Comments on: Offensive Remark of the Week: Geraldine Ferraro Swears She Isn’t Racist Edition http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/ Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cara http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3840 Cara Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:17:21 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3840 All I know about the photo thing is that if the Clinton campaign has denied it, they waited a long time to do so. All of the first remarks did not deny releasing the picture but <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Clintons_response_the_days_Drudge.html" rel="nofollow">merely stated that "there is nothing wrong" with it</a>. Which is true enough (kind of like a literal interpretation of Ferraro's remarks), but I think that we all know what is "wrong" with it politically when we're in the middle of a race where Obama's middle name is constantly used and he is constantly called a Muslim (by Republicans) as though both of those things are smears -- and in a campaign where, to some extent, those tactics are working. If they have since said that it wasn't them, then okay, but I do have to wonder why the campaign (not Clinton herself) fanned the flames. As for the video, I don't buy the explanations. The fact that the whole video is darkened proves nothing to me -- this would be the most obvious way to darken the image. The claims of compression don't seem to hold up for me, as compressed original videos from diferent networks are all much lighter, and since the Clinton campaign is hardly going to be working with super-cheap technology. I also don't buy the "everyone darkens images in campaign ads" stuff, either. This is a problem in itself and feeds into the whole "dark is bad" message. If "dark" wasn't seen as bad, there would be no controversy. But it <i>is</i> seen as bad, and the "everybody else is doing it line" doesn't impress me. I think it's a practice that needs to go, and the excuse of failing to think about racial issues, if true, isn't actually a good excuse at all. I will agree that it is impossible to prove whether or not they did it on purpose. And I think that the nose-widening crap is false -- if it's wider at all, it's a tiny difference and probably due to the color contrast changes. But personally, do I think that they darkened the video, for whatever reason? I do. I have added caveats for both to the post. All I know about the photo thing is that if the Clinton campaign has denied it, they waited a long time to do so. All of the first remarks did not deny releasing the picture but merely stated that “there is nothing wrong” with it. Which is true enough (kind of like a literal interpretation of Ferraro’s remarks), but I think that we all know what is “wrong” with it politically when we’re in the middle of a race where Obama’s middle name is constantly used and he is constantly called a Muslim (by Republicans) as though both of those things are smears — and in a campaign where, to some extent, those tactics are working. If they have since said that it wasn’t them, then okay, but I do have to wonder why the campaign (not Clinton herself) fanned the flames.

As for the video, I don’t buy the explanations. The fact that the whole video is darkened proves nothing to me — this would be the most obvious way to darken the image. The claims of compression don’t seem to hold up for me, as compressed original videos from diferent networks are all much lighter, and since the Clinton campaign is hardly going to be working with super-cheap technology. I also don’t buy the “everyone darkens images in campaign ads” stuff, either. This is a problem in itself and feeds into the whole “dark is bad” message. If “dark” wasn’t seen as bad, there would be no controversy. But it is seen as bad, and the “everybody else is doing it line” doesn’t impress me. I think it’s a practice that needs to go, and the excuse of failing to think about racial issues, if true, isn’t actually a good excuse at all.

I will agree that it is impossible to prove whether or not they did it on purpose. And I think that the nose-widening crap is false — if it’s wider at all, it’s a tiny difference and probably due to the color contrast changes. But personally, do I think that they darkened the video, for whatever reason? I do.

I have added caveats for both to the post.

]]> By: Betty Boondoggle http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3828 Betty Boondoggle Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:13:00 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3828 "Did you hear Olbermann’s response last night" To repeat what I said at Shakesville: There's something grosteque about such an unrepentant sexist, who's been crapping all over her this entire campaign, to now be lecturing her. But, he's right. “Did you hear Olbermann’s response last night”

To repeat what I said at Shakesville:

There’s something grosteque about such an unrepentant sexist, who’s been crapping all over her this entire campaign, to now be lecturing her.

But, he’s right.

]]> By: Kristen http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3827 Kristen Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:27:48 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3827 Did you hear Olbermann's response last night? It was absolutely lovely. It's up at Pandagon for those who missed it. Did you hear Olbermann’s response last night? It was absolutely lovely. It’s up at Pandagon for those who missed it.

]]> By: Paul http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3825 Paul Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:55:52 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3825 Someone elsewhere made a comment to the effect that if "Even if McCain is elected 'cause of this stupid fighting, at least he's not a God botherer" Unfortunately McCain is not an atheist. Atheists don’t get elected to anything in the USA, certainly not to the Senate from Arizona - or the Presidency for that matter. For the record: McCain: Baptist Romney: Mormon Giuliani: Catholic Huckabee: Baptist Thompson: Church of Christ Clinton: Methodist * Obama: Church of Christ Edwards: Methodist *But since Bill Clinton is a Baptist, she usually attends Baptist services. Someone elsewhere made a comment to the effect that if “Even if McCain is elected ’cause of this stupid fighting, at least he’s not a God botherer”

Unfortunately McCain is not an atheist.

Atheists don’t get elected to anything in the USA, certainly not to the Senate from Arizona – or the Presidency for that matter.

For the record:

McCain: Baptist
Romney: Mormon
Giuliani: Catholic
Huckabee: Baptist
Thompson: Church of Christ

Clinton: Methodist *
Obama: Church of Christ
Edwards: Methodist

*But since Bill Clinton is a Baptist, she usually attends Baptist services.

]]> By: Moody http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3824 Moody Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:18:02 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3824 It's hard to believe that it's a democrat saying that. It's normal to hear repubies doing things like that. The embarrassment just keeps getting worse. It’s hard to believe that it’s a democrat saying that. It’s normal to hear repubies doing things like that. The embarrassment just keeps getting worse.

]]> By: Redstar http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3822 Redstar Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:15:29 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3822 Also, there's no evidence (unless you take Drudge at his word) that the Clinton campaign is responsible for the traditional dress photo either. Also, there’s no evidence (unless you take Drudge at his word) that the Clinton campaign is responsible for the traditional dress photo either.

]]> By: Redstar http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3821 Redstar Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:14:37 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3821 That darkening thing has been debunked by one of the media or political watchdog orgs. That darkening thing has been debunked by one of the media or political watchdog orgs.

]]> By: Pizzadiavola http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3820 Pizzadiavola Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:01:19 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3820 Cara, I agree with your post in that the "reverse racism" crap is crap, period, and I wonder what the hell Ferraro was thinking. It's like Steinem's op-ed, but a lot less articulate and minus any redeeming value or interesting points. However, regarding the race-baiting by the Clinton campaign, I don't think the accusations of <a href="http://www.correntewire.com/obama_pushes_garb_photo_smear" rel="nofollow">the photo</a> (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/politics/26text-debate.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1205222568-TQTawj8j0olA3S7pEzffcA&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin" rel="nofollow">Clinton disavowed it and Obama said he'd take her word for it</a>) or <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_03/013281.php" rel="nofollow">the darkening</a> are accurate. Cara, I agree with your post in that the “reverse racism” crap is crap, period, and I wonder what the hell Ferraro was thinking. It’s like Steinem’s op-ed, but a lot less articulate and minus any redeeming value or interesting points.

However, regarding the race-baiting by the Clinton campaign, I don’t think the accusations of the photo (Clinton disavowed it and Obama said he’d take her word for it) or the darkening are accurate.

]]> By: Kristen http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3819 Kristen Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:23:24 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2008/03/12/offensive-remark-of-the-week-geraldine-ferraro-swears-she-isnt-racist-edition/#comment-3819 Cara, Would you mind if I have a small crush on you? (And my husband too?) Exactly what I wanted to say only eloquently and without swearing. Cara,

Would you mind if I have a small crush on you? (And my husband too?)

Exactly what I wanted to say only eloquently and without swearing.

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