Brazile on Bill: 'Depressing'(The Coming Split of the Democratic Base)

politico ^ | 01/09/2008 | milwguy

[milwguy]

On CNN today, Donna Brazile lit into Bill Clinton with a vehemence that raised eyebrows in both of their circles:

Brazile: I could understand his frustration at this moment. But, look, he shouldn't take out all his pain on Barack Obama. It's time that they regroup. Figure out what Hillary needs to do to get her campaign back on track. It sounds like sour grapes coming from the former commander in chief. Someone that many Democrats hold in high esteem. For him to go after Obama, using a fairy tale, calling him as he did last week. It's an insult. And I will tell you, as an African-American, I find his tone and his words to be very depressing.

[snip]

Blitzer: But tell me why, as an African-American, Donna, you feel that the president's comments weren't appropriate.

[milwguy]

I believe the MSM have missed the larger point in the NH primary, and its implications moving forward towards the general election. It has long been held that Bill Clinton is know as the first 'black' President. He has cultivated his black followers for years, and conventional wisdom has held that he could move them to Hillary in this election cycle. Even with Hillary's clumsy efforts to sound 'black' in her speeches before African American audiences, much of the black establishment moved early on to back her. Even with Obama in the race, many influential black ministers in South Carolina declared early on their support for Hillary. ............................................... ...I believe the MSM's reaction to the debacle in the NH primary will have a profound affect on the entire primary process, and, if Obama does not get the nomination, the general election.............................................. ...Here's why: Watching 'Hardball' tonight, or reading Donna Brazile's comments about the way Bill Clinton has dissed Barack Obama it became evident to me that the 'black' base which the Democratic Party so heavily relies on to win national elections is becoming suspicious of the process in New Hampshire. Brazile in particular made the point today when she said "For him to go after Obama, using a fairy tale, calling him as he did last week. It's an insult. And I will tell you, as an African-American, I find his tone and his words to be very depressing." ................................ ........On "Hardball", all the talk tonight was about why the polls were wrong, and whether whites who told pollsters they would vote for Obama, changed their vote to Hillary, and just couldn't get themselves to vote for a 'black' candidate. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' .........The seeds of doubt in the black voter have being planted. If we continue to see Hillary winning at Obama's expense, especially when the polls indicate Barack should have won, then those seeds will grow into widespread disillusionment among one of the pillars of the Democratic base..................................... ......Let us further speculate what will happen down the road in a tightly contested race. The Clinton's are all about power and will do anything to acheive it. Bill is way off his game already, and the gaffes he is making on the campaign trail could really start to hurt, especially if he continues to ridicule Obama. I think it was Gov Shaeeen's husband who started dissing Obama;s drug use, and Bill has contiued to denigrate his youth and inexperience. Even Hillary has made references to Obama that would be considered rascist had they been uttered by a Republican........... ......All this perceived attacking of Obama will bring the African American establishment to his defense. Once that 'establishment' figures out the 'Man' who is keeping them down is none other than the first 'black' President, Bill Clinton, they will stay home in November. If they think that the Clinton's have wronged Obama, they will never vote for Hillary. That could be the real story of the 3008 election. Hillary and Bill may split the Democratic Party in a way that would make the Republican Party look like one big happy family in comparison....................................

[luv2ski]

Wow! You really do look into the future! (3008 election!) ;-D

[biff]

Get some steel, Brazeel. What do you expect Billy to do? Pat Obama on the back and say “you’re doing a great job, keep after it, boy”??

[counterpunch]

This isn’t the coming split of the Democrat base. That will come after the convention.
Here’s how it will shakedown: Obama will narrowly beat Hillary in the state primaries, leading the uninitiated (including the MSM) to believe Obama has won the nomination. But upon reaching the convention, the Clinton machinery will engineer a coup via the unpledged super-delegates. Democrats, particularly blacks, will be disillusioned and angry. They will say the Clintons stole the nomination from Obama, even though the black vote will actually go mostly to Hillary, with the affluent white vote being what gave Obama his narrow victory in the states.

[Seeking the truth]

Yes, but then the blacks will go out and vote 90+% for Hillary anyway!

[gitmo]

But tell me why, as an African-American, Donna, you feel that the president's comments weren't appropriate.

How exactly does the phrase "as an African-American" affect the meaning of the question? Does it imply all blacks "feel" the same thing? Does it mean her "feelings" would be different if she wasn't African? Does it mean her "feelings" would be meaningless if she was white?

[tflabo]

That would be a delicious scenario grabbing the elitist Dems by the shorthairs. Racists reside more in the Democrap party and consist of both whites and blacks....hispanics too.

[chopperman]

Yes, but then the blacks will go out and vote 90+% for Hillary anyway!

But those that voted for Obama won't.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

I would love to see this happen.

[kittymyrib]

Apparently, older white Democrat women did not want to vote for a young black man, no matter how inspirational he is. It will be up to younger voters in the party to break the color barrier that was obvious among older Democrat voters in NH.

[Revolting cat!]

I thought Donna was a Brazilian-American?! What’s up with that?

[Cowboy Bob]

Apparently, older white Democrat women did not want to vote for a young black man, no matter how inspirational he is. It will be up to younger voters in the party to break the color barrier that was obvious among older Democrat voters in NH.

If those young voters really want "change," then Obama would be wise to leave the Democratic Party and run and an Independent in November!

Well...its a dream!

[ClarenceThomasfan]

Excellent analysis. Also Hillary recently downplayed the role MLK played in civil rights, saying it was LBJ who passed it. That does not go down well in the black community. She may burn all her bridges.

I lurk at African American boards everyday and they/we are not happy. I have seen threads where they call Hillary a b**ch and swear they will never vote for her. Go to Black voices and Mediatakeout.com and click on some of the threads. You will be shocked.

[AlaskaErik]

They will say the Clintons stole the nomination from Obama, even though the black vote will actually go mostly to Hillary, with the affluent white vote being what gave Obama his narrow victory in the states.

Hillary was selected, not elected! The irony will be so delicious if it goes this way.

[ClearCase_guy]

Does it imply all blacks "feel" the same thing?

I remember back in the 1970's, if a Norman Lear TV show wanted to show that a character was racist, the script would go like this: Archie Bunker -- "So, uhh, tell me Lamont ... how do you people feel about cauliflower, anyways?"

And the black person would get affronted and say "What you mean by 'you people'?? I'm an individual! You look at me and all you see is the color of my skin! When are YOU PEOPLE gonna wake up and see me as a human being???"

But of course, nowadays we get Donna Brazile who will happily offer that "As an African America, as I was disturbed by the fact that cauliflower was even on the menu."

Oh, the irony.

[EEDUDE]

“It will be up to younger voters in the party to break the color barrier that was obvious among older Democrat voters in NH.”

I think that it’s just possible that they rejected Obama because he has little relevant experience. It may not be racial at all.

[ProfoundMan]

This is an interesting part of the Dems larger problem. For the first time in my lifetime, the Dems have all their minorities represented front and center - women, blacks, gays (Edwards), hispanics (at least until tonight) and the mentally infirm (Kucinich) and most are running a variant of an "identity politics" campaign. The outcome of the primaries will be that the Dems themselves will have also decided which minorities they don't prefer. Driving that point home will tweak 'em good...

[Verginius Rufus]

So Bill is attacking Obama for his youth and inexperience? Bill Clinton is trash. Back in 1984, Ronald Reagan refused to make an issue of his opponent’s youth and inexperience. Reagan had class.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I was just going to Post a thought along those same lines. If the nomination is close, would Obama dare think of going third party?

[UCANSEE2]

“They will say the Clintons stole the nomination from Obama, even though the black vote will actually go mostly to Hillary, with the affluent white vote being what gave Obama his narrow victory in the states.”

Isn’t IRONY just wonderful?