American Republic Online

It’s been a tough few weeks for race relations. The purest bastion of race equality - The Democratic Party - is looking a little tarnished. It seems everyone though a black Presidential candidate was “great” and “historic”, until he actually could win. Apparently the thought of a black President didn’t sit as well with the party as a Presidential Candidate.

Now in no way is the party as a whole against Obama. He has vast support inside the party and a the potential for Republican crossovers. But a significant faction of the Democratic Party seems dead set against Barack because of his skin color.

Rush Limbaugh is calling it the Uncivil War, and sides are being taken in unexpected places in the party. In what I consider to be a sign of the changing times, the lines being drawn for Obama and Clinton are not by skin color. Blacks and whites are on both sides arguing the race issue. Even the “civil rights leaders” like Jackson and Sharpton are split down the middle. But as they say, admitting you have a problem is the first step to fixing it. While the Dems have long claimed to be pro-minorities, many have pointed out that their methods seem more about control and not assistance.

Take for instance the Nevada Caucus mess. Democrats are constantly championing easier ways to vote and name calling anyone trying to “disenfranchise” people with things like requiring proof of eligibility or citizenship. That is, until a big union came out for Obama… then it wasn’t “fair”.

“Six Democrats and a teachers union connected to Clinton filed a lawsuit claiming the rules enabling Las Vegas Strip waitresses, dishwashers and bellhops to caucus inside nine resorts violate state law and federal equal protection guarantees. Other caucus-goers lack the same access, the suit argues.

The Clinton campaign has said it’s not involved in the lawsuit. The Obama campaign says it may not be a coincidence that Clinton’s allies are the plaintiffs.

Obama also suggested the timing was notable, since the suit was filed Friday — two days after he was endorsed by the powerful Culinary Union. That group’s 60,000 members make it the largest union in the state, and nearly 40 percent of its members are Hispanic, its leaders say.” - Nevada Caucuses Suit Serves as Symbol of Democratic Party Race Fight

President Bill Clinton got quite upset when asked about the suit, saying culinary union members votes counted 5 times:

“Your position is that you think the culinary workers’ vote should count, A, it should be easier for them to vote than for anybody else in Nevada that has to work on Saturday. That’s your first position. Second, when they do vote, their vote should count five times as much as everybody else. That’s what the teachers have questioned. So, if that’s your position, you have it. Get on your television station and say, I don’t care about the home mortgage crisis, all I care about is making sure that some voters have it easier than others and that when they do vote, when it’s already easier for them, their vote should count five times as much as others. That is your position. If you want to take that position, get on the television and take it. Don’t be accusatory with me. I had nothing to do with this lawsuit.” Bill Clinton (Local ABC News)
Five times! You know, ’cause it’s that easy for them to vote. Everyone voting for Hilary has to A) drive somewhere to vote and then B) complete the American Gladiator’s Eliminator obstacle course - just to vote for the first female President of the United States.  I mean come on guys! Let’s be fair.

• Clinton, Obama Clash Over Race Issue