The Dark Side of the Clintons

One big reason why I cannot support Sen. Clinton is that when it comes to campaigning, they love to take a page (several, really) out of the Rove/GOP playbook of dirty politics.

Page #1: Dog-whistle race-baiting (Paul Krugman discusses this strategy- here). There's been a pattern in the last few weeks of surrogates of the Clintons using coded language to attack Obama based on his race... including, but not limited to, the "imaginary hip black friend" remark, the "shuck and jive" comment, the Bob Kerrey stuff, etc.

The latest such incident involves Clinton ally, BET founder (and former Bush ally) Bob Johnson, who said, "To me, as an African American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved..." Winkwink!! Johnson was forced to backpedal, stating said his comments referred to Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago "and nothing else." To call this shameless would be an understatment.

Page #2: Smear campaign/Distorting your opponent's record. The Clinton campaign has gone after Obama with the full Rove, reminding voters that he's the dreaded L-word... a liberal. I'm reminded of, in 2004, when President Bush told voters that John Kerry was the biggest liberal in all the Senate. Democratic candidates shouldn't remind me of George W. Bush.

So Obama is a liberal... except when he isn't. The Clintons sent out a mailer in New Hampshire before the primary, claiming he is conservative on the abortion issue. Obama is "unwilling to take a stand on choice," it said. This, of course, is a lie. Obama has 100% ratings from both Planned Parenthood and NARAL.

Expect soon to hear how Obama was against the war... before he was against it.

Page #3: Voter supression. Just as the Supreme Court is discussing suppressive voter ID laws, a movement is underway to keep some Nevada residents from getting to this Saturday's caucus. The state teachers union, which is seen as loyal to Clinton, "filed a lawsuit late Friday that could make it harder for many members of the state’s huge hotel workers union to vote" by contesting a decision from last year creating at-large precincts inside nine Las Vegas resorts, closer to where many work. This is being seen as revenge for Obama getting the endorsement of the Culinary Workers Union. Sen. Clinton, of course, denies any involvement with this movement, but she doesn't seem to disagree with it.

Most people here want to get past the dirty politics of the Bush years. Electing Sen. Clinton seems a bad option in that regard.