making of verbal attacks against members of a racial group

can you please explain how Hillary qualifies for either?

While I can see that what she is doing is pretty low, and I can see she clearly has support among racist individuals, I'm not sure you can conclude from this that she's racist or race-baiting. Just using it to her advantage (which makes her sleazy, but not necessarily racist).

[ShortnFiery]

32. She was "a Goldwater Girl" ... she's one of the most self-righteous people alive- including a racist

[frickaline]

33. that doesn't answer the question at hand

The question here is, "does Hillary's argument of her blue collar white American support make her racist?".

I'm asking for someone to make the case based on a generally accepted definition of racism (re: post #26).

[democrattotheend]

27. Exactly

Although there is another interpretation of her comment this morning:

It looks like she might have said "hard working Americans" and then clarified "white Americans" to make it clear that she WASN'T saying that blacks don't work hard. If she had said "support among hard working Americans" and NOT added "white Americans", it would have implied that his black supporters are not hard-working Americans. Some Obama supporters recently have pointed out that the media uses "working class" to mean "white working class", and some feel the implication is that blacks don't work hard. So she might have added the word white to clarify that she wasn't talking about ALL hardworking Americans not supporting him, just white working-class people. Does that make sense?

The statement was tacky, but the way I first read it was the way I described above. I don't want to make accusations without understanding the context.

[Fridays Child]

28. The difference is only semantic.

IMHO

[Fridays Child]

4. If she's willing to objectify and exploit any ethnic group to achieve her goal...

...she's a racist. Sorry. It's just a fact.

[Abacus]

5. Not a racist, an opportunist

Framing the dialogue in the run up to WV & KY. I think the overt nature of her appeal is likely to backfire.

[ShortnFiery]

25. And sometimes BOTH!

:grr:

[Redbear]

6. Arguing that white voters are more likley to vote for her than Obama in the GE is a

legitimate argument.


It's one of the few arguments she has left.

[Bicoastal]

9. It's a very un-Democratic argument.

"Racism exists, and there's no defeating it, so you might as well let the white folks have their way."

[Redbear]

19. True. It's not Democratic. It is realpolitik. (n/t)

[tyne]

10. It's an

argument that can/will only help Obama in/during the GE.

[nomorenomore08]

16. Are they more likely, though? Most of the GE polls I've seen have shown Obama doing better overall.

Remember that even Bill Clinton never won a majority of white voters, and yet he was (legitimately) elected twice.

[redqueen]

7. Exactly... so everyone setting up the "Clinton isn't a racist" strawman

is either being intentionally disingenuous, or somehow not understanding what the actual issue is.

[shomino]

11. Would you agree...

That you don't necessarily have to be a racist to exploit people who ARE racist?

[Blue_Roses]

17. I would.

I don't think it's about "exploiting people who are racist" but the fact that she is way out of line for saying these things. The motive of intent is purely subjective. Your ball.

[redqueen]

29. Of course. Just like you don't have to be religious to exploit people who are religious.

(Neo-cons)

[Blue_Roses]

12. oh, they understand..

but it's their defense of her that makes me sick. What she is doing is despicable and she doesn't seem to care. That's what gets me:shrug:

[redqueen]

31. "It's just politics."

This is why Obama is attracting so much grassroots support.

Most people are sick to death of these cyincal, ugly, bullshit games.

[shomino]

34. too true redqueen

And although Hillary Clinton is generally (not 100%, but mostly) a supporter of policies that I agree with, she is also too skilled at playing those very games to give them up.

I can understand the reluctance to give those games up though, when they have worked in her favor and brought her success in the past.

[Bread and Circus]

13. If you embrace and use institutional racist practices, you are a racist.

[ampad]

14. Don't worry

That is the new Hillary supporter meme to combat her nasty ways as of late. Actually when you look at the quote Hillary is actually calling her base racist. She is the one implying that they would not vote for a black person. She is insulting their intelligence which is not surprising coming from her. Her supporters have nothing to add to the conversation but to yet once again fake outrage of you calling Hillary a racist when you are just pointing out what she said. The fact that they would draw that conclusion says something about them IMHO.

[PoliticalAmazon]

18. I don't think the Clintons are racist. I believe they are bigot-panderers, however...

and that is far worse.

[Blue_Roses]

21. wow-never thought of it like that...

but well said

[ShortnFiery]

24. With a little Winky Dink Boss Hog "Southern Strategy" Rhetoric on the side

:eyes:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. You got it.

I think the slam of the Clinton's being racists is off the mark -- but damn if they aren't race-baiting like crazy. :(

One of the most sad things I have ever witnessed.

[frickaline]

36. Yep, that I totally believe

I don't think she's done anything racist here so much as pander to a racist crowd. An ugly form of opportunism. Still, it doesn't make her racist, just sad.

[dempartisan23]

22. i think she is slime

i cant stand her.

[TexasObserver]

35. If you race bait, you're a racist. If you stoke the coals of racism, you're a racist.

If you fan the fires of racism, and try to benefit from them, you're a racist.

If Hillary doesn't want to be called a racist, she has to stop being one first, and then denounce and reject her own misconduct.