Wow. Geraldine Ferraro really stepped on the third rail of “Progressive” Identity -Politics this time. She publicly verbalized that a candidates’ minority status is somehow not a disadvantage. How will the media ever react to a liberal swerving away from the entrenched Democrat script? Geraldine Ferraro, the Democrats' 1984 vice-presidential nominee and an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton, has ignited the latest campaign firestorm by saying Barack Obama has been successful only because he is a black man.
Oh really? Did Ferraro actually imply that Obamas’ success is based solely on his race - as this “journalist” reports? Is Geraldine so cynical that she would insinuate that any black man (whether it be Barack or Snoop-dog) would be leading the Democratic primary race over her presumptive female heir apparent if not for the color of his skin?
"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," Ms Ferraro told the dailybreeze.com political website. She added: "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Hold the bus Gerri…Don’t you know that Liberals can’t say things like that? At least not in those stark matter-of-fact terms anyway. You need to keep to the script. Stick to the metaphorical talking-points and don’t forget to use the code-words dammit! You know the drill. Just keep saying phrases like…“These are exciting times when we have a choice between a woman and an African-American to be President.” And you will be fine.
The Obama campaign called the remarks "outrageous and offensive." They emerged on the day of the Mississippi primary, where Mr Obama is heavily favoured because the majority of the state's Democratic voters are African American.
As you can see, when the narrative is framed correctly itÂ’s completely acceptable for the Liberal media to report that Obama has a clear advantage. The trick is to very subtlety hint that people will vote for a candidate simply based on his race. But make damn sure the emphasis is based on the racial make up of the statesÂ’ electorate. ItÂ’s all about demographics bayybee. ItÂ’s really that simple.
Susan Rice, Mr Obama's foreign policy adviser, said: "I think if Senator Clinton is serious about putting an end to statements that have racial implications...then she ought to repudiate this comment." Last week another foreign policy adviser to Mr Obama, Samantha Power, was forced to quit his campaign after calling Mrs Clinton a "monster". Aides to the Illinois senator said Ms Ferraro's comments were "far worse". Howard Wolfson, a Clinton spokesman, said of Ms Ferraro: "We disagree with her." Ms Ferraro was chosen by Walter Mondale as his running mate in 1984, the only women to represent a major US political party on a presidential ticket. They lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan and George Bush Senior.
Of course the Clintons publicly say they “disagree” with Ferraros’ comments. Privately, well that’s another matter. Until this young persuasive upstart caught fire they had the “Black Vote’ all but sewn up.
Meanwhile, Mr Obama for the first time directly accused the Clinton campaign of leaking last month a photograph of him wearing traditional Somali dress – including a turban – that he donned during a 2006 visit to the country. He had previously downplayed the controversy and in a debate said he took Mrs Clinton at her word that as far as she knew the photographs were not leaked by her campaign. He told a rally in Mississippi: "When your campaign starts leaking photographs of me when I'm travelling overseas to make people afraid, that's not real change."
From now on Gerri, you might want to keep your comments about how the Republicans are a bunch of “Old white guys”. That sort of racial politics is not only applauded it’s great fundraising material. Just ask Howard Dean.