When I first heard of the quote this morning I was saddened because I always held Geraldine in high regards as the first pathfinder in the feminist movement. Now I can only think that what she expressed was both racist bigotry and feminist man-hating. Sorry if this insults some sensitive minds, but that is how I am reading it. This was not some oft-handed remark in an off-the record interview where the remarks were unguarded, they were measured firmly-held beliefs, going far deeper than some emotional sour grapes or episodic frustration. It has much more to do with revealing her world view that all politics is about the old idea of skin deep connections. Finally, this is the kind of attitude that other Obama supporters are seeing from those in the Clinton camp as the reason why if Clinton is nominated they will leave the Democratic Party. Anyway here is the story; David Axelrod has called on the Clinton campaign to remove Geraldine Ferraro from her position as major fundraiser for their campaign for the following statement:
"if Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position . . . He happens to be very lucky to be who he is."The Daily Breeze article titled: "Geraldine Ferraro lets her emotion do the talking",
An outspoken advocate for women's issues and a staunch supporter of presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, Ferraro offered her views on the state of the nation and the race for the White House. (Her speaking engagement was held in Torrance last Sunday as part of the American Perspectives series.)
Speaking by phone from her New York law office, the 72-year-old former Democratic congresswoman outlined the themes of her talk. She also offered pointed observations regarding the Barack Obama juggernaut and what she sees as a sexist media bias against the candidate of her choice...
..."I'm on Hillary's finance committee. I've done a fundraiser for her here at my firm. And I went and worked the phone banks before Super Tuesday. I have to tell you, this is a very emotional campaign for me," Ferraro said......When the subject turned to Obama, Clinton's rival for the Democratic Party nomination, Ferraro's comments took on a decidedly bitter edge.
"I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign."If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "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." Ferraro does not buy the notion of Obama as the great reconciler."I was reading an article that said young Republicans are out there campaigning for Obama because they believe he's going to be able to put an end to partisanship," Ferraro said, clearly annoyed. "Dear God! Anyone that has worked in the Congress knows that for over 200 years this country has had partisanship - that's the way our country is."As our conversation came to an end, Ferraro said of her upcoming talk in Torrance, "
It's going to be very up to date. It's going to be my version of the inside story."
Strategist David Axelrod calls for Ferraro to be removed from Clinton’s finance committee.
Says her comment reflects “an insidious pattern (in the campaign) that needs to be addressed.”
"When you wink and nod at offensive statements, you’re really sending a signal to your supporters that anything goes.”
Says of his old friend Wolfson of the Clinton team: He “has assumed a kind of junk-yard dog role in this campaign.”
Rep. Jan Schakowsky(D-IL): “Any and all remarks that diminish Sen. Obama’s candidacy because of his race are completely out of line.”
"outrageous and offensive"
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