Posted on 01/17/2006 4:37:44 AM PST by jimbo123
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton dropped a Martin Luther King Day stunner yesterday - comparing GOP rule of the House of Representatives to a "plantation."
Standing alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton, Clinton told a mostly black crowd that "when you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run, it has been run like a plantation - and you know what I am talking about."
The startling comment got muted response from those at the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ on W. 116th St., but Republican leaders seized on her remarks as inflammatory and insensitive.
"It is always wrong to play the race card for political gain by using a loaded word like plantation," said Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.). "It is particularly wrong to do so on Martin Luther King Day."
"I am a little shocked that a United States senator would use such unfortunate stereotyping to characterize an entire political party," added Rep. Vito Fossella (R-S.I.). "In this case, I think she owes an apology."
Clinton's plantation remark was part of a fiery partisan speech in which she predicted that the Bush White House "will go down in history as one of the worst" and chided GOP leaders for squelching debate.
She asserted that the House "has been run in away so that nobody with a contrary point of view has had a chance to present legislation, to make an argument."
Aides to Clinton later defended her "plantation" remark, noting that House GOP leaders have often barred Democrats from even offering amendments to bills.
Although several Democrats did not return calls seeking comment, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) said "the only card anybody was playing with today was the joker, because as she rightly stated, that's who's in charge of the people's House and that's who's stifling the progress of the last century, progress that led to civil rights."
As for Sharpton, he jokingly suggested that Clinton, who many believe is eying a run for President in 2008, had stolen his material.
"Any time you have a situation where, because of seniority and cloakroom politics, the bosses make the decision - that's tantamount to plantation," Sharpton told reporters.
"I absolutely defend her saying it because I said it all through the '04 elections," added Sharpton, referring to his failed presidential run that year.
Clinton made the plantation remark in response to a question about why national Democrats in general seem so "spineless" on major issues - a problem she blamed on the GOP's hold on the White House and both branches of Congress since 2000.
"So here's what I am suggesting," said Clinton in a not-so-veiled plug for her future. "If you don't like the way things are going now, the Democrats have to be given a chance to get into power."
Good job! Keep it coming, Hitlary!
Mangdingo?
in the pulpit talking politics ? - someone ought to let the IRS know
Did she wink knowingly when she said this? (After all she is married to "the first black president".)
Meeks, you clueless Kool-aid drinking SOB. Whose party voted as a bloc against the '64 Civil Rights Act? Whose party draws the race card faster than I can draw a Glock? Whose party consistently punishes anyone who ignores the black-as-victim message and pulls themselves up to success?
Standard Socialist tactic of accusing your opponent of your actions...
Why or better yet how would or could they know what it is like since not a single soul there ever lived on a "plantation" such as she is so "cleverly" referring to!
Hey scumbaguette it is past time for you to get a life!
She has both a tin ear and a tin cup.
PING! You're gonna LOVE THIS! don't hear the Media reporting this one!
"when you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run, it has been run like a plantation..." '
Darn. I was hoping that C-Span wouldn't pan that cotton field on the House floor. Gonna mess up everything. Or maybe Senator Byrd leaked the entire thing.
But seriously, do Black Americans think that a House member, being paid $250,000 a year, has any idea what a plantation is like? I've worked under some vulgar bosses who cussed like sailors and made women run to the bathroom in tears for not sweeping fast enough. I've worked in places where blatantly racist remarks were swallowed down by my black co-workers with shaking hands.
I KNOW what a modern day equivalent of a plantation could be described as [although even that is a mere shadow of the days of whips, shackles, and REAL slavery], and being in the House in either party is not on the list.
Who says the Anti-Christ can't be a woman?
The startling comment got muted response from those at the Canaan Baptist Church
At which point, an embarrassed Senator Clinton tried to win the audience back by breaking out into a rather off-key rendition of "Camptown Ladies".... ;P
Compare Hillary's remarks to what Trent Lott said about Strom Thurman....and compare how the media treated each remark....
"She has both a tin ear and a tin cup."
And a triple strength tinfoil hat.
Hey....I thought that was a Republican description?!
Its ok to talk politics from a church if you are talking left wing politics. There is no seperation of church and state when that happens. As evidenced by the muted and gagged ACLU over the past 60 years as the NAACP has turned black churches into political hotbeds.
Stepping in it is one thing...deliberately smearing it all over your other boot is quite another.
The 'rats are upset that blacks like Clarence Thomas and Steele don't call them Mass'r.
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