Geraldine Ferraro Foolishness

David Knowles has made my work easy. Although I have many thoughts about the election, I'm just sick of foolishness. Geraldine Ferraro has taken up the race card as she sites that if Obama wasn't Black he surely wouldn't be where he is today. Good thing she didn't get elected to lead our nation, we need more gender based politics like we need Hillary Clinton. But in essence, that's my point. Birds of a feather....

I mean let's be clear, Obama has an equal or better education than any other candidate. If you are a minority you know the reality of this equation - he has to be twice as qualified to even be on the same playing field. Vanessa Williams quipped this well known fact to Barbara Walters just recently, as she shared the lesson taught to her an every other Black child, including me. He has raised millions of dollars with the most effective fundraising campaign to hit politics in decades, and he has outraised all of his peers, including Senator Clinton. If you look at his strategic planning process, he has created a comprehensive strategy that win or lose, has out paced Clinton in popular vote, delegates and impact with voters. If he wasn't Black, he'd already be president.

Yet, I lost an hour yesterday and I can't devote any more time to this mess. I live in a time when women can say and do anything with regard to gender, including deny its impact as we use race baiting without consequence. There is a sick tone of entitlement which implies Barack has resonated with people only because of the color of his skin. Let's ask Ohio about how in love they are with that small reality? He can't be smart, bold, provocative, engaging, qualified, organized, effective, or the best candidate. No, according to Geraldine Ferraro, he better be glad that he's gotten this far. More delegates, more states, more money and more popular vote - but she couldn't give him credit for that. Read David Knowles summary, and note, I agree with him on what this could imply for why Hillary has gotten this far. If proximity to Bill or intimacy with a former president makes you qualified, we'll get a woman voted in easily, and it wouldn't have to be Senator Clinton. But let's forget about dirty politics, race baiting is the only acceptable evil in 2008, and it isn't evil at all if you serve it from the mouth of a gender challenged woman. (Because Geraldine would have won if she'd been a man, right? Puhhhlease.)

According to David:

First, you could easily turn the hypothetical around and ask, If Geraldine Ferraro was a black woman, would she have been nominated as Mondale's VP? Her point that she wouldn't have been nominated if she was a man brings up the obvious retort, Would Hillary be where she is today if she wasn't Bill Clinton's wife? You see, these kinds of games are silly, divisive, and totally unproductive. While identity politics do draw voters toward certain candidates, the notion that the only reason "we're talking about" Obama is that he's black is ludicrous. By that same logic, an Obama supporter could counter that the only reason that Hillary got this far is that she's a woman. It's nonsense either way.

Note to Ferraro, if Barack Obama was not black, he wouldn't be Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton, likewise, is more than just a female candidate. Both people are talented at what they do. That's why they've made it this far. Please, Geraldine, get a grip.

Politics of Race

Prior to this presidential election, I didn't have some strong feeling one way or another about Hillary Clinton. As a wife and mother, I at times felt bad for her, and at times admired her professional decision to pursue a career she loves. When Barack put his hat in the race, I didn't give him a signing endorsement. Being a conservative about many matters, I don't agree with many of his liberal Democratic views. In any event, I didn't want the issue to be one of race, when it came to determine who I would support. My issues are broader than race, my support not determined any more by my ethnicity as it would be by my gender. Early on my comments to other voters was simple, don't vote FOR or AGAINST Barack because he's African-American. Evaluate the candidates. But I'm starting to really wonder what has the sorry Clinton Camp done this time.

Bob Johnson who founded BET can't advise most people with an ounce of sense about anything related to race. While he may be a billionaire, he did so at the expense of Blacks, with his BET sanctioned buffoonery with lack of intelligent programming for decades. Anyone who would follow his support for Clinton is plain nuts.

So, as I had intended to get back to my mommy rants this day - I just can't . I have to wonder out loud who it is that believes this political piranha, Who wants this slippery master of negative campaigns to represent them? I surely don't. She has played the race card, pandered at any Black church that will have her, and rode the crazy idea of Clinton as the first Black president to an all time low. As Bill became her New Hampshire attack dog, I was heartened to see Barack focus on business as usual. While she was busy talking about what role a president has, she evidently allowed and/or authored the comments that have angered so many. On the eve of celebrating Marting Luther King Day, I have to wonder - how many of us are really embracing our responsibility to go beyond the media reports. The Democratic play book is broken if anyone believes that this slippery, deceptive, ill advised and insulting performance of the Clinton's won't have a backlash in the election.

If she gets the nomination, it assures the Republican's an easier win - as the Black vote they don't solicit, becomes theirs by default. The problem with an African-American candidate of the caliber, demeanor, focus, education and promise of Obama - is that he has attracted many people to the political debate for the first time. The debate, mind you, not the voting booth. For those of us who may not be on the immediate Democratic radar screen - recognize that our votes go both ways. And, we the under represented and often times taken for granted - are doing our research on McCain and others too. Hillary is not untouchable. Her foul cries may have others wondering in November, what happened to the destined White House. The women I'm talking to, sipping Starbucks with, chatting at church and scheduling playdates with - we're going to vote for CHANGE one way or another. Think about it.