Here’s a simple piece of unsolicited advice from someone who admittedly doesn’t want you to be the Democratic Nominee for President. I think you could do your campaign a world of good, and even more importantly, your country a great service if you would do the following:
1. Call a press conference and Make a Public Apology. No excuses, no qualifications. No, my supporters went off the reservation. Just a flat out straightforward “I and my supporters who made these racially insensitive remarks were wrong and I apologize to Senator Obama, his family, his supporters and to the American people.” And promise it will not happen again. Ever.
2. Make the same apology privately to Senator Obama, in person if possible.
3. Fire anyone in your campaign who recommended, made or supported these race baiting tactics. That includes your husband.
That’s all. If it was good enough for your husband regarding the lies he told about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, it should be good enough for you. You say you found your own voice. Start by using that voice to do the right thing as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Steven D
Update [2008-1-11 11:31:3 by Steven D]: For those of you who would like to make a more direct complaint to Senator Clinton, her campaign phone number is (703) 469-2008. I just called and spoke to one of the campaign’s volunteers/staffers and she assured me that any such complaints/comments will be passed along to the Senator. I recommend being polite. I also recommend stating specific instances of conduct from her surrogates that you found offensive. I specifically referred to Andrew Cuomo’s “shuck and jive” comment, but I know there are many others which could also be mentioned.
Update [2008-1-11 12:18:56 by Steven D]: Apparently I am an asshole for posting this at Daily Kos (which I did only to gain wider distribution of the call for an apology). Who knows, maybe they are right?
And that’s the last thing I have to say about this.
you sure? What about the next time it happens. You don’t think this is going to stop, do you? If it were, it never would have begun.
not with Terry McAuliff on board. Another “misstep” by her campaign. Sign my name too.
As long they refrain from the “N” word, yes it will go on. Bill Clinton’s hostility became overt near the last days of the NH election when the polls indicated an Obama blowout. It is a small step from “inexperienced” to why a Black candidate can’t lead America.
Well I just called her local office her in my town and related these same words. I asked the staffer to pass it along to her campaign.
And I will continue to make such calls every time this happens again. But blogging about it I will leave to you.
Billary. Haha, can’t help themselves.
America had better wake up. When will they ask:
WHY is Bill Clinton running for a 3rd term under cover of his wife?.. because that is what’s going on here!! It’s a breach of the Constitution.
Oh forgive me. I forgot the Constitution was thrashed on December 12, 2000. It’s now a quaint piece of paper.
America. we’re screwed. I hope Bloomberg-Hagel decide to run for the presidency.
I wish I could support you on this, but neither of these candidates deserves to be president. This is distracting gossip, tieing up a valuable activist (you, Steven) with energy-wasting back-and-forth nonesense.
Let’s keep on message, End the Occupation(s), Tax the Top 10%, Restore the Constitution & Bill of Rights, Enforce the Constitution & Bill of Rights.
I agree, neither is my preferred candidate, but it looks like one of them is going to be absent a miracle. The time to call them on this crap is now before one or the other has tied up the nomination.
Good advice. It might even be received well if you leave out Lewinsky.
One thing is clear, continuing this sort of thing will erode Sen. Clinton’s support in the African-American community. And do it quickly.
..this sort of thing will erode Sen. Clinton’s support in the African-American community. And do it quickly.
It already has. And we do have loooooong memories.
Yes, I posted an update to the diary at dkos to show what one African American blogger, the field negro felt about this.
It’s an incredibly stupid thing to do on her part.
Steven D, you are not an asshole.
Many kossacks however bear a striking resemblance to a certain brown, star-shaped orifice.
Last week they jumped on me for pointing out that Ciro Rodriguez and Nick Lampson are Bush Dogs, and again for criticizing Obama for using right-wing frames on social security.
What you have to understand is that for some kossacks, “Democrat = Good”, all the time, no questions asked.
As booman mentioned a few weeks back, the quality of the commenters over there has declined.
Thanks Brendan
That was my impression. It was very knee jerk reaction wise, I thought.
“knee jerk” nails it.
They got very upset when I asked if ciro rodriguez’s voting record really qualifies him as a “champion”, and began accusing me of wanting “a dennis kucinich liberal for texas”.
Obviouslu i never said or implied any such thing, but it was too late: criticism of a dem was a bridge too far.
I like this site so much better: here, at least when someone calls bullshit on me, there’s an actual reason with facts behind it.
Stephen, I am begginning to believe the story that the Clinton campaign hired 4000 people to make pro Clinton comments on progressive blogs, it has been on many progressive talk shows. So alot of that bile directed to you could just be Taylor Marsh wannabe’s.
Take it with a grain of salt. You are right, all my African-American friends and relatives are beyond pissed, and it is spreading and will continue to get worse everyday. IF Hillary gets the nom., she will not have the support to win the geeneral. She is toast!
Thanks. I hadn’t heard that about hiring people to comment on blogs but it wouldn’t surprise me that campaigns are doing it.
Hired 4000 people to comment on liberal blogs? At least some of them would tell the world the minute the paychecks cleared. Especially if they could make a buck on it. Can you imagine what Kristols rag would pay for that story?
Sorry, I can’t dance to that beat.
Just a heads up…
the megalomaniac Bill Clinton will be on Sharpton show at 3pm…..I guess they are trying to start the rehabilitation…….
The Clintons are feeling the heat!
Talk about ego on ego.
You’re not an asshole. Her defenders over there (paid or not) are some of the most offensive, hypocritical people I’ve seen on that site.
The “it’s not racism stop being so sensitive” crowd and the “donnie mcclurkin” crowd is thick at DKos these days.
It almost seems like the place has been taken over by GOPers but unfortunately it’s the “liberals” showing where they really stand.