Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama at University of Nevada (PHOTO CREDIT: AP)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
For one brief moment after Barack Obama won the Iowa caucuses, it looked like we might have actually outgrown our petty racial bickering in this country.
It didn't matter that Obama had run a dignified, intelligent campaign without so much as the mention of race. The people who have an interest in keeping the country divided along racial lines couldn't wait to get started. Do you realize how many morons would go through the rest of their lives ignored and irrelevant if we could ever get over the racial garbage?
Now the racial fires are burning brightly once again.
The last two days, we've seen the Obama and Clinton camps embroiled in accusations that are steeped in race. Hillary Clinton is defending her recent remarks on civil rights. She's suggesting that Obama's campaign distorted what she said in an effort to inject race into the contest.
For his part, Obama has dismissed Clinton's suggestion, saying "the notion that somehow this is our doing is ludicrous." Obama is also describing her earlier comments about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. as "unfortunate" and "ill-advised."
The Clintons find themselves in unusual territory here, when you consider that Bill Clinton was once dubbed "America's first black president."
Meanwhile, all this comes as large numbers of black voters are getting ready to go to the polls in South Carolina.
Ultimately, it looks like the big loser here could be the Democratic Party. If the winner of the primary, whoever it is, wants to beat the Republican's candidate, he or she will need the full support of a unified party - not one torn apart by racial politics.
Here’s my question to you: Why can't the Democrats conduct a primary campaign without it degenerating into racial politics?
To see the Cafferty File Video click here
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Elsie from Milpitas, California writes:
As a black woman, I liked both Obama and Clinton. But I am leaning more toward Obama and this has nothing to do with the recent racial comments. I think the Clintons need to drop this topic because they are making it worse in their attempts to clarify. America is tired of nasty politicians. I am sick of it – we should be focused on the issues. I never thought this would happen but I am getting sick of the games the Clintons are playing.
California voter writes:
Jack, I think you can answer this question yourself. The media is playing a major role in fueling any potentially "racial" and "sexist" comments by the Democrats. Republicans running are all white males, not much excitement there! Get back to the issues!
Jack from Laurel Springs, New Jersey writes:
It was disgusting to see Bob Johnson skippering the Clinton Swift Boat, attacking Barack Obama. As a white guy, I'm disgusted to see this campaign turning to race baiting.
Miles from Vero Beach, Florida writes:
Howard Dean, as chairman of the Democratic Party, needs to invoke a version of Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment. He needs to unite his candidates against their mutual opponents, those who support a third George W. Bush term in office. The longer Dean waits, the more damage is done to his party, who will lose against a dog catcher in November.
Larry from Boca Raton, Florida writes:
Hillary Clinton is now scrambling to hold onto the black vote. Her act is so staged. I notice how she packed her audience in South Carolina with black participants. She is so calculating and so manipulative that it's scary.
Cee writes:
Look in the mirror, Jack. It's not the Democrats who are fanning the flames of racist commentary, it's people in the media who are blowing throw away comments into a bonfire. Back off. Find another question. This one stinks; it's the kind that makes Karl Rove smile. Instead why not ask , "Do you think it is indicative of the essence of the Republican Party that none of their front runners is either black or a woman?"