Personalities and Feuds

In class yesterday, we discussed the political impact of personal conflicts and long memories. For instance, Bill Clinton's endorsement of Gavin Newsom in part reflects his bitter 1992 contest with Jerry Brown:

http://www.epicjourney2008.com/2009/09/clinton-newsom-and-brown.html

Brown played rough on other issues as well. From the New York Times (March 23, 1992):

"Mr. Clinton is presenting himself as the friend of the Afro-American community," Mr. Brown told the congregation of the Memorial Baptist Church on West 115th Street as he stood before a lighted cross. "Well, even George Bush wouldn't dare play golf at an all-white golf club."

Mr. Clinton, who has been winning more than half of the black vote in the primaries, has conceded that it was wrong for him to play golf a few times a year for several years at a whites-only club in Little Rock, Ark., and has vowed not to do it again.

Mr. Brown said that unlike most states, Arkansas does not have a state civil rights statute. He also said that in the Georgia primary campaign Mr. Clinton appeared in a newspaper photograph, standing in a prison before a group of inmates, all of them black."What's the message of that?" Mr. Brown asked the congregation, which interrupted with applause and shouts of "yes!" and "amen!" "He's saying: 'We have them under control, folks. Don't worry.' "

Party leaders give Mr. Brown little chance of winning the nomination, fearing his only role now could be to weaken Mr. Clinton and thereby help President Bush.
Mr. Brown said in an interview that he resented such talk, adding: "What is this, the Politburo? There is only the candidate picked by the power structure?"

"I'm not the spoiler," he continued. "Slick Willie's the spoiler. If he gets the nomination, he's going to ruin the whole Democratic Party."