WaPo: Obama Wave Stuns Clinton's Black Supporters

[babylonsister]

Obama Wave Stuns Clinton's Black Supporters

By Kevin Merida
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 19, 2008; Page C01


You can see the confusion on some of their faces, hear the concern in their voices. How in the world do we deal with this?

Hillary Clinton's black supporters -- especially the most prominent ones -- hadn't expected their candidate to be in a dogfight right now. They thought Barack Obama was an election cycle or two away from being serious presidential timber. They thought Bill Clinton's presidency and the close relationships the Clintons had forged with African Americans would translate into goo-gobs of votes in '08. They were wrong.

Remember all the commentator chatter last summer: Is Barack Obama black enough?

Well, he's black enough now.

Obama has swamped Clinton among black voters in each of the 20 contests that had exit polls and large enough samples of African Americans to be meaningful. Just to put that kind of shutout in perspective, black voters represent the only demographic group that the New York senator has not carried at least once during the Democratic primary campaign. Obama now has such a lock on the loyalties of African Americans -- 84 percent of the black vote in Alabama, 87 percent in Georgia, 84 percent in Maryland, and on and on -- that the black vote is no longer contestable.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/18/AR2008021802364.html

[oasis]

1. Obama still riding high on the waves of the racial swiftboat attacks on Bill and Hillary.

"The Politics of Hope"

[babylonsister]

2. What swiftboat attacks? What are you talking about? Link? nt

[Yael]

6. This one keeps posting that Obama caused Bill to act like an

asshole. The Clinton's were apparently under Obama's spell in SC and not acting of their own volition.

[babylonsister]

9. Ahh. So now Bill has no free will and Obama made him do it?

:rofl:

[Yael]

13. It was the koolaide

:freak:

[Bullet1987]

8. The Hillbots still like to cling to the idea that Obama tried to turn HIMSELF

into the "Black cadidate" when it was obviously Bill Clinton.

[elixir]

11. Crap like SC, Andrew Cuoumo....you know, the ridiculous stuff that was built into a racial smear

[babylonsister]

18. Don't get me started: racial e-mails, Clinton

demonizing Obama prior to the SC elections, Bob Johnson, Rangel, Shaheen, Bill comparing Obama to Jesse Jackson after they lost SC, and the list goes on.

What do you mean by 'crap like SC'? Because Obama won by historic numbers? Yes, that was too bad, wasn't it.

[babylonsister]

32. See reply #26, and respond if you dare. nt

[surfermaw]

40. Let's see (Black voters will wake up...S.C.

[oasis]

46. I guess you were out to lunch during the "fairy tale' controversy. (eom)

:eyes:

[KittyWampus]

3. it's your girl and her fucked up campaign that tried to tar Obama as the black candidate

she's run such a sub-par campaign I can't blame her supporters for being so blinded to reality.

At least I'm not an asshole calling them a cult.

[elixir]

16. Good morning potty mouth. Obama's campaign has been condescending and rude to women.

"claws"

"she's feeling down for a period"

"you likeable enough, Hillary"

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

27. "you likeable enough"? hmmmm, now we're typing dialect.

That isn't too cool.

[stillcool]

23. you mean these?

Clinton Surrogate Compares Obama Ad to Nazi March
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080201/cm_thenation/45278988_1
Fri Feb 1, 2:23 PM ET

The Nation -- On a media conference call organized by the Hillary Clinton campaign today, Clinton surrogate Len Nichols compared an Obama health care ad to Nazis.
---------------------

Accusing political opponents of Nazism is an outrageous smear. Raising the specter of a Nazi march in response to a health care mailer that evokes the insurance industry is so absurd, it would be hard to take the attack seriously, were it not launched from a high profile national campaign conference call in this crucial stretch of the presidential race. And political observers know, of course, that the Clinton Campaign regularly arranges opportunities for surrogates to launch these kind of smears, which are later followed up with apologies. (See: Bob Johnson, Bill Shaheen, Bob Kerrey, and Francine Torge, to name the most recent offenders.) For his part, Nichols did not immediately return a call requesting further comment.
-------------------------
Len Nichols, Director of New America's Health Policy Program, stated, "For nearly 17 years I have worked tirelessly to reform our nation's struggling health system. Today my passion overwhelmed me. I chose an analogy that was wholly inappropriate. I am deeply sorry for any offense that my unfortunate comments may have caused. I made unfortunate comments that do not accurately reflect my bipartisan conviction, political philosophy, or most importantly, my opinions about Senator Obama and his historic campaign for the United States presidency."

Clinton adviser steps down after drug use comments
Earlier Thursday, Clinton personally apologized to rival Obama for Shaheen's remarks.
Obama accepted her apology, according to David Axelrod, the top political strategist for the Obama campaign.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/clinton.obama/index.html

January 6, 2008, 5:18 pm
Edwards: No Conscience in Clinton Campaign
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/edwards-no-conscience-in-clinton-campaign/
By Julie Bosman
KEENE, N.H. – John Edwards angrily took on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at two news conferences in a row on Sunday, saying that her campaign “doesn’t seem to have a conscience.”

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign tried to mend ties to black voters Thursday when a key supporter apologized to her chief rival, Barack Obama, for comments that hinted at Obama's drug use as a teenager. The candidate herself, meanwhile, praised the Rev. Martin Luther King and promised to assist with the rebirth of this troubled, largely black city.

Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, apologized for comments he made at a Clinton campaign rally in South Carolina on Sunday that hinted at Obama's use of drugs as a teenager.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-17-johnson-apology_N.htm?csp=34

December 10, 2007
Third Clinton Volunteer Knew Of Smear E-Mail

A third volunteer for Hillary Clinton's campaign was aware of a propaganda e-mail alleging that Barack Obama is a Muslim who plans on "destroying the U.S. from the inside out."

"Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," the email reads. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

Two Clinton volunteers, Linda Olson and Judy Rose, have already been asked to resign from the campaign for their roles in forwarding the e-mail. The AP reported yesterday that Olson, a volunteer coordinator in Iowa County, sent a version of the e-mail to 11 people, including Ben Young, a regional field director for Chris Dodd's campaign. Young passed it on to the AP.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/hillary_adviser_harold_ickes_t.php

Hillary: Sorry for Any Offense Campaign (Bill) Has Caused
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB65wJ6Rcfs

Bill Clinton Asks for a Second Chance
By Liz Halloran
Posted February 11, 2008

The morning after his wife, Hillary, was routed in three state contests by Sen. Barack Obama in their dead-heat battle for the Democratic nomination, former President Bill Clinton made his case for her before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C.
But first he offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.

Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances" in pronouncing himself glad to be at the Temple of Praise, which claims nearly 15,000 members. His invocation of second chances echoed comments he made early last week at black churches in California, where he campaigned for his wife before that state's Super Tuesday primary, which she won.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/02/11/bill-clinton-asks-for-a-second-chance.html

Bill Clinton To Apologize At LA Black Churches
Once again, Bill Clinton is ready to repent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/02/bill-clinton-to-apologize_n_84573.html
On Sunday the former president is scheduled to visit black churches in South Central Los Angeles, where he's expected to offer a mea culpa to those who "dearly loved him" when he was their president, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) says.

Watson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), tells us she'll usher the former president to more than half a dozen churches in her district where she says he needs to "renew his relationship" with congregants who were turned off by his racially tinged comments in the days leading up to and following the South Carolina primary. (Such as when Clinton compared Sen. Barack Obama's landslide victory to Jesse Jackson's wins in 1984 and 1988.)

Source: Hillary Adviser Harold Ickes Tells Surrogates To Refer To Super-Delegates As "Automatic Delegates"
By Greg Sargent - February 12, 2008, 11:43AM

In a sign that the spin war over the significance of super-delegates is underway in earnest, Harold Ickes told assorted Hillary supporters on a private conference call yesterday that the campaign wants them to start referring to super-delegates as "automatic delegates," according to someone on the call.

The person I spoke to paraphrases Ickes, who is spearheading Hillary's super-delegate hunt, this way: "We're no longer using the phrase super delegates. It creates a wrong impression. They're called automatic delegates. Because that's what they are."

The worry appears to be that the phrase "super-delegates" implies that "they have super-powers or super influence when they don't," the source says, describing Ickes' thinking. In other words, the phrase suggests that they have greater than average clout and that they have the power to overrule the democratic process, giving it the taint of back-room power politics
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/hillary_adviser_harold_ickes_t.php

[goclark]

33. Wow! What a post ~ It should be it's own thread

Thanks for posting!

Billary is some machine.

And no doubt about it, they are both running for President.


They are so busy grabbing power and keeping it that it shows and glows.

I am so disappointed it them.

They are the "experienced" candidates. They should not have to show America that this is the way to win elections.

They sure do know how to use Rove's play book.


Now they need to decide who is their enemy ~ their enemy should not be a fellow Democrat, it should be those slime balls on the Right!

[stillcool]

36. It's the people...

that keep repeating the same charges over and over, and with such incendiary language that get me. I almost wish the Clinton campaign would initiate more attacks just to change the lingo.

[kdpeters]

43. Link for Dec 10, re: smear email, doesn't match the title

It's the Harold Ickes re: automatic delegates article. If it's not too late to edit, you might want to fix it. I was wondering where my grandmother got that nonsense she was talking about. She's a staunch Democrat and huge Clinton supporter. She repeated this BS to me almost word for word. I'd be interested in reading the article.

[stillcool]

45. here's one...

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/12/third_clinton_v.html

thanks for telling me!

[mod mom]

24. Did you ever think it might be issues like IWR, Kyl Lieberman, and Free Trade?

[oasis]

48. Hillary still had a handsome lead in spite of the issues you've listed. It wasn't

until the race swiftboating began that Obama's numbers increased.

[mod mom]

25. Did you ever think it might be issues like IWR, Kyl Lieberman, and Free Trade?

[Yael]

4. We are going to make history this year

Imagine the healing that will go along with it. :bounce:

[elixir]

17. A kinder, gentler Yael. Thank you.

[skipos]

5. Bill Clinton has helped Obama

a lot.

[tyne]

12. Actually...

I think it has more to do with AA's believing that Obama CAN win.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. I doubt he could have helped him more by actively campaigning

for him.

Is Bill a stealth Obamite?

[CoffeeCat]

7. I just want to get through Wisconsin, Hawaii...

...Texas and Ohio---so we can have Obama in a commanding lead.

Then, everyone who has kow towed to the Clintons--only because they're ruthless bullies
who were banking on being in power--can be free from their political shackles.

I bet we'll see that the real truth, that most of DC hates the Clintons, and they
were only going along out of fear.

Let's get this thing done.

[Yael]

10. "political shackles" -- perfect nt

[tyne]

15. Amen!

Get 'er done!!!

[Eurobabe]

19. Inshallah (borrowing the word from XemaSab)

Don't plagiarize me bro! (I forgot who said that!)

[Bread and Circus]

22. This reminds of the point in movies where everyone finally realizes

the "bully" no longer has them by the balls and the whole neighborhood ousts him.

[CoffeeCat]

30. Hillary and Bill are the...

"Scott Farkus" of DC.



I'm sure there are many DC politicians who are tired of "running to school afraid".

Time for "Ralphie" to open up a can of whoop ass on the Clintons--in the form of
some wins in Wisconsin, Hawaii--and significant gains in the polls in Texas.

[SoxFan]

20. Yes, they're stunned

These people are like the guy who came to a railroad crossing and drove his car into the twenty-ninth car of a train, and told the police that the train surprised him.

[jasmine621]

31. They are stunned because they know differently.

It's easy to hype up wild crowds in which most of the people know little or nothing about history, current events, or politics. Many blacks, like myself, find it very difficult to even discuss the primaries in any substantive way, even with my own family. All most of them see is a black man running for President, articulate, married to a black woman, nice looking, and a heap of white folks cheering him on. When you begin to raise an issue all they can say is that "The Clintons dissed MLK" or The Clintons played the race card. Yet when I reapeat something to them that came right from Obama's lips without their having heard it before, they will claim that it's a racist statement by the Clinton campaign. Go figure.

[babylonsister]

34. See post #23; they have reason to doubt Clinton. nt

[MethuenProgressive]

21. People who knew all along the Clintons weren't racists aren't buying Obama's "Clintons are Racists"

If nominated, how far will "The Clintons are Racists!" get Obama v McCain?

[stillcool]

26. Obama says the Clinton's are racist?

.hmmmm..I didn't read that!! Got a link?

Clinton Surrogate Compares Obama Ad to Nazi March
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080201/cm_thenation/45278988_1
Fri Feb 1, 2:23 PM ET
The Nation -- On a media conference call organized by the Hillary Clinton campaign today, Clinton surrogate Len Nichols compared an Obama health care ad to Nazis.
Accusing political opponents of Nazism is an outrageous smear. Raising the specter of a Nazi march in response to a health care mailer that evokes the insurance industry is so absurd, it would be hard to take the attack seriously, were it not launched from a high profile national campaign conference call in this crucial stretch of the presidential race. And political observers know, of course, that the Clinton Campaign regularly arranges opportunities for surrogates to launch these kind of smears, which are later followed up with apologies. (See: Bob Johnson, Bill Shaheen, Bob Kerrey, and Francine Torge, to name the most recent offenders.) For his part, Nichols did not immediately return a call requesting further comment.
-------------------------
Len Nichols, Director of New America's Health Policy Program, stated, "For nearly 17 years I have worked tirelessly to reform our nation's struggling health system. Today my passion overwhelmed me. I chose an analogy that was wholly inappropriate. I am deeply sorry for any offense that my unfortunate comments may have caused. I made unfortunate comments that do not accurately reflect my bipartisan conviction, political philosophy, or most importantly, my opinions about Senator Obama and his historic campaign for the United States presidency."

Clinton adviser steps down after drug use comments
Earlier Thursday, Clinton personally apologized to rival Obama for Shaheen's remarks.
Obama accepted her apology, according to David Axelrod, the top political strategist for the Obama campaign.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/clinton.obama/index.html

January 6, 2008, 5:18 pm
Edwards: No Conscience in Clinton Campaign
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/edwards-no-conscience-in-clinton-campaign/
By Julie Bosman
KEENE, N.H. – John Edwards angrily took on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at two news conferences in a row on Sunday, saying that her campaign “doesn’t seem to have a conscience.”

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign tried to mend ties to black voters Thursday when a key supporter apologized to her chief rival, Barack Obama, for comments that hinted at Obama's drug use as a teenager. The candidate herself, meanwhile, praised the Rev. Martin Luther King and promised to assist with the rebirth of this troubled, largely black city.

Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, apologized for comments he made at a Clinton campaign rally in South Carolina on Sunday that hinted at Obama's use of drugs as a teenager.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-17-johnson-apology_N.htm?csp=34

December 10, 2007
Third Clinton Volunteer Knew Of Smear E-Mail

A third volunteer for Hillary Clinton's campaign was aware of a propaganda e-mail alleging that Barack Obama is a Muslim who plans on "destroying the U.S. from the inside out."

"Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," the email reads. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

Two Clinton volunteers, Linda Olson and Judy Rose, have already been asked to resign from the campaign for their roles in forwarding the e-mail. The AP reported yesterday that Olson, a volunteer coordinator in Iowa County, sent a version of the e-mail to 11 people, including Ben Young, a regional field director for Chris Dodd's campaign. Young passed it on to the AP.
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/hillary_adviser_harold_ickes_t.php

Hillary: Sorry for Any Offense Campaign (Bill) Has Caused
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB65wJ6Rcfs

Bill Clinton Asks for a Second Chance
By Liz Halloran
Posted February 11, 2008

The morning after his wife, Hillary, was routed in three state contests by Sen. Barack Obama in their dead-heat battle for the Democratic nomination, former President Bill Clinton made his case for her before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C.
But first he offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.

Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances" in pronouncing himself glad to be at the Temple of Praise, which claims nearly 15,000 members. His invocation of second chances echoed comments he made early last week at black churches in California, where he campaigned for his wife before that state's Super Tuesday primary, which she won.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/02/11/bill-clinton-asks-for-a-second-chance.html

Bill Clinton To Apologize At LA Black Churches
Once again, Bill Clinton is ready to repent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/02/bill-clinton-to-apologize_n_84573.html
On Sunday the former president is scheduled to visit black churches in South Central Los Angeles, where he's expected to offer a mea culpa to those who "dearly loved him" when he was their president, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) says.

Watson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), tells us she'll usher the former president to more than half a dozen churches in her district where she says he needs to "renew his relationship" with congregants who were turned off by his racially tinged comments in the days leading up to and following the South Carolina primary. (Such as when Clinton compared Sen. Barack Obama's landslide victory to Jesse Jackson's wins in 1984 and 1988.)

Source: Hillary Adviser Harold Ickes Tells Surrogates To Refer To Super-Delegates As "Automatic Delegates"
By Greg Sargent - February 12, 2008, 11:43AM

In a sign that the spin war over the significance of super-delegates is underway in earnest, Harold Ickes told assorted Hillary supporters on a private conference call yesterday that the campaign wants them to start referring to super-delegates as "automatic delegates," according to someone on the call.

The person I spoke to paraphrases Ickes, who is spearheading Hillary's super-delegate hunt, this way: "We're no longer using the phrase super delegates. It creates a wrong impression. They're called automatic delegates. Because that's what they are."

The worry appears to be that the phrase "super-delegates" implies that "they have super-powers or super influence when they don't," the source says, describing Ickes' thinking. In other words, the phrase suggests that they have greater than average clout and that they have the power to overrule the democratic process, giving it the taint of back-room power politics
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/hillary_adviser_harold_ickes_t.php

[babylonsister]

29. Whoa! Great post! nt

[stillcool]

37. for some reason...

it never seems to get old.

[babylonsister]

38. Facts never get old, at least to me. Thanks for posting! nt

[mod mom]

28. Obama is surging ahead on issues like free trade, his correct position on the Iraq War

and his vision of uniting this country and bringing folks together. Remember when he was way behind in Texas? and just wait for results in Ohio!

[goclark]

39. I thought I knew they were NOT

I was fooled.

[Major Hogwash]

47. I think they are, and they will do or say anything to win "at all costs".

And there is no way I'll change my mind about that after seeing Bubba and his posse say what they said about Obama.

[Lex Talionis]

35. The Irony of major Black leaders.

Giving up on Obama, before the race even started, and now rushing to catch up to the parade, is very rich indeed.

[NorthernSpy]

41. I agree! It's hilarious to watch them trying to "lead" from the rear...

... while all their supposed "followers" walk away.


:rofl:


Serves 'em right. They've spent the past decades parlaying the political support of millions of blacks into a cozy and rewarding relationship between their own select selves and the Clintons, et al. I guess the rank and file have gotten tired of the arrangement.

[Lex Talionis]

42. You know, I've wanted to point that out,

And other things I've noticed through the years,but didn't want to be called a racist here. I call it the prejudice of low expectations. Some of the Black leaders are masters at it. Yes, lots of rank and file I know personally, see it now. Who'd ever thought that race baiting would come from the Democratic party elites. Serve's them right,indeed.

[tishaLA]

44. Some African Americans have suggested that

the real difference here is at least in part generational and, in part, the "leadership" endorsed Sen Clinton because they know the kinds of results to expect under her, while Sen Obama offers the rank and file the promise of more than she and her husband delivered.