Guardian: "Obama faces uphill battle against Clinton's Harlem base"

[bidenista]

Obama faces uphill battle against Clinton's Harlem base

Ed Pilkington in New York
Thursday January 31, 2008
Guardian Unlimited

The huge sums of money that Barack Obama has raised for his presidential run are not evident at his campaign headquarters in Harlem. Every worker in the shop-front premises on Malcolm X Boulevard is a volunteer; they are equipped with laptops, a couple of phones and a television.

The shortage of ready cash in Harlem, historic capital of black America, for a campaign dedicated to putting the first African American in the White House would be puzzling were it not for the odds in New York. Hillary Clinton has such an in-built advantage in her home state that for much of the past year she has enjoyed a steady 30-point lead. That reflects the way in which she has courted support across the state ever since she first put herself forward in 2000. "She's a very popular home senator, even in the more conservative upstate areas, which is pretty remarkable for someone who only moved here seven years ago," said Patrick Egan, professor of politics at New York University.

Clinton has also had help from powerful quarters. She has received the backing of key figures in the New York Democratic establishment, such as Charlie Rangel, Harlem's long-standing congressman, and the city's first black mayor, David Dinkins....

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/story/0,,2250258,00.html

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Unstated is that pretty much the entire NY...

Congressional delegation owes Hillary something and now is the payback. My own congressman had a funny look when he said he supported Hillary-- kinda like he smelled or tasted something nasty. Rangel, too. Couldn't help get the feeling that they were "told" that they support Hillary. Politicians learn fast where the bread is buttered.

Besides being the hometown girl, Billary fundraising and normal politicking have kept the locals pretty much in the fold. Not that that actually means much to actual voters out there, but the machine is solidly, if not entirely happily, behind Hillary.