How anyone can defend Ferraro's comments is beyond me.

[Drunken Irishman]

I just do not get it.

I hear the defense that she said being black HELPED him in some instances. But that is not what she said. She suggested being black was the only advantage Obama had in this campaign. It was the only reason he was winning. That is the offensive part of this comment that too many people ignore.

The fact Ferraro has had now 48 hours to come out and clarify her comments and she hasn't, is more damning than the words she originally spoke. It tells me she actually believes Obama is only in this position because of the color of his skin and that is utterly offensive. It's offensive to his life and what he's been able to accomplish over the years. It's offensive to his supporters, insinuating the only reason we support him is because he's black and it's offensive to blacks in general, because it's as if she is saying no black person could ever be qualified or skilled enough to run for president.

Well she is wrong. Obama has proven over the years he's not only a skillful politician, he's an amazing person who has done something no Democrat has been able to do in nearly 50 years -- inspire people to mobilize. Obama entered this race with a message of inspirational hope and change and it tapped into the core values of many Democratic voters thirsting to shake up the status quo. His message, not his color, drew thousands of people to his campaign. His message, not his color, took him from 20 points behind in the polls, to leading in most. Obama is no blacker today than he was when this race started a year ago, yet his popularity has grown and his call for every voter to unify and work for change has reverberated from the east coast to the west coast, overpowering this nation in a blanket of hope, optimism and real change so many of us have wanted the past eight years. It's that message, that call from Obama that has made him the leader in this election. And those actions are a direct result of his hard work and his abilities -- not his race.

As Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his I Have a Dream Speech, we should not judge people by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. For Obama, it's all about character and that is why I am supporting him. To me, this is not an issue about his race, but an issue about who I think can unite this country behind the hopes and dreams of this generation and each and every generation of Americans who lost their lives fighting for those very causes, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Obama, in my view, will do just that. His vision has transcended generational and racial barriers and I have no doubt it will raise this country up out of the bleakness we've been plagued with the past 7 years. That is his doing and his ability, not the doing of the color of his skin.

[emilyg]

1. I defend her right to her opinion.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Defend her opinion, but the comments were out of line.

I guess Steve King has the right to slam Obama on his background and state terrorists will dance in the street, but it doesn't make him right.

Ferraro wasn't right here. Her comments were insensitive and uncalled for.

[papau]

7. As do I - she said concept drives campaign -hers in 84 and his now - that's not racist

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Racist is saying the person is only where he is because of the color of his skin.

[sniffa]

18. go away

[TwilightGardener]

3. Worst part--the GOP is now saying "Geraldine's right--he is only

succeeding because of his skin color." Pat Buchanan, the WSJ...Clinton's campaign made it OK to attack Barack on the basis of his skin color. The comments and the wishy-washy Hillary reaction opened the door and made it OK for Repubs to go where they previously feared to tread, because a DEMOCRAT said it first--it must be OK. And now, Obama will be damaged for the general election, possibly, which is all that Hillary wants. I feel genuinely sick about this.

[AGirl]

4. He wouldn't be where he is now in the primary if he was not black and a guy. Fact.

I don't need to defend it. It is the truth. Oh and your mother is a woman.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Another racist for "ignore". I'm running out of Hillary supporters that I can see.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. I can't see this person to begin with.

[AGirl]

11. I guess your question was meant to be rhetorical than.

[Levgreee]

14. This is how they defend it. They're ignorant.

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

:thumbsup:

[silverojo]

9. I used to admire Gerry Ferarro

In fact, she's the reason I got involved in volunteering for political campaigns. But this statement of hers is truly reprehensible. Even more reprehensible is the fact that she was on HRC's campaign staff to begin with, acting as one of HRC's attack dogs...instead of growing disgusted at Hillary's increasingly vicious attacks on Barack Obama over the past weeks/months.

It was nice knowing you, Gerry. :(

[NanceGreggs]

12. "The fact Ferraro has had now 48 hours ...

... to come out and clarify her comments and she hasn't, is more damning than the words she originally spoke."

Precisely.

In the past 48 hours, I have seen post after post here about "what she meant to say", when the woman who made the remarks has said nothing herself to clarify what she "meant to say" that was taken out of context.

THAT says everything.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. Yup.

I can understand, when you're speaking, sometimes words don't come out the way you hope. If she would have come out shortly after and said "Look, I don't mean to disparage Obama's accomplishments, because he's obviously a very intelligent man who has worked to get where he is. However, the fact he is the first viable black candidate has created a strong aura around him," to me, that doesn't sound so bad and I think her comments would have been largely ignored. However, she hasn't and now it's too late.

[NanceGreggs]

16. Right again, my friend ...

I'm sure that between us, we could think of several dozen ways she could have diffused the situation with a simple statement.

She chose NOT to do so.

'Nuff said?

[dorktv]

15. John Edwards

[s0ulablaze]

17. Well put, my friend!

We need to check this woman for senility! Well, she is right
about one thing, though: “If he were a white man, he would not
be in this position”.  For one, I'm sure this competition
between Him and Hilary wouldn't still be going on.  It
probably wouldn't have made it past the first lost, let alone
the eleventh!

The implication that Obama hasn't made his advancements based
on his hard work, character, and intellect because he's black
is...la, la, la (If I don't say it, it doesn't exist, right?
[I wish]).  Fortunately, I know ignoring an issue only makes
it worse, so I'll say it: “It's racist!!!!” (I didn’t think it
even needed to be said that he’s made it this far “in spite
of” being black!).  This is also true for the implication that
black people can't possibly make an informed decision, and can
only base their support for Obama on his race!  

Let’s stop insulting other people’s intelligence by trying to
undermine it!  We only show the depth of our own ignorance
when we do this.  All of these manipulative efforts are very
transparent!  The Clinton campaign’s arrogance is so silly
that it’s not even funny!  For instance, the constant
criticism about Obama’s lack of “experience” is an obvious
attempt to undermine his “intelligence”, since she hardly has
any more “experience” herself in dealing with the issues she
references.  Again, I don’t see a difference between “reject”
and “denounce” either.  These are synonyms!  Once more, I
can’t agree more with Obama: How are you going to suggest that
the person winning settle for being number 2?  I don’t see how
“quitting while you’re ahead” is beneficial in this instance! 
But, then again, the implication is that they obviously know
something more than everyone else, so when can everyone else
be privy to this knowledge?  

One Love,
ZiN


P.S. Have a happy & safe St. Patty's Day, and throw one
back for me!