Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) said Tuesday that he believes some Democratic candidates have suffered this election cycle because they were unable to “finesse” racial issues.
Asked during MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” whether Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes may have irritated black voters in Kentucky when she refused to say whether she voted for President Barack Obama in 2012, Clyburn said yes.
“Well certainly I do agree with that,” the South Carolina Democrat said. “But the fact of the matter is, I don’t think her numbers started to plummet until after she botched that question so significantly.”
“I just think there was a way to finesse that answer and not get hoisted the way she did on her own petard,” he said earlier.
Clyburn said that candidates in the South must learn to “finesse” racial issues in a way that doesn’t alienate anyone.
“We ought to just admit it,” he said. “We do have a problem in this country with racial issues, and it’s more pronounced here in the South and some of the border states … I just think we’ve had some good candidates whose campaigns have suffered because they have not had good advisers on questions like this.”
“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough pushed back on the idea that race was an issue in the midterm elections. He cited Obama’s 2012 re-election victory and Democrats’ competitive campaigns in deep southern states like Kentucky and North Carolina as evidence that racial issues aren’t holding the Democratic Party back.
“I just don’t think that argument holds water in 2014,” Scarborough said.
“I didn’t say that they would not win because of race,” Clyburn argued. “What I did say, Joe, was a lot of the campaigns have suffered because they have not been able to answer some questions about the racial matters sufficiently in order to nuance these things.”
Even allies tend to lack finesse with regards to any issue involving minorities. This is largely due to the fact that what may offend one person within said minority may not offend others and it can be something of a minefield to navigate. Heck, I’ve upset many lesbians, gays and women by not always knowing what will offend them- and I’m a lesbian!
i would also suggest a passive and cowardly democratic party that had no message to counter republican misrepresentations and outright lies. the entire gop trope of ‘the deeply unpopular president’ should have been countered by pointing out that congress – and especially republicans – is polling in single digits. instead, they reinforce the gop talking point by running away from obama and his accomplishments.
See, that’s what happens when you miss the super secret updated addendum to our Gay Agenda!
But the real message for today is:
jw1
LibtarDS alWays wiTH the RAce caRD. THere ARe MAny PEopLE in the SOUth that HAve a BLAck Friend. ALSo, There Are INDIAN GOverNors aND eVen a BlACK coNGressMAN or TWo. STOP wiTH the RAce CArd. THe SOUTh is WAY beTTER than IT was DURIng RecONStrucTION!!1!!!one!!1!!1!!!