Hillary Gives Campaign an Ethnic Shakeup

It was rumored that Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle would be jettisoned after her candidate lost in Iowa, but she survived the staff shake-up.  Until now.

Patti Solis Doyle has done an extraordinary job in getting us to this point - within reach of the nomination - and I am enormously grateful for her friendship and her outstanding work. And, as Patti has said, this already has been the longest presidential campaign in history and one that has required enormous sacrifices of everyone and our families. I look forward to her continued advice in the months ahead. Patti and I have worked with Maggie Williams for more than a decade. I am lucky to have Maggie on board and I know she will lead our campaign with great skill towards the nomination.

Michelle Malkin reminds us precisely where Maggie Williams is woven into the tapestry of Clinton scandals.

But the intended subtext here isn't that Hillary takes charge and shakes things up when the wheels start coming off.  Nor is it just a reminder that the candidate is a woman and surrounded by powerful women and someone voters should support, unless they hate women.  The clearest tacit message of the new appointment is to convince us of a message that the campaign is becoming increasingly worried we're not getting: Black people love Hillary (and Hillary loves them back)!

48 hours after her disappointing Super Tuesday performance... Campaign Press release:  Hillary Clinton Recognizes National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

One day later... Campaign Press Release: Dr. Maya Angelou and Magic Johnson Hit Virginia Airwaves for Hillary.

Later the same day... Campaign Press Release:  Senator Hillary Clinton to Attend the State of the Black Union 2008.

And who can forget the charmingly "nappy-headed" Belvis incident?

Contrary to the implication of today's press release, Solis Doyle's departure stems not from the length of this campaign, nor with her job performance nor any legitimate strategic shift, but rather from the simple fact that her Latina credentials were no longer sufficient to satiate a campaign increasingly obsessed with identity politics (and worried their opponent is winning that unseemly battle).