Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Obama the divider

BTD of TalkLeft identifies an AP story, which reveals a political mistake of the Obama camp. The AP story states:

Barack Obama will reach a significant milestone Tuesday as he marches toward the Democratic nomination for president — a majority of pledged delegates at stake in all the primaries and caucuses.

A majority, eh? Is that something to celebrate since:

The Obama campaign will ignore Florida and Michigan. . . There simply is no getting around that. and for what? To declare victory on May 20 as opposed to June 3? This is simply stupid. The Associate Press of course is on Obama's side on this, but actually harms him.

The AP reporting mentions that Hillary Clinton is still fighting to get the MI and FL delegation seated, which "would increase the number needed to clinch the nomination," an endeavor that Obama has opposed. Why does Obama hate MI and FL?

When Obama takes the stage of his Spielfest in Iowa, he's dissing half of the Democratic coalition and 17 million Hillary voters. He's tossing off MI and FL. And he's pulling a political stunt that indicates his immaturity and inexperience, that broadcasts his arrogance. What a stupidly divisive move. His Spielfest decision demonstrates he's incapable of uniting a coalition behind him to win the WH.

To drive Obama the divider point further, egalia at Tennessee Guerilla Women posted an ABC News story that...

...highlights a few of the misogynistic blows directed at Hillary Rodham Clinton. . . including one from Tennessee's own Congressman Steve Cohen. Cynthia Ruccia, founder of the group, Clinton Supporters Count Too warns that if Obama is the nominee, the group will campaign against him.

The women's group will boycott the election and abandon the Democratic Party too. [Emphasis added.]

Egalia also cites an ABC News-Washington Post poll in which "nearly 25 percent of Hillary's supporters say an Obama nomination will cause them to abandon the Democratic Party by voting for McCain."

Thus, a perfectly spot-on, one-line summary from egalia tells the story:

But, of course, the Democratic Party abandoned women first.

She also provides a cache of linked sources that range from piffle to protest. An example of piffle via Howard Kurtz, The Sisters are Steamed:

Numerous women -- journalists themselves and those interviewed by journalists -- believe the former first lady has gotten a raw deal, especially from the media. [Emphasis added.]

Under what rock has Kurtz lived to miss how the media has been sexist and misogynistic? At the same time with his subtle choice of verb, he dismisses the reports of female journalists. Just scan the criticism of Kurtz by Bob Somerby to realize Howie has been a protector of media misdeeds and is a completely unreliable witness.

Go visit egalia to watch the ABC News video, "Clinton supporters count too."

The revolution is just getting started.

See
That no matter what you have done
I am still here.
And it has made me dangerous, and wise.
And brother,
You cannot whore, perfume, and suppress
me anymore.
I have my own business in this skin
And on this planet.
--Gail Murray, 1970