Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from the Clinton finance committee... about damn time.

Of course... she didn't do it quietly.

Dear Hillary –

I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you.

I won't let that happen.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren.

You have my deep admiration and respect.

Gerry

No, "Gerry," the Obama campaign is attacking you because you've apparently had some problems with nonwhite presidential contenders for a while now.

Let's just call this what it is: an attempt to appeal to working-class white voters who have been drummed up by the right wing into a fury of resentment against blacks because they think affirmative action is unfair. Your attempt to incite more racial tension when this party has been pretty good at keeping that crap out of the primary is nothing short of reprehensible. I sincerely hope your next public statement on this issue - if it happens at all - will be an apology for being so bigoted. But given the strident and defiant tone of your letter, I very much doubt that it will be, and that saddens me.

But in a way, you're right, Ms. Ferraro: If Barack Obama were a white man with his talents, he wouldn't be in a tight primary race for the Democratic nomination... he'd have been the presumptive nominee three weeks ago.

Labels: Geraldine Ferraro, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Primary Election 2008, Race