Comments on: Playing the race card: Democrats have a full deck

By: thasan/ohio

thasan/ohio — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:05:13 +0000

For all those convinced(like Mike)that the black vote automatically goes to Obama, let me give you a newflash. In the initial phases of this contest, Blacks were not rolling out in masses to vote for the unknown. black candidate who people just "knew" would never be elected in this grand old country. They were voting for Clinton based on pure name recognition and because Bill was still viewed as the "only Black President" that would ever be in the W. H(his comments changed some views about that),. when suddenly out of nowhere whites were coming out in RECORD numbers and voting for this guy that we secretly wished had a shot but we "knew better", and with this white flood and momentum blacks rallied. We were a day and a dollar short supporting this guy and if it had not been for whites we would still be stuck on stupid..locked on dumb! I personally want to thank each and every white person who voted and is still voting for the Senator and for shrugging off the racial issues that are bogging him down right now(latinos too..can't forget out latino community that was braver than most latinos by breaking out of the Clinton mold that was expected of you.

Cnn..i have posted alot of comments that have never seen light of day. But please post this one from the heart! Thank you.

By: Gregory Jones

Gregory Jones — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:01:54 +0000

James Carville is a disgrace

All of a sudden a Black Man running for president lacks stones.

My wife and I were watching him speak in Indiana last night and go into the crowd. Our overwhelming thought – not nearly enough security.

You could see the strain on the mostly white security details face as they flanked him. I applaud their courage as well as Obama's and Clinton's.

Of all things Obama is courageous – just as Hillary is to be the first woman running. Lord knows we have enough crazy people who hate women and who hate Blacks.

For Carville to suggest Obama is not much of a man is a disgrace.

By: angie

angie — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:19:14 +0000

WOW!!!! this is an interesting subject here. I see we are still divided BLACK, WHITE lets add more races to this list mexicans, jews, africans, arabs, since race is the thing...we are all AMERICANS and want the same thing a better life for ourselves and our children. If you don't know the history of a race you beat it to the ground or say it's radical teaching.. until you walk in that race shoes you don't know how far they came..REV WRIGHT had a long walk and seen things we only read about in books, Yes he went there I say good america isn't a virgin we have done many MANY bad thing to races and we're still doing it. the jena 6, katrina, matthew shepard(hate crime against gays) riots,gang violence,war in iraq(gov big lie), Now someone comes along and wants to unite us as americans and you want to jump on him because of 1 man he knows. If that's the case lets get rid of the friends we know who say or do stuff that make us take a double look at them...I'll take a rev words over whitewater,sniperfire,tax holiday, any day

By: Pat M

Pat M — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:12:10 +0000

Tom asks: Did you ever here (hear)Obama say anything like the Rev?
What Candidate vying for the highest office of the land would be so blantantly inane? I doubt any Candidate truly serious in winning the Presidency would admit to being as Racist, Anti-White, Anti-American as Rev. Wright? Would you? Obama would prefer for us to believe he belonged to that Church for twenty years due to their compassionate Out Reach Program! Of course that could also be on the level given the media reports about his association with Boards who so unselfishly donated 75 thou to known Palestinian Organizations abroad.

I would prefer a President who told a white lie about her trip to Bosnia and carries baggage than one who doesn't seem to want to shed any light about the numerous reports regarding his past affliations with Boards supporting Palestinian Organizations, and the same Board's members who donated to his Senate Campaign. Of course this doesn't surprise me as he also hasn't taken the opportunity to shed much light about his own past. Hence, I'd feel safer with the Candidate whose Baggage is well known vs. the Candidate that Americans know absolutely nothing about. Hillary is an open book, and it's been open for decades.

By: anna

anna — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:18:22 +0000

Reverend Wright did not speak for OBAMA. He spoke as a pastor to his congregation. From what I observed the media intentionally sought out this sermon on Rev. Wright and kept focusing on the story more than the issues at hand which kept the focus on this negative issue and not on the positive aspect of the campaign.

So what if he stayed in his church for 20 years. How long did the other candidates stay in their church. Also, the Clintons have visited Rev. Wrights church in the past and he was also invited to the White House during their tenure.

Yes, some of Rev. Wright's comments might have been offensive to some persons, people need to do their own research on some of the contents of the speech before making comments on the surface. Don't just take the sound bits and run with it. Read, Read, Read – Research, Research, Research.

Yes, Hillary Clinton is an intelligent woman but Mr. Obama appears to be the Democratic candidate who will be a good contender against John McCain.

It is so obvious that many race cards have been played in these primaries by the media and other campaign supporters.

People not only in America but world-wide need to respect people of all race and realize that no race has the right to dominate in leading a country and leaders can be of the black or white race.

It seems that it has been mainly ignored that Obama has a white as well as black heritage.

More importantly, God sets up Governments and he takes them down.

By: Edsel Scott

Edsel Scott — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:55:09 +0000

excuse me but the ones who have played the race card and now are enforcing the view by leading not only the candidates but trying to fool the general public is the media as it all makes a good story ,but can we get to facts now because it,s clear who the best candidate is it just strange to watch frightend people on CNN start to get scared that Barack Obama could win not only the Democrat nomination but also the highest office in the land shame on you all we are watching from Europe .(you have a real chance for change don,t throw it away)

By: Jos from TX

Jos from TX — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:14:36 +0000

Kevin Lynch, you've probably heard your white friends say the n word, and maybe you've heard your parents make racist comments. You must be guilty then by association, and are then a racist yourself, right? Because you've lived with your parents all your life, if they grew up racist or your grandparents did, if they were pro-slavery, that must make you so too. It's a shame you don't think before you post.

By: Vernon

Vernon — Tue, 06 May 2008 04:12:55 +0000

I am constantly hearing about Obama needing the blue collar white votes to win the presidential election but my question is this. Can Hillary win without the Black votes or does the Black vote carry any importance at all? It is as if we as Blacks just don`t play as important part as white voters. I think too much emphasis are put on the white voters and to exclude the Blacks as if we don`t exist. can Hillary carry the states that Obama has won? Can Hillary win only with her big states?

By: sammy

sammy — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:52:55 +0000

how can the dems think of taking this from Obama. he played by the rules and then has be told too bad kid. if hillary had gotten out early then the dems could have protected obama and helped him not make the mistakes a first time candidate will make. unforunately the race has become racial. since the media keeps talking about all the black support obama gets it's become a black white thing. why doesn't the media talk about all the white support he gets.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:48:37 +0000

I took the time to list out the comments made by Bill Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. They were not racist. They were statements of fact in the the case of Bill Clinton, Ferraro's statement didn't have anything to do with racism towards blacks but was rather a pointing to the fact that Obama has been garnering 90% of the black vote and that her gender was what put her on the ticket as VP. That's another fact.

Once I reviewed all the players in the "race-baiting" game, I came to the conclusion that the Obama campaign wanted a catalyst to ignite their faltering campaign and Bill Clinton became the whipping boy. But something foul is afoot when decades old civil rights activists started being called racist!

Ultimately, what some of us will not forget is the vehemence of Obama's supporters, smearing the Clinton's who brought us the prosperous 90's, the fair 90's and hope that we could build a better world. And they did it inspite of having a Republican Congress!

It really isn't so much Obama that we find objectionable but his supporters who are given to hyperbole, smear and rabid vehemence. Any statement that isn't in worship of the great Deliverer Obama is met with insults and derision from his fans. We need a strong leader to get us out of the quagmire of 7 years of incompetent policy.

That, more than anything else will make it difficult for me to vote for him in November. But I will should he be the nominee. Because, as Hillary Clinton has admonished her own supporters, it would be political stupidity to not vote for the Democrat in the general election.

Stupid I am not and I am not enamored of the "illusion" of Obama. Give me the pragmatic woman any day. Hill's taken a lickin' but she's still tickin'! And I think she's taking it because she knows just how important experience is going to guide us safely out of the Bush destruction of our economy, our future and our constitution.

By: Gary Illinois

Gary Illinois — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:48:13 +0000

I was taken aback by the Obama early primary winnings due to the warm support he recieved from whites. Being black myself – I viewed this as sea-change long overdue that would show a nonwhite presidential candidate could appeal so strongly to white voters. Ironically the Rev Wright controversy arose with the potential to derail his nomination. Having identity issues myself, I can understand Obama's personal need to find a home for his family in the church, which also provided him with political connections in the Chicago community. I don't understand why he would not find another church with which to associate – assuming he viewed the Sunday rhetoric as racial hatred- except for political expediency – which is not the kind of leadership quality the country deserves. I tend to believe that the views of the pastor are not shared by him as he stated, finally. I would fear that his judgment may fail him again if elected especially since he doesn't seem to understand how important winning the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the war on terror is to the world and our country.
What will he tell the Iraquis who have voted and with our support are trying to live under democracy and without our support will likely be 'ground under' by the extremists of the middle east. We can't live in isolation and view the horrors perpetrated and denial of human rights and do nothing as the oil wealth is increasingly invested in nefarious activities.

By: Kent, Illinois

Kent, Illinois — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:42:47 +0000

I find it terribly nauseating to listen to anything Lanny Davis has to say. He is in love with Hillary and living in a fantasy land of Hillary. This story is correct with what it says. But again, we are talking about Lanny Davis.................who really takes this guy seriously?

By: chris

chris — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:29:00 +0000

Race or sex should be a determining factor in ones decision-making when it comes to electing a commander and chief. Sen. Obama talks about change, how is he going to bring about this change? I have not heard that yet. At least Sen. Clinton has the guts to say what she means and mean what she says. I am concerned that these two Senators want to bring all our troops home. I am not pro war, but if we do not continue to fight, I am afraid we might just find ourselves fighting the war on terror here, the issue about gas prices and insurance will be mute if that happens. These people (terrorist) have proven that they are not afraid to die for what they believe. At least Sen. Clinton has the guts to say what she means and mean what she says

By: Mike from Syracuse NY

Mike from Syracuse NY — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:11:05 +0000

It has been very interesting to see the party of diversity and inclusion self destruct over race and gender. I've always believed Democrats preached 'do as I say not as I do'. The last few months proved the point. Liberals need to lose the holier than thou attitude, because they are just like everyone else. But you're right Amy, after the nomination of Obama, it will once again be a mortal sin to say anything remotely about race.

Oh, and kc, the black vote is the only reason Obama is leading this race. All the other demographics are split 50/50 except the black vote, with has run 80-90% for Obama.

By: ophelia/FL

ophelia/FL — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:02:40 +0000

The race card is being played by the Media, and the Clintons. They shouldn't be telling what color is voting for witch canidate, the Clintons I beleave are going around telling the so called working class White's that Barack is a raciest, and that is so far from the trueth, Let's be clear, his MOTHER is a White Woman!!! I hope they see right through the Pander's I mean the Clinton's

By: wayne C

wayne C — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:53:22 +0000

Obama is leading so let him lead. hillary needs to stop being a poor Loser.

By: Chuck Alsleben

Chuck Alsleben — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:53:13 +0000

I've seen many super delegates and voters changing their support from Clinton to Obama, but I cannot remember a single person in any capacity change over to Hillary. Doesn't it seem ironic the media keeps implying a Hillary comeback when everyone else keeps jumping ship?

- Chuck in Honolulu

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:45:44 +0000

The religion and race division card is working. Real Democrats won't vote for McCain or stay home but will vote for either candidate in the fall. This is too important.

Don't give the Republicans the Clintons to kick around in the fall with all their baggage. The Clinton years are gone and Hillary cannot bring them back. Vote for the change Rrepublicans fear and Obama will bring.

Democrats be careful what you wish for. You may get McCain and four more years of war, job outsourcing, sky rocketing debt, overpriced incomplete private health insurance and elimination of the middle class.

By: Mary Holmes

Mary Holmes — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:36:25 +0000

Dear Ron: I meant exactly what I said. Senator Hillary Clinton is far ahead in the desirable character traits. I would not vote for Senator Obama for any political office. He should go back to his district in South Chicago and fulfil the promises he made in the mid 90s when he was first elected.

By: Paul Eke

Paul Eke — Tue, 06 May 2008 02:35:45 +0000

The idea of Sen Clinton making a case to superdelegates is simply untraditional, against every ideal elections and a democratic nation stands for. It is a sham idea. There is a reason for election and election is to be won by majority of votes and not by case making. This whole notion that she is going to make a case to superdelegates, promoted by the media, is ridiculous, undemocratic,unfair and amounts to rigging. If Sen Clinton wants to lead our nation she ought to be upright and honest. Two of many qualities she is devoid of. The media has swept her lack of honesty under the rugs, to hide it for her while over and over again, bringing up the case of Rev Wright. Her continued dirty campaign is clear evidence of her arrogance and crude lust for power, at all cost, by all means. The maths is not there for her to win. She agreed to the rules set by the national dem party and now she is loosing she is raising commotion. Another sign of stubborn arrogance. The media ignores all these character flaws. Will she be asking for the delegates from Florida and Michhigan to be counted , if she is leading.? I do not think so. This attitude shows corruption of the highest order. Manupulating an election . The democratic party should make a serious case to her, to return to New York and save the party.