A Race About Race

"This phenomenon is extremely threatening to two groups of people: Republicans and the old civil-rights establishment. Racism was, after all, the initial propellant for the Republican ascendancy that began with Nixon's southern strategy. As for the Al Sharptons of the world: If race becomes an afterthought in American politics, they become powerless. That's why some of them raised the loathsome question of whether Obama is 'black enough.' Now, however, they are rallying--a bit too enthusiastically--to Obama's cause after several thoughtless remarks from the Clintons in the waning hours of the New Hampshire primary.

"Two thoughts: First, any attempt to paint the Clintons as racists is idiotic. Bill Clinton calling the Obama campaign a 'fairy tale' had nothing to do with race and everything to do with (a) Obama's lack of experience and (b) Obama's alleged wobbling on the war in Iraq, which was the topic being discussed at the time. It was a stupid attack . . .

"Second, it is really foolish for the Obama campaign to allow this controversy to continue."

Josh Marshall says Bill is being unfairly blamed:

"The ins and outs of Obama's position on Iraq are a separate issue. To my reading the 'fairy tale' line is unambiguously a reference not to Obama but to the claim that Obama always opposed the war. And I do not see how that can be construed as a racially-charged remark or demeaning to Obama as a black man."

Washington writer Marjorie Valbrun says in The Post:

"My real fear is grounded in something more probable -- that Hillary Clinton, after her less-than-stellar showing in Iowa and her close call in New Hampshire, will now go straight for Obama's jugular. Race, whether used subtly or as a blunt weapon, will undoubtedly be a factor . . .

"Clinton herself has made racially tinged comments that could be taken as either insensitive or patronizing. The most widely noticed was in her efforts to dismiss Obama's talk of 'hope' and 'change' as empty idealism. In doing so, she offhandedly diminished the important role played by Martin Luther King Jr. in pushing America to meet its promise of equality for millions of black Americans. 'Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act,' Clinton said. 'It took a president to get it done.'

"In other words, 'I have a dream' is a nice sentiment, but King couldn't make it reality. It took a more practical and, of course, white president, Lyndon Johnson, to get blacks to the mountaintop. Of course no black man could have hoped to be president 44 years ago. And, for that matter, neither could any woman.

"What was Clinton thinking? King's name is sacrosanct in most black households, and for poor and struggling blacks whose lives have yet to reflect King's ideals, 'hope' is more than just a notion. Clinton managed to insult a beloved black leader in her eager attempt to insult a rising black leader."

At the New Republic, Noam Scheiber sees a major downside for Barack:

"The mini-uproar may help Obama win South Carolina--especially since native son John Edwards should siphon white votes from Hillary if he stays in the race. But I think racial tension beyond South Carolina probably hurts Obama--both in narrow tactical ways (he's going to need a chunk of white independents on February 5; it could also create a backlash among Hispanics), and in broad, thematic ways (his candidacy is so attractive to many voters because they see it as an opportunity for racial healing).