NPR: It's Not Over 'till it's Over

It's Not Over 'till it's Over

Lee, here...

The other day, we mentioned the "truce," so to speak, between the Clinton-Obama camps. It was becoming an increasingly hideous battle, following a slew of hard blows from both candidates. Race, gender ... everything was on the table.

But is showdown really over? Is realistic to say that it will ever be over (until a party nominee emerges)?

A few recent post-truce developments...

BET founder Bob Johnson formally apologized to Sen. Barack Obama for "inappropriate" comments made while campaigning for Sen. Hillary Clinton. In case you didn't actually see Johnson's remarks that prompted the apology, you can do that here.

And, the Clinton-Obama camps are throwing more she said, he said jabs on the campaign trail, as pointed out in the New York Daily News.

When you get a moment, read Howard Fineman's recent piece for Newsweek. Interesting. He seems to echo what some are saying about the tone of the election season -- on the Democratic side, that is. Fineman compares the Dems' race for the White House to, rather, a race for class president. It's a funny piece.

But, really, do you see any similarities?

Another story making news in the blogosphere: a new study on voters is upsetting members of the Latino community. According to Duke University political scientist Paula McClain's research, Latino's identify more with whites than with blacks ... and, therefore, are likely to vote for Clinton, rather than Obama.

I could have told McClain that her findings would ruffle a few feathers, but they could be true. Interested to know your thoughts. This might be worth a conversation on our program.

I think I've given you enough to think about for now ... We'll be back later.

Lee Hill

7:40 AM ET | 01-18-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

OMG! I can't believe this is just the primaries with this sort of mud-slinging. I guess the "audacity of hope" is thrown out the window for the rough and tumble campaign.

Here's my take on the He-say, she-say back and forth in the New York Daily News: In government, I LOVE a wonk, which the very definition of that word will have the face of Sen. Hillary Clinton. But it remains to be seen if I'll vote for such a person as a U.S President because there's that small but not insignificant part of me that likes the charm and charisma. What can I say; I like to be wooed once in a while.

So I've been fascinated with Sen. Obama since he made that keynote speech in 2004. I was enticed (don't believe it) message of calling America a magical place. I mean the brother "looked" presidential. I'll make a date with my TV just to hear him talk. Something I haven't done with the current President for the past four years.

But anyone who really knows me knows charm will only take you so far. I want to see some character behind that charm. So I couldn't help rolling my eyes to David Axelrod's comment that Sen. Obama is not running for "Chief of Staff" but the "President of the United States." Ok, Political Science wasn't my major in college but shouldn't those two aforementioned titles be embodied in the same office? I'm just saying . . .

Sent by Moji | 10:51 AM ET | 01-18-2008

Concerning the research results on latinos bringing negative stereotypes about African Americans, by Paula McClain, was distubring, but not surprising to me.

Living in California... I'm always reading or hearing about, tensions between African Americans & Latinos esp. in the Los Angles area. So with large numbers of latinos now immigrating to the American South; it stands to reason that they are bringing learned sterotypes about people of African descent, learned in their home country of origin, esp. if they have have no visible populations, or very small populations, of people of African descent, such as Mexico.

What i always find preplxing is that African Americans in this research & others that I have read, seem to think that latinos have an affinity towards them, but the reality always indicates the opposite.How can African Americans build coalitions with Latinos when they see one as less than desirable ?

I sense this is going to be a big problem that African American, & Latinos, will have to work out in the 1st half of the 21 Century, before this nation can truly move forward!

Sent by Robert H. | 11:01 PM ET | 01-21-2008

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