Read the full memo:
Subject: MUST READ: Key S.C. figure takes issue with Clintons
SHUCK AND JIVE
Clinton Supporter Andrew Cuomo, Referring To Obama, Said "You Can't Shuck
And Jive At A Press Conference. All Those Moves You Can Make With The Press
Don't Work When You're In Someone's Living Room." Clinton-supporting New
York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said the thing that's great about New
Hampshire is that you have to go out and meet people rather than "shuck and
jive" through press conferences there. Cuomo said of New Hampshire on an
Albany radio station: "It's not a TV-crazed race. Frankly, you can't buy
your way into it. You can't shuck and jive at a press conference. All those
moves you can make with the press don't work when you're in someone's living
room." (Newsday, 1/11/08)
Perhaps the only charge on this list with any "racial" overtones whatsoever, but even that is dubious. It has already been shown that the term is used, and has been used, in a variety of settings. In fact, one thread on DU accused Donald Rumsfeld of "shucking and jiving," and drew not one accusation of being racist. The term is used in songs, the term is used as resturaunt names.
Looking at Google's news archive, we find the term was once used to describe Steve Forbes. The term was used to describe George Bush's attempt at capping medical malpractice suits. The term was used to describe Saddam Hussien's attempts to hinder weapons inspectors. Rolling Stone Magazine used the term in 1981 in it's review of 'The Allman Brothers Band: Brothers of the Road' album. The term was used in a review of Jackie Chan's and Chris Tucker's 'Rush Hour.'
Albany-Times reporter Rick Karlin, who first reported Cuomo’s comments, told Tim Grieve that Cuomo’s “shuck and jive” remark was “so far removed, temporally and contextually, from any discussion of Obama,” that he didn’t hear it as a reference to Obama at all.
Yet, the term does have it's origins in racism, though many today have no idea of that.
MARTIN LUTHER KING / LYNDON JOHNSON COMPARISON
Clinton, Criticizing Obama For Promising "False Hope" Said That While MLK
Jr. Spoke On Behalf Of Civil Rights, President Lyndon Johnson Was The One
Who Got Legislation Passed: "It Took A President To Get It Done." Clinton
rejoined the running argument over hope and "false hope" in an interview in
Dover this afternoon, reminding Fox's Major Garrett that while Martin Luther
King Jr. spoke on behalf of civil rights, President Lyndon Johnson was the
one who got the legislation passed. Hillary was asked about Obama's
rejoinder that there's something vaguely un-American about dismissing hopes
as false, and that it doesn't jibe with the careers of figures like John F.
Kennedy and King. "Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President
Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act," Clinton said. "It took a president to
get it done." (Politico, 1/7/08; Video)
Clinton Introducer Said JFK Gave Hope, But Was Assassinated. Clinton
introducer: "If you look back, some people have been comparing one of the
other candidates to JFK and he was a wonderful leader, he gave us a lot of
hope but he was assassinated and Lyndon Baines Johnson actually did all his
work and got the republicans to pass all those measures." (HRC, Dover, NH,
1/7/08) AUDIO ATTACHED
Are facts now racist? Or is someone just uncomfortable with those facts?
Fact: MLK was not a mayor, was not a governor, was not a congressman or senator. He was not a President. As great as MLK was, there is no way his dream could have been realized without LBJ, the President of the United States. And MLK knew that, which is why he campaigned for Johnson. I'm sorry if that fact is uncomfortable to some. But it isn't racist.
And the Obama camp isn't stupid. They know the meaning of Clinton's analogy. All the uplifting rhetoric and passionate speeches in the world will not alone move legislation through congress and across a President's desk.
NELSON MANDELA
Bill Clinton Implied Hillary Clinton Is Stronger Than Nelson Mandela. "I
have been blessed in my life to know some of the greatest figures of the
last hundred years. ... I go to Nelson Mandela's birthday party every year
and we're still very close. ... But if you said to me, 'You've got one last
job for your country but it's hazardous and you may not get out with life
and limb intact and you have to do it alone except I'll let you take one
other person, and I had to pick one person whom I knew who would never
blink, who would never turn back, who would make great decisions ... I would
pick Hillary.'" (ABC News, 1/7/08 Audio)
How is it racist to believe one world figure is greater than another? Further, how is it racist for a person - any person - to pick their spouse over Nelson Mandela in a hypothetical life and death situation?
DRUG USE
Clinton's NH Campaign Chair Raised The Youthful Drug Use Of Obama And Said
It Would "Open The Door To Further Queries On The Matter." Clinton's
Campaign Issued A Statement Distancing Themselves From Shaheen's Comments
And Shaheen Issued A Statement Saying That He "Deeply Regrets The
Comments." The Democratic presidential race took on a decidedly nasty and
personal turn, with the New Hampshire co-chair for Clinton, raising the
youthful drug use of Obama. Shaheen said Obama's having been so open -- as
opposed to then-Gov. George W. Bush, who refused to detail his past drug use
during his 2000 presidential campaign -- will "open the door to further
queries on the matter. It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give
drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?'" Shaheen said. "There are so
many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome." By the
end of the day, Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer had issued a
statement asserting that "these comments were not authorized or condoned by
the campaign in any way." And Shaheen himself issued a statement: "I deeply
regret the comments I made today and they were not authorized by the
campaign in any way." (ABC News, 12/12/07)
Tell me, is this racist only because Obama is black? No one cried "racism" when Bill Clinton's drug use was raised as an issue. No one cried "racism" when George W. Bush's drug use was raised as an issue.
Mark Penn, In Trying To Defend His Campaign Over Bill Shaheen's Obama Drug
Use Comments, Used The Word "Cocaine," Drawing A Rebuke From Edwards Adviser
Joe Trippi. Mark Penn, defending the Clinton campaign in light of Bill
Shaheen's comments about Obama's drug use, repeatedly referenced Obama's
cocaine use. Edwards adviser Joe Trippi accused Penn of dropping the word
"cocaine" deliberately. Mark Penn said "Well, I think we have made clear
that the -- the issue related to cocaine use is not something that the
campaign was in any way raising. And I think that has been made clear. I
think this kindergarten thing was a joke after Senator." Joe Trippie
responded and said "I think he just did it again. He just did it again. ...
This guy's been filibustering on this. He just said cocaine again."
(Politico, 12/13/07; Video)
So using the word "cocaine," even repeatedly in a discussion about Obama's admitted cocaine use is racist? It might be dirty politics as usual, but it's hardly racist.
FAIRY TALE
Donna Brazile Lashed Into Bill Clinton For Comparing Obama To A "Fairy Tale"
And Said "It's An Insult... As An African-American" And That His Tone And
Words Are "Very Depressing." Donna Brazile lit into Bill Clinton over his
insulting comments of Obama, where he called him a "fairy tale" and said "I
could understand his frustration at this moment. But, look, he shouldn't
take out all his pain on Barack Obama. It's time that they regroup. Figure
out what Hillary needs to do to get her campaign back on track. It sounds
like sour grapes coming from the former commander in chief. Someone that
many Democrats hold in high esteem. For him to go after Obama, using a fairy
tale, calling him as he did last week. It's an insult. And I will tell you,
as an African-American, I find his tone and his words to be very depressing.
... I think his tone, I think calling Barack Obama a kid, he is a United
States senator." (Politico, 1/8/08)
Sorry, Donna, Bill Clinton didn't call Obama or his campaign a 'fiary tale.' He said Obama's Iraq war narrative in regards to his campaign is a fairy tale. And it is. Someone cannot run a campaign based on an anti-war speech given from a safe Democratic state seat, then go on to remove that speech from his website, become a US Senator, vote for every Iraq war-empowering legislation that comes up (up to the time he announced his presidential bid), state he doesn't know how he would have voted had he been a US Senator, say his beliefs on the war are close to those of Bush's, and then claim he has been against the war from the start. That is the very definition of 'fairy tale.' And it isn't racist.
Besides, Obama himself used the term to describe the New Orleans Saints unlikely 2006 season
when they mostly African-American football team came to Chicago for the National Football Conference title game.
Amaya Smith
South Carolina Press Secretary
Obama for America
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