It's Ugly

And I wonder if it's going to stay that way. The political blogs are bursting with anger over perceived racism (against Obama) and perceived sexism (against Hillary.) Controversy over remarks that offend African Americans, including by a "feminist" defending Hillary. Controvery over remarks about Hillary that offend women, including remarks by other women. (These selections from Huffington Post are representative of what's going on elsewhere, but perhaps better written.)

All of this might be lauded as cultural consciousness raising but people vote their emotions, and there have already been angry women voting for Hillary and are likely to be angry African Americans voting for Barack, now that there are elections in states with notable black populations. And here's a sexist comment for you: it looks to me that the racial remarks are being discussed and debated out in the open, but that women are taking their anger with them to the voting booth in silence. On the other hand, as someone noted, Hillary has talked openly about being the first woman President, while Barack hasn't prominently mentioned being the first African American President.

By the way, if Giuliani were to win, he would be the first Italian American President. Think about what that says about stereotypes and prejudices.

This week Karl Rove entered the fray, sprinkling a column with racial code words in his lambasting of Obama, calling him "lazy" and referring to his playing basketball. He must be pretty happy about the polarization that's going on now.

Some dispute whether gender or race ultimately will matter for the electorate. I think in the general it will matter less. But you have to get to the general, and the primaries may well continue on their present course: ugly.

Now there's a diary at Kos: Clinton Polster: Latinos don't like Black leaders.

P.S. "it's the economy, stupid" has been a cliche since 1992, and has been used countless times with a different, "it's the x, stupid" to make a point by coining a new cliche. It's this generation's "gate" at the end of every scandal. In other words, it's stupid. It's also insulting to keep calling people who disagree with you, stupid.

Now for the first time since it was used in the original Clinton campaign, the economy is in serious danger of tanking, and somebody has actually come up with an apropos twist: It's Stupid's Economy.