The columnist Michael Kinsley once defined a "gaffe" as an occasion when a politician accidentally tells the truth. In our age of political correctness, some would place Geraldine Ferraro's remarks into this category. Long known for speaking candidly, Ferraro recently remarked that "if Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."
There's a molecule of truth in this. Obama's appeal is that he is an African American who doesn't sound one bit like Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. Blacks are inspired to see one of their own have a serious shot at the presidency. Whites are relieved that Obama doesn't seem to be motivated by the kind of chronic resentment that seems all too prevalent in black America.
Taken this way, Ferraro is stating the obvious. It's equally obvious, by the way, that if Hillary was male--and not married to Bill Clinton--she wouldn't be in her position. Hillary came to national prominence not through her own efforts but through the success of her husband. Virtually all her "experience" prior to being elected Senator is in fact Bill Clinton's experience. She wouldn't even have been elected to the Senate without Bill. So she too owes a great deal to her gender and her "first wife" position.
In a deeper sense, though, Ferraro's insinuation is completely wrong. In reality Obama's political success is due to far more than race. He brings some unique and very attractive qualities at a time when the country wants and needs them. Obama is a man of unquestionable intelligence and grace, and this is why the affirmative action label seems especially unjust when applied to him.
To me Ferraro's comments illustrate two things. First, they show the depths to which Hillary flacks are willing to go. It's typical of the Hillary camp that a sidekick like Ferraro attempts to plunge the knife into Obama while Hillary feigns ignorance and plays nice. Second, Ferraro's attack illustrates how some prominent liberals deep down think that all blacks are only capable of advancing because they are black.
In a way liberal support for racial preferences can be understood as an attempt to cope with this situation. We often hear liberal activists say, "If it wasn't for affirmative action there would be virtually no blacks in top universities." The implication of course is that blacks on their own merits are incapable of getting into Harvard and Berkeley.
The cruel irony of affirmative action is that it reinforces and strengthens liberal perceptions of black inferiority. Athough Obama seems smart enough to have gotten into Harvard, it's quite possible that affirmative action policies were partly responsible for his admission. Consequently policies of racial preference have the effect of placing an invisible question mark alongside the achievements of all persons of color.
When Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court, it wasn't the Ku Klux Klan or the skinheads who said, "He's just there because he's black." It was the liberal Senators and activist groups that said this. Now Ferraro is saying the same thing about Obama.
Perhaps the day is not far when African Americans will wake up and start asking, "Do these politices of racial preferences actually hurt more than they help?" and "Isn't it time we stopped assuming that liberal Democrats like Ferraro and Hillary are our natural allies?"
Reader Comments ( Page 7 of 12)
91. Obama should be in prayer for this whole thing! And only he himself can hear the voice of God...there are 3 voices in this world, there is God's voice (sometimes we don't think we hear it, because God has already said what he expects, and we aren't listening! We are in rebellion), there is Satan's voice, and there is our own voice...We need to hear God's voice in the matter...I am praying that if the presidency will cost Obama his relationship with God, that he WON'T get the presidency!
Bridget at 12:56PM on Mar 15th 2008
92. Bridget,
There is a difference when your preacher preaches against sin and when he tries to make sin a written policy against those who don't believe in sin. Why should non believers have to put up with church policies? Keep it at home and in your life, not in government.
goddess1prevail at 12:58PM on Mar 15th 2008
93. bama, neither am I...when he was confronted about his pastor, which do you think he should have said?
Bridget at 12:59PM on Mar 15th 2008
94. goddess, I don't believe the government should have power over a person's conscience either, God Himself wouldn't want that, He wants you to come to Him freely on your own merit
Bridget at 1:01PM on Mar 15th 2008
95. "The church can be just as corrupt as the govt. I know first hand! I have witnessed it all of my life! You need to go into church with your eyes OPEN! or it CAN and WILL ruin you!"
The Church is by far more corrupt than our Government. Especially the Catholic church which is a world wide operation.
Since you are calling Obama, Osama, I know how you feel.
Maybe being President is his calling. To start a new way of politics. A politics that doesn't have outside influences.
I don't think this can ever be 100% achieved, but something different from the last 30 years would be nice.
But as Citizens, we need to examine the candidates and see how they are as leaders.
Right now, Obama has my vote. We'll see how it plays out in November.
Botts at 1:04PM on Mar 15th 2008
96. Botts, I don't think it's a place for a man of God, I think it will ruin him
Bridget at 1:06PM on Mar 15th 2008
97. oh sorry, I mean Obama
Bridget at 1:07PM on Mar 15th 2008
98. You may be right Botts
Bridget at 1:10PM on Mar 15th 2008
99. My housework calls latah all, have a wundahful day!
Bridget at 1:11PM on Mar 15th 2008
100. Its not what Obama should have said. Its what he should have done 20 years ago... Found a church thats not based on hate.
TheSourc at 1:29PM on Mar 15th 2008
101. I agree with a lot of what you are saying but you did not tell the whole story of affirmative action.
It helped all races of people. At least minorities have to make the grade point average to be accepted. No all people, like George W. Bush and no one is upset about that. This is fact read about it. It's called legacy admissions
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/20/timep.affirm.action.tm/
Jay at 4:44PM on Mar 15th 2008
102. Dinesh, Affirmative Action is a help to everyone who is not a white male,(including white women) after all if you are a person of color accepted into any university or job that was considered a "white male domain", it was because of Affirmative Action, this comment also pertains to you. It is strange how people who are not African American or Black never want to recognize the truth of Affirmative Action and how it has helped them more than it does Black Americans. Believe it or not there is a quota for all people of color.
G. at 7:31PM on Mar 18th 2008
103. DD says: "We often hear liberal activists say, 'If it wasn't for affirmative action there would be virtually no blacks in top universities.' The implication of course is that blacks on their own merits are incapable of getting into Harvard and Berkeley."
Where did DD get this? This is typical for DD. He offers no sources, he just creates a straw man. DD, give us some examples of "liberal activists" who have said that. DD does this a lot to make his points. DD says white liberals think black people are intellectually inferior. That's bullshit.
What's missing from DD's analysis is the fact that education is not equal in this country. Richer school districts can offer better educational opportunities. Kids who live in poorer communities tend to have less offered in their schools. So poorer black -- and white -- kids don't have the opportunities that kids -- black and white -- have in wealthier suburbs or private schools. And historically a higher percentage of black kids have been stuck in struggling school districts. There's nothing wrong with tipping the scales to help out kids who don't have the same opportunities kids in richer school districts enjoy.
If we were really serious about educating everybody in this country, we would do something to help, financially and otherwise, poorer school districts improve.
The bottom line is DD is intellectually dishonest. It's beyond me why any respectable publishing house would print his drivel.
Groover Cleveland at 8:35PM on Mar 15th 2008
104. WHY WOULD I CARE WHAT A PERSON THAT IS NOT AMERICAN THINKS ABOUT AMERICAN POLITICS. ISN'T THERE AN AMERICAN WHO WANTS THIS JOB??
sam at 2:37PM on Mar 15th 2008
105. Dinesh, have you not heard of Obama's long standing relationship with the America hating Rev. Wright who preached the politics of resentment from his Afro centric pulpit every Sunday ? The very church Obama has attended for 20 years. Described by Obama himself as his "spiritual Advisor" do you really believe Obama has not also been infected by the politics of resentment preached by Rev. Wright ? Birds of a feather flock together and Ferraro was right on the mark about Obama.
BILL at 2:47PM on Mar 15th 2008