148:, who covered Clinton's campaign, wrote, "a number of reporters had apparently been told in advance by Clinton aides that Governor Clinton would use his Rainbow speech to demonstrate his ‘independence’ from Jesse Jackson, and the very quotable intemperance of Sister Souljah provided the most logical possible focus for such a demonstration." Later in the essay, Didion argued that the Sister Souljah incident had been favorably viewed by the media as "a Clinton call for ‘an end to division’ that had at once served to distance him from Jackson and to demonstrate that he was ‘the guy in charge,’ capable of dominating, or ‘standing up to,’ a kind of black anger that many white voters prefer to see as the basis for this country’s racial division."
59:
161:
129:
in June 1992, Clinton responded both to that quotation and to something
Souljah had said in the music video of her song "The Final Solution: Slavery's Back in Effect" ("If there are any good white people, I haven't met them"). Clinton said: "If you took the words 'white' and 'black,' and you reversed
107:
Souljah: Yeah, it was wise. I mean, if black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?... White people, this government and that mayor were well aware of the fact that black people were dying every day in Los
Angeles under gang violence. So if you're a gang member
332:
in the
African-American community, saying, "if we are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that what too many fathers also are is missing — missing from too many lives and too many homes. They have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families
185:
supporters. Souljah responded by denying she had ever made remarks promoting murder and accused
Clinton of being a racist and a hypocrite because he had played golf at a country club that refused to admit black members until he decided to run for president earlier in the year. Clinton acknowledged
137:
Prior to his appearance, Clinton's campaign staff had conducted an intense debate about how far he should go in distancing himself from Jesse
Jackson, who was unpopular with moderate voters. When Souljah was invited to speak at the conference, Clinton's advisors saw their chance. In an essay for
350:
whispering to a fellow interviewee, saying, in reaction to Obama's Father Day speech the month before, that Obama was talking down to black people and that he (Jackson) wanted to cut Obama's "nuts off." Jackson's son, Illinois
Congressman and co-chair of Obama's presidential campaign
34:
It has been described as "a key moment when the candidate takes what at least appears to be a bold stand against certain extremes within their party" and as "a calculated denunciation of an extremist position or special interest group." This act is intended to be a signal to
395:
as a "Sister
Souljah moment" within left-leaning parties in the Western World; many had prominent elected officials who generally took the side of or expressed sympathy with the Palestinian government in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
176:
Clinton's response was harshly criticized by
Jackson, who said, "Sister Souljah represents the feelings and hopes of a whole generation of people," and claimed that she had been misquoted. Clinton was also criticized by some of the
190:, a progressive Arkansas journalist and long-time Clinton critic who dubbed the Arkansas Governor "Slick Willie" during his 1980 re-election bid, criticized Souljah for lying about what she said in an earlier interview with the
363:
called the comments an "accidental Sister
Souljah moment" for Obama, since Jackson had distanced himself from the candidate without Obama having to take a stand. On August 28, 2020, conservative pundits
944:
108:
and you would normally be killing somebody, why not kill a white person? Do you think that somebody thinks that white people are better, are above and beyond dying, when they would kill their own kind?
215:
333:
are weaker because of it. You and I know how true this is in the
African-American community." Multiple publications called the speech a Sister Souljah moment, although Obama spokeswoman
42:
that the politician is not beholden to those positions or interest groups. However, such a repudiation runs the risk of alienating some of the politician's allies and the party's
1192:
1212:
1011:
313:
said of the speech, "This, I think, offers Barack Obama his Sister Souljah moment"; the speech was also described as "more than a Sister Souljah moment" by columnist
1182:
264:
stated, "Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or
384:, an African American man. Two days prior, Biden had already released a statement condemning violence at protests, which the commentators viewed as inadequate.
952:
978:
1080:
186:
that he was once a member of an all-white Arkansas golf club early into his presidential campaign and publicly apologized. In response to the rebuttal,
779:
609:
284:
908:
1202:
1197:
307:
105:
Question: Even the people themselves who were perpetrating that violence, did they think that was wise? Was that a wise reasoned action?
1167:
721:
752:
698:
288:
70:
412:
1187:
1172:
321:
194:, accusing her of trying to fend off criticism "with the savvy of an experienced pol." In the same article, he compared her to
247:. Bush's comments were seen as a repudiation of the religious right and an attempt to appeal to moderate voters; commentator
1061:
178:
1109:
627:
It was against this backdrop that Clinton delivered his "Sister Souljah" speech, which opened up a public war with Jackson.
889:
300:
58:
113:
Quoted in David Mills (June 16, 1992) "In Her Own Disputed Words; Transcript of Interview That Spawned Souljah's Story",
140:
483:
694:
187:
813:
299:, and Wright's pattern of controversial statements. On April 29, Senator Obama distanced himself, in a well-received
237:
986:
388:
31:
person, statement, group, or position that is perceived to have some association with the politician's own party.
832:
519:
1033:
462:
435:
232:
in October 1999 saying, "Too often, on social issues, my party has painted an image of America slouching toward
1177:
164:
668:
381:
926:
98:
870:
851:
303:, calling some of Wright's statements "outrageous" and "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in truth."
1207:
1038:
226:
1137:
643:
799:
Nick Timiraos and Jackie Calmes. "Obama Denounces Ex-Pastor for 'Rants'", April 30, 2008, pp. A1, A18.
258:
488:
248:
229:
484:"Sister Souljah's Call to Arms: The rapper says the riots were payback. Are you paying attention?"
579:
352:
233:
91:
556:
568:
527:
493:
219:
644:"'I Do Not Advocate ... Murdering' : 'Raptivist' Sister Souljah Disputes Clinton Charge"
1029:
467:
377:
369:
342:
182:
97:
was quoted as saying (in response to the question regarding black-on-white violence in the
726:
296:
276:
on the right." This was similarly seen as a repudiation of the religious right; columnist
199:
195:
79:
43:
748:
605:
334:
329:
304:
277:
222:
94:
62:
47:
1161:
639:
310:
273:
269:
122:
84:
1114:
809:
392:
314:
292:
126:
74:
1008:
552:
365:
265:
261:
244:
145:
376:
to have a "Sister Souljah moment" to distance himself from the violence of the
131:
24:
572:
531:
497:
373:
211:
28:
1085:
974:
614:
360:
36:
347:
255:
165:
Sister Souljah's response to Gov. Bill Clinton's remarks, June 16, 1992
87:
610:"1992: Bill Clinton builds a winning coalition, Jackson is diminished"
295:
received much criticism for his association with his longtime pastor,
241:
168:
1081:"No, White People, Joe Biden Doesn't Need A 'Sister Souljah Moment'"
325:
57:
577:(This piece was also published in Didion's 2001 essay collection
39:
251:
called it "an ever so subtle Sister Souljah on Robert Bork."
722:"Setting Himself Apart From Those Hard-core Conservatives"
326:
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
1034:"What Does Biden Have To Do to Show He's Tough on Riots?"
340:
On July 10, 2008, prior to a taping of the news program
927:"Obama Says Blacks Must Take Responsibility - CBS News"
700:
Sister Souljah And The Irrational Rationality Of Hate
380:, which occurred against the backdrop of the police
254:
In the same campaign for the Republican nomination,
320:Later in the campaign, Obama delivered a speech on
153:
46:voters. The term is named after the hip hop artist
1062:"Biden: 'Burning down communities is not protest'"
328:(NAACP). In the speech, he appeared to criticize
520:"Opinion | Abroad at Home; Black and White"
778:Slevin, Peter; Fears, Darryl (April 30, 2008).
103:
1012:"Opinion: Biden needs a Sister Souljah moment"
945:"Jackson apologizes for 'crude' Obama remarks"
780:"Obama Calls Minister's Comments 'Outrageous'"
346:, Jesse Jackson was unwittingly caught by an
280:called it "a pungent Sister Souljah moment."
8:
909:"Another view on Obama's fatherhood speech"
216:Republican nomination for president in 2000
1193:Political terminology of the United States
979:"Obama's Accidental Sister Souljah Moment"
795:
793:
372:called on Democratic presidential nominee
355:publicly lambasted his father's comments.
83:interview published on May 13, 1992, the
1213:Political extremism in the United States
285:2008 United States presidential campaign
1110:"Kenosha Could Cost Trump the Election"
404:
27:'s calculated public repudiation of an
1108:Graham, David A. (September 1, 2020).
150:
1183:June 1992 events in the United States
1079:Robinson, Stephen (August 30, 2020).
461:Vennochi, Joan (September 16, 2007).
7:
1060:Easley, Jonathan (August 26, 2020).
456:
454:
452:
413:"Time for a 'Sister Souljah' moment"
907:Coates, Ta-Nehisi (June 17, 2008).
869:Cohen, Michael A. (June 16, 2008).
850:McPherson, Lionel (July 14, 2008).
833:"Text of Obama's fatherhood speech"
1136:Rothman, Noah (October 11, 2023).
888:Martin, Jonathan (June 15, 2008).
14:
890:"Obama calls out black community"
518:Lewis, Anthony (June 18, 1992).
324:at the annual convention of the
159:
1138:"Biden's Sister Souljah Moment"
852:"Obama's Sister Souljah moment"
951:. July 9, 2008. Archived from
436:"Mitt's Sister Souljah Moment"
1:
1203:Centrism in the United States
1198:American political neologisms
482:Mills, David (May 13, 1992).
753:"McCain's Selective Outrage"
561:The New York Review of Books
141:The New York Review of Books
69:The term originated in the
1229:
1168:1992 in American politics
158:
134:was giving that speech."
463:"Sister Souljah moments"
434:Brando (March 5, 2012).
16:Political discourse term
382:shooting of Jacob Blake
1188:1990s in hip hop music
1173:1992 Los Angeles riots
555:(September 24, 1992).
130:them, you might think
119:
99:1992 Los Angeles riots
66:
814:"Praying and Preying"
751:(February 29, 2000).
389:2023 Israel–Hamas war
61:
21:Sister Souljah moment
955:on September 3, 2010
871:"The Souljah Legacy"
198:, the leader of the
1032:(August 28, 2020).
1016:The Washington Post
989:on October 18, 2012
784:The Washington Post
489:The Washington Post
249:Charles Krauthammer
230:Manhattan Institute
115:The Washington Post
875:The New York Times
818:The New York Times
812:(April 30, 2008).
580:Political Fictions
557:"Eye on the Prize"
524:The New York Times
92:political activist
67:
1030:Carpenter, Amanda
977:(July 10, 2008).
703:, Chicago Tribune
697:(June 19, 1992),
675:. October 8, 1996
669:"Stories of Bill"
648:Los Angeles Times
642:(June 17, 1992).
608:(July 29, 2019).
391:was described by
353:Jesse Jackson Jr.
343:Fox & Friends
225:spoke before the
174:
173:
127:Rainbow Coalition
123:Jesse Jackson Sr.
71:1992 presidential
1220:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1133:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1122:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1076:
1070:
1069:
1057:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1026:
1020:
1019:
1005:
999:
998:
996:
994:
985:. Archived from
971:
965:
964:
962:
960:
941:
935:
934:
933:. July 14, 2008.
923:
917:
916:
904:
898:
897:
885:
879:
878:
866:
860:
859:
847:
841:
840:
831:Politico staff.
828:
822:
821:
806:
800:
797:
788:
787:
775:
769:
768:
766:
764:
745:
739:
738:
736:
734:
718:
712:
711:
710:
708:
691:
685:
684:
682:
680:
665:
659:
658:
656:
654:
636:
630:
629:
624:
622:
602:
596:
590:
584:
576:
549:
543:
542:
540:
538:
515:
509:
508:
506:
504:
479:
473:
472:
468:The Boston Globe
458:
447:
446:
444:
442:
431:
425:
424:
422:
420:
409:
378:Kenosha protests
370:Amanda Carpenter
330:absentee fathers
301:speech on racism
289:Democratic Party
240:by conservative
183:African American
179:Democratic Party
163:
162:
151:
117:
1228:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1218:
1217:
1178:1992 neologisms
1158:
1157:
1156:
1146:
1144:
1142:National Review
1135:
1134:
1130:
1120:
1118:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1092:
1090:
1078:
1077:
1073:
1059:
1058:
1054:
1044:
1042:
1028:
1027:
1023:
1009:Will, George F.
1007:
1006:
1002:
992:
990:
983:Washington Post
973:
972:
968:
958:
956:
943:
942:
938:
925:
924:
920:
906:
905:
901:
887:
886:
882:
868:
867:
863:
849:
848:
844:
830:
829:
825:
808:
807:
803:
798:
791:
777:
776:
772:
762:
760:
749:Weisberg, Jacob
747:
746:
742:
732:
730:
727:Chicago Tribune
720:
719:
715:
706:
704:
695:Greenberg, Paul
693:
692:
688:
678:
676:
667:
666:
662:
652:
650:
638:
637:
633:
620:
618:
606:Kornacki, Steve
604:
603:
599:
591:
587:
551:
550:
546:
536:
534:
517:
516:
512:
502:
500:
481:
480:
476:
460:
459:
450:
440:
438:
433:
432:
428:
418:
416:
415:. July 17, 2014
411:
410:
406:
402:
357:Washington Post
348:open microphone
297:Jeremiah Wright
268:on the left or
238:title of a book
236:", quoting the
208:
200:Nation of Islam
196:Louis Farrakhan
192:Washington Post
160:
154:External videos
118:
112:
106:
80:Washington Post
56:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1226:
1224:
1216:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1160:
1159:
1155:
1154:
1128:
1100:
1071:
1052:
1021:
1000:
966:
936:
918:
899:
880:
861:
842:
823:
801:
789:
770:
740:
713:
686:
660:
640:Philips, Chuck
631:
597:
585:
544:
510:
492:. p. B1.
474:
448:
426:
403:
401:
398:
335:Linda Douglass
305:South Carolina
278:Jacob Weisberg
223:George W. Bush
220:Texas Governor
207:
206:Other examples
204:
188:Paul Greenberg
172:
171:
156:
155:
110:
95:Sister Souljah
90:, author, and
63:Sister Souljah
55:
52:
48:Sister Souljah
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1225:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1143:
1139:
1132:
1129:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1104:
1101:
1089:
1087:
1082:
1075:
1072:
1067:
1063:
1056:
1053:
1041:
1040:
1035:
1031:
1025:
1022:
1017:
1013:
1010:
1004:
1001:
988:
984:
980:
976:
970:
967:
954:
950:
946:
940:
937:
932:
928:
922:
919:
914:
910:
903:
900:
895:
891:
884:
881:
876:
872:
865:
862:
857:
853:
846:
843:
838:
834:
827:
824:
819:
815:
811:
810:Dowd, Maureen
805:
802:
796:
794:
790:
785:
781:
774:
771:
758:
754:
750:
744:
741:
733:September 25,
729:
728:
723:
717:
714:
702:
701:
696:
690:
687:
674:
670:
664:
661:
649:
645:
641:
635:
632:
628:
617:
616:
611:
607:
601:
598:
595:
589:
586:
582:
581:
574:
570:
566:
562:
558:
554:
548:
545:
533:
529:
525:
521:
514:
511:
499:
495:
491:
490:
485:
478:
475:
470:
469:
464:
457:
455:
453:
449:
441:September 29,
437:
430:
427:
414:
408:
405:
399:
397:
394:
390:
385:
383:
379:
375:
371:
367:
362:
358:
354:
349:
345:
344:
338:
337:denied this.
336:
331:
327:
323:
318:
316:
312:
311:James Clyburn
309:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
281:
279:
275:
274:Jerry Falwell
271:
270:Pat Robertson
267:
263:
260:
257:
252:
250:
246:
243:
239:
235:
231:
228:
224:
221:
217:
213:
205:
203:
201:
197:
193:
189:
184:
180:
170:
166:
157:
152:
149:
147:
143:
142:
135:
133:
128:
124:
116:
109:
102:
100:
96:
93:
89:
86:
82:
81:
76:
73:candidacy of
72:
64:
60:
53:
51:
49:
45:
41:
38:
32:
30:
26:
22:
1208:Bill Clinton
1145:. Retrieved
1141:
1131:
1121:September 2,
1119:. Retrieved
1115:The Atlantic
1113:
1103:
1093:September 2,
1091:. Retrieved
1084:
1074:
1065:
1055:
1045:September 2,
1043:. Retrieved
1037:
1024:
1015:
1003:
991:. Retrieved
987:the original
982:
969:
957:. Retrieved
953:the original
949:CNN Politics
948:
939:
930:
921:
913:The Atlantic
912:
902:
893:
883:
874:
864:
856:The Guardian
855:
845:
836:
826:
817:
804:
783:
773:
761:. Retrieved
756:
743:
731:. Retrieved
725:
716:
705:, retrieved
699:
689:
677:. Retrieved
672:
663:
651:. Retrieved
647:
634:
626:
619:. Retrieved
613:
600:
593:
588:
578:
564:
560:
553:Didion, Joan
547:
535:. Retrieved
523:
513:
501:. Retrieved
487:
477:
466:
439:. Retrieved
429:
417:. Retrieved
407:
393:Noah Rothman
386:
356:
341:
339:
322:Father's Day
319:
315:Maureen Dowd
293:Barack Obama
282:
253:
227:conservative
209:
191:
175:
139:
136:
121:Speaking to
120:
114:
104:
78:
75:Bill Clinton
68:
33:
20:
18:
1147:October 12,
1039:The Bulwark
679:January 13,
673:www.pbs.org
537:January 13,
503:January 13,
366:George Will
359:journalist
308:Congressman
283:During the
266:Al Sharpton
262:John McCain
245:Robert Bork
146:Joan Didion
1162:Categories
707:August 25,
653:August 25,
621:October 8,
400:References
132:David Duke
25:politician
975:Balz, Dan
757:Slate.com
573:0028-7504
532:0362-4331
498:0190-8286
374:Joe Biden
212:candidate
181:'s other
29:extremist
1086:Wonkette
1066:The Hill
931:CBS News
894:Politico
837:Politico
615:NBC News
419:July 20,
361:Dan Balz
291:nominee
234:Gomorrah
214:for the
111:—
77:. In a
37:centrist
993:May 11,
959:May 14,
763:May 25,
759:. Slate
594:Op.cit.
592:Lewis,
259:Senator
256:Arizona
85:hip hop
65:in 1997
54:Origins
571:
567:(15).
530:
496:
242:jurist
169:C-SPAN
40:voters
210:As a
23:is a
1149:2023
1123:2020
1095:2020
1088:.com
1047:2020
995:2012
961:2012
765:2016
735:2017
709:2014
681:2023
655:2014
623:2019
569:ISSN
539:2023
528:ISSN
505:2023
494:ISSN
443:2012
421:2014
387:The
368:and
44:base
272:or
125:'s
101:):
1164::
1140:.
1112:.
1083:.
1064:.
1036:.
1014:.
981:.
947:.
929:.
911:.
892:.
873:.
854:.
835:.
816:.
792:^
782:.
755:.
724:.
671:.
646:.
625:.
612:.
583:).
565:39
563:.
559:.
526:.
522:.
486:.
465:.
451:^
317:.
287:,
218:,
202:.
167:,
144:,
88:MC
50:.
19:A
1151:.
1125:.
1097:.
1068:.
1049:.
1018:.
997:.
963:.
915:.
896:.
877:.
858:.
839:.
820:.
786:.
767:.
737:.
683:.
657:.
575:.
541:.
507:.
471:.
445:.
423:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
