Ferraro, the Substance of Obama, and Delegate Updates

OK--the news moves too fast for a busy girl to keep up with. This edition includes "no spitzer, none of the time"

Ferraro, Clinton, and the Substance of Obama:
You probably have all heard now about the comments made, and re-made, by Geraldine Ferraro, where she stated that "Obama wouldn't be where he is today if he was white." She claimed that protestations about her remarks were "attacks" on her "because she's white." Now she's demanding an apology from Obama's camp.

I've been absolutely shocked by this: she has tried to say that she was celebrating his popularity with black voters, but I see it as part of a larger pattern wherein Clinton and her surrogates have painted Obama as an empty suit--only this time, Ferraro is adding insult to injury by ALSO activating white resentment about affirmative action.

Clinton has said whole campaign is based on "a speech he gave in 2002," her camp has accused Obama of "copying" her policy papers, she's painted him as naive and young (remember Bill Clinton was 46 when elected...as Obama is now). And of course, her constant criticisms of him as "speeches, not solutions," style not substance, talk not action...you get the point.

For Hillary to allow this kind of racial wedge to be played, then, belatedly, to call it "regrettable," is abhorrent. Only yesterday, finally, when addressing a crowd of 200 representatives from Black newspapers, did she apologize and say she "repudiated" Ferraro's comments--but even that was weak. On Bill Clinton's comments in S. Carolina, equating Obama with Jesse Jackson: "You know I am sorry if anyone was offended." And on Ferraro? Here's her comments (note the strong stance, the leadership she displays ): "I certainly do repudiate [Ferraro's comment] and I regret deeply that it was said. Obviously she doesn't speak for the campaign, she doesn't speak for any of my positions, and she has resigned from being a member of my very large finance committee."

All I can say is: I expect much more. I expect much more leadership on this issue from the leaders of the Democratic Party, Hillary included. And, unfortunately, I expect much more crap to come from Ferraro, since Clinton did not really put this to rest. Look at Ferraro's resignation: "I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign. The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won't let that happen."

Unfortunately, all we've heard is from our national leadership. Keith Olbermann issued one of his "Special Comments" on the state of play in the Clinton campaign, but that's the most we've heard from anyone with a megaphone. Besides Obama.

In other news:

Obama calls Clinton out on faulty logic, cynical gamesmanship: this response to Hillary's suggestion that Obama be his VP was brilliant, but lost in the swirl of racialized crap.

Analysis of Obama's "Bad Week" (remember all the way back to March 4?) shows a net gain in delegates.

People play with colors! Here's a county by county map, with Obama in blue and Clinton in green (although i would take exception with including florida and michigan as is done here)

Clinton working to "poach" delegates. Hillary recently coined a new phrase "caucus delegates" as if they are somehow different than "primary delegates." This may be why: her campaign, it appears in some places, is trying to get caucus voters to change their vote... And this report indicates that they may try to initiate legal action regarding the Texas caucus.

Clinton Won't Play by the Rules. More unbelievable than "poaching," however, are Hillary's recent claims that the Michigan vote was a fair vote, even though she recognized earlier that Michigan wouldn't be counted, and even though Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot: now, she's saying this about the Florida and Michigan primaries: "The results of those primaries were fair and they should be honored." Yet the pledge states that none of the candidates will "participate" in those primaries--wouldn't claiming those votes in your column count as participating?

and let's give O'bama a little luck of the Irish!