Visionary moments in punditry: David Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin call on Hillary Clinton to stop courting racists

Remember two days ago when I said this?

If I were Hillary Clinton, rather than stand up and say that she's a more viable candidate because a certain segment of the white population seems to prefer her, why doesn't she stand up and say, "What the fuck is wrong with this country that in this day and age this is still an issue?"

Tuesday night on CNN, David Gergen said Hillary Clinton, a "champion of civil rights", ought to stand up to the racists who are voting for her only because she is white by saying:

You know, if you want to vote against him (Obama) because he's black I don't want your vote. I don't want to win that way. This has no place in this primary.

Finally the pundits are calling a spade a spade.

Twenty-one percent of the people exit-polled in Kentucky admitted race was an issue (those are the people who would admit it, it doesn't count the people who wouldn't.) Nine out 10 voted for Hillary Clinton. Over 1/4 of people who voted in Kentucky said race was an issue.

On our chat last night, a Kentucky voter joined in during the last hour to say that in rural parts of her state, people are literally being told that Barack Obama is the anti-Christ. And people believe it! And the MSM pundits wonder why Obama didn't spend much time in West Virginia and Kentucky?

Hillary, as Gergen says, it's time to "take the high road" in this campaign. Stop being so smarmy. Add actively courting racists to constantly referencing the Michigan and Florida votes and the referencing of Karl Rove's maps saying she can beat Obama, and what have we got? A president? A role model for my young daughters? I think not. Is contributing to the racial divide so you can fight on for 2 more weeks really worth it? You've already lost. So take the high road.

Jeffrey Toobin added to Gergen's very pointed words saying that Hillary needs to look at the long-view. She has years of public service ahead of her. Now is the time for her to stand up and say "I don't want racists to vote for me."

It's about race. And she is part of the problem.

[Hat-tip to Karoli of Bang the Drum.]

MOMocrats co-founder Stefania Pomponi Butler shares stories and sabotages your diet on CityMama, and if she were Hillary Clinton, she would stand up and say enough is enough.

Comments

[Christianne]

Awesome. Thank you.

[Julie Pippert]

I heard those exit poll results last night and was APPALLED. I also heard how many people said they'd vote for McCain over Obama and I was similarly APPALLED.

I'd like to see both Democratic candidates stand up and speak for each other: sexism by Obama and racism by Clinton.

Boy...the two of them collaborating on that (I know, no way, I'm crazy)...

[jen]

i thought it was a great moment amidst the vacuous rambling. gergen was careful yet purposeful, he was right on.

and those exir polls made me want to vomit.

[cynematic]

I find it inspiring and redemptive that Senator Byrd of West Virginia, an avowed member of the KKK as a young man in the 1940s, recently made public his superdelegate endorsement of Obama. Senator Byrd's stand is courageous and morally right--something for the ones in his state who openly said they wouldn't vote for a black man to think about.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/byrd-supports-obama/

Best of all, Byrd comes by his redemption by supporting an excellent, gifted, and hard-working candidate who has come by the nomination fair and square.

[Karen]

These "pundits" have really lost their minds. But okay, let's play the game..........If Hillary is required to stand up and tell voters that she doesn't want their "racist" vote, then I challenge Obama to stand up and do the same thing! 90% of the African-American vote is not racist???? Please!

It's the media that continually stokes the fire of racism!

[Kady]

Interesting point, Karen, and goes to show why basing any argument on polling is ultimately unreliable. Polling questions are broad, and do not reflect the nuances of people's voting preferences.

I think the appropriate comparison is this: if the black voters have in fact in the past voted for white candidates (and, let's face it, since this is the first time there has been a viable black candidate, the chances are high that these voters have done so - exception, of course, being first time voters), then their votes for Obama, though race motivated, cannot be equated with conventional racism. Similarly, if the white votes who chose not to vote for Obama because they think (for example) that he would not be respected on a world political stage because of his race, then their vote is similarly race motivated, but not conventionally racist.

However, if the white voters polled were saying that they would never vote for a black candidate simply because he is black (and, by inference, must have whatever negative characterizations that have been prejudicially attributed to blacks), then that is conventionally racist and should be vocally denounced.

[AmyInOhio]

On point, eloquent and perfect - as always. I linked some folks I know to it because you phrased the thoughts running in my head far better than I could.

[lizriz]

Hi Stefania,

As I commented on CultureKitchen:

Would you prefer that all the racists in America vote for McCain? Real change to racism in America will come when the Democrats are in the White House, I hope, but they have to get there first.

I do not believe that Hillary is a racist, although I do agree that some of her statements about demographics have been very poorly stated. I am of the growing opinion that neither candidate should discuss demographics themselves.

What I see in what you're discussing here, however, is an attempt to get Hillary to denounce votes, and that would seem a poor political decision indeed. It assumes that she is not going to take the nomination, for one thing, and that's not decided yet. Further, it uses the racism of some of the voters voting for her to try to influence her to sabotage her own campaign.

I have been beyond upset by the sexist words and beliefs of many, many Obama supporters, particularly on the web. It would make me happy if he addressed it, but I would never expect him to say he doesn't want the votes of any sexists. That's just bad politics.

Personally, considering that Hillary and Obama each carry half the Democratic vote, I believe that they are going to have to run together, one way or another. And no matter how that ticket is ordered, I don't think either of them would think it's a good idea to announce, "Racists, don't vote for us."

Ideally, it would be wonderful to say that, I agree. But even in this clip, they're coming from the place of, she's not going to take it anyway, so she can do this.

[Anne]

i'm black, and his commentary is fucking disgusting. Maybe barack obama shouldn't count the idiot vote. aka people who break into chanting USA USA USA anytime they get excited. People who say "He's gonna change the world", because anyone who believes that is obviously a little challenged. He should not count any vote of rich liberals who are voting for him because they want the first black pres or any black person who's voting for him because he's black. And he should not count any vote of any person who doesn't want a female president. ok, who wins NOW. That would be Hillary. And while he's at it maybe he should withhold comments like "then her claws come out" in reference to hillary.

[Gunfighter]

OK, everyone calm down.

Hillary Clinton's campaign HAS been racist... I know that many of you don't want to believe it, but it's true. Read the the speeches. Hers, Bill's, Rendell's, and those of the other surrogates.

Barack Obama won't put her on the ticket, because she brings nothing to the table in terms of states she can deliver... and before you say that she can deliver blue collar whites... consider this: Those that voted for a white woman over a black man, are still going to vote for a white man over a black man and a white woman.