after so much attention to Geraldine Ferraro's 'dog-whistle' (pardon the pun) earlier this week, the political media equivalent of her tearing off her clothes (pardon the visual), running into the middle of Rockefeller Center and yelling the 'N' word, one begins to wonder how such an assertion could be made many times more than a week before, yet comes to the shout shows and newspaper headlines at that particular time.
i suspect it was largely not a coincidence, but rather a part of an operation to distract voter's attention long enough to give the supporters of the Senator from New York time to convince the Governor of New York that he dare not even think of employing the 'Bill Clinton' strategy of fighting through the publicity storm, potential legal charges, and defying the legislature should they try to impeach him. no, he had to go as quickly as possible, because the next six weeks are critical to Hillary's declining chances for the Democratic nomination, and they must not be spent being reminding voters of the darker side of her '35 years of experience'.
but for argument's sake, which is essentially my life, let us take Ferraro's assertion and apply it as equally as possible.
an articulate, inspiring, 47 year old, white first-term Senator from Illinois, running on a classic "outsider-against Wash.D.C." message that includes the most powerful and credible "anti-Iraq War" component among the many candidates, is pitted after a couple of months of primaries, caucuses, and the carcasses of the other's failed campaigns, against a wonkish, 60 year old, white female second-term Senator from New York, running on a classic "insider" message of "i know where the power levers are, and how to get things done" which includes the persuasive argument of having a great deal of experience at withstanding and prevailing against the opposing party's dirty-tricks campaigning.
i would expect that if Barack was not Black and Hillary were not a Clinton, that both the Black and Female voting blocs would be split almost evenly, which ironically, would likely create a delegate dilemma very similar to that which now exists.
lines of distinction and conflict already exist between urban and rural, black and white, male and female, and young and old. whether a candidate/campaign seeks to blur or sharpen those distinctions should be quite telling. both candidates will be defined by the conduct of their campaigns, the power of their messages, and their ability to adapt to unforeseen events, but eventually it will be the character of the american electorate that is most revealed.
