The Geraldine Ferraro remarks about Barack Obama that I brought to Political Machine readers last night has captured the attention of the media - and not in a positive way. While some of my dear readers were taken aback by my remarks, the overall response to Mrs. Ferraro's unfortunate comments mirrors my own. With the exception, of course, of Fox News. As a Fox News contributor, Ferraro has a built-in national forum.
It seems Mrs. Ferraro hasn't thought much of African American candidates for some time now. Ben Smith from Politico did a little digging today. From an 1988 Washington Post article, Ferraro claims, "If Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race".
Hillary Clinton today attempted to distance herself from Ferraro's remarks:
I do not agree with that and you know it's regrettable that any of our supporters on both sides say things that veer off into the personal. We ought to keep this focused on the issues. That's what this campaign should be about.
How many more times before the convention will we have to hear Clinton distance herself from her surrogates' comments? At this point, who of a rational mind can still assume that the Hillary camp is not actively seeking this divisiveness? It seems to me to be a coordinated attempt to minimize Obama as the Black Candidate. Bill Clinton. Bob Kerrey. Bob Johnson. Geraldine Ferraro. Howard Fineman from Newsweek just affirmed this obvious tactic as well on Countdown.
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Aside from the expected response from the Obama campaign for Clinton to sever all ties with Ferraro, who serves Clinton's finance committee, calls for Ferraro to be removed from the campaign grow.
Ferraro called the paper that interviewed her originally - Los Angeles' Daily Breeze to clarify and update:
Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up," Ferraro said. "Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?
In the Fox News interview below, Clinton's finance committee member tosses out a threat at the end. My respect for the Clinton's and their surrogates wanes daily.




