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CoffeeCat

(24,411 posts)
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 12:16 PM Feb 2016

Two Prominent Black Intellectuals Just Delivered a Blow to Hillary Clinton

After a crushing loss in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton may be having an even worse morning. As her campaign turns to South Carolina, where she hopes to win the primary with the support of African American voters on February 27, two prominent black intellectuals issued forceful statements Wednesday morning that could boost her rival, Bernie Sanders.

"I will be voting for Sen. Sanders," Ta-Nehisi Coates, a correspondent for The Atlantic and the author of the 2015 National Book Award winner Between the World and Me, said Wednesday in an interview on Democracy Now! Coates has written critically of Sanders recently for not embracing reparations for African Americans as part of his economic and social justice platform.

A much stronger rebuke of Clinton came from Michelle Alexander, the author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, who blasted the former secretary of state in an essay published Wednesday on the website of The Nation titled "Why Hillary Clinton Doesn't Deserve the Black Vote."

{snip}
But the comments from Coates and Alexander Wednesday are a sign that the degree of support Clinton is counting on from the black community might be slipping away, and that she may not be able to sew up the black vote in South Carolina, as her supporters have long predicted.

Full article (and interesting read) at this link: http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2016/02/two-prominent-black-intellectuals-just-came-out-bernie-sanders

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Two Prominent Black Intellectuals Just Delivered a Blow to Hillary Clinton (Original Post) CoffeeCat Feb 2016 OP
This message was self-deleted by its author 6chars Feb 2016 #1
former NAACP head Ben Jeaolus was on Maddow last night and made a powerful case for Bernie Fast Walker 52 Feb 2016 #2
He was amazing! Rachel, obvious Hillaryite, couldn't get him off his message as much as she tried. jillan Feb 2016 #3
Jealous is so correct, when he talks about the big three evils according to MLK Jr Fast Walker 52 Feb 2016 #4
YES!! I want to see him go out on the campaign trail to say exactly what he said last nite about jillan Feb 2016 #5
Yeah Carolina Feb 2016 #11
Here the Video of Ben Jealous on Rachel Maddow's Show last night, Feb. 10 appalachiablue Feb 2016 #8
Missed it appalachiablue, thank you saidsimplesimon Feb 2016 #10
Ta-Nehisi Coates is Voting for Bernie Sanders Despite the Senator's appalachiablue Feb 2016 #14
he's stunned! redruddyred Feb 2016 #32
he's a good man. he straddles two worlds like Obama does. I have always liked him because he speaks roguevalley Feb 2016 #15
No he did not, matter of fact he dissmissed Maddows question of Sanders 94 vote as uponit7771 Feb 2016 #22
bernie supported bill clinton, rachel not mentioning that part is less than honest questionseverything Feb 2016 #30
Sanders voted for the 94 bill not HIllary... Sanders can nuance his vote, HRC can't... uponit7771 Feb 2016 #31
hc actively promoted the bill questionseverything Feb 2016 #34
Hillary was a huge advocate both before and after passage of the law, in fact after she went far Bluenorthwest Feb 2016 #35
Please quote HRC saying something racist and right wing in regards to this issue of Sanders 94 vote uponit7771 Feb 2016 #41
So does her time out of office count as political experience or not? jonestonesusa Feb 2016 #48
I was impressed Punx Feb 2016 #23
here ya go restorefreedom Feb 2016 #38
thanks! Fast Walker 52 Feb 2016 #42
yw :) restorefreedom Feb 2016 #43
Randall Robinson on Bill Clinton Oilwellian Feb 2016 #6
When AAs take time to compare the two candidates, they choose Bernie. senz Feb 2016 #7
Sanders lost IA PoC by 25% after he spent 3 months there so I don't think this assessment is uponit7771 Feb 2016 #21
I took the time and compared both and NEITHER choice is for me. Sorry. Liberal_Stalwart71 Feb 2016 #45
I can understand your position, because we get ignored after the election every time. JRLeft Feb 2016 #49
Thank you, Mother Jones and CoffeeCat. K&R saidsimplesimon Feb 2016 #9
Looks like they delivered blows to Bernie as well. Amimnoch Feb 2016 #12
Is there any specific reason to think his former colleagues won't support him if he's nominated? bigbrother05 Feb 2016 #13
Rep. Keith Ellison, CBC member tweeted 7:47 am today that CBC PAC endorsed appalachiablue Feb 2016 #16
The only CBC member who has endorsed Bernie. Amimnoch Feb 2016 #17
Some list. Whether one or one hundred members were not consulted the appalachiablue Feb 2016 #24
It's cute that you list Mia Love, Republican from Utah who is a Rubio endorsement on that list. Bluenorthwest Feb 2016 #36
It's cute that you read it wrong. Amimnoch Feb 2016 #40
We are not done yet angrychair Feb 2016 #18
Thanks for mentioning that relevant point. wow. appalachiablue Feb 2016 #39
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooo, the other 200 prominent blacks who have HRC's back kinda.. uponit7771 Feb 2016 #19
What percentage of them are member of the Democratic establishment? Chakab Feb 2016 #27
Some thoughts on this subject turbo_satan Feb 2016 #20
Thank you so, so much!!! Liberal_Stalwart71 Feb 2016 #46
Apparently, their opinions on Clinton's record don't matter because they've criticized Obama Chakab Feb 2016 #25
IN extra ordinarily harsh terms kennetha Feb 2016 #26
Obama's conduct RE black issues has warranted that tone. Chakab Feb 2016 #28
Doubt most AA kennetha Feb 2016 #33
Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2016 #29
Kicking it eom John Poet Feb 2016 #37
Don't forget Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover. nt Bonobo Feb 2016 #44
Kick azmom Feb 2016 #47

Response to CoffeeCat (Original post)

 

Fast Walker 52

(7,723 posts)
2. former NAACP head Ben Jeaolus was on Maddow last night and made a powerful case for Bernie
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 12:31 PM
Feb 2016

Really excellent stuff, I will post the clip if I can find it.

 

Fast Walker 52

(7,723 posts)
4. Jealous is so correct, when he talks about the big three evils according to MLK Jr
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 12:46 PM
Feb 2016

Greed
Militarism
Racism

I think Bernie has those covered.


jillan

(39,451 posts)
5. YES!! I want to see him go out on the campaign trail to say exactly what he said last nite about
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 12:56 PM
Feb 2016

these 3 evils.

appalachiablue

(41,146 posts)
14. Ta-Nehisi Coates is Voting for Bernie Sanders Despite the Senator's
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:34 PM
Feb 2016

Opposition to Reparations. Democracy Now! interview Feb. 10.

 

redruddyred

(1,615 posts)
32. he's stunned!
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:16 PM
Feb 2016

come on ta-nehisi, i've been keeping the political pulse much better than you, could've told you so in 2014.

this new populist wave shouldn't be a surprise for anyone paying attention, shame on hrc and others for not doing so.

roguevalley

(40,656 posts)
15. he's a good man. he straddles two worlds like Obama does. I have always liked him because he speaks
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:36 PM
Feb 2016

forthrightly.

uponit7771

(90,347 posts)
22. No he did not, matter of fact he dissmissed Maddows question of Sanders 94 vote as
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:58 PM
Feb 2016

... "that was the 90s" as if the other stuff wasn't

questionseverything

(9,656 posts)
30. bernie supported bill clinton, rachel not mentioning that part is less than honest
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:13 PM
Feb 2016

bernie getting slammed by the clintons for supporting the clintons is bizarro world

uponit7771

(90,347 posts)
31. Sanders voted for the 94 bill not HIllary... Sanders can nuance his vote, HRC can't...
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:15 PM
Feb 2016

.... and that's the double standard

questionseverything

(9,656 posts)
34. hc actively promoted the bill
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:20 PM
Feb 2016

and has taken for profit prison money also

lots of us trusted the clintons more than we should of during bill's term so i don't blame bernie

 

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)
35. Hillary was a huge advocate both before and after passage of the law, in fact after she went far
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:33 PM
Feb 2016

astray into rhetoric I saw as racist and right wing. To try to claim she was neutral in it is absurd. I can post videos of her talking about those 'super predator kids' and bringing them to heel and on and on and on. In fact those videos can fill DU. Is that what you'd like?

uponit7771

(90,347 posts)
41. Please quote HRC saying something racist and right wing in regards to this issue of Sanders 94 vote
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 05:58 PM
Feb 2016

... and since she couldn't vote on it she doesn't have the same onus of responsibility that Sanders had.

Sanders voted for the bill Hillary Clinton did not... she was not in office at the time

jonestonesusa

(880 posts)
48. So does her time out of office count as political experience or not?
Fri Feb 12, 2016, 01:43 AM
Feb 2016

This question is answered differently, constantly. HRC refers to her 90s health care initiative as a genuine political policy effort. She was not in office. What's your conclusion?

Punx

(446 posts)
23. I was impressed
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:01 PM
Feb 2016

by Ben Jeaolus last night. I found him to be exceptionally well spoken. And not because I agreed with what he had to say, but the way he said it.

Oilwellian

(12,647 posts)
6. Randall Robinson on Bill Clinton
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 01:13 PM
Feb 2016

I saw this CSpan interview with Robinson years ago, and it is devastating to the Clinton machine. I wish I could post it directly, but it's from CSpan and for some odd reason, you can't do that. I was thinking of creating a video using pieces of this interview. It's not current, but it definitely lends insight into how brutal Clinton was to black people around the world. Well worth watching to get a sense of the brutality toward black nations during his presidency.

One of our great modern scholar/activists, Randall Robinson shares a personal experience with the beloved former President- often referred to as the "first black President".

Randall Robinson On CSpan

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
7. When AAs take time to compare the two candidates, they choose Bernie.
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 01:23 PM
Feb 2016

Because Bernie has always been on their side, and Clinton, never.

uponit7771

(90,347 posts)
21. Sanders lost IA PoC by 25% after he spent 3 months there so I don't think this assessment is
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:56 PM
Feb 2016

... right.

Oh, he also lost NH PoC too... not by much but... well

 

Amimnoch

(4,558 posts)
12. Looks like they delivered blows to Bernie as well.
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:18 PM
Feb 2016
This is not an endorsement for Bernie Sanders, who after all voted for the 1994 crime bill. I also tend to agree with Ta-Nehisi Coates that the way the Sanders campaign handled the question of reparations is one of many signs that Bernie doesn't quite get what's at stake in serious dialogues about racial justice. He was wrong to dismiss reparations as "divisive," as though centuries of slavery, segregation, discrimination, ghettoization, and stigmatization aren't worthy of any specific acknowledgement or remedy.

But recognizing that Bernie, like Hillary, has blurred vision when it comes to race is not the same thing as saying their views are equally problematic. Sanders opposed the 1996 welfare-reform law. He also opposed bank deregulation and the Iraq War, both of which Hillary supported, and both of which have proved disastrous. In short, there is such a thing as a lesser evil, and Hillary is not it.


On the other hand, you do have 85% of the Congressional Black Caucus outright endorsing Hillary (100% of the leadership) (vs a single endorsement for Bernie), and only 6 of its members uncommitted.


Whomever is the next President does still need congress to actually pass laws. Only one of our candidates has that support:
39 US Senators have now Endorsed Hillary.
1 US Senator has endorsed Bernie.
158 Representatives from the House have endorsed Hillary.
2 have endorsed Bernie Sanders.

Please explain how he is going to bully pulpit the Republicans into passing his agenda when he can't even get his party to back his candidacy?

bigbrother05

(5,995 posts)
13. Is there any specific reason to think his former colleagues won't support him if he's nominated?
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:32 PM
Feb 2016

Would expect him to have as much backing from Dem officeholders as Obama had in the 2008 general election.

appalachiablue

(41,146 posts)
16. Rep. Keith Ellison, CBC member tweeted 7:47 am today that CBC PAC endorsed
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:46 PM
Feb 2016

candidate Clinton without CBC membership input.

Rep. Keith Ellison Verified account 
?@keithellison
Cong'l Black Caucus (CBC) has NOT endorsed in presidential. Separate CBCPAC endorsed withOUT input from CBC membership, including me. 7:47 AM - 11 Feb 2016

https://twitter.com/keithellison/status/697809288203522048

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280115759

 

Amimnoch

(4,558 posts)
17. The only CBC member who has endorsed Bernie.
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:52 PM
Feb 2016

He's the only one. Yes the CBC, and the CBC PAC are 2 seperate entities, however the PAC is made up of a number of actual CBC members, including the Whip from the leadership. So saying it was done without input is completely inaccurate since at the VERY least the members that are part both did have input.

The Actual Member list

https://cbc-butterfield.house.gov/members

Hillary Clinton Endorsements

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hillary_Clinton_presidential_campaign_endorsements,_2016#U.S._Representatives

Between those 2 we have:
GK Butterfield – Chair : Endorsed Hillary
Yvette Clarke – Vice Chair : Endorsed Hillary
Andre Carson – Second Vice Chair : Endorsed Hillary
Karen Bass – Secretary : Endorsed Hillary
Hakeem Jeffries – Whip : Endorsed Hillary

Alma Adams : Endorsed Hillary
Joyce Beatty : Endorsed Hillary
Corrine Brown : Endorsed Hillary
Wm. Lacy Clay : Endorsed Hillary
Emanuel Cleaver, II : Endorsed Hillary
John conyers, Jr. : Endorsed Hillary
Elijah E Cummings : Endorsed Hillary
Danny K Davis : Endorsed Hillary
Donna F. Edwards : Endorsed Hillary
Chaka Fattah : Endorsed Hillary
Marcia L Fudge : Endorsed Hillary
Al Green : Endorsed Hillary
Alcee L Hastings : Endorsed Hillary
Eleanor Holmes : Endorsed Hillary
Sheila Jackson : Endorsed Hillary
Eddie Bernice Johnson : Endorsed Hillary
Hank Johnson : Endorsed Hillary
Robin Kelly : Endorsed Hillary
Brenda Lawrence : Endorsed Hillary
John Lewis : Endorsed Hillary
Gregory W. Meeks : Endorsed Hillary
Gwen Moore : Endorsed Hillary
Donald M Payne, Jr. : Endorsed Hillary
Stacey Plaskett : Endorsed Hillary
Charles B Rangel : Endorsed Hillary
Cedric Richmond : Endorsed Hillary
David Scott : Endorsed Hillary
Robert “bobby” C Scott : Endorsed Hillary
Terri A Sewell : Endorsed Hillary
Bennie Thompson : Endorsed Hillary
Marc Veasey : Endorsed Hillary
Maxine Waters : Endorsed Hillary
Bonnie Watson : Endorsed Hillary
Frederica Wilson : Endorsed Hillary

Keith Ellison : Endorsed Sanders

Sanford D Bishop
Corey Booker
James E Clyburn
Barbara Lee
Mia love
Bobby L Rush
So, 100% of the leadership, including 39 endorsements for Hillary 1 endorsement for Bernie, and 6 undeclared.

appalachiablue

(41,146 posts)
24. Some list. Whether one or one hundred members were not consulted the
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:03 PM
Feb 2016

Last edited Thu Feb 11, 2016, 05:00 PM - Edit history (1)

release given to the media is not accurate. The CBC PAC was established to help members run for congress.

The correct story should be 'The CBC PAC Endorses Candidate'.

 

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)
36. It's cute that you list Mia Love, Republican from Utah who is a Rubio endorsement on that list.
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:50 PM
Feb 2016

So don't count Mia for Hillary you know?

It's also worth bearing in mind that this is not the Perfected Sages Caucus, and it is a caucus that is not always right, and the individual members are certainly not always right.

On DOMA William Clay, Elijah Cummings, Cleo Fields, Harold Ford, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Major Owens, Bennie Thompson and Mel Watt did even bother to cast a vote while CBC Members Sanford Bishop, Corrine Brown, Eva Clayton, James Clyburn, Cardiss Collins, Floyd Flake, Earl Hilliard, William Jefferson, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Bobby Rush and Albert Wynn voted for DOMA.


Voting No were Barbara-Rose Collins, John Conyers, Ron Dellums, Julian Dixon, Chaka Fattah, Alcee Hastings, Jesse Jackson Jr., John Lewis, Carrie Meek, Cynthia McKinney, Juanita Millender-McDonald, Donald Payne, Charlie Rangel, Robert Scott, Louis Stokes, Edolphus Towns and Maxine Waters.


The majority of the caucus was either in favor of DOMA or utterly apathetic. 2/3 of that caucus also voted for the Crime Bill including 100% of caucus leadership.

 

Amimnoch

(4,558 posts)
40. It's cute that you read it wrong.
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 05:12 PM
Feb 2016

There is no : Endorsed Hillary next to Mia's name. She is not one of the number I counted for Hillary. She is one of the 6x at the bottom that has no endorsement by her name.

You got me, Here, in this conversation about the Democratic Primary I didn't mention that she endorsed Rubio. I'll take your word for it though. Point for you.

Is it irony that you mention the same crime bill that Bernie voted yes on?

On DOMA, Was I mistaken that this is a conversation about African American support of Democratic candidates in 2016? How about we just go after the vast majority of Americans at the time of DOMA when only 27% of Americans period supported gay marriage (ref below graph)? Or do you prefer to just go after African American leadership? I'll grant that DOMA was a disgusting thing, I'm not going to fault the politicians of the time for being the product of the overwhelming public opinion at that time.



Why stop at DOMA, are we also going back to 70% of black voters voting for Prop 8 as well? If so, tell me now, and I'll back out of the conversation. I have no interest in participating in right wing talking points that attack the African American community.

I'm glad as hell that the SCOTUS decided right on this issue. Especially since it's finally given my own husband and I the equality and equal recognition as well. DOMA was awful, luckily the majority of society has evolved. I have no interest in a conversation that will only further divide the party, and possibly start swinging that public opinion back the other way.

angrychair

(8,702 posts)
18. We are not done yet
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:54 PM
Feb 2016

In 2008, many insisted that Obama drop out as Clinton had the vast majority of endorsements and super delegates. Having these things does not mean you will win.

uponit7771

(90,347 posts)
19. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooo, the other 200 prominent blacks who have HRC's back kinda..
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:55 PM
Feb 2016

...out number these guys along with poll numbers.

Don't get all happy and ish

 

Chakab

(1,727 posts)
27. What percentage of them are member of the Democratic establishment?
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:10 PM
Feb 2016

Why is anybody supposed to be swayed by establishment politicians supporting one the most prominent members of the party?

turbo_satan

(372 posts)
20. Some thoughts on this subject
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 02:55 PM
Feb 2016
Coates's reparations piece is, as usual for him, compelling and extremely well thought out. It's hard to read it and not agree with everything he has to say (and I do agree with all of it). But most people -- even well-intentioned lefties -- won't have the time or patience to read it. Like it or not, the argument is too nuanced for even an intrepid politician like Bernie Sanders to embrace and espouse. A vulgar and oversimplified synopsis ("Bernie supports reparations to blacks&quot would be enough to derail everything he's accomplished thus far, which is a shame. Furthermore, I believe that Bernie actually supports Coates's idea. Upon reading the article, you'll see that it's not at all that radical.

Michelle Alexander's article is devastating and should give Hillary supporters pause, even if Bill is the one to blame for the devastation his actions wrought on the AA community. But Hillary was an enthusiastic supporter and she should be held to account for her actions. Bernie also has some explaining to do, having supported the Clintons' crime bill. And he has explained his reluctant support; but the (un?)intended consequences of this legislation demand more adequate explanation.

Finally, for all of us white folks discussing the Clinton/Sanders match-up vis-a-vis race, Charles Blow wrote a great piece in the NYT yesterday. Called "Stop Bernie-Splaining to Black Voters," Blow's writing stopped me dead in my tracks. Although the title makes it sound like Blow is being a scold, it would behoove both Hillary and Bernie supporters to read this article and take it to heart.

Lots of food for thought.

 

Chakab

(1,727 posts)
25. Apparently, their opinions on Clinton's record don't matter because they've criticized Obama
Thu Feb 11, 2016, 03:08 PM
Feb 2016

in the past.

Response to CoffeeCat (Original post)

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