It's a remark meant to do two things:
1. Provoke a response from the Obama campaign and his supporters in order to racialize the election narrative and
2. Serve as a dog-whistle to working class white votes who see themselves as more hard-working than those not in their demographic category.
I don't think (1) will work and I do think it will have another effect -- lose Clinton the black superdelegates she currently holds.
Nicely stated. I tend to agree with this logic.
I'm not sure if I believe that any Democratic campaign is willing to go this hard against black voters. In this instance,though, there is a desperation, and they probably don't see it as very likely that they will be able to win the black vote anyway in the primaries.
Clinton has very little left to lose of the black vote. It's actually been that way for a while (since before SC). That's why polarizing the contest along racial lines is a good (vote wise, not morals wise) strategy for Clinton. Whether Clinton has consciously pursued that strategy or not, I'm sure we all have our own opinions.
It's not good for Clinton since it renders her unelectable in the GE. The only thing she's done is destroy her and Bill's legacy.
It doesn't make sense as a "dog whistle" because the wrong people are hearing it...besides, the pitch is clearly aimed at the media and superdelegates, not blue collar voters who are unlikely to be obsessively following the demographic analysis crap on cable news. It's not gonna fly with the superdelegates, though...the trend there is clearly toward Obama. Besides, polls now are pretty meaningless in terms of what polls will be saying in a few months. Clinton is getting the pickup-truck vote with her gas tax pander, but at the price of totally p***ing off the Al Gore crowd and anyone who cares about the environment or economics.
I think everyone will hear it shortly, and they'll hear it isn't the context best calibrated to maximize it's appeal white racist resentment. They won't hear Clinton saying it, they'll hear Clinton being described as "talking bluntly about race" and people accusing the down trodden white woman of being a racist.
Also, it parallels her constant stump speech use of blue collar and working class to mean white.
about the environment argument. People who are struggling financially should shut up because they are helping the environment by not driving.
However, if one is financially secure - it's okay if they drive about.
I don't have a car - and I'm a great believer in conservation - but this is skewed - as usual.
I think it also nixes her chances (slim to begin with) of being the VP. It doesn't help her legacy much, either.
