Sunday, January 27, 2008

Bill's comment about South Carolina, a new low.

Dear our former President,

I am sick of you. I worked on your presidential campaign in '92. I still have close friends from those days I worked in "Delegateland" which was next door to "Hillaryland". I enjoyed getting to spend time in Little Rock and seeing that part of the country. Working at the convention, standing on the floor of the transformed Madison Square Garden to hear you accept the nomination was a highlight of my life. I knew you had flaws but believed you would be a better president than re-electing President Bush Sr. We were ready to "roll the dice" on a young governor from a small state. I looked around the Garden and the diverse crowd. It was exciting to watch democracy at work.

Today after your wife got routed by Obama, instead of showing some class, saying congrats and moving on you said, "Well Jesse Jackson won in '84". Well Obama also spilt the white male vote with your wife and won the young white vote. Also as you must know, Jesse wasn't running agains "the first black president" (more on that later) so by that logic Obama shouldn't have done as well as he did. Obama is a legitmate candidate for president. Jesse was not. Obama is a sitting United States Senator who won Iowa and did very well in New Hampshire, two states with very low minority popuations. Your diss is ridiculous.

There is nothing wrong with pointing out differences with your opponent. You have taken this to another level and made it personal. I thought your wife was running, why the hell are you so out front as the attack dog? Even non Obama supporters in the party are saying to chill out. The votes you are dismissing today you might want to support your wife in the general.

Your use of codes words is not slick. We know you are a southern democrat and you know about playing racial politics. This is beyond cynical especially coming from a democrat in 2008. Focus on the issues please. This country has so many problems and we want to hear how you will solve them not what you think of "the nice man from Illinois". I can see why you pursued this strategy. If Obama defends himself, he is just another angry black man, if he doesn't, his record gets distorted. Keep it up Clinton...keep bringing out your old guard black supporters who are completely out of touch with my generation. I see many pastors in South Carolina endorsed your wife (so they could get that GOTV money) but look at how their congregations voted my friend. You and your dysfunctional, hateful, tag team represent the ugly politics of yesterday.

I thought the following from Bob Herbert's column in the New York Times sums it up.

"Still, it’s legitimate to ask, given the destructive developments of the last few weeks, whether the Clintons are capable of being anything but divisive. The electorate seems more polarized now than it was just a few weeks ago, and the Clintons have seemed positively gleeful in that atmosphere.

It makes one wonder whether they have any understanding or regard for the corrosive long-term effects — on their party and the nation — of pitting people bitterly and unnecessarily against one another.

What kind of people are the Clintons? What role will Bill Clinton play in a new Clinton White House? Can they look beyond winning to a wounded nation’s need for healing and unifying?

These are questions that need to be answered. Stay tuned."



I have voted in every general election since the day I became eligible to vote at 18. I worked in politics. I taking voting very seriously. I don't just vote along party lines. I am not going to support someone just because they are the same race or gender as me. I look at the candidates' records and their plans, then make my choice. Not that long ago people who looked like couldn't vote so staying home as a protest is not an option for me.

We'll see what happens during the rest of the primary. I think Hillary will still win given her base of Latino voters, older white women and blue collar women. That said, I am putting you on notice. I am not the only person I know completely disgusted with you. You must think all black folks and young people are stupid. As of today I am not going to vote for Hillary if she is the nominee. I don't like how this campaign was run at all and I refuse to reward her with my vote. I don't believe a word that comes out of her month. I have no idea what her core convictions are other than winning.

I won't be living in America in November but I will be voting.

Regarding "the first black president" thing. Stop it. Just because you eat fried foods, come from a broken home, and sleep around does not make you black. I can't even explain to you how offensive this is. Bill you are not black. Talk to some black men around your age and let them break it down to you what it was like for them to be a black man in America.


signed,

A democrat

25 comments:

cupcake said...

Amen, sister. You took my thoughts and crystallized them into perfection.

Jen said...

This is a brilliant post. I think you should send it to the NY Times. Seriously.

They're both pigs, in my book. And like you, I didn't used to feel that way. I'm sick of their digs and crap.

And I'm really sick of either Clinton playing the race and/or gender card.

Our country is in too much disaster and destruction at this time to focus on anything other than the issues, and I hope that Obama finds a way to address this, because as you point out, with this kind of stupidity, he ends up stuck between a rock and a hard place, and that's not what this race should be about.

Again, great post.

Lisa said...

Great post. I AM thrilled that we have both a black man and a woman running for our highest office. But you are right that race or gender do not determine the best candidate. That being said, I am quite sick of the old white guys (Republicans!) and think that we are ready for a change.

Regardless of all that, I think we are going to have the most exciting election since Ross Perot.

Lisa said...

I forgot to mention my favorite Barack moment. When questioned regarding his past experience "smoking pot", when asked if he inhaled, He responded, "Well, isn't that the point."

It's about time someone told the truth!

Roam2Rome said...

This week I've been hearing more, and more people change their vote for Obama. Including me!

Like most people, I've had enough of politician's divisive rhetoric.

We don't need divisiveness which is what everyone else manages to do, especially the Clintons. With Hillary in power, will she be able to get anything done? I can just picture her enemies trying to undo what ever she would do.

We need to reach out, find what we have in common and work together to solve this mess.

Wuau! Obama actually sowed excitement in millions of people, brought back hope and I pray for him to pull through and bring change.

Refreshing.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

cupcake - I was so upset when I wrote that post. It's more like a rant but to see a former president act like that was shocking to me. He is supposed to be the elder statesman of the party.

jen - thank you but I think I would have to really edit it for language. ha. It seems to me things really became ugly after Iowa. It is unfortunate. I hope we can move forward and discuss the issues. I think it is very interesting that Caroline Kennedy endorsed Obama and not the Senator from her state.

Lisa - I saw that interview too and laughed when he said that. So far this election has very exciting. McCain who was low on funds was written off months ago. Huckabee came out of nowhere. Giuliani who was the front runner is fighting to stay in the race in Florida and Romney is still in the mix. Plus who knows if Bloomberg will jump in? This was going to be the year the democrats got back the White House. In typical fashion the party is imploding. Very curious to see how Super Tuesday shakes out.

roam2rome - Same here. A good friend of mine who was strongly supportive Hillary just changed her mind. Hillary says to vote for her because the Republicans have already vetted her. Frank Rich brought up a good point in his column today. Nobody can get a straight answer about some of the questionable donors to the Clinton Library. Great. For the last 27 years we have had a Bush or Clinton on the ticket. Enough already. I can't bare to have four or eight years of more controversy overshadowing the problems we are facing.

gibber said...

Billary needs to decide which one of them is running for office. After losing South Carolina, Hillary wasn't who we heard from first...it was BILL. WTF? How does this help her prove that a woman is strong enough to run on her own if she's sending bill out to do her dirty work? And she can't compare him to the other spouses. With maybe the exception of Elizabeth Edwards, none of the other spouses attack, and even EE does it rarely and with class, usually. This is some crazy shit. And it's pissing off A LOT of people...including Ted Kennedy...the man wasn't going to endorse.

Shelley - At Home in Rome said...

I agree with Roam2Rome... I think there's a serious possibility that if Billary gets back in the White House, we're going to get dragged through the same kind of mud-slinging that happened with their enemies before, which will definitely impair their ability to govern. Their ability... it's so true, it is definitely two for one.
I'm still undecided but am really looking forward to the elections. The country is in a critical state both domestically and internationally. The person who wins is going to be doing damage control and clean-up mainly so it needs to be someone who is capable of rolling up their sleeves and getting people to work together to get things done.

Christopher Chambers said...

In a way I am sad. As corrupt, often misguided,ruthless as he was, for the bump in the middle of Americans, Bill was a good president. How did it come to this? Doesn't he know this exposes the Lewinsky thing--which he sucessfully (and perhaps rightfully, I' sore to admit) re-cast with him and democracy as the victims--for what it really is--some blind "fuck you" mentality?

He and Hillary have show time again that they will hurt the country and the Democratic Party to obtain what they want. Are they evil people a la Dick Cheney or Sean Hannity et al? No. It's actually more tragic than that. They really think they and only they are the people who can do good. And that type of asshole is, in the fina analysis, often more dangerous than a Dick Cheney...

Anonymous said...

as someone who use to work in the Clinton Administration and got to know him and the people who worked for him....I am really dismayed by these turn of events but not surprise..as a black man I have more respect for the racist that comes right out and says he hates me than the coward to plays golf with a few high profile negroes, eats soul food and gets jiggy with it at a black church and claims to "feel our pain". Former President Clinton showed his true colors is past week and it should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been near the clinton orbit since 1992...Hilliary is no different and in someways is worse...

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

gibber - amen. I heard Kennedy and Billary got into it. He was supposed to stay out of the primaries. Her campaign better figure it out. It's communications 101...the first person we should have heard from was Hillary not her husband dissing the other candidate. I watched Carville try to explain away the latter this morning on GMA.

shelley - yes it is two for one and I'm not sure that is a good thing for the nation. Things have changed since the '90s. The Internet and housing bubble have burst. Just because they get back in the White House doesn't mean everything will be great. Also thanks to their win at any cost methods they will have a hard time getting support from within the party. People forget when Clinton left office the democrat party was in shambles.

Christopher - I agree. It is sad. Clearly they are both very smart and talented politians. I wish I could be their shrink and find out what make them tick. Bill in particular seems to have a problem with recklessness. It must be exciting in the moment (Ms. Lewinsky) but is it really worth it?

Regarding your second paragraph, you are dead on. It's that attitude we are seeing as they deal with Obama.

Tonystarks - Oh yes I remember the days of Bill and Vernon Jordan on the golf course, Bill biting his lower lip to show empaty, etc. I'm curious how Ms. Moore and the other black staffers on team Hillary are feeling today.

I'm with you. I rather deal with folks who are just honest with their feelings like Pat Buchanan instead of these faux friends.

gibber said...

I just choked up listening to Ted Kennedy.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

gibber - I missed it. I will go online to see/hear it.

Liz Dwyer said...

I am with you 100%. Twist my arm and put a gun to my head and I will not vote for her. They make me ill and I'm so glad that so many people are standing up and saying no to their divisive, soft shoe racism.

And did you see Toni Morrison endorsed Barack?

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Liz - Yes I did see that.

I read Hillary is retooling her campaign. As my sister would say, "whatevs."

LDP said...

Although I'd still trade our current prez for Bill C in a heartbeat, I agree with you. The Clintons are on the verge of ruining this, of sending the November elections right into the hands of the Republicans.

Meanwhile, Caroline and Ted Kennedy were amazing in their endorsements of Obama. Go Barack!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

ldp - thanks for stopping by. I missed the State of the Union because I had a meeting tonight. It's probably for the best because I can only take five minutes or so of hearing him say nothing.

MartiniCocoa said...

well bill never said he could be considered america's first black president...toni morrison did
during his oops my penis fell into an intern's mouth midlife crisis.

but he does try to coast on it though!

i like your letter but you must realize all that rage is to make up for
bill's inability to remain faithful and humiliating hillary and their daughter chelsea with his midlife crisis escapades.

he kinda owes her and he will do anything to deliver.

i guess we are watching the final act of the clinton's love affair.

Anonymous said...

I won't be voting for either Hillary, Barak or anybody since my state has closed primaries and only Democrats and Republicans can vote in them, but I am following the debates and politics and am appalled by what the Clintons are doing. It is dirty politics and the 'white voter backlash' hopefully will be against them for playing the nation as a nation of fools only interested in race and not issues.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

I am not star jones - thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your blog name. ha. Not to get too "Maureen Dowd" but sometimes I think they like all the drama. Maybe it gives their marriage that extra "spice". Poor Chelsea. I'm not sure what I would do if my dad had a fling with an intern only a year or two older than me.

j. doe - I hear you. I am just amazed given how many serious issues there are to discuss that the Clintons went in that direction. Did they think they couldn't beat him by focusing on his record and the issues. He is far from a perfect candidate, nobody is. We'll see what happens on Super Tuesday. I think Hillary will some of the bigger states. She has been running ads non-stop in California and I haven't seen any from the other candidates.

Jen said...

Well, um, yeah, on the language, but I bet you could clean it up easily and still send it. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I second the Amen! Great column!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

jen - Well after last night's debate I am feeling a little better. It was more civil.

kimajor - thank you and thanks for stopping by my blog.

Janet said...

This IS a fabulous post! I agree with the comment that you should submit this to the "Times". Absolutely.

Janet

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

janet - Thank you! The Clintons have reigned it in recently. So many other dems were telling them to cool it. The last debate was completely different from the thrown down in South Carolina.