Clinton navigates ‘perfect storm’ of naysayers by Gene Lyons

[BenDavid]

Excerpt:
Also like Gore, she’s motivated more by duty than most politicians. Unfriendly eyes see her
determination as “entitlement.” Misogyny runs deeper in American culture than many admit;
brainy women are seen as unnatural. The camera doesn’t love her the way it loves Sen. Obama.

Her candidacy has encountered what a friend calls a “perfect storm” of progressive idealists
merging with Clinton-hating celebrity courtiers in the “mainstream” media.

Clinton didn’t help herself with an infelicitous demographic allusion, citing an AP story “that found how
Obama’s support... among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again.”

This prompted even so normally sensible an observer as my good friend Joe Conason to compare
her to George Wallace." http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/225676/

I would suggest many obama folks read Gene's article, and maybe someone could explain where he is wrong.

[papau]

1. He is blind to facts & "who benefits" - Obama played the race card - not Hill

[unlawflcombatnt]

22. Exactly

That's pretty much what the article said. Playing the race card helped Obama win South Carolina.

[cliffordu]

28. LOL whatta sense of humor you have, Papau, you kidder!!

What a specious pathetic rube, and a shameful excuse of a claim.

[sniffa]

2. Glad you didn't plagiarize this time

Good job. :thumbsup:

[gaiilonfong]

3. Here we go again NO SALE

The AIPAC crowd is still looking to revise history and Gene Lyons is a Clinton HACK ALWAYS has been!

[movonne]

4. I guess that mean you are voting for mc cain...well lots of luck...

[lligrd]

5. LOL What A Laughable Opinion Piece

No facts just bad opinion.

[unlawflcombatnt]

23. LOL What a Laughable Response

Good facts. Only your personal opinion is wrong.

[NightWatcher]

6. swing and a miss strike two

[Forkboy]

7. Hell, I'm just glad you posted something without the term "white voter" in it.

[NYCGirl]

8. The day's still young.

:thumbsup:

[sniffa]

11. Or black

I can usually count on at least 5 "blacks" per OP.

[unlawflcombatnt]

24. That a baby. Keep playing that race card. It's worked so far for Obama

And it'll continue to alienate all Clinton supporters and blue collar white workers.

This is certainly a great strategy for Obama and his race-baiting elitist cult.

It sure worked well in West Virginia, didn't it.

[Occam Bandage]

9. She's navigating about as successfully as Captain Hazelwood, too.

[Straight Shooter]

10. I have admired Gene Lyons' writings for a long time.

For those who disparage him, please research all his other opinion pieces.

And please don't throw him under the bus. :P

[onenote]

14. here is my criticism:

and its not intended to throw anyone under the bus --

Gene Lyons has no earthly idea of how the GE will play out. He doesn't know how Obama will do and he doesn't know how Clinton will do. Either could win, either could lose. We don't know who McCain's running mate will be, we don't know who the Democratic candidate's running mate would be, we don't know what will happen in the debates or, for that matter, in the world.

But if I wanted to play Gene's game, here are a couple of states that Obama could win that Kerry lost: Iowa and COlorado, both of which current polls show Obama having a slight lead over McCain. In addition, some traditionally "red" states are in play with Obama on the ticket, according to a number of polls, including VA and NC; New Mexico is another state that Kerry narrowly lost that Obama could either win or lose, but is definitely in play.

And it works the other way -- there are states that are in play for HRC that Kerry lost -- NC and NM. ANd there are states that Kerry won that could go the other way in an HRC v McCain race.

Its too damn early for anyone to know.

[Straight Shooter]

17. Fair enough.

By the way, you should write Gene Lyons with your observations. It has been my experience that he responds to well-reasoned comments.

[onenote]

18. if I get a chance I may do that. Thanks.

[unlawflcombatnt]

27. And Obama will lose Florida and Ohio, and possibly Pennsylvania

And he may lose big states that Kerry won.

The way he's blocked any re-do in Michigan, I wouldn't count on him winning there either.

[BlooInBloo]

30. His other opinion pieces have nothing to do with THIS idiotic one.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. At least you gave credit to the original source instead of plagiarizing

[OzarkDem]

13. "Misogyny runs deeper in American culture than many admit; brainy women are seen as unnatural."

great quote, and very accurate.

Excellent analysis of the situation. Lyons points out it wasn't the Clinton's who "racialized" the campaign, but Obama's campaign who used it to mobilize black voters in the SC primary.(See Princeton historian Sean Wilentz’s article, “Race Man: How Barack Obama Played the Race Card and Blamed Hillary Clinton,” in The New Republic. )

The primary race is bringing out large numbers of voters and half of them are voting for Clinton. Yet the "elite" of Washington DC don't like the fact that she doesn't curry favor with them, but takes a more serious approach to changing the direction our country is heading.

[highplainsdem]

16. All too true. And very sad.

[eridani]

19. If only she had the brains not to vote for IWR and clusterbombs n/t

[anigbrowl]

20. Especially if they don't vote for Hillary, apparently

My better half, who has a degree in laser engineering that she doesn't even use (she manages a legal services company instead and earns a lot more at it than I do at my profession), thinks Hillary is a terrible role model for ambitious women. I think she's on to something.

[cali]

26. first of all, Wilentz is not credible on this. He's a close family friend

of Hill's and Bill's. Secondly, anyone who actually knows anything, knows that anti-intellectualism is pervasive in American life and it's particularly seen as suspect in politics. See John Dean's latest article about this. Thirdly, hill has curried favor with DC insiders. Lastly, the claim that hillary takes a "more serious approach to changing the direction of the country, is utterly meaningless and simply YOUR opinion. And you've been correct on nothing this season.

[highplainsdem]

15. Lyons is right, in the comparison to Gore, & the reference to Sean Wilentz's analysis.

But many Obama supporters will attack Gene Lyons for this, no matter how much they admired him earlier. Just as they attacked Wilentz, though they'd loved his analysis of W as the worst president ever.

Thanks for the link!

[unlawflcombatnt]

21. Excellent Article. I especially liked this part

" contrary to conventional wisdom, it wasn’t the Clintons who “racialized” the campaign at all. It was the Obama campaign, seemingly for the sake of galvanizing African American voters in must-win South Carolina. (See Princeton historian Sean Wilentz’s article, “Race Man: How Barack Obama Played the Race Card and Blamed Hillary Clinton,” in The New Republic. )

The problem, however, is that tactic, along with the crackpot effusions of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Obama’s deeply unpersuasive claim that he knew nothing about them, transformed his candidacy. Many citizens who would vote for an African American without a second thought are put off by a candidate who makes race the central issue of his campaign. Winning tactic, losing strategy.

Screaming “racist” at people—I’ve received a grand total of two e-mails from Obama supporters that didn’t—only makes things worse. Real bigots don’t care, while Clinton supporters increasingly resent the accusation. (My skin’s thicker than most. ) Most also think it’s a foolhardy way to avoid discussing the realities of the Electoral College, which is what Clinton was trying to do. Regardless of why working-class white voters don’t support Obama, no Democrat can win without them. Can anybody name two states that Obama can win that John Kerry lost in 2004 ? Supporters normally duck the question with effusive references to massive voter turnout, which the blogger “Anglachel” parodies: For all the “crowing about what a superdoublewidefantastic party organization The Precious has built, how it’s cool and digital and virtual and full of lots and lots of bloggers and money.... All of which makes me go so where were those voters in Indiana ? Pennsylvania ?... His efforts didn’t make a difference for him in Ohio, Texas, Massachusetts or California.... The fact is that the contest this year as such, not just Obama, is bringing out a huge number of voters, and half of them are voting for Hillary.” Meanwhile, I’m hearing increasing numbers of Clinton supporters, passionate Democrats all, say they cannot vote for Obama. And that’s a very worrying sign."

[cali]

25. why indulge your voracious hate hate hate of Obama?

I suggest you get used to the idea that Clinton is done.

[CreekDog]

29. i would suggest that you participate in threads you start

otherwise, you get no discussion from me and shouldn't get any from anyone else.