More Friends Weigh In

More African-American friends weigh in on the Obama-Clinton contretemps on race.

Friend #3 writes:

"The Clinton/Obama ‘MLK’ saga is interesting to me on many levels. 

"The largest impression it’s having on me is that a campaign that had been largely absent of talk about race has now been flooded with the presence of it.  Before the debate about Hilary Clinton’s comments comparing Barack Obama to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it was difficult to know a black man was running for president.  There had been very little mention.  Imagine if the reverse had happened.  If the spotlight was placed by Obama on the fact that Hilary Clinton was a woman.

"Through all of the comments the last few weeks, it’s clear, something kind of bizarre is happening. The Clintons appear to be trying to out-’black’ Obama.  And for a little while, it appeared to work.  After all, Obama was never concerned with reaching out in a large way to the "black leaders’ who are well known but whose utility is increasingly becoming questionable because of how diverse the black population in this country has become.

"So consequentially, many ‘black leaders’ and media figures came out early in support of Hilary Clinton’s campaign.  However, it was during the time that the comments were made comparing Obama’s message of change to those of Dr. King’s, in a way that seemed to down play their significance during a critical time in history, that those same leaders began to reconsider their support. 

"So-called ‘black leaders’ are now split in their views of the comments about the former civil rights leader’s vision and how it sparked legislative action by a president.  Hillary Clinton appeared to be making a distinction about the difference between having a vision and actually carrying one out.

"But you face a bit of trouble whenever you try to downplay anything Martin Luther King Jr. has done, whether you’re black or white.  And for Obama, he’s been drawn into what has to be an uncomfortable fight that he didn’t necessarily ask for.

"Bill Clinton’s effort to reach out to ‘black radio’ hosts is an admission that maybe his comments about Obama were taken too far.  Could the beloved former president be in trouble with black voters?  One has to wonder now.

"Or as I’ve wondered, is this all a political strategy to reintroduce race into a campaign that has been amazingly devoid of much mention of the fact that Barack Obama is indeed a black man running for president in America.  Even if that’s not the case, perception of such will be difficult to avoid.

"Lately we’ve heard from a lot of surrogates on the issue.  Clinton and Obama have determined that this debate can do more damage than good to their campaigns and backed off.  The surrogates and ‘black leaders’ seem to be enjoying another issue that makes them relevant. 

"Overall, voters will have to decide what they believe in.  From my perspective, the Clintons crossed a line and they’re quickly trying to run back behind it.  And Obama’s defense of himself is understandable.  That defense, however, drew a label from the Clinton camp; he’s trying to play the race card.

"What’s so amazing about that label is race has been such a small issue in a campaign where it could have been a much bigger deal.  The Clintons have nothing to gain and everything to lose in this debate.  Obama is also at risk at getting drawn in to a nasty fray. 

"Voters seem to be enjoying a race and gender neutral campaign.  Silently, the progress of the very notion that Clinton and Obama could be the front runners in a presidential campaign, seemed to be an exciting thing for Americans.  The large turnouts in primaries are evidence.

"A message excites people and they don’t mind who delivers it.  Surely many whites supported and loved the messages of Dr. King along with blacks and those of other races.

"And it was the optimism and excitement that messages bring which was recently attacked. And with such poor timing, as the nation prepares to celebrate the birth of the late civil right’s leader.  Thus meaning, the debate will not soon dissolve.

"The latest squabble seems to have put that racial impasse away.  And that’s a shame because so far we haven’t had much focus on the fact that Hilary Clinton is a woman either…at least not yet. 

"Maybe now, we’re back to politics as usual."

Friend #4 –

"I am so tired of the race issue. The media is making way too much out of it all. The media is keeping the conversation going … Both candidates’ campaigns should stop feeding into the discussion. It shouldn’t be what this race is about it is a distraction and everyone looks bad … it should be just the facts."

- jpt