If Hillary had been listening in South Carolina, she would have known...

If Hillary Clinton had been doing all that listening we’ve been hearing about coming out of New Hampshire, she wouldn’t be in half the mess she’s created with African American voters in South Carolina.

Riding the wave of the unexpected victory in the New Hampshire primary, Hillary said she found her voice by listening. She went on to discuss how this would be her new method of operating.

Since then, she’s been engulfed in controversy about comments she made that seemed to belittle the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King and Sen. Barack Obama. Her response is that the whole thing was stirred up by the Obama campaign to mischaracterize her statements and inject race into the race.

If she had been listening, she would have quickly realized that Black people are sensitive to a white person who appears to be denigrating Dr. King. Whether that was your intention or not, it’s a sensitive topic. You should just apologize and stay away from it altogether. It doesn’t help to ‘stand behind your statement,’ parse your words, and play the victim.

If she had been listening, she would have noticed that Barack Obama has been deliberately avoiding race issues through his entire career, not just this race. (So much so, that he has had to answer to whispers of whether he was Black enough.) To ask us to believe that he suddenly has become a race monger after deliberately avoiding the issue for 20 years is not persuasive.

If she had been listening, she’d notice that prominent African Americans who had previously been her sympathizers are increasingly vocal with their concerns about the tone of her comments. Rep. Clyburn and Donna Brazille among others have gone public with their cautions.

If she had been listening, she would know that Bob Johnson, founder of BET, is not the most effective surrogate to lecture about what is best for Black people. There is still a widely-held sentiment that the network he founded continuously exploited and denigrated African Americans. Despite the protests of many in the community, Johnson continued to spew his vile into many homes, made himself a billionaire in the process, and has been MIA from the Black community ever since.

If she had been listening, she would know that Black people haven’t forgotten how Bill Clinton used Sister Souljah to put us in our place or how we rallied to support you during the Monica Llewinsky affair, when everyone else was turning their backs on you. We’ve earned a modicum of respect from the Clintons.

If she had been listening, she would know that the first Black man to have a real shot at the presidency is a tremendous source of pride and to attack his character is going to resonate as a personal attack on all Black people to many who hear it.

The emotional outburst and listening tour worked well for wooing women voters in New Hampshire. If the senator from New York hopes to keep her momentum, she should try affording the Black community in South Carolina the same courtesy.