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DEL.ICIO.USA Democratic primary debate conducted in code — mostly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This morning and into the afternoon, all you had to do to see into the heart of the Democratic presidential primary was to look deeply into your television screen, and listen.
Carefully.
First came Barack Obama, on ABC’s “Good Morning, America,” to complain about President Bill Clinton’s criticism of the Obama movement.
“You know the former president, who I think all of us have a lot of regard for, has taken his advocacy on behalf of his wife to a level that I think is pretty troubling,” Obama said. “He continues to make statements that are not supported by the facts — whether it’s about my record of opposition to the war in Iraq or our approach to organizing in Las Vegas.”
Obama was in a TV studio, not a church. He could speak plainly.
The rest of the conversation occurred in Georgia, and was mostly in code. At the new Ebeneezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue, in the midst of the Martin Luther King ceremonies, Mayor Shirley Franklin — a newly confessed Obama supporter — was the most brazen.
The mayor marveled at a presidential race that included a Mormon, a Baptist preacher, a former First Lady, and a black man. She told of a country on the “cusp of turning the impossible into reality. Yes, this is reality, not fantasy or fairy tales.”
And yes, that was a slap at former President Clinton, who had used the Grimm phrasing to describe a slice of Obama rhetoric. Clinton, too, was at Ebeneezer, sitting directly in front of Franklin. When she finished, the house stood. Clinton did not.
Then came U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop of southwest Georgia, another Obama supporter. He spoke of the need to rally behind the “Joshua generation.” To cover politics in the South, learn your Bible. Joshua was the fellow who led the Jews into the land of Israel after Moses showed the way.
The reference comes straight from a speech Obama made last March in Selma, Ala., thanking the “Moses generation” — think John Lewis and Andrew Young — for its past work.
But the artist of the subliminal message on Martin Luther King Day was Bill Clinton himself. It’s easy to forget just how good he was, and still is, when it comes to connecting.
He took his audience back 44 years, to the August day when King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Clinton said:
“I was sitting alone in my house, in a family where I was the first person to go to college. I had not started yet. Listening to that speech alone, I remember the chair I was sitting in, I remember where it was in the room, I remember what I saw, I remember cryin’ like a baby, I remember saying, ‘This is the America I want to be a part of.’”
Translation: “I’ve been with you since my beginning.”
Then he spoke of the fiery days after King’s assassination in 1968:
“So Washington D.C., where I was in school, went up in flames, and I got a little Red Cross signature and I taped it on my car, and I kept bring supplies down into the African-American communities that burned, where people were living in church basements because the churches had been left alone from the violence. And they were taking people in.”
Translation: “I’ve been on the front lines, on your side.”
Then Clinton said this:
“When I was a boy, my heart was touched by the word and the example and the sacrifice of an astonishing man who said I, too, could be part of his beloved community. Me and all my Southern cracker kinfolks with our limited education and limited income, we could be part of it, too.”
Translation: “Martin Luther King invited us into the movement. We’re family, and shouldn’t be locked out.”
And there was this:
“I am old enough to remember what it was like in the summer of 1967, in Washington D.C., where every single night I could go down and listen to people debate whether King was right or wrong. I heard young, angry people with absolutely legitimate grievances say, ‘Dr. King is wrong. We are never going to get anything done, we will never get where we want to go, unless we push people around and we beat them up and let them know we’re going to be violent because we have been denied for too long.
“It’s easy for the young people here to forget. That was a debate. There were serious people who thought this should be done.”
Translation: “The Joshua generation has been wrong before. Enthusiasm can break a movement as easily as it can make one.”
And this:
“This is a time for humility, because there are many storm clouds along the horizon and around the world. And we still talk better than we do. We still talk better than we do. All of us…”
“None of us should fall in love with our gifts…We’ve been without Martin Luther King for 39 year and 42 weeks, on the 40th birthday observation. For 39 years and 42 weeks, the advancement of his dream had depended on the rest of us.
“Let us be humble, and realize that St. Paul was right when he said that love was even more important than faith and hope.”
Translation: Surely by now, none should be necessary.
Services »
Comments
By Jesse Helms
January 21, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this
Facts, stubborn things, are sealed until 2027. But, the gist is already known: King had ties to the communists, had bestial sexual proclivities (especially when he was drinking), thought JFK’s assassination was funny, and plagiarized many of his academic works. It’s merely a sign of white guilt & stupidity that he gets a federal holiday while Washington & Lincoln have to share a generic one.
By Bubba Li Cious
January 21, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this
Thats my cussin Billy talkin there. You tell em cussin. I dunt know whut you sayin but that is alright. Cuz I know you always knows whut is is.
By Dave
January 21, 2008 8:09 PM | Link to this
Thanks. Well reported and written.
By shirley
January 21, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this
In celebrating the King legacy for me it is always important to remember whom we celebrate. A bold, audacious, outspoken leader who made few people comfortable yet inspired people to action. I respect Senator Clinton and John Edwards and have said so publicly. In the current Democratic primary I prefer Senator Obama and have said so. What’s new about that? Or shocking? My read of King’s legacy and the Civil Rights Movement is that dreams do come true and fairy tales become reality. Today my remarks about the origins, power and possibility of dreams becoming reality were firmly in the King tradition.
By K. Steph
January 21, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
WTF are you talking about Jesse Helmes???? You are showing everyone how ignorant you are! Where do you get your information from???
By dirty white boy
January 21, 2008 8:57 PM | Link to this
Sanford Bishop just lost his congressional district next time around.
Shirley can forget about anything except running against Hank Johnson after she leaves office. I thought both had crossed the color line, but I was wrong.
DWB.
By Breed
January 21, 2008 8:57 PM | Link to this
None mentioned deserve a holiday. It is all a crock of pooh.
By Nancy
January 21, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this
None of us are - or ever will be - perfect. We should only judge by whether the good outweighs the bad.
By George
January 21, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this
Shame on Mayor Franklin. She crossed the line.
By george
January 21, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
it looks to me as if basack husin obama is trying to start a race war this is not about race its about the united states of america if he does not like what someone says he should just put out the proof that what is said is false.i for one thought he would make a good pres.now i am not so sure.
By Acho Atsin
January 21, 2008 9:17 PM | Link to this
It is very stupid of any human being to thing of the difference between others. We are all created equal with red blood flowing in each of our veins,breathing the same oxygen and etc,I do not understand where this gap came from and where will it lead this beautiful country to?I am against racial discrimination
By mary
January 21, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
WE DO NOT NEED OR WANT BILLIE BOY IN THE WHITE HOUSE AGAIN.SO WHY DOES HE NOT STAY OUT OF THE RACE HE IS NOT RUNNING. STAY BEHIND HILLERY AND ACK LIKE THE OTHER SPOUCES OF THE CANADITES ARE DOING. LET HILLERY RUN AND SAY THINGS FOR HERSELF.
By Churchill
January 21, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this
It is Hillary’s turn. Obama needs to understand that.
By Scott
January 21, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
Are you people really believing this Clinton drivel? Come on now. Do you really believe that Bill Clinton remembers where his chair was sitting in the room on the day of King’s famous speech? Do you really, I mean really, believe he “cried like a baby”? If you people really believe Bill Clinton spoke the truth today, then our republic truly is in great peril.
By Churchill
January 21, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
They believe. Believe me.
Anybody But Hillary
By newanda
January 21, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
“It is Hillary’s turn. Obama needs to understand that.” Says who? When did the presidency become something that a person is entitled to? And what does Obama need to understand? That he isn’t being a good boy and waiting his turn? Or that he doesn’t know his place? The former smacks of entitlement, privilege, and elitism. The latter implies something far worse. The United States is a democracy, not a monarchy. ANYONE can run for president and anyone can win. I’m tired of the “it’s her turn” argument. She’s not entitled to anything. She needs to make her case like everyone else and let the voters decide.
By Jeri
January 21, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this
I agree with Scott. Clinton says what he wants with no regard for the truth. He also does what is expedient for his (yes, his!) political career. What if one of the male nominee prospects’ wife behaved like Bill Clinton is? Would you want a president with a spouse behaving like a juvenile behind him? We know the Clinton relationship is nil—the marriage is a front because a divorcee’ could never hope to win any nomination for any high political office i.e. state senator or U.S. president. If the American public elects Clinton they deserve everything that results! Thanks for the place to vent my stuff!
By Michael
January 21, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Using a church any church in the support of any political candidate violates the IRS code giving a church a tax free status. The Mayor and the US Rep were in the wrong. The IRS needs to look into the tax free status of this and any church that uses the pulpit as a political platform. Dr King supported civil rights for all people but did not ever support political persons from his pulit. Some of his “would be followers” need to go back and learn what Dr King was really about. A church is no place to favor or run down from the pulpit any candidate.
By Churchill
January 21, 2008 10:15 PM | Link to this
She thinks it her turn.
By Sheila
January 21, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
Pretty smug remarks on MLK from Bill Clinton whose inane prison sentencing policy left more disenfranchised blacks in the dirt then any other president. Consider the difference in sentencing for a poor non-violent drug offender (e.g., one from a low-income black neighborhood), versus a rich businessman with a coke habit. Bill Clinton relishes in the free pass Toni Morrison gave him as the “first black president”, and now he’s throwing tantrums that a black candidate may in fact impede his imperial march to a third term in the White House. Ironic, eh?
By TK
January 21, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Hear, hear, Scott! Who would want Slick Willy back in the White House anyway? Between Monica, Whitewater & the White House silverware, the Clintons have both already proven their dishonesty.
And Obama? Shame on you for playing the race card! This is not about race or “fairy tales”. As Edwards said, this “…is about what we are trying to do for our country.”
Hillary and Barack?, behave yourselves! Slick Willy? sit down and shut-up! Edwards? there were three people in that debate, speak up or you’ll never be heard.
Me, unless a decent independent comes along, looks like I’ll be voting Republican.
By joseph baur
January 21, 2008 10:34 PM | Link to this
Obama talks as if putting him in the White House is CHANGE, but, what most people dont pay attention to is the fact that women have been held back longer and more than blacks!!! How many women are in congress and the senate? And, how long have they been there? Plus, Obama TOTALLY DISRESPECTS OUR COUNTRY AND OUR SERVICEMEN!
By AuthenticAinsworth
January 21, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
I never thought I would hear a better speech given by Oprah Winfrey on behalf of Sen.Obama,but Atlanta Mayor, Shirley Franklin,speech take the cake.The Mayor’s speech was audacious,sensational,and unpretentious,contrary to the News headlines, that dominate the media. For example;”Atlanta mayor takes political shot at Bill Clinton”which one writer said,”that was a slap at former President Clinton”.The mayor talk the truth,and it becomes a shot and slap,maybe Bill Clinton needs a slap,for going to black Churches and fall asleep.Mayor,Franklin,said what needed to be said to dispel the MYTH of Bill Clinton.Myth#1 that he’s the first black President.Myth#2 he did a lot for black people,yet,he had no blacks in his cabinet.Myth#3 Bill Clinton is the only President to cut poor mothers with children off welfare,and force them to live in shelters.Myth#4 he raised and tax the poor and middle-class,then said,”I know I tax you too much”.And the biggest myth of all is Myth#5 he left office with the budget in surplus,but failed to tell the American people that,he was raiding the Social Security Funds.Most people don’t remember that Al Gore was talking about this,in reference to the locked box.Myth#6 Sen.Clinton experience,she was delegated one assigment,to overall the Nation Health Care Program,and failed miserable,then blame the Republicans.Her penchant for blaming other people for her failure is so widespread,that’s why the Republicans would like to run against her.She voted for the war, then say,”it’s George Bush’s war” how could it be George Bush’s war when she voted for it.The rest of the world is looking with interest at this election,for the following reasons:They see in Obama a new breed of leader,that will bring stability to the world,and peace on earth and goodwill to all men. Yes,Obama is fighting an uphill battle to get the Democratic Party nomination,he’s fighting Bill,Hillary,and Edwards,who is in the race to takeaway Delegates from Obama,then turn them over to Clinton.That’s why Mayor Franklin, steped in.The rest of the world know that Edwards is there to stop Obama.But history is on Obama side.
By joseph baur
January 21, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this
Obama talks as if putting him in the White House is CHANGE, but, what most people dont pay attention to is the fact that women have been held back longer and more than blacks!!! How many women are in congress and the senate? And, how long have they been there? Plus, Obama TOTALLY DISRESPECTS OUR COUNTRY AND OUR SERVICEMEN! Don’t just take my word for it! See it for yourself!!! http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp
By joseph baur
January 21, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this
Plus, he smirks at people like George Bush!!! He acts as if he’s putting stuff over on us; just like George Bush!
By Disenchanted Voter
January 21, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
I am a “white” female and am tired of our current political system and would like to see change. I listened to Obama and liked things he had to say. However, I just do not see his capacity to implement change after looking at his record. Did he vote present on issues at home because he didn’t understand them or because he wished to remain neutral? Did he not take the time to be informed enough to vote on them? I am afraid that given a choice between Obama or voting republican that status quo is better than a man who cannot take a stand on an issue and support his position with reason and logic. I don’t like NAFTA and would like immigration reform in order to protect Americans jobs. And, I mean that not just directed at borders but also at corporate sellouts. I want to buy American Made but it gets harder to find it every day. Regardless of my decision to vote, I have begun to make sure my friends are registered to vote. I guess you could say I feel it is unresponsible to not vote when your vote counts. Mr. Obama, that is all the more important a thing to do when that is what your supporters expect of an elected official. Take a stand!
By TK
January 21, 2008 10:50 PM | Link to this
“AuthenticAinsworth” says the only reason Edwards is in the race is to take votes away from Obama and give them to Clinton.
That’s about the most idiotic thing I’ve heard concerning this presidential race!
By Glenn Crawford
January 21, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
My daughter(Mercer Univ. student) my wife and I attempted to attend a rally for Hillary Clinton(Bill was speaking) at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. earlier today. We waited two hours in the bitter cold until we were turned away at the door. Then we had no idea if we were to be let in or not. At least 1000 people were turned away after waiting for 2 hours!. The Clinton campaign totally mismanaged the entire affair and left scores of people furious at the lack of concern shown to the public that took a day off from work to see President Clinton speak. It turns out the Clinton campaign knew all along how many could be fit in the arena but did not count out to that number in the line and have the consideration to tell the others to forget getting in. The cops came out and threatened to taser the peaceful crowd of elderly and students if they did not clear the building in 5 minutes. The Mercer students were not given any kind of preferential treatment for entry even though it was on their campus. The crowd began chanting Obama! Obama! as they were removed from the building. Shoddy treatment by the Clintons
By bart simpson
January 21, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this
Joseph Baur has it right. Have you looked at the site he put in his second posting? And, women have been held back more, but, you don’t hear them whining about it like the blacks do. Plus, Hillary is more interested in the LONG-TERM. She wants to leave a legacy, and I don’t mean, “…being the first woman president.” She wants to be remembered for fixing things and she has the intelligence, drive and experience to do it right!!! Obama simply doesn’t. Maybe in 2016. Actually, he would make an EXCELLENT vice president, and that would put him in the perfect position to run for president in 2016! Then he could spend 16 years in the White House instead of 8! Obama for VP with Hillary as President! Right on!!!!!!
By Diana
January 21, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this
It is shameful that Obama resorted to bringing Bill Clinton into the equation. Obviously it is because Hillary is a strong candidate that can hold her own and the former Presidents folly is her only negative. By bringing Bill Clinton when it was uncalled for is to remind people of Lewinsky (which had nothing to do with how well Clinton ran our economy…he left us with a surplus) but no one can refer to Obama’s past mishaps. Everyone in the media is walking on egg shells as not to offend Obama because they will be accused of being a bigot or trying to keep a brother down. Now is that the kind of president we want??? At least with Bush we can freely express what we think of him.
By joseph baur
January 21, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this
What do you mean about, “how could Bill Clinton remember where he was,” when MLK gave this famous speech? I remember EXACTLY where I was when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon and uttered his famous words. And, that was only a few years later. (I’m a little younger, too.) Just because you have a prejudice againt Bill Clinton is no excuse to denigrate his memories as being, “made-up.”
By bart simpson
January 21, 2008 11:19 PM | Link to this
Right on! I hate Bush, but, it’s true! At least you can express an honest opinion without him shouting, “racial prejiduce,” or something like that!
By TK
January 21, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
In reference to Diana’s comment concerning Bill Clinton: I am sick & tired of people claiming that Lewinsky had nothing to do with the performance of the President. Hogwash! Bill Clinton lied under oath and cost the American taxpayers millions of dollars during the investigation. And the other overused line: he was wonderful for our economy. Again hogwash. Maybe the government had a surplus, but the average Joe-Blow didn’t. I, for one, was much better off financially in 1992 than I was in 2000.
But this is getting off-track. Hillary does not deserve the Presidency because she’s a woman anymore than Obama deserves it because he’s a person of color. It’s about honesty, integrity and doing what’s best for our country…and neither of those two have shown anything but interest in themselves.
By Disenchanted Voter
January 21, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this
I was young but I remember where I was when MLK and when Bobby Kennedy were shot. I remember my mother crying (and I am white). In 1967 (at the age of 7) I remember being in Poughkeepsie, NY and being driven by a coworker of my father’s(who worked for IBM) as he gave us the tour of the town since we were newly arrived. Once turning on the main street, crowds of people were running at us down the street, jumping over the hoods, roofs, and trunks of the car. Gunshots were randomly fired in the night while police lined the street just standing there not moving. The next morning a drive through town revealed many busted out windows of businesses and smoldering fires. Small shop owners suffered, including black owned businesses. At seven years old I saw alot. My family was safe but the crowds took advantage of the riot and stole what they could before burning out the rest.
By An American
January 21, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this
Which one is running for President, Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton or both?
By Diana
January 22, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
TK, I am glad you are financially better now, as for this average jane things are the opposite. If we do an honest recall, The republican obsession with getting Clinton is what cost the American tax payer millions of dollars. When they could not get him as a president they had to resort to his personal life. How many married men do know are going to admit to the world they had a bj or so regardless of where it took place?
I don’t believe anyone has a right to be president but for Dems, Hillary and Obama are two of our choices. If you thoroughly read about past presidents only a handful actually may have had intergrity and less than that were actually honest. They just happened to be fortunate enough not to have a media presence as there is today. So it will be potluck if our next president possess such quality. If they exhibit it now there is a good chance it will fly out the window after inuaguration.
By Tom Watson
January 22, 2008 12:28 AM | Link to this
K Steph, YOU are the one who is ignorant. The information quoted is from FBI files. Try reading them. Oh, you can’t, since they are sealed until 2027. This is to protect King’s shoeshine from being exposed as the commie dupe and deviant that he was. As for the plagiarism, you don’t have to obtain the FBI files to confirm that; it has been a proven fact for many years. Too bad that this black demi-god is a fraud.
By UGAUGAUGA
January 22, 2008 12:30 AM | Link to this
Now I know why Bill Clinton knows so much about fairy tales. The ones he told from the Ebenezer podium were classic Clinton fairy tales ( a nice way to say “lies”).
He grew up in a thoroughly segregated Arkansas and lived contently in segregation until he found it politically necessary to consider another perspective, and was drug kicking and screaming, like the rest of us, into realizing what an immoral state it is.
He would say anything to get elected and if he can get his wife elected, he can serve another four years as president, or his wife will be so busy that she won’t pay attention to his comings and goings. He is a pathetic, small little man!
By R. Marchand
January 22, 2008 12:57 AM | Link to this
I don’t care how impressed the author of this article is with Bill Clinton’s speech, Bill Clinton is a liar, a user and abuser of women, a dirty cheating politician, and a very power hungry man who needs attention every second, and who is ENORMOUSLY JEALOUS of Barack Obama. Bill can’t stand the fact that Obama is in the limelight, and is more inspiring and brilliant than he every was or could ever be again. Bill Clinton is getting older, doesn not look good (red face et al) is increasingly angry and, in my opinion, is kind of going off the deep end. I hope Barack Obama keeps taking the high road as far as Bill and Hillary are concerned, because they are really out to destroy him and they will use any means possible to accomplish this.
By NinaK
January 22, 2008 2:11 AM | Link to this
AuthenticAinsworth: Very well said, thank you!!
You know what, I look at the Clintons and I cringe at the thought of them being in our nation’s White House. They had their day in the sun and they messed up badly with all their scandals, lies, deceit, spins, and coverups and investigations that cost tax payers millions of dollars. Look at their campaigning, Hillary has run a shoddy campaign, her team has spread horrible lies about Senator Obama, Hillary brought up the race card with her comments about MLK. (It was not Sen Obama who responded to it, he took the high road; it was black leaders that objected to her comments, but of course, she blamed Sen Obama (there she goes, lying again!). Her friends, Johnson and Coumo made racial comments; Johnson tried to fannagle out of it but ultimately ended up apologizing to Sen Obama. Coumo said that’s not what he meant. Bill Clinton alluded to race as well. By the way, just who is running for Prez? Hillary or Bill? I’m beginning to think it’s Bill. Bill and Hillary are liers and their slash & burn tactics are huring our democracy and our country. A big test of which candidate would be a better President is in how they run their campaign. Hillary cannot manage a decent campaign, she cannot manage her team, and she cannot manage her husband. How does she expect us to believe she can be the leader of the United States??? She cannot, period!
By ED
January 22, 2008 6:38 AM | Link to this
The political machine has duped you. Why would you vote for anyone just because they are black or female. People should be talking about actual issues and where each candidate stands with respect to those issues. The candidates don’t want you having intelligent discussions. They want you to take a side based on gender and race. It’s up to you to learn how each candidate approaches the war, the economy, health care, etc. I hope base my decision on the facts and nothing more.
By merger_king
January 22, 2008 8:07 AM | Link to this
How does calling someone’s WAR VOTE “a fairy tale” the same as calling their legitimancy to run “a fairy tale”?
Why hasn’t the media taken Oboma to task for twisting what Clinton said?
And why does every King day speech have to insult digitaries who come?
A Coretta’s funeral, someone ripped Bush, yesterday, Mayor Franklin (who with her daughter’s problems and ex husband’s troubles has plenty of baggage) ripped Bill Clinton.
At least Bill had the class to take the high road, as Bush did. It is a shame some of these black leaders can’t follow suite.
By Copyleft
January 22, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
King was a hero, a noble man, and an inspiration. All the “commie” accusations in the world aren’t going to soil his legacy (or redeem McCarthy’s).
Joseph: What on earth are you talking about, Obama “totally disrespecting our country and troops”? How has he done that—by not singing along with the National Anthem? Sounds like you’re more concerned with appearances than with substance.
By Spence
January 22, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
NinaK, its people like you that are destroying Obama’s candidacy. Do you not understand the pure lunacy? That the Clintons somehow went from Black hero to enemy number one over night? Over something trivial.
There will never be a Black President if the Black community continues to use these tactics. In reality you are creating a separate political party. If thats what Blacks want there is nothing at all wrong with that. It will however decrease your power.
Blacks could end up alienating a lot of liberal whites that have very much supported your battles.
Why alienate every possible ally?