Hillary Clinton on Dr. Martin Luther King: he was no big deal…
Hat Tip to Jack & Jill Politics, Politico.com, Fox News
Hillary Clinton believes that the Civil Rights movement only came into its own once Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Hillary was asked about Obama’s rejoinder that there’s something vaguely un-American about dismissing hopes as false, and that it doesn’t jibe with the careers of figures like like John F. Kennedy and King.
“Dr. King’s dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act,” Clinton said. “It took a president to get it done.”
Clinton didn’t explicitly compare herself to Johnson, or Obama to King. But it seems an odd example for the argument between rhetoric and action, as there’s little doubt which figure’s place in history and the American imagination is more secure. source
“The power of that dream became real in people’s lives because we had a president” capable of action, Clinton said. source
Hillary Clinton is careful with words and she is not unfamiliar with history. I trust she meant EXACTLY what she said. And I am not interested in any “clarifications” that may appear later today or tomorrow or at any time in the future.
Mrs. Clinton, I would argue that it took Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination to “get it done.” Wisely, President Johnson was shrewd enough to capitalize on white America’s collective shame and sadness to enact legislation that was sinfully overdue.
Also, Hillary pleads…I mean cries.
Posted by: Carmen D. in 
This is a shame.
January 7th, 2008 at 4:56 pm -Hillary is a big disappointment.
Hello F.Igwealor, welcome to the conversation. It is indeed a shame. Shame on Hillary. It is a shame to see that Clinton would become so polarizing in her words against Obama who has certainly embraced the rhetoric of reconciliation.
Wonder what Andrew Young will have to say about this???
January 7th, 2008 at 5:23 pm -[...] Hillary Clinton on Dr. Martin Luther King: no big deal… [...]
January 8th, 2008 at 7:10 am -I think her digs at Obama reek of desperation so I’m inclined to ignore this. Liberals didn’t understand hardly anything about MLK and he fell into disfavor in his later years…so it’s no surprise that there’s still a little “so what” about his impact. But make no mistake, without him there wouldn’t have been a CRA for Johnson to pass.
January 8th, 2008 at 9:01 am -Tyler I agree with you. And it plays right into the perception of the Clintons being full of rage just below their often charming surfaces. What has surprised me is how unvarnished her desperation appears. I expected more subtlety.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:36 am -This is an Amoral iceberg , no amount of global warming can warm this one up. Next she will tell us , that it was George Wallace & Jessie Helms that freed the slaves. Let me guess Hillary you are going to edit history books to say , Martin made pretty speeches , John , Martin & Bobby they died for nothing. Hear O , Hear All Black Americans. Hillary says we should be worshiping Lyndon Johnson Our new HERO !!!!!!!!!!!
January 11th, 2008 at 2:28 pm -Hi Joyeta, welcome to the conversation. ‘Amoral Iceberg’ I love it! It is remarkable how quickly the Clintons threw black folks under the bus when they panicked over Hillary’s loss in Iowa. I will write about this in detail on Monday. The behavior of the Clinton camp disgusts me.
January 11th, 2008 at 2:41 pm -fierce.
January 18th, 2008 at 11:35 am -Jeje! Nez, I think I am becoming a bit unapologetic myself.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am -