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June 07, 2008

Dems face the bitter harvest of identity politics

Thomas Lifson
Let the navel-gazing begin! Democrats now scramble to avoid the looming feminist backlash from Hillary supporters, disappointed that their identity politics candidate was passed over by the superdelegates (pledged delegates from caucus and primary elections did not decide the contest) in favor of the identity politics (as in 90% black support) candidate from the other big member of its coalition.

This piece in the New Republic by Michelle Goldberg is almost comic in its refusal to use the term "identity politics" or own up to the superdelegates' dilemma: alienate blacks or alienate feminists.  

I have to admire Ms Goldberg her ingenuity in finding other issues about which to write, and for making the problem a crisis of feminism (subtext message: "ladies, time to grow up and support the party!")

In the end, Goldberg wants the women to nobly stand aside and appreciate the wondefulness of Obama:

Obama was probably smart not to bring up more of his opponent's shortcomings; doing so would play into the narrative of victimization that became the dominant theme of Clinton's campaign in its final weeks. "Without question," Susan Estrich, author of The Case for Hillary Clinton, wrote in late May, "there is serious disaffection right now among many women about the sense of being shunted aside, told to pipe down and line up, the sense that the Hillary campaign, and Hillary herself, has become a mirror for the frustrations the rest of us have faced as we battle subtle and no[t]-so-subtle discrimination."

This psychic wound is not Obama's fault, but it is his problem. Establishment feminism has not done itself proud using its noble struggle for social justice as an alibi for political hardball. But it represents women whose frustration and sense of unfairness are deeply felt, and those feelings need to be addressed.

Expect a lot more of this sort of blather. The Dems have a big problem, but the media are doing thewir best to paper it over. Do not expect any honesty about identity politics as a zero-sum game.

Posted at 10:11 AM | Email | |

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