Blue Crab Boulevard

Clinton’s Legacy: Gutter Politics

So says Vaughn Ververs of CBS News in an analysis of the Obama landslide in South Carolina. Dubbed 'The first black president' because of his connection to the black voters, Bill Clinton squandered most – if not all – of the good will he had with his strongest base of support. As a result, his legacy is lost.

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the highest ranking African American in Congress, publicly told Bill Clinton to "chill a little bit." Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, speaking with the former president just feet away, rebuked his language, insisting, "this is reality, not fantasy or fairy tales." The shots came from all corners. Writing on his own blog, Clinton's former Labor Secretary, Robert Reich accused Clinton of spearheading a "smear campaign against Obama."

South Carolina voters apparently agreed. The numbers are jarring: Fifty-eight percent said Bill Clinton's involvement was important to their decision and most of them voted for Obama. Seventy percent believed Hillary Clinton had unfairly attacked Obama. As a warning to Clinton, just 77 percent said they would be satisfied with her as the nominee.

"Not presidential" is how former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle described Bill Clinton's behavior on the campaign trail of late. All the same, it may be effective. Clinton's campaign is aimed at capturing voters who make up a huge part of the Democratic demographic: Middle class, white, female, older. Those are the voters who may shy away from backing a "black" candidate, as they have in earlier contests in this race. Despite his huge margin of victory, Obama captured just a quarter of white voters.

And the nasty tactics had another purpose – to knock the candidate of "hope" off the mountaintop and down into the gutters of hardball politics. Forcing the man who has sought to connect himself to the legacy of inspirational leaders of the nation's past (he announced his candidacy in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln) to trade blows and accusations with Bill Clinton on the divisive issue of race only serves to muddy both. And there's some evidence that it worked. Fifty-eight percent of South Carolina voters said they felt Obama unfairly attacked Clinton during the campaign.

Ververs thinks that Clinton has likely succeeded in labeling Obama as the black candidate and that Hillary may win the nomination now. The cost will be high. It's already lost Bill the legacy he craved and replaced it with one of rank, gutter politics of the worst kind. Personally, I think the damage will be severe and lasting.

Politics | Gaius January 27, 2008

By Sam Wah, January 27, 2008 @ 8:35 am

One can hope.
By NortonPete, January 27, 2008 @ 9:19 am

The percentage of white voters who voted for Obama or 25%, is being accepted as fact, but isn’t it based on exit polls?
If you are white, voting in a predominantly white district, you might say Edwards even if you voted for Obama. The opposite also applies.
I’m not convinced with results from exit polls when it comes to this race.
The SF Chronicle just endorsed Obama, whatever that is worth.
California might decide Hillary’s fate.
By feeblemind, January 27, 2008 @ 9:58 am

This is going off on a bit of a tangent, but did you notice Clinton Inc.’s ploy to reinstate the delegates of Mich. and Fla.? More evidence that the Clinton’s don’t think the rules should apply to them.
By bill-tb, January 27, 2008 @ 10:46 am

Bill Clinton, just using another woman to get what HE WANTS.
By Jim, January 27, 2008 @ 12:36 pm

Bill Clinton, the first ex-Black President.
By NortonPete, January 27, 2008 @ 6:02 pm

Jim,
I’m falling down here, laughing my self silly, I can’t get up.