Clinton losing black leaders to Obama

[Clarkie1]

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 5:17am BST 25/04/2007

Black power brokers in New York are shifting their support away from Hillary Clinton and towards Barack Obama in the latest sign that the Illinois senator's bid to wrestle the Democratic nomination from her is gaining momentum.

Mrs Clinton, 59, had already secured the tacit support of most of the black politicians in New York, her home state. But the fact that many of them are now wavering indicates the potential for Mr Obama, 45, to secure a clear majority of black voters, a mainstay of the Democratic party.

<snip>

According to The New York Times, a "significant number" of black officials who had been seen as firmly in the Clinton camp have said they are now "undecided" because they are "impressed with the strength of Mr Obama's campaign in recent weeks".

This shift has occurred despite Mr Obama doing almost no campaigning in New York. It is significant because key black politicians hold considerable influence over ordinary black voters.

more:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/25/wobama25.xml

[ShortnFiery]

1. This is good news. Thanks. n/t.

[journalist3072]

5. Exactly why is that good news?

It sounds to me as though those leaders are just simply going whatever way the polls go.

Notice it said they were impressed by the recent momentum of the Obama campaign (read: Obama mania and many in the media not even bothering to ask the tough policy questions of him).

I could see if they had a change of loyalty b/c they agreed more with Obama on the issues. That's fine.

But to simply change loyalties b/c someone else has risen in the polls....well, that speaks for itself.

[skipos]

6. It makes Hillary's "inevitable" nomination a little less likely

and that is good news to me. I like Obama and many others, but even though I wouldn't hesitate to vote for her over a Repub, I really don't want her to be our nominee.

[Hardrada]

2. Jolly good to know!

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Read the NYT article earlier, and...

it pointed out the tightrope some NYC politicians are walking-- like Charlie Rangel who's one of the most influential and who cast his lot with Clinton but now is scrambling to maintain Clinton support and his own credibility.

[onna no hito]

4. Hillary has nothing to worry about

because thats not how nominees are selected by the parties.
they are selected through organization at the precinct levels, and her campaign organization and connections are second to none. she has the money and the campaign organization and the people with the experience to weather any blips (such as this) on her radar screen.

Moreover, many of the AA voters actually represented by, or likely to be swayed to Rev Sharpton and his colleagues,unfortunately are not likely voters.

If they were, John Kerry would be in the White House and Rep Harold Ford would be in the US Senate-and we wouldnt even be discussing this.

one thing for sure, We need to find a way to persuade AA voters that their vote really makes a difference. they are still depressed and demoralized since Bush stole their record turnout of votes in fla, in 2000- the AA turnout has been depressed ever since.

But, hey, its obviously a slow news day and newspapers MUST be sold and provocative columns must be produced every day-regardless of whether theres any news or not. Also reporters want there to be a horse race-even when there's not-it makes their jobs more fun, ad increases readership.

anyway, it will be fun to watch even though it's a done deal.

[blm]

8. Why would they be depressed? Terry McAuliffe promised no more election fraud

after the hearings on 2000 theft. He started an Office of Voter Integrity that would work for four years securing the election process and assuring Democratic voters and candidates that the GOPs election fraud tactics would be countered and Democratic votes would be safe.

Didn't it work? Didn't Terry McAuliffe deliver the most secure elections ever for Dem? 2002 and 2004 weren't stolen again - Terry McAuliffe said the candidates were just bad and we just need to nominate someone like a Clinton who he works for these days.

Yep - McAuliffe did a GREAT job making sure the election process was secure. Dean really has an easy job of it, now, since Terry left a highly organized partystructure all over the country that knew exactly how to counter the vote-stealing and vote suppression tactics of the GOP as he proved in 2002 and 2004.

[AtomicKitten]

11. and Terry McAuliffe forget to mow South America like he promised n/t

[blm]

12. He could have hired a million gardeners for what he got on that sweetheart GlobalCrossing deal.

Wasn't Poppy Bush involved with that company, too?

[AtomicKitten]

14. Step right up -- Get your heaping cup of bitterness from blm.

It's CLINTON HATIN' TIME.
ALL HATE - ALL THE TIME.

[blm]

17. Correction: It's 'Wish Clinton wouldn't have moved past BushInc's crimes of office' time.

Because Impeachment WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.

Because Bush2 presidency WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.

Because 9-11 WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.

Because Iraq war WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.

He who ignores history is doomed to repeat it.

[AtomicKitten]

18. Pervasive broad-brush blaming

... is a puerile exercise in holding somebody else responsible for perceived faults - real, imagined, or invented for pejorative purposes - feeding illusions, a channel for rage, bringing reason to its knees.

Good luck on all that.

[blm]

22. Reasonable: Truth and Reconciliation hearings UNITE countries divided by decades of lies.

.

[Clarkie1]

13. "It will be fun to watch eventhough it's a done deal."

:rofl:

[Cha]

23. hillary has plenty

to worry about..she and the corporatemediawhores have not sewn up her dem candidacy.

[wyldwolf]

7. This was being discussed last night on Hardball. Interesting points raised

The black vote isn't important in Iowa and New Hampshire and the nomination (by whoever gets it) could be sewed up by the time the black vote comes into play.

Further, it was discussed that Hillary's strategy seems to be working with lower level black leaders (i.e. of less importance than Sharpton and Jackson). She's praising the campaign of Obama but essentially saying, "at the end of the day, I'm the candidate who can better represent black interests."

[rinsd]

9. Well SC has a large black voting population and NY is early this year.

So it could be a factor, I am just unsure of how large.

[Clarkie1]

15. And what does she have to back that outrageous statement up?

"I'm the candidate who can better represent black interests."

:rofl:

[ChipsAhoy]

16. She has nothing.

Neither Hillary nor Obama will make it to the White House. As I've said before.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wyldwolf]

21. Why do you believe it is outrageous?

It's only outrageous to the seriously misinformed. The anti-Hillary faction can say "Hillary is no Bill Clinton" until they're blue in the face, but the fact is, Bill will play a major role in his wife's administration should she win and there is no reason to doubt other former Clinton admin officials will, too.

So, a quick reminder of the Clinton team's record on black interests. The median income of African American households 7.7 percent during the Clinton years and unemployment for African-Americans fell to the lowest level ever recorded. The African American child poverty rate fell 28.2 percent during the Clinton years. And there is more stats like that.

Do you honestly believe blacks don't associated Hillary with Bill? You may not LIKE it. You may try to spin it. But it won't be any less true. The only ground you can stand on is the absurd belief that, although people ALWAYS associate people with their spouses, they won't in terms of the Clintons.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[politicasista]

10. Good n/t

[w4rma]

20. Good. A loss for Hillary is a win for Democrats. (nt)

[ieoeja]

25. Mr Harnden doesn't know African-Americans well.

"It is significant because key black politicians hold considerable influence over ordinary black voters."

Actually, Americans in the Black community are notorious for voting against the endorsements of Black politicians and activists. While this may be the most reliable voting bloc for the Democratic Party, African-Americans vote highly independant within the party primaries.

A few weeks back the Chicago Sun-Times included an editorial citing some statistics on this, but I did not both to save the link. Sorry.

This is just another case of poliphiles getting all excited about something that means nothing. And a chance to shout, "in your face," to our primary opponents for those of us currently supporting Obama.

Though my support is waning. Of all the Democrats in Cook Co to join his debate preparation team, why does it have to be Forest "cut taxes, smaller gov't, fewer services, privatize!" Claypool? And Obama should stop ducking the media on the Rezko situation. If you didn't do anything wrong, tell the truth and end this story now. If you did ... just refusing to talk to reporters about it is not the answer. That makes you look both guilty and too stupid to cover it up. First qualification for the Presidency is being good at coverups.

Am I becoming too cynical?

[Colobo]

26. Let's see if tonight Obama can make some good advances...

[nolabels]

27. I am going to hope they keep it focused on the issues............

and stay away from personal attacks :-)

[Colobo]

28. I want Obama and Edwards to outshine the inevitable frontrunner...

[nolabels]

29. I remember early 04

It seems Dean was so much more focused at the time and that might be why he sold so well at first. Being able see them mix it up early should help us all see what we are really dealing with.

[Tellurian]

31. Going to be rapid fire.

one minute to answer the question and 30 sec rebuttal time..

GO HILLARY!

[Colobo]

32. Good luck to your candidate. Let the best debater win.

[Tellurian]

34. Thanks, Katz..

Take the Obama quiz and see how you score..

http://www.thetandd.com/debate

I should have guessed Hillary's favorite is an Olive burger.
I picked my favorite instead.. a slimming double cheeseburger.

[rinsd]

33. C'mon now positive thoughts. She is great. She is the front runner. But inevitable?

;-)

[Catchawave]

30. Good grief Clarkie1...how racist

I'm embarrassed this is allowed to stand on DU :cry: