Obama too fast to retreat from 'Punjab' jab

[jefferson_dem]

The best perspective on the issue i've seen --

Obama too fast to retreat from 'Punjab' jab
Eric Zorn
Published June 19, 2007

I, too, am disappointed in Barack Obama over his handling of the "Punjab" memo.

Obama, our junior U.S. senator and a strong candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, has drawn fire from the political right and left for a sharp-elbowed piece of opposition research released by his campaign last week.

Under the provocative headline, "Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)'s personal financial and political ties to India," the three-page document attacks his leading opponent point-by-point for her allegedly too-cozy ties with businesses and business leaders who are profiting from the outsourcing of U.S. jobs to the Asian nation.

Critics called it "nativist" and "a racist, xenophobic hit," and the chairman of the United States India Political Action Committee sent a letter to Obama's headquarters in Chicago decrying the dissemination of "hurtful stereotypes."

What disappointed me, though, was not the memo, but Obama's retreat.

<SNIP>

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-zorn19.1jun19,1,4281860.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed

[madrchsod]

1. no one got upset over what she said

did she issue an apology to the people in new york? i`d be a tad upset if he said a similar statement, after all he`s working for the people of illinois not people who outsource our jobs in this state.

[goodhue]

2. too fast? he was three days too late!

When Hillary made her dumb joke she was trying to endear herself to Indian Americans. The Obama memo was an attempt to endear the campaign to those who scapegoat Indian Americans, and it was race baiting pure and simple. Obama was certainly right to acknowledge the memo was legitimately hurtful to Indian American community, although he should have done so Friday rather than Monday.

[jefferson_dem]

6. I don't think she needs to make jokes to endear herself to Indians.

Her "policy positions" do a fine job there. She was introduced at the fundraiser as "not only from New York but also Punjab."

I was sorry Obama succumbed to his typically good nature and got rolled by the Clinton Machine. He should have punched back on the substance of the discussion rather than caving to the hyperbole.

[goodhue]

7. Obama is just as much a corpratist as Hillary--I don't support either

I am however a supporter of the Indian American community of which I'm proud to be associated.
You seem to apply that befriending Indian Americans is somehow selling out true American workers.
That is inaccurate and xenophobic.

[jefferson_dem]

10. Befriending Indian Americans is one thing and to criticize such would be xenophobic, in my view.

However...

For Obama to question Hillary's pro-outsourcing agenda, and her (and Bill's) shady relationships with super wealthy corporate kingpins who benefit from it, is totally fair game. That's all the memo did.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/politics/memo1.pdf

[goodhue]

11. Why criticize the co-founding and co-chairing of the Senate India Caucus?

eom

[jefferson_dem]

16. Here's the statement on the Caucus. Doesn't look too critical (or prejudicial) to me.

CLINTON AND THE SENATE INDIA CAUCUS Clinton Co-Founded The Senate India Caucus, A Project Of The U.S. India Political Action Committee. In 2004, Clinton co-founded and became the co-chair of the Senate India Caucus which was coordinated by the U.S. India Political Action Committee (USINPAC). Roll Call reported, "The goals of the caucus, which already has 31 members, include increasing trade with India and improving security against global terrorism." Sen. Clinton said, "It is imperative that the Unites States do everything possible to reach out to India. This Caucus is dedicated to expanding areas of agreement with India and engaging in a candid dialogue of differences."

***

I think the memo uses the passage as context for how Hillary may exercise influence over the policy objections, which are fairly criticzed.

[goodhue]

18. Sorry but given context it is hard for me to see statement as anything other than critical

In any event, Obama should work to befriend USINPAC and not diss Hillary for doing so. As far as outsourcing goes, both Hillary and Obama are pathetic on the issue and won't have my primary vote.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

32. Exactly. When will Obama supporters look past the glitter to the record?

While crucifying HRC on outsourcing they have no clue their hero has the same position on the issue! :rofl:

What can you expect, though, when this candidate had 20% support in the polls before he said a single word about what he would do as president...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

31. Exactly. Race-baiting is the answer nt

[Tellurian]

13. The Racism issue never entered into Obama's smear equation?

blowback drives a reality home when you fail to consider, others may be affected by your actions?

[jefferson_dem]

15. Your premise is fucked-up so your conclusion is useless.

n/t

[Tellurian]

21. Read your own article..the whole article..nm

[Tellurian]

24. I accept your apology!

:hi:

[jefferson_dem]

26. Stop imagining.

Nonetheless, i'm always good for a :hi:.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

33. Hey, it isn't as if race-baiting isn't a proven winning political move

:sarcasm:

[draft_mario_cuomo]

30. There they go again, implying HRC is "controlled" by Indians

==Her "policy positions" do a fine job there.==

"New politics" indeed. :eyes:

[SaveElmer]

3. Oh please Obama...take this advice...

Continue with the insults...that'll get you nominated... :rofl:

[jefferson_dem]

5. 'I can certainly run for the Senate seat in Punjab and win easily..."

Were you similarly "insulted" when Hillary herself made this comment, which was the source of the reference to begin with? She made the so-called joke. Obama's camp mimicked it with some substantive policy criticism. So please give us all a break on the feigned outrage at Obama.

How about her pro-outsourcing positions? Do you support those or might they also be "insulting"?

[goodhue]

22. It is entirely different

Clinton was (rather pathetically) trying to endear herself to Indian Americans. Obama memo is attempt to endear campaign to those who scapegoat Indian Americans. One is xenophobic, the other not.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

34. Exactly. Why can't Obamaniacs recognize this simple point? nt

[SaveElmer]

23. Nice try...

Hillary apologized shortly after that meeting took place...and as opposed to attempting an insult as was the case with Obama's campaign... she made a crude attempt at humor to indicate the level of support she has always given the Indian-American community

Nevertheless she apologized, and was forgiven by the very people she was speaking too...

Obama's campaign, as Obama himself has said, was attempting to insult someone using an ethnicx stereotype....

But like II said, if Obama's campaign thinks using slurs like that is the way to get nominated...I say go for it...will make Hillary's path a whole lot easier!!!

[jefferson_dem]

28. I must have missed her apology. Your failure, or inability, to defend her pro-outsourcing

position, which was the substance of the memo, is duly noted.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

35. What about Obama's IDENTICAL pro-outsourcing position? nt

[SaveElmer]

40. Your willingness for the Obama campaign...

To act like a bunch of race-baiting hacks...is also duly noted...

btw: Hillary's comments were two years ago...so her apology would have been then...seems like the controversy didn't catch your eye at the time...surprising it would only bother you now that Obama got caught...actually no it isn't surprising...

[rinsd]

29. Thoughts on this.

To believe it was innocuous is based on the assumption that everyone who saw the memo was aware of her previous comment. That is a silly assumption given it appeared in a small publication a year an a half ago.

It was not deft as the columinst of the OP stated but rather stupid. Deft would be turning around a well known speech or sentiment around on Clinton.

Ever more idiocy of the columnist...

"Does it appeal to racist stereotypes to try to focus the debate on business interests from one particular nation? Not if the opponent's record justifies it."

Obama handled this well and it will soon be forgotten.

Though I am surprised ther columnist didn't assail Obama for letting this memo end up in the CLinton camapigns' hands when he pratically calls Obama a pussy for not pushing the attack.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

36. "it will soon be forgotten". Not by those who were targeted in the racist appeal...

[rinsd]

37. Fair enough. I just meant in the larger context of the campaign (nt)

[jefferson_dem]

4. If you find the story behind a login wall, use this - -

Username: [e-mail]
Password: ctacta123

[ripple]

8. Media manipulation is my biggest concern about this issue

It's apparent that Hillary has media insiders that are willing to hand information over if they think it will help her campaign.

The Obama camp made the mistake of trusting the NYT to provide confidentiality. I don't think they will make that mistake again, but what worries me is that it seems likely that Hillary's camp will be able to leak info to the press, without having the source revealed.

[Tellurian]

9. Renegades team back tracking..."small politics", no longer relevant..

from the link:

"the explanation his strategist David Axelrod gave me Monday that Obama's promise meant that he'll "stay relevant and not manipulate, distort or take things out of context" as he attempts to draw contrasts with his opponents."

...has Axelerod forgotten the memo was lengthy, detailed with dates, money amounts and footnotes?

Fine. If the "Punjab" memo is irrelevant, inaccurate or lacks context, Obama should explain why in a detailed retraction!
And if it's relevant, accurate and properly contextual, he should press the allegations and ignore the language police.

But instead, he's apologetically 'lobbing negative adjectives at it' to try to soothe the easily offended. That kind of politics is getting really old."

[jefferson_dem]

12. By George, you actually got a point right.

"And if it's relevant, accurate and properly contextual, he should press the allegations and ignore the language police." <---This should have been the preferred tack.

[Tellurian]

14. You can check #13 for another..

[jefferson_dem]

17. Nah. You're back in character for that one. Sorry.

:hi:

[zulchzulu]

19. This ain't over....

Senator Clinton now has the info on the memo to have to debunk or deal with in future debates... there has been nothing from her campaign to debunk what is now leaked info.

Obama is just being a gentleman.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

38. She can easily debunk the charge by pointing out Obama has the identical position on outsourcing

I can see it now during a debate:

Obama: "Senator Clinton, why are you controlled by those evil Indian-Americans and sending our jobs overseas, because Indian-Americans are not real Americans and loyal to India, not America?"
Clinton: "Why do you have the same position I do on outsourcing? So much for a "new kind of politics".

:rofl:

[LoZoccolo]

20. I agree with the article, Obama shouldn't have apologized.

:applause:

[Nedsdag]

27. I thought that the memo was a tad extreme;

however, she still has to answer questions on why she would invest in corporations outsourcing jobs outside of the U.S.

Blind trust or no, this is an important issue facing this country. Obama was on the right track but his people flubbed the execution of it. I wouldn't be surprise if Edwards gently confronts her about it since Obama cannot.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

39. How about Obama explaining why he attacks HRC when he has the same position? nt

;)

[LoZoccolo]

41. Can you substantiate that? n/t

[AtomicKitten]

25. this is move #4 in a series of 456,999,002,000 moves in this cycle

hardly registered on my radar