more at http://www.theuptake.org
University of Minnesota Professor John Logie talks about how the Clinton campaign has interjected race into the election and how Hillary Clinton’s “concession” speech shows just how close this race really is.
This is a second part of John Logie’s analysis.
Transcription:
As has often been the case in this campaign, Barack Obama delivered a speech that was exemplary in terms of political rhetoric. The takeaway phrase in this was “the choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders. It’s not about rich vs. poor, young vs. old and it is not about black vs. white. It is about the past vs. the future”. Barack Obama clearly thinks that’s a winning message. This was the central point in a speech that was highly visible. And it’s an argument that might well change the dynamics of the upcoming contest on what we’re now stupidly calling “Super Duper Tuesday”.
It will be interesting to see how the mainstream media covers Obama victory and in particular Obama’s powerful speech. Or whether the next news cycle is dominated by someone who has a habit of dominating news cycles and that’s Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton managed to pull the focus away from his wife’s campaign yet again with his comparison of Barack Obama to Jesse Jackson.
The clear import of Clinton’s comparison is to suggest that Black candidates do well in South Carolina and thus, Barack Obama then impending victory could be discounted because “hey, South Carolina voters tend to like Black candidates.”
With that I think we can close any further debate as to whether the Clinton campaign is actively injecting race as an issue into the 2008 Democratic primary season. They are doing it. Bill Clinton is doing it. Whether he is the designated attack dog for the Clinton campaign or just a loose cannon, this is unfortunate. It’s especially unfortunate given the sharp contrast between Clinton’s role in this campaign and the role of his predecessors have tended to take in previous campaigns. Admittedly he’s in a difficult situation, being both a former President and Presidents have tended to maintain a kind of respectful silence as campaigns have unfolded. He’s also a political spouse and there are certain obligations. But, I think you could draw a sharp contrast between the role he’s taken and the role either Elizabeth Edwards or Michelle Obama has taken. Both of whom have tended to be much more supportive of the merits of their spouses rather than attacking opponents.
There was a subtle but clear indication about just how close this race is by the way the Clinton camp conceded — and I’m using the word conceded loosely. They finished in a distant second place and the Clinton camp elected not to have Hillary Clinton speak in the form of a traditional concession speech, but delivered a short written message to the press. That message said among other things “on to Florida.”
Because Florida and Michigan jumped the gun and held primaries before February 5th, their delegates don’t count. And there was an agreement among most Democrats not to campaign there. Now as we saw in Michigan, Hillary Clinton’s name ended up on the ballot despite that agreement. And that dynamic is playing out again in Florida. So essentially Hillary Clinton is running uncontested in those states. And she wants votes to count. If the core message coming out of her “concession” to Barack Obama in the South Carolina primary is “now we’re moving on to Florida”, that’s an indication of just how close this race has gotten.
So that’s how things look from a kitchen table in south Minneapolis. For The Uptake, this is John Logie
Duration : 0:4:45
The only people …
The only people injecting racism into this race are the onces that are racist. I am white and I don’t see color when I see Obama.
rate me 1-10 p
rate me 1-10 p
h someone lick my …
h someone lick my puss 3
Right On the money …
Right On the money Video!
hey guys, Obama got …
hey guys, Obama got white blood too so dnt call him black
Obama voted as a …
Obama voted as a senator Against the BORN ALIVE CHILD DEFENCE ACT that means if after a failed abortion the BABY is born ALIVE put the BABY that is ALIVE in a bucket in the corner until the BABY is DEAD. That is something that is important to Obama . NOT ABORTION were talking.KILLING CHILDREN that are ALIVE.
nice to see people …
nice to see people as thoughtful as you
In this hard …
In this hard economic times Spam for prez and rice for vice prez.
Great comment dude! …
Great comment dude! At least I don’t go around calling people stupid or any other names. Din’t dude go out in the 80′s some where????? Come back to the future!
Dude, you’re so …
Dude, you’re so stupid, my dog just read what you typed and said, “GRRRWHAT???!”
sure they are doing …
sure they are doing it. but why people can’t understand obama can be the first black president of the united states. this is a momumental event for the black community given the history in this country. when bill ran he had tons of black support, now that obama is running people want the united states to prove that we can move pass racial divide would that be so hard to do?
Once again, it was …
Once again, it was the Clinton campaign that brought up and continued to point out the obvious fact that Obama is black and saying that he was getting votes because he was black.
So Clinton brought the backlash on herself.
I am so sick of …
I am so sick of this PC BS. “Black” OH MY GOD! THAT GUY SAID BLACK!
What? Black people …
What? Black people are voting for a black person? How racist.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH …
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE REST OF USA ??!!
Michelle Obama (MSNBC):
I am confident that BLACK AMERICA WILL WAKE UP..H.aahah”
She was RIGHT, 95% BLACK AMERICA IS VOTING BLACK !
SHE HAD CALLED FOR RACISM !
WE MUST SO WAKE UP ! BHO = UNELECTABLE in GENERAL
Search: SHOCKING Obama words
Digest the whole video ! McCain will use it !
PROVES OBAMA’S BLUNT LIES !
Re-post freely !
Unwise choices yes. …
Unwise choices yes. We are all probably guilty to some extent. I recently experienced the Clinton Chronicles. Someone actually on U turned me onto them. All those unaccounted for and myterious suicides. Unbelievable. I’ll take the Rev. Wright anyday.
Excellent video, …
Excellent video, thank you.
you lie
you lie
Oh please, Obama is …
Oh please, Obama is not a black man. Do some research and you will find out!
Obama is always …
Obama is always travelng the High Road in this very exhausting contest.
I have been, and will always remain a Bill Clinton fan, to the core.
I am a racist, cynnical person in many ways these days; however, I don’t think it is fair to judge Obama for the lack of sense Rev, Wright continues to display.
We all make unwise choices along the way.
Show me who is exempt.
its
…
its
over
it
…
it
over
I’m sure you saw …
I’m sure you saw that on Fox news. Interesting point for you stupid idiots out there…FOX IS SLATED TOWARDS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! duh…I’m a white woman. Instead of getting upset when I saw the accusations, I did my homework. Everything that Jeremiah Wright says is truth. It is just chopped up to look like hate speech. Like it or not, America’s hands aren’t clean. He makes us own up to it as Christian people. Do your homework. Douche.
who voted for the …
who voted for the early primary? Did the people actually get to vote for it or was it just the states reps.If the people them selves didn”t vote for it, is it fair not to count thier votes
The media is just …
The media is just looking for something wrong for Barack Obama but they couldn’t find anything so they go after his pastor. He didn’t say those things, obviously you can see that wasn’t Obama that said anything. Instead of getting mad at Obama you should be upset with the Pastor not him. Common Sense people!