Electoral Editorial

Hillary Concerned About the Hurt Truth Causes

By Rosevelt Franklin ⋅ March 13, 2008 ⋅ Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Hillary Clinton apologized to black voters for remarks made by Geraldine Ferarro while serving as a member of Clinton’s finance committee. Ms. Ferarro insinuated that Barack Obama would not have made it as far in the race for President if he were not black. Clinton made haste to apologize for the remarks which many (including her campaign advisors) viewed as culturally insensitive. No consideration was made for the fact that Ms. Ferarro’s remarks are absolutely true. But, true or not, those comments could have hurt someone’s feelings and there is no place for that in government.

The good numbers coming out of think tanks and research agencies alike indicate that this primary election is being influenced substantially by the participation of first-time and sporadic voters. If those voters get their feelings hurt, they may likely never participate in the empty façade of status-quo legitimation we call ‘democracy’ again. Senator Clinton and her advisors recognized that hurt feelings can lose primaries and made every effort to distance herself from Ms. Ferarro’s true-but-potentially-mildly-off-putting statements. Her strong-minded advisors composed her a strongly-worded response,

“I certainly do repudiate it 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.”

Reasoned discussion of sensitive issues that could and do have a profound impact on America is no way to win an election. Hillary Clinton knows that, which is why she has repeatedly relied on empty and reductionist rhetoric. The truth hurts – feelings. Empty and reductionist rhetoric makes people feel warm and fuzzy, hopeful and it keeps them interested in voting. That is why Americans can look forward to endless quagmires of the stuff as candidates race each other to out-coddle their constituents