For someone who insists they aren't playing the race card the Obama campaign certainly does make everything about race.

Can Clyburn now endorse Obama? Can't he see how Clintons are hurting him/our nation/work of African Americans?

I cannot believe that I voted for the Clinton (male). I will not support his wife. Period.

Moishele wrote on January 13, 2008 5:34 PM:

What the heck are you talking about? Nothing in the Obama response is about race. We know the strategy on the Clinton side is to minimize Obama's potential SC win by putting out the meme that it comes from playing "the race card" but your comment is beyond ridiculous. Leevy Johnson didn't mention race at all. He just denounces the sleazy innuendo from the Clinton camp.

Hillary's strategy to racially stratify the S.C. vote so the punditocracy will discount its importance.

1. Blow dogwhistle at all the racist white people you think (in your Yankee naivete) are in the South Carolina Democratic Party.

2. Claim you meant something else entirely and deny that there was any message pitched to the ears of white racists when you're called on it.

3. Act indignant that anyone could have thought you were dog whistling to racists when you've got such a fine reputation as a non-racist and accuse Obama campaign of trying to stir up racial divisiveness (cause that's what they always do, after all, inn't it?).

4. Cackle gleefully as press and bloggers gives you benefit of the doubt for the eighth or ninth time.

5. Repeat.

"Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood –­ and I won’t say what he was doing, but he said it in the book"

Then claims he was talking about Obama being a community organizer? Why did he refer to Obama's book?

He's obviously lying, and he should get called on it.

clinton has simply caluated that she will lose SC.

However the HRC campaign wants the nation to have the impression that Obama won SC BECAUSE of race. That could give them a reverse backlash in other states.

I truly beleive this is their calcuation at this point. I'm done with Hillary and this continuing nonsense. I'll vote against her at this point even if she is the nominee.

they don't care about SC anymore. They have already "Roved it" to FEB 5th.

And for the umpteenth time, she's trying to blame Obama for her and her surrogates statements.

Look for her to blame Obama for misinterpreting Johnson's comments.

This is the way that politics is played in SC, two cycles ago when McCain and Bush ran the issue was over the confederate flag, and this plays on a subconcious level to the voter down there.

In short, this allows the candidates to draw racial distinctions via proxy issues.

What is really astonishing in SC is the ad saturation, radio and TV are completely taken over by ad dollars, I bet that if you looked at spending you would be astonished at the politcal ad's bought, in comparison to say the state of Maryland.

What the Clinton camp knows, and what the SC GOP debate moderator was only two proud to point out is: That nobody has won the POTUS and not carried SC since they have had their early primary slot.

How is this playing out with the voters? That is yet to be seen. But in the last similar campaign Engler promised to be a firewall to McCain after that GOP loss, and Michigan went to McCain. My bet is this, if SC favors one, Michigan will favor the other.

So if we take Uncle Bob at his word, when he threw in that cryptic comment he was basically saying that while Obama was involved in community organizing the Clintons were deeply involved in black issues. If that's the case, why's he insulted?

And did anyone tell Uncle Bob that Obama had nothing to do with the Clintons statements?

pretending that bill and hillary clinton are racist and trying to diminish the role of MLK in fighting for civil rights is ridiculous. this line of attack is going to boomerang on obama and his supporters.

frankly, i don't understand how so many democrats can be launching these vile attacks on the clintons. it seems to me like they have fallen for the republican smear tactics of the 90's.

wake up people! you should be saving your disgust for the republicans, since they are the ones destroying this country. hillary clinton as president (or barack obama, or john edwards) will be a godsend to the United States compared to any candidate that the republicans decide to nominate.

toni c:

I think you've nailed it. Obama has so far achieved the almost impossible balance between assuring white voters that he is not a narrowly-focused racial candidate, while somehow reassuring black voters that he does not discount the need to address the still-present reality of racism in their lives.

HRC's camp is probably trying to destroy that.

God, I'm starting to hate them.

Keeping it classy, per usual.

There are two possibilities: there is either a coordinated attempt to denigrate Obama's character using whatever tools are at hand including race, or these attacks are just an organic representation of how those close to HRC's campaign conduct themselves.

Either possibility damns either her executive ability, the strength of character she lends to her campaign, or both. I think its both: she is showing ineffective executive ability, and she values winning above all else to the detriment of her ideals.

Obama '08.

The Clinton Plan:

Step (1): Make a series of racist and quasi-racist comments regarding Obama that are largely unnoticed by the mainstream media.

Step (2): When the press and some black activists respond that you're being racist, charge Obama with playing the race card (despite the fact that neither Obama nor any surrogate has at any point done so).

Step (3): By the time Obama wins SC, have convinced the press that it was all about race, to create a backlash among white voters in the Feb. 5 states.

This is disgusting, and I really hope that white Democratic voters are smart enough to see that it is Hillary, and not Obama, who is race-baiting.

Obama is UNQUALIFIED. I am black. NOW the BET Founder IS Qualified. I would listen to him, before this multiracial medial hyped pretty boy.

And Bill didnt inhale.

I can't believe I've reached this point, but I will not vote Democratic if the candidate is Clinton. I will not endorse her brand of sleazy innuendo politics.

I just hope Obama moves beyond a defensive game. At some point, he has to stop reacting and start setting the media agenda.

I guess obnoxious assholes come in all colors.

I wonder how long the media is going to continue to give Hillary a free pass on this. Since losing Iowa she and her husband have consistently employed dirty tactics to attack Sen. Obama while his camp has taken the high road and generally refused to respond in kind. He has repeatedly stated that all the candidates are patriots while Hillary has invoked the failed terrorist attack in France to imply that the nation may be more vulnerable to terrorist attack if Obama is elected. These are Rovian tactics.

We saw it again today on Meet The Press. Rather than simply respond directly to or apologize for the alarming pattern of subtle racially motivated attacks hurled at Sen. Obama (speculating an implied drug dealing past may be exploited by the Republicans, Andrew Cuomo's Shuckin'& Jivin' remark, Pres. Clinton referring to Sen. Obama as a 'kid', Clinton folks stating that voting for Obama would be akin to supporting a 'hip Black friend', condescendingly referring to Sen. Obama as a good speaker), she instead decided to insist that the Obama campaign is responsible for all of this.

Hillary's implication that the outrage the African American community has voiced regarding the racially charged remarks of her campaign is some sort of manifestation of an Obama campaign strategy is almost just as insulting as her recent comments. It is as if the Clinton campaign believes African Americans are not able to think for themselves and can only take cues and do what they're told rather than think independently.

Whatever happened to personal accountability? Just apologize for the gaffs and move forward. No matter who you prefer in this race I think we can all agree that Americans are tired of leaders who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. Hillary's recent posturing and stubbornness to admit wrongdoing is eerily similar to that of George W. Bush. No wonder Karl Rove seems to be endorsing her candidacy.

I think it's time that Obama's most credible and visible endorsers speak out on his behalf against this sleazy bullshit being thrown out by the Clintons.

Is it a wonder that both Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich have endorsed Hillary in the last 2 days. There's obviously no difference between the Clintons and the GOP anymore. Maybe it started with her Iraq vote.

Great, Lisa! Go vote for a Republican instead of Hillary Clinton... That really makes a lot of sense. John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years. Mike Huckabee wants to arm students with guns to avoid another Virginia Tech incident. Rudy Giuliani wants to out-Bush W (boo! be very afraid).

Count me among those who are done with Hillary for good. I'll write in somebody in November rather than vote for her style of politics. That goes for the endless triangulating (and subsequent lying about it), too.

Way to race bait against your own people, way to promote racial stereotypes about drug use in order to support the political dynasty of the Clintons.

And what exactly have they done for African Americans exactly?? Was it Bill's "welfare reform" that kicked tons of poor people off much needed government assistance? Was it NAFTA and corporate deregulation which only made harder for minority ownership in the media? How ironic that rich ass Bob Johnson would come trash on Obama for them. It makes sense, BET was founded long before Reagan, Bush and Clinton deregulated the media, so by the time Clinton came around with his pro-corporate economic policies it didn't hurt Johnson at all, in fact, if anything the deregulation helped him by making sure no other minority media outlets would be able to challenge BET. He doesn't talk for his people, he is about as black as Condi. What a corporate sellout, he fits in great with Bill "I love big business" Clinton and Mrs. Wal-Mart Hillary "I love lobbyist money" Clinton.

Thanks NCSteve. I feel the same way. I guess the question is, who would be the most credible person to blow the whistle on what's happening here. I would think someone in Clinton's camp, but I know that's not happening anytime soon.

And Lisa, I'm with you. I expect this type of crap from Republicans, I don't expect it from the Clintons.

The Clinton's do whatever it takes; that includes sending this country backwards with regards race. If you can't see this then you should have your right to vote revoked.

Hey guys,

Just before an Obama rally the other day I saw him doing something - I won't say what - with an attractive, blond 19 year old college student while the Clintons were protecting our civil liberties. Yeah, *wink* *wink*. You know what I'm talking about.

Oh, what? No, that's not what I meant. I meant I saw him shaking her hand. I'm SO OFFENDED you could possibly have thought I was referring to anything else! You ridiculous Obama supporters and your politics of personal destruction. When will it ever end!

Holyromanempire,

Post of the year. Thanks.

Can't wait for Sheila Johnson to become an Obama bundler just to irritate her ex-husband!

It's too bad that so many Obama supporters don't seem to understand that laws are enacted by elected officials. MLB was a powerful leader and advocate of civil rights but he held no official position. He could affect public opinion but it still required support from those who held the the actual hands of power. What Hillary said was an acknowledgment of of how things really work. To imply that she was somehow disparaging MLK is disappointing to hear from the supposed advocate of a new political order. That reeks of old politics of the worst way.

Here, look at this poll:

Pres '08
Jan 13 Rasmussen
McCain (R) 48%, Clinton (D) 39%

McCain is going to get their nomination, because they want to win. If he gets their nomination and Hillary gets ours, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE AND LOSE BIG!!! Obama brings in masses of independents and even some moderate Republicans, Hillary pushes away even large chunks of her OWN PARTY!!

I don't think people are understanding this...starting in 2006 we began riding a wave of backlash against the Republicans, in 2008 we are poised, if we have the right candidate, to do it again. We've seen the kind of turnout that Obama can create, not from crying or getting ridiculed by the media, but by inspiring people, energizing America like it hasn't been energized in decades, if ever. We can increase our majorities in both houses of Congress and take back the White House! If Hillary wins our nomination, we can kiss Congress goodbye. The Republicans will use conservative hate of Hillary (50% of Americans have already said they will NEVER vote for her) to rally their troops and turn out in record numbers. When they go to the polls in these record numbers, they will vote against every Democrat on the ticket, destroying our chances to increase our majorities, or even killing our majorities altogether. In the VA-01 special election the Republicans already ran attack ads against Congressional opponents using Hillary's picture right next to theirs. This WILL HAPPEN all over America. If we don't lose our majorities altogether in 2008, we will lose them in 2010 (if Hillary is president, which probably won't happen) just like Bill lost Congress during his administration. And if McCain is nominated, we don't even have to worry about that because he WILL win, there is NO WAY Hillary can beat him. Obama has a good chance, polls have shown Obama beating McCain. We can do it with Obama, but we will lose our best chance in decades if Hillary is our nominee! We will also prove to the world that we are incapable of real change...this is make or break time and we are on the verge of throwing it all away because of the political ambitions of the Clintons, and the blind following of many establishment democrats who unconditionally support the Clintons, no matter how dirty their campaign is, and no matter how much they will lie to get ahead.

So what I'm saying is WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Part of what the democratic nominee is being the face/leader of the Democratic Party. When you look forward to the general election campaign and the senators, representatives and governors who will be running as DEMS as well, begin to ask yourself this question.

Do they want to Obama to come to their rally with his message of hope, inspiration, change, and ending partisan politics or do they want to be standing beside the oft hated Hill (and what she represents to the vast middle).

Folks in red or almost red states are deciding Obama. Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin. In fact this phenomenon already occurred in the ’06 elections in many cases.

The DEMS have taken the Black vote for granted for so long that they fail to realize it’s the main reason they win all the blue States. HRC figures that will happen even if she hurts the relationship to secure the nomination. But there is a reason DEMS can’t win in the other states and thus the White House.

Can Clinton or Obama best win Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio? The traditional Blue States will really be behind Obama and even some incredible energy will also be released in the new-South, "the purple states" and the West.

With Clinton we’ll be facing a nail biter in PA, OH, MM, FL etc. just like before with fingers crossed and possibly hopes dashed. About 50% of the nation WILL NOT VOTE for her. Period.

Obama has the chance to actually expand the DEM hold and get things done with a majority that is less polarizing. Hillary stands to allow the REP to secure or even reverse the shift that started in ’06.

Wake up people.