Why Show Leadership on Serious Issues, When You Can Just Parrot the Cable News Networks
Submitted by Internazionale on Wed, 04/11/2007 - 1:53pm
Who woulda thought! Hillary gets her Sista Souljah moment before the primaries---just like in her dreams.
What we need is real leadership on real issues, not someone who parrots cable news to exploit a bad situation. What a joke her campaign has become.
See for yourself in an email that went out to her mailing list just a short while ago:
When our children are young, we teach them to dream big and reach for the stars, and that if they work hard enough they can accomplish anything.
This year the Rutgers women's basketball team defied the odds and lived up to their dreams, providing inspiration to every little boy and girl beginning to pick up a ball or open a book. These remarkable young women reached the pinnacle of success and won the hearts of basketball fans everywhere with their grace, skill, and poise. They are role models deserving our praise -- and our support.
Don Imus's comments about them were nothing more than small-minded bigotry and coarse sexism. They showed a disregard for basic decency and were disrespectful and degrading to African Americans and women everywhere.
Please join me in sending the young women of Rutgers a message of respect and support. Show them that we are proud to stand with them and for them.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/respect
Sincerely,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
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Yuck.
Can you say "pandering"? Good catch.
Serious Issues, Eh?
So, the wanton disrespect of black women doesn't count as a serious issue?
NY Times Article: A
TeamCommunity Gains Strength From Its Weakened CoachActually,
Her statement regarding this isolated incident yesterday was plenty for me. I don't think a shock jock saying something shocking rises to the level of the Iraq War, issues of poverty and racial reconciliation, the healthcare crisis, etc.
This is a cheap shot, in my opinion. It's so gratuitous.
Oh, well...
...if it's plenty for you, then, far be it for anyone to proceed further...
Frankly, her statement wasn't plenty for me--nor, I imagine, for other black women, who took great offense to Imus' comments.
NY Times Article: A
TeamCommunity Gains Strength From Its Weakened CoachWell, with all due candor
And I really appreciate your opinion, as we all need to have our minds opened up a little more sometimes, what would be plenty for you?
Here's my true thought---this whole deal is just Clinton-esque. Instead of really stepping to the plate and taking stands on the far reaching issues---race relations in this country being at the very top in priority for me, personally, the Clintons just like playing soundbite politics.
I'm all for bashing bigots like Imus, but what sucks here is that someone who is in a real position to make a difference just panders instead. When I say it's plenty for me, I mean it's plenty for her with regard to the Imus/Rutgers thing, but not by a damn sight on the issue of improving the plight of the disenfranchised in this country.
I think we're on the same page here, ultimately. I just don't like the Clintons' style over substance. Am I being judgemental---perhaps.
I don't think anyone here is disagreeing with you
about the despicable idiocy of Imus. I'm certainly not.
I'm just of the opinion that campaigns look around for stuff they think might resonate and then jump on them for their own benefit. They all do.
So if that's what a campaign IS going to do, why not make it real? Why not put some teeth into the issue instead of just saying "we support you" to those who have been maligned?
Why not call for challenging the broadcast licenses of all stations that Imus? Why not call on the shareholders of the company to demand his ouster? Why not raise holy hell?
It's too easy to jump on a bandwagon that's already rolling and show solidarity. That's just what Richard Burr has done on the OLF issue.
In other words, I question Clinton's authenticity and motives. Which is what this post seems to be about.
To be precise,
You actually put it better than I did. Authenticity. I think we get that with certain candidates, some more than others---even from folks with whom we disagree on most things.
The Clintons always leave you feeling a little slimy with this stuff. That's all I'm really saying. I think our leaders can do better. I actually think Hillary's capable of being a very good president, but I think we have to demand better from her than this type of reaction. You and I both can see the campaign insiders licking their chops, trying to spin this or that. But I can tell you who the last big freaking general election loser was---a guy who ran his campaign straight by the headlines. Kerry. And he would have been good, too.
What this is really about
Yesterday, the object of Imus' vitrol, the Rutgers' Women's Basketball team held a press conference to respond to those insidious comments...here's a little bit of what was said:
From the legendary Scarlet Knights head coach, Vivian Stringer:
And from Heather Zurich, the team's starting small forward:
I've heard and read talk on tv, in newspapers and around the blogosphere about this. There are a lot of people talking about Imus--what he said and how he ought to be punished. But not enough people are talking about these women...these women who never sought a spotlight they didn't deserve, but now they, as heroes often are, have been thrust into a storm not of their making to take a stand on an issue bigger than themselves.
I think it's easy to jump on the pile. It's much more difficult to redirect the energies of a justifiably angry group into creating a much-needed support system for these women. So, if Hillary Clinton wants to turn the focus back to this team...then I'm fine with that...and I'll applaud her for her actions.
But the discussion about Hillary's e-mail isn't about Imus or Rutgers or the actual e-mail...it's about the fact that a lot of people (yourself included, I presume) don't like Hillary. It doesn't matter what she says or does, everyone's always going to question her authenticity and motives. This, of course, despite the fact that so many people around her behave in a similar manner and never have their authenticity or motives questioned.
And considering that, she might be the perfect person to build support for the Rutgers' Women's Basketball team.
NY Times Article: A
TeamCommunity Gains Strength From Its Weakened CoachYou presume wrong, if you're referring to me.
I like Hillary just fine. I think she's been a very strong senator from New York, though I believe her candidacy as the Democratic nominee for president could be catastrophic for down-ticket races in North Carolina.
Senator Clinton might very well be the perfect person to build support for the Rutgers' women's basketball team. And then again she might not. In my view, the "perfect person" would not be one whose email communications have the immediate risk of this kind of debate in the first place.
Guilty as charged
Although it's not a matter so much of like or dislike. She's on my list of folks with whom I'd like to have dinner sometime, but it's the way the Clintons campaign that stinks. It's the same campaign that had her weigh in on the heavy subjects of video games and flag burning a few months back.
And maybe I'm being to hard on her, too. Maybe my anger should be placed at a press corps so fixated with hearing prez candidates take bold stands on the issues of the day. I just wonder what's next---will Obama have to take a stand on who gets Britney's baby---or Anna Nicole's baby?
This situation, by the way, has worked itself out the way it should have---Imus's ass is going down, because MSNBC and corporate advertisers don't want to associate with his stupid ass. And they didn't need help from Hillary, Barack or anybody else. And McCain, Giuliani,and Romney sure are looking good for saying they'll still go on the show!
what does
this have to do with her candidacy?
Draft Brad Miller -- NC Sen ActBlue :::Petition
Imus
has always been an ass.
I grew up listening to him; he could be counted on to say stupid things. Hilary is right, his comments shouldn't be tolerated. We should not be complacent about any form of racism or "genderism" (is than an ism?). I do appreciate her sentiments, and I'm sure they are genuine. I don't think they are entirely opportunistic. However, I think the more attention that gets paid to Imus and his mispeak, the less attention that gets paid to these young women who worked so hard to come so far in their athletic competition.
Weren't they in the finals? I mean Damn! That's worth something! Better than State or Carolina did, isn't it? (ooh, snap.)
As for Hilary, take some leadership on all of the issues we face, ma'am. Get rid of racism, don't go after a washed-up dj's job. Get rid of poverty; really give us universal health care. For God's sake: Stop the freakin' war. Mobilize all of your supposed supporters to do that, why don't you?
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi
Amen!
lcloud is on the money ...
... and I would direct that admonishment to all candidates for every office across these United States regardless of Party.
I wrote an action diary back on friday
that was pretty well received on Kos. Only 71 comments and it didn't make the rec list, but I received some nice feedback/email and links to the piece at my home blog which was nice.
This is what I said at Kos and TSD on Friday.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
The Root is Bigger than Imus, Hillary, or anyone else
as in - anyone else who wants to pile on.
What they said is unacceptable. The BS coming out of Coulter's mouth is unacceptable. RW lies out of Rush's mouth are unacceptable.
Racist, sexist, hurtful, slanderous BS is unacceptable. All the time.
If people want to talk that way to friends and family - and the friends and family want to put up with it -fine. It's still a free country. But polluting the airwaves needs to stop.
Opinions are one thing - slander is another. Just because they have an audience for garbage doesn't make it right.
Air pollution isn't right - why is ear pollution right?