The ultimate in double standards

If anyone had ever doubted that the Clintons seem to think rules apply to everyone but themselves, let's examine two recent cases. If you'll recall about a week ago, foreign policy wonk Samantha Power got in trouble for calling Hillary a monster (thank god, I don't work for the Obama campaign). The Clinton campaign's response? Power must go. The Obama campaign responded by firing the eminently respected Power.

Now fast forward one week later to Geraldine Ferraro who said this

If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.

Aside from the sheer stupidity of the comment, Ferraro was rightly attacked for the thinly veiled racism. Now did Ferraro apologize for her comments? Of course not, in fact she went farther:

Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up. Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?

No Geraldine, they're not attacking because you're white. They're attacking you because your comments seemed to come out of 1960's Alabama. That's how the world works. You make a stupid comment. You get called on it. That's called life.

Now any reasonable campaign would figure it's time to cut ties with a rogue surrogate at this point in the interest of consistency regarding Powergate. However, when has Clinton's campaign been reasonable or consistent? Their response:

[W]e reject these false, personal and politically calculated attacks on the eve of a primary. This campaign should be about the leadership we need for a better future and these attacks serve only to divide the Democratic Party and the American people.

That's right. It's Obama's fault that he got pissed at a blatantly racist and utterly stupid comment. Of course, it did open up a huge gap for Obama to take advantage of with this:

"With Senator Clinton's refusal to denounce or reject Ms. Ferraro, she has once again proven that her campaign gets to live by its own rules and its own double standard, and will only decry offensive comments when it's politically advantageous to Senator Clinton. Her refusal to take responsibility for her own supporter's remarks is exactly the kind of tactic that feeds the American people's cynicism about politics today and it's why Barack Obama's message of change has resonated so strongly in every corner of the country," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.

So the lesson from the Clinton campaign is call a Hillary a monster, lose your job. Make a blatantly racist comment about her opponent, we'll defend you. In retrospect, Samantha Power got fired for telling the truth.