Debate Highlight: Was Bill Clinton the first black president?
posted at 10:23 pm on January 21, 2008 by Bryan
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It’s sad that Bill Clinton was given the designation of being the country’s first black president. He’s not black. It’s weird that I have to point that out, but it’s true. When this country finally does elect a black president, he or she will have been robbed of some of their achievement by this nonsense about Clinton. Clinton didn’t deserve the distinction and he did everything to disgrace the office, which hopefully no one who follows him will emulate. So as I said, it’s sad that Toni Morrison gave Clinton that particular designation because, among other things, Barack Obama had to answer tonight’s inane question about it. He can’t just answer straight up “No” without running the risk of coming off as churlish or divisive. So he does the best he can with what is basically an insulting question.
All in all, Obama probably wins in that he seems the least weird of the three and is the least obviously disingenuous. Hillary talks about opposing lobbyists and bringing honest people to her administration but she’s married to one of the world’s most notorious liars and she’ll bring the likes of Sandy Berger back to power if she’s elected. Not to mention who’ll be her co-president. Edwards sees a Dickensian America from his ginormous mansion, but while there are certainly Americans who struggle to pay the bills, by and large Edwards’ solution to everything is government, government, and more government. Obama is a likable bag of nothing. He’s easy to watch and he’s easy to listen to, but what does he actually say? None of the three seem to grasp national security or the source of wealth and prosperity in America. None of them seem to have set any limits to the power of government to serve their own aims and whims. They all fear John McCain, or at least they say they do. That was the most interesting exchange of the debate.
Update: In comments, Baldilocks makes this observation about the “black president” thing.
Toni Morrison’s ::spit:: dubbing of BC as “The first black president” was all in regard to his “bimbo eruptions.” It was an insult to black men everywhere in that it implied that all black men were just like BC in this respect.
There’s a great deal of truth in that. Here’s Toni Morrison’s 1998 article, and here’s the nugget paragraph:
African-American men seemed to understand it right away. Years ago, in the middle of the Whitewater investigation, one heard the first murmurs: white skin notwithstanding, this is our first black President. Blacker than any actual black person who could ever be elected in our children’s lifetime. After all, Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald’s-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas. And when virtually all the African-American Clinton appointees began, one by one, to disappear, when the President’s body, his privacy, his unpoliced sexuality became the focus of the persecution, when he was metaphorically seized and bodysearched, who could gainsay these black men who knew whereof they spoke? The message was clear “No matter how smart you are, how hard you work, how much coin you earn for us, we will put you in your place or put you out of the place you have somehow, albeit with our permission, achieved. You will be fired from your job, sent away in disgrace, and–who knows?–maybe sentenced and jailed to boot. In short, unless you do as we say (i.e., assimilate at once), your expletives belong to us.”
She’s saying that Clinton is black because he’s a victim of the system. But the problem with that is, Bill Clinton was master of the system at that time. He used the system to prey on his victims, to get them to lie for him even at legal risk to themselves. He established that pattern in Arkansas and carried it to Washington with him. He wasn’t a black man, he was The Man. Yet because he was a Democrat, and I really can’t think of anything else that explains it other than that he supported abortion and the other feminist bromides, he gets to be the first black president. That such an insult has been borne with nonchalance ever since is nearly tragic. That Barack Obama finds himself compared to Bill Clinton’s “blackness” is a deep insult to Barack Obama and his family.
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Well, after learning about colors in kindergarten I would say that he was not.
It kind of hurts the assertion that he was the first black president when he is, in fact, white.
SimplyKimberly on January 21, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Can Bill dance?
Just try to pin him down on any point of his shady record … and he turns into a Dancin Dancin’ machine!
Chimp 6 on January 21, 2008 at 10:31 PM
And yet we have people in the Republican blogosphere who would rather stay at home and leave the country to one of these clowns…
Baphomet on January 21, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Toni Morrison’s ::spit:: dubbing of BC as “The first black president” was all in regard to his “bimbo eruptions.” It was an insult to black men everywhere in that it implied that all black men were just like BC in this respect.
baldilocks on January 21, 2008 at 10:32 PM
If a white dude made the “dancing” comment he would have Jesse and Al on his doorstep when he got home.
Dirthead on January 21, 2008 at 10:34 PM
No doubt that the Klintons are a stain on our national fabric. The notion that he was the first black president was a farce. He was nothing more than the most lecherous president.
Zorro on January 21, 2008 at 10:35 PM
I’m not opposed to racial jokes as a hard and fast rule but I don’t think that sort of thing has a place in a presidential debate.
baldilocks on January 21, 2008 at 10:36 PM
INSANITY! Why do ya’ll watch that crap? Of course here I AM looking at the commentary.
countywolf on January 21, 2008 at 10:37 PM
While I was flipping through the channels, I landed on CNN when this question was being asked. I laughed…and flipped on. Ten minutes of channel surfing later, I stumbled onto CNN again, and this time the question was about whether or not Bill Clinton is too vocal in this election. Got to hand it to ol’ Billy Jeff, he sure knows how to keep it all about him.
Weight of Glory on January 21, 2008 at 10:37 PM
It is a sad comment on American politics that Hillary and Edwards are even anywhere in the freaking ballpark to be the executive of this country.
HILLARY CLINTON. JOHN EDWARDS. Un. Believ. Able.
I mean, this enormity of that absurdity just boggles the mind. Unreal.
Metro on January 21, 2008 at 10:39 PM
I thought the “dancing” crack was an appropriately ridiculous response to what was a ridiculous question.
Big S on January 21, 2008 at 10:39 PM
I would LOVE for something like this to come up in, say, a Hillary-Romney or Obama-Romney debate, and to have Romney (chosen in this discussion for his family-cred with the civil rights movement) drop the hammer on whichever race-card/sex-card class-warrior he was debating by saying in essence “Hey wait, I thought in America everyone was equal? Why do we have to break everyone up in their own demographics and pit them against each other, I thought we got past that with Reverend MLK?”
THAT would be an incredible moment.
TheGoblinKing on January 21, 2008 at 10:40 PM
They’re just like the people that would rather shuffle the deck chairs because the lifeboats were too small.
- The Cat
MirCat on January 21, 2008 at 10:40 PM
I don’t know, but he sure can spin.
fourstringfuror on January 21, 2008 at 10:41 PM
I think that question was bait to try to get Hillary to say Obama isn’t a real Black. She seems willing to stoop to use everything else, maybe she was just tired of bending over. Obama just used it as a softball to show off his likeability.
pedestrian on January 21, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Just make a holographic image of a president and make him seem likible and say nothing and you got Barry Obama.
Its like a marketing campaign president than a real one.
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 10:43 PM
These are the questions that get asked with ALL that’s going on in the world?
SouthernGent on January 21, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Big S on January 21, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Perhaps, but the fact remains, stupid question or not, only Barack could get away with the crack. I am fine with well delivered racial humor if delivered by a pro…just not real comfortable with it as a political tool of sorts.
Dirthead on January 21, 2008 at 10:43 PM
That is insulting to black people.
Buttercup on January 21, 2008 at 10:44 PM
ALl of them are for Surrender only question is who would do it the fastest
All of them want people who borrowed money to be bailed out by tax payers. Nice to know considering Im repaying my student loan right now and I now have to pay for someone elses house on top of that.
All of them want universal health care. The simply want to hide the fact that illegals wont be illegal anymore to get it.
This is the worst crop of democrats in DECADES
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Another stupid boxers or briefs question.
Why did just not turn the tables and ask if
monica thought he was black. Oops ! ! my bad
Texyank on January 21, 2008 at 10:46 PM
Yes it is . . . . .
Texyank on January 21, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Now that’s well delivered racial humor.
baldilocks on January 21, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Hey now!
- The Cat
MirCat on January 21, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Cat-
Ooops unintentional double entendre…
gomen nasai,
Dirthead on January 21, 2008 at 10:54 PM
George Bush is the first black President.
Dancin’ George
MrC_5150 on January 21, 2008 at 11:00 PM
It is insulting to everyone!
DAT60A3 on January 21, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Obama for President
Can you dig it !?!?!
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Opps forgot about the end of that scene wasnt suggesting anything
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 11:03 PM
OMG that is hilarious, especially Laura’s “don’t do it George” look.
baldilocks on January 21, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Billy Jeff was the first president to think with his little head rather than his big head.
Captain America on January 21, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Obama is the slickest trojan horse for racial issues I’ve seen (more than likely a European-style Islamic sympathizer to boot). If he wins, it will only be a matter of time before the Jackson/Sharpton/CAIR types come out of hiding. It will be all you will hear day-in day-out for the next 4-8 yrs. On top of moving to Socialism/Shamnesty/etc… It’s really sad.
nottakingsides on January 21, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Now I don’t know about how Americans were taught colours in school, but us Canadians were taught that someone who looked like Bill Clinton is WHITE, or caucasian, if you please.
mjk on January 21, 2008 at 11:10 PM
If Obama had acted more like “Lionel” of “All In The Family”, his crack about Bill’s dancing capabilities would have gotten a better response. He should have thrown in a crack about fried chicken and watermelon eating as well.
MrC_5150 on January 21, 2008 at 11:11 PM
Just can’t let his college days pass can you?
- The Cat
MirCat on January 21, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Morrison: “…every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald’s-and-junk-food-loving…”
Every trope of “blackness,” eh? That’s news to me. It makes me want to spit more.
baldilocks on January 21, 2008 at 11:16 PM
I guess Bill took it too litteraly when they told him “Once you go black you never go back”
William Amos on January 21, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Is that better? ;-)
MrC_5150 on January 21, 2008 at 11:23 PM
I believe that she simply confirmed that he was a crooked president.
Dorvillian on January 21, 2008 at 11:36 PM
Agree with above.
mikeyboss on January 21, 2008 at 11:40 PM
Hmmm….you know. I disagree with Barack on most of the issues and his political philosophy….but damn, he is a cool guy. And up there next to Silky and Her Thighness he looks ten times more cool, calm and collected. If I was a Democrat, Barack would sure have my vote.
mattyj86 on January 21, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Well if we’re going by dancing ability, Obama might not be the first black president either.
amkun on January 21, 2008 at 11:47 PM
By the way, did anyone else think that question was actually quite rude? It’s completely asinine. The Democratic party makes race such a divisive issue in America so much more so than Republicans ever could or have, it makes no sense to me why so many non-white voters lean towards the Democrats.
mattyj86 on January 21, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Maybe it is just me, but I have always felt that “honest Abe” had a more positive impact during his time as President. I think many have forgotten why the Republican Party was formed.
chief on January 22, 2008 at 12:30 AM
I don’t know about Willy Jeff being the first black President but he is the first one that the N word aptly fits.
Zelsdorf Ragshaft on January 22, 2008 at 12:36 AM
I was thinking about that characterization earlier for a post of mine. And I was wondering:
-What type of statement is it to claim that because a white man cheats on his wife and lies habitually, he must be the average African-American?
Opinionnation on January 22, 2008 at 1:40 AM
Obama, soon to be the first half-black President.
The one raised by a single white mother.
Tzetzes on January 22, 2008 at 2:09 AM
What really sends me of late is the rantings about “the Christian right” (often tied to comments about Huckabee or how evangelicals “control” the Republican Party). Meanwhile, there has not been a SINGLE DAY in the past two weeks where I haven’t seen Barack, or Hillary, or some African-American preacher IN A CHURCH preaching politics. Amazing. We hear all about the Christian right controlling the Republican party, but nothing about the Jesse Jacksons or Al Sharptons or the myriad of African-American preachers selling the Democratic Party in their houses of worship and SO CLEARLY controlling the ebb and flow of support in the Democratic Party.
If there’s an evangelical right controlling the RNC,
isn’t there an equally or even more powerful religious left controlling the power in the Democratic Party right now, and if so…where’s the rantings about religious influence in politics about that?
scottm on January 22, 2008 at 7:49 AM
barry’s “black family” abandoned him when he was two. His mother’s lifestyle was bankrolled by his wealthy white parents. She had a second indonesian husband that gave her the boot and finally found stability with and ex military guy who happened to be white. barry, except for some of his genes, is a rich white kid from Hawaii who has had a pretty cushy life. He wins. there still will not have been a black president.
peacenprosperity on January 22, 2008 at 7:49 AM
The “transformation” will never be complete if it’s up to the Democrats. White people claim to be Black, and Black people give them a pass if it means a coin or two tossed their way. The Democrats will use this to keep Blacks as their pocket-people, while Republicans are ignored for their ending slavery and being color blind to the best people getting the job done.
Hening on January 22, 2008 at 7:57 AM
I wish the Democrats and news media would stop harping on race altogether and just let us have a race-free election season.
Mindcrime on January 22, 2008 at 9:02 AM
First we have Billy Jeff claiming to be the first Black president and then Dog the Bounty Hunter claims he thought he was black. Apparently they can’t tell the difference between black and trailer trash.
flytier on January 22, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Somehow politicians trying to convince us that Billy boy is black, as rediculous as that is, is somehow fitting.
Geronimo on January 22, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Thank you Bryan for enlightening me on that nauseating ’slogan’ that I was not aware came from the ‘great’ Toni Morrison. It was a 2-barf-bucket paragraph.
Well, what I remember from his early days would qualify him as a black man because he was able to say the n-word and get away with it. Only brothers can do that. (Luckily for him, ‘The Man’ can say anything he bloody well pleases, no one can make him shut up.)
Christine on January 22, 2008 at 12:31 PM
That was an awesome answer. I wish this guy had some better ideas on how to govern because I really do like him.
Wise Golden on January 22, 2008 at 1:15 PM