Clinton Could Ease Racial Tensions

WSJ ^ | April 29, 2008 | GERALD F. SEIB CAPITAL JOURNAL

[mdittmar]

Maybe it's time for another speech on race relations in America -- this time by Sen. Hillary Clinton.

As fears of a racial divide move from the wings to center stage for Democrats, it has largely been Sen. Barack Obama who has been called upon to address the subject. And he has -- first in a high-profile speech a few weeks ago, and recently this past weekend in an extended conversation on race and the campaign on "Fox News Sunday."

Undoubtedly, he'll have to do so again, in the wake of an appearance at the National Press Club Monday by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., whose commentaries on the state of American society have done as much as anything to bring race out of the campaign's shadows.

Yet it is Sen. Clinton who now has the greater ability to ease racial tensions within her party. Arguably, she also has the greater need to do so, for her long-term standing.

Simply stated, her camp is the one now being accused of, or at least implicated in, using the race card. The most recent assertions came in the form of comments last week by Rep. James Clyburn, a black Democrat from South Carolina, who accused Sen. Clinton and, more pointedly, former President Clinton, of damaging the Democratic Party by using race to political advantage.

[counterpunch]

[The_Republican]

Yeah right! Klinton could also start telling the truth. Klinton could stop being a lobbyist *hore. Klinton could lot of things. But Klinton can’t stop being Klinton. End of the story.

[Tzimisce]

Easing of racial tensions would put a LOT of black civil rights race baiters out of jobs.

Thus - it’s not going to happen, even if Clinton tries too.

[singfreedom]

I think Mr. Obama and his attempts at racial discourse have set race relations back at least 15 years in this country. Personally, I think about the black people I work with and have to wonder: If a wealthy, black, U.S. Senator can harbor such hatred and mistrust of whites, just WHAT do ordinary black folks think of their white coworkers, neighbors, and “friends”?

Yes, indeed, Mr. Obama and Company, have certainly not benefited race relations, in this country or any other!

[Nathan Zachary]

"...it has largely been Sen. Barack Obama who has been called upon to address the subject. And he has...he'll have to do so again, in the wake of an appearance at the National Press Club Monday by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.

Oh I think he's going to have to explain a lot more than just race relations. He's going to have to explain why he LIED to Americans about what his true religious beliefs are, and why he felt he had to LIE to the American people and hide what his true Marxist beliefs are, explain his connections and close friendship to some pretty nasty people who have been working their entire lives to destroy America as we know it.

Obama is about "change" alright, it's time he retells americans just what those changes are according to his Marxist/ islamic manifesto

[D-fendr]

Hate to say it, but done passingly well, this would be a brilliant move by Hillary.

[iopscusa]

brilliant move, you bet, Hillary better dust off that “I hain’t tyrred” accent and use some that Reverend cadence, she could also get an Afro perm....she knows about oppression!