Primarily Speaking

Only 285 days to go until Election Day now! *collapses*

[Content Note: Racism] Yesterday I mentioned Hillary Clinton's ahistorical and troubling comments on Reconstruction during the last Democratic town hall (and explained further in comments why they were so problematic).

Last night, Clinton's Senior Advisor and Senior Spokesperson, Karen Finney, issued a clarifying statement: "Her point was that we might have gotten to a better place under Lincoln's leadership. What we needed after the Civil War was equality, justice, and reconciliation. Instead we saw the federal government abandon Reconstruction before real change took hold, which ultimately led to a disgraceful era of Jim Crow. And as she talks about frequently, too many injustices remain today. Attempts to suppress voting rights go back to racist efforts against Reconstruction, and in fighting for voting rights and equality today we are continuing a long struggle that still has to be fought and won in our own generation."

Noting "racist efforts against Reconstruction" was wise, as it at least signals that Clinton understands Reconstruction itself wasn't racist. But acknowledging the pernicious narrative about Reconstruction into which her comment played would have been appreciated.

In other Clinton news: "At a campaign event in Deocorah, Iowa on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton lit up when a voter asked her if she would consider appointing the president to the Supreme Court should she win the White House. 'Wow, what a great idea. No one has ever suggested that to me, I love that, wow,' the Democratic presidential candidate responded. 'He may have a few other things to do but I tell you that's a great idea. ...I mean he's brilliant, and he can set forth an argument, and he was a law professor, so he's got all the credentials.'" I LOVE THIS IDEA SO MUCH! But only if President Obama is interested, of course! But if he is, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, Donald Trump says he won't participate in this week's Republican debate (awww) because Fox News is mean to him. And his official statement about it is, naturally, fucking amazing.


Yes, it's real.
WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWWWWWWWWW WOW WOW WOW

In other debate news: "After MSNBC and the New Hampshire Union-Leader announced on Tuesday that they would hold an unsanctioned Democratic presidential debate ahead of the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said he would not attend a debate not sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. Jeff Weaver, Sanders' campaign manager, told the New York Times that Sanders won't participate in an unsanctioned debate for fear that he would be barred from future official debates. A spokeswoman for Clinton, told the Union-Leader that the former secretary of state would be 'happy to participate in a debate in New Hampshire if the other candidates agree, which would allow the DNC to sanction the debate.' The DNC said in a Tuesday statement that the party will not sanction the Feb. 4 debate planned by MSNBC and the Union-Leader." Okay.

The rest of the dipshits + Martin O'Malley running for president are still running for president.

Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short.