Election Central | Talking Points Memo | Hillary Supporter Andrew Cuomo On Her NH Win: "You Can't Shuck And Jive" w/Press Corps

Hillary Supporter Andrew Cuomo On Her NH Win: "You Can't Shuck And Jive" w/Press Corps

By Eric Kleefeld - January 10, 2008, 12:10PM

A big Hillary Clinton supporter and statewide official in New York might have just given the Hillary campaign a real headache. During an appearance yesterday on talk radio — at almost the same time as Obama co-chair Jesse Jackson Jr. questioned Hillary's tears — New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo used some words with a very troublesome racial history, apparently in reference to Barack Obama.

"It's not a TV crazed race. Frankly you can't buy your way into it," Cuomo said, according to Albany Times Union reporter Rick Karlin. He then added, "You can't shuck and jive at a press conference. All those moves you can make with the press don't work when you're in someone's living room."

According to Joan Houston Hall's Dictionary of American Regional English, the phrase "shuck and jive" means, "To be deceptive or evasive; to tell tall tales or lies; to fool around. esp freq among Black speakers," and "stalling or obfuscating, especially to avoid having to admit that you did not know something or were trying to divert someone's attention."

(Via Ben Smith)

Late Update: Ben Smith hears directly from Cuomo on this and adds this:

Though the report I link refers specifically to New Hampshire, Cuomo called to play the tape of the interview, in which he says nice things about Obama, and in which the quote above is describing both Iowa and New Hampshire -- meaning it's not a direct reference to Clinton's primary victory, or attempt to explain it.
"Barack Obama is a beautiful symbol. He's a powerful speaker. He's a charismatic figure. And what he has to say is important for the Democrats," Cuomo says in the interview, with the New York Post's Fred Dicker.

"It was never about Obama in the first place," Cuomo told me of the use of the phrase, which he said he was using "as a synonym for 'bob and weave.'"

Late Late Update: The Albany Times Union blog, which originally broke this story, adds this update that would appear to suggest that there's less here than meets the eye:

We’ve been getting calls from the Cuomo people on this who want to point out, correctly, that the AG was not referring to Barack Obama when he used the phrase “shuck and jive,” but to what politicians in general do with the media. Cuomo’s point was when candidates meet a substantial proportion of primary voters or caucus goers in person, such as in NH or Iowa, there is a certain genuineness that can be avoided in a big-state media-heavy campaign.

Comments (245)

Jenna L wrote on January 10, 2008 12:28 PM:

That's disgusting. Cuomo is such a rat.

grover_rover wrote on January 10, 2008 12:38 PM:

Ouch. Now I expect to hear a similar frenzy of disdain for Hillary's racism and vows of her losing your vote forever and ever, fair is fair :P

And last time I checked, Obama's grassroots support isn't coming from the media, it is coming directly from him. Obama's speeches lift people up, bring them to tears, that isn't the media doing it, it is him and his message and the real hope for change. Hillary is just pissed that she can't move people like Obama can, and she has that right I suppose, I'd be jealous too if I were her. But quit blaming it on the media. People don't dislike you because of the media, and they don't love him because of the media, start taking responsibility for your own fate. I'm tired of this coming from the campaign that had EVERY leg up in this campaign from the very beginning, especially from the media pushing her "inevitability". Quit whining. Quit being negative.

David wrote on January 10, 2008 12:40 PM:

The Clinton's are obviously trying to bait Obama into mentioning the race card but you know he won't fall for it. They are sickening! Enough.

Jane wrote on January 10, 2008 12:41 PM:

What is it this year with men and stereotypes? Each campaign has somebody who has got to go.

Bob Richardson wrote on January 10, 2008 12:43 PM:

Between the academy award crying performance, the continued raising of muslim and drug dealing references, and now the race baiting, it is clear that the Clintons play at the same level as Karl Rove and Lee Atwater. If not, they are seeming awfully desperate (and pathetic) these days.

Enough!

Moxie wrote on January 10, 2008 12:44 PM:

I won't soon forget the sight of Bill Clinton - after all, still the titular head of the party - savagely attacking Obama's integrity at Dartmouth. Can anyone imagine, say, Harry Truman in 1960 traveling to West Virginia to deliver such a blast against John Kennedy? Or Lyndon Johnson in 1972 visiting New Hampshire to issue such a deeply personal, highly public condemnation of George McGovern? And yet virtually no one in the party suggested that he might have behaved inappropriately.

I'm a lifelong Democrat who has never voted Republican for any office in my life. But in a McCain-Clinton contest, I'd vote for McCain. Though I disagree with him on many issues, at least he has integrity.

chillout wrote on January 10, 2008 12:46 PM:

politics is depressing nowadays.. I think its time to move on from nitpicking surrogates statements as a way to prop up the race card.. is there anything left to say that is not considered race baiting? I seriously had no clue that "to call a spade a spade" was once a racist statement, but I was enlightened when I accidentally used it.

Oh by the way, DOES ANDREW CUOMO have any official role with the Hillary campaign like Jesse Jackson Jr? (Hillary Clinton did not cry during Katrina event)

colonpowwow wrote on January 10, 2008 12:46 PM:

Oy veh, Andy!

Well allow me to be the first Hillary supporter to say that's a pee-poor choice of words and if he's in her campaign in any capacity, he should be out.

Racist and sexist comments should not be tolerated in civilized society, much less like sexist comments tendered in opposition to Senator Clinton are expoused and tolerated as a matter of course by posters on this board. Mrs. Bill anyone? Ever seen the "B" word on here?

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 12:46 PM:

Good grief. While it's apparent that all camps seem to have no level they will not stoop too, this is simply inexcusable.

grover_rover wrote on January 10, 2008 12:49 PM:

Bob Richardson: Don't forget the "vote for me or the terrorists will attack again" GOP fearmongering tactics. That was the most striking and disgusting pre-NH trick the Clintons used if you ask me. Of course the fallacious abortion and raising taxes attack mailers weren't so ethical either. Nor were Bill's lies about Obama's record and calling him a flip flopper. In fact, that whole 5 day period there reeked of Rove.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 12:49 PM:

Cuomo can't be racist. He's from the Nawth. Everyone on the TPM websites has made it Seriously Clear that racism is a Sawthn problem. Cuomo musta just made sumsotta mistake. 'Cause hes from the Nawth.

Pete wrote on January 10, 2008 12:49 PM:

What is wrong with Cuomo? I always liked his Dad, but using language like this is simply inexcusable. I didn't like what Jesse Jackson Jr. had to say about Hillary yesterday, but this is an order of magnitude worse.

Marilyn wrote on January 10, 2008 12:50 PM:

Colin wrote: "Well allow me to be the first Hillary supporter to say that's a pee-poor choice of words and if he's in her campaign in any capacity, he should be out."

Funny how the Clinton supporters condemn these statements after they happen (yet they still continue to flow from the disgusting Clinton campaign leadership on a weekly basis). How many more do they have lined up?

PeterB wrote on January 10, 2008 12:51 PM:

Unbelievable, all of this while South Carolina is right there on the horizon. Thats one way to motivate the black vote. So now the clinton camp has called obama a "shucking and jiving "kid"". What's next, Bill in full black face routine at a baptist church in SC. Why not start talking about chicken and watermelon while we're at it. Absolutely disgusting. To think I used to like the Clintons and Cuomo(well, really loved Mario). You better believe Mario would have never said anything so stupid. Anyway, here comes the establishment trying to squash the uprising in the democratic party. Hold on tight in Obama country because it is going to get ugly before the clintons will relinquish their stranglehold on the democratic party.

moondancer wrote on January 10, 2008 12:51 PM:

Cant shuck and jive? No but they can eat watermelon while wearing loose shoes, right asshole?

Dan wrote on January 10, 2008 12:51 PM:

I think he is going to have trouble convincing other that he was referring to definition no. 2 "to dance", even if that is what he was going for.

Remember simple is good, do you use two words when one will do.

josh wrote on January 10, 2008 12:53 PM:

That's awful.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 12:54 PM:

Maybe Andrew had been out on a bender with Bill and all of the young ladies of NH together.

CalD wrote on January 10, 2008 12:56 PM:

Sexist remarks from Jesse Jr., racist remarks from Cuomo Jr... It must be Stupid Surrogate Tricks Week.

Clinton should say to Obama, I'll spank mine if you spank yours.

bruce patras wrote on January 10, 2008 12:57 PM:

cuomo sadly is a major hillary go to guy in new york state . hillary really will do anything to win . these gaffs and fake contrived media events are now a daily thing.

she needs to divide not unite . she just lost the black vote . with that comment from her fan boy .

i never seen a public figure so hated since nixon..

maybe she will embrace monica next on oprah .

the world is watching

whowouldjesusbomb? wrote on January 10, 2008 1:00 PM:

Yeah, this can't play well in SC, especially after that MLK didn't do half as much for the civil rights movement as whitey LBJ did comment from Hillary.

And then she had the audacity to accuse Obama of trying to compare himself to MLK and JFK and how they were so magnificent, just after she crapped all over MLK in her attempt to attack Obama and say that he was all talk and it took LBJ to get anything done. That was one of the most disgusting things I've heard in this race, and it was directly from a candidate's mouth, unlike many of the other things floating around. She'll say anything to attack Obama and get ahead.

obamahype wrote on January 10, 2008 1:02 PM:

Please let me know Cuomo's official role in the Clinton Campaign?

Clem wrote on January 10, 2008 1:02 PM:

"I apologize for my artless, insensitive use of the phrase 'shuck and jive.' It was never my intention to remind African Americans of the shameful minstrel shows that did so much to corrode their self-esteem. What I ought to have said, was that if Senator Clinton and her team hope to challenge Senator Obama's popular dominance, they should lynch him in a back alley."

"I apologize for any offense I caused by my indefensible reference to lynching. The kidnapping, ritualized torture and murder of African American men was used to humilate and degrade an entire population, and preserve the status of whites who felt threatened by proud, independent black men. Tiger Woods is simply the biggest fish in a small pond, which is remarkable in itself, as blacks are not the best swimmers."

"I sincerely apologize to the African American community and Senator Obama for suggesting that blacks folks can't swim. Obviously, such attitudes are not reflective of where we ought to be as a nation. The Senator graciously invited me to go for a swim with him in his native Hawaii, and informed that his daughters are competitive swimmers. He's rightfully proud of his nappy-headed hos, and so am I."

"I apologize..."

phil james wrote on January 10, 2008 1:03 PM:

Anyone who says stuff like that should be lynched. Imagine this kind of talk coming from a supporter of the weaker sex candidate. I'm surprised that red-neck Edwards hasn't come out with a statement on it, although he did point out that Hill was a cry baby which I guess is another way of alluding to her weaker sex status.

anne winn wrote on January 10, 2008 1:04 PM:

Hell--- I thought the Clintons had a lock on "shuckin' 'n jivin".

Well I guess it all depends on what your definition of IS is.

Right Andrew. Go shake that tamboreen in someone else's face.

Henry wrote on January 10, 2008 1:04 PM:

Democrats will once again make sure that a Republican wins the Presidency...cause Dems never learn a damn thing. Do you know why the Republicans keep winning ? It is because they are ruthless and they stick with the party no matter what. They might hate who they have but they will back that person 100 percent. They do what it takes to win and prevent the Dems from gaining power.

Go ahead and vote Republican if Hillary gets the nomination. The Republicans will be eternally grateful.

I am a Hillary supporter but if Obama gets the nomination I will vote for him even though I think that he is not qualified. I rather vote for him that any Republican.

They play to win.

DonnaG wrote on January 10, 2008 1:05 PM:

Hidden racism in the Democratic party? Sort of seems this stuff is coming up from some here-to-fore hidden depths, having been covered up by a public-facade avowal of progressive issues and only now rearing its ugly nature when there is a viable candidate who happens to be black.

Geez, way to go, Cuomo. Dissing not only all the new potential Dem voters energized by Obama,
but, really, your words are alienating the dependable African American bloc as well.

i'm ignorant too wrote on January 10, 2008 1:06 PM:

sorry, I've used the ShuckandJive phrase without realizing what I'm saying. I honestly thought it just meant smooth talking and back slapping. I had no clue about the racial history of it and maybe Cuomo didn't either. I do not think it's a macaca moment.

Greg DeLassus wrote on January 10, 2008 1:06 PM:

I would like to preface what I have to say here with a few biographical details:

1) I am white.
2) My wife black.
3) By extension that means that our children are black. I know that some folks would call them "bi-racial," but the reality is that in this country half-black/half something else equals black.
4) My wife and I are both entheusiastic Obama supporters.

With that in mind, I find this sort of remark absolutely intolerable. I never liked racism at any point in my life, but now that it has ceased to be an abstraction to me and become the reality of life for my family, it makes me not merely dismayed but downright furious.

That said, while Mr Cuomo has just moved several steps down in my estimation, I do not find myself feeling especially angry at Sen Clinton for this remark. I am sure that she will distance herself from it and that is because she is, after all is said and done, a decent human being. Give her a break and do not blame her for the idiocy of one of her more visible supporters. I thought rather little of Jesse Jackson Jr as of yesterday, but his faults have not lessened the appeal of Sen Obama for me. Similarly, I have less than no use for Cuomo now, but why hold this against Sen Clinton?

Henry wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

It is one thing for someone who works for you to say something objectionable and something completely different by someone who supports you.

John McCutchen wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

Ole Step n Fetchit

Do these desperados have no shame?

Of course they don't

First they divided the country, now they're dividing the democratic party

It's time for the Clintons to go

And their little running dogs Sgt Kleefeld too

JenJen wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

Good gawd, are they just going for it at this point? Just throw out the most disgusting, the most ludicrous things they can think of? Shock value? I mean, we certainly have never used such jargon to describe President Bush.

It's really going to be interesting listening to Mark Thompson's show tonight. Wow. I mean, I actually am staggered by this.

Barb wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

Seems as if the Clinton's are about to adopt the Bush strategy against McCain in SC in 2000.

Woodrow "asim" Jarvis Hill wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

Dear surrogates for the main candidates:

We, the people who are pulling for one candidate or the other, respectfully request you STFU, and run a clean, solid, issue-oriented race. You're not helping your side, and you're making your people look bad.

Sincerely,

An Obama supporter, disappointed with both Jackson and Cuomo.

Keith wrote on January 10, 2008 1:07 PM:

So here's my question: How is this playing with HRC's prominent black supporters? John Lewis, Charlie Rangel, Andrew Young all come to mind.

goethean wrote on January 10, 2008 1:08 PM:

I hope that Obama gives the Clintons just a little more rope before he starts calling them on this shit.

concerntroll wrote on January 10, 2008 1:08 PM:

you know what I'll be honest.. I'm not voting for Obama after the D-Punjab thing because I happen to be punjabi. NOW, the punjabi community in America is not that strong, but I'm tired of people labeling Hillary as a racist by using quotes of someone who isn't even a part of the campaign. If you read Hillary's history on wikipedia, its clear that she is not a racist and the civil rights movement really shook her to the core. I guess thats why congressman Lewis supports her.

It's funny, you've reduced Obama's campaign to him being black, when that is exactly what he didn't want to happen. I know you are going to try to push this is as hard as you can, forward it to drudge so that Clinton can be labeled a racist, but you know what, thats why I won't support your candidate in the general election.

Especially after OPRAH told me HE IS THE ONE.. I don't need the messianic hype. YOU KNOW WHAT OUTRAGES ME, that OBAMA hasn't even held a legislative hearing as a Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommitte on European affairs, not the fact that someone who has nothing to do with the Hillary campaign said something stupid.

FINALLY... WHAT IS ANDREW CUOMO's position in the Clinton Campaign?

Genghis wrote on January 10, 2008 1:08 PM:

Clem, funniest post on the board

Keith wrote on January 10, 2008 1:09 PM:

Couldn't have said it better Woodrow.

CUOMOHASNOROLE wrote on January 10, 2008 1:09 PM:

CUOMO HAS NO ROLE IN THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN... greg delassus

onceler wrote on January 10, 2008 1:10 PM:

par for the course. Obama is getting 'Sistah Souljah'd' by the Clintons and their supporters. not much different than Bob Kerrey speaking on behalf of Clinton and saying Obama attended a "Madrassa". not much different than her campaign worker suggesting to the press that he might be a 'drug dealer'. the Clintons are going to get very, very ugly trying to take SC. it will backfire on them though, fear-mongering may have helped in NH somewhat, but people are ready to reject these old, cheap tricks and those associated with them.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:12 PM:

Yeah..and neither did Billy Shaheen. The Clinton camp is just laughable at this point. Simply a matter of time before they start swiftboating folks in their own party. Wait, they've already started.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:13 PM:

Is Bill still fucking Belinda Stronach?

onceler wrote on January 10, 2008 1:13 PM:

also, just for the record, there was a poster on TPM a month or so back who was decrying Obama's lack of record/experience. when I brought up the Ethics Reform bill from Ill and the work he's done on that subject in DC, the poster, I forget who it was but a prominent figure who writes here semi-often, called ethics reform "jive" as well. no shortage of 'liberals' with thinly-veiled racist sentiments just under the surface in the good ole USA I guess!

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 1:13 PM:

Oh brother. The party is imploding thanks to the clinton "machine." Mr. bill trashing the first legitimate african-american democratic candidate, smearing king's legacy, comparing clinton to mandella, rolling the dice, etc, etc, etc. The republicans must be laughing with glee.

JJ and this guy should go. There is no place for racism and sexism in this country in the 21st century. I can't wait until the primaries are over.

David_F wrote on January 10, 2008 1:15 PM:

CalD wrote
"Clinton should say to Obama, I'll spank mine if you spank yours."

LOL. But not a bad idea for Clinton. Cuomo's remarks were offensive, Jackson's remarks much less so. If she could equate the two, it would probably serve her well.

On the other hand, I'd much rather see Clinton disavow the remarks entirely and unconditionally, and see Cuomo flat out apologize. Surely Cuomo has little to gain by alienating the large African American community in NY.

Greg DeLassus wrote on January 10, 2008 1:15 PM:

CUOMO HAS NO ROLE IN THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN... greg delassus

Why was this directed at me? I never said that he had a role in her campaign; I referred to him as her "supporter," not "staffer" or some such. I simply said that it was wrong for folks to hold anything he said against Sen Clinton.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:19 PM:

First they laugh at you
Then they fight you
Then you win
Gandhi

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:20 PM:

Smearing King's legacy?
Stop with that canard---Hillary gave MLK the highest praise. Unless MLK was actually against the Civil Rights Act, this criticism of Hillary makes no sense.
Of COURSE it took a political leader to enact that, which should go without saying.
This would never have happened without MLK's activism, as Hillary acknowledges.
The point of her comparison was how LBJ was more effective than JFK in enacting the CRA.

Greg DeLassus wrote on January 10, 2008 1:20 PM:

JJ and this guy should go.

To be very fair, what does it mean for Cuomo to "go"? If he is not on the campaign staff, then he cannot be "fired" and it is not really for Sen Clinton to tell him that he is not allowed even to vote for her. The most she can do is say "he said this, not me."

onceler wrote on January 10, 2008 1:22 PM:

true, Cuomo does not have an official role in the campaign. but it certainly is part of a larger pattern which accompanies all this rhetoric about Obama being "naive", one of Clinton's trademarked phrases against him, by now. people don't take the work he's done seriously, its just 'jive', fast-talking, non-serious. i don't think there's some conspiracy, i think this is how the people to tend to support her think in the backs of their minds. its ok to attack with anything and everything, and cry 'sexism' when you get hit back. go for race. go for fear. the Clintons know very well that these things work over and over, and they're not above using and benefiting from them. never have been.

Lee wrote on January 10, 2008 1:22 PM:

Hope to God she disavows. What an idiot Cuomo is. If she can a find a way rhetorically, the equation of JJ jr.'s remarks with this buffoonery would be lovely.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 1:23 PM:

I stand chastised again Greg. I skimmed and thought he was part of the campaign in some capacity. If not, I guess he can't go anywhere. It's still an outrageous comment. WTF is going on?

Josch wrote on January 10, 2008 1:24 PM:

The Clinton campaign is experiencing the onset of a slow, desperate implosion. She may have won NH but she's still way behind in the delegate race and her "experience" platform is a load of BS. All the desperate ploys from the HillCamp in recent days are laughable. Obama's sucking up all the heavy-hitting endorsements. It's only a matter of time before the Clinton campaign squeaks out it's final breath and that day may come before Super Tuesday.

John McCutchen wrote on January 10, 2008 1:24 PM:

Down on Massa and Missus Beeyul's plantation

http://www.willrogers.com/new/articles/book_reviews/stepin_fetchit/M12A-76.jpg

freaktown wrote on January 10, 2008 1:24 PM:

Notice how the clinton camp is trying to make race an issue in this campaign???

Doesn't it distress anyone that the Clintons are starting to campaign like Republicans?

phil james wrote on January 10, 2008 1:27 PM:

Cuomo had to secretly screen this kind of remark with the Clintons before he "accidently" let loose with it. The harm is done and the campaign has plausible deniability. What I would like to see next is the commercial with the blonde bimbo winking and asking Obama if she could "campaign" with him.

Mark F. wrote on January 10, 2008 1:29 PM:

Score one for the ignorant, rich white bigots. You won't catch Hillary shucking and jiving on the campaign trail. Unless you consider tearing up on purpose for the cameras a form of shucking and jiving.

Henry wrote on January 10, 2008 1:30 PM:

Where has the Clinton camp made race an issue?

The only people making an issue of race is coming from the Obama camp.

grover_rover wrote on January 10, 2008 1:31 PM:

Yeah, LBJ was the only one in a position to pass it because the country was too racist for MLK to be president to do it himself. The point is, she was using this as an attack against Obama, part of her "talk vs action" crap, basically saying that it was MLK's fault somehow that he had no opportunity for "action" on civil rights, and that it took someone like LBJ to take action. No matter how you look at that it was trashing on MLK's legacy, and I don't remember her ever giving MLK credit during that comment. There is also an obvious flaw with her argument here, which is that someone can talk, inspire, rally AND take action (as Obama actually DOES have a history of doing). In fact, you have to inspire and gain public support before you can get the political capital to get things done. Hillary doesn't mention this of course, because she'll never have that broad support or political capital. All of this is just about Hillary not being able to inspire people and energize people like Obama can, and she is pissed about it, so she tries to distort his experience, and fluff her own. One of her "biggest achievements", healthcare reform in the 90s, was a total disaster precisely because she didn't have any political capital and didn't know how to work something through the process. Her record is fluff, Obama has just as much history of action, if not more. It is a crap argument on her part, and she crapped all over MLK in the process of trying to make it.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 1:35 PM:

Freaktown, "starting to campaign like Republicans?" They have been campaigning like republicans since day one and that was the alleged attraction of voting for her. She can campaign like a republican. The clintons constantly, disort everything, just like republicans. She's playing the fear card just like republicans. She's ready from day 1, have to fear a terror attack like what happened with gordon brown. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:36 PM:

Where has the Clinton camp made race an issue?

Are you shucking and jiving again Henry?

Greg DeLassus wrote on January 10, 2008 1:37 PM:

She may have won NH but she's still way behind in the delegate race

Huh? It brings me no great pleasure to say this, but Obama is the one behind in the delegate race. Clinton has 158 to Obama's 76. Both have a long way to go, of course. One needs 2162 in order to win, the difference between Clinton and Obama is peanuts at this point, but Sen Clinton is (slightly) further along towards that magic number than is Sen Obama.

Anghiari wrote on January 10, 2008 1:37 PM:

Actually I think Andrew Cuomo meant nothing more than he is hip and can be "street" and he presumes that when talking to/about black folks, he canget his message across by using black vernacular. Andrew Cuomo much like Bill Clinton don't quite understand that when friendship is offered by black folks there are still boundaries that you do not cross...not out of fear, but out of respect. Too often folks who hang with black folks forget...that you just don't go there. Bill forgot in New Hampshire and I am sure Andrew won't mind if we turn his venture into the vernacular right back on him..when I say Andrew Cuomo is shuckin and jiving about the wrong man. Best he go and make some whipped cream cupcakes!

loki wrote on January 10, 2008 1:37 PM:

Clinton should say to Obama, I'll spank mine if you spank yours.

Best line of the week! Double, maybe triple entendre! Good stuff.

But really people! This is what's got everyone so exercised? Just like Jesse Jr.'s comments...shake it off. No big damn deal. The responses are worse than the "offences." Both sides...a little less oversensitivities, please!

CalD wrote on January 10, 2008 1:38 PM:

David_F wrote: LOL. But not a bad idea for Clinton. Cuomo's remarks were offensive, Jackson's remarks much less so..."

Hardly. Crying about "her appearance?" Please.

Also, Junior Jackson is also a co-chair for the Obama campaign. Cuomo Jr. is described only as a supporter above. If that means he has no formal association with the Clinton campaign then really, his opinions are his own.

Bupalos wrote on January 10, 2008 1:39 PM:

Greg DeLassus,

I won't hold this against Hillary as long as we don't see any other subtle-not-so-subtle signals to voters. I don't buy for a minute someone just accidently used "shuck and jive." It just isn't common parleyance. And if you really look at NH, I think it's fair to suspect that Hill's campaign may have decided that it was the racist vote that just won it for her. The "beer-drinking" vote may be the code for this.

So I think we need to be on the lookout for attempts to prod the "beer-drinking" vote by reminding them of race. She's openly doing it with sex, and I suspect when they are desperate they will go here.

Margaret O'Hara wrote on January 10, 2008 1:39 PM:

I think after Bill's comments calling Obama a "kid", Shaheen's comments about drug dealing, Hill's comments about LBJ/MLK, and now this, Obama will will SC by more than 25 points. The Clinton's have no shame. They are one notch above the "vast republican" slime machine. They are pathetic.

And to think I used to have a lot of respect for Bill Clinton.

Casey wrote on January 10, 2008 1:39 PM:

This is why I will never vote for a Clinton! They are the scummiest politicians in the Democratic party. They have through their surrogates introduced vile racist attacks, totally false misstatements about Obama and his record, and in their most disgusting tactic, engaged in fear mongering that is right up there in technique and timing with the Great Rudy himself. Pigs. All of them.

Eyzwidopn wrote on January 10, 2008 1:41 PM:

Surrogates getting out of hand. What else is new.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 1:41 PM:

Thanks grover, that's right on target.

Also, comparing herself to LBJ has got to be one of the dumbest moves that she has done in this campaign, even though it is probably a very accurate comparison. He got us into vietnam and couldn't get us out. He was blind to military reality on the ground. He was an outrageous politician, extremely cut-throat, and basically signed the civil rights legislation into law under political duress, due to the movement inspired by King. LBJ was all about politics, not about the people.

Thomas McDonald wrote on January 10, 2008 1:41 PM:

Idiot. I was a big supporter of Bill Clinton, but if the current Clinton camp pulls this off by sliming Obama, I might actually stomach a McCain vote against Hillary in November. And I suspect there are enough independent oriented Democrats like myself who might be considering the same. Go Obama!

Thomas McDonald wrote on January 10, 2008 1:42 PM:

loki wrote on January 10, 2008 1:43 PM:

Eric Kleefeld said: Cuomo used some words with a very troublesome racial history.

Really? Your only definition makes a reference to its being used a lot by black speakers. This sounds more like someone trying too hard to sound cool or "with it." Like a sixty year old man using hip-hop language...just sounds lame.

CPC wrote on January 10, 2008 1:43 PM:

People are really starting to show their true colors.

jeanba wrote on January 10, 2008 1:44 PM:

As an African-American, veteran with a wife who happens to be white I say to Obama camp not to fall into Clinton trap of race card because if he does so he will lose many white votes and that's all Bill and Hillary surrogates are trying to do. Please Barack don't fall into their trap. Let's wait for SC to see how AA reacts. Once I used to think liberal/progressive was not near racism but it happened that I was naive!

CPC wrote on January 10, 2008 1:46 PM:

I agree with you Jenna L. People are really starting to let their true feelings out...

AnnfromCA wrote on January 10, 2008 1:52 PM:

Exactly. He's in "big-boy" pants now.

Clem wrote on January 10, 2008 1:55 PM:

Genghis, thanks. I should have substituted Obama's name for Tiger Woods; I had the recent dropping of the L-bomb on him in mind.

I do wonder if remarks like Cuomo's reflect some strategic emanations from the Clinton camp, in substance if not specific terminology used. Perhaps Cuomo's slap was the over-heated prelude to a slightly more subtle campaign of insinuation: "If white Iowans love Obama, can he be trusted? Is he shuffling and grinning? Where is his pride? Is he a man?" Remember Clinton's kindergarten comment? I'll be watching to see if a pattern emerges and what it might mean, but it's possible that Clinton's personal attack strategy against Obama will be to symbolically unman him.

Gabriel Shepherd wrote on January 10, 2008 1:55 PM:

Are You Kidding Me???? When will everyone stand up against these types of people, close out the Clintons already. Regardless of how you feel about Obama, the guy damn near doubled the democratic party in Iowa in one night.

michael valentine wrote on January 10, 2008 1:56 PM:

I once heard a Marine Gy/sgt use that term and lost all respect for him.

To hear Governor Cuomo use it is unforgivable. Does the Governor speak for the Clinton Campaign?

Gabriel Shepherd wrote on January 10, 2008 1:56 PM:

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 1:58 PM:

Cuomo should apologize--just as soon as JJJr apologizes. W

dras wrote on January 10, 2008 1:59 PM:

I think it funny how you people believe you can talk like blacks.
When I was a young man I sucked and jived many a night away and it was dancing not "so as to lie and get out of trouble".

Erik wrote on January 10, 2008 2:00 PM:

Thank You for exposing this. Ben over at Politico works hard to fight so African Americans can have a voice in the media. As an African American I'm so happy to see TMP and the Huffington Post adress this. Can someone at your blog please publish a timeline of all of the racist remarks coming from the Clinton campaign. This needs to be on record. Its real funny to me that these guys disguise veiled racist remarks in so-called praise for Obama. I felt earlier that the media was not picking up on Ben's post today.

Before this post I felt the media was more concerned that a woman crying on TV was more important then racial justice, false veiled racial remarks and the degrading of Dr. King in the Clinton campaign. Dr. King's life was taken for freedoms cause. Let us not forget he fought for freedom for all. His fight lead the way for women to seek greater equality. This is something the women of New Hampshire seem to have forgotten as they turned a blind eye to Hillary's STUPID remarks about Dr. King as well. Thank you again for fighting for African Americans.

cyril wrote on January 10, 2008 2:02 PM:

I was looking at an old quote from Time magazine about the Marc Rich Pardon

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,99302,00.html

Here are a few blurbs

Thursday, the controversy took another step forward — no, we're not at impeachment yet, but it's been suggested — when federal prosecutors in New York officially opened a criminal investigation into whether Rich did indeed buy his pardon with his ex-wife Denise's pointed largesse to the First Couple and the Democratic party.

Also

What does Denise Rich have to do with all this?

Marc Rich's socialite ex-wife has donated an estimated $1 million to Democratic causes, including $70,000 to Hillary Clinton's successful Senate campaign and $450,000 to the Clinton presidential library fund. She also lobbied heavily for Marc's pardon. Investigators want to know if Denise's contributions led to a direct quid pro quo exchange for her ex-husband's pardon. Clinton has denied any connection, saying he relied solely on the information provided by Jack Quinn (former White House counsel and Rich's current lawyer) when he was weighing the pardon request

cyril wrote on January 10, 2008 2:03 PM:

I was looking at an old quote from Time magazine about the Marc Rich Pardon

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,99302,00.html

Here are a few blurbs

Also

What does Denise Rich have to do with all this?

Kimberly D wrote on January 10, 2008 2:04 PM:

This is taken out of context. I looked up the phrase and it's now come to mean -to ditch/goof around and to think you're all that and a bag of chips. It was used in a headline on an article about Microsoft recently as well.

See urbandictinary.com or yahooanswers.com or networkworld. com for the Microsoft.

Cuomo probably could have picked a better choice of words but I'm certain it wasn't intended in any kind of racist way. He's a smart guy.

DoctorSerizawa wrote on January 10, 2008 2:04 PM:

I haven't found anything about Hillary Clinton condemning Cuomo's complete idiocy. He she does so yet?

Thomas McDonald, New York, NY wrote on January 10, 2008 2:10 PM:

Idiot. I was a big supporter of Bill Clinton, but if the current Clinton camp pulls this off by sliming Obama, I might actually stomach a McCain vote against Hillary in November. And I suspect there are enough independent oriented Democrats like myself who are considering the same. Go Obama!

Thomas McDonald, New York, NY wrote on January 10, 2008 2:10 PM:

echeola wrote on January 10, 2008 2:10 PM:

Just heard from the Kucinich campaign that they are considering launching a re-count of the primary results.

Thomas McDonald, New York, NY wrote on January 10, 2008 2:10 PM:

Maria wrote on January 10, 2008 2:12 PM:

Maybe he shouldn't have shucked and jived.

Lynn wrote on January 10, 2008 2:14 PM:

I find this to be the most offensive comment made by anyone on either side of the campaigns...Republican or Democrat. In this day and age to have such a racially charged comment being made during a presidential race, feels like we've just taken ten steps backwards.

Maria wrote on January 10, 2008 2:14 PM:

Maybe he shouldn't have shucked and jived.

Thomas McDonald, New York, NY wrote on January 10, 2008 2:15 PM:

mccainoverobama wrote on January 10, 2008 2:25 PM:

FINALLY... WHAT IS ANDREW CUOMO's position in the Clinton Campaign?

john mccutchen wrote on January 10, 2008 2:26 PM:

I really think you folks, especially all the Billi-ards hereabouts, really cut Little Orphan Andy some slack here. Hell someone should put the the little bastard up for a 2008 Profile in Courage Award and pencil him in for a Billary nominating speech

It takes guts to call a mulignan a mulignan

Isn't it Obama who's forever preaching, hounding us about how it is time to stop telling Americans what politicians think they want to hear and start telling them what they need to hear?

carol wrote on January 10, 2008 2:26 PM:

Well . . . so long to the notion that Obama was going to transcend race. How grand that it is finally beginning to surface. Intimations of what's coming.

JC wrote on January 10, 2008 2:28 PM:

I am a black woman and I am a Hilary supporter from Maryland. I don't believe that Andrew Cuom's statement has a racist undertone at all. When I watch Obama speeches I am not at all inspired. You media people are just pumping up Obama so he can be the Democratic nominee and be later matched against your saint John McCain this Fall. You people look for stuff to drive a wedge between the white Democrats and their black counterparts so that the Republicans can come in this November and win the White House again. I don't think black people want you to be their eyes and ears at all. Mind you own business. I think after ignoring black democratic voters all these years and now with a black man running as a Democratic candidate you people think you have a change to wreak havoc on the Democratic constituency.

Joyce wrote on January 10, 2008 2:31 PM:

Many have suggested that race is part of this political battle. I'm just glad a supporter of Clinton came out and said what Bill eluded to in NH. This just shows the Clinton's are desparate to hold onto the "old" political power.

Can we move forward and leave the 1990's where they belong?

virginia cynic wrote on January 10, 2008 2:31 PM:

this is great. Andrew Cuomo says 'shuck and jive', Rove says Obama is 'lazy', so who will please make my day complete and call Obama "shiftless"?

And you didn't think race was going to enter in to this?

Ernest Chen wrote on January 10, 2008 2:31 PM:

It is no coincidence that supporters of Sen. Clinton repeatedly launch not merely personal attacks with racist overtones against Sen. Obama. First, it was Sen. Clinton's campaign co-chairman and husband of former New Hampshire Gov. Shaheen (suggesting that Sen. Obama was a narcotics dealer in his teens). Then, it was former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey repeating allelgations (that Sen. Obama attended a madrassa while living in Indonesia; that Sen. Obama is a Muslim) completely debunked by an in-depth CNN report. Just last week, in the closing days of the New Hampshire, Bill Clinton referred to Sen. Obama as a "kid" and his straightforward, and consistent, stand on the Iraq misadventure was a "fairy tale." Now, you have Andrew Cuomo characterizing to Sen. Obama's very gifted oratorical skills as "shuck and jive".
This is a PATTERN that underscores the "slash and burn" and "personal destruction" tactics of the Clintons (remember Gennifer Flowers? Monica Lewinsky? Kathleen Willy?) from which Sen. Obama wants to turn the page. Perhaps more disturbing is the reality that Sen. Clinton's pursuit of the White House is motivated by decades-long personal ambition and not by any desire to unite the country. Even if somehow Sen. Clinton manages to get the nomination, and the general election (highly improbable because of her high negatives), she would not, and could not, govern effectively because she is even more divisive than the current occupant of the White House.

Zack wrote on January 10, 2008 2:31 PM:

Time and time again I wonder, what the fudge is wrong with these people? I have to be careful of what I say and who I say it to everyday....and I'm in REAL ESTATE! Not a public figure!! Where do we find these morons?

GG wrote on January 10, 2008 2:33 PM:

Well now, here's another bigot comming out of the closet!!

annevilla wrote on January 10, 2008 2:35 PM:

"OBAMA PORTRAIT MUSIC VIDEO" on Youtube - Don't Miss It!

For those of you who still have not heard:

There is a WONDERFUL and INSPIRING music video on Youtube.com entitled "Obama Portrait Music Video by Bjarne O."
You can use the free downloaded high-quality stereo version from the composer's website in DVD form to show at house parties. Even people who knew nothing at all about Obama have been moved: either a thrilling introduction, or further inspiration for those of us who already know and fight for Obama.
The music soundtrack, which incorporates excerpts from the famous 2004 speech, can also be downloaded separately in high-quality.

It is an uplifting and informative campaign tool - so please, SPREAD THE WORD!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mCPwbozpIzM

Together for Obama,
Anne

TBS, Northridge, California wrote on January 10, 2008 2:35 PM:

Someone might want to tell Cuomo that you can't just act like a Mafia don either.

Betos wrote on January 10, 2008 2:37 PM:

C'mon man, this is just an old expression. Who does it offend? It was used on the Dukes of Hazzard for years. Stop trying to play the race card for no good reason.

Christopher London wrote on January 10, 2008 2:39 PM:

Me thinks Andrew Cuomo is angling for Attorney General appointment in a future Clinton administration having worked in the prior Clinton administration. Sadly, Andrew has a short memory of Bill Clinton slandering the Italian Community and Mario Cuomo, referring to Mario as a Mafia figure in his private conversations with Jennifer Flowers.

MAC2 wrote on January 10, 2008 2:40 PM:

Another NY zero, another dynasty that needs to be busted up big time. The guy is lucky to not be in jail, he might be the one who was yelling at HRC to do his shirt.

freaktown wrote on January 10, 2008 2:43 PM:

"shuck and jive" means, "To be deceptive or evasive; to tell tall tales or lies;"

yeah....thats close to "bobbing and weaving".

Try again, Cuomo.

toni c wrote on January 10, 2008 2:47 PM:

well the term when ussed in association with obama is offensive. not to stop anyone from free inartful speech and all but using this term around black folk is not too cool.

Here is a federal judge considering whether the use of the racial term by a prosecutor was error.

B. SHUCK & JIVE

Pendergraft and Spielvogel also argue that the prosecutor injected racial prejudice into his closing argument by twice stating that Pendergraft, who is black, "shucked and jived" on the witness stand.9 (R.25 at 472 & 486.)

We believe there may have been error.

"Shuck and jive" is a phrase with racial origins. See Smith v. Farley, 59 F.3d 659, 664 (7th Cir. 1995). It began as slang adopted by American blacks to describe a situation where blacks lie to whites to stay out of trouble. See 15 Oxford English Dictionary 388 (2d ed. 1989). There is some debate regarding whether this slang has crossed over into mainstream usage. See Smith, 59 F.3d at 664. However, even if the phrase is not entirely of a racist character, it is not the sort of characterization that should be employed by an assistant United States Attorney, whose interest is not that he "shall win a case, but that justice shall be done."

Indie-proud wrote on January 10, 2008 2:47 PM:

Listen voters:
Don't allow the media to make this presidental race into a black/white racial war! They want us to go back 4 decades to keep it interesting so their ratings skyrocket. Besides, everyone has an agenda. Also, these supporters just want to hear themselves pontificate and brainwash you at the same time. DON'T FALL FOR IT, TOO MUCH IS AT STAKE!
Do your own research on each candidate and make an informed decision based on the issues period. Annnnnd... if you are going to pay attention to these blowhards, then the very least you should do is fact check their comments.

Keith wrote on January 10, 2008 2:47 PM:

Why not release the tape? I'm not about to take Cuomo's word for it.

And bob and weave? Give me a fucking break....

freaktown wrote on January 10, 2008 2:48 PM:

and if he meant "bob and weave" why didn't he jsut say that?

but no, he used the words "schuck and jive" which has pretty obvious racial overtones to describe the only african-american in the race.

would he have used the words "shuck and jive" in reference to Edwards or Richardson?

I highly doubt it.

Andrew Cuomo wrote on January 10, 2008 2:53 PM:

While you're at it, Barack, could you jump down, turn around and pick a bale of cotton?

grover_rover wrote on January 10, 2008 2:54 PM:

Oh, and "concern troll" aka "mccainoverobama", about your comments about the Punjab thing, if you actually care so much about it, you probably should try actually look past Bill's fallacious and disingenuous attacks and research it for yourself. If you took the time to do that you'd notice that it was a light hearted joke following an event at which Hillary herself said she could run for a Senate seat in Punjab and win. You also would have noticed that she was introduced by her supporter as the Senator from New York and Punjab.

There was nothing nefarious about the Obama campaign's mention of that, and it has been addressed, it took place months ago, it is old news, and Bill is just bringing it up now because he has nothing else and is so angry at Obama for challenging his wife's "inevitable" campaign.

So if you don't mind, quit regurgitating the Clinton campaign's attacks and talking points and actually try thinking for yourself. I'm tired of you Hillary supporters just repeating the kind of sleaze that the Clintons are throwing out as if it were the word of god, without even bothering to go verify it first. I would be embarrassed for my ignorance and gullibility if I were you.

phil james wrote on January 10, 2008 3:03 PM:

Maybe we should give Cuomo the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he used the term "shuck and jive" which connotes a lying, obsequiousness, when what he was really trying to do was point out how uppity Obama was being in his high-blown speechifying.

Shaffer wrote on January 10, 2008 3:05 PM:

Shuck and jive= racist? The man is from New York that’s how they talk (Sinatra anybody). This is my first time visiting this site. Let me say I feel embarrassed to be a democrat. What a bunch of cry baby sissies. No wonder we have lost the presidency so many times sense FDR. I’m out.

drchandler wrote on January 10, 2008 3:06 PM:

It Is a sad state of affairs that the elected officials of the United States use these divisive tactic's, It Is clearly a character/integrity issue. Very Sad!!!!

Toni C wrote on January 10, 2008 3:07 PM:

Yeah Obama has been a bit uppity hasn't he.

The point I made in the post about the federal judge. In a federal court a prosecutor using the term to describe a black witness on the stand could be cause for reversible error. It's considered a racially denegrating on its way to implying dishonesty.

If the AG doesn;t know not to use it on the radio I hope he knows not to use it in court. (laughing)

Liam wrote on January 10, 2008 3:08 PM:

Why would Andrew Cuomo have to find a synonym for "Bob and Weave". That would have been a much more cogent and acceptable phrase to use. I am buying his spin. The Clinton camp have been doing too much of this stuff, with Bob Kerrey, smear spam, Drug dealer innuendo, etc for this to be just an innocent mistake. Cuomo knew what he was saying. By the way, he is another one who only got where he is because of his father's name.

Amazing how the Hillary camp, can play the gender card to gain sympathy, and still get away with playing the race card against Obama over and over, and they are allowed to skate by the media.

MonaL wrote on January 10, 2008 3:08 PM:

Obama _is_ trying to "shuck and jive" or "bob and weave" his way to the presidency. As well he should, he's got great oratory talent. He's got to use whatever he's got to win.

So does Hillary. That's politics.

Now grow up, and stop with all the righteous indignation. We'll have a nominee come Feb. 5 then we can all rally around that person to beat whoever the Republican happens to be. Until then, stop your whining, it's unbecoming.

jeanba wrote on January 10, 2008 3:13 PM:

JC,

Please if you don't see a racial connotation from Cuomo statement you must be naive.How as an AA can you blame the media to have abandoned the AA voters when it is the Clintons who have done much damage to the AA-higher rate of AA prisoners, welfare reform, less AA members in Clinton I cabinet-not the media. So much for the first black president and potential first black women president!
For Obama and his supporters please don't fall into race trap, stay above it then you will win many white votes. I still believe that the majority of white folks are not racist and will continue to warm up on Obama campaign.

Richmond wrote on January 10, 2008 3:13 PM:

OK. But the question is, Does Obama shuck and jive, and the answer to the question is Yes. He also boogies and claps his hands. He talks black when it suits him. He talks white when it suits him. Like Bush's phony Southern accent and garbled grammar. When Bush wants to, he sounds awfully Yankee and articulate. Obama's trying to get elected. What do you expect him to do? Well up at a diner (Mrs. Clinton)? Bite his lower lip (Mr. Clinton)? Make the "V" sign with his fingers (Nixon)? Chomp on a cigarette holder from his wheelchair (FDR)? It's what Obama does. He gets jiggy with the crowd. Stop apologizing for him.

jeanba wrote on January 10, 2008 3:18 PM:

BREAKING NEWS!
The Clinton campaign claimed that Barack Obama has fathered two black kids! Barack isn't denying or accepting it!

toni c wrote on January 10, 2008 3:19 PM:

Forget the history making potential of Obama with Michelle as first lady gaining all that Presidential experience to be ready on day one. (laughing)

I'll see America as past all this nonsense when Obama's wife can look like Kucinich's and vice versa and nobody will really care or notice. Until that day we are all just kidding ourselves about the health of this long healing but as yet unhealed scar.

jeanba wrote on January 10, 2008 3:22 PM:

Richmond,

None is apologizing for anybody, offensive languages are not good for the democrats or republicans. It does not matter where they come from, but for democrats to act like they are above racism and use it against their own is below Karl Rove.

WintonyMay wrote on January 10, 2008 3:22 PM:

I must have missed something from the NH returns. Recall that it was Clinton with the double-digit lead, in the polls, just a week before the primary. Nevertheless, the returns showed both Obama and Clinton receiving over 100,000 votes, each, albeit with a 2% margin for Clinton, but an equal number of delegates, where delegates were the prize in the primary. Therefore, the result was a tie.
Moreover, there was never any empirical evidence that Obama was ever ahead or that more voters switched from him to Clinton, than vice versa. So, the 'comeback' may have been entirely imaginary.
Sadly, like far too many politicians, Cuomo was getting rid of hot air, as opposed to shedding any light on the topic.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 3:26 PM:

Good points jeanba. I really, really don't understand why any minority groups are all enthralled with the clintons. Other than a bunch of worthless hot air, their record concerning minorities is really pathetic. Why don't people see this? I don't understand.

JO wrote on January 10, 2008 3:35 PM:

Nice to see a two-for-one: Cuomo does a major disservice to his supposed preference for the nomination, AND lodges a bullet in his own political future with one disgusting, vile reminder of just how desperate the Clinton Death March really is. I don't believe in coincidences or accidents among the politician class: words by seeming underlings or "unofficial" supporters don't come from nowhere. This was HRC playing the race card, QED--and here you imagined we were beyond that. QED. Interesting illustration of just how wrong HRC is about the power of words. I personally know lots of Democrats who simply will not vote for Hillary, no matter what. Add me to that number. Shuck and jive 'bout that, baby!

wglad wrote on January 10, 2008 3:43 PM:

Talk about rushing to judgment. What if you had held off on the headline until you got Cuomo's statement? You guys are getting pretty funny.

Common wrote on January 10, 2008 3:43 PM:

I can't help but notice that the historically racist definition of "shuck and jive" fits Cuomo's criticism a lot better than the term "bob and weave". If Hillary doesn't come down hard on this, the media should give her hell.

JubleJohnson wrote on January 10, 2008 3:44 PM:

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 3:26 PM:
Good points jeanba. I really, really don't understand why any minority groups are all enthralled with the clintons. Other than a bunch of worthless hot air, their record concerning minorities is really pathetic. Why don't people see this? I don't understand.

*******Agree with the above post 100%.The Clintons outsourced their(African Americans) jobs & now because of NAFTA & GATT millions of illegals came to our country where the illegals are now taking low paid jobs away from many in the African American community.And yet ,for whatever reason many in the African American communities see the Clitnons as their saviors.Is up down or down up ?

SarahWest wrote on January 10, 2008 3:48 PM:

It's funny that Andrew KKKuomo would sacrifice the rest of his political career in NY for the Clintons. He ain't gonna see another black vote in that state again.

Mario is a good man...he must be absolutely mortified.

NJ Lawyer wrote on January 10, 2008 3:50 PM:

Cuomo isn't fooling me.

A2K wrote on January 10, 2008 3:50 PM:

mccainoverobama wrote on January 10, 2008 2:25 PM:

FINALLY... WHAT IS ANDREW CUOMO's position in the Clinton Campaign?

YOU PUNJABI, check this...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Mq8kOXV_E

democratic eyrie wrote on January 10, 2008 3:52 PM:

Don't you love it when the excuse is 50 times more pathetic than the original comment. And this guy is the AG of NY? Seriously?

"It was never about Obama in the first place"? Then who on planet earth was it about? the whole quote (not just the shuck/jive part) was clearly about Obama. Good grief.

"...a synonym for 'bob and weave." Huh? What is wrong with this man's brain?

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 3:52 PM:

Grover_rover, you are trying to defend something that caused Obama to down on his people like a ton of bricks:

But along the way, he has had to resist continual pressure even from inside his own campaign to take a harder and harsher line against his rivals, Hillary Clinton in particular. On the bus the night before the Iowa caucuses, Obama recounted one difficult episode. Early in the campaign, he lectured his staff that he wasn't going to tolerate any bashing of his rivals—no slipping anonymous snarky quotes to reporters, no feeding nasty gossip to bloggers. (Of course, Obama staffers, like all campaign aides, can't resist swapping choice bits of gossip with eager reporters.) But last summer Obama's campaign was stalling after a series of lackluster debate performances. His staff pleaded with him to go after Clinton. Then, a sleazy anonymous oppo-research memo, sourced to the Obama campaign, started making the rounds among reporters. It suggested Bill Clinton had profited from companies that outsourced jobs to India, while Hillary raked in donations from Indian-Americans. The memo was crudely titled "Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)."
The Clinton campaign was justifiably angry, and seized on the episode as proof that Obama had abandoned his vaunted "politics of hope" and had offended Indian-Americans in the process. Obama was furious with his staff. "Some of my roommates in college were Indian and Pakistani," he told NEWSWEEK. "I had to call some of my best friends and explain that my campaign wasn't engaged in xenophobia." Obama held a come-to-Jesus meeting with his senior aides at his Chicago headquarters and vented his anger. "If you're even going close to the line, you better ask me first," he recalled saying. "That was the most angry I've been in this campaign."

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/hillary_supporter_andrew_cuomo_on_her_nh_win_you_cant_shuck_and_jive_w_press_corps.php#comments

Contrary to what people think, you can't control every random word that comes out of the mouth of someone associated with your campaign.

slb wrote on January 10, 2008 3:54 PM:

I seriously had no clue that "to call a spade a spade" was once a racist statement, but I was enlightened when I accidentally used it.

Actually, that is a false etymology. It arises out of a Renaissance mistranslation of a phrase used in ancient Greece at least as early as 300 B.C.E. See http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/886.html:

"To call a spade a spade" not only predates slavery in North America by quite a bit but harks all the way back to the Ancient Greeks, occurring in the work of, among others, the playwright Aristophanes, and is still commonly heard in modern Greek. The original phrase seems to have been "to call a fig a fig; to call a kneading trough a kneading trough," applied to someone who spoke exceedingly frankly. Evidently, when the phrase was first translated from Greek in the Renaissance, the Greek word for "trough" was confused with the Greek for "spade," and thus the modern version was born. The "spade" referred to in the phrase, incidentally, was the digging implement, and not the black character on playing cards that underlies the racial epithet.

independentmynd wrote on January 10, 2008 4:00 PM:

These are the times that try New York bigot's souls.

Dan, TX wrote on January 10, 2008 4:00 PM:

I am an Obama supporter. Among the list of innuendo, smears, insults, distortions and outright lies coming from high-profile Clinton supporters, this is just a little blip. Why would this upset anyone, it is just more of the same.

I appreciate the Clinton supporter who said they would support Obama if Clinton wins the nomination. Unfortunately, I can't return the favor. I can't vote for someone I truly feel lacks honesty and integrity. I will NEVER vote for Clinton.

loki wrote on January 10, 2008 4:03 PM:

Dan in Texas...Be sure to enjoy President Huckabee or, if you're lucky, Romney!

Oh and thanks in advance for helping to fuck up this country just a little further.

Peace.

JimNYC wrote on January 10, 2008 4:05 PM:

Can someone put this into his wikipedia profile? These people have to learn that their actions are gonna come back to bite them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cuomo

Desider wrote on January 10, 2008 4:06 PM:

Look, it's one thing to have a campaign operative saying or doing something stupid like this (Shaheen, Jackson) and another to have a supporter with no campaign association say it. You can fire the campaign worker, you can't fire someone who doesn't work for you.

Second, there's also a big difference between writing something for release vs. saying something stupid off-the-cuff, even though conspiracy theorists always think the impromptu comments have been planned and vetted at the top.

So, the Clinton campaign should denounce the words, but I don't know what else they need to do. (A sports analyst who's friends with Tiger Woods got suspended for 2 weeks for a lynching comment, though Woods was quick to say he's sure she just made a slip of the tongue going live).

ItsTimeToTurnThePage wrote on January 10, 2008 4:07 PM:

I'm waiting for the Clinton campaign to call us all a bunch of niggers. I'm sure that's on a future Clinton talking point.

Heck, Cuomo could have just got it out of the way today by saying "you know those niggers can't just shuck and jive in front of the media...." We could have had all the racist insults over and done with today.

Instead, we have to wait for the next Clinton campaign adviser to come forth.

I find it interesting that if a Republican had made that comment folks would hoot and holler. The Republican party looks better and better by the day.

I was so busy drinking the Clinton koolaid in the 1990s that I didn't realize the Republicans were right to impeach Bill.

fillphil wrote on January 10, 2008 4:18 PM:

Shucks folks, this ain't racisim. You'll realize real racism if Obama is the nominee. Consider this:
The Republican Party is very low on money. They don't have any candidate that is the reincarnation of Ronald Reagan. Their base is splintered badly. They are desperate to hold on to the power the've enjoyed these last 7-8 yrs.
They know they need to rally the base to hold on to whatever they can. What's the best thing to rally a Republican base. RACE! They have never seen it as a problem but rather an excellent opportunity. You watch.

Liam wrote on January 10, 2008 4:19 PM:

The Clintons will play the race card, and cater to bigots, if they think if will gain them votes.

Remember this calculated move when Clinton went out of his way to pander to the crypto KKK type voters! The Clintons, like George Bush, really do not truly care about black people.

The term originates in the 1992 presidential candidacy of Bill Clinton. In an interview published May 13, 1992, the hip-hop MC, author, and political activist Sister Souljah was quoted in the Washington Post as saying,
“ "If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?"[1] ”

The remark was part of a longer response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The quote was later reproduced without the context of the complete interview[2] and resulted in wide criticism from the media. In June 1992, Clinton responded to the quote while giving a speech to the Rainbow Coalition, saying,
“ "If you took the words ‘white’ and ‘black’ and you reversed them, you might think David Duke was giving that speech." ”

[edit] Reactions

Clinton's response was criticized by members and leaders of the Democratic Party's African-American supporters, such as Jesse Jackson[3][4], and he would be accused by Sister Souljah of being a racist and hypocrite [5]. However, it is often reported by the media to have also reinforced the image, in the eyes of moderate and independent voters, of a centrist politician who was “tough on crime” and “not influenced by special interests.”

Clinton's remarks were consistent with his larger strategy: running to the right of the Democratic mainstream on many issues. Clinton went on to win the presidency, and the term Sister Souljah moment subsequently entered the political lexicon.

Daniel A. Greenbaum wrote on January 10, 2008 4:19 PM:

From Salon.com's War Room:

Update: We just talked with Karlin,
who told us that Cuomo's "shuck and jive" remark was "so far removed, temporally and contextually,
from any discussion of Obama," that he didn't hear it as a reference to Obama
at all. Karlin pointed us to Newsday's Spin Cycle blog, which has posted a partial transcript of the radio interview made from a tape provided to it by Cuomo's office. The transcript confirms that Cuomo was answering
a general question about the retail nature of politics in Iowa and New Hampshire generally,
and there's nothing in his long answer to suggest that he was referring to Obama
rather than to politicians in general.

The original attack on Cuomo looks like very poor reporting
in an effort to find a tit-for-tat story
to balance against Jesse Jackson Jr.'s sexist
comments.

Any word on Obama's position on Jackson or any furhter
word from Jackson?

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 4:19 PM:

C'mon you sourpusses LIGHTEN UP!!

Its jest a joke he's funin

Jammer wrote on January 10, 2008 4:20 PM:

I am a HRC supporter and I decry Cuomo's comments. But then again, if the Cuomo's have been anything they have been political dolts.

These comments from Its Time to Turn the Page, however, are far more disgusting:

"I'm waiting for the Clinton campaign to call us all a bunch of niggers. I'm sure that's on a future Clinton talking point."

"I was so busy drinking the Clinton koolaid in the 1990s that I didn't realize the Republicans were right to impeach Bill"

Of all the absurdly stupid things I have seen written in the past few months, these may well take the prize for sheer inanity and for completely unhelpful rage filled diatribes of no use whatsoever.

Easygoer wrote on January 10, 2008 4:25 PM:

If HRC is the nominee, the three votes in my Democratic household will go to the GOP.
Bill and Hillary Clinton sleeze!

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 4:27 PM:

Sorry fillphil, the best way to rally the republican base is one simple word: clinton. That word gets them all in an uproar more than race or anything else. You want to rally the republican base vote for clinton and help the clinton dynasty restoration project.

Suzanne Needleman wrote on January 10, 2008 4:28 PM:

Dan from TX has it right above. It is now only January and the Clinton campaign has falsely labeled Obama a Muslim, a drug dealer and now this. They will obviously do anything to retain their power. I've always thought Hillary was a big phony but I used to have respect for Bill. That is now lost.

Go Obama (and if not, Go Bloomberg or McCain)!

moondancer wrote on January 10, 2008 4:28 PM:

While I am disgusted with this crap in general, Cuomo doesn't come across as a racist of any variety. I think this is a gotcha moment for a guy that chose his words poorly.

Lavocat wrote on January 10, 2008 4:29 PM:

Thank god this idiot is not our governor. Mario might have to give him a good beat down for this.

I can't wait for the proverbial poo-poo to hit the fan here in Albany in the coming days.

Good lord, this was beyond stupid!

crys wrote on January 10, 2008 4:30 PM:

www.hillarythemovie.com

it's definitely worth a look. dick morris may hate hillary clinton, but he sure does not lie.

Liam wrote on January 10, 2008 4:30 PM:

Here is what he said:

"It's not a TV crazed race. Frankly you can't buy your way into it," Cuomo said, according to Albany Times Union reporter Rick Karlin. He then added, "You can't shuck and jive at a press conference. All those moves you can make with the press don't work when you're in someone's living room."

Does any one really believe that he meant that to be a comment on Edwards, Richardson , or Kucinich. Of course not. He knew what his code words would convey, and what audience he intended them for.

crys wrote on January 10, 2008 4:34 PM:

www.hillarythemovie.com

it's definitely worth a look. dick morris may hate hillary clinton, but he sure does not lie.www.hillarythemovie.com

it's definitely worth a look. dick morris may hate hillary clinton, but he sure does not lie.vv

wglad wrote on January 10, 2008 4:34 PM:

I sent the Spin Cycle info to Josh a couple of hours ago. These TPM guys are about as interested in reality as the National Enquirer is. Apparently, "shuck and jive" is not part of their vocabulary, but "bitch slap" is. Go figure. Sensational headlines and controversy build interest? I suppose. Lots of people say shuck and jive. But Obama's campaign has decided to play the race card before SC. We'll see what happens. Could be very interesting.

Mr Blifilmrblifil@earthlink.net wrote on January 10, 2008 4:36 PM:

What the hell is that matter with you people? Is "Shuck and Jive" worse than "Jump, Jive, and Wail?" Or "Nigga, pleeze?"

Anybody can shuck and jive. Jive means lying with brio and flair, and shuck means peeling something. Yes, it has connotations with slavery, but it's been in the language for over 100 years. Shucking and jiving may have been something slaves resorted to to save themselves from abuse, but the context no longer applies.

It's ONLY racist if he used it in direct reference to a problem he had with Obama. He didn't. And here's a news flash. I have yet to learn if Cuomo has any official capacity within the Clinton campaign. He's kinda busy right now as State AG.

Hillary opponents willingness to embrace baseless charges of racism are horrifying to me, and gird me to oppose their choice candidate that much harder, no matter his fine qualities. By the standards applied herein, anybody who ever dropped the letter "g" at the end of a word is guilty of racism.

chigger wrote on January 10, 2008 4:37 PM:

I have some reservations about Hillary's own attitude towards race. If you look at this interview of Carl Bernstein about Hillary's early years, maybe you'll see why I'm not sure that that Cuomo apple fell very far from the Hillary apple tree:

http://tinyurl.com/2t7bzn

".....Bernstein: She was the commencement speaker at Wellesley in 1969, chosen by her fellow students—there had never been a student commencement speaker there before. The scheduled speaker was Sen. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, who Hillary had campaigned for, a Republican, the first black to be a member of the U.S. Senate in a hundred years. In his remarks he was patronizing, Hillary thought. He seemed to defend the Nixon administration’s conduct of the war, and didn’t mention the wrenching events of 68. When he finished, Hillary got up and extemporaneously excoriated him. As a result of that speech, she was featured in Life magazine as exemplary of this new generation of student leaders. They ran a picture of her in pedal pushers and her Coke-bottle glasses. That article made her well known in the student movement in the U.S......"

RaymondA wrote on January 10, 2008 4:41 PM:

Team Clinton's new favorite phrase is to refer to Barack Obama as a "symbol." Bill C. trotted it out on the Charlie Rose show. Now Andrew Cuomo calls him a "beautiful symbol." How demeaning can you get? The connotations are not far different from "token."

Will someone please blow the whistle on dynasty politicians like Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton denigrating the real achievements of up-by-your-bootstraps politicians like Obama, as "symbolic" when the politician happens to be black. Would anyone have called Mark Warner of Virginia had he entered the race as predicted, a "symbol," because he had only one four-year term as governor? Would they call him a "symbol" if her were black? Ya betcha.

Stop the Clinton campaign now, everyone. Do everything you can.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 4:53 PM:

Uh, chigger, I really, really don't want to be in the position of defending clinton, but I don't see your point. From the quote, it doesn't appear that it was racially motivated. I've had to do it twice now.

On that stupid movie that crys is promoting it is a total uber right-wing over the top, typical lying bs hatchet job and the leading nazi talking head in the movie is non-other that Ann Coulter. Need I say more. I could say alot of things about coulter, but I won't because I will be attacked as a sexist. Nonetheless, it is a pathetic movie not worthy of a look.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 4:56 PM:

Michael A wrote:

"I really, really don't understand why any minority groups are all enthralled with the clintons. Other than a bunch of worthless hot air, their record concerning minorities is really pathetic. Why don't people see this? I don't understand."

Michael, are you a part of a racial minority? Or are you white? If the latter, perhaps that answers your question above. If you were a non-white person, your perspective on the Clintons might be quite different. I am brown skinned, and although I like Obama, Hillary is my choice. I completely disagree with your characterization of her and her husband. You and others like you have been listening to Republican talking points for far too long.

P.S. -- Why are your posts the ones I'm most likely to respond to?

FlipYrWhig wrote on January 10, 2008 5:24 PM:

"Shuck and jive" _is_ a synonym for "bob and weave," because they both mean "dodge." It also _is_ a phrase with a racially specific history. So even if Cuomo didn't mean it in a derogatory way, it was still a gaffe, and it's still apology-worthy.

WWNPHD wrote on January 10, 2008 5:26 PM:

Daniel A. Greenbaum: the evidence that Cuomo was referring to Obama is that what he said was a racial slur against black people and Obama is a black person. Are you up to speed?

Other candidates clearly means Obama - he is the only other candidate Hillary is concerned about. And, most importantly, the candidate Hillary beat out in the state Cuomo was talking about.

I also think a comparison to Tiger Woods is apt. Anyone saying anything like this about Tiger is immediately (and rightfully) slammed. For example, Fuzzy Zoeller's fried chicken comment and this golf announcer's lynching comment the other day. No one questions the racial nature of those comments, I don't see why it should be questioned here.

Anonymous wrote on January 10, 2008 5:29 PM:

Michael A said: "Uh, chigger, I really, really don't want to be in the position of defending clinton, but I don't see your point."

Let me put it this way: Hillary (granted, a very young Hillary) is to be the first ever commencement speaker from her college. A man of considerable standing in Congress, a black man, is invited to be commencement speaker, a man Hillary just happens to have campaigned for. Then, following his speech, she proceeds to publicly ream him out. Do you think she would have dared to do that to an important white Congressman? I've got my doubts.The whoe thing has the look of a setup.

fillphil wrote on January 10, 2008 5:30 PM:

To: Michael A.

You seem to think I was promoting HRC. Neither Obama or HRC are choice. I was trying to point out what I believe the Right Wing would prefer as a Dem nominee and the scenario that would follow. I do believe, that the Right Wing would prefer Obama for that reason rather than tangling w/ the Clinton Political Machine. They had their asses handed to them last time by the Clintons and would
not like that to happen to them again. Race will rouse their base also know that the gender card will get them very little.

DonnaG wrote on January 10, 2008 5:30 PM:

A note to the commenters 'explaining' Cuomo......

I take it that the African-American community is expected [by the Hill camp] to accept not only the injuries from Hillary's MLK statement and Cuomo's racist comment, but also to accept the follow-up 'explanatory spin' which adds insult to injury by admitting that some Democrats don't even bother to understand, let alone respect, their history, plight and culture.

Michael A wrote on January 10, 2008 5:34 PM:

Ok anon, I'll bite and I respect that you disagree with my characterization. I will be frank my memory of the 90's is not that great in light of the last 7 years. I do remember the uproar over welfare reform though. I am really sick of the republican talking point garbage.
I defy you to quote with a link one republican talking head that said what I just said. Good luck, because you know darn well that its not a republican talking point.

Now, please enlighten me with what the clintons did for the benefit of minority groups. What legislation was marshalled through congress for a minority groups' benefit or poor or middle class people's benefit in general, let alone a minority group's benefit? Nafta was a detriment. Welfare reform was a detriment. The trade policies of the administration were a detriment. Allowing unfettered outsourcing was a detriment. Allowing the rampant corporate consolidations that occurred that put people out of work was a detriment. I just don't see it.

On your ps, I don't know, but at least I get you to think about things, which is a good thing.

Jakey wrote on January 10, 2008 5:39 PM:

Truth is bitter but frankly I think it's the Obama camp that is now playing the race card. All of a sudden, we are now hearing about the Bradley Effect because they lost in New Hampshire.
Bill Clinton genuinely asks a pertinent question about his record on Iraq and he is accused of being a racist.
Politics is about issues and asking each and every candidate (including Hillary)about their record.
If anyone thinks we are going to give someone a free pass whether white or black or because they mention the word "change" some many times like Obama or "experience" like Hillary, they are sadly mistaken.

Jesus Christo wrote on January 10, 2008 5:42 PM:

People, please unbunch your knickers. If you have forgotten already, Sen. Obama WON Iowa. When Cuomo was discussing the type of retail face-to-face politics that occur in Iowa and New Hampshire he stated that a successful politician in those primaries could not "shuck and jive" as a poltician could in a television-oriented campaign. He made this statement in an interview after Sen. Obama won in Iowa and in an interview where he extolled Sen Obama's virtues. Logic dictates that he was talking about neither Sen. Clinton nor Sen. Obama and was holding up neither as an example of a "shuck and jive politician" since both had just excelled at the type of living room politics that Cuomo had characterized as the anti "shuck and jive".

It wasn't even an attack on Sen. Obama. However, even if it was, not every attack on a black politician is racist or based on race. Anyone who believes that either Bill or Hillary Clinton is racist also slept through the entire 90s.

I don't currently support Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama in the primaries. But I will be proud to vote for either of them in the general election over any of the Republicans running. Anyone who says that a choice of any of our top three candidates over their favored candidate will drive them to vote for a Republican in the general (each one of whom opposes everything the Democratic Party stands for) enables 4-8 more years of Bush polciies or worse and has no right to call themselves a Demcorat.

stlounick wrote on January 10, 2008 5:45 PM:

What DonnaG said...

Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 10, 2008 5:46 PM:

Has anyone pointed out to this racist ass that no one is trully fooled by the fact that where paper ballots were in play Obama won and that Clinton won where Diebold machines collected the alleged vote . . .

New Hampshire was not about jive; it was about election fraud.

Additionally, based upon history in New Hampshire . . . Not President Clinton will be joining Not President Dean and Not President Clarke in crying in their beer land.

Ultimately, nothing has been decided yet.

Jesus Christo wrote on January 10, 2008 5:57 PM:

New Hampshire uses paper ballots throughout the entire state. In some parts of the state they are handcounted and in some parts of the states they are optically scanned. There is a paper trail in the entire state. You could look it up, or just continue to spew nonsense about election fraud.

Sen. Clinton's vote pattern almost exactly matched Sen. Kerry's in 04. Not fraud, just a pretty clear division along age, income, gender, and education lines.

TheraP wrote on January 10, 2008 6:05 PM:

"shuck and jive" is code for "black." Words matter. Anyone growing up in a political family uses words carefully. This man has risked his career for an underhanded racist attack.

What a country we're becoming. Disappearing and torturing people without any kind of judicial review. Shredding candidates and tearing each other apart... what are we coming to?

opulent wrote on January 10, 2008 6:08 PM:

Symbol, kid, fairytale, kid, naive, shuck and jive, muslim, cocaine dealer.

Ahhhh, the Southern Strategy of the Clintons just keeps on coming, day after day they have surrogates spewing racist remarks.

Just too much of a PATTERN. To even be thought of as anythign other than planned, orchestrated and deliberate.

Right along with the 'gender card' meme from their surrogates as well.

The term symbol is so demeaning...it conjures up images of strange fruit in trees as a SYMBOL of what white southerns would do to black males. Bill is from Arkansas, so that terminology was definitely intentional...right along with the word 'fairytale' which brought to mind how they castrated the strange fruit before they strung it up in the tree.

Black men in the south were referred to as naive, kid, and boy when they were 50 years old by racist whites again to demean and debase them by emasculating their man hood.

The word symbol also conjures up the old minstrel acts when you think about shucking and jiving along with it. I believe these remarks were intentional and that they were being directed at JESSE Jackson JUNIOR. He is the one Cuomo was referring to and it was in direct response to JJJ remarks about Hillarys fake tears. That is who he is saying can't shake the media down and who is shucking and jiving that has long been the way the dad has been described by O'Rielly.

Make no mistake though that in the South the term shuck and jive is a reference to the stupidity of niggers. It is said with disdain and revulsion for black people...that is real clear.

I am disgusted with this and it just goes to show how power mad and divisive the Clintons are. They will destroy this country if they can't go back to the oval office they intend to take down the brightest and best rising politician in the Democratic part. The Clintons care nothing about this country..it is all PERSONAL ambition and power. They crave it.

They have had their day and they are too crazed with power to move off the national stage they want to ascend yet again. I say no way.

I pray that Americans are not fooled by them and the numerous tactics they deploy in their pursuit of the oval office.

Send Hillary back to NY, Cuomo deserves her.

Nino wrote on January 10, 2008 6:10 PM:

Obama supporters are playing with fire! This rush to call racist every progressive politician who has fought for civil rights based on incomplete quotes that are taken out-of-context by lazy journalists (yes Ben Smith and Eric Kleefeld) has got to stop!

I am a person of minority in this country and I will put the work of Bill and Hillary Clinton and Mario and Andrew Cuomo against that of any of Obama supporters here any time!

This kind of slander and smear of progressive politicians who have fought all their life for civil rights has to stop. Do you gius have no decency or shame?

You are turning off a lot of Democrats against Obama's candidacy.

stlounick wrote on January 10, 2008 6:41 PM:

Nino, just 'cause these folks call themselves Obama supporters...well, it doesn't mean they really are Obama supporters. So read the comments and try to filter out any wheat among the whole lot of chaff. If there's none there, then simply move on.

DonnaG wrote on January 10, 2008 6:46 PM:

Oh, Nino, you sound like some neanderthal wife beater who would blame the woman for reacting to your blows....
so you say.... if the ones who are hit react, then THEY are 'playing with fire!'????

Remember, dear Nino, this is just the latest in a string of smear blows designed to hurt Obama's candidancy. But, the Clinton supporter/spokespeople are smearing a lot more that Obama; they are smearing a whole part of the democratic party--Obama supporters, blacks, new recruits...

Your logic is vile.

Ben Ifito Phdoubt wrote on January 10, 2008 6:50 PM:

Racists never know they are racist. They just hang out with other racist and use all that racist symbolism. Tell Cuomo we are looking for his white face and tap dancing.

colonpowwow wrote on January 10, 2008 7:27 PM:

Richard L. Adlof:

Less than two days after the election, you're saying it's voting fraud in New Hampshire.

Why don't you try and salvage even a bit of your credibility here. They rigged the vote in New Hampshire. Hahahahaha!

Have you been talking with savvy?

You should. He knows who THEY are.

You know. The ones who rigged the voting machines.

They are weeping little circles with crosses underneath!

I've seen them too!

donna L. wrote on January 10, 2008 7:28 PM:

Maybe I could have accepted the explanation that Cuomo wasn't referring to Obama with his original comments -- but then the man actually reveals his true intentions by using the same racist talking point as Bill Clinton did on Charlie Rose -- reducing Obama to a "symbol." Coincidence? I've been following the the pattern of these slurs -- they are ALWAYS followed by an apology that contains an additional slur or reinforcement of the original. The Clintons and surrogates are trying to goad Obama into responding to them so they can cry gotcha: "Look who's using the race card and abandoning the politics of hope!" Its absolutely disgusting and demoralizing. The Clintons will cause the democrats to lose not just the black vote, but also fair-minded folks of all ethnic groups if they persist in playing this horrible, destructive game. Keep it up and we will all be saying hello to another republican president.

colonpowwow wrote on January 10, 2008 7:38 PM:

DonnaG says:

"Remember, dear Nino, this is just the latest in a string of smear blows designed to hurt Obama's candidancy."

Are you serious? Even if he were a member of the Clinton campaign (he's not), and even if his words weren't taken out of context to imply they were aimed at Obama (they were), - how does making a stupid remark like "shuck and jive" (BOO!) that signals the Obamafiles to begin throwing out entire decks of the race card do anything but hurt the Clinton campaign?

Or do you think she's trying to alienate the most solid block of Democratic voters in the country by attempting to garner the massive Democratic racist vote?

Get real.

donna L. wrote on January 10, 2008 7:41 PM:

And Colon -- perhaps it does seem a bit paranoid that folks should be questioning the fairness of the vote in NH. But they are only reflecting the broken condition of this country -- our trust in the fairness of our democratic system has been DESTROYED by two presidential election cycles that were obvious cheats. Instead of helping to create an atmosphere of fairness and confidence, the Clintons have instead reinforced the sense of betrayal and by resorting to racist and fear-mongering tactics. So please, for once -- just cut the put downs and open your eyes to see just how hurt and damaged people are by the shit your candidate has been pulling.

colonpowwow wrote on January 10, 2008 7:46 PM:

donna L.

Yes, obviously your insight, historical view, and sense of fair play have, indeed, been damaged.

I submit it's by the discredited 1990's right wing Republican talking points about the Clintons that you've apparently swallowed hook, line, and sinker.

In your view (and of your ilk in 2000), Al Gore was a politics-as-usual holdover from the Bush-Clinton era.