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Democrats Famously Not Raising Issues That Would Help Them

Adlai Stevenson, in his acceptance speech for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1956, courageously refusing to raise the issue of President Eisenhower?s health (after his heart attack) in 1956:

I do not propose to make political capital out of the President?s illness. His ability to personally fulfill the demands of his exacting office is a matter between him and the American people. So far as I am concerned that is where the matter rests. As we all do, I wish deeply for the President?s health and well being.

But if the condition of President Eisenhower is not and issue as far as I am concerned, the condition and the conduct of the President?s office and of the administration is very much an issue.

Hillary Clinton, on Meet The Press yesterday, courageously refusing to remind voters of Obama?s race and her gender:

So I think it's important to set the record straight. Clearly, we know from media reports that the Obama campaign is deliberately distorting [her recent comment about Martin Luther King?s dream and Presdient Johnson?s action in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964]. And, you know, I think we should just take a step out here for a minute. This is the most exciting election we've had in such a long time because you have an African American, an extraordinary man, a person of tremendous talents and abilities, running to become our president. You have a woman running to break the highest and hardest glass ceiling. I don't think either of us want to inject race or gender in this campaign....

Perish the thought that Ms. Clinton thinks that Obama?s race or her gender is significant. Too bad, though, that Tim Russert, like every other journalist and commentator, neglected to ask her to compare her reverence for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, whose intent and language was clearly to prohibit distributing any burden or benefit based on race, with her ardent support for racial preferences in education and employment.

Full post as published by Discriminations on January 14, 2008 (boomark / email).