Posted on 05/08/2008 3:37:27 PM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
Was it Hardball—or the World Series of Poker? Interviewing Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson today, Chris Matthews accused the Clinton campaign of playing the white race card. Just minutes later, when Wolfson accused Matthews of discriminating against Puerto Rican voters, Chris protested "don't play that card on me."
Matthews began the showdown by rolling tape of Hillary repeatedly telling USA Today that she had stronger support than Obama among "white" voters.
View video here.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
Dem racial politics battle ping to Today show list.
these “people” are absolutely disgustingly OBSESSED with race.
Crap Matthews is *the* one who *most* deserves to have *all* race cards played on him, as he is the *worst* race baiter on TV...*EVER*!
I vote we give those two sharp knives and lurid instructions.
I love watching these Democrats having to answer questions about race and making fools of themselves.
Yeah, it just slays me the way these white “journalists” claim to not have a racist bone in their bodies but are so quick to label others as such.
In psychology, I believe this defense mechanism is referred to as “projection.”
BTW, ‘Puerto Rican’ is not a race...
“Wolfson turned the tables on Matthews on matters racial when, a bit later, talk turned to the way in which the Clinton campaign calculates the popular primary vote.
MATTHEWS: When it comes time to fight for who’s got the most elected delegates, pledged delegates, if you lose that, if you come short, and it’s likely you will come short, can you add Puerto Rican votes to your claim of a popular vote victory?
WOLFSON: Of course!
MATTHEWS: Even though they can’t vote in the presidential election?
WOLFSON: They’re participating in our primary process.
MATTHEWS: Wait, wait, wait. Are you willing to say you have a right to the nomination based on Puerto Rican votes?
WOLFSON: Yes! Which votes are you going to exclude? I’ve said yes!
MATTHEWS: Just people who are not American [NB: Puerto Ricans are US citizens]; are not voting in the American presidential election.
WOLFSON: The Democratic committee has decided that Puerto Rico ought to have a voice in this process. I think it’s the right thing.
MATTHEWS: I think it’s interesting. I haven’t heard you say this before. So in other words, those votes, even though those people can’t vote in a presidential election—
WOLFSON: Absolutely —
MATTHEWS: Will be your argument for why you should have the nomination when you go into the presidential election.
WOLFSON: They will be be part of an argument.
MATTHEWS: Is it part of your popular vote total?
WOLFSON: Sure.
MATTHEWS: That’s one of the metrics!
WOLFSON: Yeah. It is!
MATTHEWS: So you’re going to argue this case?
WOLFSON: We’re going to argue that the popular vote total actually has a bearing, yes.
MATTHEWS: So all the Florida votes cast, when the other candidates, no one campaigned down there. All the Michigan votes even though your candidate was the only name on the ballot. And all the Puerto Rican votes even though they can’t vote in the presidential election. All that adds up to a popular—you guys have pretty good metrics there!
WOLFSON: I don’t think we should be discriminating against certain voters.
MATTHEWS: No, no, no! I would never!
WOLFSON: I’m sure you wouldn’t!
MATTHEWS: Don’t play that card on me!
This is one dumb debate between Matthews and Wolfson, but I’m glad the record is set straight in the column that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.
In a way, though, this exchange makes the case for statehood and against “citizenship without representation”.
“Puerto Rican” is not a race, although most Puerto Ricans are a mix between European and African (the census figures can’t be trusted, as many Boricua who are of predominantly European ancestry, but still have noticeable African ancestry, classify themselves as “white”). There is also some Filipino blood in PR, but it is negligible compared to the Euro/African admixture.
The PR primary should mean as much, if not less, than American Idol. It is a popularity contest participated in by deluded people, nothing more, nothing less.
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