Ferraro Incident Reeks of Double Standard by Clinton Camp

During the February 26 before the Ohio/Texas Primaries MSNBC Democratic primary debate, co-moderator and NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert repeatedly questioned Sen. Barack Obama concerning his endorsement by controversial minister Louis Farrakhan without noting that the campaign was quoted criticizing Farrakhan in the very article Russert cited to note the minister's support, that Obama himself said in a speech the day before the debate that he is a "consistent denunciator of Louis Farrakhan," or that Obama denounced Farrakhan's comments in his response to Russert's initial question on the subject.

Even though Obama dispelled any notion that he embraced Minister Farrakhan his opponent, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton felt it necessary to chime in. Senator Clinton emphasized that it was not enough for Obama to reject support from the Nation of Islam leader, he needed to go further and denounce it as well. Obama deftly replied that he would reject and denounce if it would it put the issue to rest.

Now the shoe is on the other foot; In an interview with the Los Angeles news paper the Breeze, 1984 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro said, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. 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."

Her comments are at bizarre, racist and untrue. Like him or not Barack Obama is riding the wave of being Barack Obama – that’s his appeal. He is the worst nightmare of Senator Clinton and her supporters who sought the nomination under the I’m entitled program. Obama is a transcendent candidate who happens to be black. That’s a huge reason why his support form many mainstream black leaders came on so late. The perception was that he wasn’t black enough.

But back to Ferraro. She has been forced to step aside for making the comments. Too little to late. Senator Clinton once again offered a weak reaction. Where’s the renounce and reject? And why is it that Obama has to be sullied by comments that Minister Farrakhan made in 1984 while Senator Clinton gets a free pass while her surrogates do her dirty work?

It’s time for the Democratic Party leadership to step in and end this madness. If the Clinton/Obama feud continues much longer there may be too much bad blood to field a candidate who can win in the fall. Six more weeks of this ugliness and Clinton’s core of women supporters may not support an Obama candidacy and it’s clear after blacks voted more than 9-to-1 in support of Senator Obama that Senator Clinton is alienating black voters. No democrat can win without the full support of the black vote – see John Kerry Ohio 2004.
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By Am I Right? Producer Tony Mottley