“When you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run it has been run like a plantation and you know what I am talking about.”
Indeed I do Hillary…all too well. With that politically incorrect rhetorical flourish last week, Hillary Rodham Clinton – the putative Democratic candidate for U.S. president in 2008 – revealed her Primary Colors. After all, since her election in 2000 as the junior senator from New York, Hillary has confounded both yellow-dog Democrats and right-wing Republicans with her triangulation political strategy (patented by political guru Dick Morris).
In this TIME cover story, Dick Morris’ triangulation strategy was credited for Bill Clinton’s political invincibility. Now, even though she’s too self-righteous to admit it, Hillary is following Morris’s Machiavellian blueprint to emulate her husband’s political successes.
Triangulation, of course, is the strategy that compelled her husband (as Governor of Arkansas) to order the execution of a retarded black man – just to demonstrate his conservative bona fides. And it compelled Hillary to support President Bush’s invasion of Iraq, oppose her Party’s call for a swift withdrawal of American troops, and befriend arch-conservative Newt Gingrich (as if he’s more her political soul-mate than fellow liberal John Kerry or Al Gore) – all to burnish her conservative bona fides as well.
But, as it was with her husband, this political maneuvering has been calibrated to make Hillary appear more centrist and, hence, “electable”. Because Dick Morris figured out that the only way a Democrat could be elected president is to appear as tough on crime, as hawkish on war and as born again as Republican candidates. And triangulation accomplishes this by having liberal Democrats co-opt conservative policies to broaden their political base. (What else explains Hillary’s patently absurd posturing to appear more eager than President Bush for a showdown with Iran.)
But triangulation requires constant shifting to the right and left to maintain the illusion of being committed to the political center. And that is why, after burnishing her conservative bona fides over the past few years, Hillary decided the time had come to tact left again. She needs to assure her liberal base that she had not completely lost her mind.
That’s the strategy. And it’s crude and unabashed political pandering, pursuant to the naked ambition of being president of the United States – just like her husband.
Nonetheless, this strategy does not explain why Hillary felt the need to exploit the emotional legacy of slavery to score political points. After all, by implying that Republicans who control the House of Representatives are treating Congressional Democrats like plantation slaves, Hillary makes a mockery of the real suffering blacks slaves endured.
Granted she has made a successful – even if congenitally conflicted – career of playing the imperious victim. But this goes too far even for her. Everyone in America knows about the horrors of plantation life. Therefore, what Hillary said was politically self-indulgent, historically ignorant and, ultimately, racially offensive!
When challenged, however, she refused to countenance that her remarks were even remotely inappropriate. This arrogance alone demonstrates the insidious entitlement politically compromised black leaders have granted white liberals. Specifically, these blacks never fail to overlook or excuse the racist remarks of white folks who are celebrated supporters/members of the Democratic Party.
In this case, it only added insult to the racial offense that Hillary made these remarks in the front of an “Amen” crowd at a black church in Harlem – where she “came back home” like a proverbial prodigal daughter. But, as Sen. Ted Kennedy – who recently referred to a Republican black female judge as an ape – can attest, white liberals will never pay a political price for insulting blacks – who either don’t realise they are being insulted or don’t care or both….
Technorati: Hillary Clinton, 2008 presidential campaign, black church
Legacy Note: With over 5,600 posts spanning 20 years, I am easily the most prolific blogger on the most eclectic array of topics on the web. That makes The iPINIONS Journal an unparalleled archive of informed political and cultural commentary. Visit the ARCHIVES section in the sidebar or search by topic. You won’t find a more consistent, independent voice on world affairs.
Anonymous says
i always thought she was more conniving than her husband and that’s saying a lot. wake up fellow democrats!!!!!
Jennifer says
I’m a white liberal and as much as I hate to admit it, I think you are right about the way white liberal politicians take African American voters for granted. Even I found Hillary’s remarks offensive. I had no idea Kennedy made those remarks.
Anonymous says
Only a white Republican racist liek you would think that blacks are to stupid to know when they are being insulted. The reson no one said nothing is because what Mrs Clinton said was not racist. Get used to her buddy. She’s you next president!!!!!
Anonymous says
Senator Clinton will not be the next President of the USA and it’s not because of the ridiculous comments she made earlier this month. She will not be elected for the same reason Senator Kerry failed: no Northeastern Democrat can win a national campaign in the current political climate. Period! Like it, don’t like it, but it’s as plain as the nose on your face.
Furthermore, most of us African Americans don’t know when we are being insulted or being taken for a ride. This is not so much a jab at Senator Clinton. FNC and the crew on the Right play the race card just as effectively to their constituents. But one has to tune into their rhetoric from time to time to understand how the game is being played. Meanwhile, back on the proverbial “plantation” most of us African Americans have no issue with the continued use of the N-word; tossed about amongst our music, culture and communities. Tell me why someone else should care to respect us when we often don’t respect ourselves.
Rage…..
Ric says
You raised some pretty interesting issues here. I now have a better understanding of why Hillary’s been all over the map politically.
But I can’t figure you out. One minute you’re defending Hugo Chavez, the next you’re praising Bush, then you’re a bleeding-heart liberal for starving kids in Africa and then bashing Hillary. Are you a socialist, communist, republican, democrat, what?
Anonymous says
dream on rage
where the hell were you during the 1990s. even if she’s running from ny, most people look at the clintons as a team and she’ll win for the same reasons bill did. and this alh guy is at least smart enough to figure out her winning strategy. but who the hell is he to tell blacks how they should react to anything hillary says. sounds like one of those uncle tom republican niggers to me.
Anonymous says
Anonymous
In the 1990s, President Bill Clinton served two terms. He was from the State of Arkansas and given the current political climate, will likely be the last Democrat to carry a southern state for quite awhile. How the hell are the Democrats going to manage a national campaign and not contest a single southern state? Call it Math 101.
By the way, it is the development and maturing state of the African American community that allows it to speak with more than one voice. I trust that does not offend your sensibilities.
Rage
American_Zealot says
Remember, what Hillary needs to be thwarted for is the fact that she is a conniving collectivist, Maoist, full-blown-socialist, calculating politico-bitch who needs to be flicked once and for all.
The last thing this country needs is a insectoid Southern socialist in office a-la LBJ again. Ill be damned if it that happens.
If she runs for President, trust I willd o everything I can to keep her out of office.
Anonymous says
Hey rage and american zealot
Get over it! Hillary’s gonna be the next president of the United States. Read the article again! How she’s gonna do it is laid out for you. The only way she doesn’t maybe is if Condi runs which is what ALH says in his Condi v Hillary post that he links to.
Anonymous says
After reading the blog on Hillary and then the “CNN” (Carribean News Network) article on Angelina Jolie I’d like to see Angelina run for President. Sexual proclivities and all!
Whatever she’d do in the oval office couldn’t be as bad as Bill and Monica in the same office.
No way Hillary gets the nod in ’08.
Noel