Interview with a white woman who is hard-working and American, but voting for Obama

Interviewer: Senator Hillary Clinton recently stated to USA Today:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

We wanted to find someone who met the criteria for "hard-working American, white American," and find out how this comment sat with that person.

Q: Hi, excuse me there, hey, you, white lady!

A: Ummm, do you mean me?

Q: Yes, we're asking hard-working white Americans how they feel about Senator Clinton saying that they won't vote for Senator Obama. Do you have a few minutes to answer our questions?

A: Sure, no problem. Hold on while I park my Prius and turn down my Neil Diamond CD.

And then what happened...?

Q: I understand that you claim to be white. Can you qualify that white for us?

A: Umm, okay, my skin is sort of a pinkish white color. I don't really tan, and burn easily---an unsightly shade of red. Also all the walls in my house are beige. You know how us whites are afraid of color. *snorts in unladylike manner*

Q: Okay...moving on to hard working. Do you consider yourself a hard working American?

A: Oh yes, very hard working. I work all the live long day. I jumped on the production and consumption bandwagon back before I was declined a spot at an Ivy League College. You know us whiteys, we've got to buy our big screen TVs and our fancy phones. Work, work, work!

Q: And you're American?

A: I did happen to be born on US soil but I can't really take credit for it. I'm female, too.  Part of that worldwide 51%. I can't take credit for that, either.

Q: So what do you think of Senator Clinton's assertion that whites are migrating away from Senator Obama?

A: Well, I think it's racist, to tell the truth. AP article and poll or not. And untrue. I mean, I'm white. I'm hard-working. I'm supporting Obama.

Q: Racist, that's a harsh allegation.

A: Yeah, I guess it is, but that's how I feel about it. In fact, it's how I'm starting to feel about this whole campaign, this place of race and gender that we all swore we wouldn't go to and yet here we are, rolling around in race and gender. Again.

Q: Could you elaborate?

A: Okay, well, I think it's a divisive Hail Mary. With all due respect to Senator Clinton, Governor Rendell already said some whites in his state wouldn't vote for an African-American candidate. He's a big Clinton supporter and that didn't go over so well. Why should it? It means that white people are racist. No ifs, ands or buts. That makes everyone look at all white people and wonder: is this one of those racist jerks? It just reinforces divisions and racism. She's got to have that in mind.

Whites really aren't a single unit, and it smells like another way of harping on the elitist thing, which I find really ironic coming from her. I don't like seeing stones being thrown in glass houses.

Obama got a lot of junk in his trunk when people felt like he called them bitter. Well, I have a lot of junk for being accused of not being able to vote for an African-American. That would make me racist. I'm not, for the record.

Q: So you think she's targeting that same demographic in Pennsylvania that Senator Obama was referencing?

A: Yes, she's been reaching out to them, us, repeatedly. This is simply a new, and worse, angle, an insulting angle. A group of people felt disenfranchised and disrespected because Senator Obama badly explained how he understands how they feel, and he mischaracterized their culture.

Now Senator Clinton calls that same group racist?

That's how it comes across to me: they are bitter AND racist.  If I had to pick one, I'd rather be bitter. Racist is so much worse, so much more offensive...so much more harmful.

We may all look alike, but we white folks can actually discern policy from pandering.

In fact, I have found, in talking to people, that they seem to be deciding on the issues, and the candidates' plans to address the issues that matter most to them.

I won't let factors like race and sex supersede my voting for the person who I think will do the best job.

The candidates need to get that. And quit trying to swan dive off of race, gender, or class.

Q: Getting back to the idea that Senator Clinton made a racist statement, how did you conclude that she meant hard-working white Americans would not vote for him because of his race?

A: Because she stipulated "white Americans." I get that the poll was asking about race, but why did she need to cite that as an issue? White people aren't the only ones who are hard-working, nor are they the only ones in that economic bracket.

If she had left it at "hard-working Americans" I would have simply filed it under "Clinton tries to drive more wedges between middle--working class Americans and Obama." But she didn't. She grabbed on to the race poll. Then she specifically focused on whites leaving Obama. That income group of white people. Pretty big assumption, there.

It's not my preference to see candidates try to drive voters away from their opponents. I'd rather them focus on attracting voters to themselves. But again, I expect it because it's the way it's been time and again: throw out the muck and invite your opponent to roll around in it with you.

She said white. Which makes it about race. It means she called him black and implied strongly that that's a factor, a deciding factor for whites.

I'm Whitey McWhitebread, I grant you.

But I'll say this: although I respect the culture different races and ethnicities have, I don't decide anything on color of skin or gender. Mine or theirs.

And I really don't like Senator Clinton saying anything that means somebody knows who I am based on my race and class.

I might be typical in some respects, but I promise you, there's a lot you would never know about me from looking at me. That's the part driving my vote.

No one likes being a number.  If we've proved nothing else in this election, it's that.

This post was co-written by two MOMocrats, who are both white, supporting Obama, and hard-working. In fact, Jen and Julie are so hard-working, they were doing at least three other things at the same time.

Comments

[Felicity at Cubes]

Amen! I am so tired of all the polls saying the white women will vote for Hilary, the blacks for Obama, etc. I am a white American woman who is voting entirely on the issues. I wish all the candidates were in a little costume that we couldn't see a face, with an altered voice and named Candidate A, B and C so we people would simply vote on the issues. When George W was re-elected I wondered if Americans even have a clue as a whole as to what any of their politicians proclaim to stand for.

[leslie]

Amen To The Young White Woman,This Should Be Published In Every Newspapers In America.
I Am So Sick Of This Whole Mess.Obama Is Looking After Every American. I Too Am Of Mixed Race, And Was For Hilary At First But The More I Saw And Heard Of Obama, The More I Liked hat He Has To Offer This Country.We Need Healing Now!!!!!!!!!!!

[cynematic]

There's demographic information on how people have voted (past tense! votED) and then there's demographic determinism, which is guessing how people will vote (projection of future activity) and predicting "that's how they will vote again" or "that's how they always vote." Demographic determinism can be taken a little far--like, astrology is fun but do I really think ALL scorpios are exactly alike? (The Scorpio voting bloc!! Heh!)

Also? If I were a white voter in whatever economic bracket the Clinton campaign was talking about? I'd be kinda insulted that people assumed I was voting for whoever was white, just because Clinton is white, or that I am a racist.

It all smells like Mark Penn and his "micro-trends" Voldemort's sorcery to me.

Voting on issues is never out of style!

[Gunfighter]

Brava, Jen and Julie!

Very well-said.

[Gunfighter]

Brava, Jen and Julie!

Very well-said.

[ginger]

Hi Ladies,

I am African American and I was really offended by Sen. Clintons spin on "working white clalss" voters are all hers for the taking. Hey a lot of us blacks are working class. In fact everyone I know is working class. The time and opportunity has come to put down the race card. We are all God's children and we need to love each other and stop looking at our skin color.

Thank you,
ginger

[Stefania/CityMama]

*golf claps*

You two should go out on the road: the Julie and Jen Show. That was brilliant.

[Jozet]

Nah...if it was "just a fact" when Obama and his supporters say it, it's "just a fact" when Clinton says it. Can't have it both ways. ;-)

We all know that there are whites who will vote for Obama; we all know there are blacks who will vote for Clinton. But, the primaries are not the general election, and history does count for something, unfortunate and uncomfortable as it may be. It's been used to predict much of this primary election and to think that there will be some revolution for the general election is, in the words of another Clinton, a "fairy tale".

It's fear-mongering coming from both sides, to be sure. When Obama's camp says that the AA vote is needed and Hillary's camp says the working class white vote is needed, so vote for my nominee, or else.

At the same time, it's practical: Unless Obama makes some giant inroads into gun-totin' Pennsylvania (his stereotype, not mine) and does more than toss around a few bowling balls, then yes, he will be the nominee, but no, McCain will be the President.

Here's an interesting read. Y'all should try to get this women over here once in a while.

http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/2008/05/whiteness-of-whale.html
http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/2008/05/revolution-of-saints.html

[Gunfighter]

Some people will choose to be offended no matter what. Those people you can't reach. However, rational people will get over the way they have been spun and vote with good sense. Those that won't... well they were going to vote for McCain no matter what.

Many of my white, gun-toting, rural-raised, republican colleagues have told me and have been telling me for months that they plan to vote for Obama if he is the Democratic nominee.

[Jozet]

I don't think that white rural/small town voters are "choosing" to be offended anymore than urban blacks would choose to be offended should they be broad-brushed characterized as gun-happy, drug-addled, criminals.

It's not a choice. It is a fact that both characterizations are disgusting and quite the opposite of progressive or "elite" thought should be.

I personally would never vote for McCain. And, many of my rational, white, gun-toting, rural-raised, democratic friends and family have told me and have been telling me for months that they plan to vote for Clinton or some third party. If we end up with GOP for four (hopefully only four) more years, it's nothing more than we deserve, imo. But, like the race issue, the issue of classism needs to be taken out of the dark closet, shaken loose, and talked about in the light of day with no fear, and for people to own - not defend, rationalize, or project - whatever guilt there is to own, so that we can move on. If this primary season turns out to be the boiling point where all this comes to a head - our not-so-secret racism, classism, and misogyny - and the Democratic party is devoured by its own cannibalism, then so be it. I do have faith - not just hope - that after the gnashing of teeth and wailing and a good dose of humility on all sides that we will finally stop talking at each other, stop beating each other into convenient corners in a grasp for power, and start listening to those we once considered the least of our brothers.

[clansac]

Another very female, very white, Prius driving, former Clinton '04 campaign worker voting for Obama. When she says things like this I wonder to myself "Who is the Democrat?"