Hillary Rosen (the pleasant lady in the gray jacket) is a Biden campaign spokesperson, and a long-time lobbyist for the recording industry and tech companies. Her firm has also done work for the TransCanada/Keystone-XL pipeline. She is also a long-time supporter of LGBT rights and other progressive causes.
But for someone who runs a PR firm, she does seem to have created a PR nightmare for Biden.
If anything, it’s generous to call Biden a “moderate“ in this context. When desegregation was a national issue (of course, it still is), Biden’s views would probably be best characterized as conservative.
Here’s an exchange with Kamala Harris earlier in the campaign that sheds some light on this:
In an instantly memorable exchange, Ms. Harris said it had been “very hurtful” to hear Mr. Biden invoke the names of two segregationist senators as he did on the campaign trail this month. She then recalled Mr. Biden’s opposition to school busing in the 1970s. [...]
Now, a brief but critical tangent. Like all other communities in America black people hold different political views. It would be an interesting exercise to try and reconcile Clarence Thomas and Ron Dellums’ views, for example.
This extends to busing/integrated schools as well, to some degree. Here’s a recent thread related to this, which I would encourage Bernie supporters to read in full.
And now for one that will be a very difficult read for many Bernie supporters. It also includes a very interesting viewpoint on M4A:
There is history within the progressive tradition that Bernie comes from too. When people dismiss “well-meaning white progressives”, to many Jewish people, it can read as a dismissal of Tikun Olam. To others, it can be dispiriting. As if this wasn’t already overladen with layers of human complexity, Rosen, the Biden surrogate in the clip, is also Jewish.
That is both important to remember and yet irrelevant to the point Harriot is making here. There are no easy answers, there is very tortured history here. We can grapple with it honestly, or not.
And when we are done grappling with it, we each have to decide whether we want to work to make a better world, and crucially how we do it. We will differ enormously on the how, which is why we have primaries, so the people can validate which approach they think is going to work, to win power and further the work.
I believe Bernie knows this, which is why he is so focused on building popular support and the movement. If he wins the primary with the people’s support, the risk of losing the general election is lower. His ideas are challenging for most, and winning with intra-party support carries some risks in the general.
At the same time, I believe the moderates have done themselves a huge disservice by putting forward Joe Biden, who is a weak candidate.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Bernie has asked for Joe’s lobbyist-surrogate to apologize.
The exchange between Sen. Turner and Rosen is already garnering a lot of media:
Jezebel staff writer Ashley Reese posted a passage from King Jr.'s letter and said, "Hilary Rosen is wrong about MLK. She says MLK critiqued the 'silence' of white moderates and that Joe Biden counters that critique bc he's not silent.
"But that's not what MLK said about the danger of the white moderate at all, and Biden DOES exhibit the qualities MLK warned of."
"A white moderate trying to lecture a Black revolutionary based on this false history!" Illinois congressional candidate Anthony Clark posted. "Have several seats Hilary!” — www.newsweek.com/...
Here’s the relevant section from MLK’s letter:
First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection. — www.africa.upenn.edu/...
It’s difficult to understand what the Biden campaign strategy is that drove them to decide an argument over MLK’s letter from Birmingham was a good idea. Perhaps they are doing some outreach to white moderates by engaging in performative outrage on their behalf? Perhaps they believe that getting into a fight with MLK’s words on behalf of people still uncomfortable about desegregation is a good idea?
It would be a bit early for that. Moderate-Conservative candidates generally shouldn’t pivot to the center till after the primary.
What do I know, this is Biden’s third presidential campaign and I’ve never run one. His prior two have failed. But this time, he has the entire Democratic establishment, including lobbyists like Rosen on his side. So the outcome may be different.
To make matters even worse, Rosen tried to apologize (I think)? With a campaign as confused up as this, is it any wonder I believe clearing the road for Joe Biden was a colossal mistake?
What Democrats have to ask themselves now is whether they want to head into a general election with a record like Joe Biden’s. A record that even his surrogates have trouble defending.
— @subirgrewal